A/N: Hello all! I realised I have found many enjoyable stories on this site and that maybe I should post my story here in addition to AO3 (posted under same user name). This is my first attempt at fanfiction or really creative writing. This project really is a minor experiment for me, as most of the writing I do is technical reports and research articles, I decided to see if I could use ChatGPT to adapt my writing to better fit fiction and help bring this idea I had for a story to life. Anyway this is the result. A fair warning this story is definitely not for Ron fans. He is going to be OOC and leaning hard into the angry/jealous sides of his personality. I hope you enjoy

TW: Abusive behavior.

Something is Missing

Hermione looked around the crowded room at Grimmaud Place, her heart swelling with pride as her friends and family congratulated her on her impressive accomplishments. She had worked tirelessly for years to obtain her three masteries in Charms, Transfiguration, and Arithmancy, and tonight she was finally able to celebrate her success.

But even as she smiled and hugged her loved ones, Hermione couldn't shake the memory of the argument she had with Ron earlier in the day. They had been together for three years now, and while she loved him, they often clashed over their different aspirations and goals.

Earlier that day, Ron had come to her with a scowl on his face and a bitter tone in his voice. He had been angry about her plans to start her own magical invention business, insisting that she should be more focused on their relationship and moving it forward.

Hermione had always been driven, even during their time at Hogwarts. She had studied tirelessly, never content with just passing a test but always striving for the best possible results. It was this same drive that had led her to pursue her masteries after the war, and now, it was driving her to create something that would make a difference in the wizarding world. Hermione had tried to explain to him that her passion was a huge part of who she was, and that she had been working towards this goal for years. But Ron had been dismissive, accusing her of being selfish and telling her that she needed to get her priorities straight.

The argument had escalated quickly, with Ron's anger rising to a level that Hermione had never seen before. He had tried to intimidate her, to make her back down and give up her dreams for the sake of their relationship.

It had been a painful and exhausting conversation, and now, as Hermione looked around the happy party, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She loved Ron, but she couldn't ignore the fact that their goals and aspirations didn't always align.

As she took a deep breath and tried to push the memory of their argument aside, Hermione knew that she would need to have a serious conversation with Ron soon. She couldn't keep compromising her own dreams for the sake of their relationship, and she knew that they would need to find a way to move forward together — or else they might not be able to move forward at all.

As Hermione was lost in her thoughts, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Draco Malfoy approaching with a glass of champagne in his hand. "Congratulations, Hermione," he said with a genuine smile.

Hermione couldn't help but smile back. It was hard to believe that only a few years ago, Draco and she were bitter enemies. But after the war, during their seventh year at Hogwarts, Draco had approached her and apologized for his past behavior.

Hermione had been skeptical at first, but she soon realized that Draco was sincere in his regret. They had started talking, at first about the war and the future, but then about everything and anything. They discovered they had a mutual interest in magical theory and other esoteric magical knowledge. And so, they became good friends.

Now, as an Unspeakable at the Ministry, Draco often came to Hermione for advice on different aspects of magical theory. And she was happy to oblige.

"Thanks, Draco," she said, taking the glass of champagne from him. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Draco shrugged. "Well, I couldn't miss the celebration of one of the brightest minds in our generation, could I?"

Hermione laughed. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Malfoy."

Draco grinned. "I should hope so. So, any plans for the future?"

Hermione's smile faded a bit as she thought of her argument with Ron. "I'm not sure. I have some ideas, but I'm not sure where they'll take me."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Care to share?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment before deciding to confide in him. "I'm thinking of starting a magical invention business. I have some ideas that I think could make a real difference in the wizarding world."

Draco's eyes widened. "That's brilliant, Hermione. You should definitely do it."

Hermione was surprised by his enthusiasm. "Really? Even if it means sacrificing other things?"

Draco nodded. "Absolutely. If you have a vision and the drive to make it happen, you should pursue it with everything you have. Trust me, I know from experience."

As the conversation veered to more scholarly debates about esoteric uses of time magic, Hermione found herself grateful for his encouragement. She knew that Ron would not be as supportive, but hearing it from someone like Draco, who had gone through his own share of struggles and come out the other side, made all the difference.

Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Ron, who snaked an arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her tightly to him. The gesture was so forceful that Hermione winced, feeling his grip bruising her skin.

"Ferret," Ron sneered, glaring at Draco. "What are you doing here?"

Draco rolled his eyes, his distaste for Ron obvious. "I was just congratulating Hermione on her accomplishments," he said, his tone cool.

Ron's grip on Hermione tightened, and she could feel his jealousy and possessiveness radiating off him. "Well, she's with me, so you can leave now," he spat.

Draco looked at Hermione, silently asking if she was okay. She nodded, grateful for his concern. "I'll catch up with you later, Draco," she said, forcing a smile.

Draco nodded, giving her a small smile before making his exit.

Hermione watched as Draco left the party, his form disappearing into the crowds of people. She turned back to Ron, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. She couldn't believe he had treated her that way, so possessive and jealous.

"Ron, what was that?" she demanded, her tone sharp.

"What was what?" Ron replied defensively.

"The way you just acted with Draco. The way you were holding onto me. It was too much, Ron. You were hurting me," she said, her voice rising with each word.

"He was flirting with you," Ron spat.

"Flirting? He was congratulating me on my achievements. You're being ridiculous, Ron. I'm not your property," she said firmly.

"You're mine, Hermione. We've been together for three years," Ron said, his tone becoming more aggressive.

Hermione stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had never seen this side of Ron before, and it frightened her. "That's not how a healthy relationship works, Ron. You can't just claim me like I'm some kind of object. And after the way you just treated me, I think you should leave," she said, her voice shaking.

Ron's face darkened with anger, and he took a step towards her. "You can't just kick me out like that. You belong to me," he said, his grip on her arm tightening.

Hermione's eyes flashed with anger, and she wrenched her arm free from his grasp. "I don't belong to anyone, Ron. And if you can't understand that, then maybe we need to take a break," she said, her voice steady but firm.

Ron's face contorted with rage, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione had already turned and stormed up the stairs of Grimmauld Place to the room she had been staying in since moving in with Harry after Hogwarts.

As she entered the en-suite, she looked at herself in the mirror, her mind still reeling from the encounter with Ron. She wondered why she kept staying with him, why she felt like something was missing in her life but didn't know what. She knew she needed time to think, to figure out what she really wanted from life, and from love. And maybe, just maybe, she would find it in a place she never expected.