In hindsight she hadn't predicted having a breakdown at her best friend's doorstep. Hermione hadn't planned on not holding it together though the pent in emotions and the confliction of heart and mind had tore at her enough that no sooner had he opened his door and arms had she all but collapsed into him.

His wholehearted slap to reality had hit her as if it were a clamoring thunder. Harry had not been a man known to conceal thought, not as she had and as he sputtered his confession she had been reminded then and there how eternally grateful she was for his friendship as her heel spun the corner and hurried off towards the tram ahead of her. Her mission in mind, to find her most cherished and yet also her most ignored gem, she climbed up the steel ramp of the tram as the cooled cushioned seat hummed beneath her. Its engine clashed with her rattling thoughts as she thought of what she might confess to the blonde that unbeknownst awaited her.

It had been her hopes to have an uneventful trip to Gabrielle's; knowing that Fleur was visiting there though as good fortune's favor seldom would have it, as she stomped off the tram and turned a nearest corner, perhaps a predestined travesty occurred as she slipped.

Her heels slick with the mud sloshed rain, the cement under her had fissure cracks and pebbles scattered that hadn't agreed with her. In an instant she dropped and as she did, scraped knees and stained fabric met her as she grunted.

"Oh, bugger all."

In disdain she stared at passing strangers; each offering her glances but not once a concerned gesture to assist her as she stumbled to her feet. "I'm fine, no need to fetch the brigade or anything," she muttered, clenched teeth setting as she lifted the hem of her mud drenched dress, wincing at the gash that settled beneath it as blood dripped down her knee. "Bloody hell," she cursed, faintly reminded of a bumbling redhead she often berated for stating such ungentlemanly claims as she sighed. Gathering her purse and what was left of her dignity, she started out again, her sights set ahead of her as she groaned.

"Nothing is ever just simple, is it?"

Spinning, she found her friend's wryly grin, her expression complacent though brimming with concern nonetheless as the redhead sparred a glance at her bleeding kneecap. "You alright then?" questioned Ginny, a hand motioning to her leg, and Hermione through a hastened breath, sighed.

"It's just a scratch is all, I wasn't paying much attention," she huffed, and with a snort her friend nodded.

"Naturally, your wheels are always spinning about," the redhead confirmed, and with another motion she smiled. "Come here then, let's have a look at it," she replied, though Hermione shakes her head, brushing at her dress.

"Haven't the time, Gin, and I'm fine, honest," she answered, though hardly convinced Ginny reached towards her, gently easing her towards a stand of chairs settled around an old coffee shop. Leading her towards them she plopped her there; perhaps a motherly instinct sending her digging into her purse as she clutched a wad of tissue.

"Oh nonsense. Let me have a look at you," Ginny pressed, and knowing good and well not to test a Weasley's patience, Hermione abided her wishes as she sat there lifting the rumpled creases of her dress. Blood matted the fabric and mud dirtied the wound, and through a wince her friend sighed. "Such a clumsy git, honestly," she replied, "where are you headed off to that has you just strutting about blind, hmm?" she continued, and with that she pressed at the gash, ignoring Hermione's hiss in protest as she cleaned the wound.

Hermione sighed, a hand scratching at her brow as she leant against the chair. "I have to see Fleur; she's at her sister's and I guess time got the best of me. I'm a bit short on it as of late," or I might be out of time altogether, she thought to herself softly. Considering again briefly that should the moment where she met her, that Fleur would have already denounced her feelings; that she would have blatantly wished to have nothing to do with her anymore. In that concern Hermione pulled her leg from her friend's gentled touch; hoping to rise and continue her stroll though as luck would have it, Ginny's hand pressed her back just as fluidly.

"I'm certain that even the likes of Fleur Delacour would understand your tardiness, Hermione. I'm sure she'd have the heart in her to forgive you," she conducted, and with firm pressed lips she dabbed again at her leg, soaking up at the blood and filth that had gathered there as she smirked. In a huff, perhaps stifling some disdain that settled there, her friend sighed. "If you could call it a heart, I imagine," she replied, and with a cluck of her tongue she shakes her head, and seeing her do so Hermione returned her sigh tenfold.

"That's quite enough of that, Gin."

Her hand paused, still pressed on Hermione's knee as she lifted her head. "Come again?" she inquired, and repeating the phrase Hermione's hand grasped Ginny's.

"Oh don't you go and play coy with me, you know precisely what it is I'm talking about, and frankly, it's stopping here and now," Hermione answered, leaving little air between words as she continued on, a flippant tone about her as old frustrations began to bubble to a head. "I'm tired of you treating her poorly; of berating her, or having her the butt in every tale you tell, I've had enough."

It was time she had settled this, she thought suddenly, and grasping her friend's arm she shakes her head, vehement though gentle in her words as she glanced upon her. "I was engaged. I made a mistake; the both of us made a mistake, and in the process hurt several people, but you don't come down my throat for it. However her's the more the merrier and you're hardly ever lacking in fuel to that fire," she continued, and though Ginny had parted her mouth to speak Hermione spoke over her as her hand lifted to pause her. "I can assure you though, I played just as pivotal a role in what happened, and yet she's the one you've deemed the harlot; not me, and it isn't fair."

"In all of this you've forgotten that it takes two, and if you have something to say to her about it, then from now on you aim it at the both of us because I broke his heart too, Gin," she whispered. In her words her eyes prickled with tears, her face reddening as she sighed. "I hurt him, and I can't atone for it and I can't go back and make it better. I had an affair, and that's the end of it. It's happened, and for the life of me I can't change that," she confessed. "I had an affair, and lost his trust and yours in the process, and I know that he's your friend; that he's your best friend, and he was mine too."

"I know that you're convinced she tore me away from him, but I promise you that what you hadn't seen behind closed doors would have had that ring off my finger just as quickly; with or without Fleur and you can tell me that it isn't true. You can tell me that it's a lie, but what I've lived, you haven't and I'm certain there will come a day when he will tell you just the same as I have. That it wasn't meant to be," Hermione told her. "It wasn't, Gin, and it never will be."

"I know that."

In that wavering silence perhaps Hermione hadn't prepared herself, or even expected to hear such a response as her friend gripped her hand and smiled a watery grin back at her. "I've known that," she rephrased again softly. She smiles again, her hand brushing once more at Hermione's knee as she finishes mending her wound. "I suppose I'm just," she pauses, her head lifting again as she cries. "God I'm such an arse," she gasped, and hearing the confession; after such time had passed, Hermione couldn't help but laugh through her own tears as she enveloped her friend in a soft embrace.

Shushing her, little cooing words hitting her ear Hermione cradles her head to her shoulder as she sighed. "Oh Gin," she whispers, kissing her temple as she shakes her head. "You're not," she argued, though as the redhead snorted in disagreement Hermione smirked. "Right then, perhaps a bit of an arse, but nothing out of the ordinary for a Weasley, hmm?" she expressed, and hearing that Ginny nudges her arm.

"Sod off, you trollop," murmured her friend, and nudging her right back Hermione gasped. In pointed expression the redhead laughed. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, though weren't you the one that just finished telling me to treat you both as equals here on out?" she questioned, a bemused and still watered expression lining her face as she smiled. Hermione rolled her eyes, a soft smile returning her own as Ginny touches her cheek. "I truly am sorry, Hermione," she replied, her expression meaningful, near sorrowful as regret built in her words.

"I know."

Hermione hadn't seen this coming; she had often dreamt of it though to hear her friend actually say those words, it was altogether something as she smiled. However, hearing her apologies weren't nearly as satisfying, as healing as listening to her next phrase as Ginny touched her arm. "You had best be going then, right?" she told her through a breath.

"You mentioned you were short on time," she replied. It wasn't setled, the pair had known there was far more to discuss on the matter; there was still much that was left unsaid, though then Ginny had known what her friend was asking for, what she was needing as she quietly motioned her on. "Perhaps I've stood in your way long enough," the redhead whispered, and in another silent apology her head turned towards the street corner to whence Hermione had come as she smiled. "If this is your meant to be, I guess it'll mean I owe the girl a drink or two down the road," she told her, and in a pause she smirked through a sniffled cry. "I mean, I have to be on good terms with the girl if I'm ever meant to be a maid of honor, and lets face it, I haven't placed myself on her good side as of late."

Hermione rolled her eyes, though her heart swelled as she smiled.