Hermione's POV
I sat nervously in the small muggle café, casting glances outside every few moments. I had agreed to Draco coming along as long as he stayed outside, and luckily the café was next to a park that had benches. Draco was set up on one of them facing the café, and I couldn't take my eyes off him as I waited.
The way he was posed, he looked like a model straight out of a magazine with his dark jeans, white shirt, and a black leather jacket. His arm was draped lazily across the back of the bench and he had a leg up across his other knee; I desperately wished I was underneath that draped arm instead of alone inside the café. The black sunglasses and black leather shoes completed his look, and I noticed that lots of women would cast glances at him as they passed. It was hard not to, with his scruffy look and hair that effortlessly flowed back from all the times he would run his hands through it. It was a much better look than the gelled slick back he used to do in school.
He would give me looks every once in a while as I waited, smiling at me. My heart would beat a little faster every time he did, and I could feel myself blush. Why did I wait so long to be with someone so wonderful?
His expression hardened suddenly and I realized that it was because Ron was approaching the café rather quickly. Thankfully he didn't notice Draco as he walked up, and my stomach turned into knots as my ex-fiancé opened the door and walked in.
Ron noticed me immediately when he looked around and I started to wonder if this was a good idea as he happily walked to the table. "Hermione!"
I cringed when he stopped next to me, looking down at me as if he was expecting me to get up and hug him. He stood there awkwardly for a few moments before shuffling back and sitting down opposite me.
"I'm so happy that you decided to talk to me," He said as he gave me a smile. "Do you want something? Tea, coffee?"
"Tea's fine," I answered, nodding.
Ron left the table to go order and I immediately looked out at Draco, who had now completely changed positions. He was instead leaning forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together above them. Even though he was wearing the sunglasses, I knew he was watching us. A small wave from him confirmed this and sent my stomach flipping over itself, and I gave him a smile.
"I got you earl grey," Ron announced suddenly, making me jump as he sat down across from me. "I hope that's alright."
"That's fine." I grabbed the small cup gingerly with my unbandaged hand and set it in front of me. He was smiling at me when I looked back up and I raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing," He shook his head. "You're just as beautiful as ever and I missed seeing you."
I rolled my eyes. "Ron, don't."
He gave me a confused look. "Don't what?"
"Don't do that," I said, gesturing towards him. "Don't try to flirt with me."
"Why not?" He gripped his cup slightly tighter.
"Because it's not going to change anything," I answered sharply.
"Isn't this why you agreed to meet up?"
I glared at him. "Absolutely not. I agreed to meet up because you won't stop pestering me about having a talk. I wasn't ready in the past but I want to get past it and move on, and this is the first step."
"I'm ready to move past this too," He said, straightening up. "I just want to get back to where we were, happy together."
I sighed and looked down into my tea. "Ron, we're never going to get that back."
"Why can't we?" He asked in a frustrated tone.
"Because you hurt me too much for me to ever be able to trust you like that again," I answered. "I can't ever trust you as a significant other, only a friend now."
"But I've been doing a lot of growing up over the past month," Ron said quickly. "I've changed, I've become a better person. I've learned from that mistake, and I'm never going to make it again."
"You're right," I said. "You're not going to make it again. At least, not with me."
He sighed, frustrated. "Hermione, why are you fighting it? Why can't you just let us be happy together again?"
"Because you threw it all away!" I exclaimed. I earned a couple of stares and lowered my voice. "I'm not the one who ruined our relationship."
"Yes, I know, I'm the one who made the mistake," Ron said bitterly. "But I'm trying to show you that I've changed, and you won't give me another chance!"
"I don't want to give you another chance, Ronald," I stated. "I have no reason to give you another chance. I'm happy where I am in life right now, I've gotten past the heartbreak you put me through. Now it's your turn to move on."
"You're just going to throw away four years of us?" He glared at me.
"I was ready to walk down that aisle, Ron," I said quietly. "I didn't throw away four years, you did. I was ready to be your wife, I was ready to happily spend the rest of my life with you. But you proved to me that you weren't ready, and I'm sorry, but it's too late."
"Why does it have to be too late?" He pleaded. "Why can't you give me another chance to prove to you that I'm ready now?"
"Because I don't want a man who waits to cheat on his fiancée to find out that he's ready to be with her for the rest of his life," I said in a low voice. "I deserve better than that. And I'm not giving you the chance to do that to me again."
"And I'm trying to show you that I can give you what you deserve now!" He reached across the table for my hand but I pulled it back from him.
"Don't, Ron," I warned.
"Hermione, please." His voice cracked slightly. "I don't want to lose you."
"You should've realized that before you made the decision you did, then," I said quietly. "I've moved on, and I'm happy."
"Moved on?" He stared at me, his mouth hanging open slightly.
I nodded. "I'm happy."
He stared quietly for a few moments before his brow furrowed and he hissed, "Didn't take you very long, did it?"
I glared at him. "I didn't realize I needed your approval."
He returned the glare and leaned back into the seat again, gripping his mug tightly. "Who is it?"
"That's none of your business," I answered simply.
"It's Malfoy, isn't it?" He spat.
I didn't answer him, only taking a drink of my tea. He growled then and continued to glare at me. "I always knew he would take you away from me when he got the chance."
"I'm not a possession of yours, Ronald," I said angrily. "And he didn't take me away; you drove me away and he was there. He makes me happy, he takes care of me, he doesn't hurt me. And he certainly doesn't lie to me!"
Ron scoffed. "It's Malfoy, he lies to everyone."
"Really? Because the last time I checked, you were the one lying to everyone," I said.
He simply glared at me. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of my tea. "This isn't getting us anywhere. I'm willing to move on from this and stay friends."
"I don't want to 'stay friends'," Ron said angrily. "I don't want to be friends. I want you to be my fiancée and future wife again."
"You're beating a dead horse, Ron," I sighed.
He gave me a confused look but shook his head. "I don't want to be with anyone else, Hermione. We have so much history together, and I don't want to give all of that up because of a stupid decision that I made when I was drunk."
"You can't blame it on the alcohol." I finished my mug and set it to the side. "Look, I'm not coming back to you, Ron. I'm willing to be friends, but if you can't accept that then I'm not going to be in any part of your life."
"I'm not going to accept it because I will get you back," He said simply. "You and I were meant to be together."
I sighed and stood up. "I'm not having this conversation anymore. I came here to talk about what happened and try to get past it so we can at least salvage a friendship, but you only have a one-track mind. You and I are done, I'm never going back to you. Goodbye, Ron."
I turned to leave but he grabbed my hand. "Hermione, please! Just give me one more chance!"
I glared back at him and pulled my hand away. "No, Ron! I'm done! I don't want to be with you anymore after what you did and you're going to have to accept that! Now leave me alone or else!"
Racing out of the café, I ignored the stares I received as I ran to Draco and grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's go."
He stood up immediately and draped his arm around me, pulling me close into him. I sighed and wrapped my good arm around his back and leaned my head on his chest as we walked, finally feeling at ease the further away from the café we walked.
"I take it that the talk didn't go well?" He said quietly after a few moments.
"Not at all," I said bitterly. "He seems to think that he's going to get me back eventually and that we were meant to be together."
Draco sighed. "Well, at least you had the talk with him. Maybe now he'll stop following you."
"I doubt it to be honest," I replied sadly.
He gave the top of my head a kiss and said, "Don't worry too much about it, love; we'll deal with it when it happens."
I smiled up at him and nodded. He smiled back and gave my side a slight squeeze. "Come on, let's get lunch."
A/N: Hi guys! Alright, so I think this story is going to go on the back burner for a bit while I work on 'Forever and Always'; that's not to say that I won't be updating this one, I'll try to update it at least once a week still for all of you that are enjoying it :) but between work and two stories, it's hard juggling time between them as well as all of the other things in my life. I promise I'm definitely going to finish this book and you all are going to love it!
Thank you to everyone that has been adding this story to your reading lists and all of the votes and follows; I see every single one of them and I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all of your love and support! Love you all!! <3