Chapter Text
The plate shattered against the wall by Hermione’s head.
Her heart raced.
She stared back at the man she had once called her best friend.
Ron stood there. Bright red and panting. Anger filled his eyes leaving no room for remorse.
Hermione felt water start to well in her own eyes.
How had it come to this? How had they come to this?
All she knew is she had to leave and she had to leave now.
Breathing heavily she turned her back on Ron without another word and headed into their shared bedroom, closing the door behind her. She frantically gathered her stuff as she tried to stop the tears from spilling over.
The door slammed open.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?”
Hermione flinched at the harsh words.
“What does it fucking look like, Ronald?”
“You can’t actually be serious. Come on ‘mione. Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have got so angry. You know I’ve always had a problem with my temper. You know I’ve been working on it.”
“Really?” She snapped back “How then? Because honestly I havent seen much of a difference in the last five years.”
“I promise. I’m trying. I am. It’s just- baby steps ‘mione. Baby steps.”
She tried (and failed) to suppress the urge to roll her eyes.
“Come on, just look at me Mi.”
She didn’t.
“It’s done Ron. I’m fed up with giving you second chances.”
“Don’t be like that Mi. Don’t give up on us. Look, I promise to try harder-”
“Okay, how?” He didn’t reply. His promises were empty, as always.
She gathered as much as she could into her magically extended bag before trying to move past Ron. She couldn’t stay here another minute.
She felt a hand grip her wrist and pull her back.
“Let go of me, Ronald.”
“No, ‘mione. Not until you hear me out”
“What more is there to say? I don’t want to hear another sorry with no change. You forget one occasion, okay these things happen. But Ron, this is not a one off. This isn’t even the first time you have forgotten my birthday, let alone our anniversary! What were you even doing until 11pm on a Tuesday?”
“I told you, I got held back at work”
“Until 11?!” She had to get out. They were going round in circles now. She tugged the ring off her finger and pushed it against his chest. “Goodbye, Ronald.”
She managed to escape, leaving Ron standing stunned like he hadn’t just thrown her Grandmother’s pottery at her. She stood in Diagon Ally outside their flat, debating where to go. Diagon was unusually quiet due to the late hour.
She could go to Harry and Ginny’s, she thought. Then quickly decided against it for several reasons. 1. It would be the first place Ron tried. 2. She wasn’t sure who the couple would side with. (Harry did have a history of taking Ron’s side and Ron was Ginny’s brother). 3. Ginny was heavily pregnant and Hermione did not want to put that sort of pressure on the couple at this time.
She started to wander down the empty street as she tried to come up with something. She knew Ron would come looking for her soon and she wanted to be far, far away.
She passed through the Leaky Cauldron and made her way through to muggle London. Surely he wouldn’t look there.
She found a sought of relief in the anonymity of the crowds. She was just another person here. The busy street contrasted the quiet of Diagon Ally and it was exactly what she needed.
She was still thinking about where she would go when she walked straight first into a hard chest.
She looked up, flustered and about to apologise, when she was met with a familiar face.
“What the fuck, Granger?”