The music was pumping hard and Hermione's head was pounding with every drum stoke and every note. She glanced wearily over her surroundings, trying to find a familiar face. She had, after all, been convinced to come out after work by her friends, namely Harry and Ginny. They said they were worried about her, said that she spent too much time 'at work or worrying about work'. She frowned at this thought, she hated being considered a worrisome, nagging, bookworm and truly after the war she had let her hair down. She had joined in with all the celebration rituals, award ceremonies, birthdays and the rest of it, but now her career was flourishing and she couldn't afford to take her eye away from the prize not when it was so within her grasp.

Laws regarding werewolf rights had been passed, laws Hermione had drafted herself, laws that meant a different world for the next generation of werewolves and for Teddy. The wizarding world had mixed feeling about this but many were supportive after hearing about Remus and his part in the war. Hermione had come forward with the Wolfsbane potion and the results it achieved, made it so that everyone knew that if it was used properly werewolves really posed little to no danger. She received praise, werewolves were no longer ashamed to walk the streets and purchase the ingredients for wolfsbane, and Hermione was to thank for that. She had been on the cover of all the wizarding newspapers and publications and was penned as the 'Most powerful Witch of all time'. The article had detailed every part she had to play n Voldemorts defeat; many said it wouldn't have possible without her. It seemed she was receiving more attention than Harry these days, and he wasn't ungrateful for this.

In fact it was this that worried her friends, the constant attention from the press, the pressure on her to change the world and undo all the evil the, once corrupt, ministry had spread. She felt it was possible; felt it was doable; she wanted to change the world. She had finished drafting her house elf treatment laws and it was positive that these would be passed.

"Hello....Hermione??"

She frowned and blinked a few times, looking up into the twinkly green eyes of her best friend. "Oh...hi Harry" She said, although he couldn't hear her over the blaring music but lip read well enough to understand her.

He grinned "Let's go outside" he yelled and pointed to the door.

She smiled gratefully at him and allowed him to tug her arm and direct her through the crowds of staring faces. They eventually made it outside the club where the street was fairly quiet, the door staff had retreated to the inner lobby and the only people outside were cigarette smokers or the odd night clubber leaving to go home early.

"You seemed deep in thought back there..." he began, looking at her with intense eyes. His best friend seemed isolated within herself these past few weeks, always working never socialising.

"Yeah...I know...I was just...just thinking about what my life's become you know?..I mean after the war it was sad and then it was happy, I mean Voldemort was gone...finally and everyone had their lives back...and I... I wasn't bookish, boring Granger anymore....but Harry it cant be like that all the time....you know the law...this world...it needs updating..." She was speaking quickly and rambling, running out of breath she waited to hear what harry would make of her mumbo jumbo.

"After the war...you were carefree....you had hope...you still wanted to change the world but you knew that there was more to life than that. After not knowing if we were gona have a future...you learnt to live for the day...you're reverting back to your old ways now which is fine...its you...you'll always be a bookworm, but where's that hope gone?" He placed an arm around her as she contemplated his words.

What he was saying was true, she had been carefree, and now...well now that wasn't reason to be.

"I can make difference when I'm at work....no one's missing out if I don't get home for dinner....but my staff would miss out if I didn't get to the office" She was staring at the floor as she said this.

"Hey what do you mean? Ginny's always moaning that you don't get home early enough and how she misses having you around for dinner..."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Of course she does....we all miss you...Ginny's your flatmate and she barely sees you, I see you even less than that and Ron....well..." His voice trailed off as he saw her flinch.

"Ron's fine Harry"

His eyes widened "He still misses you...and I know you miss him...listen I didn't want to ask you this...but are you spending so much time are work to...to forget Ron?"

Her head shot around, her hair whipping him in the face "No!" She said a little too fast. She tore her eyes away from his when she caught glance of his amused grin. "Yeah ok maybe"

He was practically triumphant, "I knew it! I was just saying to Ginny that this is how you deal with stuff, you work more and become anti social...I mean more than usual"

She glared at him then, and he dropped his level of enthusiasm a few notches.

There was silence after that, both waiting for the other to speak. It was Harry who surprisingly broke the silence. "Listen, I know you love him....you can't avoid him...and the rest of us by working 16 hour shifts...tell him..."

The words struggled to leave her, she felt like something was lodged in her throat preventing her from speaking and she couldn't face looking him in the eye. "it's not that easy....I mean he was on the cover of that magazine..."

Harry let out an amused chortle "Oh yeah 'Playwitch Magazine'...So? What difference does that make?" His face was scrunched up and he looking at her blankly.

She dropped her gaze to the ground again. "It made all the difference...did you see it?" She practically whispered.

"Well yeah of course I saw it...George thought it was hilarious, he brought 10 copies and plastered them all around the burrow with a sticking charm. Thought he'd embarrass Ron, Molly and Arthur in one fowl swoop!" He laughed seemingly at the memory of it, causing Hermione to release her own giggle imagining the uncomfortable conversation around the dinner table that day at the burrow. His laughter died down and he looked at her again and whispered "Did you see it?"

She blushed but decided that if there was anyone she could be honest with and depend on not to laugh at her, it was Harry. She nodded, bravely looking him in the eye. "I brought a few copies myself" she admitted appearing sheepish.

Harry smiled but said nothing except "Oh"

"Oh shut up Harry!"

"I didn't say anything!" He exclaimed, shrugging with exaggerated movement but his voice was laced with knowing amusement.

She began pacing then, shaking her head at herself, pausing to glare at Harry "....but you're thinking it! I know it's pathetic but I couldn't help it....he...he looked absolutely gorgeous! I mean when did he stop being skinny and awkward?"

"Auror training?" Harry suggested.

"Well whatever it was its done him the world of good, and God Harry its terrifying! I mean I'm still the same bookish dragon I was in Hogwarts and Ron's like this big, gorgeous hunk who..."

"Hunk?" He interjected.

She only responded to this interruption with a severe frown which made him gulp and he had the common sense to look apologetic and allow her to finish.

"...who has his choice from millions of girls...I mean I see them all the time hanging outside the ministry, flocks of them! These girls, they recognise me Harry and they ask me whether he's single and I want to tell them that he's very much involved with me and that they need to keep their horrible little claws off, but I can't can I?"

He looked sadly at her, hearing her voice tremble. He shook his head "No you can't, but you could if you just told him how you feel"

She shook her head furiously "No no Harry because you know he deserves it....gorgeous girls who'll give him all their time and love"

"You're gorgeous too! No one could love him more than you do..."

She seemed fit to burst then and a look of disgust came over her face. "I do a terrible thing Harry, I feel awful for doing it too but I...I can't help it...."

"What?" He was more than curious to know what.

"Well..." she began in a conspiratorial whisper. "these girls...some of them, they give me their floo ID's to pass to Ron, they tell me to tell him to floo call them, anytime...and well I sort of accidentally, on purpose....... lose them...." She said in a hurry.

Harry let out a bellowing laugh "Oh Hermione..." He said in a softer voice once he saw her inner torment. "I would probably do the same if it was Ginny, listen, Ron doesn't go for girls like that anyway!"

"....So he's not seeing anyone then?"

Harry seemed to slump like a deflating balloon, he let out a troubled sigh. "Well...I...he...he..sort of..well...no..." He hesitated.

Hermione huffed "I'm a big girl Harry..."

"Ok...well...he's started seeing someone...she works in the Auror department, assistant to the trainer or something...nice girl...not a bimbo..."

"Oh GOD!" She practically shouted but then composed herself. "No...no I expected this to happen....she probably saw that playwitch cover and developed a crush on him!"

Harry shook his head "No no they knew each other as friends first, they get on....simple as that"

She stared at him in wonder and spoke softly and slowly. "Are you trying to kill me Harry? Him going out with a bimbo is one thing, but it's worse if he actually likes her for her personality!" She began to weep freely then, and Harry was left feeling baffled at the logic of the opposite sex. He awkwardly places an arm around her.

"So...you're upset because he's with someone he genuinely likes and not just some bimbo who wants him for his body?"

"Exactly! Don't you see??" She pleaded to him, wanting desperately for his male mind to comprehend her reasoning. "This has a chance of lasting...!"

Realisation and understanding graced his face and Hermione was relieved that she had gotten through to him.

"Well what are you gona do?"

She seemed stunned at the proposition "Do??! What can I do?!"

"Hermione he's going out with other girls because the woman he really wants spends all her time at work avoiding him!"

"Harry! Hermione!"

They both turned to see Ron smiling happily and walking towards them from the club.

"Hey Ron...we just went to get some fresh air" Harry greeted.

Hermione just stood frozen, this was the first time she had seen Ron in weeks and now here he was interrupting a conversation all about him. She prayed he hadn't heard any of it, and that she didn't still look as if she had been crying and ranting. It took her a minute to realise that both men were staring at her expectantly.

"Huh? What?" She muttered dumbly wanting the ground to swallow her up for not being more articulate.

Ron seemed to be concerned by her reaction and frowned. "Are you Ok?"

She looked to Harry who grinned at her. "I'm fine Ron....are you....ok...I mean...erm....did you come here alone?" she blurted out and berated herself for doing so without tact, but she was curious to know whether he'd brought the girl he was seeing with him.

He seemed confused by her question. "What? Who would I........Oh! you mean Karen...from the Ministry....Harry must have told you..." He paused to turn away from Hermione's view and give Harry a very private but very fierce glare. He turned back to Hermione and reverted back smoothly to his softer self. "....uh actually we aren't really seeing each other anymore...."

"Oh right" She said, trying to sound indifferent, but feeling that she hadn't hidden her glee very well.

They stared at each other for a little longer than necessary before they were interrupted by a shriek.

"Merlin...you're not....it can't be!!! Are you Harry Potter!?" Harry nodded sheepishly at the attractive blonde who had been walking past the club with a few other friends.

Her gaze swept over the trio and she stopped at Ron and her excitement reached a new level "Ron...Ron Weasley....you were in that magazine the other week!"

Ron seemed rather disturbed by this acknowledgment and did not know where to look and finally settled on nodding.

"Would you come over to say hi to my friends? Their all huge fans! We all brought a copy each of that magazine" she added, suddenly bashful.

Ron seemed tormented between staying with his friends, and the group of girls waiting expectantly for him. "..........Ermm.." He looked to Harry for assistance who offered no guidance and then to Hermione who was watching him to see what he would do.

"Just go Ron, its fine well meet you inside" Hermione explained softly.

Ron nodded, visibly relieved that he had been given the go ahead and a clear instruction. He shuffled off leaving Hermione and Harry in his wake.

Harry looked to Hermione. "Come on let's go in, he'll only be a few minutes..." He touched her arm, intending to tug her a little as encouragement.

She pulled her arm away, her eyes on Ron with the girls. "I think I'll just go home Harry...I have some amendments to make to my report on..."

"-Hermione!...come on, you know he only went because you told him to!"

"I know Harry, but...I..." She was speechless for a second and her eyes welled up. "I..I'm totally out of my depth Harry.......I mean look at him...."

They watched for a second as Ron made a joke and the girls surrounding him let their heads fall back as they laughed freely. His posture was calm and composed; his body was held confident in a way Hermione never remembered.

She turned quickly and kissed Harry on the cheek and disapparated.