Life 2: The Unhappy Ending
Here is the part where you save me.
Here is the scene where you save the day.
Why can't the ending be happy?
Why must it always resolve this way?
May 23, 2018 (8 months later)
"Decent of you to come home, finally."
Hermione rolled her eyes and hung her light coat in the entranceway. She wondered if she could manage to delay the impending argument until morning.
No harm in trying, at least.
"Ron, I'm rather tired; we had a full case load today-you wouldn't believe the things I had to put up with from Marla Jenkins, I swear-"
"And you don't think I'm tired?" Ron appeared in the entranceway, looking sullen. "I spent the entire day with Hugo and then he didn't want to be dropped off at Bill's! I had to finally bribe him-"
So much for sleeping.
"Well, see, that's why he won't listen to you." Hermione breathed out, exasperated. "I've been telling you for years that you need to discipline him more, but do you listen to me? Of course not."
"Well, maybe if you were around more-"
"Oh, honestly, Ronald. This is the first Saturday I've worked this year."
"Yeah, well," he grumbled, trailing off.
"Intelligent input, darling." She nearly sneered.
"Don't act so damn high and mighty, Hermione. I've had it up to here with you."
"You've had it up to here? You've-Ronald Weasley, you are the biggest arse I've ever met. You selfish, inconsiderate, infuriating-"
Ron had the decency to look frightened, if only for a moment. "Yeah, Hermione. I've had it up to here. You never spend time with me alone any more-never speak to me unless it's to talk about Hugo, Rose, or someone else, hardly look at me unless you have to, and I can't even remember the last time we've had sex!"
"Well that's because-" She sighed. "Never mind, I just want to go to bed."
Ron held out his arm to stop her. "No, what? Why is that, Hermione?" He snarled. "I want to know what it is that's keeping you from looking at me, dammit!"
"Ronald, let me through." She gritted out, barely managing to hold in her temper.
"No. Not until you tell me what you were going to say."
"Merlin! You're like a bleeding first year!"
Ron's gaze only hardened. "Tell me. Now."
With a flick of her wrist, she sent Ron spiraling to the ground. Through the haze of her anger, she was rather impressed with her wandless magic.
She leaned over him. "You've no right, Ronald. No right to tell me what to do. I don't give a damn if you're my husband or not."
'Have you ever made a decision that you thought was right, at the time…?'
She spun around and headed back towards the front door, opening it and moving into the warm night, slamming the door behind her.
"Sodding-arrogant-ridiculous-pratt." She grumbled, moving at a swift pace along the sidewalk. Her hands clenched and unclenched into tight fists, in rhythm with her heavy breathing.
When she reached the corner, most of her furor had dissipated, leaving a familiar emptiness behind. Lately, it seemed like these were the only two emotions she could manage. It was such a depressing thought that she ended up sitting on the sidewalk, her head in her hands.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
It was all she could do
Slowly, breathe in and out.
In and out.
It was then she started to long for Harry.
Really long for him.
Like she longed for air, water, or food. She had missed him before, wanted him, needed him, but never this-this-a gut-retching feeling, tearing at her stomach, crawling under her skin, bashing about her brain. It was more than missing, more than wanting, even more than needing. It was more than that; more, in a way she could not describe.
It was desperation, it was hopelessness, it was nothingness.
Because when it came down to it, without Harry, she could never be whole.
"Hermione?"
Feeling started to return to her; the feel of a soft carpet beneath her, the warm glow of lights, the sound of soft footsteps.
"Hermione?" Harry called, a bit more desperately.
Apparition, she realized faintly.
Strong hands gripped her arms, shaking her gently, but urgently. "Hermione! Gods, please-are you-what's-" Panic flooded his voice.
Her hands snaked out to grip his shirt, to feel him.
"Harry?" She croaked.
"Hermione." Her name came out as a sigh of relief. "Merlin-are you okay? I thought-I didn't know-you just appeared on my floor-I was so-Gods! Are you okay?" His voice wavered slightly. She could not remember the last time it had.
She buried her head into his chest.
"Harry-I-"She choked on her words.
"Shh-it's okay. It's alright."
"I know-I know."
And it was, with him. His presence surrounded her, calmed her.
His arms loosened around her, but still remained, lightly touching her sides; he pulled back to look at her. "Hermione, do you want-"
"I want you to save me." She cried out. "I need you to save me." She clarified, slower, steadier.
He stared at her for a long moment. "I will." A pained look crossed his features. "I will if you let me."
She moved back from him, pushing herself up to stand. He followed her lead, standing to look her in the eye.
"I want to. You know I want to let you."
"I need you too-I need you to save me too. I always have."
"I will." She licked her lips. "I promise, I will."
She apparated back to the corner with a small pop.
They had not warned her, in training, that when you apparate, you could leave your soul behind.
A/N: Hermione's line ("Intelligent input, darling.") comes from the Kate Nash song, 'Foundations'. I thought about making a fic just based on that song. I think it describes Ron and Hermione rather well.
On a side note, this is my favorite song off of the album; I'd recommend listening to it before any other. It was also the 2nd hardest (after Personal) to fit into this story, because it doesn't have much to do with anything. Oh, well. I managed.
I also thought I should clarify my reasons for painting Ginny in such an unusual light in the last chapter. While I, like many of you, dislike Ginny's character, I do not think she's unobservant, or stupid in any way. Yes, in the books she is rather hot tempered and easily irritated, but in the books she's also 15 when we see the most of her. People do grow up over time. In this story, when Harry and Hermione stopped having any real contact with each other, Ginny immediately became suspicious. That would be something everyone would notice, and obviously neither one of them would discuss it in great depth, creating more suspicion. I think, in the back of her mind, Ginny would always wonder if their falling out had to do with something happening that she'd always feared, especially considering Harry still cared a great deal about Hermione (hence the potatoes comment several chapters ago), and vice versa. In regards to Ginny's anger (or lack thereof) I think she was just too resigned to muster any hot anger. Rest assured, Ginny's angry with both Harry and Hermione, but it's more of a slow burn.
Regardless, thanks to everyone for expressing their opinion! I know a lot of you may still disagree with me, but I don't mind! It makes for interesting comments!