Ron excitedly greeted all the guests into the Burrow for the engagement party. One by one, he accepted handshakes and "good luck to you both"s. No one couldn't ignore the fact that Ron was glowing with happiness. Or that he couldn't wipe that smile off his face.
But, no one could blame him for being so happy. Everyone knew Hermione and Ron would end up like this, getting married to each other. To some people, this was a good thing. But to some envious others, they regretted that Hermione and Ron ever met.
"I wish Hermione never went to Hogwarts!" Lavender complained to Pavarti at the party.
"Oh, shut up and drink some punch!" Pavarti shoved punch into Lavender's face rather rudely. Unlike Lavender, Pavarti was extremely happy for Hermione and Ron.
"But I don't want punch! I want my Won-Won back!"
"Lavender, next time, don't come to the engagement party of the guy you love unless it's your party! You're going to ruin it for the other people if they find out you still love him!"
"Well, it's not like I'm announcing that I want him back or anything!" Pavarti sighed and walked away to Ron. Maybe she could now actually wish the couple good luck.
"Ron! Hey, how are you?," Pavarti kindly asked. But she didn't need to ask. His face showed it all.
"I'm great! I'm just so happy I'm marrying her…she's the only person who's ever loved me, you know." Pavarti's mind flashed back to Lavender, but she quickly put her mind on a new topic.
"Where's Hermione?" Ron's face fell. He quickly looked to both his left and his right. "Ron…you forgot about Hermione!"
"I-I'm su-sure she'll show u-up soon," Ron nervously stuttered. Not only had he forgotten about his fiancée on the day of their engagement party, but she hadn't even shown up yet! Yes, inside, Ronald Weasley was a wreck.
Hermione woke up late from her nap that afternoon, causing her to be very late for her engagement party. Normally, about this sort of thing, Hermione would have been way too excited to nap, let alone sleep in late and be late for it. But, this wasn't any normal engagement party. It was her engagement party. Her engagement party to Ron Weasley. And after that night, Hermione had plans to not be engaged to Ron anymore.
That's what caused Hermione to not be excited. She was nervous. Hermione had no idea how Ron would take the news. Would he understand? Would he agree with her? Would he cry? Would he blow up in her face?
Hermione tried to not think of the worst, but that wasn't always successful.
What if he somehow forces me to marry him? What if I never talk to any of the Weasley's again after this? What if I never talk to Harry again? Or worse...what if this traumatizes Ron and he…oh lord, let's hope he doesn't kill himself…or anyone else either.
Hermione tried to shake the thought of death off her mind as she dug through her closet, looking for something nice to wear. There was no use for buying anything new. After all, why would you get anything new just to dump you fiancée?
Hermione dug hastily through her clothes, looking for something at least halfway descent to wear that night, but she continued having no luck what-so-ever. She sighed and decided to go over to Ginny's flat…to see if she had any good clothes she could borrow.
'I'm sure she'll understand.' Hermione thought to herself as she apperated to Ginny's flat. 'It's not like I'm going to borrow anything nice and go have a food fight! I'm going to an engagement party…MY engagement party! I need something decent to wear!'
Hermione began rummaging Ginny's closet in hope of an outfit. After 7 minutes of searching, Hermione found it. It was the perfect outfit! Hermione didn't care if Ginny killed her, SHE WAS WEARING IT. Hermione had to wear it. Ginny got to wear it all the other days, but his day, Hermione had her chance.
Flashback
Hermione had to basically drag Ginny along as they went through Diagon Alley. Ginny was pointing at all the clothing stores, begging to stop by for "one second" to buy some new clothes. But, Hermione was too smart to let her do that.
"We HAVE to get to WWW NOW! There's no time to stop! Fred and George need us before that mutant candy takes over the whole store! I told them not to try using their "special ingredient" to their candies…and now look what happened! Mutant candy is trying to crush all their customer's bones!"
"BUT HERMIONE," Ginny began to beg. "I WON'T BE LONG! I JUST NEED A MINUTE!"
"Do you really want to abandon your brothers, near death, for a new outfit that you could buy tomorrow? Honestly-" Hermione looked back to Ginny, but she wasn't there.
'Wait, where did she go?' Hermione then remember that they were right next to Moonlight, Ginny's favorite store of all time. Hermione sighed as she looked to her left to Moonlight. Sure enough, there was Ginny, staring in aw at a dress in the front window.
"GINNY! COME ON WE HAVE TO GO HELP FRED AND GEORGE!" Hermione stormed over to Ginny, but she didn't budge. "ARE YOU LISTENING?!? WE HAVE TO GO NOW!"
"Not until I get this dress!"
"Ginny…"
"I'M NOT LEAVING!" Hermione gave in, realizing she was wasting time by arguing with Ginny.
"Fine, go buy the dress! But, if you take longer than one minute, I'm taking the dress and personally burning it!" Ginny dashed into the store and started checking out. That's when Hermione actually looked at the dress.
"It's beautiful…" Hermione murmured to herself about the white strapless dress. It had ruffled all down the dress with a bow on the top right side. Hermione quickly thought about her wardrobe at home and came to the conclusion that she was in drastic need of a completely new wardrobe.
'Maybe now is a good time to start…' Hermione ran into the store and over to her friend.
"Where did you get the dress?!?"
"Umm, well over there. But it's kind of the last one…or the only one. It's a Heather Original…meaning this is the only one."
"Oh…"Hermione said, with clear disappointment in her voice.
"BUT, if you want it, take it," Ginny generously offered, but Hermione declined.
'What kind of friend would I be if I did that?' Hermione watched the cashier ring up Ginny's dress, saddened that she would never get to wear that dress.
End Flashback
That was it. THE dress she had wanted to wear for months! Hermione slipped on the dress, using the size spell to make it fit her figure. Hermione admired the knee length dress in the mirror once before apperating to the Burrow, where all the party guests waited for her arrival.
Ginny admired that day. The fact that her brother and her best friend were engaged made her in high spirits. She could believe that in 4 short months, they would actually be getting married. Ginny sighed and she poured some punch.
Suddenly, Ginny heard a loud crack, making her spill punch all over herself. She scowled at her stupidity of being frightened by someone apperating. She looked around to see who it was to find no other then the bride-to-be.
"Hermione! Are you just arriving?," Ginny asked. She studied Hermione before adding, "And is that my dress you're wearing?"
"Oh, umm…yes."
"To what question?"
"Both." Hermione smiled innocently. "I…I had nothing to wear. And well, it IS my engagement party…"
"Oh, fine!" Hermione ran over and hugged her best friend. "BUT, don't you dare ruin it! That is too delicate to go through any cleaning spells!"
"Don't worry, I won't ruin it. But, I can't talk…Ron is probably worried sick on where I was!" They exchanged their goodbyes before Hermione rushed into the next room to find Ron. Hermione found him nervously scoping the room, mostly likely for herself Hermione assumed. Ron spotted her within seconds and a look of relief came across his face.
"Hermione, I thought you weren't going to make it!" Ron swept her into a kiss, which Hermione wanted to push off. "I thought…I thought you might have changed your mind about marrying me…"
'Now's as good a time as ever' Hermione thought.
"About that Ron…I-"
"HERMIONE! It's been SO LONG!" Pavarti interrupted and pulled Hermione into an embrace.
'Perfect timing…'
"Hey, Pavarti! How are things with Dean going?" Hermione pretended to be interested as Pavarti basically told Hermione her every single detail of what happened to herself after school.
"Well, it's been nice chatting Hermione, but I just wanted to wish your marriage best of luck!" Hermione cringed at the wish. What would everyone think after she ended it with Ron? Was Hermione even making the right choice? Hermione's head began to ache with decision.
"You were saying something, Mione?," Ron asked.
"What?"
"Weren't you saying something before Pavarti interrupted? Something along the lines of 'About that Ron'?"
"Oh, oh yes. About that- can we finish this…alone?"
"Um, well I'm not sure if we have a place to get to alone in this house…I have a lot of family here, you know…by the way, have you reconsidered Bill's girl for the flower girl? I know she's only 3, but Bill really wants her in-"
"Ron, don't get me off topic," Hermione ordered.
"But the wedding is in 4 months and it's rather important that we know who the flower girl is going to be."
"Ron, this is important-"
"And so is who our flower girl is! We have to know soon, or else Ginny will have to double as the Maid of Honor AND the Flower Girl!"
"RON," Hermione snapped. She couldn't take it anymore, how he could just ignore her about some stupid flower girl. "THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A FLOWER GIRL!"
"What's a wedding without a flower girl?"
"NO! DON'T YOU GET IT?" Ron shook his head, the color drained from his face.
"There isn't going to be a flower girl because there isn't going to be a wedding!," Hermione hissed at Ron.
"What are you talking about Hermione?" Ron's jolly voice had decrease to a mere whisper. Hermione sighed and looked into Ron's eyes.
"Ron…I'm sorry, but I can't marry you." Hermione twisted the engagement ring off her finger and silently placed it into Ron's huge palms. Hermione felt her heart being ripped out as Ron looked into her eyes, wetness conquering them. A silent tear streamed down his face as Ron looked solemnly at the ring in his hand.
"Hermione, don't do this," Ron begged his fiancée. "We're having our engagement party! Please Mione-"
"Don't you Mione me! I'm not continuing this relationship with you any longer just because you're trying to make me feel bad!"
"But think of what we've been, what we are! Think of what we could be! Are you just willing to throw that all away?"
"I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to be here, at OUR engagement party. I never wanted to marry you Ron." Ron stood there, flabbergasted at what Hermione said. Were all those years of dating for nothing? Was Hermione pretending to be happy that whole time while Ron was falling in love?
"I never wanted to hurt you, either," Hermione continued. "Because I love you, just not in the same way that you love me."
"Were those 4 years of my life dating you wasted?"
"No Ron! I loved being your girlfriend, but I loved you when I was a girl. I've grown up, moved on."
"Moved on?" Ron asked; face red with the thought of Hermione cheating on him.
"No, not like that Ron. I've moved on from the stage in my life full with puppy love. That's all we ever had Ron. It was only puppy love."
"So why are you engaged to me?" Ron asked, his voice getting louder with anger.
"I couldn't say no to you…I never wanted to break your heart."
"Well, good job not breaking my heart!" Ron yelled at Hermione sarcastically.
"You don't understand-"
"NEITHER DO YOU!" Ron exploded with anger. Hermione never wanted it to be like this. She wanted him to understand and for them to go on as friends.
'I should have ended this before I got in too deep' Hermione thought, tears threatening to spill over.
"HOW DO YOU THINK IT MAKES ME FEEL, AT MY ENGAGEMENT PARTY, FOR YOU TO DO THIS?!? HUH?!?"
"Stop it Ron," Hermione hissed. "You'll attract a crowd."
"WHY SHOULD I BLOODY STOP IT?!? THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT ANYWAYS!" Some people at the party began to look over, wondering why the soon-to-be-newlyweds where bickering. Hermione started noticing the crowd and made one last plea to Ron.
"Don't do this, please Ron. I'm begging you!"
"WHY SHOULDN'T EVERYONE AT THE PARTY KNOW THAT YOU BROKE THE BLOODY ENGAGEMENT OFF?!?" With that, the whole party silenced, except for Billy and Fleur's crying baby boy.
Hermione closed her eyes, trying to push back the tears. Even with her eyes closed, she felt the stares of all the people on her, questioning her. Hermione never wanted to open her eyes. She would see them all when she opened her eyes. All of them would beg her not to leave Ron, as they were the "perfect couple". Everyone would try to convince her to stay, but Hermione knew better than to listen.
'Has anyone even bothered to look at me in these past two years? Have they noticed how incomplete I was with Ron? I was never meant to be with him, no matter what everyone else thinks.'
Hermione opened her eyes to everyone, and she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. As much as she thought everyone in that room deserved an answer from her, to know why the wedding was off, Hermione couldn't handle telling them.
With tears pouring out, Hermione pushed Ron out of the way to get out of the house. She needed to escape from it all, from all the skeptical glances. Hermione fled to the Weasley's garden, where this whole mess began.
Hermione paused outside, in the garden, looking around, remembering when it all happened.
Flashback
Hermione sat on the bench, next to Ron and her favorite flowers, lilies. Ron, playing with her hair, whispered into Hermione's ear softly.
"You know I love you, right?" Hermione turned to face Ron and answered him with a soft kiss on the lips. As she pulled away, Ron refused to let her go and deepened the kiss.
"Hermione?" Ron said between breaths.
"Yes?" Hermione pulled away, looking eye to eye with Ron.
"Marry me." Hermione gasped. Marry Ron? Sure, Ron was nice, but Hermione didn't really consider their relationship that serious…more like a summer fling. But then again, this so called summer fling had been going on for about 3 years…
Ron awaited Hermione's answer, but she just sat there, eyes wide. He figured now would be a good time to whip out the engagement ring.
As Ron drew the black box from his pocket, Hermione saw the look of hope on Ron's face. He really did love her…and Hermione was pretty happy at the moment being with Ron. Why not marry him? Even though she wasn't certain, Ron sure was. And Hermione didn't want to hurt Ron...
"Yes," Hermione responded unsurely before Ron had opened up the box.
"Really?" Ron's eyes lit up.
"Yes Ron, I'll marry you."
End Flashback
Hermione legs felt weak as tears continued to pour out. She felt a drop of rain on her cheek and realized it just started to rain. It was like the sky felt her pain, crying down to the world.
Hermione's legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground. Her bushy hair fell flat as the rain began to downpour and Ginny's once-fancy dress was ruined, completely soaked and covered in mud.
"Hermione…" a familiar voice from behind tried to sooth her.
"Go away Ron. I'm not coming back."
"Hermione, you're making a mistake. We're meant to be together."
"The only mistake I ever made was having a relationship with you," Hermione replied unfeelingly.
"How can you say that?" Ron turned red, and began to overflow with anger once more. "After all the times we spent, you end it and your saying YOU WASTED YOUR TIME?!?"
Hermione didn't know what came over her then. Suddenly, the tears stopped. She felt no more sadness towards the subject. Hermione only felt anger. Anger to Ron.
"YES, I WASTED MY TIME WITH YOU!," Hermione fumed. "I LIED BEFORE, TRYING TO SPARE YOUR FEELINGS, BUT NOW I THINK YOU DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I FANCIED YOU!!! I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT SOMETHING MADE ME THINK YOU WERE GOING TO BE THE PEFRECT BOYFRIEND! BOY, WAS I MISTAKEN! YOU ACTED LIKE YOU OWNED ME, NEVER LETTING ME DO WHAT I WANTED TO DO! I TURNED DOWN SO MANY WONDERFUL OPPERTUNTIES IN MY LIFE JUST BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME I COULDN'T DO IT!"
"All of that was for your good!," Ron argued.
"That's a lie! I missed out of so many things ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! I swear Ron, this is the best choice I've made in my entire life!"
"OH, well then, what do you think you're going to do once I'm gone?!?" Ron stared at Hermione for an answer, but she was silent. Ron was content with the fact that he actually won.
"As a matter of fact," Hermione burst out, making Ron frown that he wasn't winning yet, "I'm accepting the job!"
"What job?"
"The one YOU made me turn down! I'm going to be a Professor at Hogwarts! AND, I'm going to get a new and BETTER boyfriend!"
"OH, and who are YOU going to find at Hogwarts? Dumbledore? Snape? A seventh year? Face it, I was your only chance of happiness! You're hopeless without me!"
"Our relationship was hopeless. At least now, I have a job that will take me somewhere in life. Besides, there are a lot of new teachers this year!"
"WHO?"
"Well, for one," Hermione started, "There's Malfoy."
"MALFOY?!?" Ron roared in laughter at the fact that Hermione would even think that Malfoy would hook up with her. "OH, you'll have a relationship FOR SURE!"
"ARE YOU SAYING HE WOULD NEVER BE WITH ME?!?!"
"Are you kidding me?!? He won't even touch you, let alone have a relationship with you!"
"I doubt he won't touch me."
"Oh, well yes, he MIGHT touch you when he dumps your body in the woods after he Avada Kedavra's you! NO, he'll hire someone to do his dirty work!"
"He touched me in seventh year!"
"Yeah, but was it on purpose?!? AND ANYTHING TO DO WITH TORCHERING YOU DOESN'T COUNT!"
"YES, it was on purpose! Or, maybe his lips touching mine WAS him just tripping into me…"
"YOU KISSED MALFOY SEVENTH YEAR?!?"
"Yeah, DRACO was pretty clumsy that year. He couldn't stop tripping into me!"
"WE WERE TOGETHER SEVENTH YEAR!"
"It was great being Head Girl, sharing a dorm with him…Oh, did you say something?"
"YOU CHEATED ON ME! YOU SLUT!" The words coming from Ron burned, but Hermione brushed them away like nothing happened.
"Yeah, but why do you care? I'm not your fiancée, I'm not your girlfriend, and I'm not your friend, either."
Ron decided that it would be a good time to storm off, leaving Hermione in the rain. But Hermione had other plans. She wasn't quite done with Ron yet. She could still think of two people, who recently lost their jobs due to a company mishap, that were taking up the very same job offer Hermione recieved.
"You know who else is going to be teaching at Hogwarts?" Ron, continued walking, trying to ignore Hermione. "Fred and George." Ron stopped dead in his tracks and pivoted around to Hermione.
"Don't you dare-"
"I've always had a thing for red heads…"
"THEY'RE MY BROTHERS!"
"Then you might want to warn them; I'm going to work at Hogwarts, I've made up my mind. And while I'm there, I'm going to do some damage. Damage to YOU."
Hermione grabbed her wand and apperated back to her flat before Ron or any other person at the party could stop to talk to her. Maybe tonight, Hermione would actually get to sleep without the constant nightmare interrupting.
A/N Hey guys, 2 UPDATES IN ONE NIGHT! yeah, I'm on a roll! OK, so this really is the chapter I started out with and I just planned to make into a oneshot...oh well, at least I updated, right?
Well please PLEASE review! AND oh, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!