The Best of Me

This takes place one year after the epilogue.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR. :)
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Hermione cried for almost thirty minutes before she picked herself up and apparated home. Her home seemed so empty without Ron and the children. Rose and Hugo were at Hogwarts while Ron was living happily in his new flat with his new girlfriend, Luna Lovegood. Truth be told, Hermione held no resentment towards them. She was genuinely happy that Ron had found love after their rocky divorce. Hermione maintained a good relationship with Ron and even developed closer to Luna. Granted, the divorce wasn't easy, especially on the children. It was a full month before Hugo talked to either Ron or Hermione after they told him about the divorce. Rose, much like Hermione, had found solace in her books. But now, things were okay, at least for everyone else. Hermione, however, was a wreck. The divorce wasn't even a portion of the reason why.

Since she was in sixth year, Hermione had been battling a sense of depression, all of it circling around Harry. She had loved him for some time, but on reflection of their relationship, there seemed to be so many holes.

She had always been there for him. She was his rock when he needed one, she was there fighting for him, protecting him, and loving him every second of the way. She even complied when he hated her, whether it be for telling Professor McGonnagal about a possibly jinxed broom, or if she was being too overbearing. However, it was her needs that always seemed to be left out of the matter. It wasn't just Harry's concern, Ron seemed to ignore Hermione's needs as well. Definitely, this wasn't always the case, but it was big enough to tear holes in Hermione's heart, the biggest ones coming from Harry. Hermione knew what to expect from Ron, but she expected so much more of Harry. She dedicated her whole bloody life to him, for goodness sakes! Maybe that was the problem. Maybe Hermione expected too much. Was it possible that she was imagining it all? She didn't know, but it was enough to throw her into the depths of depression.

It wasn't any better when Harry began dating Ginny. Admittedly, she was happy for them at first, but it soon became clear that Ginny, intentionally or not, was taking her place. It was no longer okay for Hermione to give Harry her famous bone-crushing hugs, it was no longer her shoulder that he cried on. He never turned to her for answers unless it involved schoolwork. He ignored her. He replaced her, like she was a pair of shoes, and for that, Hermione hadn't ever found it in herself to forgive him.

Hermione lost even more when she settled for Ron. She knew that sounded terrible, but it was the truth. When she had cried for ages when Ron had dissapeared during the horcrux hunt, Harry just stood there. That's when Hermione knew, she would have to settle. She kissed Ron for the first time, hoping, praying that she would find solace, but she only found more pain. But she wouldn't let Ron down. She knew he fancied her, and she might have even felt something for him once. Plus, he was still one of her best friends. But it just wasn't true. Their marriage was false. Which brings everything back to the beginning.

Hermione felt the tears coming on again. She dropped her papers and dinner from Harry on the kitchen table. She wasn't feeling hungry. She hadn't eaten properly for some time. Maybe she would feel better after a nap. Hermione took her tears into her bedroom and cried herself to sleep.