It all started with...

By Akkiles

4. An apology

I woke up in someones arms. I was afraid to open my eyes. What if last night was all a dream and I had gotten drunk and gone home with some bloke? After a few minutes of torture I decided to go for it and I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was a muscular chest. I raised my head slightly and was relieved to see a familiar sleeping face with unruily black hair. I thought about the night before. Harry had declared his love for me. I am the happiest girl alive. I love him too, I always have. I just didn't have the strength to tell him out earlier out of fear for rejection.

"'Mione?" Harry mumbled sleepily. I gave him a shy smile. Last night had been great, I had never picture it that great. Sure I have thought about it before but it was behond my wildest dreams.

"Good morning," I replied softly. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at me properly. Then he leaned down and gave me a soft kiss.

"Good morning to you too." He greeted as we broke off. I smiled happily and he smiled back. "For last night," he explained and for some reason I blushed. It wasn't my first time but it was my best friend and my love so I had been slightly nervous.

"Yeah it was great wasn't it?" I asked and he gave a nod.

"The best night of my life," he said sincerily. I beamed at him.

"Ditto," I said and we both laughed. He hugged me closer.

"Oh buggers, I forgot I'm meeting the Weasley's today," he said suddenly and I felt sligtly disappointed. I had been looking forward to spend the whole day with him.

"Oh...okay," I said sadly and he looked at me thoughtful.

"Why don't you join me?" he asked and I frowned.

"Oh I don't know it might be weird for them!" I exclaimed against my own instincs. I wanted to go with Harry and show Ron that I don't need him.

"Come on it will be fun! I mean it will be like a reunion. I mean it won't be awkward since we both know them...and besides I've waited eight years, I can't wait any longer!" he finished stubbornly and I smiled knowingly to him. He was so adorable sometimes.

"Alright," I said shakingly.

"Besides, you can show Ron that you are moving on as well," he added and I felt like he had just read my mind.

"Okay let's do this then!" I said cheerfully and Harry gave a chuckle.

"You are so cute sometimes," he commented and I blushed as he kissed my nose. "Breakfast?" he suggested and my eyes lit up.

"You read my mind," I said happily and raise myself up but Harry pulled me back down.

"Not so fast," he whispered and kissed me. I opened my eyes as the kiss ended and saw Harry smiling. "Now you can go!" he exclaimed and I rolled my eyes amused.

"Ready?" Harry asked. I shook my head. He grabbed my hand and gave me a reassuring sqeeeze. I flashed him a brilliant smile. "I'm going to be there with you the whole time," he said sweetly.

"Okay, let's just get this thing over with," I said nervously and he smiled back. Harry knocked on the door.

"Harry's here," someone yelled inside. Then the door swung open and a familiar face came in view.

"Harry, it's so nice to..." Mrs. Weasley then spotted me. "Hermione you too! Lovely to see you both." She pulled us both into hugs.

"Always a pleasure Molly." Harry told her but I settled with a smile. We had finally stopped calling her Mrs. Weasley by the end of sixth year, she had insisted herself.

"You are always so lovely Harry," she commented with a smile. "Come inside!" she stepped aside to let us in. I glanced nervously at Harry before walking in.

"Harry how are you?" a familiar voice cringed. Both Harry and I turned to the youngest Weasley member. Ginny's face dropped.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" she asked me sounding both surprised and happy.

"I tagged along," I said grinning and gave her a hug.

"Hi Gin," Harry said to her and embraced her as well.

"Whoa it's so great to see the both of you. Wait, are you two..." Ginny began but was cut off.

"Harry, you made it!" Ron's voice said cheerfully. Ron came in the room smiling but his smile fated as he spotted me. "Hermione?" he asked in disbelieve. Suddenly he looked very nervous.

"Ronald," I exclaimed dryly. Just because it had been a year, I had not forgive him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked carefully.

"She came as my date, I hope that's alright with you." Harry said to him and put his arm around my waist. Ron seemed dumbfounded.

"Yes...of course," he shuttered.

"So are you two..." Ginny asked hastily.

"A couple? Yes, we are." Harry answered, looking lovingly at me. I felt so happy that I could burst any second now.

"I see," Ron said in a low voice. But Ginny was not so quiet about it.

"Really? OH MY GOD THAT'S SO GREAT YOU GUYS!" she practically yelled.

"Whoa Ginny calm down," I said amused. She was never a quiet type.

"Why is Ginny yelling?" asked a dreamy voice. Luna walked into the room. She stopped in dead her tracks as she saw me. "Oh hi Hermione," she said warmly and I walked to her and gave her a hug. Luna had come to talk to me just a few days after I caught her in bed with Ron. She told me that she had no idea that I had still been with Ron, he had told her that he and I had broken up. That's why I made peace with Luna.

"So how are you?" I asked her. She however ignored my question.

"So you and Harry are together now," it wasn't a question, it was a fact. I was a little surprised of her forwardness but that was just Luna.

"Yes." I replied hastily.

"About time, congratulation you two." She said with a warm smile. I mirrored her smile.

"Thank you Luna," I said sincerily. Luna sent Ron a what seemed to be a signify look.

"Erm...Hermione?" Ron asked weakily. I turned to him expressionless.

"Yes?"

"Can...Can I talk to you for a second. In private," he added as Harry stepped torwards us. I stared at Ron's pleading look for a second before shrugging.

"I can't see why not." I answered. "It's alright Harry," I said to Harry, who seemed edgy to follow us. Ron sent me a thankful glare and lead me upstairs to his old bedroom. He sat on the bed and gave me a gesture to do so as well. But I remained standing.

"What do you want Ron?" I asked him tiredly. Ron looked incredibly nervous.

"I...I owe you...a lot actually." He began shakily and I nodded in agreement. "I owe you an apology, explanation and most of all, I owe you my honesty." He took a deep breath. "You and I never worked, that's pretty obvious, and on some level I think we both knew that as well. But don't get me wrong, it's no excuse," he hurried saying at my angry look. "We both made mistakes by getting into that relationship but I made the biggest one by not speaking my mind sooner. I had planned to break up with you months before that whole thing with Luna started. But I didn't have the courage, what a Gryffindor huh?" I remained silent so he continued. "...This is all coming wrong out. I'll start at the beginning. After the war when Harry disappeared, you were devistated. That was undestandable, for everyone was still wounded and trying to pick up their peaces. But after a few months, I saw that you was still hurting, still missing Harry. Then I realized that you were heartbroken, that you were in fact in love with Harry, my best friend. There were times when I was so angry, in a denial. My pride got in the way as usual and my anger was directed to Harry. Harry Potter, the-One-Who-Gets-Everything. That's not true of course but I was stubborn and heartbroken at the time. I felt like my two best friends had betray me. Every day I woke up and felt lonely and not wanted. On top of that we argued a lot, which of course made things even worse. But one day I met Luna at Diagon Alley. It was like everything clicked after that, I was whole again. She filled my life and we were great together. I soon fell in love with her and forgot about our relationship during the progress. The thing was that I was afraid, I was afraid of hurting you, admit that we were not the great couple as people expected us to be." I stared at him speechless. I had expected a lame apology but definitely not this. "I was a coward and I should have told you, I did not want you to find out this way. I'm sorry," his voice broke. A few minutes of silence passed by.

"Why are you telling me this now? Why let a year pass?" I asked quietly.

"Because I'm daft, you know that!" Ron gave a small smile. "I wasn't ready to face you, I guess I'm still not ready...not after what I did to you. I'm so ashamed. Not by my relationship with Luna of course, but ashamed of cheating on you, for making you feel..." he drifted off. "Just put it on my apology list," he said with a twisted smile. I simply stared at him so he gave a sigh. "Look I don't need your forgiveness, I just wanted to get it out of my system, I needed to tell you. I hate that we don't talk anymore, I miss you." I frowned at his last statement. "Not like that, I mean we have been best friends since eleven, or we used to be." Ron sounded defeated. "I...I'll leave you alone now," he aimed for the door.

"Wait!" I stopped him. "I'm sorry too," I almost whispered. Ron frowned.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked bewildered.

"Because I may have not been the best girlfriend after all. It's wrong of me to blame you for all the problems of the relationship. There are two people in a relationship after all. I admit that I was rather cold and distant torwards you and it must have been hard. Of course I'm not saying that it gave you the green card to cheat..." Ron made a pained expression. "...But it's not your fault how bad it was. We were just too bloody stubborn and proud to admit that it was over." I finished and Ron gave a low chuckle. "What?" I asked confused.

"You were swearing, you never do that!" he explained and I rolled my eyes in amusement. I was glad that some things remained normal between us.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I'm not ready to forgive you, not just yet. But I'm ready to go slow, babysteps?"

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you that!" Ron exclaimed and before I could react, he embraced me. At first I was a little stiff, but eventually gave in.

"Brilliant, should we join the rest? I can smell chicken," I said with a teasing smirk.

"Hey that's my line!" Ron protested though laughing.

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm sorry how long it's been since my last update. But I hope you can all forgive me, especially since the chapter's title is so appropriate

Now about the chapter, I just had to make peace between Hermione and Ron. I couldn't have Ron to be the bad guy, after all; we all love Ron. But what did you guys think? Review and tell me all about it!

-Akkiles