Assumptions were always made about someone, whether they wanted them or not, people had other people's lives planned out in their heads. When someone would meet an old acquaintance years later they would ask questions like "did you marry what's his name?" or "I bet you became a…". They think they know by someone's behaviour when they were younger what they would aspire to be. Oh how they were wrong.
Everyone assumed Harry Potter would go on to defeat Voldemort and marry Ginny Weasley.
Everyone assumed Draco Malfoy would become a death eater and marry Pansy Parkinson for sex and a trophy wife, but later be killed in the war.
Everyone always assumed Hermione Granger would go on to do great things with her life, become a successful auror or head healer at St. Mungos. Marry Ron Weasley and have lots of little curly red-headed kids to add to the Weasley family tree. She didn't.
Hermione found herself at the age of 30 working in a muggle law firm as a secretary, choosing to leave the wizard world to get some normalcy back in her life after the war. She couldn't cope after loosing her parents to a death eater attack in her 6th year, or several years later when Harry died after defeating Voldemort. Everyone else seemed to carry on with things but she couldn't, she wouldn't. She refused to accept that that was how things were. How could they be? Her best friend was gone, the people who raised her tortured and killed. No-one should have to deal with that so easily. So she left, lost all contact apart from an owl now and again from Remus Lupin to update her on things in his "world".
The only thing Hermione ever assumed she'd be was married and happy by the time she was 40, to her Hogwarts sweetheart but he had disappeared after the war, another thing to add to her broken heart.
Hermione sat at home, in her small but cost apartment in muggle London watching a one of those Kung Fu films where the lip sync isn't in time with the voices. She was alone apart from her Cocker Spaniel 'Archie', her faithful companion for the last 7 years. She felt he was the only friend she had.
Outside stood a cloaked man waiting to approach Hermione's building. This had become his routine over the past months, always wanting to but never working up the courage to approach the woman who held his heart. He had searched for her after he came back from the war but no-one seemed to know where she was. She'd simply vanished. But alas, after a chance reunion with the newly married couple Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley, he had been informed of her retreat to the muggle community and that only one man knew of her whereabouts.
And so that is how he came to be here, Remus Lupin happily gave him the address for he knew of the relationship they had shared in Hogwarts.
The light went out at the window, signalling she was going to bed, now was his chance. He swept across the street and withdrew his wand whispering "alohomora" to the door, it opened silently for him. He quickly moved through the building, praying she hadn't fallen asleep.
Hermione was just about to go into her bedroom when there was a soft but insistent knock on her apartment door. She grabbed her wand and crept towards it, curious but scared at who'd be calling at such a late hour. She slowly opened it; wary of whom it could be as she didn't get visitors.
"Hermione" he whispered in the dark hall way.
"Yes…erm sorry but do I know you?" Hermione hesitantly replied, now even more curious as to whom this cloaked figure was.
He reached up to his hood and pulled it down, showing a full-head of dark curls and beautiful indigo eyes shining with hope and love. His lips lifted into a smile.
"Blaise" she breathed before collapsing.
10 Years Later
The room was busy, decorated in red and gold except for a banner that was in silver and green and read 'HAPPY 40th HERMIONE!'
All around the room people were smiling and chatting amongst themselves, happy to be here to celebrate their friends birthday.
Said friend sat at a table next to Ron Weasley, with a young boy no more than 5 years old with brown curly hair and indigo eyes. Lavender Brown approached the table, and the occupants looked up.
"Lavender, so nice to see you here!" Hermione gasped full of surprise as she had not seen Lavender since leaving Hogwarts. Rom simply ignored her, still embarrassed about his 6th year with her.
"OH! I always knew you two would end up together, but I am surprised this little fella hasn't got the trade-mark red hair" Lavender replied tickling the little boy slightly.
"What?" Ron looked up fairly startled " Christophe isn't mine!"
At this point Draco Malfoy came over and promptly sat on Ron's lap, Hermione rolled her eyes at the regular occurrence. Laver simply looked horrified. Christophe giggled.
"And what may I ask is my little guy giggling at?" said a smooth deep voice from behind Lavender. Hermione got up and walked towards the voice, holding the child securely in her hands.
"That lady's face is funny, daddy!" the boy giggled once more
"And here's me and Anna missing out on the fun, what pray tell is this woman horrified about?" he said amused, while holding a toddler who was wearing a pretty pink dress and had a black curly bob but was undoubtedly Hermione Granger's daughter.
Lavender turned around to see Hermione be kissed gently and lovingly than none other than Blaise Zabini, former spy for the Order.
"She seems to think I'm married to Ronald, dear" Hermione scoffed, Blaise grinned while Draco snorted.
"But I just assumed, I always thought!" Lavender pouted while looking aghast at Ron now nibbling Draco's ear lobe.
"Hmmm and I always assumed you'd be a hooker, my mistake" Blaise commented after seeing the silver wedding band on Lavenders ring finger.
"Well I never!" She huffed and stormed away
Blaise and Hermione sat back at her table with their children and Hermione admonished Ron and Draco's behaviour while the children were present, while Blaise sat back and said to himself "never assume".