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Ron usually avoided this place when he was on his own–the owner was a git–but it was the only place open around the Ministry at this time of night. Besides, Ron didn’t feel up to cooking. Their raid on the MacNair laboratory had been botched, and he hadn’t left the scene until well after 4 in the morning. The mess had been brutal, and the cleanup left him exhausted. A quick office shower, and now here he was, perched on the emerald vinyl barstool waiting for his coffee at nearly 5 in the morning.
He’d expected Harry to come with him to Double Cross for their dinner-breakfast like they used to, but he had a family to go home to these days. Just when he’d gotten used to Harry and Draco, they had to go and bring a kid into the mix. Ron shuddered and drummed his fingers impatiently on the slightly-sticky countertop.
The service door from the kitchen swung open after what felt like ages but couldn’t have been more than the 10 minutes it took to brew a fresh pot. As he came into the dining room, the dark-haired man waved a hand, sending a spotless black mug in Ron's direction before stalking towards him with the coffee pot.
As he began pouring, Ron grunted an acknowledgement, his mouth watering as the aroma of the brew wafted toward his face. The owner may be a git, but his potions skills seemed to translate to the best coffee in the area.
Before the cup was full, the bell over the door chimed, admitting another visitor to the diner. A hint of jasmine perfume hit him, and he froze. It was bad enough giving Snape money, but for her to be here, too? This was why he never came alone. He was trapped with the two people he wanted to see least–especially her.
“Severus!” the woman called, entirely too happy for the crack of dawn and presumably without coffee since she was here. He knew that voice so well; it had been a part of his life every day from the time he was eleven until only recently. It matched the perfume he missed every day. Ron wanted to disappear through the floor.
“Hello, love. Heading into the office?” Ron’s hand spasmed, nearly rocking the precious coffee out of his mug. Love?! What the hell? Ron didn’t dare take his eyes off his mug, but he heard her hum a response. He didn’t want to see whatever was going on across the counter just down from him after that greeting.
But he couldn’t help it. He lifted his eyes and– Severus Snape and Hermione Granger were sharing a kiss, a take away coffee passing between them. And Snape smiled . Not a smirk or a sneer, but a genuine smile. Ron wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it.
Not wanting to draw their attention, Ron grabbed the milk to fix his coffee. It wasn’t worth complaining, especially since Snape had managed to do the thing Ron had ruined for himself–he’d noticed the engagement ring on the hand wrapped around the cup. Ron had planned on marrying Hermione, but he’d wanted a job first, a career so that she wouldn’t have to work. He’d chosen to be an Auror, ignoring Hermione’s protestations about wanting to work and not wanting him risking his life every day. He couldn’t just stop chasing bad wizards, though; that, too, had been with him since Hogwarts, just like her. Hermione had left him because he couldn’t give it up. After returning from a particularly bad assignment, she’d called it off, in tears the entire time.
They’d lost touch after that. Ron had ignored her letters and attempts at friendship, and now he was paying the price. He’d had no idea that Snape and Hermione were together, much less engaged. Even Harry hadn’t told him, and his husband was Snape’s godson. (Nevermind the fact that Ron had forbidden Harry to ever talk about her after a particularly nasty row had distracted them during a surveillance mission.)
And now here she was, marrying a Potions Master and diner owner, and Ron was here drinking the bastard’s coffee. How bloody wonderful. Ron downed his drink, left a few sickles on the table, and disapparated with a dreadful crack. He had some sorrows to drown and sleep off in his own flat.