Running Away

A/N: Random story that came to mind... please read and review, Thank you!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything that has to do w/ HP except the plot of this story.

It had been two years since the three of them had graduated from Hogwarts. Harry had become an Auror and was constantly moving around so Hermione and Ron didn't see him much. Hermione wrote a book on her adventures at Hogwarts and had against all odds been dating Viktor for the past year and a half. Ron had become a professional keeper for his favorite quidditch team The Chudley Cannons and just got engaged to Lavender Brown and they were expecting a little boy in matter of 3 months. So truly all was well for the famed trio. Well all was well unless you saw the way the Hermione and Ron looked at each other those Friday nights at dinner. Hermione and Viktor came over to Ron and Lavender's house every Friday (Ron hated having Viktor over but the arrangement was mostly for Ron and Lavender to see Hermione). Ron and Hermione had never stopped liking each other...they were each other's first love. There was something still brewing between the two of them, love deep down that couldn't quite be contained or dealt with.

One evening Hermione went to Friday night dinner alone, which was the evening that could have changed it all but didn't.

"Oi Hermione, where's Viktor?" asked a confused Ron as he opened the old front door of his small but cheery home.
"Oh er...we aren't seeing each other any longer," she said while holding her head high and acting as though she was perfectly fine.

"Oh sweetie, what happened?" Lavender cooed before waddling towards Hermione and Ron and giving Hermione a warm hug. Lavender seemed exceptionally distraught at the news that Hermione was single again and that Ron was holding her hand in comfort.

"Oh nothing really ...just a stupid row."

"I'm sorry Hermoine...er you can stay here until you find a place to stay...you were living with Viktor right?" she thought about Ron's offer for a moment, of course she would decline. Especially since Lavender had shot Ron a nasty look when he had offered her residence. There was a part of her that wanted to accept the invitation though, she felt so safe when she was around him and she almost wanted Lavender to suffer like she did every time she thought of Ron. She shook her head to empty it of the horrible thoughts she was brewing up.

" I was living with him, but no I can make it on my own," she still had her pride, that's something no man would ever be able to take from her.

"Well alright, dinner is ready. Do you feel like eating?" Lavender asked while handing her a tissue.

"Sure, thanks. You two are great."

"Sure Hermione," Ron said and rubbed her back. "You'll get over it soon, just let us know if you need anything."

They three of them sat down at the kitchen table and were enveloped in an awkward silence for the entire meal. All that was heard was the clatter of silverware against china as they ate their roast and potatoes.

"Oh I am so sorry...I don't feel very well. I am due in 3 months and I-I just need some rest. You don't mind cleaning up the dishes do you dear?" she said to Ron before directing her attention to Hermione "And you know you can apparate by anytime to see us." Hermione nodded at her appreciatively.

Lavender waddled her way upstairs a little bit slower than necessary and Hermione felt as though that was her cue. Ron turned to Hermione; "So do you want anything else to eat?"

"No I am quite all right. I think I might just get out of your hair and leave in a few minutes any way."

"Don't worry about it," Ron said in an almost pleading voice that caused Hermione to look up at Ron. She studied him closely before shaking her head. There was too much of their past still lingering in themselves and the hurt was still visible in both of their eyes.

"No I better get going...will you walk me outside? I think I'd enjoy walking home."

"I've missed you Hermione," Ron said as soon as they had walked out the front door of his home and started down the cracked sidewalk going in the direction of Viktor's house.

"Ron we see each other every Friday," she retorted, though she felt her skin grow hot and a blush creep up her neck.

"No Hermoine. I mean I have really missed you." There was so much emphasis on what he said that a shiver ran down Hermione's spin.

"I..I have missed you too Ron."

"What ever happened to us?" he asked her uncertainly.

"Oh come on Ron, we were two teenagers in love. Do you know how much that hurt me to catch you are Lavender together that night?"

FLASH BACK (7th year)

Hermione and Ron had been dating for a year now... they spent almost every second they could together. Whenever Ron wasn't at quidditch practice or Hermione wasn't studying, they were together. Harry would never seize to remark on how much they were meant for each other. They really were meant for each other. Hermione had been let off prefects duty early (Ron didn't have shift that night) so she decided to walk back to the Gryffindor common room and see if Ron wanted to go to the library and do homework with her. But when she walked in the common room she couldn't believe her eyes. She rubbed her eyes hard and thought desperately that she must be dreaming, but there was no denying it. Seated on the couch were Ron and Lavender holding hands. Ron was smiling and he leant over and kissed her on the side of her mouth. How could Ron do this to her, Hermione thought frantically. Did he 'hang out' with Lavender every night she had a prefect duty?

"Ron?" she asked uncertainly. "HOW could you?" she screamed before bursting out into tears. She knew they were only seventeen, that their relationship might not last forever but she had never once dreamt that he'd do such a thing to her and it felt as though her heart were being torn in two.

Ron was startled by the sudden shout and fell off the couch.

"H-Hermione..er...Its not what it looks like. Lavender and I are just friends."

"Oh yeah and friends hold hands and kiss each other? Just forget it. Go ahead you can have Lavender, but you can certainly not have me you git."

"No Hermione...I'm stupid, I don't know why I did this. Things were just getting so serious between us and I was getting scared. Call me names...yell at me... but don't do this. Don't break it off."

"Ron I trusted you...do you know what trust means?"

"Mione just-just give me one more chance."

"I shouldn't have given you the first one...I never should have dated you. I knew better!" She didn't mean all she was saying but the words were pouring out of her mouth out of anger. She wanted to do everything in her power to hurt him.

"You wished you had never dated me?" Ron said lowering his tone. He was clearly hurt...but not as much as her.

"Don't point this argument at me Ronald Weasley. You are the one who ruined everything … everything!" She screamed before dashing out of the common room.

"HERMOINE WAIT!"

But she didn't wait...she ran away from him. They had became friends again almost a year later but they were never the same again.

END FLASH BACK

"I was so stupid then Hermione...please forgive me."

"That was in the past Ron. But when I saw Lavender pregnant a few months ago, when we started having dinners, I knew there was no chance with us."

"How about one more kiss for old times sake, before you go? Because I know you aren't coming back."

It was true she didn't have anyone any more, not even Viktor. She was leaving England in a week...she was going back to Viktor's tonight to pack and then she was gone. She was going to go live with her aunt, who lived in a small town just outside of England, until she got her life back on track.

She leaned in and kissed him. It was raw and deep with emotion and when Ron deepened the kiss she felt her knees shake. They kissed in a way that could never be considered as friendly. There was still something noticeably between them.

When Ron's lips left hers Hermione was left confused as ever, she felt at a crossroad. She could either betray her heart or she could betray Lavender. She didn't want to sink as low as Lavender had done in their seventh year. "I-I've got to go."

"Stay...please." he begged her.

"No I couldn't do that to Lavender…nor to myself. You don't know what you want or who you want in your life Ron."

"Hermione you're the only girl I want in my life."

"No Ron I'm not...you have Lavender."

"I want you."

"Then tell Lavender that."

"I can't." He whispered.

"Then I can't stay. I'm so sorry," and she meant it. She was sorry for all that had happened since the day when she walked in on Lavender and Ron, she wished that she would have forgiven him sooner. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Ron lightly on the cheek, like she had done before each quidditch game since the end of 5th year. Ron grabbed her hand as she began to walk away but Hermione just shook her head and let go of his hand.

A tear could be seen on her cheek as she walked away from Ron down the sidewalk leading to Viktor's apartment and to a new life. She kept walking further and further away from him knowing she had done the right thing, though wishing for once she hadn't. She walked slowly back to Viktor's, all the while praying that Ron would have the courage to come after her. He watched her silhouette as it grew smaller and the distance between them grew larger. His heart ached and he wished he had the courage to run after her.

Ron stayed with Lavender. There was no one else for him. Well there had been, but she had ran away. Hermione Granger had ran away.

A/N: This was really sad to write because I'm such a big Hermione/Ron fan! But I write what comes to mind and I thought it was well written so I posted it. Thanks for reading and reviewing!