Thanks for all the reviews, its so encouraging for me! I slacked off on updating as soon as I had hoped, I'm sorry. I'm still quite lost on what the plot of this story is going to be, other than developing harry and Hermione's relationship, so if you have any ideas, they are welcome!

Harry checked his new watch after Neville had left, it was already past 10:30. Harry found it fitting, for many reasons, that Hermione had chosen to give him a watch as a present. He was filled with old memories of how they used the time-turners to rescue Sirius, how during their seventh year they had used time-turners to increase the time they had during the summer to find horcruxes, and more recently, the pain he felt waiting all those years for her to return from America. He stared down at the emerald face plate, praying that he would never have to go another minute missing her.

"Harry!" Ron brought him out of his trance.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought for a second there"

"Yeah, well get it together mate, Tom's letting us move to the back room. Seems theres a particularly annoying flying pest out here, and you know how I feel about insects."

Harry noticed Hermione glaring towards the window and turned to see a very familiar beetle whose wings seemed to be humming with excitement.

"Hello, Rita." Harry greeted her, quite coolly. With a pop the beetle morphed back into its equally pesky human form.

"Hermione, my dear, I'm so glad to see you again. Really, its a pleasure, what have you been doing all this time? How is your life in America? Care to answer anything about how your relationship with these two fine gentlemen has changed, particularly Mr. Potter? How did the bloody battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named change you? All of this would be, of course, off the record, unless you wanted to, say, grant me a private interview?"

Hermione frowned. Harry remembered her reasoning for leaving last time, all the publicity she had gained from the battle with Voldemort. Here was Rita, jeopardizing her staying, Harry tensed up, "Rita, you know how Hermione feels about the press, and you, for that matter, so don't bother her, or I'll be forced to -"

"Harry, don't worry, I'll handle it," Hermione said softly, she turned to Rita, "I'll agree to do one interview with you, just not right now, give me time to get settled, I'm asking for a few conditions, that is, no quick quotes quill and you can't put your spin the story. I'll owl you about it."

Rita was positively glowing with delight, and with that Ron ushered Hermione and Harry to follow him into the back room so that they could all have a bit more peace. Harry knew that news would get out fast that Hermione was back in England after their run in with Rita Skeeter.

"Hermione? You know, you're still going to be getting publicity now, even though it has been quite a while, you're not going to – er – change your mind, about staying, that is?" Harry asked, his words seeming to stumble out of his mouth.

"I understand all of that now, Harry. I'm not as foolish as I was back then. I'm staying. You and Ron are putting up with the press, so I'll bear it too." She smiled at him, wishing he wouldn't doubt her so much, but understanding how she had lost a bit of his trust. How could she not? She had left her best friend after they had the most traumatizing experience of their life, war. She had left him and Ron to cope on their own.

"Lighten up a bit mate, Hermione says she's staying and that's what she'll do, if she doesn't we can hex her, right 'Mione?" jested Ron. she beamed at him, thankful for his shot of warm comedy.

"Swear, we can hex you?" asked Harry, grinning.

"Hand to Merlin," she swore, "but you won't be needing to worry with it boys, I'm not leaving."

Ron moved over to the couch in the corner, "Thank God we're back here, I hate wearing these robes during the summer, its too hot! But Merlin forbid you see the minister in muggle clothing, it would be so indecent," He pulled off his robe and hung it across a chair, revealing muggle slacks and shirt. "You know, I quite prefer some jeans and a t-shirt to these stuffy robes. I can understand where Dad was coming from all those years, his fascination with muggles, they can be pretty bright."

Hermione reflected on how Ron had changed, he was now such a well rounded man. The youngest minister ever, charming and humble, he was intelligent, she knew that, but now he was finally applying it. She was glad to see that he had lost his old prejudices about muggles. She thought about the death of Arthur Weasley, and how it had affected Ron, driving him into the Ministry with such ambition, revising the Auror department, taking a greater interest in Muggle Affairs. It was clear Ron had taken his grief and handled it well, not only for his own sake, but now he was improving the wizarding world. She was overwhelmed with pride for her best friend.

It forced her to put Harry's life in perspective. He, on the other hand, had been consumed by his losses and it had destroyed him. Turning to addiction he was slowly committing suicide, Hermione regretted not showing up sooner and helping him get it together. Harry Potter could have been the most influential wizard in the word, and instead he was self-destructing.

"Well, Hermione, we should all make plans for tomorrow. What would you like to do? Want to go to Diagon ally and have a look around? Surely you'll be needing some stuff since you've just moved here." asked Harry.

She scrutinized the man in front of her, it seemed so sadly ironic that the man she had known, who had always played the hero, could not save himself.

"Hogwarts. I want to go to Hogwarts again, and see all the teachers, and have a look around. For old time's sake."

"Alright then, its settled," declared Ron, "tomorrow we'll go to Hogwarts, for old time's sake." he mocked, his eyes twinkling.

alright guys, thats all for now. Read and review, please! By the way, did you see the new international trailer for OotP, isn't it amazing?!?!