Dear Hermione,

You were right. I had overreacted, even though I hate to admit it. I took your "hint" and Luna said yes. We've been together for the past few weeks, and I hope you don't think that's too fast. You should here her go on about Gernumblies! Did you know they're real?

You were right about Lavender too, though nothing's happened between us, she admitted at work that she liked me. Urgh, glad that was settled. I told her straight about that. I'm sorry things didn't work out between us, but I hope I can see you soon.

Lots of love,

Ron

"What? Ron and Luna?" Ginny said, laughing as if it was madness, continuing to read over Hermione's shoulder. "I never saw that one coming."

"Luna's liked him for a while, you know. Anyway, there just as bonkers as one another, in a good way of course. " Hermione smiled.

At least he's okay now.

She sat down at the kitchen table, biting her lip - a common habit of hers. Why couldn't I have just listened and trusted him? No, what if he had wandered off with Lavender again? Hermione thought, at least glad that Luna would be a better choice than that stupid bimbo anyway. Luna might not have realised it at the time, but Hermione was sure whenever she was talking about Nargles, Ron was somehow transfixed with what she was saying.

"Hermione, you there?" Harry called from the living room and chucked his coat onto the side of a chair.

The moment he saw her he pulled her into a tight hug, a smile beaming on both of their faces. Even through all Hermione's rows with Ron, Harry had always been there to try and help her; it was in his nature.

"It's great to see you again. I'm sorry about..." He mumbled awkwardly, not wanting to mention Ron directly. "Oh, by the way, you wouldn't happen to know how to stop an office from raining again, do you?"

"I'd have thought you'd remembered by now Harry, it's Meteolojinx Recanto."

"Right, thanks." Harry walked slowly towards the door again and whispered quietly. "I need to tell you something. Not with Ginny around though."

They both sneaked into the hallway, while Ginny was cooking.

"I'm thinking of proposing." He said, making sure a Muffliato charm was securely placed on the door.

Hermione stood there, as it took a while for it to sink in. "Really? Oh my gosh, are you sure?" she said, and gasped with delight. She always knew that Harry and Ginny were more than brilliant together; they were both incredibly headstrong and caring, yet Ginny was one of the few people to settle Harry's worries and he for her.

"Definitely, and you know that I'm sure." He flashed a wry smile, and Hermione nodded. "It was awful to try not to think of what she was going through at Hogwarts when we were away. If it wasn't for her, I don't know if I'd have chosen to come back."

"Harry... I know..." She brushed her hand over his shoulder, wondering if she'd ever love someone so much as he loved Ginny. "Don't you think you're young though? Shouldn't you wait until you're older?"

"I'm only proposing." He teased, and he suddenly looked nervous as those few words sunk in. "It's not like we'll get married straight away. God, I haven't even begun to think about preparations and everything. She'll change her mind about colours every day-"

"Harry, just calm down," She laughed, still revelling in the news herself that her two best friends would marry. "Should I give you two a moment then? When are you proposing?"

"Tomorrow, if I can. There's no time like the present, as they say."

Harry smiled, pleased with himself for telling Hermione before he became too nervous and backed out. He went back into the kitchen, and just so Ginny wouldn't think anything suspicious, she followed a few minutes after. Lucky. She thought, realising she was pretty jealous of the two of them.


Over the next two months Hermione busied herself with work at Hogwarts, helping McGonogall by taking most of the week's Tranfiguration lessons while she was away or busy. Hermione dismissed the first-year students from Transfiguration one afternoon, just before the bell tolled, as she wanted to head to Hogsmeade and see George Weasley about the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' products that had miraculously somehow sneaked back into the school, after recent rule breaking from the students. Clearing up her things and leaving the Transfiguration room, she made her way to the little town of Hogsmeade.

She started along the main street, after several hours spent talking to George and somehow being dragged into reorganising the WonderWitch shelves. Smiling at the fact that this would have given Harry more than enough time to talk to Ginny, she turned down a short alleyway, the sky above becoming a speckled dark grey.

Pulling her cloak around her as it began raining, she looked up to see a silhouette of a man barring off the exit. She was about to turn back before a rough hand reached from behind her and grabbed her shirt collar.

"Oi! Get off me!" She gasped, reaching for her wand in her robe pocket, but another cloaked man stood just behind her had grabbed it first. Her feet were inches off the ground, suspended by the ruthless man in front of her. "Let me go or I swear-"

"Look at the girl, squirming. Helpless pathetic Mudblood." He spat. His voice wasn't familiar, although she could tell he was fairly old and obviously a Pureblood by his choice of words.

"I know Aurors, I can send them after you!" Her throat felt restricted and sore; her voice rasped as his fingers tightened around her neck as she spoke.

"Why, do you think she's threatening us?" The other mocked with a hellish, harsh laugh, twirling her wand back and forth in his hands, his face masked.

"Please, I don't have any Galleons on me."

"A likely story-" His hand reached for her other pocket, containg her purse.

There was a flash of light, from the other end of the alley. The first man dropped to his knees and collapsed, his grip slacking on Hermione's neck, and she pushed him away. The other man gave her a wary look, worried that she had another wand, or that there was someone else around. He slammed her hard against the brick wall where her head hit it with great pain, before turning and fleeing down the alley.

Her eyesight was disorientated. She felt dizzy and fell to the floor, unconcious. However not before she glimpsed a small ferret-like animal scurry her way, its fur an unmistakable white, the last thing that stuck in her mind before she was enveloped in darkness.