DISCLAIMER: HARRY POTTER IS THE PROPERTY OF JKR. I DO NOT OWN IT

A very special thank you to wisecrackerme for editing this chapter.

CHAPTER 01

In a lavish study of a grand mansion, sat an aristocrat in his mid-fifties. He looked troubled and was fiddling with pieces of parchments lying on the table. He sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration. He was angry. Yes, he was mad at his only offspring for acting without thinking and getting controlled by her emotions and going against all of her upbringing and teaching. He wanted to Avada her so badly, but he didn't want his bloodline to die out due to her stupidity and prepared to do anything to protect it from extinction.

Because of her, he has lost the chance of having uninterrupted sleep for over half a year. Every night, for the last six months he has been doing the same thing again and again without any positive outcome. He looked at the red crosses in front of the list of names with deep concern. Almost every other family in the Sacred Twenty Eight had declined his proposal. Not only them, even most of the other pureblood families had done the same. Now he was left with no other option than seeking a pureblood outside of their country, but with all those rumours spreading around, he knew a chance of finding someone pureblood was very slim. He scanned the list thinking he might need to give up chasing purebloods and try to find a suitor from half-bloods, then suddenly his eyes stopped on a name at the bottom of the list. The name didn't have a cross in front of it. It was a very powerful family belonged to the Sacred Twenty Eight, and he purposely skipped that one before as the two families didn't see eye to eye on many things. They were not wealthy like his family, but not poor like they used to be too. They didn't believe in blood supremacy, which was a shame. He sighed and made up his mind to send a formal request to the patriarch of the family. There was a high possibility that they would decline the offer after the initial visit just like the others had done, but he was desperate and willing to try at least.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." He muttered to himself and reached for a quill to draft a formal letter to the head of the family.

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"RON, RON Are you there?"

Ron sighed and raised his head from the parchment he was reading. He needed to finish the report before lunchtime and it seemed like it was never going to happen, but he didn't want to ignore the floo call of the witch he loved.

"Yes, I'm here." He replied.

"Do you know where Harry is?" the panicking voice asked.

Ron let another sigh.

"Yes, he is in a meeting with The Minister. It will finish by lunchtime. Are you alright Hermione?"

"Er- I_I'm ok."

"You don't sound okay. Is there anything I can do?"

He heard her clicking her tongue.

"It's about James' birthday party." She muttered, and Ron tried not to laugh and make her even more upset.

"You want to throw a perfect birthday party for him, and Harry doesn't have time for planning it or helping you. Am I right?" He asked with a smile.

"Well." She mumbled.

"You know he is not purposely avoiding it. He is busy, and people are expecting a lot of things from him. I'm hundred percent sure he would rather like to spend his time with you two than in that boring meeting."

"I know but- but James is his only child."

"Only child yet." Ron quickly said." I'm pretty sure you two will give him a couple of siblings in future.

"Well, if he is going to neglect his family like this, I'll make sure James is the only child he'll ever have." Hermione hissed.

"Come on, don't say something like that. You know he loves you, and both you and James are his world."

"You always take your best friend's side." She complained.

"Hey, you are my best friend too. I treat you two equally." Ron cried out. "How about you go ahead and make a list of things that you need Harry's involvement and make another list of tasks that you can do with someone else's help. I'll cover for Harry or babysit James when you two get stuff done together. I promise, I'll help you to get the rest done before the party and you can spare Harry without killing him."

"Really?" She said with slight excitement.

"Yes, really." He answered.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Ron, you are a lifesaver." She exclaimed in massive relief.

"That's what best friends do."

"I'm blessed to have a best friend like you." She muttered cheerfully. "Alright, alright, I'll go and make that list and meet you for lunch." She said after noticing the slight change in his facial expression.

"Sure, I'll come and get you as soon as I finish this."

'Thank you, Ron. See you soon. I love you." Uttering that she disappeared from the floo

"That's alright, I love you too Hermione." Ron replied "I love you." He sighed. "Always have and always will." He muttered looking at now empty and cold fireplace.

Ron Weasley was a well-known war hero, a fearless Auror and a well respectable wizard in the society. People loved his down to earth nature, his bravery and his loyalty. He was a busy wizard with a highly demanding job and other important responsibilities. Every day he's surrounded by his workmates or important people in the society but deep down inside he felt empty and lonely. There was no one to blame for his misery other than himself. Years back when he was a short-tempered teenager he made a huge mistake which had an irreversible effect on his whole life.

He shouldn't have left his friends during the Horcrux hunt. When he returned, he found his best friend had fallen in love with the girl he loved. It was all his fault. If he didn't leave, it would not have happened. Before he left, Harry didn't have a romantic feeling towards Hermione, but when he returned they were already in a relationship. They were not to be blamed. Who wouldn't fall for the girl who stayed with him during the darkest time of his life by protecting him, fighting for him without giving up? So Harry was not to be blamed. Hermione didn't know his true feeling towards her and Ron couldn't blame her either after storming out that fateful day following his false accusation.

He was not jealous or angry with his best friends, but he felt empty without her in his life. He watched them spending time with each other and planning their future. He was there on their wedding day standing at the altar as the best man and watched them getting married. He was there when James was born and thrilled when he was named as the Godfather. They were spending their time together like before, and Harry and Hermione never let him feel like the third wheel. But deep down Ron knew they were not the same.

"Ron are you there?"

Ron groaned in frustration. It was crystal clear that he would never finish his task before lunch or maybe not until tomorrow or forever if everyone he knew dropped in for a chat, but he couldn't ignore this person either.

"Yes dad, I'm here."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." He said in mild surprise. Although both of them work in The Ministry, his father never visited him unless it was highly important.

Arthur Weasley looked worried and struggled to hide his nervousness from his youngest son. Ron being an Auror could sense his anxiousness and started to worry expecting a terrible news, but maintaining his calmness, Ron signed his dad to sit down.

"What is it, dad?"

"Well." Arthur swallowed and placed a roll of parchment on the table.

"What is this?" Ron asked curiously.

"A marriage offer. Came today." Arthur mumbled.

"For you?" Ron asked googled-eyed.

"Are you out of your senses?" Arthur barked. "I am a happily married old man."

"So?"

"Well, it's a traditional marriage offer, and we have a customary obligation to respond. I don't like the family, but we cannot ignore the scroll."

"So why are you telling this to me? Charlie is the oldest bachelor in our family."

"Yes, yes I know. When I received this, I contacted him. There was no way he can take a break from his work soon."

Ron sighed. Now he could understand the reason for his dad's sudden visit.

"So you want me to visit them?"

"Well." Arthur shrugged and clicked his tongue. He apparently didn't like the idea of connecting with that specific family by any means.

"I don't want to get married." Ron said stubbornly.

"You don't have to marry that girl, but we are bound to respond this." Arthur answered pointing to the parchment.

"Can't they wait until Charlie's next visit?"

"They need a response soon."

Ron sighed. Marriage was the last thing on his mind.

"Ron, please go and visit that girl once. If you don't like her, we can arrange Charlie to visit her later."

"So she is a pureblood."

"Obviously. Halfbloods or muggle-borns don't practice this tradition."

"Which family? Who is she?"

"Why don't you look at it yourself?" Arthur replied placing the parchment in his hands

Ron skimmed through the document apathetically.

"Bloody hell! You got to be kidding me!" he yelled when his eyes landed on the name of the prospective bride.

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Thank you very much for reading. Please review and let me know whether I should continue.