Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

Hermione led a whole different life in the muggle world than she did in the wizarding world. Her friends at school would probably expect that she held up in her room for three months during the summer, solely concentrating on her homework, and once she was finished, she would continue to read until it was September first and time to take the Hogwarts Express back to school. She led quite the opposite life actually. Don't misunderstand, she definitely felt the same way about homework here as she did at school, it was very important, but she finished that up as soon as she could. She worked on her homework early in the mornings, went to soccer practice and/or games in the afternoons, and partied it up with her friends almost every night.

Hermione was popular in the muggle world. She was an awesome soccer player, she was a girlie-girl, and she was beautiful, even though she would be the first to deny it. She loved to party and hangout with her friends, but she mostly loved to play soccer. She had joined a girls team when she was ten-years-old, a year before she found out she would be going to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She continued to play every summer since then, except for that one year she went to the Quidditch World Cup with Harry and Ron, and she was currently playing the last minute in the final game of the season before her seventh year in school.

"There she goes; she's on a break away down the field. She shoots…she SCORES! Hermione Granger has scored the winning goal. The Hot Shots win the finial!" The announcer screamed excitedly over the loud speaker.

The team ran to Hermione and smashed her into the middle of a group hug. After a short celebration on the field, the girls made their way to the sidelines and surprised Tony, their coach, by dumping two half-full, freezing cold water coolers over his head.

"Must you do that every time?" he asked shaking off like a dog as the team laughed hysterically and staggered over to their parents.

"Of course Tony. Do you really expect anything less?" 'Mione said winking at the young coach and flashing him a bright smile.

"Not from you I guess I don't" he laughed and gave her a rivaling smile.

"I can't believe we won, well I can believe it, but oh mum, dad, we won! It was brilliant."

"You were brilliant sweetheart," Jane Granger said giving her daughter a slight squeeze. "Now, let's get you home and washed up before dinner, ok?" she said trying not to seem disgusted at the sweat mark her daughter had left on her brand new, pink silk tank top.

As soon as they left the game, Hermione gushed over the win of her soccer final to her parents all the way home.

As soon as Frank Granger parked the car in the driveway, Hermione bounded up the stairs, through the garage door, dumping her cleats outside of the door, and up to her room to take a shower. She walked through her room to her connecting bathroom, discarding her sweaty purple and teal soccer uniform all over the floor as she went. She turned on the hot water and then stepped in as soon as the steam started to rise above the curtain. The hot water soothed her aching muscles and washed away the dirt and sweat from her previous activities. She washed her long brown hair with her vanilla plum shampoo, and washed her body with her favorite cool moisture body wash.

Finally, after she had used up most of the hot water, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a blue fluffy towel around herself. She pranced to her closet, searching for the perfect outfit to wear. Nick, her boyfriend of the past two years, was taking her out for their anniversary tonight. She shuffled through her closet, finally deciding on a jean mini skirt, which showed off her long tan legs, and a baby pink halter top, which clung to her medium sized breasts and showed off her well toned stomach and the pink dangly belly button ring that she had bought earlier that day.

She walked back into her bathroom, dried and curled her hair, so that it fell down her back in large bouncy spirals. Next she applied natural looking make-up and added the finishing touch of baby pink lip gloss. She riffled through her jewelry box, finding her silver hoop earrings and the silver tear drop necklace that Nick had given to her on their first anniversary, all she had left to do was to find some shoes. As soon as she decided on a pair of baby pink flip flops, the door bell rang. She squealed at the though of seeing her boyfriend.

Nick has just got back today from a month long vacation in Hawaii with his family, and she was leaving for school tomorrow. She was going to make this anniversary one neither of them would forget. She grabbed his present and ran excitedly down the stairs.

There he was. He stood at about 6'3", had dark blond hair, dark tanned skin, and piercing blue eyes. He wore a short sleeve, blue and green plaid, button down shirt, open, over a white wife-beater, long khaki cargo shorts, and his favorite black flip flops. He was gorgeous, and perfect in everyway. He flashed her a lopsided smile and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"Hey 'Mione," he pulled back from her kiss.

"Hey babe," she purred, "you ready?"

"Yeah, let's go." He said unenthusiastically, but Hermione was too excited to notice.

"Bye mum, bye dad," she yelled towards the unknown destination of her parents.

"Have fun you two," Mr. and Mrs. Granger yelled from the kitchen.

They walked outside, and Nick opened the door to his black convertible eclipse for Hermione. He silently drove them downtown, to her favorite pizza place.

"Hey 'Mione, Hey Nick, How was Hawaii?" Drew, Nick's best friend greeted them.

"Hey man! Good to see ya. Hawaii was great," Nick hugged his best friend, in the way that guys do, "Hey, uh, could you seat us in the back somewhere?" he whispered to Drew.

"Sure, right this way," he led the couple to the back, secluded corner of the restaurant.

"Enjoy, Megan will be with you guys in just a minute." He said turning away and walking back up towards the front to greet some more people who had just walked in.

Nick was fidgeting uncontrollably. He was spinning his utensils on the table, drumming his fingers on whatever he could, and his eyes would dart all over the restaurant, looking anywhere but at Hermione. Hermione watched him dreamily; she never noticed his fidgeting, or the fact that he would never let his eyes rest upon her.

'Oh thank God!' he sighed as he noticed that Megan was on her way over to the table.

"Hey guys," she was always a very excited girl. Her shoulder length curly brown hair bounced as she moved her head from side to side. "Can I get you anything? Oh my gosh, it's been so long since I've seen you guys. I'm so excited," she rambled on bubbly.

"Hey Meg," Hermione jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around her best friend. "I've missed you so much. I feel like it's been forever since we hung out. Next time I'm home we'll have to go out."

"Yeah we will. His a few clubs, have a few parties," she listed, "you know, the usual." She smirked at the though. "So anyways, the usual? One iced tea, one Dr. Pepper, and a large pepperoni?"

"Sounds good." 'Mione said rubbing her stomach, "And, could you rush it? I'm starving."

"Sure thing, be right back," she spun on her heal and departed off towards the kitchen.

"So baby," Mione reached across the table and grabbed Nick's hand, "How was your trip?"

"It was good," he fidgeted, still trying no to look her in the eyes.

"Well, what did you do?"

"Basically just hung out on the beach. You know the usual." His eyes had a look of pain in them as they finally came to rest on hers. He needed to tell her, should he do it now? Should he wait until after dinner?

"I love you." She said with a sweet smile. She had never said that to him before. "I've been thinking about it a lot while you were gone, and I do. I love you." Why was he looking at her like that? It was not that crazy, was it? They had been together for two years. "You…"

"'Mione," he had to do this now. "I need to talk to you." He dropped her hand.

"Ok," she was confused. This did not sound good.

"Look 'Mione," how was he supposed to do this? "I met someone else." Her face dropped, and he could se her eyes filling with tears. "I met her while I was in Hawaii, and she lives here." The look on her face was killing him, "I'm sorry," he finished quietly and looked down at the table.

"I…I…I…" the tears started to silently roll down her cheeks. "I…"

"I'm sorry 'Mione, I wish it didn't have to end like this." She did not say a word; she just got up, set a package in front of him and walked away. He just sat there and watched the most beautiful woman he knew walk out of his life. He sighed as he ran his fingers along the edges of the shiny red paper of the package she had laid in front of him. He opened the card that was laying on the top, and read it silently to himself.

My dear sweet Nick-

I love you. I love you more than you will ever know. I am sorry that I made you wait so long to hear that, but I hope that we can make this night a night that neither of us will ever forget. Happy Anniversary Baby. I love you.

Love always, Mione

"God what have I done?" he then picked up the package, and carefully unwrapped it. There staring back at him was a picture of him carrying 'Mione on his back, it was the picture Megan took of them after her first soccer game of the summer. That was right before he left for Hawaii, which is where he screwed up the best thing that had ever happened to him. Why couldn't he have been patient and waited for her, why did he have to sleep with that slut Casey three months ago, and why, why in the world did she have to get pregnant?