Her heart was racing and her hands were shaking as she drank to calm the nerves and nausea. Ron disappeared into his room and came back with an old shirt for her to wear before pointing her in the direction of the shower and, when she was gone he floo called Theo to let the man know she was safe. He wasn't Theodore Nott's biggest fan but he knew the former Slytherin loved and adored his best friend and would never do anything to hurt her and though he didn't know the man well, he knew well enough to know he would be out of his mind with worry if he didn't know where Hermione was that night so, as soon as he heard the water running he sprinkled some powder into the fire and stuck his head through.

Theo had just walked into the house when Ron's face popped up nearly giving him a fright, both men looked shocked and Ron tried to pretend he couldn't see the raw grief written across the other man's face as he let him know Hermione was safe. He was just about to go back through to his own flat when Theo asked "how is she?" His voice rough and broken and Ron sighed, he told Theo it wasn't his place to say but that she wasn't great and then left before he was coerced into spilling all of his secrets.

He made Hermione a mug of hot chocolate when he pulled himself back through to his own grate and, lacing it with dreamless sleep he put it in the spare room before shouting to her that everything she needed was in there and going to bed himself for the night.

Hermione stood under the shower for what felt like an eternity and yet, at the same time, not at all long enough as the twin jets of water beamed down on her and she relished in the feeling of the hot water hitting her bare skin. She stood there and cried as she tried not to think about the decision she had had to make that evening and though she knew it was a colossal mistake she knew she had to stick by it because it was the best thing for him all round. She didn't move until she was sufficiently pruned and wet through before grabbing a towel and turning off the water.

Soon enough she was in bed and drinking her chocolate before drowsiness took over and she fell into a deep sleep.

Waking the next day Hermione noted it was already lunch when she roused, the longest she had slept in a while. Ron was up and sat in the small kitchen reading a newspaper as he drank his coffee.

"Any new and excited news today?" She yawned as she entered the room and headed for the steaming pot of black life sustaining liquid before pouring herself a cup.

Ron hesitated and sighed before folding the paper over and passing it along to his best friend. "Suppose you'll find out anyway" he said as she took it from his hands.

Hermione unfolded the paper, "Wedding bells or Nott?" she read aloud as the headline, that took up the entire front page except for the part where there was a picture of her running from Theo, assaulted her eyes.

"In a twist that will surely shock the residents of the Wizarding community and especially those close to the former couple it comes as a great surprise to us all that when one Theodore Nott, former Slytherin housemate, quidditch player and Sacred-Twenty-Eight descendant got down on one knee in front of his long time girlfriend Hermione Granger and proposed to marry the witch she refused his offer before fleeing the lavish establishment.

The entire scene was caught on camera by one of our very own reporters and so we come to you with this exclusive; Witches of Great Britain far and wide the handsome, generous and downright witty Theodore Nott is back on the market, but how long will it be before someone catches his interest?

Granger, as we all know well by now has been on a Werewolf rights mission since she stepped out of Hogwarts and though there have been a few changes to the law since, she hasn't managed to further her career. Her role in the Golden Trio as the shared love interest of Harry Potter and Rupert Weasley was minimal at best, why anyone would dupe the plain Jane muggle-born girl as 'the brightest witch her age' we really don't know for we see her as she really is; boring and plain though, of course, she does have excellent taste when it comes to her choice of wizards. Or does she? Why would someone like her turn down such a catch like Theodore Nott?

Turn to page three to find out more.

"Why in Godrics name do they always call me Rupert?" Ron huffed as Hermione finished reading the article.

"Really, Ron? That's what's bothering you right now? Out of this entire article that's the the first thing you say?"

"Just sayin' 's'all, be nice if they got my name right just once, it's like being back in Slughorn's class all over again" he muttered as he cast his eyes down into his mug.

Hermione drank the contents of her own mug quickly before turning towards the cupboards and looking for the firewhiskey and heading for the couch. Ron might have been a wizard but he loved television and collected DVDs and so the pair spent the rest of the day curled up with a blanket and a bottle of Firewhiskey as they watched Hermione's favourite movies, Star Wars and Moulin Rouge.