Disclaimer: Of course, these lovely characters do not belong to me. I do borrow them for a new idea.

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Normal Life?

February - April 1999

She seemed to cope quite well with Narcissa's head held high technique, but there were still days that were harder than others. It was Valentine's Day and she had received permission to go to Hogsmeade to meet with Ron. Ever since their chamber of secrets kiss things had been more or less awkward until Christmas. They had been in this weird state of relationship that neither of them had dared to define. Although they were technically dating, Hermione had found herself withdrawing more and more. It was Christmas when the pair had finally talked. She had tried to explain the doings of the bind and how she wanted to go back to simply having a crush on Ron, but it seemed like much more of a fight. But she was willing to fight.

So a few days before her return to Hogwarts he had taken her on a date. An actual date, rather than just hanging out with Harry and Ginny and eventually splitting off to do their own thing. They went for ice cream, which Ron admitted hadn't been very thought through since it was winter, but it was still fun. A second date followed on her Hogsmeade visit in January. It was a rather nice dinner, Ron was proud to be able to pay for, and a long walk. It even ended up with a kiss. A very chaste one compared to the chamber or any other kiss they had shared since then.

Their third date in this new sequence was just a few days after her latest visit with Narcissa. As she arrived at the gates to the grounds where Ron usually waited for her, a group of students passed her.

"Going to see your mother-in-law?"

She straightened her spine.

"Is she teaching you how to please a Malfoy?"

She closed her eyes and tried hard to keep her head held high when she really just wanted to punch or hex them.

"Does Weasley know that you are preparing to move into the Manor?"

"Why don't you ask him?" The girl shouting to her had the decency to blush, as Ron appeared by the gate, wrapping his arm around her. "Grow up."

The group sped up to get out of their sight. Hermione had to force herself to smile and place a kiss on his cheek. When the next turn came, he had them moving away from Hogsmeade.

"Where are we going?" Her voice was still unsure.

"I don't know. I just figured we wouldn't want to deal with them on our date."

She gave him a small smile, still working on her composure to return. She was by far not as well trained as Malfoy or Narcissa and having those things yelled at her in front of Ron was new.

"Does this happen a lot?"

She nodded. "Went straight from mudblood to hated pureblood spouse."

"Bloody hell." His arm tightened around her. "They should know that you wouldn't go to the Manor of your free will."

She tensed. Her eyes going to Ron, before stopping. It was a first that Harry hadn't told him something. She had been sure that he knew she was going with Harry on his check-ins.

"Ron…" He turned to her, she could tell that he already guessed what she was going to say. "She is lonely."

"Well maybe her husband and son should have considered that before they decided to follow Voldemort." His tone was sharp. "It's not your job to make sure she is fine."

"I promised, I was going to look after her if he couldn't."

He stared at her. His mouth slightly opening. While she had gotten really good at reading both him and Harry over the years, she seemed to have lost that ability over the last few months. She could just hope that this wouldn't ruin their time together.

"She isn't like them. A little bit arrogant sure, but she comforted me when the other students teased me a few days ago." She left out the fact that the teasing had been caused by her visits as well. "She is trying and once Malfoy is back, I won't go anymore."

"You don't owe him anything."

"She saved Harry, because of me."

"She watched her sister torture you in her house, without doing anything."

Hermione didn't respond. There was nothing to say to that argument. While both Narcissa and her son had saved them and therefore made it possible that Harry defeated Voldemort, they had also both looked the other way on more than one occasion.

"Can we not talk about this?" Her voice was pleading with him. He nodded, but she could tell that he was reluctant.

Their fourth date went much more nicely, although Hermione suspected it was mainly because Ginny and Harry had joined them on a double date. They had picnicked at the great lake and enjoyed the surprisingly warm spring weather.

Their fifth date went much the same, only that Harry and Ginny eventually took their blanket and disappeared some ways away.

"Gross." Ron's eyes had followed them until he could no longer see them.

"You could just attempt the same." It wasn't really Hermione's style, out in the open on a warm day with lots of people going on strolls. However, she did want to move the relationship forward and writing letters wasn't the way of doing that.

When he leaned in to kiss her, she had to steel herself as always. Banishing all the thoughts the bind send to her mind as far back as she could. Her focus on his fingers and the way they made her skin tingle. He had just moved his kissing to her neck, with his hands wandering under her shirt, as a voice made her eyes spring open.

"Mr. Weasley, I certainly don't allow former students on the ground for this." Professor McGonagall loomed over the two of them. "May I suggest the decency of at least finding a private spot. First years walk this route."

While the redness crept into Ron's neck, Hermione's whole face was shaded in a dark red. They moved much further apart than anyone might have asked them to.

"I'll be coming by this place on my way back, just to have you warned." With that, the headmistress walked off.

"How is it that I am the one she is mad at? I mean this was your idea." He glared after her, his question causing a giggle escaping her reddened lips. "Wonder if she would tell Harry off too."

"Too bad that they did seek a more private spot." Her blush faded slowly and as she kept giggling his focus changed back to her.

When he came for their sixth date he had taken the liberty of renting an overnight room and she actually found herself in a situation that made her glad that she and Ginny had had a throughout discussion on contraceptive potions and spells. At least for a while, that was.

"This should be private enough for McGonagall, I hope."

He actually managed to work himself down to her shoulder and even removed her shirt. But as he kissed her and pulled off his shirt as well, his eyes caught sight of her scar. It hadn't faded at all since she had gotten it. His fingers carefully traced it.

"I don't get how you can go there."

She sighed. "I mostly spend my time in the library. It's pretty safe ground. Lot's of books waiting to be read." She placed a soft kiss on his neck, trying to divert his attention.

"Voldemort lived there, Bellatrix is your new friend's older sister."

"I don't define you by your sibling's choices."

"She didn't stop them."

"You didn't stop Percy."

"That's different." He sat up on the bed. All plans for this romantic getaway without interruption seemed on hold. "He didn't kill anyone."

She suddenly felt cold and much to exposed for the conversation she found herself in. She pulled the comforter off the bed, wrapping it around her shoulders as she sat up. Her response was quiet, but she needed him to hear it nonetheless.

"Neither did she." Nor Draco to her knowledge, but she wouldn't go there.

"She watched her do this." His eyes were back on the single word that seemed to have defined her life for the past eight years and somehow still did today. It wasn't really about the meaning of the word but more the thoughts surrounding it. Was it really fair now to cast the pureblood families out, as they had with muggle-borns? People didn't seem to learn from the past.

"Percy worked right under Thicknesse."

"Stop comparing my brother to a Malfoy."

She slid of the bed, comforter still wrapped around her, as she fished her shirt off the floor. This was certainly not the romantic mood she had hoped for.

"Have you found a way to divorce him yet?"

She dropped the comforter in order to pull her shirt back on, trying to calm her own temper with the extra time.

"I have used all the books available in Hogwarts, but it doesn't seem forced pureblood marriage bonds are a topic that students regularly need to study. There are some ideas, but I need more reference to actually put them to use." She found her jacket on one of the chairs.

"The Malfoy library is much better equipped when it comes to this topic."

"Aren't we lucky that you have such close bonds to them now." He stood. "Oh wait, we wouldn't need the books if it wasn't for them."

"We also wouldn't need them if you hadn't left me there." She snapped. The sentence slipped past her lips before her mind caught up with her. Her anger had taken over. She gasped, trying to think of a way to soften the blow. "I didn't mean that. I know you had to go while you could. He was close and you wouldn't have made it out if you had tried to get to me. They reinforced the wards immediately."

Ron still stood frozen, his eyes on her, but somehow seeing through her. She waited for his reaction, but it didn't come. Instead, her tears did.

"I should get back to school." He still didn't respond and so she turned, making her way out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the building. She made it all the way to the gates of the Hogwarts grounds hoping he would catch up with her, but he never did.

She didn't allow herself to cry, until she had made her way in one of the less used corridors of the castle. It was still under construction and students technically not allowed unless they helped with the work.

Hermione sank into one of the corners, almost hidden behind an armor that once again was still in his place. The tears came steadily now that she allowed them to flow and her mind began to work. Starting with the fight, tediously going over all the details. Then she went into the details until she found herself surrounded by the memories of Bellatrix on top of her and Voldemort's cold presence sweeping into the room.

It was Professor McGonagall of all people who found her. The worry on her face clearly showing. She stared down at the younger witch for a long moment, before she finally settled next to her. Hermione could tell that she was rather uncomfortable on the floor, but didn't have the strength to be too concerned about it.

"I don't know what happened with Mr. Weasley today, but I should have had this conversation with you a long time ago." McGonagall stopped again, trying to find the right words. For the shortest second Hermione was concerned she was going to receive "the talk" from her headmistress. Hearing her next words almost left her relieved. "The things that happened to you during the war, nobody should experience half of that in a lifetime."

The young witch sobbed, her focus back on the memories the war caused. Fred's lifeless body falling. A werewolf on top of Lavender. Bellatrix on top of her. Ron's anger suddenly replaced with all the memories of those long months which should have been her seventh year at Hogwarts.

"Poppy has been working with some of the best mind healers the wizarding world has to offer, to help our students. I will have her set up appointments for you to see them."

She opened her mouth to refuse the offer, but ended up closing it again. Her mind of logic reminding her that it would probably be good for her, just as the memory of Bellatrix swept over her again. A weak nod was all she ended up giving in response.

"As your days here are counted, I would recommend you keep the appointments going after your departure."