POV: Hermione. Christmas Eve 2000. The Burrow.

I was reading Mrs. Weasley's magical recipe book in her kitchen that was handed down from generation to generation. Studying this ridiculous homemade fudge recipe for three hours slaving away over her hot stove with the help of my wand, but it still wasn't easy. I had to get it right. The ingredients had to be the exact measurement. I felt like I was in Snape's Potions class.... But with even more pressure from the Weasley's than him. I was judged by them because I was married to Ron and they were seeing if I was a good cook and seeing if I took care of him properly. I was judged by Snape for a grade. There was an astronomical difference.

"Okay, one teaspoon of vanilla extract." I picked up my wand and the vanilla came oozing out of the tip into the pot. I put the candy thermometer inside and stirred the final ingredient into the mixture with the spoon being controlled by my wand.

"Stir occasionally until the fudge reaches 238*F. Takes 30 minutes." I read aloud and had a damn headache from concentrating so hard.

The fudge was ready to go into a pan. I poured it out and smoothed the top and set it aside to cool.

I took a good look at it with defeat in my heart. "It doesn't look like Mrs. Weasley's. Dammit. I hope tastes good at least." I muttered taking my apron off.

I heard Ron shuffling into the kitchen eating some of his mummy's famous nut brittle that was leaving residue on his maroon jumper. He kissed my cheek and leaned down to look at my fudge I just made.

He had an odd look on his face and scrunched his nose up.

"Doesn't look like mum's." He announced as I about picked up the pan and smacked it across his face with it wanting to say... "does it look like your mummy's now, you prat??!"

Instead I kept somewhat of a composure.

"Thanks Ronald. I've only been in here for the past three hours perfecting this god damn famous fudge of your mummy's! If you don't like it then shove it up your arse and see if it will like it at that end better!"

I stomped away and he stopped me by cutting me off at the staircase.

"Mione, I'm sorry babe. I'm sure it will taste better than it looks." He kissed me on the lips thinking he redeemed himself.

"Mum's starting our Christmas Eve dinner soon. Are you going to help her or do you think it's best to probably just let her and Ginny handle everything?" Ron asked me with fear in his eyes. Obviously, his mummy told him not to let me cook with them.

"No I wouldn't want to muck anything else up. Mummy can have her precious kitchen all to herself with her perfect daughter. Her other favorite daughter in laws are coming soon. They can help." I turned around as he grabbed my wrist.

"What's wrong? You've been on edge since we walked through the door yesterday!" Ron yelled at me in a quiet whisper so no one would hear.

"Nothing Ron. I just feel so much pressure to be perfect here. Perfect at work. Perfect at home. Perfect everywhere! It starts to get to you, you know? I need a break!" I paused and got in his face, to whisper more information of my fury to him. "Your mum has already asked me if I was pregnant, if that's why I've been so moody?! So apparently, I'm the topic of conversation all around this household!" I spat in anger.

"Are you?" Ron asked with a smile. "No, Ronald, I am not." I gave him a go to hell look.

He went back to the other topic of my moodiness. "Well Mione', we've just notice how pissy you've been lately." He defended his family again for Christ sakes... I can't handle this anymore.

"Merlin help me! I'm going upstairs to read." I yelled at him and hurried to Ron's bedroom where we always stayed and cried myself to sleep hoping my nap would last all the way to New Years.

Being around the Weasley's now, was different because I was married to Ron. I was constantly being judged by them... Being around them made me want Draco more and more. I didn't feel judged by him. I was myself. I never thought those feelings would ever utter in my brain.

"Mione, babe?" I felt Ron shaking me awake.

"Dinner is ready, everyone is here. They're asking where you are." Ronald informed me making me feel like a teenager who was hiding from her family.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute. Let me change and put on some makeup." I told him begrudgingly as He kissed me and walked out the room.

I put on my sweater dress and fixed my hair, finishing with a final touch of lipgloss on my lips.

I was putting on my boots, when suddenly I felt a piece of balled up parchment at the bottom of my boot. I turned it over and the crumpled ball fell to the floor.

I immediately picked it up and opened it.

Incase you change your mind.

It was from Draco. At the bottom of the letter was the specific instructions on how to apprate to his home in Hawaii. I about fainted. How did he get this in my boot?!

"Mione! Come on! Aren't you ready yet?" I heard Ron coming up the stairs to get me.

I shoved the letter quickly in my bag hidden from sight. Finished putting my boot on as he barged in.

Hermione's Outfit for dinner 😍😍

I stood there thinking Ronald would compliment me or give me something. But he just looked at me as if I were mental and shoved me out of his bedroom.

As I was coming down the stairs Ron's brother Charlie looked up at me whistling. "Wheet Whoo." "You look beautiful as always Hermione!" He punched Ron shoulder and teased him, "Damn Ron you better treat her like you know you'll loose her at any moment, because she's way out of your league!" He barked in laughter.

"Shut it, Charlie." Ron warned him turning red.

"She's beautiful Ron! Guarantee you don't ever tell her that!" Charlie laughed knowing his brother all too well and I began to blush.

"I don't have to compliment her anymore. I already got her." Ron hugged me into his body and kissed me.

"Thanks Ron." I thought in my head.

Everyone sat in the den at a long table that could fit us all together equally. Practically half of the table was flowing into the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley made her famous roasted duck, ham, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding. Among endless amounts of desserts. But I wasn't in the mood for any sweets and was dreading the dessert portion of the feast.

Everyone was talking randomly while we ate. Then the main subject that was on everyone's mind came full speed ahead. And it was apparently me.

"So Hermione, when are you going to give us a grandchild like Ginny and Harry here? Ginny's about to pop any day now!" Mrs. Weasley questioned me in front of everyone making me cough and choke having to take a drink of water from shock.

I cleared my throat to answer my nosy mother in law's question being such, it was none of her damn business.

"Uh, well. Maybe in a few years." I told her and she immediately intervened with her blasted god damn opinion.

"A few yeeeaarrss?! When Arthur and I got married, I got pregnant on our honeymoon with Bill!" She paused to laugh and poke fun at me. "Surely, you won't wait THAT long will you?!" Her eyes practically bulged out at the thought of me waiting to have children.

I wanted to say. "You've got to many damn children and maybe you should've been smart and got on birth control like I did."

"I mean honestly, we thought you'd be pregnant by now!" Mrs. Weasley mocked me again and everyone joined in to laugh with her. Except for Harry. He was sitting across from me and gave me a warm smile and a wink to relax.

"Yeah Ron, are you sure you're doing it right?" George teased towards Ron as everyone laughed again except for Harry. I was humiliated and wanted to crawl under the table.

Ron took my hand. "Hermione and I are practicing a lot. Thank you very much. She's on birth control. When she wants to get pregnant she will. I know how to do it, George." He glared in George's direction. "Guarantee I'll knock her up by next year." And kissed my cheek.

I was beyond furious. I felt my cheeks turning red and my body radiating in anger. "Thank you Ronald for putting my personal business right out here on a silver platter in front of your ENTIRE family at dinner!" I yelled and I didn't care.

"Mione, its fine." He looked at me to stop and I glared right back.

"Lets have dessert shall we?" Mrs. Weasley was very good at undermining her behavior and not acknowledging her faults by changing the subject quickly with the wave of her wand for her desserts. She didn't care that I was humiliated. It was obvious she still didn't like me.

The desserts laid themselves carefully on the table. Ginny's perfect pies, Fleur's delicious macaroons, Mrs. Weasley's Treacle Tart, and my frumpy fudge hit the corner of the table.

Everyone took their own helpings and as soon as they could shove the desserts down their throats. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, and Fleur were getting rave reviews.

I saw Percy trying my fudge first. His face read all over that it wasn't good.

"Mum did you do something different to the fudge this year? It tastes odd?" Percy questioned her with disgust.

I looked at Mrs. Weasley with a prideful smirk across her face and answered him. "Oh no dear. I didn't make them." She started to chuckle. "Hermione did!" She bursted with laughter with soon following her red headed minions to join her. They started to play with the fudge and dissect it with their fingers.

Ron never defended me. He joined in on the fun as usual. Harry was about to say something but I stood up shoving my plate forward and knocking my chair backwards.

"Mione we are just having a go at you! It's not that bad!" Ron barely got the last words out spitting in laughter.

I ran upstairs again and slammed the bedroom door shut. I cried on the bed sitting and staring at my bag thinking about my other options.

"Hermione?" I heard Harry calling for me opening the door.

I sniffed. "Yes." And wailed aloud for him to come in. Harry came inside and sat next to me on the bed holding me while I sobbed my sorrows into his shoulder.

"My parents don't know I exist. This is my only family now. And all they do is make fun of me." I wiped my tears.

"I understand Hermione. I'll talk to them. I'll talk to Ron. He should never have let that happen tonight. He should have defended you." Harry told me squeezing my arm.

"Harry can I tell you something without you telling Ron?" I had tell someone a part of what was going on. But not everything.

He looked at me with worry.

"Of course, Hermione. Is something wrong?"

"I'm not happy with Ronald anymore. I haven't been in a long time." I admitted feeling some relief.

"Oh, Hermione. This first year of marriage is always the most difficult. I know how hard everything must be for you. Plus, adjusting to living with Ron and figuring each other out more because it's different once you're married. But I promise you. It will get better. Ron is crazy about you. He loves you." He paused handing me a tissue from the nightstand.

"No marriage is perfect Hermione. Gin's and I's marriage isn't perfect. We've had our ups and downs too. You'll get through this rough patch." He sweetly patted my leg.

"I need to get away. To clear my head. I need a break from Ron and his family, to think." I strongly stated.

Ron soon came in the bedroom to check on us.

"Minoe please come back downstairs. I promise everything is fine. We won't tease you anymore." He told me and I thought yeah sure.

"No. Ron, I need to be by myself for awhile. I'm so stressed out I just need to get away. I'm about to explode!" I cried aloud.

"Is everything okay 'Mione?" Ron dimly asked.

"I just need some fresh air. These past few years have really worn me down. I've got to get away for my sanity. Just for a week." I begged Ron to hear me in my hidden message.

"Okay. I guess that's what you need. But where are you going?" Ron asked me with worry across his face.

"Hawaii."

Oooooo!!! Stay tuned lovers!!! What do you think so far???? 😍😍😍😍😘 thank you for reading!!!