Hermione winced when she heard the distinct "Crack!" of apparition. Ron had yet to master the art, after many, many years of actually using the particular mode of transport. She shook her bushy head and sighed.
"Sometimes it's as if he just doesn't want to learn how to do things better. He just tells me he'll think about it," she told Luna once over tea. Luna was as usual her clairvoyant and direct self when she replied with, "It's true. He is satisfied with mediocrity."
Hermione pursed her lips, fixing herself some coffee. Nasty habit, Ron would complain, so Hermione drank it only when Ron was away.
"Why?" she asked herself, "Why do I do it? Why do I do what he wants me to do, and ignore his stupid habits?"
Because…
That was the problem. She didn't know how to complete that sentence anymore. Of course they got married as soon as the war came to an end, and he told her to stay home while he went out to battle the bad guys. She had found it romantic at the time.
Now she just wanted to smack herself upside of the head. Romantic indeed!
The war was a long time ago. Eight years had passed, and things were finally at peace. And now she had the time to think about everything she had faced in six years of her marriage to Ron.
Six years! Had it been that long? Well she had genuinely been in love with him for the first couple of years, and then the fights had started.
She wanted to work; he didn't want her to work.
He wanted a dozen children; she wanted to study further.
Molly had been twisting his ear about grandchildren a lot lately, and she really didn't have the time or the inclination.
Kids were… well… they were not what she wanted now.
So she had settled for studying long distance via owl post from Hogwarts.
Minerva had made it abundantly clear that she was disappointed in Hermione's decision. She had figured that Hermione would go on to get her Master in many subjects including Defence, Transfiguration and Potions, and Hermione had considered it till it all came crashing down on her.
Ron had no intention of having her study further.
"But 'Mione! Aren't you tired of all that book learning stuff?" he had whined.
That was their first big row.
He won when she melted at the puppy eyes and a whispered "I can't stay without you `Mione," later that night.
This time round, she did smack herself upside of her head.
"Ow," she muttered aloud, and went back to the dishes. She wondered what Snape would have said had he been alive today. He would have probably sneered at her Homely self and snarked about her turning a true Weasley woman.
"That's it! I am NOT a typical Weasley Woman!" She smashed a pan she was scrubbing into the sink, splashing soapy suds everywhere.
It belatedly occurred to her that she was arguing with a figment of her imagination.
"Of course you aren't."
Hermione spun around to find Luna at the door.
"I doubt you can do much damage with a soapy pan," Luna waved at her.
Hermione found herself wielding the pan she was scrubbing (and smashing) in front of her like a weapon, and realised she was dripping dishwater onto the floor.
"Luna! What a pleasant surprise, although you scared me out of my skin," she put down the pan and reached for her wand.
Which was not there.
"I suppose it is in the bedroom, where you were cooped up for the past day?"
Hermione smacked herself again, she had gotten careless.
Luna waved her own wand and Hermione's wand sailed through the open door and slapped into it's owner's hand.
"Ow," Hermione muttered.
"Why are you doing dishes the muggle way? Has it been that long since you used magic?"
"Err… Not that…" She couldn't remember the last time she had used a simple spell.
"Err… Day before yesterday?" Hermione tried to remember.
"If it's taking you that long to figure out, then it Has been too long. Tell me Hermione, was that another thing Ronald asked you not to do?"
Hermione was startled. "Of course not! He would never ask that of me."
"Alright then," Luna sipped the tea Hermione didn't remember making.
"Why would you say that?" Hermione sipped the tea she didn't remember making.
"Well, apart from everything you've given up because he wanted you to, this was one thing left."
"What? I haven't given up… all that much…?" Hermione's indignant response turned into a question when she saw Luna calmly looking at her, her silver eyes challenging.
"Now let's see… Further studies, career, social life…"
"Hey! I did do that correspondence course, and I am working at the ministry now. "
"You didn't complete the course; you gave up halfway because Ronald needed your undivided attention, and you work as a part time filing assistant at the ministry."
"Well, alright about the course, I did give it up, but I' working right?"
"As a FILING assistant. Hagrid could have done that job."
"It's not THAT bad… is it?"
Luna said nothing. They drank tea. It was THAT bad.
"I met Harry. He seems… oblivious and happy."
Luna shrugged, "Draco hides it well enough from him. So do we."
"What, like the suggestive silences and looks are not enough?"
"For us, yes, but this is Harry. A hippogriff has more sensibility and subtlety that him."
Ouch. Luna never minced words, did she?
They drank tea. Luna always showed up when Hermione didn't even know she needed to air things out, but always at the right time.
"I just thought you needed to get things straight. So are you going to leave him?"
That was not what she expected. "Leave Ron? That's not an option!"
"Why not?"
"Err…"
Luna ticked off on her fingers, "No kids, not much to split up, individual accounts at Gringotts, Unhappy mother in law, shall I go on?"
"No, thank you. I can't just up and leave him! We've been married six years!"
Four of them in doubt, a little voice niggled her thoughts.
"Long enough to realise that someone who yearns for perfection is not a good match for someone who thrives on mediocrity."
"Luna, it's not that I don't care for Ron…"
"You just don't love him as one loves a husband."
"No?"
Luna canted an eyebrow.
Hermione hummed and drank her tea.
Luna waved a spell at the dishes, which started washing themselves.
Hermione didn't realise she was alone till a while later. She also hadn't realised that it was past 6 in the evening. She sighed.
Best get started on dinner.
She was wondering what to make for dinner when Ron's patronus came through the open window.
He wasn't going to be home. Complications had arisen. See you.
Translation: Ron was going to be drunk, didn't want to face her wrath.
Hermione muttered to herself about irresponsible husbands, and oblivious friends, and it came to her that this was a Good thing.
She needed to think, and she had no interruptions.
She ordered in from the wonderful little Indian place they never went to because Ron didn't like Indian. She also ordered Winky to get her a fine bottle of wine from somewhere, because Ron didn't drink anything but Butterbeer and Pumpkin juice, so they never had wine at home.
Settling into a big delicious meal, Hermione made plans.