"Finally." Ron Weasley sighed as he vanished the last box. He stood in the middle of his living room looking around at his new residence. Everything finally had its own place and best of all it was clean. It had taken him all day and the better part of yesterday to finish unpacking all of his things. This was his first house and he was proud of it. All of his furniture finally matched, he had a decent-sized kitchen, and great land. Harry had helped unpack a little of course but after a few hours Ron insisted he get back home to Ginny. Harry and Ginny had finally tied the knot about a year ago and Ron had been happy for them. After the war Harry needed someone to be there, to love him and not to leave. Ginny was there to pick up the pieces and continue where they had left off.

Ron couldn't help but be envious of their relationship. He was sometimes extremely uncomfortable around them. They were happy and in love. Not to mention, they were a frequent reminder of what he had lost or, in all truth, had left him. Ron tried to date, but whenever the women got too close or too needy he got rid of them. He didn't want to need anyone or have anyone need him. Lust, he could deal with, love he refused to accept. In lust, people simply enjoyed one another's company and don't really expect much from them. In love, woman wanted more. A true commitment and trust and Ron couldn't give that to them.

Ron pulled back the curtains and looked out the window. There he was met with a view of a forest, only nature surrounded him. There were no neighbors to spy on him and best of all nothing to remind him of her. Hermione. Just thinking her name was painful. Anytime he thought of her, which was pretty much everyday, his stomach grew knots and his heart ached. He would become simultaneously filled with rage, confusion and unhappiness. The fact that the mere thought of her could evoke such feelings within him upset Ron. He wanted her to relinquish the control she had over him and let him be free to move on. Ron walked away from the window running his hand frustratingly through his ginger hair and pushed the thought of her out of his mind. Not today. He thought to himself as he walked into the kitchen to make tea.

He sat down at his new marble table and pulled his briefcase toward himself. He needed to make up for all the work he had neglected over the last couple of days. Doing reports were the worst part of Ron's job, it reminded him of school. Of course, in school he'd had help. He stared at the sheet in front of him wishing he could just find the motivation. He couldn't. He pushed it away and stood up, checking the time on his watch. Five o'clock. He still had two hours before Rachel came for dinner. Rachel was his newest girlfriend. He had met her at an office party a couple of months ago and he immediately felt like she could be the one to make him forget. She could make him forget his feelings for Hermione, his anger, his hurt. She could make him laugh, make him want to come home at night or go out instead of throwing himself into his work and staying at the Ministry all night. She was good for him.

Ron looked around him deciding on what he wanted to do to pass the time before Rachel arrived. He knew if he stayed in the house he knew he wouldn't get any work done. He walked to the kitchen out of habit and looked into the refrigerator. It was empty. Ron frowned and shut the door. He checked his watch again, grabbed his keys and set out for the supermarket. As Ron walked outside he immediately regretted putting on a jacket and walked back inside. He slipped off his jacket left the house wearing a t-shirt, gym shorts, and sneakers.

Ron enjoyed the sun warming his skin as walked the town toward the grocery store. The streets were filled with people bustling about running last minute errands on their way home for the night. Restaurants were setting up tables outside for dinner and children were riding their bikes around before sunset. Ron smiled when a particularly red-headed child zoomed by. On his way to the store he dipped into the local tea shop to grab a cup of Earl Grey to go.

"Afternoon, Mr. Weasley," A teenage girl with big brown eyes and curly chestnut hair, beamed at him from behind the counter. They had met a couple of days ago when he had been desperate for a cup of tea. Since then he'd been in twice a day.

"Afternoon, Robin." Although he knew most people didn't like the formality, he enjoyed being called Mr. Weasley. He did not correct people, of course, when they addressed him as Ron, but there was something about being called Mr. Weasley that Ron liked.

"Earl grey without cream or sugar and-" Robin studied him for a moment. "Large?" Ron laughed.

"Actually I'm going to have a regular today."

"What? Just when you begin to think you know someone." Robin shook her head.

"What can I say? My thirst varies day to day." Robin sighed jokingly and turned away smiling as she began to make his drink. Ron drummed his fingers on the countertop and looked around the shop. His eyes were first drawn to a couple sitting at a table to his left. The woman had her face positioned away from him and the man sat with his one hand resting on hers and the other on his tea cup. The pair was laughing softly at a joke that Ron was unable to hear but it was not the happiness of the couple that interested him it was the woman's laugh. It instantly made him feel strange. He quickly looked away feeling as though he was interrupting something very private but Ron was drawn to the couple for reasons he couldn't explain. So, when Robin had given him his drink and he had paid her he made his way toward the door, intent on getting a glance at the face of the woman.

Ron strode to the door, turning back slyly to look at the couple. He didn't realize that a second later he would regret it. There she sat, Hermione Granger. Ron's mouth dropped open as his cup clattered to the floor. As the cup hit the floor, time passed agonizingly slow. Everyone in the shop looked up to see the contents of the paper cup wash across the checkered tile including Hermione, who seem just as shocked to see Ron as he did her.

"Mr. Weasley, are you okay?" Robin yelled, hurrying over to help him clean up.

"Yeah. Um… I'm sorry Robin. I've got to go." Ron felt guilty for leaving the confused waitress to clean up his mess but he couldn't handle being in the shop for a second longer. Ron realized that he was shaking and he felt like he was about to throw up. He suddenly started running. He ran as fast as he could through the town and towards the nearest park. He ran uphill through the trails until he reached the top of a hill that looked over the whole town. He had completely forgotten about going to the market and the fact that Rachel was going to arrive at his house in a little over an hour. There he collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. Laying spread eagle on the ground he looked up to the sky anger surging through him. He wiped his forehead with a shaking hand and sat up, his feet on the ground, knees raised with his forearms resting on them. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair with frustration.

"Why?" He yelled toward the sky to some unknown god. "Why? I just started to move on. Why now? Why here?" Ron looked forward toward the town he had just begun to love, now utterly destroyed. "I have to move," Ron exclaimed throwing his hands in the air. He stayed on the hill until it started getting dark, then started on the long walk home. He could have apparated but walking seemed right.

Ron walked into his apartment at around nine o'clock and dropped his keys on the dining room table. Scotch. It was the only thing on his mind, well that is until…

"Where've you been?" Rachel's voice echoed from the living room. Shit. Ron had completely forgotten about Rachel. Guilt rushed through him.

"Sorry. I lost track of time." Ron walked into the living room. Guilt washed through him and he didn't want to explain what happened. Rachel didn't know any of the details about Hermione and he didn't want her to. Ron just stood there, staring at her.

"You didn't answer my question." Rachel walked toward him.

"What?" He questioned defensively.

"Where were you Ron?" She wasn't being bossy, she wasn't mad, she was concerned. It made him feel worse.

"Look. I'm exhausted. Can we talk later?" Ron crossed his arms and looked away from her. Rachel walked the final steps between them and put her hands on both of his biceps.

"What happened?" Ron shrugged her off and looked her in the eyes. Rachel drew back, looking hurt. Ron didn't want to hurt her but he couldn't worry about anyone right now. He needed to be selfish. He didn't want to tell Rachel about how Hermione had ditched him. How she had left without saying goodbye. It was bad enough to think about it but saying it aloud? That was something different. He knew every time he told the story he sounded pathetic. Besides, who wants to tell their new girlfriend about the time that his old girlfriend snuck away in the middle of the night?

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" Ron decided.

"Ron, tell me. Don't shut me out." Rachel put her hands on his chest. Ron caved in a little.

"Maybe later. But right now I just need to go to bed." Ron kissed Rachel on the forehead and stroked her long blonde hair. "Okay?"

"Fine. Good night." That was all Rachel said before she walked out the door. Normally Ron would follow her but tonight, he couldn't muster enough energy to do so. Ron hit his flat palm against the wall. He breathed in deeply and walked to the kitchen. He reached up into the cabinet and grabbed the scotch. He sat down at the table and with a tumbler full of ice and a whole decanter of scotch. He poured the alcohol, sniffing the overpowering scent. Raising the glass to his lips he began to drink. And drink. And drink. After five drinks in he started to talk aloud to himself.

"Hermione ruins everything. She thinks its okay to live here? In my new town? After I looked for her for a year? I thought maybe she had died! Now I know she did abandon me! Now, Rachel is pissed at me and… You know what I don't care. Yes I do. What am I saying? Great. I am talking to myself like a complete idiot." Ron put his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. His head was spinning and he wanted to wake up and realize that this night was all a dream. Ron was about to go to bed when the doorbell rang.

Ron looked up confused and stumbled to the door. Forgetting to check the peephole and also his wand. He unlocked the door and swung it open, still holding onto his tumbler. There she was, in front of him, like a ghost. Hermione.

"Hello, Ron."