I thought back to the time I last saw Hermione Granger walk out of my life. We were sitting at the couch in her apartment and I was asking her if she wanted to go on a date with me, three months after we had completed our NEWT's. It was a friendly enough question but the look on her face said otherwise. The smile faded and a sadness came into her eyes and she told me 'I don't see you like that Ron'. With a consoling pat on my arm, she started to stand. But I got angry.

You see, my temper wasn't always the best back then. I may have said some things that I didn't mean and to make matters worse I shoved her. I regretted it immediately, but she fell back, landed in her bookcase and bruised her arm. She told me to leave and never come back.

The next day I went back to try and apologise, but her apartment was empty and now on sale. I didn't know what to do. Nobody had seen her, except a letter saying she was moving away. Not long after Ginny disappeared as well. Everyone always sort of assumed she was in contact with Hermione, but she never let it slip. I had seen her about seven times since the time she left eight years ago.

But here I was, driving (yes I got my license) to what I had been told was Hermione's address at five o'clock in the afternoon. She had been seen for the first time in eight years at Diagon Alley three days ago. I was overjoyed. I had never really stopped looking for her. I loved her and she needed to know that.

After much begging and letter writing to Ginny, after I had seen her yesterday, she finally gave in and gave me the address to Hermione's place. When I told her what I was going to do she smiled and handed it right over. It was strange but I didn't question it.

The streets that I was driving in to get to her house, showcased many luxurious and expensive mansions, and the further I drove down, the further away they got from each other and the bigger they were. It was a muggle neighborhood- something I would have expected from Hermione. Although the prices of some of them- definitely not something Hermione would do. Ok- so maybe she changed in the eight years that she was away, fair enough, but she was home now and she was mine.

I looked down at the piece of paper in my hand and looked back up at the gate I was sitting in front of. It was at the end of the cul de sac, giving me the option to go in or turn around. I couldn't see the house from the gates in front of me and the trees lined up behind it, but I breathed in a deep breath and drove forward. Pressing on the intercom button a voice rung out

"Name please" said the voice. It was deep and made me picture a huge security guard at the other end.

"Ron Weasley"

"Purpose"

"Im Hermione's friend?" I said slowly and unsurely.

After what felt like an hour the gates groaned open and I drove through. The trees went on for about one hundred meters before I got to an opening. Once I drove through my jaw literally dropped. Before me was a huge mansion. It was shaped like a horse shoe, with a garden situated in the middle. The house itself was white brick, with grand windows and pillars surrounding the front area and what I could see.

I pulled my (what now seemed like a lousy) Toyota Camry up next to a silver Audi Q7 and a black BMW M3. I always knew Hermione would have done good for herself and gotten a well paid job. I personally thought I had done well for myself. I was a good auror, second in charge to be exact. Harry had taken on the Department head. Recently he had married Luna Lovegood- of all people. But to each their own I suppose.

Finally, I got out of my car and walked over to the front door and rang the bell. Two minutes later and no reply. I rung it again

"Im coming!" a female voice called. I would know that voice anywhere. Through the frosted glass on the front door, I could see a shadow growing closer until the door opened.

There in front of me stood Hermione Granger. She had grown up beautifully. Her hair, that was once a messy mane of curls now hung down just past her shoulders in neat and natural looking waves. Her pale skin was perfect, not a spot or blemish on it. Her clothes were expensive and it looked as though she had only just gotten home from work. She had on business slacks, a short sleeved loose shirt and high black heels.

"R-Ron" she stuttered out

"Hi" I smiled back and she looked at me with wide eyes and a shocked expression.

"What are you doing here? How did you know where I lived?" she asked a little louder than anticipated

"I heard that you were back in London, and Ginny gave me your address"

"Ginny?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing slightly

"Yeah, is it alright?"

"Of course" she smiled hesitantly "come in" she opened the door wider and I walked into the luxurious foyer

"Well, you certainly did good for yourself" I smiled at her and she nodded her head and looked around nervously

"Look Hermione. I know we left on a bad page, but I would really like to make it up to you. Im terribly sorry for what I said, you'll never know how much Im sorry for that. But I still love you Hermione and I still want to try to be together" I smiled and took a step towards her. She quickly stepped back and frantically shook her head

"Ron, I- I still don't see you that way, I never really have. We never would have worked out because I wouldn't have been happy, and I don't want to try now. I moved on Ron- Im happy with my life. I have the perfect job, a nice house, an amazing husband, a da-"

"Your married?!" I yelled

"Yes" she replied back quickly and I could see her left hand clearly. On it shown a silver engagement ring with a large diamond in the center and a matching silver wedding band. It felt like a hole had been ripped through my stomach. I felt like an idiot- no wonder Ginny gave me the address so quickly- she knew and she wanted me to make an idiot of myself. I should have known better. When she found out what I did to Hermione she screamed and yelled at me for ever.

"Since when?"

"I've been married for six years now" she said cautiously, probably waiting for me to start yelling. I wasn't surprised- the old me would have

"I see"

"Do- do you want to come in and have some tea?"

I looked at her. Although she looked hesitant she was still offering and I wasn't going to deny the chance to spend time with her, even if she was married. I followed her through the foyer to a sitting room which was decorated with expensive furniture, while on the other side was a grand staircase .

The kitchen was at the back of the house looking over a great expanse of land.

"So what do you do now?"

"I went to law school and I now have my own law firm. Its been a lot of work lately because I need to set set the whole business up again and get new clients but I love it, Ginny told me your an auror"

"Oh yeah, nothing really compared to what you do. Where did you move too?"

"I travelled for a while, before I settled down in Italy. I love the place so much"

"So why did you move back" I blurted out, and she looked at me slightly in shock

"Family" was all she said. She poured the hot water into our cups and added milk before handing it over to me.

"So-" I nodded awkwardly "how did you meet your husband" I didn't really want to know, but it was better than the silence that filled the room

"I was traveling in Paris, and he was there on family business, settling a contract. I already knew him and was a little hesitant at first, but after we got talking he asked me out and we've been together ever since" she smiled. She seems to be doing that a lot.

"You knew him?"

"Yes"

I could hear soft padding of feet on the tiles and I turned and saw a toddler, no older than eighteen months walking unsteadily towards Hermione

"Mumma!" she called excitedly and Hermione smiled as she picked her up, kissing her softly on the top of her head.

"Oh Miss Hermione- I swear she walks so fast" a lady ran into the kitchen looking a little flustered

"Its no problem. Anyways, Im home now so you can go for the day, have a good weekend" Hermione smiled. The woman smiled, bowed her head slightly and walked out of the kitchen.

I looked on at Hermione, who was bouncing the little girl on her hip and smiling as the child's giggles filled the room.

"How old is she?"

"Alexis turned one about a month ago" she smiled biting softly on the small fingers that were placed in her mouth. "What were we talking about?" she smiled brightly at me

"Um- oh how you already knew your husband"

"Oh yes. We went to Hogwarts with him, you'll remember him- Draco Malfoy" if it was even possible she smiled even wider then looked back down at the kid in her arms. Which was probably for the best as my eyes narrowed and my facial features pulled back into a sneer

Draco Malfoy. After the war he had gotten off from going to Azkaban on the condition that he returned to Hogwarts and completed his final year. After that he took over his fathers business of owning magical shops all throughout the world. It would explain the house and the cars. I just don't understand why

"He's changed" Hermione said. Apparently I had spoken that last thought out loud

"Huh?"

"He's changed. After the war he changed. We had a few classes together in our last year of Hogwarts and I spoke to him a few times. We were more acquaintances than friends in that last year. So when I met him in Paris he did everything to prove to me that he had changed. Although he didn't need to, anyone could just see that by looking at him. He's the total opposite of what his father was, he's not cold or disconnected. He's a family man, he works hard to give us everything, but he's always there for us" she smiled fondly

I was silent as I thought over this. I could distantly hear Hermione setting out pots and pans and getting ingredients out of the fridge to prepare for dinner.

"I should probably get going then?" I smiled

"Wha- oh yeah" she smiled, baby still resting on her hip. I stood up and started to walk out of the kitchen, I could hear Hermione following behind me. I opened the front door and stood in front of a shocked Draco Malfoy, whose hand was reached out to open the door.

"Weasley?" he asked "what are you doing here?"

"I just came to see Hermione" I said

"Why? so you can just insult her again?"

"What? No! I came to apologise"

"Whatever" he scoffed, walking past me and into the house, standing next to Hermione before he turned back around.

"Im gonna go" I said, walking back over to my car. A newer addition had been added to the expensive cars. A black Maserati Granturismo. Grumbling I walked back over to my shitty Toyota and got in. When I reversed out of the drive I saw out of my window Malfoy bend down and kiss Hermione. She was laughing loudly as he placed kisses all over her face, then swept the toddler out of her arms and swung her around then placing a kiss on her head, like Hermione had done earlier. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kicked the door closed.

I had my chance and I ruined it. And for once in my life, I was truly jealous of Draco Malfoy

2012/07/26/delightful-design-striking-rosecliff-ma nsion/