A/N: I love you all! You guys are the best.

This is the second chapter and it's only been four days since my last update...however...this chapter was already half written when I uploaded the first chapter...that's why it's so fast.

I'm totally run off my feet with uni...second year is killing me...so I'd appreciate it if you'd take that into consideration when I start updating a little less frequently than this.

Disclaimer: J.K Rowling if the queen...albeit a little misguided when she wrote DH (you all know what I'm on about).


2 months earlier:

SMASH!

"Mione! Stop! It's really not…"

SMASH!

"Oh Merlin! Mum gave us that as a house warming present!"

SMASH!

"No! Not my filigreed Chudley Cannons statue!"

SMASH!

"That was a mint condition collectable!"

Hermione Granger whirled to face her boyfriend, her impressive mass of curls swirled around her wildly as her eyes flashed, promising him a plethora of painful experiences.

"That's it?! I catch you in bed with another woman and that's it?!"

"Mione…listen…"

The incensed witch gave a wild laugh, throwing her head back with mocking. "Let me guess… 'It's not what I think'?"

"Yeah well, it isn't what you think! You're over-reacting!"

The wild haired witch started fumbling in her robe for her wand and the red haired man began to cautiously back away.

"Hermione…we can resolve this without violence! Let's just…put the wand away…and calmly discuss this…like adults."

Without realising she had been holding her breath, Hermione release a gush of air from between her lips, sounding disturbingly like she were hissing at him. With a contemptuous glare, she raised her wand and pointed it threateningly at him.

"Ronald Weasley…how long have we been dating?"

The red head began to sweat, his eyes focused on her wand tip.

"Um…5 years…"

Red swamped her gaze for a brief second and Hermione seized a nearby teacup from the kitchen bench top and threw it in the general direction of his head. Ron ducked, but barely in time, the unfortunate piece of china smashing on the wall behind him.

"SIX YEARS! We started dating during the Great War! What the hell use is that brain of yours except to store useless Quidditch facts?!"

Eyes blinking furiously, Ron began to inch closer to the infuriated woman but Hermione brandished her wand with a threatening sweep. Taking a calming breath, she tried to question the man before her.

"Who the hell was she?" Her tone was arctic.

"No one…Nothing compared to you!"

Hermione grabbed the corresponding saucer which had partnered the unfortunate teacup and threw it at his head only to have it smashing into wall, its fate similar to its counterpart.

"You sure as hell seemed to be enjoying yourself with that no one! Let me think…what were you screaming when I walked in…something along lines of 'fuck baby, you feel so perfect!'…wasn't that it…or perhaps you were screaming her name!"

She took another calming breath which had very little effect on her nerves so she took up another glass from the countertop and aimed for his head. Again Ron ducked out of the way.

Damn Quidditch instincts.

"It didn't mean anything!"

A furious scream echoed through the room.

"Confringo!" The spell whizzed over Ron's head and struck a kitchen shelf, housing a variety of metal cooking instruments which all scattered upon the explosion of the wooden shelf.

"You were shagging her in OUR bed! You're such a bloody LIAR Weasley!" She took another breath, her wand still levelled at him angrily. "You know what you mother told me today, Ronald? She said you were planning to propose! PROPOSE, DAMN IT! I was so excited I came home early…but what do I find? YOU…YOU…uh! There isn't even a word for it!"

Ron seemed to grasp at the thread desperately, his eyes pleading with her.

"I was! I am!"

He began fishing around in his robe pockets and retrieved his own wand.

"Accio Ring!"

A red velvet box flew into his hands mere moments later and Ron fumbled to open it, dropping his wand in the process. Frantically, he pried open the lid and showed the ring to her, smiling hopefully.

Hermione groaned as she stared at the ring. A diamond set on a gold band. Utterly uncreative…and utterly un-Hermione. She hated gold! She thought diamonds were cliché….Merlin! Didn't this man know her at all?

As she procrastinated, her eyes fixed on the hideous object inside the box, Ron began to kneel.

In an instant, Hermione's eyes refocused on the man before her and screamed furiously.

"NO! NO! Don't you bloody well dare!"

The red head ploughed forward irrespective of her protests.

"Hermione…you're the love of my life…please, will you do me the honour of being my wife?"

Hermione went pale, her jaw dropped and her wand arm fell uselessly to her side. A few moments of silence passed and only the slow ticking of a nearby clock could be heard.

"You're proposing?" Her tone was eerily calm.

Ron shuffled forward a little on his knees. "Yes…I am. Say yes, Mione!"

"You're proposing…now?"

The red head looked exasperated. Well! The Nerve!

"Yes…Mione, just…"

Her wand arm rose instantly and Hermione fixed him with a stone cold glare.

"No! No, you sorry son-of-a-bitch! You have some NERVE! There is no way in hell I'm marrying you! Do you hear me?! NO WAY!"

Clenching her teeth, Hermione stormed to her room…their room…and promptly began removing all her clothes from the drawers and wardrobe. She glanced frantically around the room before she realised she had no bags in which to pack them and let out an infuriated scream. She clicked her fingers in irritation before she stomped out of the room and wrenched open the door of the hallway closet. From it, Hermione dragged her old battered school trunk and levitated it to the room. With one violent wave of her wand, all her assembled clothing, shoes and personal effects went soaring into the trunk and the lid slammed shut a millisecond later.

Suppressing another frustrated scream as Hermione caught sight of a framed photo of her and Ron at their two year anniversary; she aimed her wand at the happy laughing couple.

"Reducto!" The photo frame shattered into shards, making Hermione feel mildly better. However, the rage returned moments later. Shrinking her trunk, Hermione pocketed the miniscule object and returned back to the living room.

Ron was still kneeling on the floor, his expression shocked and frozen. Hermione gave him a scathing glance.

"I'm leaving."

That seemed to snap Ron from his stupor as he jumped from his kneeling position and turned to face her, his face a bright shade of crimson.

"What?! Why?!"

Hermione rubbed the bridge of nose. "Why? You're asking me why?"

"I just proposed to you!" Ron screamed, his hands gesturing wildly at the ring still clutched in his hands.

"You cheated, Ron! You're a cheater! Then…by some incomprehensible moment of pure and utter stupidity, you thought it would be a good time to ask me to marry you! Why am I leaving?! What do you think?!"

"But I love you!"

Hermione snorted with bitterness. "Yeah…you sure proved your point tonight!"

She turned to leave, her hand twisted the handle of their front door of their apartment, wrenching open the wooden obstacle and froze.

"You'll be back."

Hermione was suddenly tempted to Avada the bastard. The tone he used…proud, smug…so Ron.

"No I won't Ronald. Even I have limits." She suddenly felt tired. The anger and sadness drained away, numbing her like a gust of arctic wind. Hermione's shoulders slumped; she felt a million years old.

"Yeah…you will. I'm the only one who will ever want you Hermione."

She twisted to face him, her eyes haunted.

"You may be the smartest witch of our time, but you're also an ugly, bossy little know-it-all. No one will ever want you Hermione! Only me…because I've known you for…"

Her wand snapped up again. "Shut up! You're such a bastard, Weasley! I'll never come back! NEVER! I hope you go rot in hell!" Huffing angrily, Hermione turned her back on him and pointed her wand over the shoulder.

"Avis Oppugno!"

Ronald Weasley never even heard the door slam; he was too busy fending off a flock of murderous, attacking birds.


She worried her lower lip until it bled, she twisted her interlocked fingers until they ached, she scuffed her feet until her shoes were covered with dust…and still, Hermione couldn't bring herself to enter Harry Potter's country cottage.

The well worn dirt path stretched before her, leading to the quaint little residence that Harry shared with Pansy. Though they had started off on rather rocky grounds, Harry and the former slytherin had become one of the sweetest couples Hermione had ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

Ginny Weasley had not taken the news very well. After Harry had left her in order to seek the Horcruxes, she had assumed that he would return to her. Yet, when the final battle had gone and past, Harry had sought respite in isolation, only returning after several months abroad. Instead of falling happily into her arms, Harry had told her that he believed they needed some time apart.

Needless to say, Ginervra Weasley lost that infamous Weasley temper. Weeks later, stories of her escapades with the wealthiest bachelors England had to offer hit the headlines and Harry saw red.

You see…what he meant when he said 'time apart' meant time to think…not what Ginny interpreted as 'time to fuck around'. All these years later, Harry Potter was happily dating Pansy (who was 6 months pregnant with his child) and Ginny brought a new boy-toy to the burrow for the weekly Sunday lunch. Hermione always arrived with Ron, an hour after the scheduled time to ensure that he didn't kill Ginny's latest conquest.

Which brought her back to her present predicament…Her hand was poised to knock on the door when, without warning, it swung open to reveal her only remaining best friend (Ron no longer warranted mention), Harry Potter.

His face was pale as ever, his hair mussed and wild, the scar on his forehead dulled after the death of its creator; Harry Potter looked every inch the boyish 24 year old boy who was only now living the life he had always wanted.

He was frowning and Hermione tried to offer a reassuring smile.

"Where have you been?" He sounded strangely reserved.

Hermione felt an angry flush race across her cheeks. Instantly, her eyes narrowed and fixed on the cool green orbs and clenched her teeth.

"At a hotel." Her tone was somewhat reproachful.

Harry Potter was less than pleased. "Ron and I were worried about you. You can't just…"

He never finished that sentence as there was a startled squeal behind him and he stepped aside, allowing his girlfriend to plough past him. Pansy threw her arms around Hermione and hugged her tightly, her pregnancy bump making the experience rather awkward.

When the former slytherin finally released her, Pansy stroked her swollen abdomen fondly and sent Hermione a sweet smile.

"Thank goodness you're alright, Mione. Ron told us that you just ran off after he tried to propose to you." She looked puzzled for a moment before she quietly tilted her head, her gaze enquiring. "Why did you…"

"Don't believe everything you hear." She muttered, just in time for Harry to overhear as he rushed into the cosy sitting room.

He advanced on her quickly. "Ron said he proposed…"

Hermione snapped. "Did he tell you that I caught him screwing another witch…in OUR bed?! Then! Then, he had the nerve to propose afterwards."

Stunned silence followed her exclamation and Hermione quietly calmed her breath. The anger and hurt which was dulled by a fortnight away flared up like gasoline thrown on an open fire. Shamefully, Hermione felt the tears well up in her eyes and run down her cheek as the memories assaulted her, salty trails marring her skin.

She was furious at herself as she swiped at the tears. It was just stupid…she had spent the past two weeks going over the six year relationship again and again…what had she done wrong? Was she at fault? Certainly, she wasn't worthy of witch weekly, but she wasn't hideous either…except…Ron had said…

A choked sob broke the tense silence of the room and Hermione blinked away more tears that threatened to reveal themselves.

Pansy leaned forward, her arms engulfing her in a tight embrace.

"Shh…shh…it's going to be alright. Ron is an idiot but he still loves you, only you I'm sure…don't worry…I'm sure he'll apologise and come crawling back to you in no time. You just wait, in a few weeks you'll be back together…"

Hermione tugged her curls in frustration, a scream caught in her throat.

"No! I don't want to! You…you didn't hear what he said…" She cursed herself as her voice shook from anger and irritation.

Harry held her hand tightly, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"What did he say?"

There was a brief pause as Hermione steadied her nerves. "He said…he said that no one else would want me…"

Pansy cooed sympathetically but Harry just smiled.

"Oh Mione…you know Ron…he's so temperamental…I'm sure he didn't mean any of it. You're just overreacting." He chuckled amusedly.

Pansy sent her boyfriend a scathing look and hissed, her lips poised with a scathing retort. Hermione beat her to it. She tore her hand from his grasp and swung it at him.

There was a moment of shocked silence as the slap resounded through the room and Hermione darted from her seat as she watched the red handprint bloom on his swollen cheek.

"He…he…" She swallowed and took a harsh breath in. "He cheats on me…insults me…" Hermione cursed her shaking voice. "…and you have the nerve to tell me that I'm overreacting?!"

She backed away from him, her eyes burning with repressed fury. Her mouth opened and closed…and opened again but no words came. She was at a loss. What could she say? It was just so damn typical…the boys always stuck together…she was always the odd one out.

Snapping out of her outraged silence, Hermione gave Pansy a brisk smile and rushed for the door, not even glancing in Harry's direction. Behind her, there was nothing but Pansy's voice as she reproved her boyfriend.

"You idiot." Hermione couldn't agree more.


A Sunday. Another dreaded Sunday. The time had rolled around for yet another Weasley luncheon.

Despite her newly developed hostility for the second youngest child of the Weasley brood, Hermione's heart was still firmly entrenched in this loving family. Though she had not attended the past few Sunday luncheons, partially out of anger, partially out of pride but mostly out of self-preservation, she still felt an obligation to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. After all, they were almost like surrogate parents to her. She could only hope that they had not believed Ron's twisted version of events.

With a crisp pop, Hermione had appeared before the ever precarious burrow, the various additions to the house still teetering on the verge of collapse. A wave of warmth swept through her at the quaint familiar sight and it gave her just enough courage to move forward and knock on the kitchen door.

Molly Weasley, a woman whose motherly appearance and welcoming air hugged her like a second skin, now seemed tired and worn. Much of the greying red hair that had first appeared during the Great War and had never quite disappeared was now even more prominent.

In short, in the brief few weeks that Hermione had not visited, the Weasley mother seemed to have aged a decade and she felt a wave of guilt sweep through her.

"Molly…"

The elder woman sniffled and bustled forward in her apron. In an instant, Hermione was engulfed in a warm hug; the welcoming smell of food assaulted her nose as she laid her head on a warm, plump shoulder.

Merlin, she had missed this.

A small tear snuck from the corner of her eye but it was quickly absorbed by the folds of Mrs. Weasley's dress. However, the older woman still seemed to notice as her hands began to weave a comforting pattern on her back as Hermione let her long repressed sobs break free.

"God Molly…" Her voice broke.

"Oh Hermione, darling…I don't know what's happened to that boy…Arthur and I certainly never raised him like that! I…"

Hermione pulled away in an instant and shook her head vehemently.

"No." She sniffled a little. "It's not your fault Molly…Ron…he just let the whole Chudley Cannons thing go to his head…"

Mrs. Weasley dabbed her eyes a little. "I don't know what has happened to my two youngest children, what with Ron doing this to you and Ginny…" The matron could not bring herself to finish her sentence. She shook her head and gave Hermione a weak, lopsided smile.

"You've been looking after yourself these past months, haven't you dear? You look so thin…and those circles under your eyes…"

Hermione laughed as Mrs. Weasley resumed her motherly manner, a clean handkerchief erupting from her wand and landing in Hermione's hands. Dabbing her eyes, Hermione Granger leant forward to place a fond kiss on the bustling woman and mustered a smile.

"Has Ginny brought another conquest for lunch?"

Molly rolled her eyes in a motherly way which only seemed to come with age and herded Hermione into the warm, welcoming kitchen.

"Yes. Some American wizard…apparently he owns a chain of magical beauty boutiques."

The two women exchanged a glance of exasperation and amusement as they emerged in the living room, where much of the family was assembled, waiting to be called to the table. But before they entered, Molly gripped Hermione's arm tightly, holding her back with an affectionate smile.

"You would be a wonderful daughter."

Hermione couldn't say a thing so she just smiled and stepped away.

A sense of nostalgia greeted her at the familiar sight. It was as if nothing had happened, as if the Ron fiasco had never occurred. There was George sprawled tiredly on the sofa, his exuberant children racing around him, screaming into his one good ear. In the corner, Bill was laughing at something Fleur had said, his angelic blonde daughter perched on his lap. By the window, Charlie had his arm wrapped warmly around Luna's waist as she pointed enthusiastically at something printed in the quibbler. Percy was standing by his wife Penelope as she pulled his ear and whispered something vehement as he nodded along.

And of course, Ginny. The vibrant red hair was dyed a shade darker than her natural tone and she was dressed as if she were about to go clubbing, in a slinky black dress with a handbag on her arm…oops…boyfriend on her arm. Hermione took the opportunity to look him over. Handsome…was the first thing that came to mind and obviously rich judging by his clothing. Dirty blond hair and blue eyes, he was the classic type that Ginny preferred.

Unfortunately for Hermione, Ginny had quickly caught sight of her in all her dishevelled glory and made an instant beeline towards her, towing her new boyfriend eagerly behind her.

"Mione! Finally worked up some guts to face my brother?" Her tone was amused and acerbic.

Hermione forced a smile to her lips and willed herself not to lash out. "Something like that. How have you been Ginny?"

The red head smiled smugly and waved her hand at the blond standing behind her.

"I got a new boyfriend, have you met him?" She didn't wait for an answer. "This is Hudson, he owns a whole chain of…well…he's very rich…cute isn't he?"

Said boyfriend gave Hermione a smug smile, his hand drifting down to Ginny's nearly exposed backside, making her giggle in the most inane fashion as she turned towards him and latched onto his lips.

It was a truly disgusting sight, to watch Ginny Weasley suck face with another random and Hermione was seriously beginning to lose her appetite. Thankfully, a commotion by the door interrupted them and Harry emerged from the crowded doorway, Pansy's hand firmly in his.

As if a light switch had been flicked on, Ginny instantly straightened and donned her most sultry smile, her hand firmly holding Hudson's as she squealed and rushed over to the man-who-lived and threw her arms around him, her embrace nearly inappropriate for what was supposed to be a friendly hug.

"Have you met Hudson? He's very rich…"

Disgusted, Hermione turned away, grimacing as she nearly tripped on a worn footstool by the empty fireplace.

"Hello Hermione. Miss me?"

The moment that voice reached her ears, Hermione froze. It was as if someone had replaced her blood with ice cold water. Her muscles locked and the breath whooshed out of her lungs. Only her eyelids seemed to be working as they fluttered frantically, blinking away the burning tears of frustration and distress which seemed to swallow her whole.

Hermione's knuckles were white as she clenched her fists in her frayed jumper, her lips pressed firmly together to conceal the harsh gasp that was wrenched from her chest.

Slowly, dreading the sight, Hermione looked up and her plain brown eyes locked with his. The same innocent cornflower blue stared back at her and Hermione was almost deceived into believing that this was the same Ron she had loved for so damn long.

The dream was shattered instantly when her eyes landed on his lips.

He was smiling…that smile which said he had won something…a quidditch game; chess match…like he had won something crucial. Lounging there in the frayed old armchair, he looked disgustingly pleased with himself as he took in her worn state, as if she was before him on her knees, begging him to take her back.

Hermione clenched her teeth.

"Weasley." She hissed. The room had suddenly fallen silent, every man, woman and child watching their exchange eagerly like bloodthirsty gossipmongers. Even Ginny had relented from her high pitched flirtation, watching Hermione's unfolding distress as if it were something of a spectacle purely for her amusement.

"I told you. I said you would be back."

Hermione was sorely tempted to punch him.

"I'm not back. Like I said, Ronald, I'll never go back to you."

The bastard actually had the nerve to laugh, nearby, Hermione heard Ginny titter in amusement. "She'll go back." She whispered to Hudson who was watching with fascination. "She can't get anyone else…it's a miracle Ron's even interested in her. He's a professional quidditch player now you know…"

Hermione blocked out Ginny's grating comments and locked her gaze with Ron once more.

No…he looked nothing like the Ron she used to know…there was something so different about him now. The physical shell was still there, but what was inside…

"If you're not back, what are you doing here at the burrow?"

Her nails dug into her palms.

"Just because I've abandoned you, doesn't mean I plan on giving up on your family too."

Ron seemed not to hear her as he swirled his butterbeer.

"I heard you've been staying in a hotel…" Hermione shot an angry look at Harry who had the nerve to look not the least bit sorry.

"…if you need a place to stay, you're welcome to come back home. Some of you things are still there."

She laughed; a chilling dispassionate sound which made the room flinch. "Nothing I value, I'm sure."

There was a frigid pause as Hermione watched the violent red blush engulf Ron's pale freckled cheeks.

In an instant, he had leapt from his seat, his lips curled in a fuming sneer as he leant forward. Ron continued to force her back until Hermione's calves hit the wooden coffee table. Slowly, he leant over, pressing his body to hers.

Hermione shivered…not from fear or anger or even desire, but surprisingly from disgust…her body was repulsed by his touch but she had no where to go.

In the blink of an eye, Ron had shoved something into her hands and backed away, his sneer fixed firmly in place.

Curious, Hermione's eyes darted down and quickly caught sight of the Sunday prophet, its headline blinking to catch the reader's attention.

There was no need for the gimmick; Hermione's eyes had already fixed on the title.

MINISTRY MARRIAGE LAW!

Her throat tightened. She knew instantly what this meant…to be honest, she had been expecting it for sometime but she was never concerned about it as she had already been determined to marry Ron…but now…

She swallowed her dread. "What do you mean by this? You can't threaten me. Even with the law, I can marry someone else." Hermione's eyes quickly scanned a little of the article and smiled.

"It says right here that witches can petition for a marriage of their choice."

Ron smiled smugly.

"How many times do I have to tell you Mione? No one else will want you…" He said this as if he were telling a child the sky was blue. He stared at her drawn features for a moment longer before he slid his index finger down the page and pointed out a specific paragraph.

If a witch or wizard has been petitioned for an engagement but have not accepted any offers by the end of the three month period, the first petition will be accepted in their stead.

Ron gave her another complacent smile, like he had the right to smile at her as a lover would.

"I intend to be the first."


A/N: Another chapter...only the second of many I'm sure.

I hope you liked it. I know Draco and Hermione haven't met yet (well again) but I'm very carefully structuring their interaction so what you're anticipating is coming, and you'll love it once you see what I'm putting in the next chapter!

Stay tuned darlings!

TO MY REVIEWERS: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I NEVER EXPECTED SUCH A HUGE RESPONSE...I hope you'll stick with me through this rollercoaster!

Always,

Twilight to Midnight