When We Were Beasts

Night Shift

He had just sat down at the table, a plate of scones already half-eaten in front of him. Hermione could tell he was barely listening.

"When I was there, I didn't know Luna or Neville or any of them were in the rooms. I woke up alone."

He nodded along.

"But I did find someone pretty early." She skimmed over talking about Hannah and Seamus. "I met Draco Malfoy in a room."

Hermione heard him stop chewing.

"And we agreed that we needed to make an alliance." Hermione's heart began to pound. "We kept each other alive. He helped kill several monsters that wanted to hurt me-"

"This can't be the Draco Malfoy." Ron said slowly. "You can't be serious, Hermione. You worked with that twat?"

Hermione swallowed. "Ron, I know we hated him in school but-"

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"I couldn't. I didn't have a wand. And we had agreed to help each other."

"But it was just a dream. You could have just conjured one up for yourself."

"Did you listen to me or Ginny when we explained that the rooms were made to make you forget you're not in reality?" Hermione scoffed. "Ronald, I didn't know it wasn't real. I thought we had been placed in a maze."

"I still don't understand why you couldn't have fed Malfoy to one of the monsters you saw." He crossed his arms as he stood up.

This was already going worse than she thought.

"I needed him." Hermione said firmly. "And in the end we all needed each other."

"You're Hermione Granger. You don't need anyone."

Hermione ignored the backhanded compliment. "Ron...I'm trying to tell you that in our time together, which to us was nine months, we grew close..."

She felt heat creep up her cheeks.

Hermione didn't want to say this. She wanted to skip this entire conversation and for Ron to say he was happy for her and that there was no hard feelings. She wanted to sprint out of the Burrow and go find Draco.

But Ron had grown still.

"'Mione," He breathed. "Don't say it. Don't tell me you fucked Draco Malfoy."

Hermione flinched. "It wasn't like that. We grew to care for each other, and he saved my soul-"

"And I haven't?" He stalked closer. "That's your standard now? That you put out for whoever happened to help you?"

"Ron." She hissed. "You don't get to say those things to me!"

"You don't get to be the victim when you cheated on me."

"Ron-"

Before she could react, he had thrown his mug across the room, letting his shatter against the wall.

Hermione was frozen, eyes wide.

"You're a traitor, Hermione!" He lunged forward until his finger was in her face. "Worse, you're a traitor and a slut. Harry would be saying the same thing if he knew you got on your knees for that pale weasel!"

"Don't speak about Harry!" Hermione exploded. He shoved him back. "Don't you ever speak about him like that. Never!"

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said get out. If you want to be with Malfoy so bad, go live with him."

He meant it. He really meant for her to leave.

"Their house has been seized until Narcissa returns." Hermione said slowly. "I can't go there."

"Then I don't care where you go." He threw his hands up. "I thought you were quiet and hands-off because you just needed some space. I would never have thought it was because of this."

He made for the stairs.

"Ron!"

He had made his way into the guest room she'd occupied. Without turning to look back at her he shoved what little she had - a toothbrush, a few outfits, and three books- into a bag.

"Don't touch my stuff."

He moved past her, back down the stairs and into the yard.

He threw them out.

"Now I don't have to touch anything of yours ever again." He finally looked at her.

Hermione could only think of how ugly he looked in that moment, red face and mouth twisted in hatred.

She didn't let herself cry as she scooped the bag off the dirt path. Hermione raised her chin.

"Goodbye, Ron."

She wanted to say sorry, in the sense that she wished it hadn't hurt him. But Hermione wouldn't risk him interpreting it that she was sorry about falling in love with Draco. Because for that, she'd never be sorry.

Hermione turned, ignoring Ron's insults that he continued to scream at her, and began to walk.

****

It was all a blur, how she came to be at Neville's grandparents house.

Ginny had sent her a Patronus just as Neville brought her inside.

"Ron had no right to kick you out." Her voice said through the animal. "Come back. I'll talk to him, and we'll work it out until you can find your own flat. Please, Hermione, I'm so sorry he did that. I should've been there to help you."

Hermione just slumped unto the couch. She didn't have the energy to reply that she wouldn't come back.

She thought she'd cry and be devastated. But all she felt was a terrible black anger.

How dare he humiliate and demean her like that.

Neville finished talking with his grandmother and came to sit beside Hermione.

"I spoke with Kingsley." He said, surprising her.

"They've granted you permission to occupy the guest house on the Parkinson's property, as long as you log your whereabouts and swear you won't take Pansy anywhere with you. They'll inform Pansy, and it'll be ready the day after tomorrow." He handed her a quilt. "Until then, will the couch work?"

Hermione didn't reply. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Neville said into her hair. Hermione shook her head.

"Don't be Neville. I should be sorry, for how I treated you. You're a good friend. This is good. I can feel it."

"Well... what do you want to do now? Dinner won't be ready for a few hours."

Hermione pulled away and flashed the little money she did have at him.

"We're going to get new wands."