Hello readers, welcome to another chapter of Reconciled Romance. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, and I'm sure you'll enjoy this one too :) Thank you for all the people that reviewed on the story already; I didn't think I would attract that many readers, Thank you!

I just want to let everyone know: I don't hate Ginny, I just think she's a really vulnerable character. I have some really interesting ideas for this story, and I promise, Ginny will get better :)

-Kelly

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters, settings, and book related plots belong to J.K. Rowling.

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Remembering

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A week had passed since Hermione learned that Harry and Ron would be coming home. Mrs. Weasley was going crazy- preparing a dinner so extravagantly for her two boys (Harry was always considered as a Weasley son). As far as Hermione knew, everyone was invited. Everyone wanted to greet the two wizards back home with hugs, kisses and lots of "congratulations" for becoming Aurors.

Hermione rechecked her body in the long mirror for the thousandth time this morning. She would be attending the dinner straight after work tonight, and she needed to look decent. Scratch that. Ron was going to see her for the first time in two years, she needed to look more than decent. Her skinny, petite body was dressed in a plain white blouse, a black cardigan, and a short gray skirt that reached a few inches above her knees. She matched her outfit with black heels and a couple bracelets on her thin wrists.

The last time Ron had seen her, she still had a couple scars on her face and a busted lip from the fight at Hogwarts. She remembered that she was mad at him for some reason, but she couldn't remember why. But then again they were always fighting about something silly and unimportant.

"Ginny! I'm leaving for work now!" Hermione yelled out as she walked out of her bedroom. Living with Ginny had been fun for the first couple of weeks, but as time went on Ginny's behavior had been too out of control. Hermione had noticed that in the past few months Ginny had lost a significant amount of weight, and she wondered if it was because of all the alcohol and hard partying.

Hermione noticed that Ginny's bedroom door was open, and she decided to stick her head in. She spotted Ginny laying on her bed, under the sheets, motionless but wide awake. "What do you want?" Ginny spoke in a monotone, she didn't even bother to look up.

The curly haired witches' eyes widened, and she walked fully into Ginny's messy room. There were clothes scattered all over the floor and dishes of uneaten food laying around on her bedside table. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that I was leaving for work." Hermione eyed the whole room and a look of disgust was smeared across her face.

"So? I don't care," Ginny blinked away and avoided eye contact with Hermione. There was a sound of annoyance in her voice, something that was new. Something that was never there before. Hermione looked at Ginny and took in her disheveled form. Her bright red hair was in a messy ponytail and she had dark bags under her eyes. Her small voice spoke again, "Um, you can go now."

Squinting her eyes at the younger girl, Hermione's tone raised a little, "You know Ginny, I tried to put up with your attitude but you're making it unbearable now. You're always out partying and getting drunk, coming home to vomit in the toilet. And the few times when you are home, you're locked up in your room wasting the day away. I know I took on a responsibility when I agreed to move in with you, but come on. Enough is enough. I was willing to pay all the bills and such, because I know you're still young. I would greatly appreciate it if you got off your bum to do something productive. Like maybe, getting a job."

For the first time, Ginny looked Hermione straight in the eye while sitting up on her bed. She let out a little gasp and crossed her arms over her chest, "Excuse me? You have no right to talk to me like that! You're not my mother, Hermione! Do not talk to me as if I'm a little girl! Why did you agree to move in with me in the first place if you couldn't handle it? Why don't you just go find another roommate if I'm all that bad! You're just saying all this stuff to me because you're jealous of my social life! You are so freaking uptight, maybe you'll loosen up a bit if you had some friends. Some real friends."

Ginny's face had turned a dark shade of red, and she regretted the words she said as soon as she said them. She knew she was wrong. Hermione was her best friend, she didn't deserve to be treated like crap. But filled with her Weasley stubbornness and pride, Ginny stood on her bed with her arms still crossed over her chest. She wasn't going to show any weakness now.

On the other hand, Hermione felt tears threatening her eyes, not of sadness but out of frustration. "You know what? You're right, I do need some real friends. I'm tired of you thinking that you're a little princess that could get away with anything! And before you start criticizing my life, why don't you take a step back and examine your own." With that, Hermione left the room, banging the door loudly behind her. She was still trying to catch her breathe while her body shook in anger, and a few tears fell down from her eyes.

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"Feels like we're traveling from Hogwarts again, doesn't it?" Ron spoke, shoving a few of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans into his mouth. They were in a small and empty train compartment, on their way home. There were rules about aparating in and out of the Auror training headquarters, so Harry and Ron decided to take a train home. It felt more real this way. It felt like they were kids again- coming home on the Hogwarts Express. Other members of their crew decided to fly home on broomstick, or aparate once they were outside the training grounds. But it seemed genuine and realistic to be traveling on a train, it was slowly starting to hit them- they were actually on their way home. But most importantly, Ron was on his way to Hermione.

Harry nodded his head, "It feels a bit different though- without Hermione. Blimey, the past two years have felt different without her. She's always been with us mate, through everything." Ron's mind was clouded with thoughts of a certain witch, and wasn't paying attention to the rest of Harry's sentence. He was still stuck on one word, Hermione. He wondered how much she could have changed in the past couple of years. He wondered if she was still skinny, with smooth, slightly tanned skin. He leaned back in his seat and pictured her eyes in his head. God, those beautiful amber coloured eyes.

He wondered if she still had her wildly crazy hair, and big front teeth. Ron laughed out loud as he thought of all the new books she must have read during the past two years, and all of the old books she re-read during the years.

"Are you okay, Ron?" Harry asked, helping himself to a couple of snacks that were scattered on an empty seat in the train compartment. While they were training, their mentors gave them a strict diet and forbid them from eating any junk food. Harry and Ron almost forgot what sugar tasted like after all these years, hence the pile of sweets that laid between them.

A deep blush crawled from Ron's pale neck, to his cheeks, "I was just... thinking about her." Harry nodded, but didn't tease Ron about it because he knew how much he cared for Hermione. He knew exactly how he felt, he knew how it felt to be in love.

Harry took a bite from a Pumpkin Pastie and chewed loudly, "So are you gonna tell her then? When we get back?"

Ron turned to Harry, leaned closer to him and smiled, "Yeah, and here's the plan..."

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Hermione Granger had been huffing and puffing all day while working. There had been an enormous amount of documents for her to get through, and she was still heated over her argument with Ginny. That spoiled brat! Hermione didn't mean all the things she said to her... not really. She was just angry at the moment, and words just flew out of her mouth, uncensored.

But finally her long nine hour work day was coming to an end, and she could wait to wipe the sweat off her face and go to the Burrow for the big dinner. Hermione hoped that her hair wasn't too wild today due to all the stress, and wondered if she still had that small bottle of a hair crème at the bottom of her purse.

Her office door was wide open today, and she could see the people in their cubicles leaving, ready to go home and be with their families for the weekend. Just as Hermione was getting her coat, someone knocked on her already opened door.

"Um, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione whirled around in her spot, still holding her coat. "Yes?" There was a young man with dark brown hair at the door, dressed in simple business clothes. Hermione had recognized him as the Boss' new "go to" boy. She didn't necessarily like him, but then again she didn't really know him. He looked like the typical conceited rich prick, but Hermione kept a pleasant smile on her face anyway.

"I was told to give this to you," He said, handing her a small yellow paper. His green eyes gleamed into hers, and Hermione took a little step back. After she thanked him, he left the room and closed the office door behind him.

The young witch sighed as she re-read the small note over and over again until the sentence was embedded into her brain. Her boss wanted her to work late. It was something about an important meeting tomorrow, and he needed Hermione to take care of all the documentations by tonight. Sighing again, she dropped her coat on the already cluttered desk, and resumed working. It would probably take her a whole extra hour before meeting up with every one at the Burrow.

This is what she wanted, right? To become head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It had been her dream since she was her third year at Hogwarts. But she would have to go through ludicrous jobs like this to reach her final goal. She knew she was still young, and it would take her years to get the kind of job she dreamed of.

Hermione had been lost in her thoughts and almost didn't notice the loud footsteps from outside her office. Thump thump thump. Her heart beat stopped immediately and her breathing stopped. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? No... no it couldn't be. She was here, alone. No one else was in the office... no one. But the footsteps got closer and closer, and after a few seconds it stopped. Hermione jumped up from her seat, and grabbed her wand off the dark brown desk. She sneaked out from behind the desk, and walked closer to the door. Whoever was outside the room was not going to hurt Hermione. Unlike her nightmares, she was ready.

The door knob rattled, and before she knew it, she heard it click. The door opened just a crack at first, then after a few seconds, it opened wider and wider. Hermione was at the side of the room, with her wand at the ready, unable to see who was in the doorway because the door was blocking her view.

A young man with crimson red hair walked over the threshold, and took a step into the office. Hermione let out a small cry, her nightmare was coming true. Everything so far had happened the same. But Hermione was awake, and she new that Voldemort was dead! She clutched her wooden wand tighter in her sweaty hands and let out a small whimper.

The man cleared his throat at the sound, and gulped nervously, "'Ermione?" He looked around the office, and spotted Hermione's frightened figure on the side of the room.

"Ron?" She cried a loud as he ran up to her and scooped her into the tightest hug. She felt her feet leave the floor as Ron lifted her off the carpeted ground. "Ron? It's really you!" She exclaimed into his chest as he continued to hold her tightly. Tears were pouring down her face, and for a moment she couldn't decide if she really was dreaming or not. She felt her lungs grow weak as Ron squeezed the life out of her. But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the both let go, but still held each others hands. There were still tears streaming down Hermione's face, and Ron's eyes had also been slightly watery. "Ron," Hermione choked, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the Burrow?"

Ron shrugged, and flashed a wide smile at Hermione with his bright blue eyes, "I wanted to surprise you," he spoke in a deep voice, "I wanted to come see you first before going to the Burrow." He smirked down at her and she couldn't stop smiling. Hermione nodded at him and for the first time, her eyes adjusted to the young man in front of her. He was still the same height, much taller than her, with the same messy red hair. His shoulders were broader, and the short sleeved t-shirt looked snug on top of his newly built muscles.

She smiled up at him, "What about Harry? Is he with you?" Although Hermione was ecstatic to see Ron, she would have liked to see Harry as well. After all, he was her best friend, almost like her brother.

Ron smiled back down at her and shook his head, "No, he wanted to go see Ginny at the Burrow first." A pang of guilt hit Hermione's heart at the mention of his younger sister. She made a mental note in her head to apologize to her later, while Ron continued, "Also, I wanted to come by myself because there's something I have to do. Well... more like something I have to say..."

Hermione tilted her head to the side, and waited for Ron to speak again.