She worked like an automaton for the next couple of days. Food was served and clothes sorted and washed. People were interviewed for jobs and she ate and drank and slept – just like nothing was wrong. It was, though.

Ron had been part of her life for ten years, and now he was gone. She tried telling herself it was for the best, that they had grown apart and it was time to move on, but a part of her wanted to run back to him and beg forgiveness and ask him to take her back. Perhaps she always would.

Draco was also having problems with her changed status. He knew that she was hurting, and wanted to help her through it. She'd stood by him when everyone had turned their backs, but he couldn't get too close. Even he had heard of "rebound", and knew it probably would be possible to make a move on her.

The trouble was he didn't want to. Well, part of him didn't; the part that was an intelligent human who thought about relationships and the future. They were too different in their upbringing and outlook. Despite everything, she was still a Muggle. It put a gulf between them, although it was cultural rather than political. He didn't hate her for being "beneath" him as he once would have done, but her world was alien to him. Like most humans, he was always going to be slightly scared of something he didn't understand.

But, there was also a part of him that was male – and she was female – and they shared a room. It was all very confusing, but for the moment the intelligent part won, and he tried to keep it as colleagues who were also friends.

He knew she still wasn't sleeping very well, although the crying seemed to have stopped. She just seemed permanently tired and down, and it worried him. What could he do about it?

It was Thursday when he came up with a plan.

'Hermione, when was the last time you had a day off?' She had to think about that one, and couldn't give a definitive answer. 'I thought so. You need a break; I think you should stop working at weekends.'

'I don't know, Draco. Could the centre cope without me?'

'Nobody's indispensible, you know. What would happen if you fell off a broom and ended up in St. Mungo's? We'd cope. It'll do you good to get away for a while.'

'What would I do?'

He shrugged. 'Things. Have a lie-in, go shopping.' He hesitated, should he suggest it? 'Go and see your parents.'

She had a think about it, chewing on a nail. 'Well…I suppose…' She looked up at him. 'We could try and find somewhere to live, couldn't we?'

'Umm…yes, we could. Look, are you sure about this? Wouldn't you want to share with someone else? You know, a friend?' Her face told him he'd just said the wrong thing. 'No, I didn't mean it like that; I meant a girl friend.'

'The only one I've got is Ginny Weasley, and she's up in Hollyhead, and I'm not sure if she'd even talk to me now. I haven't really got any friends, apart from Harry and…I never really got on with anyone at school apart from them. I suppose we never had much of a chance.'

That made Draco feel so bad. Here she was, intelligent and quite attractive – and lonely. Maybe that was why she threw herself into things; she kept herself busy because there was nothing else for her to do. Maybe, he thought, that was why she had an empathy with him. They were both lonely really; neither of them had any friends and he'd driven away the few she had.

'Well, I suppose we can't stay here forever, can we?'

'No. Renee's nice, but I want somewhere to call home where I can have some things, and a chair to sit in. Maybe we could even get you some Muggle clothes, as well; make it easier for us to go out occasionally.'

'Yes, I suppose so. Would you know what to buy me?'

For the first time in days, she smiled. 'I think I can manage. OK, I'll make sure there are enough volunteers in over the weekend, and we'll do that. I might even have a bit of time to start planning the Muggle familiarisation courses; we should really get those up and running.'

She slept much better that night.

-o0o-

Friday went quite well, as long as they ignored the long term problems. She was able to send some people off for interviews, and got the good news that a couple of other people had found work.

The weekend rotas had enough people on them who knew what they were doing, so all in all Hermione was relatively happy she wouldn't be missed. She did wish more Witches had mobile phones, as it would make contacting her so much easier. She asked around, just in case somebody did, but got a lot of blank looks.

'A fellytone you can carry in your pocket? And Muggles thought of that? Well I never! Where do the wires go?'

Hermione and Draco left the centre that evening in quite a good mood. Two days off! This called for a bit of a celebration.

'How do you fancy going for a drink?' he asked her.

'Why not?' she said. 'That sounds good.' Suddenly there was a flash of fire in her eyes. 'Let's go to "The Leaky Cauldron".'

She started marching up Diagon Alley. 'No!' said Draco, running to catch her up. 'Let's go somewhere else, Hermione. A Muggle pub; I'll buy you a Spritzer.' She carried on walking. 'Two Spritzers.' She was not to be deflected. 'Oh Merlin.'

Hermione marched into the pub and up to the bar. 'Hannah! How lovely to see you again! How are you?'

Hannah Abbot didn't look exactly pleased to see her. 'Hermione' she said, in acknowledgement.

'Yes, I am' said Hermione, with a sweet smile. 'Hermione Granger – homeless and boyfriend less thanks to somebody who just couldn't keep their big mouth shut.'

'I don't know what you mean.'

'Oh, don't you? You don't know who it was who told Ron that they were - how was it put? – "worried about the company I'm keeping"? Then Ron, because he cared about me, had to go and tell my parents. Gosh, I bet you never thought that would happen, did you? Satisfied now, are you? Cow!'

'Get out of my pub; you're barred.'

'Oh, I'm not barred; I'm leaving. Stay out of my life, Abbott. You hear me? Let's go Draco. I fancy having a drink in a decent place.' Hermione marched out of the door again.

A couple of elderly Wizards, who had been standing at the bar, looked quite shocked.

'That was…Hermione Granger, wasn't it? Well I never; she always comes across as such a nice girl.'

Hannah leant on the bar, thinking. 'Yes, she does, doesn't she? Order of Merlin, Golden Trio. Maybe people should get a chance to see the real "Little Miss Butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-knickers".' She glared at the door. 'Nobody insults me in my own pub. I'll wipe that smug little grin off your face, Granger.'

Hermione waited until she was outside before she turned to Draco with a big smile on her face. 'I enjoyed that!'

Draco had his face in his hands. 'Hermione, you shouldn't have done it. One thing I did learn; only pick fights you're certain you're going to win. Of course, even that isn't guaranteed.'

'Against her? What contest? Now, what about those Spritzers you promised me?'

-o0o-

Hermione awoke the next morning, and really wished she hadn't. Even though her eyes were open she couldn't see anything, and her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. She tried to sit up. Big mistake.

'Ah, back in the land of the living are you?' She tried to turn to the source of the noise, but couldn't. 'Obviously not.' Draco appeared in front of her, holding a glass. 'Drink this.'

'Wha…'

'Oh, don't try and use big words. Or any words at all. It's a pepper-up potion. I went down to Diagon Alley, thought you might need it.'

Hermione drank down the vile tasting potion, and honestly thought her stomach was going to jump up through her mouth. Then the steam came out of her ears, and she felt her head rattle. That was a bit better.

'What happened?'

'You honestly don't remember?' She shook her head. Perhaps she shouldn't have done. 'You got drunk, Granger. As drunk as a skunk, as high as a kite…as relaxed as a newt.'

'Oh. Why didn't you stop me?'

Draco was now sat on the other bed, with his arms folded and a smirk on his face the like of which she hadn't seen since their fifth year.

'Because you had a wand, and I didn't – and you threatened to hex me.'

Hermione put her head in her hands and made a sort of whimpering noise. 'I didn't! Did I?'

'Yes. So I told you there was a much better pub down the road, and managed to get you outside. Once the fresh air hit you…' He made little explosion movements with his hands…'Poof! Then you told me nobody had ever liked you and started crying. And you threw up.'

She peeped out from between her fingers. 'I'm sorry.'

'Hmmm. Anyway, Renee sent you up some toast when you didn't go down for breakfast. Allegedly we were going out today, and it's already nearly eleven.'

The pepper-up potion had taken effect, and Hermione felt confident she could stand. She noticed she was still dressed, and looked at Draco.

'Well, I wasn't going to do it, and you were incapable' he said simply.

-o0o-

They visited a letting agent and got some details of vacant flats and bedsits from him. They lied somewhat, and said they would look at them over the weekend. It was easier than explaining they'd be apparating between locations, so could do ten in a day.

They decided to take the third one they saw. It was a nice little place, Hermione thought. It was custom built rather than a conversion. The price was reasonable, it was in quite a good area, and there were shops nearby. It had two bedrooms.

'What do you think?' she asked.

Compared to what he'd been brought up in it was a pokey little hole,

'It's fine. As long as you're sure about this?'

She nodded and smiled. 'Yes, I think it'll work. It'll be nice to have a base, anyway, and a few things around.' She looked around at their new home. 'Why did I go silly last night?'

'You tell me.'

'I just…wanted to get away from it all; Ron, my parents, everyone seems to be ganging up on me. Even Hannah, I thought she was a friend. I just wanted to feel good for a change.'

'Did it help?'

She looked at him from under her lashes. 'It won't happen again.'

'I hope it doesn't.' His face became serious. 'Hermione, I think you've made an enemy out of Abbott. I'm worried about you; I told you all along not to get too close.'

She smiled at him. 'I can look after myself. Come on, let's go and see the agent.'

All the paperwork was done in her name, mainly because she had the identification and bank accounts needed to do anything in the Muggle world. They would be able to move in next Saturday, which meant they could give Renee a bit of notice. They thought maybe they'd take her out to dinner, as a little "thank you".

Once they were finished, they went shopping and brought Draco some clothes. It was quite fun, actually. He, in common with most Wizards of his class, had no real idea of Muggle clothing, and she had to divert him away from his more esoteric choices. She mainly picked simple things, in a limited range of colours such as blue and black, although she allowed him one horrendous shirt in the most lurid orange she ever seen – because he fell in love with it.

They left the shop just as it was getting dark, quite tired after their day out.

'Fancy a quick drink before we head back?' she asked. He shook his head, unable to hear her over the noise of the traffic. She leant in closer to his ear. 'Hair of the dog?' He looked at her and smiled, then leant in close to her. 'Just one, if you insist. I'm not carrying you home again!' They laughed.

-o0o-

On Sunday, she went to see her parents and returned jut a little down. They had not been pleased to hear that she'd split up with Ron. When she told them she was renting a flat with Draco things got a little tense. Her father had basically said that if she wanted to "throw her life away on a bunch of wastrels it was her funeral" and left the room. She arranged with her mum to collect her things next weekend, then made her excuses and left. Her mother cried a bit once she was gone.

-o0o-

They arrived at work on Monday to find that Florence, one of the volunteers, had already opened up. She seemed strangely nervous, and wouldn't look them in the eye.

They went onto their office and started planning for the day. Hermione read the report she'd been left and was pleased to see that everything had gone well over the weekend. It looked like they could go to a five day week after all.

Shortly afterwards a tapping at the window indicated that the owl had arrived with the morning's paper. Draco went to get it and settled down to check the headlines.

'Oh Merlin!'

Hermione looked up from her work. 'Anything happened?'

'I told you not to cross swords with her.'

He passed her the paper. She glanced at it, and Draco saw the blood drain from her face. The front page was mostly taken up with a picture of the two of them. Over it ran the headline:

"Whose side is she REALLY on?"