AN: Okay, I'm too excited to wait until Saturday to share this update with you, and once I discovered that Cynthia_granger on tiktok has been discussing this story in her videos, I knew I had to share this chapter early as a thank you! This chapter is PIVOTAL for the story, and you all know that I love a twist, so I just hope you enjoy this one.
As always, my love goes out to my amazing betas, who helped me work out all the twists and turns into this story, then listened to me whinge and come up with idea and idea of how to resolve it. I'm pretty happy with the final result, and I hope you will be too.
There will still be an update Saturday, this is just a Brucey bonus. If you enjoy this chapter, or if you're mad at me, or if you hate what I've done, let me know but PLEASE don't forget to be respectful and kind. There's enough shit going on in the world, and I write these stories for FREE and because I just adore Romione so much and want to share that love with you. I hope this chapter doesn't ruin the rest of your week xxxx
The day of the summer fete finally arrives, and Ron prepares himself to have a serious conversation with Hermione
After what feels like the longest wait, the morning of Ottery St. Catchpole Junior School's Summer Fete arrives. Over the past week, an enthusiastic buzz has settled over the village, and everywhere Ron turns, he hears villagers talking about it. In a small place like Ottery, not much else happens, and the school event is the height of the social calendar for most of its inhabitants.
It's a lot of stress for the PTA. McGonagall challenges them to put on a bigger and better event every year. Fortunately, the nature of the committee means there's a regular cycle of parents rotating through the group, and it's easy for them to come up with new and exciting ideas. And if that stops working, then they can always resort to Google. The Headmistress hasn't held an unsuccessful fete yet, a fact she has been keen to remind members of in every message she sends about the event. Along with the fact that every year they've beaten their fundraising totals.
No pressure, then.
Ron is woken far too early by the sun peeking through the gap in his curtains. It warms his bed, making it uncomfortable for him to linger under the duvet for too long. Instead, he pushes the material down to his waist as he rolls onto his back, contemplating the mixed feelings he has for the day.
How can he feel nervous and excited all at the same time? He hasn't even been awake for five minutes, but his brain is already close to imploding from the number of emotions swirling around in it. It's fucking distracting, and he can't wait for the day to be over, so he'll finally know where he stands with Hermione.
It doesn't help that it's been over a week since he last saw her, despite his best efforts to try and get a glimpse of her during the school runs. They've sent a handful of messages during that time, only discussing last-minute arrangements for the stall and nothing deeper. It's good news, in a way, because it means there have been no further bullying incidents. But, after their week of constant messaging before they broke up, Ron is desperate to have a proper conversation with her again.
The time apart has helped a little. It's given Ron a chance to ponder everything that's happened since that fateful first meeting of the PTA and helped him decide what he's going to do about the whole Hermione situation.
The fact he misses her is a massive indication that calling their relationship off was an enormous mistake. He realises now that he wants her back, and he's desperate to make a proper go of it with her. In the short amount of time that he's known her, she has made his life a hundred times better, giving him something to smile about (aside from Hugo). He regrets acting on impulse without thinking it through or without at least asking Hugo what he thought about the prospect of Ron getting a girlfriend.
However, if all goes well today, Ron plans to grab a quiet moment to talk to Hermione about everything and has even gone as far as making arrangements for them to have a proper date together if she says yes. He has lined up Harry and Ginny to babysit Hugo on Wednesday and booked a table at Chez Grimmauld, the poshest restaurant in North Devon. He may have to remortgage his house to pay for it all, and he'll owe his sister and best friend a million favours, but it'll be worth it. He wants to take things slow with Hermione and learn everything about her before he jumps back into bed with her, although he wouldn't say no to a bit of snogging if she offers.
Ron has rehearsed over and over what he will say to win her back. George even offered him a book on flirting with and attracting women, although Ron refused his help. After all, he managed to get Hermione to like him the first time around, so this should be pretty easy. All day, Ron will make sure to shower her with praise and adoration. Then, when the moment is right and hopefully without interruptions, he'll move on to how he wants to go out with her and date her properly, with the aspiration of eventually inviting her into his family.
Maybe the family chat is a little too much? He doesn't want to scare her off, even though he's already determined that Hermione is the perfect fit for the missing motherly figure in Hugo's life.
Okay, new plan. Shower Hermione with praise, flirt a lot, then invite her on a date. Perfect! If his plans work out, the stall will succeed, and Hermione will be in a good mood and receptive to his advances.
It's all going to work out fine.
Ignoring the squirming in his belly, Ron swings his legs out of bed with a loud yawn. Noise is already coming from Hugo's bedroom—the kid has never been one to sleep in late when he's excited about something. Taking advantage of the fact Hugo seems to be occupied, Ron creeps across the hallway to grab a quick shower. Only once he's clean and dressed for the day does he push open Hugo's bedroom door, leaning against the wooden door frame to observe his nephew.
Hugo is out of bed and wearing the shocking orange t-shirt Ron had printed for anyone working on the stall. He's paired it with his white football shorts and neon green socks, which gives him the appearance of a tiny, eccentric athlete. Hugo has a unique fashion sense. Ron loves entertaining it by letting the kid choose his outfits when he's not in school, especially as Hugo's uncoordinated appearance often winds his nan up. It reminds Ron of Fred and the way he and the way he and George liked to play tricks on family members. There was always some reason for a joke or a brightly coloured outfit. Fred veered well away from the ordinary, and it's Ron's job now to ensure that mood is still honoured, especially with Hugo.
Hugo's rucksack lies open on the bed, and the kid roams the room, collecting items from all his nooks and crannies to stuff into it.
"Morning, Hugo," Ron says with a smile after watching the kid for a moment longer. "Whatcha doing?"
Hugo doesn't pause his mission to reply to Ron and instead speaks into the drawer where he keeps his crayons. "I'm packing, Uncle Ron. Today is a big day."
"Why? Where are you going?"
Hugo stops rifling through the cupboard and gives Ron a solemn look. "To the summer fete! Nanny Molly says you should always be prepared."
Ron laughs. He's no idea where this kid came from, but it must be Katie's side of the family shining through, as none of the Weasleys are like this. Only one of Ron's brothers is this serious, and Percy's children are wild in comparison. Still, Ron decides to humour Hugo for now; he doesn't want to risk upsetting him. Beginning the day with either of them in a bad mood would make everything a lot more complicated.
"Alright. We have everything we need at the school, and Uncle George is bringing all the food this morning. But you bring whatever you think you'll need. I'm gonna make breakfast, and then we need to get moving. I promised Miss Granger that we'd be at the school early to set up."
"I'm ready!" Hugo zips up his bag and heaves it onto his back. It must weigh a ton as the kid staggers back before adjusting to it. "I can help make toast."
"Okay then, let's go!"
Hugo checks around the room one last time as if looking for any items he may be missing, then steps past Ron and out to the stairs. He pauses at the top of the staircase and turns his head back to look at his uncle.
"Hey, Uncle Ron. We're matching today! Isn't that cool?"
A warm smile spreads over Ron's face. He's glad he invested a bit of his own money into the tops if it helps Hugo to feel part of a team. Although Ron has refrained from the bright-coloured socks and white shorts, the effect is still the same—they look like they belong.
⁂
It doesn't take long for Ron and Hugo to eat breakfast and tidy up, and before long, the duo are on their way to the school. The entire grounds are closed off for the event, forcing Ron to look for a parking spot on a nearby side street. They're not the only ones who have turned up early, but he squeezes his rustbucket into the smallest of spaces, between two brand new SUVs.
"This must be a nuisance to anyone who lives nearby," Ron mutters to himself as he locks the car, takes Hugo's hand, then heads back towards the school.
A familiar-looking figure waits for them at the gate. Ron's heart skips a beat as they get nearer, a broad smile appearing on his face. Hermione looks amazing. She has pulled her hair off her face, and a black headband holds any stray strands away from her forehead. Her orange t-shirt looks fantastic against her olive skin, and she's paired it with cutoff denim shorts that show off her incredible legs.
It's going to be hard for Ron to keep his hands off her today.
"Good morning, team." Hermione bounces on the balls of her feet. "How are we doing today?"
Ron and Hugo beam at her at the same time. It's clear both Weasley boys are smitten with the teacher. Ron opens his mouth to greet her, but Hugo beats him to it.
"Hi, Miss Granger." He lets go of Ron's hand and throws his arms around her waist, burying his head against her stomach in his usual greeting. "I'm excited for today. We're going to win."
Hermione raises her eyebrows at Ron, a grin spreading over her face at the affection she's getting. "Yeah? How do you know that?"
"I've been telling all my friends about the tasty food we're going to make. They promised to come and buy food from us. Come on. We need to get ready!"
Grabbing Hermione's hand from her side, Hugo pulls her towards their allotted space. George is already unpacking a white transit van with the words "Weasley Watering Hole" emblazoned on the side in bright orange and purple. As they move, she glances back at Ron, the amused look on her face growing. Making eye contact with her sends a jolt of electricity through his body, giving him the surge of confidence he needs to chat to Hermione today.
⁂
As the sun creeps higher into the sky throughout the early morning, the PTA transforms the school grounds into a sea of colour and noise. Rainbow banners and streamers hang from every pillar and post, stall owners set up marquees to provide shade to visitors, and music blasts from the large set of speakers Mr Hagrid and Filch, the caretaker, have set up near the entrance to the building. Kidz bop songs and the smell of frying onions fill the air as the growing crowd of villagers wait at the school gates.
George fires up the portable grills as his wife, Angelina, begins preparing the ingredients, and the scent of barbecue makes Ron's mouth water. Over the week, they agreed that it would be better if all four of them operate the stall all day to ensure they can get through as many customers as possible rather than try and tackle it in shifts. Ron has arranged for the rest of the Weasley family to help out in shifts so that the others get a break.
In true Weasley fashion, the food stand is an enormous explosion of colour and sound. Hugo and Ron spent all week creating a pile of decorations in the hope of attracting the most people over, and George and Ron perfected the menu to produce the most delicious smells, with input from Hermione, of course. Ron wanted every visitor's mouth to water from across the field. On the table nearest the cashbox, a small boombox plays novelty dance music, like the Macarena and the Cha Cha Slide.
Surely, with all that extra effort, they're going to win?
Ron and Hermione finish setting up the portable picnic tables, adorning each one with a lime-green table cloth and small boxes of various condiments before stepping back to admire their work.
"Are you sure we picked the right colours?" Hermione lifts a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as her eyes scour over the other stalls. "Everyone else has gone for rainbows and pastels."
Ron chuckles. "Then yes, we definitely picked the right colours. We stand out compared to the rest of them, and that's important. We want to appeal to as many customers as possible. The point is to lure them in with the crazy decorations and soundtrack, then make them stay once they've smelled George's cooking."
Opposite them, Harry and Slughorn set up their bottle sale, a glum look on their faces. Ron waves at his best friend, who flips him a finger in return.
"Charming!" Hermione laughs before turning to look up at Ron. "Thank you for doing this. I've enjoyed working with you on it. You could have backed down after, well, you know, but you didn't. I appreciate it."
With the sun already burning down on them and a massive smile on Hermione's face, Ron recognises that this could be the moment to talk to her. They're alone, Hugo is bothering his cousins and Aunt Ginny, at least Ron hopes that's where the kid is, and George and Angelina are bickering in the kitchen area. Gulping hard, Ron chews on his bottom lip, trying to force the words he's been rehearsing all week out of his mouth, but nothing comes.
"I've enjoyed it," he spits out. "It's been fun."
Headmistress McGonagall's voice sounds out from the speakers, calling them to the school entrance for a last-minute debrief. Shoulders drooping, Ron follows Hermione over to the small podium, and they locate a spot amongst all the other PTA members to listen to what the elderly teacher has to say.
Hermione settles so near to him that their fingers graze, and their hips bump together. Even with such a small amount of contact, electricity jumps between their skin, sending tingles racing through his body. Ron can smell her intoxicating perfume, and the whole combination of sense drives him mental. Before he gets himself in trouble, he folds his arms across his chest, keeping his gaze trained on McGonagall. Today will be hard, being in such proximity to Hermione without touching her, but the reward will be worth it.
McGonagall doesn't need a microphone, her strong voice carrying out above the crowds as she says, "Before we open the gates and let the villagers of Ottery St. Catchpole in, I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work. It's no mean feat, pulling everything out of the bag in a little over three weeks.
"Whatever money we raise today, you can be proud of what you've achieved.
"As always, if you need anything, I'll be at the front desk, where our designated first aider, Poppy Pomfrey, will be with me. We also have plenty of refreshments and suncream with us. Feel free to pop by whenever you need it. It's a hot day, stay hydrated and take plenty of breaks.
"But most importantly, have fun."
A round of applause rings out as the headmistress steps down off the small podium. It's exhilarating being a part of a group working towards something good for a change. Ron never knew there would be so many benefits to being a part of the PTA, and he might even stay on next year if he can find the time. Having a task to focus on has helped him and Hugo, and it's only their first event. In fact, Ron is enjoying it so much, he's already signed up to help escort the end of term disco next Friday.
Hermione tugs at his elbow, and he shakes himself out of his thoughts, turning his head to look at her.
"I've got a missed call," she says with a smile, waving her mobile phone in his face to prove the point. "I'm just going to pop into my classroom to take it, but I'll be back before the crowds get to the stall, I promise."
"Sure. See you in a bit."
Ron watches her go then starts to stroll back towards the bright orange marquee. Harry falls into step with him, his previous frown now replaced with a smile.
"Feeling confident?" he asks.
"Yep. I reckon we're going to win. Hugo is adamant, too."
"Yeah, I think so too." Harry runs his hands through his hair. "I'm fucked. Are you sure I can't come and help you? Slughorn just can't be arsed, and our idea is lame."
"Well, you can't win every time, buddy. And anyway, I'm out of orange tops."
"Speaking of winning, what's going on with you and Hermione? Have you changed your mind about dumping her?"
Ron frowns. "What do you mean?"
"You two were standing pretty close just now."
Checking their surroundings, Ron drops his voice to a conspiratorial level. "I'm going to ask her to give me a second chance."
"Really?" Harry stops in his tracks, a huge grin spreading over his face. "What changed your mind?"
"I shouldn't have acted on Mum's advice straight away. I should have at least thought about it before making a rash decision. She means well, but I don't always think she gets it right. Both you and Bill reminded me that just because I have Hugo to look after, it doesn't mean that I can't do something for myself. And last week, Hugo asked why I didn't have a girlfriend. Apparently, his favourite Aunt and Uncle have been talking and mentioned that if I got more action, I'd be a happier person."
Harry's cheeks turn pink as he throws his friend a sheepish smile. "Those kids are fucking nosey."
"Yeah, well, it turns out that might be for the best. I plan to talk to Hermione at some point today. I guess I'll let you know how it goes?"
"Yes, please! Good luck, mate."
After placing a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder, Harry wanders back to his table. Slughorn is already settled in a camp seat, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. Loud snores emit from his wide mouth. Harry's shoulders sag as he sighs, and Ron feels a fleeting pang of guilt for his best friend, but it disappears as soon as it arrives. That'll teach the git for not saving me a seat at the PTA meeting all those weeks ago.
Ron gives George and Angelina a massive smile as he joins them before making sure they have plenty of water. It's already warm, and slaving over a grill all day will be grim for them. Just as the first customers make it to their stall, Hermione appears from behind.
"Oh, there she is. Nice of you to join us again!" Ron smirks.
With a scoff, Hermione picks up a tea towel and flicks him with it. "I wasn't gone for long, just had to deal with something."
"Everything all right?"
Hermione doesn't get a chance to reply as a small child approaches the table. He gazes up at the adults with expectant eyes. Ron takes his order and payment, then passes it to George to prepare.
"Beef burger with banana and mayonnaise?" George's eyes light up. "Brilliant. Might be one to add to the permanent menu if it tastes good."
Blocking out the sound of Angelina and George arguing over whether he's allowed to try every order that comes through, Ron turns back to Hermione. "Is everything okay, Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione scribbles down the following order and sends it through to the cooking area. Hugo was supposed to be their little messenger, but he still hasn't shown up for his shift. "Oh yes, fine, I just had to speak to my mum. Nothing too important. They just get a bit fussy if I don't get back to them as soon as possible."
Ron places his hands on her hips to squeeze past her and reach the cutlery. His groin brushes against her backside, forcing Ron to try his best to ignore the growing excitement in his jeans as vivid memories of their night together fills his mind. There was one moment where he had her on all fours and...
With a cough, he forces his thoughts back to the present and tries his best to think of something that might quell his burning passion. What were they talking about anyway?
"Overbearing parents?" he asks as he grabs a wooden knife and fork from the pile and rests them next to the recyclable takeaway boxes. Hermione was adamant their operation was sustainable and didn't create too much waste. "I know a bit about that."
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah. Despite there being six of us, my mum still has an opinion on everything we do in our lives."
"Ain't that the truth!" George adds from his position at the grill.
Hermione laughs. "Then maybe it's just a parent thing?"
"I don't know. I try not to do it with Hugo."
"He is a well-rounded kid." She smiles up at him then glances down at his hands, which are still resting on her hips. Realising what he's done, he pulls them away, the tips of his ears turning pink.
"Sorry," he mutters.
"Don't be." The wicked grin Hermione gives him is enough to send a flurry of butterflies through his stomach. A knot forms in his throat, and his palms turn sweaty as he concentrates on sorting out more cutlery.
⁂
Just as Hugo predicted, the stall is a roaring success. However, the kid never turned up to do any real work, instead choosing to check in on them and shout words of encouragement before running off to whichever of Ron's siblings was responsible for looking after the children.
Their day carries on much the same as the start of the event, with Ron taking every opportunity to touch Hermione and joke with her and George's usual jibes doing nothing to quell his enjoyment of the day.
A steady stream of customers queues through the field to get a taste of the strange concoctions Hermione and Ron have put together for the villagers of Ottery St. Catchpole. They take it in turns to have a break to ensure that nobody is left alone for too long, and Ron misses Hermione every time she wanders too far away from him.
Hermione, George and Angelina seem to match Ron's good mood, so even though they're working hard, the day passes by in a flash. Hermione is reciprocal to Ron's flirting, and she responds with batted eyelashes and flushed cheeks. They work hard, not even pausing until the Electric Slide blasts out from the boombox.
"Oh, I love this song!" Ron exclaims, abandoning the slices of bread he's buttering and grabbing Hermione's hand, pulling her out from behind their work table and to the space in front of their stand.
The waiting customers turn to watch as Ron moves in time with the music but Hermione stands there, blinking at him.
"What? Don't tell me you don't know the moves?" He's aghast, his jaw almost reaching his chest. "But this is the easiest dance to learn. Here, I'll show you."
"Oh no, Ron, I'm not sure if I should…."
He ignores her protests. Moving closer to Hermione, he waits for the right spot in the music. "Alright, first we do a grapevine left… then right. Two steps back. Step touch, then brush your foot as you turn to face the next direction. And then it all starts again."
It doesn't take Hermione long to learn the steps, and they forget about the crowds as they dance together, laughing every time they get the moves wrong. Ron feels like a child again, not caring about what people think of him, too fixated on having fun and enjoying himself. The kids around them join in, and before Ron and Hermione know it, half of the fete are dancing along. But he doesn't pay attention to any of them, only able to focus on the woman dancing alongside him.
He's gutted when the song finishes, and they're forced back behind their table, both their chests heaving with the exertion from the exercise.
"I know all the classics," he tells Hermione with a massive grin as he gets back to the task he abandoned. "We were Butlins kids, cheap and cheerful holidays. Mum and Dad made us go to all the kid's clubs and shows, just to give them a break from us. When the seven of us were all together, we were like a mini hurricane."
She laughs. "Interesting. I kind of wish I'd had that. My parents used to take me skiing and abroad, but they focused more on getting out and exploring. Our holidays were never restful, but they were interesting, I guess."
"Of course!" Ron laughs too. "I'm not sure Butlins kids clubs would have been up your street, to be honest."
He flashes her a huge grin, admiring her flushed cheeks and the shine of sweat on her forehead for a bit longer before the cough of a parent in front of him drags his attention back to the stall and taking orders. It's clear that the attraction they felt before still exists between them, despite Ron's stupid decisions. Her behaviour makes him more adamant about asking her out again.
⁂
Due to the stall's popularity, he doesn't get a chance to get Hermione alone until the fete is over and they're packing up. He volunteered for dishwashing duties, and he dries the last dish before wandering over to where she's standing alone at a fold-up table, wrapping leftover ingredients ready for their transport back to the restaurant.
He takes a huge breath before saying, "Today was a huge success."
"It was." Hermione turns her head to give him a huge grin. "We did well. Do you reckon it was enough to win?"
"God, I hope so. Hugo will not stop talking about that prize, even though he doesn't know what it is."
"I think we will have done enough to beat Harry, at least."
They glance over at the table opposite. Harry is packing away almost all of the bottles they brought with them into cardboard boxes, a frown on his face. By the looks of it, Ginny is doing her best to appease her husband, but it Ron knows nothing helps once his best friend is in that brooding place.
"Oh, dear." Ron chuckles. "But I was right. Any type of sale was not a good idea."
"Yeah, yeah, you were right, and I was wrong. I'll give you that one."
"Wait! Can you just give me a second? I'll grab my phone and record you saying that again. I need to save it for prosperity. I was right, and the wonderful Miss Granger was wrong."
"You watch it, or I'll take it back." She threatens him with the scissors, a manic laugh escaping her lips.
A comfortable silence settles between them as Ron helps her pack up the last of the food. Once they've packed away all the food, they turn to each other, and Hermione's smile mirrors the way he's feeling. It's like he's floating on air, yet he's so giddy, it's like he's just stepped off the waltzers at the village fair. The excellent weather just tops it off.
It's now or never. Ron will never get a more perfect opportunity. Ignoring the tremble of his hand, he reaches up to scratch his beard.
"So listen," he says, keeping his voice low, just in case George is trying to spy on him. "I've been meaning to talk to you today."
Abandoning the scissors, Hermione pivots her whole body to face Ron, but her smile disappears from her face. "That sounds ominous. What's up?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Ron spots a teenage girl approach the table, her hands shoved into the pockets of her shorts and a huge bag perched on her back. He sighs at the intrusion and tears his gaze from Hermione's pretty face long enough to send the child away.
"Sorry, kid. You missed all the food. We shut the stall half an hour ago, and the fete is over. It looks like you missed out on a treat as well."
Hermione lets out a small squeak. Ron frowns as her eyes widen and her face turns pale. Her hands, which she had clasped in front of her, now grip hold of the edge of the table. Her knuckles are turning white with the effort of keeping her surprise in check.
"Rose?" she questions in a thin voice. "What are you doing here? I thought we decided you'd stay at Nan and Granddad's for another week, then they'll bring you to me."
"They gave me the train fare, I told you this morning that I missed you, Mum, and I wanted to surprise you even if it's just for a night. I'm just annoyed I missed the stall after you wouldn't stop talking about it all week. There was a delay outside Yeovil, and we were stuck there for over an hour..."
The teenager's words fade out, and the world around Ron stops. No matter which way he digests what Rose said, he cannot make sense of it. She called Hermione Mum. In his mind, Ron recounts every interaction he ever had with Hermione, not that there were many, and there was never any mention of a child. The girl standing in front of them must be at least fourteen, maybe even older. And there's no way that Hermione could even…
But he's wrong, of course. Hermione is the same age as him, and thirty-five is more than old enough for her to be the mother of a teenager. Plus, the kid is the spitting image of the teacher, with two large front teeth and wild, curly brown hair, although Rose wears hers a lot shorter than Hermione, and it is a darker shade with blonde highlights.
Nausea bubbles in Ron's stomach as the penny drops: Hermione kept a massive piece of news from him. Backing away from them, he shakes his head. Red rage blurs the edges of his sight, but he's not sure if he wants to fight, run away or just throw up.
"You're...she...what?" are the only words that tumble out of his mouth as he claws for a grasp on reality.
"Rose, do you mind giving me five minutes?" Hermione asks in a calm voice. Rose nods then walks away, choosing to perch on the trestle table next to Hugo, who looks like he might be digging for worms. The spiderman facepaint he'd had on earlier has melted in the afternoon sun, making him look like he's painted in blood.
Hermione turns to Ron, her hands shaking as she reaches for him. "Ron, I can explain."
He steps away from her grip, holding a hand up to silence her. He doesn't care if he's being rude because Hermione's secrets have devastated him. Already pain seeps into his heart, twisting like a knife as the negative thoughts creep into his mind. She was the one woman he trusted, he had so much hope for their future together, but she couldn't even give him the decency of returning that trust.
"Don't. Hermione, no. I don't want to hear it."
His heart aches as tears fill her eyes, but he can't fall for it or give in to her. She wove her magical spell over him before, but he won't allow it to happen again.
"But—"
"No!" he shouts, then cringes as the noise echoes around the field, drawing the attention of Rose, Hugo, lingering villagers and members of the PTA. George puts down whatever he was packing away and takes a discreet step forward so that he can eavesdrop, but Ron doesn't have the energy to tell him to fuck off.
Letting out a long puff of air, he pushes his hand through his hair. When he speaks again, Ron's voice is quiet and subdued.
"I can't believe you kept something this big from me after everything I told you? On Saturday morning, when we woke up in my bed after letting you in, I asked you to tell me a little bit about you. Having a teenage daughter is a bloody great big secret, Hermione, but you kept it from me. Even after I reassured you that nothing you could tell me would change what I thought of you.
"And I'm the fucking idiot, aren't I? I was fucking besotted with you. All day, I've been working up the courage to beg you for a second chance. What were you planning on doing? Announcing it after six months of dating? Or maybe when I fucking proposed? How would that have gone?"
"I didn't mean to," she squeaks. "I just wasn't sure what was happening. I didn't even expect to stay here. Rose doesn't live with me full-time yet. We decided she'd stay with my parents so she could finish her school year. It just didn't come up in conversation, and I didn't know how to spit it out. I had her when I was young, though I'm not ashamed of her. I've worked hard to get a career and look after a child as a single mother—"
"And I'm a single parent too. It's the same fucking thing. Don't you think I would have understood out of anyone else?"
He clenches his fists by his side. Ron is desperate to punch a wall or yell and kick and scream the place down, but he can't. Hugo has undoubtedly got his beady eyes on his uncle, and there is no way Ron would do that at Hermione's place of work. He wouldn't want to make her life difficult, especially with her big interview coming up.
"I trusted you, and you let me down." His voice breaks, and he clears his throat, trying his best to remain composed. "I have to go."
Ignoring the tears that roll down Hermione's cheeks and the burning in his own eyes, Ron turns away from her and strides over to George, keeping every step purposeful and his head held high.
George gives Ron a grimace, a muscle twitching in his jaw. There's understanding and sympathy in George's eyes, and Ron is grateful that his brother won't tease him about what just happened, at least not straight away.
Without Ron having to ask, George speaks first. "Most of the packing up is done, yeah? Why don't you leave Hugo with me and go sort yourself out? Come and pick him up from mine once you've cooled off, okay?"
Biting his lip, Ron turns away, his brother's compassion almost making him cry. "Yeah, thanks, mate. I'll see you later," he says in a thick voice.
He can't even bring himself to say goodbye to Hugo, who is now making friends with Hermione's daughter. To do so would mean having to walk past Hermione again and face the teenager who has ruined his life.
Instead, he fishes his car keys out of his pocket and walks away without looking back.