Ron was finally going to talk to a family member. There have been more and more questions concerning Hermione and when she will come home. Ron just kept telling them that she has a business trip and will be away a couple more days or weeks and that he doesn't know when she'll return. After work, he decided to stay for dinner at Harry and Ginny's house and talk to them. He arrived there and Rose and Hugo ran outside to greet him. "DADDY!" they screamed as they rushed to hug him.
"Hello guys!" He hugged them back and soon saw that Harry's kids James and Albus had came out to give their uncle a hug as well. "AHHH" Ron screamed as all the kids tackled him to the ground with hugs and laughs. Too bad Hermione couldn't see this moment he thought.
"Alright kids alright give Uncle Ron a moment to breath now. Go on kids go inside" Harry said to the children. And so they all did run inside and Harry and Ron gave each other a brotherly hug.
"Hello mate! Haven't seen you in a bloody long time!" Harry said to his brother-in-law.
"I know. I've been extremely busy you know with my job and taking care of the kids too!" Ron said. They entered the house and it was such a peaceful environment. Harry and Ginny's home is always so clean and fresh. They were amazing with children as well. It seemed as though their lives were perfect compared to Ron's. Ginny came over and greeted her brother. "Hello Ron! Where have you been all these weeks? And where's Hermione? Is she back yet?" Ginny asked.
Ron stuttered "Uhh no no she's not yet. She says that it'll probably be another 2 or 3 weeks. It's been torture lately you know not knowing when your wife's coming home." Ron said.
"Well you're always welcomed here and we are here whenever you need it. Well dinner will be ready later. Are you staying?" Ginny asked Ron
"Yes I will actually, thank you both for taking care of two of them while I'm at work. And I actually have to talk to you two a little later about something." Ron told them.
"Alright then well let's settle down, eat, and then we'll talk mate." Harry said.
So they proceeded to the living room and just caught up with everything. How the kids are developing and growing every single day, marriage, things like that. Then they ate dinner and Rose, Hugo, and Albus went to bed. It was only James and the three adults awake and it was finally time for Ron to tell them. Ron, Harry, and Ginny sat in the living room while James played on the floor with some toys.
"So what is it that you wanted to tell us?" Ginny asked anxiously. Ron really didn't want to say anything but he knew he had to if he was ever going to find Hermione and bring her home. He just hoped they both wouldn't curse and scream at him but he knew that they probably would. Who wouldn't?
"Well I don't know how ever to say this. You guys will probably hate me after I tell you." Ron said nervously.
"Ron, we'll never hate you. EVER. No matter what you've done you can tell us." Harry said.
"Alright, well here goes." Ron paused for a few moments. "Hermione isn't on a business trip. She ran away. And I have no idea where she is and I'm getting very worried. And I didn't tell anyone because I knew you'd all be worried and asking me questions." Ron looked up to see Harry and Ginny's confused faces.
"Why did she leave? I thought you were both happy with your lives?" Ginny asked.
"Well not exactly umm I've started to work late and one night I was just really stressed and a few guys from the office invited me to the pub to relax and have a couple of whiskeys and beers. So I went and had some fun. Then I constantly went there every single night and drank and came home drunk. Hermione was furious but I really didn't care back then. I did that for 5 months straight and one night I came home drunk, and Hermione was absolutely enraged. She had enough and told me I was being a complete jerk and that I didn't care anymore and at that time I didn't. So we got into a fight and it eventually ended up getting her really hurt. So I…I.." Ron couldn't stand what he was going to say. "I hit her."
Ginny immediately stood up from her chair and screamed "WHAT? YOU DID WHAT RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO HERMIONE!" Harry told her wife to sit down and listen. "So what happened next mate?" Harry asked.
"She ran upstairs packed her things and left. Before she left she threw her wedding ring at me." Ron didn't know why he was so calm and not in tears.
"WELL SHE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO LEAVE! RON WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING! HERMIONE WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU AND YOU DROVE HER AWAY!" Ginny said with tears in her eyes.
"Ginny sweetheart calm down you will wake up the children." Harry said.
"NO I WILL NOT CALM DOWN AND I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE YELLING AT RON FOR WHAT HE DID TO HERMIONE!" Ginny said yelling at Harry. She then turned to Ron and continued "YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF RONALD! I WOULD NEVER HAVE PICTURED THAT YOU WOULD EVER IN 100 YEARS DO THAT TO A GIRL ESPECIALLY TO YOUR WIFE WHO YOU LOVE! I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU RIGHT NOW!"
Ron just stared down at his feet and knew he deserved to be yelled at. If Ginny's lecture was this bad, his mum's must be way worse than this. Then Ginny got up from her seat and walked around the house enraged. Still crying, Harry got up to comfort his wife. He told her it was going to be alright and that they'll find her.
"YOU ARE SUCH A SELFISH LITTLE RAT! YOU DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF HOW HARD SHE WAS WORKING! YOU DROVE HER AWAY NOT ONLY FROM YOU BUT FROM ROSE AND HUGO! THEY NO LONGER HAVE A MOTHER BECAUSE OF YOU! THEY AT LEAST DESERVE THE BEST MUM EVER AND THAT WAS HERMIONE! SHE PUT ALL OF HER NEEDS BEHIND SO THAT YOU AND THE KIDS WOULD GET THE BEST! SHE CAME OVER EVERY SINGLE DAY CRYING BECAUSE SHE FIGURED THAT YOU DIDN'T CARE AND WOULD LEAVE HER! FROM THAT MOMENT I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT SHE WAS RIGHT AND TRIED TO HELP HER! UGH I AM SO OUTRAGED WITH YOU!" Ginny yelled. She was balling her eyes out now. Knowing her best friend is out there possibly harmed and they didn't know where she was.
"Do you at least know where she might have gone?" Harry asked.
"No idea. She obviously wouldn't have gone somewhere where she knew I was going to come looking. Hermione's smart remember? And I didn't want to go to her parents or our parents and asked because I knew they would scream and rant as well." Ron said.
"GOD DAMN WELL THEY SHOULD RANT! HERMIONE COULD BE ANYWHERE HARMED AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BLOODY HELL SHE IS! AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOU!" Ginny then ran out into her bedroom and slammed the door. Harry went to sit down next to his best friend and tapped his shoulder. "It'll be alright mate I promise. We'll find her and bring her home."
"No it won't be Harry. Especially with the things I said to her. I told her that I hated her and that I regretted marrying and starting a life with her. She told me that she'll never come back then. I already know I've lost her for good." Ron told Harry.
"Yes but she still cares about you I know it. And the children. You guys mean the world to her." Harry tried his best to comfort his best friend.
"No she doesn't care about me anymore. Not at all. Who would want to even come back to a man like me?" Ron put his hands on his head and wanted to pull his hair out. "I've been a horrible husband and father. I never helped her at all in the past five months and thought she was just exaggerating when she said taking care of the kids, our house, and work was hard. But now I see what she means. It's extremely difficult especially when you're alone and have no help at all."
"Well you'll always have us. Well me, for now. Don't worry Ginny will forgive you eventually." Harry said.
"Whenever that will be. Well it's getting late and it's time for the kids and I to get home. Thanks so much for dinner and babysitting. I'll drop the kids off tomorrow again." Ron said. They both proceeded upstairs and Harry helped to get the children. Rose, Hugo, and Ron apparated home and Ron put them both to bed. Ron then came downstairs and saw the broken picture of him and Hermione on their wedding day. He missed her so much. He was desperate and wanted her back. Most likely Ginny was going to tell his mum and everyone else about Hermione but he didn't care anymore. His number one focus was to find Hermione, bring her home and convince her that he's sorry and that he has changed for good. He wanted to show Hermione that he still loves her truly, that he is deeply sorry, and he'd do anything to get her back. Ron then got ready for bed and laid down. His bed felt empty because his beautiful, smart wife wasn't there. He missed waking up to her every morning. He missed kissing her, hugging her, and telling her that he loved her.
That night when she left still plays over and over in his head. He is ashamed, embarrassed, disappointed in himself. How could he do such a thing? Drive away the love of his life to the point where she leaves him and their children?
"Please Hermione, please come back to me. I've missed you so much. I really want you back. I'm so sorry that I did that to you. You can leave me or take the kids and go, but please just come home. Rose and Hugo miss you terribly. I miss you terribly." Ron whispered as he cried to sleep.