Hermione was really worried when she didn't hear from Ron that evening, or at all the following week; despite her best efforts to get hold of him. Every time she tried his phone, it was turned off and she'd sent him countless amounts of interdepartmental memos and owls. As a last resort, she'd marched down to the Auror office one day after her meetings; only to be told Ron had already left for the day. Hermione hated being left in the dark about things so had resorted to nagging Ginny and Harry all week, but both of them just told her to speak to Ron. By the end of the week, she was highly frustrated and was hoping she'd at least get a chance to corner him at Sunday lunch.
Before she'd get a chance to try, however, Hermione still had the pressing issue of Ginny's hen do. She had spent every spare hour that week preparing and she woke early Saturday morning excited for the day ahead. After a quick shower and breakfast, she checked her packed bags before apparating to the end of a small drive that led to a countryside muggle boutique hotel.
Hermione checked in and was led to the small private room. The hotel had decorated it with flowers and balloons, just like she'd asked them to. The plan was to spend the day relaxing in the hotel's spa and Hermione had booked massages and treatments. After the spa, they had dinner plans and Hermione hoped that eventually they'd end up at a club in London. Hermione perched a small gift bag at the end of each lounger and waited eagerly for the party to arrive. One by one, people started to turn up; with the guest of honour arriving last with her mum.
It turned out that a day of relaxing was exactly what Hermione needed. There was still a small worry in the back of her mind about Ron, but she found it wasn't too intrusive and she was able to enjoy the conversations around her.
Despite the fact the hotel had put on enough food to feed an army of mountain trolls for the group to pick at in between their treatments, by early evening they were ready for their three-course meal. The champagne had been in full flow and most of the group were taking advantage of it. Hermione and Ginny had found it particularly funny at how tipsy Molly had gotten. The Weasley matriarch had rarely had a chance to let her hair down and she had definitely indulged in too much wine. Fleur offered to take her back to the Burrow, promising to meet the girls at the London cocktail bar they were planning on moving on to.
Eventually the party finally returned to the private room so that they could say goodbye to those who were not staying on for drinks and get changed ready to head into London. Hermione thanked the hotel staff as they checked out; it had been nice being waited on hand and foot for the day.
By the time they turned up at the cocktail bar, it was rammed. Hermione tried to enjoy herself, but since the tequila incident she was trying to limit how much she drank. She watched across the group as Ginny turned down some shots, so she weaved her way over to her.
"Hey! Are you having a good night?" Hermione smiled at her friend, finding the shot glass and offering it to her.
"Yes, thank you so much!" Ginny pushed the shot glass away. "You take it! I have had enough champagne tonight, thank you very much!" She gave her a steady smile. "Hailey is back from her injury so I'm going to have to compete with her for my spot on the line-up. Training starts the day after Harry and I get back from honeymoon, how unfair is that?!" Ginny pulled a face. "Plus I only get one hen party, I want to be able to remember it!"
Hermione laughed. "Fair enough! This may sound a bit boring, but I think it's almost time we went home anyway…" She watched as some of Ginny's teammates wound up some muggle boys on the dancefloor.
"Oh thank Merlin! I've been waiting for you to say that for ages, but I didn't want you to think I wasn't having fun! If one more muggle guy tries to feel me up I'm going to have to Bat Bogey Hex them; the Daily Prophet would have a field day…"
Hermione laughed and slipped her hand into Ginny's, leading her around the group to say goodbye. The girls headed out of the club and found a quiet place to apparate back to Harry and Ginny's house.
Ginny made a beeline for the kitchen as soon as they got back to the house and Hermione followed, leaning against the counter to remove her heels.
"When did we start acting so old?!" Hermione rubbed one foot. "We're only just in our 20's…"
Ginny laughed as she boiled the kettle. "You're older than me. And also you're asking the wrong girl; I'm still 19 and I'm getting married next Saturday. I just blame the war!"
"I blame the war for most things to be fair!" Hermione settled at the kitchen table. "I am so excited for next week though, it's going to be an amazing day!"
"It is, isn't it?" Ginny settled opposite Hermione. "I guess Harry and I just thought why should we wait? When you know you're meant to be with someone, you just know…" She smirked at the brunette. "Well apart from you, it seems…"
Hermione raised her eyebrows in mock offence and was about to retaliate when they heard the floo activate, followed by an almighty crash in the living room. They were startled briefly until the sound of Harry and Ron's laughter filled the room. Hermione raised her eyebrows with a smirk and followed Ginny to see what damage they'd done.
Harry was the first to get up from the floor but he was having real difficulties standing up straight. There was chaos around them; Ron was still lying on the floor, trying his hardest to contain his laughs and he was surrounded by the shards of a broken vase. Ginny pulled out her wand and lazily cast reparo on the vase. It was only then that the two men noticed the witches stood there watching them.
"Ginny!" Harry stumbled as he took unsteady steps to get to his soon-to-be-wife; almost stepping on Ron twice. He gave her a sloppy kiss as he finally got to her.
"Merlin, you stink of booze. How much have you two had to drink?" Ginny looped an arm around Harry's waist to steady him.
Hermione watched Harry with a fond smile, but she was vaguely aware that Ron had picked himself up and was staring at her from across the room. She tried to avoid looking at him, though the attention made her cheeks blush red.
"Just a small amount, hardly anything really! Arthur was the drunk one!" Harry tightened his grip on Ginny.
Ginny laughed. "Poor Dad! We sent mum home in quite a state too! Did you have a good night though?"
"Yes! Ron is the best best man ever…"
"Hmmm I'm not sure I agree with you given the state you're in. Hermione and I had a really great night and we're not in a mess!" Ginny frowned at her brother, who was swaying softly on the spot, still staring at Hermione. "What did you do?"
"Don't tell Ginny but we went to the Leaky for a bit, then we watched the Wales vs Italy international friendly game which was amazing! Then we went back to the Leaky! We didn't drink too much though…"
"Keep telling yourself that…" Ginny laughed. "Hermione, I hate to ask but do you think you can get Ron home? I don't trust him in the floo system, but I really need to get this one to bed..."
Hermione eyed Ron hesitantly.
"Uhm yeah sure, I guess…" Given that Ron had spent the last week avoiding her, getting him to his flat was the last thing she wanted to do. She looped her arm around his waist anyway and pushed him towards the floo with a sigh after saying goodnight to Harry and Ginny.
The first thing she noticed when they go to the flat was how much of a mess it was.
"I'm okay from here now; thanks though…" Ron pushed away from her gently and weaved his way across the living room, immediately bumping into the coffee table and almost tripping over a pair of shoes that had been left in the way. Hermione sighed as she watched him and followed him anyway.
"What's happened to this place? It looks like a niffler has been let loose!"
"Oh don't be so judgey, not everyone's houses are perfect…" Ron frowned at her. "I can live how I want!"
"Yeah but doesn't Lav…"
"It's my place Hermione!" Ron interrupted her rudely, throwing her a scathing look before pushing open his bedroom door and flinging himself down on the bed; still fully clothed.
Hermione leaned against the doorframe, watching him. She could just leave him sleep there like that, after all, she'd done what she'd promised Ginny she'd do. But despite the week-long cold shoulder, she didn't want him to wake up feeling worse than he was already going to. She sighed and left him there briefly to get a glass of water and a hangover potion. By the time she got back to the bedroom, he was snoring away softly.
She left the potion and the glass of water on his bedside table before perching on the edge of the bed to undo his shoes. Once they were on the floor, she set about carefully stripping him down to his boxers and t-shirt.
"If Lavender walks in right now, we'd be in deep trouble Ronald Weasley…"
"Shhhhh… Lav won't know…" Ron stirred briefly as she tucked him in. She started to stand up, but Ron pulled at her arm softly. "Just stay for a bit; I don't want to be alone…"
There was nothing Hermione wanted more than to slip into bed with him, to feel the warm weight of his body pressed against hers but Ginny had alluded that Ron had gotten into trouble after last week and she really didn't want to make it worse for him. Eventually she decided it would be okay to like next to him if she stayed above the duvet. She moved so that she was sitting next to him on the bed and Ron immediately shifted to rest his head against her stomach. She lifted a hand, absentmindedly stroking his hair as he looked up at her.
"Do you ever think about us, 'Mione?"
Ron's words were slurred, but she had spent enough time with him to know what he was saying. She spoke fluent Ron. Hermione contemplated either pretending she hadn't heard him or lying to him but she was fed up of hiding how she felt. He probably wouldn't remember any of it by the morning anyway.
"All the time…" She whispered sadly.
"Do you regret finishing with me?"
"Yes…" Hermione was surprised when she felt tears in her eyes and Ron cuddled closer to her.
"I should have just come with you…" Ron let out a heavy sigh. "Worst decision of my life. We were good together, weren't we?"
"The best Ron…" Hermione wiped a tear away from her eye. "I'd have you back in an instant, you know that right?"
Ron frowned slightly. "You're crying?"
"I'm okay…" She gave him a watery smile, although it felt false.
"Good! That's all that matters. Happy Hermione and Harry are the most important things in my world…" He chuckled at himself.
Hermione watched him as he closed his eyes again, a smile on his face.
"What happened this week Ron? You've been ignoring me…"
"Just needed some space…" Ron mumbled sleepily. "I needed to think…"
"What about?"
"Choices, I had to choose…"
Hermione went to push him further, but Ron had already drifted off to sleep in her arms. She watched him sleep for a short while, her stomach tied in tight knots. Her brain was on overdrive, trying to work out what choices he had to made. She couldn't help but worry that something awful was going to happen and that Hermione would end up losing. Eventually she slipped off the bed and apparated home, but she knew sleep was far out of reach for her tonight.