It was a foregone conclusion to the majority of the wizarding world that Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley would get married.
The pair had started dating not long after the war had ended and many people had been following their relationship through press and when their engagement was announced everybody felt that they had something to look forward to. The general wizarding population thought that they would last, but unknown to them trouble had been brewing between the couple for some time.
"For Merlin's sake, Hermione! I haven't even done anything!" Ron Weasley cursed.
"Precisely, Ronald, you haven't done anything! I asked you to do some tidying in the house because I was working late, and I didn't want to start it when I came back because I had to go in early the next morning, and you ignore me and leave it as it is anyway," Hermione shouted as she let her anger go.
"I don't know how to do it, Hermione. If you could have shown me then maybe I would have been able to," Ron shouted back.
"You are perfectly capable of washing dishes. I have seen you do it before at The Burrow, and you even helped when we were camping, so don't you dare tell me you don't know what to do," Hermione said coldly as she lowered her voice. She knew there would be no point in shouting at him for much longer.
Ron huffed as if he was annoyed at being caught out.
"That's not the point," he said shrugging.
"Then what is, Ron? You can't keep making excuses to not do things when they are your responsibility. We live together, which means that both of us have to make sure the house is clean and tidy. I do my best even though I work longer hours than you, and it seems as if you take it for granted that I will do everything when you haven't," Hermione said quietly.
Ron didn't reply and just looked down at the floor as if he was embarrassed by what she had said, and Hermione knew that what she had said was true.
Her eyes started to well up. Hermione knew that if things didn't change then she would have to leave him. She couldn't imagine living this way for the rest of her life.
After a few minutes of silence Hermione said tearfully, "I can't go on like this, Ron. Either you start making an effort, or I will leave. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I can't carry on as we are. The choice is yours."
"I don't want you to leave," Ron mumbled.
"And I don't want to go, but you have to try and understand where I'm coming from, Ron. I can't work and do all of this on my own. I'm not your mother. If you want someone who is willing to stay at home to do the chores while you are out at work then I'm not the woman for you," she said softly.
Ron nodded.
"I'm going to bed. I will see you tomorrow," Hermione announced and walked into the hall to the stairs. The tears that she had not shed in the sitting room cascaded down her face and a sob built in her chest.
Maybe we are just too different she thought.
Three months later the majority of the wizarding world woke to the following headline:
BREAKING NEWS: Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley split!
It was confirmed late last night by a close friend of the couple that they have indeed ended their relationship.
Rumours have been circulating the past two weeks as to whether it was over as Miss Granger has been spotted without her engagement ring in public.
The close friend also stated that the reason why the couple split was because they couldn't make things work.
"They've been fighting for quite a while, and although they tried to make things work between them, it just didn't," our source said.
It seems as if our dreams of a wedding between two of the Golden Trio are finally dashed.
That afternoon Hermione walked through the door of the small flat that she had decided to rent and collapsed on the sofa. Tears of anger, hurt, and frustration spilled down her face and she didn't try to stop them.
Hermione had been trying to avoid all talk of her and Ron all day to no avail. Everywhere she went people were looking at her with pity and trying to pry the 'real' reason why they split from her. It was only after she had lost her temper with a potential donator that she was sent home.
This wasn't the way this was supposed to go. She and Ron were supposed to get married, have children, and be together for the rest of their lives. It seemed as if fate had a different idea.
Things improved a little with the chores, but once she noticed one difference between them, it was hard not to notice all of them. In the end it was just too much and even though they loved each other they weren't happy and decided to call time on their engagement.
Hermione only hoped that Ron would find someone who he could truly be happy with.
