Draco and Ron faced each other and immediately went into "I'm the Alpha Male" mode. They stood as tall as possible, with heads up and eyes locked. They even puffed their chests out. Hermione, who was watching, almost giggled. Boys!

Ron marked his territory first. 'I'm here to see my girlfriend.'

'I will see if Miss Granger is free. Please wait here' said Draco, shutting the door. As he did so he realised he'd made an error; he'd admitted he knew both the visitor and whom his girlfriend was. Damn.

'I'd better see him' said Hermione. 'Would you mind giving us a bit of space?'

Draco opened the door. 'Miss Granger will see you now.' He turned to her. 'I'll be just outside – making sure the soups out of harm's way.'

Ron stood rather awkwardly in the middle of the room. 'Hello.'

'Hi.'

'I was just passing.'

'Oh.' She wasn't looking at him.

'So…I thought…we've not seen each other for a while, have we?'

'Well, I've been busy, you know. What with here and looking for somewhere to live.' She was very proud of the fact she'd not allowed any sarcasm to creep in.

Ron rubbed the back of his neck. 'Look, I'm sorry about that. I never meant…I was just…'

'It's done now.'

'So, where are you staying?'

'At a guest house, nothing special.'

'You could have come to The Burrow.'

'Maybe not. Are you going to sit down?'

Ron sat. 'What about him?' He flicked his head towards the door.

'What about him?'

'Where's he staying?

'The same place. I wasn't going to turn him back out on the streets.'

'Must be expensive – two rooms.' Ron wasn't certain, but had a fair idea of what the answer would be, and he knew Hermione would never lie to him.

Hermione took a deep breath, he'd find out eventually. 'We're sharing. It's a twin room; two beds.'

Ron stiffened and stared at her. His ears started to take on a pink tinge. 'Big room is it? Long walk between the beds?'

Hermione wasn't going to get upset. 'We're sharing a room, that's all, and if you don't believe me then you might as well go now.'

'No, I believe you' Ron said quickly. He was fighting for his girlfriend, and he wasn't going to give her up to Malfoy that easily. 'I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. We've not been out together for ages.'

Hermione gave him a small smile. 'I suppose I have abandoned you a bit recently, haven't I? Where do you want to go?'

'I could come round…' he saw her face fall a touch, 'or we could meet somewhere. What about "The Leaky Cauldron" at 8 o'clock?'

'No, not there. Let's go to "The Hippogriff and Jockey" instead.'

'Ok.' There was a rather awkward silence between them. 'Well, I'd better go, I suppose. I'll see you tonight, then.'

'Yeah, tonight.'

Once he'd left, Hermione put her head in her hands; she wasn't looking forward to this at all. She was still in that position when Draco came back into the room. He sat at his desk and carried on working.

'I'm going out tonight' said Hermione.

'Uh-huh.'

'With Ron.'

'Hmm.'

They worked on in silence for a minute or so.

'I may not be back; I might stay over at his house.'

'Alright.'

'You don't mind?'

Fortunately they had their backs to each other, so she couldn't see him take a deep breath to steady himself. 'What is there to mind? He is your boyfriend. Now, where did I put that invoice? Ah, here it is.'

Hermione found it impossible to place anything on her desk for the next half hour. Everything had to be SLAMMED down. The stapler went off like a canon every time she used it.

Eventually she spun round and glared at him. 'So what's your problem, Malfoy?'

He looked up, trying to appear bemused. 'I wasn't aware I had one.'

'Well…that's good, then. Because I don't have to explain myself to you, you know.'

'Yes, I know that.'

They spent the rest of the day in silence. Or rather, Hermione wasn't talking to him and he was quite glad of it.

-o0o-

Draco was laid on his bed reading a Muggle newspaper when Hermione came out of the bathroom. She had a rather shapeless sweatshirt on over her jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail and she wasn't wearing any make-up. Many adjectives had been applied to her over the years, but glamorous was never one of them.

'Well, I'm off now.'

'Right. Have fun.'

'What's that meant to mean?' she demanded of him.

'Fairly standard dictionary definition of the word "fun" – deriving enjoyment or pleasure.'

She started searching through her handbag. 'I've got my keys, and money. I am going, you know.'

'Yes. I'll see you when you get back, or tomorrow.'

She slammed the door as she left. Draco threw the paper to one side and sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands and his mind full of mixed emotions. By tonight she and The Weasel would either still be together – or not.

If they were, he would have to move out into his own place. Weasley would never accept him, and them sharing a room – or even a flat – would only lead to arguments. He couldn't let that happen; he couldn't let her be damaged. He was starting to like Hermione - well, respect her. She was hard working and intelligent and was actually trying to do something to help people – his people. He still didn't really know why she wanted to. He wasn't wholly convinced with her "Never Again" point. Perhaps, and this was strange to him, she just liked helping those who couldn't help themselves. Maybe it was simply that she was kind.

On the other hand, if she split up with Weasley, what then? They would both need somewhere permanent to live, and it made sense to share the cost. Could it work? Hermione Granger (current heroine) and Draco Malfoy (former Death Eater) sharing - "living together". That had connotations, which could also potentially damage her.

Either way, she could be in trouble. Draco shook his head and couldn't work it out. If he knew more about the Muggle world he would have had a phrase for it, of course. "How did she become the bad guy?"

-o0o-

"The Hippogriff and Jockey" was not the most salubrious place, but it was quiet and they were unlikely to see anyone they knew – like Hannah Abbot. Ron was already there when she arrived, and got up to meet her. She gave him a very brief hug, and he got her a butterbeer. They sat together in a rather strained silence for a while.

'So, how have you been? Ron asked, eventually.

Hermione shrugged. 'You know.'

'Mum's been asking what's going on, why you haven't been coming round. I told her you were busy with work.'

'Well, I have been I suppose.' They lapsed back into silence.

'I've missed you, Hermione. All of a sudden things seem to have changed between us. Are you still angry with me about the soup thing?'

She picked up her glass, watching the liquid as she swirled it around. 'That's part of it. It was such a stupid thing to do, Ron. Those people need us at the moment and something like that can drive them away. If that happens – they could die.'

'It was just seeing him, like that. It brought back so much. I'm sorry; it won't happen again. Am I forgiven?' He risked a small smile at her. She didn't return it.

'It isn't just that, Ron. The whole thing with me working there, and then my parents; even Hannah and the way she reacted. It's like the whole world is ganging up on me and telling me how to live my life. I feel like I'm a child who has to be watched and told when it's bed time. Do you know what I mean?'

It was his turn to say nothing.

'What I'm doing now is important to me. I really feel I'm making a difference.'

'You could do that at the Ministry.'

'I'm not so sure any more. There I'm just part of a machine, and only a little cog. Maybe I'm better off outside it.'

Ron shifted a little in his seat. 'Where does Malfoy come into it?'

Hermione gave a rather weary laugh. 'He's just helping out, that's all. He knows how to speak to them, and they trust him in a way they'll never trust me.'

'You're spending a lot of time with him.'

'We work together, so it's hard not to. As for the rest, that's just circumstances.' She looked at him properly for the first time that evening. 'There's nothing going on. He doesn't care about me.'

'Hannah seemed to think you were pretty friendly.'

'We had ONE drink together. Are you honestly telling me you've never done that with a colleague?' She thought it best not to mention the curry and night out.

'My colleagues aren't Death Eaters.'

'Oh for God's sake, Ron!' Hermione exploded. 'How many times? It's what he was brought up to be. He was programmed from birth. Yes, he could have fought it, and been like Sirius, but he wasn't. He's more like Regulus; by the time he woke up to what was happening it was too late. He knows exactly what he did, and how wrong it all was.'

'Are you going to stop associating with him?' Ron asked, very quietly.

'No.'

'I knew you'd say that. You're going to do what you want to do and to hell with everyone else. Aren't you?'

'I've only got one life, Ron, and this is it. If I'm not doing what I want, then what am I doing? I'm just keeping everyone else happy and to hell with me.'

Ron nodded and looked down. 'So that's the end of us, then.'

Hermione's face crumpled as the tears arrived. 'I'm sorry, Ron. I didn't want to hurt you, and I did love you…'

'Did?'

'We change, and sometimes we can't both change enough. Truly, I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I can't be what you want me to be.'

Ron wiped a tear from his eye, and stood up. He wanted to say so much to her, to tell her how much he loved her and how much she meant to him, but couldn't. 'Have a good life, Hermione. Honestly, I mean it. I'll never forget you.'

Then he was gone, and she was left sitting on her own with tears running unchecked down her cheeks.

-o0o-

Hermione spent hours wandering aimlessly through the streets. Memories of Ron, and the times they'd spent together, swirled through her mind and she fought to tell herself that she'd done the right thing.

They'd spent a day in Hogsmeade laughing and joking and she'd never been so happy.

They'd never agree that history was behind them and the future needed to be built.

He'd carried her from Malfoy Mansion, telling her that everything would be alright and that she was safe.

He'd never fully support her in her quest.

She'd kissed him during the battle when she thought they were all going to die, and felt his arms around her.

She had work to do.

Eventually she apparated back to the guest house, exhausted by her emotions. Draco knew exactly what had happened the moment she walked through the door. He didn't say anything; he just stood up and held his arms out to her.

She came to him for a hug and let the tears flow freely. Draco held her, and stroked her back, making soothing noises. When she had calmed a little he picked her up and laid her on her bed, holding her until she cried herself to sleep.