"So, you catered for his engagement party and then copped off with his best mate?! Wow, that's one way to show someone you're over them."

I glared at Harry as he chortled into his pint.

"Oh, Ronnie," Hermione breathed, "but Blaise? He's hardly commitment material, he seems to have a different woman on his arm every week."

"Yeah, well he was a good fuck," I muttered moodily, throwing my head back as I took a large swig of wine.

"Perhaps you need to stop chasing Slytherins, Ronnie." Harry said pompously, placing his glass back down on the table. "Take a leaf out of your sister's book and go get yourself a dashing brave Gryffindor."

"Oh fuck off you spaz!" I snarled. "Not everyone wants to get married to a four eyed fucktard!"

"Ronnie!" Hermione gasped, "that was mean even for you - don't take your romantic disappointments out on him. He did save the world you know."

"Oh, did he?" I gasped in mock surprise. "I never knew! He's obviously not been doing enough fucking speeches saying how we should all be grateful to him for being able to breathe in the same stupid air!"

"WELL YOU SHOULD!" Harry roared, his face going a dark pink. "I FUCKING DIED FOR YOU!"

"Quieten down," Hermione said, looking around the Leaky Cauldron furtively. "It's so embarrassing when you two get like this!"

"Yeah, well he started it," I mumbled sourly, draining the last of my wine.

"Oh please you two," Hermione said, her face pained as she looked between the two of us. "This is the first time we've sat down together since Harry has got back from his honeymoon and I don't want us to start squabbling."

"I'm sorry," I said, my shoulders slumping in resignation. "How is Ginny?"

"Glowing," Harry beamed. And I switched off as he started wittering on about pregnancy.

Jesus fucking Christ, anyone would think he was the first person to have knocked someone up.

My mind wandered back to the business. It had been a week since the engagement party and Bambi hadn't taken to me dropping out of the wedding gig at all well.

"If this is about what happened that night, then you needn't be embarrassed!" Bambi had implored, her face a look of complete panic. "Draco should never have spoken to you like that and I can promise you he won't treat you like that again."

"It's not about that." I said, feeling a panic rise of my own. "I'm worried I've taken on too much. Your wedding is a big deal and I don't want to let you down."

"But I love working with you, Ronnie! Do you know how rare it is to find someone that tolerates me? Most of the time people look at me as if they want me to shut up but I just can't seem to stop talking! You make me feel like I can be myself and I love that about you."

My eyes had widened in surprise. I was seriously not aware I had been giving her that vibe.

"If staffing is a problem then I can give you more money." She had offered desperately. "Please Ronnie, I'm begging you. I don't want to do this wedding without you."

But I had dug my heels firmly into the ground; I couldn't cater for a wedding that I knew was a sham.

Especially one where I had fucking painfully inappropriate feelings for the groom.

*****

The weeks rolled by and Bambi soon gave up trying to persuade me to go back to her.

I felt oddly lost; the office having returned to being the quiet nothingness that it had been before Bambi's initial email. I tried not to panic about what this meant for the future of the business. The engagement party had managed to get me a few small business meeting catering gigs, but apart from that, nothing.

And then, during one hot July day, as I was in the kitchen making the coffees, I heard the bell trill as someone entered the office.

"Welcome to Ron-" I heard Luna start in her professional tones. But then she paused. "Oh, it's you."

"I need to have a word with Weasley, is she here?"

My heart raced at the oh so familiar deep drawling tones. I wondered what the fuck he was doing there, and what he could possibly want to talk to me about.

"If it's about the wedding, Ronnie has already expressed-"

"Luna, it's fine!" I called from the kitchen, frantically brushing my fingers through my hair as I checked myself out in the kettle's shiny surface. Damn, I needed to get a mirror in here.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly stepped out into the office. And there he was; the white-blond haired Slytherin looking so fucking gorgeous in his usual sharp black suit; not a bead of sweat on his pale skin despite the uncomfortable summer heat.

"Ronnie," he murmured silkily, his silver grey eyes seeming to dance as they met mine, causing my stomach to do an involuntarily flip.

"Do you want to come through to the kitchen?" I swallowed, glancing down at Luna's dreamy expression as she returned to threading fucking seashells onto a piece of string.

He nodded gratefully, striding across the room as he followed me through.

"Nice, erm... little place you've got here," he murmured as his eyes swept over our shitty cramped kitchen.

"Coffee?" I snapped, annoyed by the obvious derision in his tone.

"Sure, thank you," he said, his eyes glinting amusedly at my sudden brusqueness. I poured him a cup, placing it a little too firmly upon the unit beside him.

"So, what is it Draco?" I asked, suddenly wanting him to cut to the chase.

"I want you to reconsider your decision not to cater for the wedding." He said coolly, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned languidly against the fridge door.

I looked up at him sharply. I didn't know why I was surprised. What else was I expecting him to come here for? A declaration of his undying love?

"Bambi sent you," I concluded, narrowing my eyes. For some reason, this made me feel strangely hurt.

But to my surprise he shook his head. "She doesn't know I'm here. The truth is, I've come to ask you myself because I feel bad about what happened the night of the engagement party. I was rude and acted appallingly to you. And I'm sorry it's taken me this long to come forward and say that. But it's not fair you should miss out on an opportunity like this because of me."

"Oh." I said, looking away; waiting for the aching in my chest to pass.

"And besides, she misses you." He shrugged, unfolding his arms as he stood up straight now, placing his hands in his pockets. "She can't seem to find a caterer she gets on with. She keeps sacking them saying they don't compare to you."

I glanced back at him and his eyes flashed into mine. A sudden frisson in the air caused me to immediately look away again.

"I can't Draco, it doesn't feel right catering for your wedding." I said wearily, finally deciding to just be honest. "I feel like there's too much unresolved stuff between us."

"Well then, let's just be adults and learn how to be around one another again." He murmured. "Come on, Ronnie, you need this job. Both you and I know it." He pointedly glanced around the kitchen again.

I closed my eyes. He was talking like this was so easy for him. And that hurt me more than I could have possibly imagined. Because it meant he didn't feel the same way I felt.

And if that was the case then was it really worth throwing away a decent business opportunity? I needed to start being stronger and stop letting my heart rule my head.

I made my decision.

"Okay," I said, despite everything inside of me screaming at myself to run away; as far away from this situation as possible. "I'll do it. But only on one condition."

His face lit up almost instantly as he took an eager step closer to me.

"Anything." He breathed; the look he was giving me only serving to make my heart flutter in my chest. "Whatever you need, Ronnie, I'll make sure you get it."

He wasn't making what I was about to say any easier. I took a deep, steady breath.

"I don't want to have anything to do with you after the wedding. No social visits, no future catering requests. Nothing. The second you marry Bambi I want you out of my life. Properly."

His face dropped slightly and I saw something flicker and die in his eyes.

"If- if that's what you want." He said quietly, his whole body visibly sagging.

"I mean it Draco," I said sternly, trying not to let the hurt on his face affect me. "I can't move on with you still in my life. I need your word on this."

He nodded, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

"You have my word, Ronnie. I promise you. After the wedding, you'll never see me again."

*****