Hermione peered into the window of Madam Malkin's, trying to find the sign that stated when she would return from her lunch break. Her lips turned down slightly as she couldn't find any notice or explanation, so she turned away, already deciding to make a comforting visit to Flourish and Blotts which she knew would always be open during lunch hour. Besides needing to go there for a specific book, she knew she could always wile away many a happy hour in the bookshop.
Hermione made her way through the crowded street, which was quite a challenge as there were a lot of children and parents weaving their way through the shops, finishing their last minute shopping in time for the start of the school year. It made Hermione smile to see them, especially the eleven year olds, many of whom had been waiting for this for years, others who were experiencing this all for the first time, but all of them had the same expression of awe, excitement and undiluted pleasure on their faces.
Eventually Hermione managed to reach Flourish and Blotts, and joined the long queue for the till, picking up 'Standard Book Of Spells Grade One' from the table stacking them near the door. She had planned on using the book she had brought on her very first visit to Diagon Alley, but hadn't realised until after their original trip with their daughter earlier that month that it had been updated, and that it was better to have the new edition. She had decided to make this second trip by herself, as she only needed to pick up the book and a cloak from Madam Malkin's and so didn't see much point in them all going, much to Emily's dismay.
As she was leaving the shop and putting the book into the carrier bag provided, Hermione's attention was distracted by a new display left of the door, and as she turned to get a better look she bumped into a man coming into the shop, whose attention was likewise distracted but in the opposite direction. As a result Hermione dropped not only her handbag, but the bag she'd being trying to put the book into, of which of course the book had fallen out. Hermione felt that she could only be grateful that she hadn't fallen as well, and that the man seemed to be as embarrassed as she was, as he didn't seem able to look her in the eye either.
"Sorry," she said, as he bent down next to her to help her pick up her belongings. It was only when she caught sight of his hands that Hermione looked at his face, and dropped everything again.
"No, I'm sorry, it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going," the man replied, handing the last of the bags back to Hermione, before offering a hand to help her to her feet. "How are you, Hermione?"
"I'm good thank you, Ron. How are you?"
"I'm good too."
After that came the unavoidable awkward silence, in which both Ron and Hermione shuffled their feet and willed their cheeks not to grow pink, and sought desperately for something neutral to say. Their words were too polite. Their touch was too familiar.
"I never thought I'd see the day when you would voluntarily set foot in a bookshop!" Hermione settled for saying, eventually. She wasn't sure why she had said that instead of something like she was in a rush, or ought to be going, or an excuse of the usual kind - but she didn't want to go. This was the first time in a long while that she had seen Ron, and that hurt. They had both let each other get away too many times in the past, and she was determined to make the most of any opportunity she got, no matter how small, or how bad she felt. She risked a look in his eyes - they were the same as the ones she had gotten lost in so many years before.
"No," Ron replied with a chuckle, "me neither - but it's only quickly, I just need to get one book and then I'll be gone!"
"Which one?" Hermione asked, for she couldn't help but be curious as to which book had lured Ron away from Quality Quidditch Supplies. She could smell his hair, the same as if she had just breathed in Amortentia not a minute before.
"'Standard Book of Spells, Grade One'."
Hermione wasn't sure how she felt at the news - a mixture of things, she supposed, as with a wry smile she pulled the book out of her recovered bag. The surprise on Ron's face was evident, and Hermione was pretty sure that he didn't know how to feel either. When it came to the other, neither ever knew how to feel. She wondered if that would ever change.
"So I suppose no one told you that I got married then?"
"No - no, I knew that," Ron admitted, although without mentioning to Hermione how he'd tossed and turned the entire night before, unsure of whether to go or not, unsure of whether he'd want to, of whether he'd be able to. He didn't tell Hermione how he hadn't been able to focus on anything all day as his eyes had been glued to any timepiece in the room, and when it reached twelve o'clock, the time the wedding was taking place, he'd had to walk outside for a breath of fresh air. He didn't add how he had ended up sitting down on a bench in a park nearby, his head between his knees, unable to breathe. "I heard all about it from Mum and Ginny." Hermione was surprised that Harry hadn't said anything, but Ron wasn't - Harry alone had known that it would hurt too much. "But I didn't know you'd had children - Merlin, eleven years ago!"
"Yes, it really has been too long," Hermione said sadly, drinking in the sound of the voice that she hadn't heard in too many years. "But you, too..." Hermione motioned to the 'Standard Book of Spells Grade One' that Ron had picked up from the table.
"Oh! No! No, I'm just picking it up for Harry, as he and Ginny are too busy. Since I was going to be here anyway today, I told him I'd pick it up for them."
Hermione felt herself let out a breath of air, although she wasn't entirely sure why - she hadn't realised that she'd been holding it in. "Oh, that's a shame, I thought our children might be in the same year. But I suppose yours are already at Hogwarts?"
"Uh, no, actually we don't have any children," Ron said, lowering his voice considerably so that Hermione had to lean in to hear clearly. As she did she tried to ignore the smell of his hair that was drifting around her, the same as if she had just breathed in Amortentia not a minute before. "Obviously we wanted them, but it turns out Tiffany can't have kids. She cried for weeks after we found out, but she refused to let St. Mungo's try anything to help - she said it was her punishment, she - " Ron coughed awkwardly, aware that he may have said too much. "But at least we've got all these nieces and nephews - Cathy and Eleanor are just great, aren't they?"
"Yes, yes they are," Hermione agreed, glad to be on a safer topic. Hermione found herself completely blown away by Ron's news, and unsure how to react, or how she felt, or of anything at all. "Emily and Eleanor are friends - Harry and I are secretly hoping that they'll be Gryffindors together in September, but of course we can't say that! Any house would be fine, we'll be proud of them whatever, naturally. But it would be nice if they were in our old one, if they were like we were - I suppose all parents feel like that," Hermione mused.
"I suppose," Ron agreed quietly, and Hermione immediately felt terrible for voicing that aloud - for of course, Ron wouldn't know.
"So - how have you been doing? With...everything?" Hermione noticed how neither of them had suggested moving from just standing in the corner of the bookshop and going for a coffee or a bite to eat - that would make it too informal, they wouldn't be just running into each other, they'd be friends again. Like old times. And that might just hurt too much.
"Fine - good! Work's going well, just finished doing up the kitchen - everything's fine. Good," Ron corrected himself shortly.
"Good." Hermione replied, just as shortly, suddenly looking away. They both knew that far more went unsaid - such as life was fine - good, even - but was it as good as it would be with each other? They both knew that those questions went unasked because they both knew the answers. "Well... I ought to be going," Hermione said finally, noting that Ron probably hadn't missed the hint of sadness in her voice that she had been unable to disguise.
"Yeah, me too, I told Harry I'd get this to him before lunch, and I've still got stuff to do..." Ron agreed, scuffing his shoes against the firm wooden floor. "It's been great to see you though."
"Yes, we must meet up properly soon," Hermione said, although she knew that they never would.
"Yeah, definitely." Ron knew it too. "Well - goodbye."
Ron offered his hand to Hermione once more; it seemed so alien, so formal, not a farewell gesture of two people who had been best friends since the age of eleven. It was more like the gesture of two people who were almost strangers.
"Goodbye." Hermione accepted his hand for the briefest of shakes.
Those were the last words that Ron and Hermione said to each other as they each turned and walked away in opposite directions, their eyes focused on the floor - Ron towards the till, Hermione towards the door. Both of them longing to turn around - but walking straight ahead. Both of them wishing to say the words not spoken; I missed you, I loved you, I still do - words that would be forever left unsaid. Both of them walking away from what could have been, just walking straight ahead.
No Other Way by Oppungo
Chapter Notes: Thank you to everyone for reading, I really hope you've enjoyed it, and I will defintely be interested to hear what you think now that it's over...! Thanks again!