The Right Decision?
Hermione Granger was lying on her bed the day after Christmas, contemplating the very expensive engagement ring her fiancé gave her the previous morning, when she was in his parents’ house in Bedford, opening presents.
“There’s another present left here, Hermione,” said Michael, as he pulled a small black box from his pocket.
Hermione froze when she realized what was in the box. “Michael…” she gasped.
“Hermione,” he said as he kneeled down in front of her, “you are the love of my life. Without you, I would not be the man I am today. You have made these last few months wonderful for me, and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Hermione’s eyes filled with tears as he proposed.
“Hermione, will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
She had the perfect life. Her fiancé (she would have to get used to that word) was amazing: sweet, smart, wonderfully funny. She met him eight months ago while she was shopping in Flourish & Blotts. His name was Michael Sandford, and he was from one of the wealthiest families of the Wizarding World. Of course, Hermione didn’t care about the money. He was so romantic, so sensible, and so perfect, that she would have to pinch herself every now and then. His good looks helped too: six foot three, brown hair, blue eyes; just strikingly handsome.
She had moved in with him a couple of months earlier. They now lived in his “house” in Hogsmeade (it was practically a mansion: it cost him around half a million Galleons). Michael arrived just after the most difficult time in her life; the part that came after that heartbreaking split from Ron two years ago. It had been very hard for her to stop the relationship she had with the only man she had loved. The one she had shared so many firsts with; the only one that fully understood her.
These last couple of years had been very difficult. Hermione lost her parents two months after the break up. They died in a plane crash on their way to Scotland to visit her, which made things worse, because Hermione considered their deaths to be her fault. She was beginning her job as a professor at Hogwarts and had asked her parents to visit her so they could see her new flat and visit Hogsmeade. That time, when she had needed Ron the most, was the only time he had not been there for her.
After Hogwarts, Ron decided to become an Auror, which meant that he had to undergo three years of intense training. The reason he was not there with Hermione for the funeral was that, when they broke up, he had asked the Ministry to transfer him so he could finish his training elsewhere. Since he was just a year into training, the Ministry agreed. He left the week before the accident. He left because he felt he needed to get as far from Hermione as he could; he assumed distance would be the best way to heal his wounds. This break up had been painful for him as well. It still wasn’t clear how two people that were so much in love had broken up, especially after five long years of a close friendship and two years of a very serious relationship. What Ron didn’t know was that distance only makes the heart grow fonder.
Even though Ron had not been with her, the Weasley family supported Hermione through this difficult time. They took her under their wing and became her family. Molly became like a second mother to Hermione, looking after her, always making sure she was alright. After the funeral, she even spent a few nights at The Burrow, because the Weasleys felt it would be better for her, given that she was emotionally fragile. They had remained close to Hermione during these last two years. Molly even seemed to like Michael, even though that throughout Ron and Hermione’s relationship she had made it pretty clear to Harry and Ginny that she firmly believed her youngest son and Hermione belonged together.
“Morning,” Michael said, as he entered the room.
“What time is it?” asked Hermione.
“About ten o’clock. Why?” he said.
“Why didn’t you wake me? I had to be at Ginny’s place by nine!”
Hermione quickly got up and dressed in a matter of minutes.
“See you later!” she yelled, as she ran out the front door.
With a faint pop, Hermione arrived at Ginny and Harry’s flat’s front door.
“Hello!” she said when Harry opened the door.
“Hermione!” said Harry cheerfully, giving his best friend a hug. “How are you? We missed you yesterday! Where did you spend Christmas?”
“Michael’s parents invited us to their house in Bedford,” she said as she walked inside.
“Oh my God! You’ve gotten so big!” exclaimed a very surprised Hermione when she entered the living room.
“Well, what did you expect?” said Ginny, who was lying on the couch, patting her six-month-old swollen belly. “We haven’t seen each other since the announcement, and that was three months ago!”
“Wow, has it been that long?”
“I know. It’s weird isn’t it?” said Ginny. “I remember when we couldn’t spend a day without at least talking to each other over the floo network. So, how are you? What have you been up to?”
“I’m doing okay. You know, still clinging to that job at Hogwarts,” said Hermione.
“Harry, would you have ever imagined ‘Hermione Granger, the Transfiguration professor’?” asked Ginny.
“To tell you the truth,” said Harry, “I kind of expected it. A part of me always considered it more probable than the chance of ‘Ron Weasley, the Auror’.”
“How is Ron?” asked Hermione timidly.
“He’s great. He has been really busy, though,” said Harry. “Travelling a lot, lately. He’s been representing England in different seminars all over the world. We saw him yesterday for the first time in months. At least he got the Ministry’s green light to become an official Auror a couple of weeks ago, so he’ll be settling down very soon. He’s really happy.”
After an awkward silence, Hermione tried to change the subject. “Well, I suppose if you have taken the time to call me, you know, with your busy schedule and all, these must be some big news.”
“These are some pretty big news,” said Ginny, looking at Harry.
“So?” asked Hermione impatiently.
Ginny smiled at Harry. “Well, we had an appointment with our Healer.”
“And…?”
“And, as it turns out, we got three little surprises.”
“No! You're joking!”
Ginny’s smile turned into a grin.
“You mean…”
“We’re having triplets!”
“Oh my God! That’s wonderful!” said Hermione, giving a hug and a kiss to Ginny.
“We found out a few months ago, but we didn’t want to tell anyone yet. We decided to wait and tell everyone on Christmas!” said Ginny.
“This is amazing! Well, since we are giving news, I’ve got some big news myself.”
Ginny and Harry looked at each other, wondering what could possibly be Hermione’s news.
“I’m engaged!” said Hermione, raising her left hand (which she had been hiding ever since she came inside the Potter residence) so they could see her awfully big engagement ring.
“Michael proposed yesterday,” she explained.
“Oh my God!” said Ginny, suddenly sitting up and covering her mouth with her hands in surprise.
“Er… Well… Congratulations!” said Harry, still in shock.
“What? What’s wrong?” asked Hermione.
“Nothing,” said Harry. “It’s great! Really! It’s””
“So soon?” asked Ginny, out of nowhere.
“What do you mean ‘so soon’?” asked Hermione.
“What she means,” said Harry quickly, “is that””
“You just met him eight months ago,” said Ginny, “and I think””
“Ginny,” Hermione interrupted, “I know you just want the best for me, I really do, but believe me when I say that I want to get married. That’s the next logical step to take. He loves me very, very much. If I wasn’t so sure, I would’ve said no in a heartbeat.”
“It’s not that, Hermione,” said Ginny. “I just don’t think you love him that much. In fact, I have not heard you say that you love him at all. I don’t want you to make the greatest mistake of you life just because you think that getting married is the next ‘logical’ thing to do. This is a huge commitment you’re making. We love you very much. We… we just don’t want to see you get hurt. And he’s so much older than you! He’s thirty, for God’s sake! I think you’re rushing into things.”
“I won’t get hurt, Ginny,” said Hermione. “Age doesn’t matter! Michael is so sweet and kind. He could never hurt me. He cares deeply about me. I know he does.”
Nearly three hours later, and after Ginny made her promise she would spend New Year’s Eve at The Burrow, Hermione left the Potters' to meet Michael at the Leaky Cauldron.
“Over here!” she heard Michael shout from a table in one of the corners of the crowded pub.
“Hi,” she said, giving him a peck on the lips.
“Hi. Hungry?” he asked, handing her a menu.
“Ooh! I’m dying for a Pumpkin Pasty!”
“Tom, could I have one bowl of pea soup, one pumpkin pasty, one Butterbeer, and… What will you drink, honey?”
“A Gillywater for me.”
“Certainly, Mr. Sandford,” said Tom, taking two dishes and levitating two large mugs quickly to the table.
“Thanks, Tom,” said Hermione.
“Dig in,” said Michael. “So, how did it go over at the Potters’ place?”
“Oh Michael! You wouldn’t imagine!” Hermione said, sitting up with excitement.
“What?”
“They’re having triplets!”
“Really? That’s incredible.”
“I know,” said Hermione.
“So? Did you tell them?” asked Michael.
“I… did.”
“And? What did they say?”
“Oh, they were just thrilled!” Hermione lied.
“Good! By the way, my parents want to see us, to talk about the dates and all the wedding preparations.”
“Oh,” said Hermione, wondering how things would work from now on, since his mother was so manipulative. She just knew she would want to control everything.
“Okay,” she said. “And before I forget, were spending New Year’s Eve at The Burrow. Ginny invited us.”
“Oh, well, I thought we would spend it quietly in Bedford.”
“Michael,” said Hermione, “I really don’t know what is wrong with you. Each time I mention my family, you try to either change the subject or the plans I make””
“Hermione, they’re not your family””
“Yes, they are,” she said firmly. “They were the ones that took care of me when I needed it the most. They still look after me even though it has been two years since”” Hermione stopped abruptly. It still was hard to talk about the accident. “The point is, Michael, they are my family. I wanted to spend Christmas with the people I love” you know I love your family too, but it’s different” and you said you had already made plans with your parents, and I respected that. I just don’t get why you don’t like them.”
“I like them! I really, really do!”
Hermione gave him an incredulous look.
“Hermione, they’re really nice and all, but I’m more of a… a quiet family guy.”
“Look, I know things can get crazy around them, but they are my family and I love them. A lot. We are spending New Year’s Eve at The Burrow. End of discussion.” They sat and finished their meals in silence, neither of them daring to break the fragile silence.
“Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think I overreacted?” An hour or so after Hermione had left, Ginny was still thinking about the news delivered to her that morning.
“Well, maybe a bit,” said Harry, who was reading The Daily Prophet.
“I don’t like him, Harry.”
Harry lowered his paper.
“You know what kind of person Michael is,” said Ginny. “He’s the type that has a different girlfriend each week, and millions and millions to spend. Did you know that he persuaded Hermione to open a joint account in Gringotts? Or that he persuaded her to sell her flat? Or that he always wants to go with her every time she has to make a trip? And haven’t you noticed how she has distanced herself from us? It’s him. He controls her. He’s a manipulative, egocentric””
“Ginny,” interrupted Harry, “you know I don’t like him either. You know I don’t like him at all. But this is the man Hermione chose. She loves him””
“Harry, she can not possibly””
“Hey, I’m not finished,” said Harry. “We have to be supportive. She has been through a lot. You know that.”
“But Harry,” said Ginny, “she’s meant to be with Ron.”
“Ginny, do you realize who you are telling this to?”
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “But what if it’s too late?”
“Ginny, they’re my best friends and I know how stubborn they both can be, especially Ron. But trust me: Ron and Hermione will realize they belong together long before it’s too late.”
After finishing her pumpkin pasty, cooling off, and telling Michael all about the Potter triplets, Hermione took a walk hand-in-hand with her fiancé down Diagon Alley.
“So,” said Michael, “when do you think we should have the wedding?”
That question caught Hermione a bit off guard.
“Oh,” said Hermione. “Well, um, what do you think about a… Spring wedding? I’ve always wanted to get married in the Spring.”
“That’s nice,” answered Michael. “But I had in mind a Fall wedding. We can talk about it later, don’t worry.”
Hermione and Michael spent the rest of the afternoon shopping in Diagon Alley. After visiting Flourish and Blotts, when it had started to get dark, they decided to head home to Hogsmeade.
“I’m so tired!” said Hermione, as she dropped her bags and headed for the bedroom. Once there, she pulled on a nightgown and quickly fell asleep.
“Hermione! Where are you going?”
Tears were streaming down Hermione’s face as she walked down Charing Cross Road, trying to get as far away from Ron as she could.
“Hermione! Stop right there!”
Hermione stopped and turned to look at Ron. He could see the tears on her face gleaming under the light of the street lamps.
“Why don’t you trust me, Ron?”
“What are you talking about? I trust you!”
“Oh, Ron! You know exactly what I am talking about! Having a relationship with you is like having a long distance relationship. You’re not here half of the time, and when you are here, you seem so distant,” said Hermione, between sobs. “It’s like you don’t know me. Once in a while, I’d like to know what’s troubling you, but you won’t let me be a part your life!”
“Hermione, please. Don’t do this right now,” said Ron, looking uncomfortable.
“Then when, Ron? When?! I… I can’t keep doing this.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I’m so sorry, Ron. Maybe we…”
“Hermione… Please don’t.”
“I have to…” she said quietly, stepping away from Ron.
“Hermione…”
Hermione suddenly woke up, breathing hard. It was dark outside. The clock next to her told her it was 2:30 A.M. A shirtless Michael was sleeping next to her.
“Whatisit?” he mumbled.
“Just… another nightmare. I’m… I’m going to get a glass of milk.”
“Hmmm…” was all that Michael managed to say back.
Hermione got out of bed, grabbed a bathrobe and walked out of the room, down the stairs, past the kitchen, and out the front door.
Pulling the robe tighter around her, she sat on the veranda’s small steps. The night was cold and silent.
For the past few weeks, a dream had been haunting Hermione’s nights. Well, a nightmare, really. It was the memory of the night she and Ron broke up. Every night she had a feeling of dread and despair, but she didn’t know why. Wasn’t she happy with Michael? Wasn’t he the perfect man for her? Why couldn’t she stop thinking about Ron? Why did that night keep coming back to her? What if she made a huge mistake?