CHAPTER 8

The pub was loud and crowded as he attempted to make his way over to his sister and best friend. Slightly annoyed at the manner in which he was summoned by the Potter's, Ron managed to grab a shot of firewhiskey before heading over to their table. Both Harry and Ginny had their heads together, whispering urgently and had immediately stopped when they saw Ron in sight. Didn't take a genius to guess who they were talking about.

He greeted them and took his seat opposite them. He wanted to stall whatever lecture he was about to receive from them, but Ginny was not one to beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"What's going on with you and Hermione?" she asked with great concern. "Have you spoken to her? ... Have you sorted this little problem out?" she wasted no time in interrogating him.

Sighing heavily, Ron put down his glass and ran his fingers through his hair. "No, I have not spoken to her…and there's nothing to sort out really. Once she drops this stupid Malfoy case and admits that she got caught… everything will be alright."

Harry groaned and Ginny let out an exasperated sigh, "Do you really believe that Ron? That she's just going to drop this because you don't like the patient. And what's this story about getting caught?" Ron made to answer but Harry cut him off.

"No Ron, you and I both know that's not true. It's very unlike Hermione to walk away from someone that needs help. I don't think she's about to turn away now. The least you could do is give her your support!"

"I would!" Ron countered choosing to ignore Ginny's last question, "If she just gave the case to someone else. There are plenty of other more than capable Healers that could help Malfoy, why does it have to be Hermione?"

"Uuughh! What do you have against Malfoy?" Ginny demanded, that famous Weasley temper starting to flair up, "or rather what is it that you have against Hermione helping him?"

Ron had seen this little interrogation coming and was not willing to put up with it, "Because," he whispered harshly so as not to attract the attention of the other pub occupants, "He doesn't deserve it! Have you forgotten all that he's done to us? Helping him would be like saying that he's done nothing wrong and what would people say if they found out we're helping a death eater?"

"We've all moved past that Ron! You should too" Harry said defensively.

"How can you be so sure that he's changed?!" Ron was enraged that Harry was defending the little ferret.

"Because we all have! The war's changed everybody Ron!"

"So what, we just go around forgiving death eaters for trying to kill us, and let's not forget that the death eater in question spent a good portion of 6 years at Hogwarts making our lives miserable! I'm not about to just move on like nothing happ-"

"Oh stop it Ronald!" Ginny started, allowing her face to turn the same shade of red as her hair, "Don't you think it's time you put all of that behind you? The war along with our school days is long over! You can't keep living in the past! This is ridiculous. It's time you grow up Ron and realise that if you don't change your attitude you might loose everything that you've got right now!"

"It's not my attitude that's the problem here Ginny!" He countered, "I've done nothing wrong! But as always I'm to blame because Hermione can never do anything wrong!"

"What has she done that's so wrong? So she's helping Malfoy! It's not like he's trying to get her to help him resurrect Voldemort!"

"Ron, I spoke to Mione and if she says she knows what she's doing than we should trust her don't you think?" Harry asked calmly.

"The fact that she's so willing to help Malfoy tells me she doesn't!" Ron said his voice rising. "Besides it looked far too comfortable for it to be a professional meeting! She's doing more than just trying to help the ferret out." He added snidely.

"I don think that has anything to do with Hermione wanting to help Malfoy, you know..." Ginny said her temper still at large, "You're being absolutely ridiculous! You didn't even give her the chance to explain! Anyway it's got nothing to do with her work and everything to do with your relationship… you're just using it as a cover. Don't you think it's time you moved on past all the prejudices Ron?"

Anger flared up in Ron as he realised that they though this was all his fault. Naturally they though it was his fault. Hermione could do no wrong in their eyes. Being the stubborn man that he is, Ron refused to see it any other way. He knew that he had a little more trouble with moving on with his life than his friends and family. He didn't understand how they could move forward so easily, after everything that had happened. He also hated to admit that his relationship with Hermione was barely hanging by a thread. Over the years their relationship changed. They changed. It was inevitable as people do change, but call him a fool for thinking that they would be able to change for the betterment of their relationship. Was that so wrong of him?

Sitting at the table with Harry and Ginny, he wondered about what Ginny had asked him. Did he really want to loose all that he had … or has he already? But it wasn't that simple!

Sighing, he looked defeated as he faced harry and Ginny, "I think it's too late for that Gin."

"What do you-?"

"Oh lets face it, this is not what we wanted in a relationship. We both know it…we just don't want to admit defeat…honestly I don't know how to fix this …I'm not even sure if that is possible anymore."

"Mate, don't do that." Harry said, "There might still be a chance, but you've got to try…"

Ron chuckled humourlessly, "I highly doubt anything I do will be enough now Harry. Especially not with how I've been behaving recently"

Harry and Ginny shared a worried look, "So what are you going to do now?" Hharry asked.

"I don't know… suppose we'll have to talk and see what she wants."

A few moments of silence passed over the group, before Harry spoke again, "What do you want Ron?"

Confusion and uncertainty etched its way on to his face as he tried to find an appropriate answer to Harry's question. It was that question that was constantly being repeated as he walked through Hogsmeade, what did he want?

Hermione paced her office. She was angry...no confused…or maybe hurt… oh hell she was a mess. The little encounter she had with Malfoy left her more than just confused.

She had realised in the days that had passed since the Malfoy's had left the hospital that her life and more importantly her relationship with Ron was not what she had expected it to be. Thinking back to being trapped in Malfoy's alluring hold, it frightened her to think that she didn't feel the least bit guilty about being there. Was it her imagination that was running wild? Hearing his story made her realise how important it was to help them find a cure for Scorpius. She had to admit the little blonde already had already captured her heart. He was sweet and intelligent far beyond his years. She couldn't fail him now.

Then she thought back to what happened at her apartment and her anger flared up again as Ron's accusations came flying back to her. She felt her tears brim over and they fell down her cheeks. It had hurt to have Ron humiliate her like that. The sad thing was that Ron hadn't even come after her to apologise.

Draco had. But Ron didn't.

The conversation she had with Draco had made her realise that not only did he truly love his son but that she couldn't fail him. Not after everything they'd been through.

As she sat at her desk staring at the papers in front of her, her mind wandered to her most recent …friendship with Draco Malfoy. It was odd. He had only been in her life for a few weeks now and already he had consumed most of her thoughts. The way she felt when he held her or the way her warm hands tingled when entrapped in his. It was completely new to her. It scared her completely.

Whatever it was, she knew it wasn't fair to Ron and her to be in this relationship, if they weren't completely sure of their feelings. That's not to say she didn't love Ron, because she did it was just that…it wasn't the same and she felt herself becoming distant in the relationship. She wasn't sure she was going to be very forgiving after the scene he caused the other day. Wringing her hands as she contemplated trying to avoid the inevitable, she picked up her stuff and walked out of the office, before apparating home.

She was not surprised to see Ron was already at home. There was a sort of ominous feeling wafting though the room as she took in Ron standing staring out the window. He probably had not heard her come in and she gently put her stuff done, scared to disturb the peace.

"Ron?" she questioned quietly, "Can we talk?"

He merely sighed deeply but did not turn as he answered her question with a question,

"Is this how you pictured us to be Mione?"

Hermione gasped; there was no malice, no anger in his voice. She did recognise defeat though. Of all the things that he could have possibly asked her. She realised then that he had realised the same thing she had realised earlier in her office. It was not how she intended to start this conversation but now that he had brought it up, there was no way she was able to turn away and lie. To say yes, this was how she pictured them, would be an outright lie.

"No Ron, it's not." She whispered out gently.

"Then why are we still here Hermione" he asked finally turning around to face her. His face void of all emotion but his eyes carried a great sense of sadness in them.

"I don't … I don't know Ron.", but that didn't feel like a good enough reason so she continued trying to explain herself, "I guess I didn't really want to believe that anything was wrong… but I was wrong to ignore the truth…"

"And what would that be Hermione?" he asked slightly angry. He wanted to hear it from her mouth, he had to hear her say it for him to truly believe it.

She stood there staring at him, he was baiting her. "Ron , you know what I mean…"she began.

"What truth are you talking about Hermione?" his angry voice filled the once quiet loft. He had to hear her say it…

"That we're not the same people we once were… that we're too different Ron... and this isn't what you or I wan-"

"No this is not what I want! You don't know what I want... You've never asked!" he yelled angrily.

She held back a painful sob as she realised he was right… she never asked if he was happy... but nor did he… they just assumed that this is what the other wanted.

"Because you never said anything! How was I suppose to know Ron?!" by this stage she was barely able to hold back her tears.

"We've been though so much Hermione, all the people we lost in the war, all those dangerous missions that almost got us killed …and now you want to just throw it all away!" he yelled throwing his hands up in the air, "Just so that you can play doctor with Malfoy!"

"UUGH! This had nothing to do with him! Our relationship Ronald has nothing to do with the Malfoy's and I would appreciate it if you could stop throwing him into every argument we have!" she yelled back, the tears flowing freely down her face. So maybe that was a tiny lie. Her changing feelings towards Ron had something to do with Draco Malfoy, but she couldn't admit that aloud to herself just yet.

"Then what the hell is it Hermione?" he bellowed furiously. He was angry, now more than ever.

"What is it that you want to hear Ron? That I've changed, and this relationship is not what I want anymore…or maybe that the war's changed us far too much and we're no longer happy because we're not the people we used to be or-"

"STOP IT! Stop using those as excuses …just admit it!"

"ADMIT WHAT?!"

"THAT YOU DON'T LOVE ME ANYMORE!" he screamed with all the anger in him.

Hermione stumbled back onto the couch, looking at him in disbelief… but even she couldn't deny it was the truth. She didn't love him anymore...not like she used to. And it was for that very reason that they had lost all the passion and excitement in their relationship. Looking up at him she knew it was pointless to lie. It would only hurt him further. While she didn't love him in the way he hoped she would, he was still a very dear friend to her and she couldn't hurt him any longer.

She was overcome with sadness as she tried to find the words to tell him how sorry she was, "You right… I'm sorry, I'm so sor-"

"No, Hermione I want to hear you say it… I need to hear you say that you don't love me anymore… I need to believe that this is truly over… and that we're not just giving up… please"

Hearing him say that made her realise that they both needed to hear her say it. That they weren't just taking the easy way out and giving up.

"I'm sorry Ron, I really am … I don't love you anymore, not in the way you'd want me to," she said tearfully, " I wish there was more that I could say… but there isn't and I'm sorry that it's taken us… taken me so long to realise this."

"At least now we know where we stand," he said sadly, "I'll always love you Hermione, I hope you know that. And I am truly sorry for what happened the other day. I hope you know that."

With that he bent down and placed a quick soft kiss on her forehead, before walking over to the fireplace and flooed over to the Burrow.

Hermione sat motionless for a while before grabbing the nearest pillow, hugging it closely, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

While she felt heartbroken over her break up with Ron, not to mention extremely guilty… she also felt strangely… relieved?

For so long, she wondered what had happened to her relationship with Ron, and perhaps she always subconsciously knew but was too afraid to admit it. Now that she had, it felt like a huge pressure was lifted off her chest. She felt extremely guilty as she realised that for so long, she had lead Ron to believe that she was happy when she wasn't and that in turn caused him to be unhappy.

Yes this was best for the both of them. She would tell herself that when the guilt became too much to handle, in the latter course of the night. She would tell herself that when the apartment became deadly quiet as she realised that for the first time after the war, she was alone.

She hoped that at some point, Ron would be able to forgive her. And most importantly, she hoped they would be able to stay friends of some sort. Like Ron had said they had been through so much, it would hurt too much to completely lose him now. But she also knew they had both done the right thing. Ending the relationship was the right thing to do.

Thinking back to the fight, she wondered if she was going to get any sleep that night, what with Ron's voice repeating over and over again that she didn't love him. But it was a certain blonde haired man that plagued her dreams much later that night.

A/N: Hey Guys! I thought I'd give you all a little Christmas present! Firstly I want to thank everybody that has added this story to their favourites and are following, not to mention those amazing people who has reviewed it! I do love hearing what you think and I do try to respond to each review. so please again review and let me know if you think I'm on the right track here.

Secondly, this chapter may seem a little pointless towards the Dramione part but I felt that obviously Ron and Hermione needed to some sort of talk that would clear the way for our dramione to actually happen, and now that, that has been taken care off , you can expect more dramione. yaaaay! :D

Lastly I would like to wish all the readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope that 2013 was good to you and that 2014 will be totally kick ass! This life we live is a short one so appreciate every moment given to you, nothing is guaranteed, but always remember to party responsibly, and to surround yourself with good food, great friends and amazing family. All the best !

xoxo