Ginny and I sat together in a muggle bar, sipping our drinks and talking over the concept of true love.

"I know you're heartbroken, Hermione. But I really think true love does exist. Neither of have found it yet, but it's out there somewhere!"

Always an optimist, that's my Ginny. I couldn't help but smile at the light in her eyes as a daydream crept into them. I envied her capacity to dream of a brighter future. All of that had left me a month ago.

"As much as I'd like to think you were right, Gin, I can't believe that." I paused to gulp my Bloody Mary and then continued. "True love always sounds perfect in fairytales- but it can't happen in real life. To be truly and completely in love with someone… it would be wonderful it if it was possible."

"Oh, but it can! I can see myself loving everything about someone, no matter what it is! I mean, look how I felt for Harry!" At the mention of my old friend's name, I couldn't keep from wincing. Hearing his name, thinking of him- it still hurt.

I shook my head sadly at her youthful exuberance and ability to hope. It was funny, she was only a year younger than me, but we had taken such different routes in life.

"To love someone completely, you have to completely understand and accept who they are. It's not part of human nature to be able to wholly comprehend everything about a person. And since there's something we can't always understand, we'll never be able to completely accept them." As the light died from Ginny's eyes, I had to continue. "Ginny, as wonderful as the idea sounds… it just can't happen. Not for me."

We parted ways soon after, with a hug and promise to meet the next week. As I walked home in the dark, I couldn't help but think of what I'd said. You can't comprehend everything about a person; it's not in the nature of a human to do so. Maybe, if we could, Draco and I could have had a perfect life. Maybe it wouldn't have crumbled into such a futile mess. Maybe my heart wouldn't have been ripped in two.

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It was raining the day I saw him again. In time after those blissful short months, we hadn't spoken, hadn't met. The soft light glinted off his fair hair, and my heart leaped before I could stop it. Then, remembering, it fell further than it needed to, splintering into fragments of pain. I turned to go, praying he hadn't seen me. I didn't get more than three or four steps.

"Hermione, wait!" I heard light running footsteps, and then he'd caught up to me. I turned to face him, reluctantly, and my throat closed. I couldn't believe the details of his face that I'd forgotten. The little crinkle around his eyes when he was happy, the way his pointed face had lost all the gauntness it had gained during the war years. He looked me up and down, the way I did him, but didn't comment. I couldn't meet his gray eyes- not without losing the self control I'd mustered during the past few months. Not without saying what my heart was crying. I've missed you so much!

He must have seen something in my eyes, for he hugged me then. Pressed against his lean chest, I stiffened and pulled away. I couldn't take being that close to him. With soft fingers he lifted my chin and scrutinized my face. "This hasn't been easy on you, has it little one?" His voice was soft and I could almost forget how he'd hurt me. I could almost pretend that I was like Ginny, that I believed in true love and that I had found it. He stepped back, banishing the illusion. Those days were gone forever, and we both knew it.

We stood for another minute more, me unable to speak, and him apparently unwilling to. He touched my shoulder lightly, and whispered "remember what I said about being friends. Just because we'd never work doesn't mean I want to lose you. When you can, come to me." He turned silently and walked away.

I couldn't help but turn and watch him go. As he approached the a store entrance, a dark-haired man walked out to join him. He conversed with Draco for a moment, before they both turned briefly to look at me. I didn't need to see the flash of emerald green to know that it was Harry who accompanied him now. My once-friend hugged my once-lover and they walked off together, hand in hand. They were together now, and my heart smashed into a million smithereens. I stood with water pouring down on me to watch them go, my tears mingling with the raindrops.

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A/N: I dislike putting notes at the end of my stories, but sometimes it's worth it. Please, please review this once you've read it. I see all the hits on my stats page and wish I could know what some of my readers were thinking. It's very important to all writers to hear from their readers- so please, click that little button down there!