CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

'I knowed a man in Paphlagonia who'd swallow a live snake every morning, when he got up. He used to say, he was certain of one thing, that nothing worse would happen to him all day. 'Course they made him eat a bowlful of hairy centipedes before they hung him, so maybe that claim was a bit presumptive.'
~Neil Gaiman, Stardust~

Draco asked the first question. "If elected, what will you do to help end the corruption that has plagued the system for so long?"

Hermione tried to keep a straight face, but she was sandwiched between Draco and Ron and she was still reeling from the fight she'd just had with her boyfriend, who was currently glaring at the two men that had made it this far in their campaigns.

It was strange seeing them in person, Hermione reflected. She had talked about them too many times to count with George during her lunch break. Faraway looked young because he was young. Probably early thirties with skewed glasses and his suits were always a size too big. He had worked for the Lestranges for a year and so voters were wary of his true allegiances. And then there was Jackson, the older, more distinguished choice, who had won hearts by vowing to abolish the double jeopardy law.

Faraway went first, saying he'd never let people walk or take bribes and all the common aliments that had afflicted the Ministry over all these years. They would pursue every anonymous tip they received about dark magic, no matter how absurd the claim seemed. Passwords that change every week to protect important files. Hermione could feel Ron falling asleep next to her and she nudged his ankle.

Instead of helping the situation, it only made him shift his glare to her. The Ministry must be having a field day over all this. She looked away, wondering what would come next for them. He seemed furious at her. But she hadn't done anything wrong. She'd just been spending time with Draco, like she was supposed to.

She realised she had completely missed out on what Jackson responded with. And now it was her question. She cleared her throat and leaned forward, so she spoke into her wand that was propped up like a real microphone would be. "Good evening, gentlemen. There is a lot of controversy over what the appropriate course of action is over the authority at Hogwarts. Do you think that the school should be under Ministry supervision?"

There were murmurs from the audience that told her she had come up with a good question. She listened passively, noting that Jackson was all for keeping the school separate while Faraway was interested in exploring the possibility. It was Ron's turn to ask his question. She played with her bracelet, hoping she'd draw some hope from it. It reminded her of a happier time and hopefully this night wouldn't get any crazier than it had been.

"Do you feel the rich should be taxed more than middle income families?" Hermione had no idea he knew about different tax breaks. Harry must have slipped him some notes- or come up with the questions himself. She glanced over at Draco and saw he seemed equally as surprised, although he had probably never had suspected Ron of intelligent thought process. She felt bad for being as shocked as she was. She was his girlfriend. What kind of person was she if she didn't have any faith in him?

In what was not a shock at all, both Jackson and Faraway were against the idea. The rotation brought them back to Draco who asked them about healthcare. Hermione brought up equal rights and Ron fell short in his question of population. Hermione stifled a groan- having not even understood Ron's question as he stumbled over the words in a way that told her Harry had thrown the questions together for him. She felt Draco shooting her an amused look, but she didn't dare glance at him.

All she wanted was for this disastrous debate to end. It was getting tiresome and she knew both politicians were lying through their teeth- since that was what politicians did. It was obvious they didn't see how important it was that house elves have equal rights to pay and respect. The debate finally did end and Hermione took off after Ron who had flown off as soon as he was allowed to.

She followed him, screaming his name as he weaved in and out of all the crews path. He wasn't stopping and she was tempted to hex him into submission. They needn't to talk this out and if this was the breaking point, it all needed to be dealt with now. She couldn't take all the fighting anymore. It felt like their relationship had developed into a vicious circle where all they did was quarrel and it wasn't healthy for either of them.

And if they were meant to be together, they'd find their way back to each other someday. That was something Hermione had always believed in- as it was something her mother believed in. And so if she and Ron had to part ways for now, do some growing up and experience things they couldn't with each other, that would be okay. Because if he was hers and she was really his, they'd always find each other again.

She threw the bracelet he'd made her at his head. It hit his neck and he stopped, turning to face her. She matched his glare and crossed her arms, standing as tall as she could in front of him. "We're going to talk and we're going to fix this. Now."

He looked down at his feet where the bracelet was laying. She watched as he crouched down to pick it up. It looked so small in his hands, the colours so bright against his pale skin. He looked broken as he stared down at the bracelet she'd never taken off. And now she'd thrown it at his head.

Ron started laughing.

She stared at him, gobsmacked, until all she could so was laugh too.

She'd thrown it at his head.

One of her most prized possessions- just like that she'd thrown it away. What did her bracelet matter when Ron could walk away? There were tears streaming down her cheeks from laughing- she felt them, cool against the harsh glares of the lights above them.

Ron's hands were on her arms, pulling her close. "I can't fight with you anymore." His lips brushed her ear and his body enveloped hers. "Hermione, you infuriate me half the time, but I can't be away from you."

She figured there was a compliment in there somewhere. She wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her head in his chest. He was her Ron. Ronald Weasley, the boy with the red hair and freckles who drove her mad.

"I love you," The words came tumbling out, muffled against his chest. But they were there, out in the open. Swimming in his embrace, Ron pulled her tighter, the only sign he'd heard her words. She waited in silence and bated breath for him to say it back. Seconds passed and nothing.

Hermione had never particularly seen herself as the type of girl to say 'I love you' first and she hadn't quite known what had possessed her to tell him that- partially when she didn't know how true it was. But it must have been true if the subconscious part of her had blurted it out. She also knew if she didn't do something, he would never step up. She certainly never expected him to not say it back.

She pulled away from him, but his arms kept her caged against him. She looked up in confusion. "You're not... saying it back?"

Ron blanched and his lips moved stupidly while he searched for the words. All the warmth and happiness ebbed away as reality crashed down on her. He wasn't saying it back. She had just said the most important thing she ever could and all he'd done was squeeze her. What? No. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. She had never envisioned her first 'I love you' to a boy to be rejected.

She ripped herself away from him, stumbling back at the force. Ron looked hurt, reaching out for her.

"No," She said, her mind reeling. She felt like she was about to sick. She was disoriented. Nothing made sense. Ron- her Ron, after all they'd been through... nothing. So what in Merlin's name was she doing hanging around trying to save their relationship?

"'Mione-"

"No." She shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "Goodbye, Ron."

"Hermione, please- I just... I can't."

"I'm not asking you for anything." She backed away, tears threatening to escape and this time, not from laughter. How had they been laughing moments ago, anyway? How did they go from that to this? She wasn't go to let him see her cry. She'd cried too many times for him anyway. It had started in first year and she'd ended up nearly getting mauled by a troll.

Not this time.

"Time, Hermione." She saw him falling over his words, searching for something that would make her stay. She felt a stab of pity for him, but not enough to keep putting herself through this madness.

She shook her head, taking a deep breath in hopes of keeping the tears at bay. "Bye, Ron."

She didn't cry until she got home. Her mum kept the camera crew out all night.

When she woke up, her eyes were puffy and swollen. She didn't go look in the mirror, she could sense it. They felt dry, like she had cried out all the tears her body was able to produce. A part of her said that wasn't possible, but it didn't matter to her at that point. It was still dark outside her window. She turned, finding her clock. The bright red numbers stared back at her alerting her to the fact that it was four in the morning. She rubbed her face, trying to make something feel better.

Ron was gone. How had it happened? After years of all their drama, she'd thought she was finally getting her happily ever after. The stories she'd read growing up always ended there. What came next? She remembered telling Narcissa nothing ever really ended, but her relationship had.

One minute they'd be fighting and then they were laughing. And then it was destroyed. She wanted to put on a Disney movie. They'd always been her favourites. She hadn't watched many recent "chick flicks." Disney romances were her favourites and it didn't matter if they were cartoons. They were as real as anything.

Something stopped her as she crawled out of bed and over to her collection of DVDs. Crookshanks hopped off the bed and followed, rubbing his head against her arm. She glanced over at him, planting a kiss on his furry head. When was the last time she'd kissed Ron? If she had known it would be their last kiss, she might have put some more effort into it. Was Crookshanks who she'd be left to kiss?

She went through her stash of princesses. But something stopped her from putting one in and not just because she was torn between 'The Little Mermaid' or 'Beauty and the Beast.' All these stories were based on classic fairy tales. Why hadn't she ever read any of them? She leapt up, startling Crookshanks in the process, and made a mad dash for her laptop across the room.

The screen's light hit her eyes harshly and she quickly lowered the brightness. She opened up a search engine and began with 'The Little Mermaid.'

She was horrified. These were fairy tales? Ariel didn't even have a name and the sea witch cut her tongue out. Some magic spell. She kept reading, waiting to find Prince Eric. Turned out he also didn't have a name and didn't find the little mermaid as captivating as Hermione did. He married someone else and instead of turning back into a mermaid and belonging to Ursula- cough, the sea witch- forever, she was turned into sea foam.

Hermione's jaw dropped. Sea foam. No. This was not the fairy tale from her childhood. The nameless little mermaid, had been obsessed with having an immortal soul like humans and the handsome prince who didn't love her. Her tongue had been cut out. What was-?

She couldn't process anything and she skipped ahead to Snow White hoping the first one had been a fluke. It took her a few faulty sites to actually find the real story. As she read, she calmed down a little, seeing it followed the Disney film perfectly. It wasn't until she reached the part where the evil queen gave Snow White the apple that she realised the prince still hadn't been introduced. She scrolled back up, checking to see if she missed anything, but he was no where to be found. Perplexed, she kept reading.

There was no way that could be right. The dwarves had put her in a glass case, still admiring her beauty and unable to bury her. Hermione scoffed, there was no way her cheeks would still be tainted red. That would be first thing to go. She kept reading, startled to see that the prince just waltzed in out of nowhere and found Snow White- DEAD Snow White- the most beautiful maiden in all the land and wanted to take her home with him so he could stare at her all day long.

Hello! Has anyone ever heard of necrophilia? Hermione wanted to scream, but she kept herself quiet and read on. Shockingly, the dwarves said yes! They had been too distraught to bury her because she was so pretty, but they were willing to just give her body away to a crazy stranger? To make this story a million times worst, the prince's minions were too weak and dropped the glass case, which somehow dislodged the piece of apple in Snow White's throat. She came back to life and they lived happily ever after.

Hermione nearly had a seizure as she stared at the screen. She sat there speechless for so long that the light eventually went out as the laptop went to sleep. How were these the same stories she'd grown up loving? None of this made sense. Where was the romance or... anything resembling NORMALITY?

She searched for Cinderella and if possible, this one was more disturbing than the last. In an effort to get their feet into the glass slippers, the step sisters cut their toes and heels off. Hermione felt like she was going to be sick. Somehow the prince didn't notice his bride had bloody, mangled feet and relied on birds to swoop in and poke her eyes out as they told the prince he was being deceived. This happened twice- once for each step sister.

Violently, Hermione slammed her laptop shut. This hadn't helped anything. It just made her feel sicker. Did boys know what really happened in fairy tales? If they did, she doubted they'd be written off as stories for little girls.

This hadn't solved anything and she slinked back into bed, wishing things were different.

Ron didn't love her. After all everything they had gone through together, he didn't love her. She felt like her body was broken, every piece of her hurt. There was something else, too. She didn't know what it was, but her stomach felt hallow and there was a dull pang. Would she ever feel okay again?

The next time she woke up, it was light out. It was Sunday, which meant she could stay home all day if she wanted. The cameras hadn't been able to film her since she left Dumbledore's Hall last night. She should have had the day off from filming, but there was no way the Ministry was going to miss this. Her mum had done an amazing job of keeping them out. But Hermione knew they'd gotten the entire break-up on film. In a few months, the whole wizarding world would witness it. The thought brought fresh tears to her eyes. She was humiliated.

She finally roused herself, determined to not sit around like a broken toy. They did have the break-up on film and everyone would see it, and she couldn't change that now. But she could still change how she acted now. She wasn't going to just sit around and cry for the camera.

After all, none of the fairy tales worked out like she thought they would.

There was tea waiting for her, along with two cameras. Her mum shot her an apologetic look that told her she had tried her hardest at keeping them away, but it hadn't worked. She shrugged and heard one of the cameramen ask, "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be okay. It's always hard losing people, but it isn't the end of the world." She said, putting some bread in the toaster. She glanced at her mum, who was studying her. She knew her mum was trying to gauge her feelings and see if she really was okay. They'd have to talk later.

"Your father wants you to call him when you're feeling up to it."

Hermione nodded and walked to the living room to get the phone. He answered on the first ring which told her he had been anxiously awaiting her call. "Hermione?"

"Hey dad," Her voice cracked, but she was conscious of the cameras and pulled herself together.

"I'll kill him," Her dad muttered.

Hermione rolled her eyes, wondering how long this conversation was going to last. She heard the toaster click off and she went to retrieve her toast. She smothered it in jam as her dad went on about how Ron wasn't good enough for her and all the ways he'd suffer.

She stuffed the toast in her mouth and tuned into an episode of 'Doctor Who.' Her dad kept going and her mum joined her on the sofa. Hermione's heart nearly soared- her mum didn't like sci-fi and she never really understood the premise of the show. But here her mum was, sitting next to her and staring deeply at the telly, like it was a mystery she was trying to solve.

This was how her mum was trying to make her feel better.

It was the sweetest thing anyone had done for her.

A/N HELLO SHINY, HAPPY PEOPLE! I HAVE POWERRRRRRRR! I'M UPDATING IN CELEBRATION!

Extra special thanks to: CrescentMoon12, Taylor F, Cyador, edwardsoneandonlylove, alannalove1990, sweet-tang-honney, HalfwaytoNowhere142, and Loveable Leo. You guys helped me stay sane :D And everyone should Stardust if they haven't. Also, I HAVE POWERRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I also forgot how good Order of the Phoenix is (the book). AND THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS TRAILER! I have so much catching up to do. And the song Little Things by One Direction, and I don't even LIKE THEM. POWERRRRRR!

Also... some Hermione/Draco in the next chapter. :D