Okay you guys, for everyone who hung in there with me, thanks so much. For everyone who's new, welcome! Hope you enjoy!

I know it's been FOUR YEARS since I wrote anything for this story, and I just happened to stumble upon it recently and after seeing some of your recent reviews I just had to continue it. However, I'm starting all over. I lost all of my notes on this story, so I no longer have the plot written down anywhere, and I have to rewrite the story from the beginning in order to remember what's going on.

I apologize for the long wait (blame school and my extreme laziness), but I'm back, and I hope to have this done by the end of the summer, if not earlier.

Enjoy! Even if you have read this before, I like this version a lot better (it's longer, hooray!) so read on, my friends, read on.

- Goddess Plutonia

I Never Lied

Chapter One

"Many couples are famous for the love they shared. Romeo and Juliet. Christian and Satine. Anthony and Cleopatra. But none of them rivaled the bond between the two greatest wizards of our time: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

"The pair grew up together fighting against the darkest wizard of our time, Lord Voldemort. Strong friends since age eleven, it was only when they entered their seventh year at Hogwarts did they realize their friendship ran much deeper.

"As a fellow schoolmate of the pair, this journalist reports that their relationship was one rarely seen: true love. A love so true that even when the stress of the final battle hung over their heads, they didn't allow any fear to tear them apart.

"However, two days before their graduation, something in Harry changed. After this prestigious periodical detailed their sordid night in Hogsmeade's premier hotel, Harry Potter ended the relationship. But not in person. No, not even the Boy-Who-Lived (and who soon became the Boy-Who-Conquered-the-Dark-Lord) had enough courage to do that. He did it through owl, telling her that he found someone else. With that short note, Hermione Granger discovered first hand the horror of heartbreak.

"To add insult to injury, this 'someone else' was not anyone else, but Cho Chang, his failed relationship from two years before.

"And yet, as we now approach the one year anniversary of the very public breakup between the two seekers, this reporter wonders whether love can be given another try.

"Surely the savior of this world deserves a second chance…"

Hermione gave a dry laugh as she put down the gossip section of the Daily Prophet. "Prestigious periodical, my arse."

It seemed to never end. First, there was the coverage of the night she and Harry lost their virginities to each other. As if the experience wasn't awkward and uncomfortable to begin with. Next, the papers scrambled to provide the juicy details of how Harry dumped her. "He probably freaked when he realized the entire world knew he was intimate with that mudblood bookworm" was the quote that ran for weeks, courtesy of Draco Malfoy. And since the media evidently enjoyed her public torture, they told tales of Harry and Cho's raging love affair, covering their week-long pleasure fests to the sparring they had on the field when they competed against each other.

All in all, Hermione still hated journalists, especially this so-called "fellow schoolmate" of hers, whom she never remembered seeing once in school.

They did get one fact straight: Harry Potter dumped her, and broke her heart in the process. But he most definitely didn't deserve another chance. Ever.

But as she poured herself another cup of tea, Hermione couldn't help thinking about the fact that Harry was now single.

To say that Hermione had let herself go after the breakup would have been an outright lie. Three years later, she was a top code-breaker in the Ministry, attaining the position and the reputation after graduating from the Auror Academy with highest honors and as the top student in her class.

Ignoring the newspaper, Hermione stood and walked across the kitchen to retrieve her other mail. Being one of the top Aurors in England definitely had its perks, giving Hermione respect within her field and an amazing salary, along with a mansion of a home.

Among the normal bills and business-related letters was one that stood out, a rather old and battered piece of parchment. Picking it up, Hermione smiled as she recognized the muddy paw-print adorning the front.

Dear Hermione,

Well, I'm back! Since the Ministry cleared my name (finally, the paperwork took a year after they made the decision), I'm back at the house and, well, it could use some cleaning-up.

I'm having a cleaning party on Saturday, and everyone is planning on attending. I hope you'll come.

Waiting to hear from you,

Sirius

P.S. And when I mean everyone, I do include Harry in that statement. I hope it won't change your decision. Maybe you should give him another chance.

Hermione laughed. Maybe Sirius and that journalist collaborated to pressure Hermione into meeting Harry again. And she knew she should, but the thought left her breathless, and not necessarily in a bad way.

Would it be an awful thing to see him again? Could she take it?

There was only one way to find out.

Dear Sirius,

I'll be there.

Love, Hermione