Never The Same

Chapter 22-The Art of Heartbreak

AN- I know i haven't posted in so long i'm trying, i've posted the last two in succession because i knew i would have screaming people in the comments, i'm so busy atm it's not even funny, but we are nearing the one year anniversary of me writing this fic which is so much longer than i thought it would be lmao, so i'm hoping to do some more writing either before it or when i have some free time- anyways enjoy!!

It was now the third of January. Ron hadn't come out of his room in three days. Hermione paced nervously outside his door just like she had done for the past three days, clutching his plate of food in one hand and drink in the other. The door edged open and Ron popped his head out, Hermione thought he looked worse than he did the previous day, and that was saying something because he looked an inch from death yesterday.

"Ron? love you have to come out of your room, I can't keep bringing you your food, at least let me in and we can talk?"

Hermione watched as a tear rolled down Ron's cheek and then slip off as he shook his head,

"I'm sorry Mione, I really am I just can't, maybe in a few days yeah?" His voice was barely above a whisper but Hermione still heard him, her hands shook as she handed over the food and once his door was closed she let out a sob she had been holding in. This was nothing like she had ever had to deal with before, even during their relationship and eventual breakup Ron had never been this broken, his eyes were hollow and they seemed to hold no other emotion than sadness. It broke her heart.

She forced herself down the stairs and into the common room where she knew Pansy was waiting for her.

"No change?" Pansy spoke looking up from her book, her eyes seemed to do a double-take over Hermione and suddenly she rushed out of her seat and over to her girlfriend who was now sobbing profusely.

"Oh love, oh darling I know, I know" She led Hermione over to the sofa she was sat at previously and brought her down to sit in her lap. Stroking her hair gently she let Hermione sink into the embrace before speaking again.

"What happened Mione?"

"He," She faltered, she couldn't describe it, it was as though someone had taken Ron and just completely removed his soul. Akin to a Dementors kiss.

" He just isn't Ron, his eyes are hollow and he's just broken Pans" Hermione's voiced wavered on broken and Pansy's heart clenched, oh how she wished she could fix Ron with a wave of her wand and make everything magically better but alas that was not the case, all she could do was hold Hermione tight and hope that in a few days Ron mustered the courage to venture out of his room.

The next day and Pansy were knocking purposefully on Ron's door. She couldn't help but feel moderately guilty for not warning the boy of her ex-friend's previous behaviours, but then again she desperately wanted to believe that he had changed, no such luck.

A slightly confused and dishevelled looking Ron Weasley opened the door and was about to slam it shut again upon realising it wasn't Hermione with his food, but before he could do so Pansy wedged her foot between the door and the doorframe and gritting her teeth in determination pushed against the door and into the room.

The smell was almost overpowering, she had to cover her mouth with her sleeve, without saying a word she flicked her wand, opening the curtains and windows to which Ron exclaimed at the sudden intrusion of light and air and ran to close them again.

"Don't even think about it Weasley" Pansy spoke, pointing her wand at him, flicking it again she dragged a chair from across the room and plonked him down in it. With several precise waves and flicks she straightened his bed, put all the strewn clothes and belongings back into their proper places and had drawn up another chair directly opposite the one Ron was rather glumly sitting in.