I do not own Harry Potter.

Life After the Last Battle

Chapter 80, Trouble in Paradise

"I feel like we're drifting apart," Hermione said sadly one night during dinner. Ron looked up, tomato sauce dribbling from his chin. It was the first time they'd eaten dinner together in over two months. They had moved into a larger apartment, but only just. It was however, in a much nicer neighborhood and was furnished quite nicely. They'd also gotten a cat, because Crookshanks refused to leave the Burrow.

"What?" Ron asked carefully after swallowing.

"I just feel so disconnected from you, Ron," her eyes threatened to fill with tears. Ron looked at his plate, then back at Hermione. He sighed and set his fork down.

"I know, Hermione. We knew this would be hard though. But I come home whenever I can-"

"Even when you're here I feel as if you're still a hundred miles away!" Hermione protested before he could finish his sentence.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, trying not to lose his patience. It was his job, after all.

"Don't you want to feel closer, Ron?"

"I don't know... I mean yes... I'm confused," he frowned. "I thought everything was fine."

"It is. It's all fine. It just isn't great," Hermione muttered tearfully.

"It's not like I can just quit my job, Hermione."

"I'm not asking you to do that! I just want to be closer to you! When you're gone you hardly write me, and when you're here, you're busy filling out reports and paperwork and researching. I feel a bit... ignored."

"Well, sorry, Hermione, but that's the job. I'm sorry if you're feeling bad for yourself, but my work is very important and I don't appreciate you making a problem out of it," Ron snorted.

"Ron! I'm not making it a problem, I'm just asking you to spend a little less more time-"

"No. I won't spend less time working hard. How do you think we afford this place?"

"Are you insinuating that I don't help out with the rent?" Hermione asked dangerously. Ron, of course, was too riled up to notice her deadly tone.

He let out a guffaw. "We all know your job isn't exactly well-paid. And my job is a bit more important than yours, don't forget," and he continued to shovel food into his mouth.

Hermione stood up so abruptly that her dishes clattered. She stomped away from the table, into the bedroom, and slammed the door. Ron heard the lock click into place.

"Hermione," he called and went to the door. "Come on, I'm only here for two nights. Please open the door."

"Apologize!" Came her shrill voice from inside the bedroom.

"I'm sorry," he said insincerely. He tried Alohamora, but she'd cast difficult locking spells on the door. Even with his Auror training, she could still out-charm him. He cursed under his breath.

"I heard that!"

"Oh, bugger off, Hermione!" And he disapparated.

"He just hardly pays any attention to me," Hermione mumbled unhappily. She was at Ginny and Harry's, clutching a cup of tea, sitting on their sofa. The night before played over and over in her head and she wondered if that was what being married to Ron would be like.

"Er..."

"I don't want to be with someone who doesn't appreciate me."

"Hermione," Harry said carefully, "Ron's under a lot of pressure. Work has been really stressful lately-more stressful than usual."

"How? He doesn't talk to me."

"There's this gang of Death Eaters, only about six or seven, but they're quick and they attack frequently. We've been trailing them for the past couple months, but yesterday we lost them. No leads anywhere."

Hermione frowned into her tea for a long minute. "Why didn't he just tell me?"

Ginny shrugged. "He doesn't want you to think of him as a failure."

"That's absurd, I would never-!"

"Oh, come on, Hermione. You were on his back all through school and you're still pretty critical of him," Harry said. "I don't blame him for being a little wary."

"But we're together now. He should just be honest with me. And maybe I need to be less harsh. But I would never think poorly of him over something like this."

"He's at Neville's right now," Ginny supplied. "You should go see him before he leaves."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'll do that. Thank you." She set her tea down, hugged both Ginny and Harry, and then left.

"I'm so glad I don't have to deal with crap like that," Ginny rolled her eyes. "If you were as immature as Ron is..."

"Ron? That was all Hermione!"

Don't hate me.