A Second Chance: Chapter Two: (Nope, dont own Harry Potter.)
It was a normal day at work for Ron. He filed paperwork for his boss, and drummed his fingers on his desk, bored, and sent glares at his co-workers, who were watching him strangely, as they always did.
He went to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, ate his pea-soup as quickly as possible, and then he went back to work.
Ron was sure that he hated his job: Today especially.
Ron had no visitors today, and he was mildly relieved, though mildly upset. Lavender used to visit him at the office every day, after they were first married, but she'd stopped over the past year. He remembered how she looked yesterday, and drooled on some paperwork, before he realized it was already 6 o'clock, and he was at liberty to leave.
Unlike yesterday, he took his time. He buttoned his coat up all the way, then made his way into Diagon Alley, before stopping at Madame Malkin's to buy Lavender a beautiful, silver gown. He intended on having her wear it to the Spring Ball at the Ministry, one he was obligated to attend because of his mild fame. This made him remember the war and the Battle at Hogwarts, and he felt resentful again. Fred, and Tonks and Lupin, Colin Creevey and countless others flashed through his mind, though the thought that stuck with him was the one of that kiss…
He shook his head and growled at himself, and a witch crossing the street with her two children stared at him, before rushing away. Ron waved at her amicably with a smirk on his freckled face, as if to say, Nice to see you too!
She only pulled her children along faster.
Ron apparated to his flat.
Ron unlocked the complex door, took the stairs slowly, and then unlocked his door.
He walked into the kitchen, threw off his coat, and kicked his shoes off under the table. He grabbed a firewhiskey from the pantry, and sat down on the couch.
He heard a sound that brought back that anxious feeling in his stomach.
Ron pulled out his wand, and slowly put his drink on the table. He walked slowly and quietly to the bedroom door.
"Lavender?" he asked, more quietly than he intended. He put his hand on the door and listened for a response but there was still no sound.
He jiggled the door knob.
It was locked. That was strange: In the past two years, Ron had never locked the door to their bedroom, and he couldn't recall a time when Lavender had either.
Growing instantly even more anxious, he pointed his wand at the lock and almost shouted, "Alohamora!"
He pushed open the door, and the sight that he found changed his life forever.
There were two people on his bed, kissing passionately. In his surprise, Ron only saw a flash of white blonde hair and a red lingerie top.
Immediately after realizing what was happening, Ron seized the figure with the blonde hair and threw him at the wall.
He stared and when he realized he was staring at Draco Malfoy, of all people, he nearly feinted. He stumbled backwards so that he was leaning against the wall, and Ron felt his face grow red.
Lavender was just as shocked as Ron. She stared at him, before looking at Draco, who was glaring angrily at Ron. Then she looked back at her husband and gasped.
"It's not… It's not what it looks like." Lavender said. Ron shook his head and closed his eyes as Draco stood up in the corner of the room.
Ron's eyes opened in a flash. "Not what it looks like!" he screamed. "Not what it looks like? Bloody HELL!"
He advanced on Lavender, shaking with anger, and she whimpered. Ron raised his fist, and Lavender closed her eyes, expecting the blow.
But Ron turned and whammed his fist into Draco's nose, which broke with a sickening crunch.
Lavender gasped again, and stood to go to Draco, but Ron pushed her on the bed.
"Explain," he said.
"I- I-"Lavender choked for a minute on her words, and Draco's nose began to bleed. Ron ignored the blood spreading onto the carpet, and stared at his wife.
"When did this start?" Ron asked.
"About, 3 months ago?"
"Tell the truth, Lavender." Draco said. "It's been a year. She's been seeing me for a year."
He stood as Ron nearly feinted again.
Ron spluttered out, "What?"
Lavender stood up too. "A year," she said, closing her eyes. "I've been cheating on you for- for a year." Her voice was nearly a whisper at the end of her sentence, and Ron closed his eyes again.
"Wh-" he began again. "How could you?"
They both opened their eyes at the same time. "I… I don't know."
Malfoy interrupted her.
"You need to keep a better watch on your women, Weasley."
Ron turned to him, and was about to raise his fist again, when he realized it was over. Everything was over.
He turned to leave and didn't look back.
Ron showed up on the Burrow's porch only minutes later. His knuckles were sore and it hurt for him to knock on the door, but he felt rude walking in unannounced, especially because of his attitude towards his family recently.
Ginny answered the door, and Ron stared at her, before nodding at Harry behind her. Harry seemed to already know exactly what had happened.
Then Ron hugged Ginny without a word to her, and he felt tears rolling quietly down his cheeks. Ginny seemed angry at first, and remained stiff, but as she felt a tear splash onto her shoulder, she relaxed and hugged him back.
Soon, all of the Weasley's stood in the kitchen, staring at Ron.
He let go of Ginny, and angrily wiped the tears from his face, before whispering to them all, "I'm so sorry."
For a moment no one spoke, but then Molly hurled herself at her son, and hugged him energetically.
Soon everyone gathered, and formed a circle around Ron, but instead of feeling better, he instantly felt like crying again. Harry nudged everyone back, and everyone stared at him puzzled.
"Lavender," Harry said. "She cheat-"
Ron interrupted him and finished the sentence in his own words.
"Lavender is an unfaithful bitch."
Everyone stared at him again, and Ron saw George choke back laughter as Percy handed him a galleon, before Arthur spoke.
"With who?"
Anger rose in Ron again as he spoke. "Malfoy."
Ginny gasped as Harry wound an arm around her waist, and then Percy handed George another galleon.
"Bloody Hell," Bill said. He forced a smile at them, before saying, "Why don't we all head into the living room?"
Ron nodded and followed his family into the living room. He sat beside Harry on the couch, who was sitting next to Ginny with his arm around her. Ron remembered their wedding a year ago. He'd been distracted then, with Lavender, and had barely stayed through the reception. He felt instantly guilty again, but then he realized that had probably been right around when Lavender had first cheated on him, and so he felt only self pity after that.
They all sat in silence for a while, until George spoke.
"Should someone go get Hermione from upstairs?"
Ron jolted in his seat. Harry and Ginny looked at him questioningly, before Ginny stood up and said, "I'll go get her."
Ron wrung his sweaty hand in his lap, then wiped his palms on his jeans. It was sure to be the most awkward, painful reunion he'd ever have, and he knew he wasn't ready.
He was about to bolt out of the living room and never come back, when he felt Harry's iron grip on his wrist. The others talked together, staring every once in a while at his direction, but they didn't notice Ron squirm.
"You are staying here," Harry demanded.
Ron was about to argue but he faltered under Harry's gaze, and watched the stairs apprehensively.
He heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and felt sweat break out on his brow, but as he raised his hand to wipe it away, Ginny arrived alone.
Everyone stared at her, the room going suddenly quiet, but Ginny turned to Ron.
"She's gone," Ginny said.
Ron breathed out in relief and Harry pinched him in anger.
Ron held back his curse but watched as Ginny sat next to Harry and inconspicuously stuck a folded piece of paper in her husband's hand.
Harry nodded at her, and they're seemed to be an understanding about something between them.
Ron sighed. "I need to get to bed," he said.
He stood and walked slowly up the stairs, as he heard his family begin to talk again.
When he reached his old room, he lay down on his orange and red bed, and gripped at the cloth like a life line. He felt tears prick his eyes again, but he couldn't hold them back.
When he punched the wall behind his bed, his knuckles hurt even worse.
But not as bad as his heart.
**************
Ugh! I hated writing that...
Anyway, Happy New Year, and Please review!!