Disclaimer: I do not own HP or "Pictures of You." J.K. and The Last Goodnight do. kthx.

This earthquake weather has got me shaking inside

I'm high up and dry

Hermione and Severus had gotten through the first year of being new parents. Felicity's first birthday had passed, and their baby was as beautiful as ever.

Her birthday party had been the day before, and things had gone very smoothly. There were many in attendance, among them being Harry, Ginny, Ron, Albus, Minerva, Hermione's father, Neville, and Hagrid. The party had been a huge success.

Hermione and Severus had got a very sensitive subject taken care of the week before… For the past year, they had been trying to decide who were to be Felicity's godparents. Finally, after much deliberation and discussion, they decided on Harry and Ginny. There really was no other alternative. Severus knew Lucius had come back to the light, but at the same time, he didn't fancy leaving his child in the Malfoys' care if something were to happen to him and Hermione. Hermione had wanted Ron to be a godparent, but with him still being single, it simply wasn't practical. Felicity would need a mother, and since Harry and Ginny already had Caleb, they knew what it was to raise a child. But Severus and Hermione made it quite clear that Ron would always be "Uncle Ron" to Felicity.

Harry and Ginny had accepted their request graciously, and Hermione thought Ron was okay with it because the party had went so well.

She was wrong.

After the party ended, everyone was leaving. Ron was the last to leave, and when Hermione moved to give him a swift kiss on the cheek, something they had done for years, he pulled out of her reach. She furrowed her brow slightly but backed off. He thrust a thick envelope into her hands, and without a word, he swept out the door. Hermione looked down at the envelope; her name was scrawled on the front in Ron's messy handwriting. She noticed it didn't have Severus's name or even Felicity's on it.

She glanced into the nursery. Severus was putting Felicity into her crib, humming softly to her. She stood over the table and opened the envelope. There was a letter inside. She unfolded the letter and several photographs fell to the tabletop. She didn't notice. She was too busy reading the letter. She sank down into the chair as she realized where this letter was going…

Hermione,

You have no idea how hard it is for me to do this. I won't beat around the bush with it, either. There's really no point. I'm going to say what I have to say, and if you don't like it, then I can't help it. Hermione, I am… what's the word… devastated? No… upset? No… Bitter. Yes, bitter. And I can admit that. And no, it isn't just about you and Severus appointing Harry and Ginny as Felicity's godparents. That's part of it, but Hermione, that's only the beginning. I guess the thing I am so angry about is the reason you chose not to make me her godfather. I'm not saying it isn't a good reason or a practical reason, because it is. But the reason I am single… that's the issue at hand. Hermione, I love you. I've always loved you. I've never, ever stopped. I should have never let you go when "we" decided that we weren't right for each other. The only reason I went along with it was because it was what you wanted. But I think we made the wrong decision. God, I know I shouldn't be telling you this now. I should've stood up at the wedding when Dumbledore asked if anyone had any objections to your union. I shouldn't have told you I was okay with your marrying Severus. I shouldn't have let Severus think I approved of your being together. I should have stood up for what I wanted at the end of the year ball our 7th year. Merlin, you looked gorgeous that night. Apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed… because that was the night you and Severus first hooked up. I should've stopped you. I should've admitted my love for you. But I didn't, and now it's too late. You're Mrs. Severus Snape now, and you're happy. You've got a perfect daughter. Your family is all you've always dreamed. And now I am the mere "Uncle Ron." You're happier than you've ever been. You're happier than I ever made you. Oh God. We didn't make the wrong decision. You belong with Severus. He's the man you deserve. I see it now.

I don't know if I will ever be truly happy, except to know in my heart that you are.

Please, don't hate me for saying this. It's been eating away at me for years. Now that I've told you, hopefully I can begin to get over it. But please understand if I avoid you for a while. If I continue to see you all the time, there is no way I can ever get over you.

And don't worry; I would never try and sabotage your relationship with Severus. To see you unhappy would be enough to kill me.

Please accept these pictures. I want you to have them. To you, let them be reminders of our friendship. To me, they are just pictures that remind me of what we could have been.

I'm sorry for not being honest with you before now. I am also sorry for my words of honesty in this letter. I hope I haven't hurt you. It's the last thing in the world I'd want to do.

Love,

Ron

Hermione couldn't move after she read Ron's letter. Tears were sliding down her cheeks slowly. As a single tear dropped onto the parchment in front of her, she remembered the pictures. She pushed the parchment out of the way and picked up the photos. She smiled as she looked at them.

One of them was a shot from Harry's first Quidditch game their first year. Hermione was standing between the two of them, her arms draped lightly around both of their shoulders. They were laughing and Harry was holding the Golden Snitch in the air. Ron was laughing too, but occasionally looking at Hermione out of the corner of his eye.

Another picture was of her and Ron that was taken in the short time they were together. Ron was sitting on the couch in the Common Room, Hermione sitting on his lap with her head resting on his shoulder. She was sleeping. She remembered this picture. She had been studying for final exams for days straight, and was completely exhausted. Ron had his arms wrapped around her, and his lips pressed to her forehead. She could see where this picture would be painful to him.

The next picture was of her, Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Pavarti, Ginny, Fred, and George at the party held right after their graduation. They had all been into the Firewhiskey, even Hermione, and they appeared to be holding each other up. They all looked so young and excited. She remembered this night too… barely. She had snuck down to Severus's chambers directly after this picture had been taken. It was the first night she had spent in his arms. She smiled at that memory.

The last picture surprised her. It was a picture of her in her wedding dress, at the altar, holding both of Severus's hands. All of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were in the picture, looking on. The picture didn't move until Hermione and Severus's lips met, and everyone burst into applause. She looked at the picture Ron. He was clapping enthusiastically, but his face was contorted into an extremely fake smile. Funny, she hadn't noticed that before, and she had seen this picture dozens of times.

She sat the pictures down on top of the letter and sat back. Severus had been right, she thought. Ron does still love me. She sighed loudly, picked up the letter, and walked into their bedroom. Severus was undressing, putting on a pair of silk black boxers and a white t-shirt. He smiled at her when she came in, but upon seeing the look on her face, his smile faded.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked.

"You were right," she said simply. At first, he looked confused, but as he looked down at the letter in her hand, he knew. He set his jaw, but didn't look angry. He crossed the room to her and took her in his arms.

"It's okay, 'Mione. We'll deal with this," he whispered.

"I know… Severus, I love you," she said, as if wanting to remind him that he wasn't going to lose her under any circumstances.

"I love you too, sweetie," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"I've lost my best friend," she murmured, a tear wetting his clean shirt.

He shook his head. "Ron won't let that happen. He'll get over this, I promise. Just give him time," he reassured her, rubbing her back.

"I hope so," she answered softly.

confess to me every secret moment

every stolen promise you believe.

tbc

A/N: yes, some Ronald Weasley angst. But I felt it needed to happen. Ron couldn't get over Hermione easily, and this song was perfect to me. Please review and thanks for reading! Love, love!

-r