Two Black Carriages - A Dramione fanfic

Chapter 3 - White Liar

The next morning found Hermione sitting at breakfast, chatting with her roommates about their experience with the ball and comparing class schedules when suddenly her group grew quiet, Lavender looking like a deer caught in headlights, as they all stared behind her. Curious, Hermione turned around to find-

"I'm sorry Mione" Ron looked like he was on the verge of tears as he stood there, pleading to her with his eyes "can... can we talk?"

Hermione's heart broke at the sight. She sighed as she turned back to the girls "Would you please excuse me for a moment?" the girls all nodded as Hermione led the boy out of the hall, completely missing the look of concern on Lavender's face as she watched them go.

Once they had found an empty classroom, Hermione let him go in first as she closed the door behind them, casting a silencing charm, just in case. The moment she turned back, Ron was on his knees, clasped around her waist, as he cried and apologized over and over into her stomach... Hermione sighed

"Ron, get up" she ordered gently, as she helped him to his feet. Once he was stood, she looked up into his broken eyes and had to fight back the tears herself

"I'm so sorry love, I didn't mean to hurt you"

"But you did" she whispered sadly "you embarrassed me, accused me, hurt me, and just... left me there"

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you have no idea how sorry I am. Please come back to me, babe, I'm completely lost without you... my compass..." he kissed her cheek "my light..." then her other "my love..." then her nose with an Eskimo kiss, causing the girl in his arms to giggle at the tickling "I was a real right git, and I never should have treated you like that. I was just trying to protect you from him, I don't want him to hurt you again... you've been through enough. So for you to try and stand up for him... as if you were friends or something... it was like a slap in the face to my pride, and I lost my cool a bit. Babe, I missed you so much it hurt over the summer, and with every letter, I missed you more. I really just wanted to show you how much I missed you, but when you straight out refused me... it was another hard blow to my self-esteem... I began to question if I wasn't good enough for you... if you even wanted me... so I lashed out... I'm sorry love"

Hermione sighed as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead "Ron, no means no, alright? If you can't respect that then I don't see how this relationship is going to work. I'm not ready for that yet. I love you, and you say that you love me... we've already been through enough growing up in the last four years than any child should have to go through... can't we just use this last school year to be kids? Dating is fine, but I've always dreamed of giving myself completely over to my husband on our wedding day... is that so wrong?"

Ron sighed as he rested his forehead on hers "I just wanted to show you how much I love you... I'm I this for the long haul, love... is it so wrong to want to make love with my potential wife?"

Hermione's breath hitched "R-Ron... we can't even date in the open public, surely we can't be talking about marriage right now"

"You're right, you're right... I'm sorry love." He looked like a little kicked puppy

"Can you wait for me?"

He kissed the top of her head "until you are ready"

She sighed in relief "Good. Now about Malfoy"

"What about him?" he growled as he unknowingly tightened his grip.

Hermione winced as she gingerly pulled herself from his grasp "if I choose to forgive him and the Slytherins, then you need to respect that. I'm my own person Ronald, as well as the brightest witch of our age. I spoke with Malfoy after I went back to the ball after you left me on the floor... he truly is repentant, and even went into detail to seek forgiveness for each and every act created against me... I'm choosing to forgive him. That's what the whole ball itself was about... unity, inclusion, diversity... the whole ball and concept were MY idea... how would it look for me to not hear him out when I myself was trying to preach house unity?"