Title: Glory Days In The Sun
Summary: Companion piece to my one-shot 'Unfaithful'. It's now eighteen months on from the events in 'Unfaithful' and the day when Hermione's divorce from Ron becomes official. How does she react to the news that her marriage is officially over? One-shot.
Authors Notes: So I'm having a nice day to myself today and I'm bopping around the house, listening to my iPod whilst I do the washing and cleaning and the song 'In The Sun' by Joseph Arthur came on and surprise, surprise I got inspired :D Music is the best inspiration ever. And I wrote this like I wrote 'Unfaithful'- quickly and with passion. So I hope you enjoy :D
~*~
I picture you in the sun
Wondering
What went wrong
And falling down on your knees
Asking for
Sympathy
And being caught in between
All you wish for
And all you've seen
And trying to find anything
You can feel
That you can believe in
May gods love be with you
Always
May gods love be with you
It was a bright, sunny, July day. There was a slight breeze and it was perfect conditions for drying clothes, which was what Hermione Granger was doing at that very moment. Her washing basket at her feet, pegs dangling from her arms, she felt a strange sort of peace as she basked in the mid-morning sun and felt the breeze whip her face.
With more flourish than what was needed, she hung the last of Harry's shirts on the line and carried the basket back up into the house. They had moved into the house just on a year ago and she had been working hard since to get it to look like the dream house she had imagined. The bedroom was done, the kitchen almost and Harry had promised her that she could do the bathrooms next.
The laundry basket went back into the laundry and she kicked off her shoes and closed the door to the unsightly mess. They had far too much washing for two people.
She was in the kitchen, starting on lunch when she noticed the barn own sitting on the windowsill. With a curious look at it as she headed towards the window to let it in, her eyes caught the calendar and her heart skipped a beat.
She didn't need to let the owl in to find out what news it was delivering. She knew by the date. Today was the day her new life could officially begin… today was the day her divorce would be final.
Sighing as she took the letter from the owl, she looked at the fancy seal from her lawyer. She knew inside would be a letter detailing the financial outcomes of the divorce, and confirming that it was in fact finalized. Her heart felt heavy. After four years of marriage and eighteen months of separation, her marriage was over…
Of course, it had been entirely her fault as to why it was over. She had fallen in love with Harry… she had been in love with Ron and some part of her would always love him, but Harry was different…
Her eyes only glazed over the letter inside and she didn't take any real notice of the words. She knew what it said. Her minds eye was focused on a mental image of Ron… Ron hadn't taken the break up too well. His Quidditch had faltered, and he had lost his place on the English team.
She could see him, at that moment, sitting on the balcony of the flat that until that morning had been theirs. She could see him reading the same letter that she had just glanced at. And she could see his heart breaking one final time as the morning sun shone on him.
I know I would apologise
If I could
See your eyes
Cause when you showed me myself become
I became
Someone else
But I was caught in between
All you wish for
And all you need
I picture you fast asleep
A nightmare comes
You can't keep away
May gods love be with you
Always
May gods love be with you
They had hardly come face to face since she had walked out on him, that gray afternoon. The few times that they had been required to be in the same room had been marked by half-sentences and long, awkward silences.
It was through those times that Hermione wished things were as simple as they had been back in their school days. When a simple apology could wipe away everything that had been said and done and they could all be friends again.
She knew from the moment that she had first kissed Harry that things between the three of them would never, ever be the same. Harry and Ron's friendship could never survive them both being in love with Hermione. And Hermione knew that her marriage was over as soon as her lips touched Harry's, and that Ron would never recover from the heart break.
Once upon a very long time ago, she and Ron had been so close and so inseparable. Once Ron had grown up a bit, of course, and realised that she was a girl and realized that he couldn't live without her. It had been magic to begin with- Ron had morphed into a different person. There was no more bickering, no more teasing… he had become a man and Hermione had fallen hard for him.
They'd had so many good times, in the early days. Their glory days, as Hermione now called them in her mind. The glory days when they were younger and in love, in those confusing post war days. But the love had faded fast when Hermione had found Harry's arms and it broke her heart to be stuck where she was. She was all Ron had wished for, but she wasn't all he needed.
Cause if I find
If I find my own way
How much will I find
If I find
If I find my own way
How much will I find
If I find
If I find my own way
How much will I find
You
You
I'll find you
You
She had been so young when she had married. She wished now that they had waited. But when you're young and in love, the heart makes the head do stupid things. If they had've waited, it would have saved a lot of heartache…
Every time Hermione had seen Ron since she had left, even just in passing, her heart ached to see how badly he was doing. She had taken a chance, leaving him, finding her own way. And he had come off worst.
He had been doing better lately, from what Hermione had been hearing from Ginny. Ginny was the only Weasley who would still speak with her and Harry- but that was because the rest of the family wouldn't talk to her either. Not since she had taken up with Draco Malfoy. But Ginny still knew what was going on and it was she who had told Hermione that Ron had started to see Luna Lovegood.
She sighed and went back to making the lunch. Harry would be home for lunch soon and she was looking forward to seeing him. Harry had been her miracle. He had never pushed Hermione to divorce Ron and she knew that he wouldn't push her to marry him. He knew his boundaries and she was glad for it. She wasn't ready to get married again. Harry had mentioned it to her once- only once. He had simply said that maybe when the divorce was final they should consider it.
Hermione hadn't replied to his statement and he had never mentioned it again. She knew, of course, that it was what Harry wanted. But she couldn't stand to think about the what ifs… what if she had been wrong in choosing Harry? She had found him when she was struggling to find her own way… what if he wasn't who she was meant to be with? Could she go through the heartbreak of walking out the door again? Or would he walk out on her, showing her what she did to Ron?
Well I don't know anymore
What it's for
I'm not even sure
If there is anyone
Who is in the sun
Would you help me to understand
Cause I've been caught in-between
All I wish for
And all I need
Oh maybe you're not even sure
What it's for
Anymore than me
May gods love be with you
Always
May gods love be with you
She used her wand to finish off the sandwiches and left them in the fridge, with a note telling Harry she had gone for a walk. He would be upset when she wasn't there, but he knew what was happening on that day. He would understand.
She walked for miles and miles and just followed her feet. She wasn't even feeling tired. It was a beautiful day and the clear air was really helping clear her mind. She walked three entire laps of the small village they had settled in, before heading back to the house.
Standing on the front step, she took in the breathtaking view that they had from the front of the house. She was lucky, she decided, letting herself into the house. The last eighteen months had been hard, but she'd had Harry with her. He had been wonderful. She knew not many men would be as wonderful as he had been.
He was sitting in the lounge when she walked in and it gave her a fright. He should have been at work. But he had stayed home.
'I forgot the date,' he said sheepishly, standing up and heading towards her slowly, kissing her gently on the cheek. 'I'm sorry, love.'
Hermione couldn't think of any words. She simply smiled at him. Her walk had seemingly given her a sense of closure. She didn't know what had changed between when she stood in the kitchen making Harry's lunch and when she had come back, but something had. For the first time in many weeks, she wasn't thinking about how badly she had hurt Ron, or if she had made the right choice. All that had faded from her mind as she stared into Harry's emerald green eyes, staring into her own chocolate brown ones.
'What do you say, we cook dinner outside tonight, in the sun?'
'Sounds lovely,' she said, smiling even wider. 'Harry- I love you.'
'And I love you too.'
They headed outside where Harry started to cook on the grill and Hermione uncorked a bottle of elf made wine and poured two full glasses. Harry picked up his and cleared his throat and held his glass up higher in a toast.
'Here's to us,' he said, smiling at her.
'To our glory days in the sun.'