Smirks, Books and, Dirty Looks

I Love You Baby

Hermione quietly entered the room to see Ron staring at the wall opposite her with his back to her. The painting was given to Hermione by a friend back home as a her wedding gift, he always hated it which is why it was in her office instead of home. She watched as he stood there the mark on his collar was now gone from its place this morning. Hermione was filled with a bit of mixed emotions, she was still angry but at the same time she was now filled with guilt. "Ron?" He turned towards her and smiled for a moment he seemed like his old self back when they were still kids. "Hey baby." She grimaced he knew she hated him calling her that. "What are you doing here?" She slowly questioned not wanting to rile him up just in case he really was drunk. Ron's smile widened, "I came to pick you up for a date."

Stunned Hermione's face was blank, she let the words sink in. "A date?" He nodded. "Ron--I'm still working, how am I supposed to go on a date right now?" He walked towards her and she started to back up instinctively. "Can't you just cancel the rest of the day? I feel like we don't see each other as much as we did before. I want to take you out and spoil you." He reached for her and she flinched. Hermione could smell a faint scent of liquor on his breath even though he wasn't as close to her. "What's wrong baby? Why are you backing up?" Hermione shrugged and decided to widen to space between them. She walked towards the painting and kept quiet.

Ron watched as she walked, she could feel his gaze on her back. 'I have to get him out of here.' Hermione was all too aware that everyone in this building could be at risk if Ron decided to get violent. "Ron, why don't you wait for me at home? We can go out after I'm done with this client. I'll cancel the rest of the day after. How does that sound?" As she turned to face him Hermione did not realize how close he had gotten. Jumping a little she saw how his eyes squinted a bit and the slight change in his face made him look older. "Why not leave now?" He said slowly. "It's not like you have a real job anyways. All you do is sit around all day talking. How hard can that be?" He cocked his head to the side studying her.

Hermione felt her face start to contort in anger. "I am working, just like you should be. As a matter of fact, why aren't you working today?" Ron sighed loudly and looked away, his jaw was starting to clench in building anger. "What are you, my mother?" He sneered at her, his true self starting to creep out little by little. "If I'm here, don't question me. I just wanted to do something nice for you. Lately you seem to be more distant from me. You wake up and leave, you're never home. It's like you hate being around me." Hermione looked at him. "I'm sorry Ron, did I hear you correctly? I'm never home?" He nodded, not seeing her sarcasm. Hermione just scoffed incredulously. "Ron are you listening to yourself? You are the one who comes and goes as you please. Meanwhile I am left to take care of our daughter alone."

Ron seethed. "You act as if I am a horrible father for having a job." Hermione looked back at him, "You mean to tell me you're not home all the time because you are working?" He rushed to her and she shut her eyes in anticipation. "Why do you act like I'm going to hurt you Hermione?" She kept her eyes closed not wanting to look into the eyes of the one person she thought would never do anything to hurt her. "Ronald you harm me every time you open your mouth, you don't care like you used to. When you do come home you're drunk, and you do harm me. Lately it's been more physical than mental." She opened her eyes to stare him down. She could see that there was no remorse in him, he wasn't all there to begin with.

Ron semi stumbled back and just shrugged. Hermione sighed, "Of course you don't have anything to say, why does that not surprise me anymore." He watched her closely jaw clenching and unclenching. "There is no proof. How do I know you aren't lying?" Looking at the man before her she waved her hand in front of her face and the concealment charm vanished. Her semi healed eye and cheek peeking through the little bit of makeup she had on. "I don't know how else to make this okay. You did this. You are the one who is constantly doing this to me." He flinched turning his gaze away from her. "You wanted proof, here it is. What else is it going to take to wake you up? Ronald I don't even know what to say anymore." Resigned she slumped her back against the wall.

"Hermione I'm sorry. I really am." He walked towards her and she put her hand up. "No." He stopped. "Hermione?" She looked at him her head now clear, a new feeling starting to build in her chest. "No, Ronald. You're not. Do you know that your daughter knows what happens behind our closed doors?" Hermione watched as the words began to sink in his already swirled brain. "What do you want me to say?" Ron sighed frustrated. "Nothing." She turned and walked away from him and spoke. "I think I need some time. Alone. It honestly would be best for you to stay at the Burrow." He was quiet. "Did you hear me?" She felt him come closer. This time she didn't move away. "Time?" she nodded. He was behind her now, "Hermione, don't do this. I will change." He said. "Give me a chance, please." She felt tears start to form in the corners in her eyes.

"Ron, please." She shook her head side to side. His arms enveloped her, the sudden physical contact was cold to the touch and felt a bit off. She felt herself tense up as he got closer to her ear and whispered. "Hermione, I can't let you do that." She felt her skin prickle. "E-excuse me?" He began to squeezed her, "Ron, you're starting to hurt me." He just hummed and pecked the top of her head. "Ron?" She tried to push him off of her but he was too strong. He was crushing himself into her arms and chest. "Why do you make me do this?" She gasped it was starting to get harder and harder to breathe. Hermione quietly whimpered trying her best to get him off but it seemed every attempt to push him off he would just squeeze harder.

"We could have been happily on our way to lunch." She started to cry. "Stop." She whispered. He removed on arm and placed it on her mouth, the other one now clenched on her ribs wrapping her into him. "Be quiet. I don't want to hear you. You did enough talking now it's my turn." His hand was tightening on her mouth. She felt his fingers griping her ribs leaving small bruises where they touched. "Blimey Hermione for the brightest witch of our age, you're so stupid. If you could just do what I asked. None of this is would happen. You make me this way. Honestly, it's your fault I treat you this way. It's all your fault." She was crying. The pain kept hitting her with every dig of his fingers. "Do you still want to take a break?" She shook her head. "I'm sorry what was that?"

He let her go and turned her to face him. "N-n-no." She stammered looking down trying to control her shaking. He gripped her chin and forcefully made her look at him. "What?" His face was dark. She shook her head no. His hand hit her face. "Answer me!" Hermione cried out. "No!" He was breathing hard. "Good girl." He kissed her forehead and pushed her away from him. "Now clean yourself up. You apparently still have to work." Dusting away invisible lint off his now damp shirt he didn't even bother looking at her. "Oh, and Hermione?" She was afraid to answer him but that didn't stop him from talking. "Don't ever say stupid shit like that again." She was trying hard not to sob in front of him. He smirked and it was the ugliest thing she saw him do. "I love you baby." He winked and opened the door and left her there.

Once the door was closed, she fell to the floor right where she stood and sobbed so hard she felt like the floor was shaking. She stayed there sobbing until she couldn't anymore. After what felt like eternity, Hermione picked herself back up and looked at her reflection in the mirror by the door. She was a wreck makeup was smeared all over and there was little red nail marks with a little blood coming out of one on her cheek from where he dug his hand into her face. Trying to concealing this would be hard especially since she was not in the right frame of mind to even attempt. How was she going to go back into the other room now?

A knock on the door startled her. "Y-yes?" She called out shakily. "Hermione are you still in there?" came the husky voice on the other side. "Lavander said she was leaving and asked me to check on you." Draco. How could she have forgotten about him waiting for her just on the other side of the wall? Mustering everything she had she steadied her voice and responded. "I'll be out in a minute." How was she supposed to go out now? Her mind was in shambles, nothing made sense anymore. She felt defeated and ashamed. "Hermione what's wrong you sound, different?" The door nob started to rattle as she heard, "I'm coming in." Hermione panicked, "NO!" She yelled but it was too late. "Hermione?" Draco entered the room and what he saw next was about to change the course of destiny forever.