Ron's grip around his glass of firewhisky tightened. He let the cool air seep through him, calming him down. As he looked up at the sky, he smiled wistfully. It wasn't always like this. He wasn't always the bad guy. 

His red hair , shone a shade of scarlet as they caught wisps of the ethereal moonlight of the night.

His eyes held sorrow, not the determination, pride and loyalty of Ron Weasley. 
His lips quivered as he thought of his brother, smiling down at him. He laughed mockingly at himself. What would his brother think of him if he saw him in this state?

Ron looked back at the mansion behind him. He couldn't believe that he was at the Malfoy Manor again. The very same place where he and his friends had been brutally tortured during their 7th year, on their search for Horcruxes.

Yet it seemed so different now. 

So new. Like all of the past had just disappeared. He had been quite shocked when he had received a letter inviting him and his whole family to the Christmas Ball at the Malfoy Manor from Narcissa Malfoy. She was Lucius Malfoy's wife. She was the wife of a Death Eater. And she was inviting him ,a war hero, to attend an event that was legendary to the Malfoy family.

Ron would've found it quite bizarre ,if he hadn't reflected on the days after the War. They weren't the bad guys anymore. No, they were, on the contrary, trying to make up for lost time. Yet he ,was being an orthodox ,and trying to blame for everything little thing they did.

Ron felt ashamed. He wanted to cry. He wanted to curl up in his mother's arms and cry. He didn't want to be stuck in this web of complexity he had built for himself. He wanted to be simple again, to laugh and joke at the stupidest of things with his friends. He wanted to erase the past year of his life. 

He wanted a second chance. He wanted a second chance with Hermione .To be her friend again. Not anything else. He had seen Hermione with Malfoy. And he hated to admit it, but she was happy. He loathed himself for treating Hermione so cruelly ,when she had always been there for him, through his highs and his lows .Yet all he cared about after the War ,was popularity. He wanted to be at the center of things. Maybe that's why he hurt her. To make her let go of him. Because she was good and kind. And he, suddenly didn't want that. He thought of his mother's sorrow and despair when she would find out that Ron had hurt Hermione . He has fought the War for her. But alas, he lost the Great War.

Ron hated himself more for the way he had been using Lavender. He pitied anyone who would catch feelings for him. Being the vile, gruesome creature he had turned out to be.

No, he would be honest with her. He couldn't go around hurting anyone anymore.

Not only was it wrong ,it didn't feel like him. It didn't feel like Ron Weasley.

The glass in his hand shattered. There, all of his rage, inflicted upon an object, not a person.

As he turned back to return to the Ball, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Hermione.

He felt like screaming in agony when the brunette cast her eyes when she saw him. The look of hurt in her eyes. He could never forget it. Maybe that's what made him call out to her.

"Hermione , please wait..." Ron's eyes pleaded as he stood stoic in his place .His fists curled up in shame.

Hermione waited. Though she would not look at him, instead facing the woods on a nearby hill top.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

Hermione's neck snapped towards his direction ,her brows furrowed.
"What?"

Ron looked like he would start crying any minute.

"Hermione ,I'm sorry. I didn't mean t-to to do all those horrible things to you .I'm so sorry .After the War, everyone changed and it was so h-hard to accept them for who they are. I didn't mean to hurt you Hermione. I don't know what came over me, and I did it. Please forgive me. I promise I'll never do it again. I'll never do it to anyone. I promise I'll be a good person from now on .I really do .I swear it. Bloody hell Hermione ,I really do..."

Hermione's eyes softened. There was her sweet old friend again. She wanted to hug him so bad. To tell him it'll be alright. But she couldn't. He needed to be recovered bit by bit .Slowly. From his abyss. And she would gladly help.

Ron made an effort to wipe his teary eyes and blow his runny nose into the small pocket napkin Lavender had forced him to carry. But to no avail, he stood there ,crying like a baby.

Yet, at that moment, he felt more like himself ,than he had for a long time.

Hermione abruptly started laughing . And Ron, awkwardly joined in. Even though, he wasn't quite sure why she was laughing.

"Eh...sniff...why exactly are you laughing Hermione?"Ron blew his nose again.

Hermione started to laugh even harder.
"By the way, did you know you have dirt on your nose? Just there?"Hermione pointed at the crease of her nose.

"Huh-"Ron rubbed nose vigorously .His face now matched his hair.

Hermione shrieked."It's your skin! It's made up of cartilage ,which can break easily for Merlin's sake. Be gentle Ronald!"

When the whole ruckus was over, Hermione smiled slightly.

"I hope what you meant what you said Ron."

Ron looked at her .A look of sincerity, humility, loyalty, apology and a look of Ron Weasley.

"I do Hermione. I do."

They smiled at each other. Hopefully, the beginning of the era of the Sun. a ray of sunlight, penetrating into the dark underworld.

Hermione nodded and turned away from him, running off to the mansion, where Draco must've been waiting for her.

Oh Merlin. What a night! 

As she approached the mansion, the guards on either side of the great oak door saluted her and made way for her to enter.

She would almost faint if anything else-

"SURPRISE!"a thousand voices swarmed her as she almost fell backwards.

The guests were all gathered at the back of the hall , from where they were shouting at the top of their lungs.

Hermione's eyes bulged out when she saw Draco, kneeling at the center of the ballroom ,on one knee. He smiled gleefully at her.

Oh holy gods. This can't be true...no...oh merlin and morgana...

Hermione wordlessly swept her feet up to where Draco was kneeling. As she drew closer, her eyes fell on the ring in his hand.

She gasped .It was the same diamond ring she had been eyeing on their first trip to Hogsmeade back in September .Did he really remember that?

Hermione's eyes filled with water.

Draco smiled at her reaction yet again.

"Hermione, since-"

"Oh god shut up ferret ! YES!"Hermione flung her arms around his neck, crying in joy.

The crowd screamed with laughter and applause and well-wishes filled the whole room.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Narcissa and all her friends grinning maddeningly at them. And she couldn't help but let out a giggle as Draco picked her up bridal-style , officially announcing the engagement to the gathering.

The crowd cheered more when they shared a heartfelt ,soft kiss, sealing the deal.

"Don't call me ferret in public or I won't let you walk around our new house when we graduate, Mrs.Malfoy,"Draco's eyes twinkled with mischief and amusement as he swooped down and kissed his fiancé on her forehead, as she tried her best not to grow crimson red , yet again.

"Draco! Put me down! I order you to put me down this instant! "Hermione's squeals reverberated around the ball-room as the guests laughed theirs heads off. It didn't even come close to subduing even when they closed the door to the room where Draco carried her off to.

Narcissa Malfoy shook her head at her son's antics. Yet a ginormous smile was plastered across her face the rest of the night.

As her head hit the satin pillow that night, at last, she smiled to herself.

"It was bound to happen all along. They were roommates, after all."

Dramione theme made by @rosiesdiaries for this fic and for me:

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!