She handed him a fresh cup of tea and sat down.

'When I was eleven, I got and letter and my parents put me on a train and waved goodbye. I was so excited. I really thought this was it; I was going to a world where I belonged. I was wrong. It turned out to be seven years of absolute hell.'

Harry looked at her in amazement.

'Oh, come on Harry! I was chased and attacked and ended up in the hospital wing more times than I can remember. Did we actually have a year when I wasn't nearly killed?

Then, of course, there were the insults and the hatred because of whom, or rather what, my parents were. So I had to prove I was as good as them, or better. I nearly had a breakdown in third year because of it. I was fourteen.

Then, to cap it all, I spent a year in a tent, having sent my parents half way round the world to try and save their lives, leaving me here hiding and scared out of my wits. And when we were caught, who did they torture? Me, because I was the mudblood.

Then, all of a sudden, it was over. Of course, I had to watch my friends dying in front of me first, but at least it was over.'

'You were loved as well, Hermione' said Harry, in no more than a whisper. 'Don't forget that.'

'I haven't. I thought that once it was over I could live my life, with Ron. I did love him, honestly I did, and we could have been happy together.

But, by then I was a heroine, wasn't I? And, you know, that was even worse because everyone wanted a part of me. Well, not me, but The Famous Hermione Granger.'

Every time I went out somebody wanted a picture, or to shake hands. If I went into a shop to buy a pair of knickers it made the papers. If they could get a picture of me holding them it was a double page spread.

People didn't want to know ME, they wanted to know what colour underwear I had on.

It was the same with all the things I was invited to. It was only the pictures they wanted. And I had to smile for the camera, of course. You know what they called me if I didn't smile, don't you?'

'I know. I saw it.'

'Yeah. Her-moany Granger. How bloody hilarious!'

The outburst seemed to exhaust her, and she drank some tea whilst she recovered.

'I just couldn't stand it any more. So, I walked. It just got to the stage where getting away was more important than anything, even Ron.' Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. 'I don't know, maybe this time it was a real breakdown. I feel so sorry for Ron; I ruined his life as well. But anything had to be better than what I was going through.' She wiped her face angrily, as though ashamed of showing emotion.

Harry looked around her sordid little flat. 'And what you've got now is better?'

'Yes, it is. There's no pressure, no expectation any more. I'm nobody; just Nina. Just another single mum.'

'Where does Rosie fit in? Where's her dad?'

'I don't always follow the rules, Harry. I don't know who he is.'

Harry gaped at her, and she shrugged.

'I got lonely one night, so I went to a bar a got picked up. It was the first time I'd ever done it.' Her eyes begged him to believe her.

'Then he walked out on you, yeah?'

'No, I did the walking. The next morning, before he woke up. I left a note on his pillow saying "Thanks".'

'And you didn't use a charm?'

'I'd smashed my wand by then. I snapped it in half and threw it in the river. I thought it took really powerful magic to destroy a wand, but it just snapped like an old stick. Maybe it'd already died.

Anyway, I found out later I was pregnant. I couldn't get rid of her. She's the salvage.'

Harry tried to take in all he'd heard, tried to make sense of it. 'Alright, Hermione. Even with all that, even if you wanted out – a waitress in a back street café? You didn't leave your brain behind; you could be anything.'

'Seven NEWTS are no good to me out here. I've got no qualifications.'

'So get them. You can pass Muggle exams easily enough. Go to evening classes or something.'

'And who looks after Rosie?'

'We will. I will. Go back to your parents; they'll understand, they'll help you. They love you; we love you.'

'Harry, a reformed alcoholic is always an alcoholic; he just hasn't had a drink today. One day at a time. That's me, now. If I backslide I'll go back completely; I know it. I live my life one more day at a time. One more day free of it all. Free of the hell of being Hermione Granger.'

They sat in silence for a while; Harry desperately trying to marshal arguments. Eventually, she spoke.

'You said if I told you, you'd go.'

He slumped in his chair. For the first time ever, Harry Potter had been defeated. He didn't miss the irony that he had lost not to his bitterest foe, but to his dearest friend. It hurt even more.

'Nothing else I can say?'

'Nothing else you can say. Thank you for trying, but I'm sorry.'

'Me too.'

He stood up and walked to the door. She came with him and opened it and he stepped over the threshold.

'Can I come and see you occasionally, just to check you're OK?'

'Please, don't.'

He nodded, though it felt like a stake had been driven through his heart. He couldn't stop the tears falling.

'Goodbye, Hermione.'

'I'm Nina now. Goodbye, Harry.'

The door closed with an almost inaudible click, and he turned and walked slowly down the stairs.

Fin

There is just one life for each of us: our own. Euripides