It happened whilst I was washing the dishes.

As a witch you'd think that I'd leave such a menial task as washing the dishes to magic and instead use my time more productively. As an auror in training and member of the Order of the Phoenix, who obviously has much more pressing issues to be dealing with, a quick flick of the wand would be a much wiser decision.

Yet I always found something therapeutic about washing the dishes. It was an act of rebellion against the magical world. The muggle born inside me relished the simplicity of the task, how your mind could wander as your hands rise and fall into the warm soapy water. Many a fantasy had been conjured as I'd scrubbed the pans; a problem solved as I'd unclogged the plughole. Though I would never be the domestic goddess type I enjoyed the process thoroughly.

On that particular day I had rushed to perform such an activity. Work had reached its peak of stressfulness and I needed something to distract me once I'd returned home. The living room almost certainly needed dusting, there was a pile of washing engulfing my bedroom floor, and merlin knows how much I needed a shower. Nonetheless, it was straight to the kitchen where only three plates, a few glasses, and a small array of cutlery were waiting for me.

Over the last six months my daydreams had all been of the same variety. Of course they had, for over the last six months I had fallen in love successfully for the first time. I say successful for I'd had my fair share of unrequited loves and doomed affairs whilst as school but they'd all ended rather the same way, with heartache and unnecessary tears. I'd learnt my lessons and had now moved on to James. James: my wonderful boyfriend of just shy of six months. James: the boy who had at one point been the bane of my existence but was now the star of my heart. James: the witty, intelligent, sexy person of my dreams. James. James Potter.

And I couldn't be happier. In the relationship department, anyway. James and I had started during what was perhaps one of the best years of my life. My final year at Hogwarts, where all my hard work had finally paid off and I'd been appointment head girl. We'd go very quickly from practical strangers to sort-of friends, to suddenly a crush developing on my behalf, and then within weeks we were dating. Truth be told I wouldn't have predicted it in a million years but it very quickly made me very happy. Towards the end of that year I felt I had everything. A wonderful boyfriend, an exciting prospective career, a great group of friends and even the background of the war couldn't stop my aspirations.

However, that all very soon turned to dust. My friends and I would all very quickly lose touch, the geographical distances of our various jobs putting metaphorical distances on our relationships. My auror training was put on indefinite hold, too, due to the rising issues of the war and I soon found my finances in dire straits, forcing me to find work in a pokey muggle restaurant near my house in order to pay for the rent.

Love was not enough and I soon found myself getting more and more down. And yet, at the same time, it was. I found myself relishing more and more the times I saw and spoke to James, occasions that were also becoming few and far between as his own career and family situation meant he was often the other side of the country. I found myself daydreaming about our future together, even the prospect of marriage and kids, something that I'd never let my mind ponder about before. He was my saving grace and the reason for my smile during the monotony that had become my life. I felt more in love with him than ever before. Whereas perhaps previously he'd been a challenge for my infatuated mind I felt we were slowly becoming more and more connected like all the older experienced couples I secretly admired.

And so I hope you can imagine my surprise and the feverous denial that followed when I finished placing the last of the dishes on the draining board that one horrible Monday evening and had one very clear and crisp thought crop up in my mind.

'I don't love James anymore.'

Author's note: Hi Folks! This is a return to fan fiction writing for me after about seven years so I apologise if I'm a little rusty. This project is actually a very personal thing for me so I hope more than anyone this will be updated very regularly. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Love SOTS x