Inevitably, the conversation moved to relationships, it was pushed quite sharply in that direction when (one of the healers) Sarah's husband, Ben came over from the table in the corner to greet her, only just realising she was there. He kissed Sarah on the cheek and her pretty face split into a huge smile when she saw him. They talked quietly together for a few moments before he shook hands with all the girls, bought Sarah a drink and headed back over to his table.

Hermione drained the last of the Butterbeer and leaned nearer to Sarah

"Were you a marriage law couple?" she asked, ordering a refill of her Butterbeer

Sarah nodded "but I knew him before that" her face held so much pure happiness that it made Hermione's chest ache "he was in my house when we were at Hogwarts and I always thought he was really sweet. I was just really lucky"

This was met with the appropriate amount of giggling and everybody shared their experiences of marriage. They all seemed so painfully happy (even Poppy had met somebody on the reserve and was going on a date the next evening) that Hermione was forced to distract herself with her second tankard of Butterbeer for fear that she might actually start crying in public. Eventually, though, the inevitable happened and Hermione found six faces turned expectantly towards her all waiting for her to share her opinions.

"Actually" Poppy frowned "who are you married to? You've never actually said"

"Charlie Weasley" a gasp ran round the bar and the girls stared at her wide-eyed

"That's not fair" one of them pouted "everyone wanted him…did you bribe the minister or something?"

Poppy ignored her and leant closer and whispered conspirationally "what's he like? You know, in the bedroom?"

Hermione paused, wondering how much she dared say in front of a large group of women. She was on to her third Butterbeer by now, though, and her judgement was not as good as it should have been. She bit her lip "we only actually did it once" she mumbled, blushing a disappointed sigh ran around the group "I never really see him, I'm gone before he wakes up and I'm asleep before he get's home. In all honesty it's not that different to living alone." She sighed and then grinned, her voice rising fractionally "when we did have sex, he was absolutely amazing"

"I knew it" Poppy smiled and they all giggled again the conversation turned then to work and Hermione felt suddenly that Butterbeer was just not going to cut it anymore. She ordered a large glass of firewhiskey and was about to hand over her money when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked up to see a tall and, admittedly, really quite handsome man smiling down at her.

"I'll pay" he grinned and she blushed.

Charlie sat at the table in the corner watching Ben greet his wife through the bottom of his firewhiskey glass, cursing himself for his cowardice. He knew he should avoid Hermione like he had been doing; he had worked late every night recently and then stayed in the pub until he was almost certain that she would be asleep before he slipped home. He nearly choked as he recognised the wild curls of the girl, just a couple of seats down the bar from Ben's wife.

Felix leaned over "Isn't that Hermione?" he said, nodding towards the bar

Charlie nodded as there was an explosion of giggles from the group and Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair.

"As in your wife, Hermione?" asked Ben as he sat back down he sounded disbelieving, Charlie bristled

"Why are you so surprised?" he asked coolly

Ben had the good nature to blush uncomfortably "she just seemed so classy"

"She is" Charlie replied, staring glumly into his drink "and she's clever and funny"

"And not bad looking either" Felix winked, ignoring Charlie's scowl. He nodded towards the bar "I'm not the only one to notice either; she's a dark horse, that girl"

Charlie glanced back at the bar and froze, Hermione was deep in conversation with a man at the bar, his hand was resting on her arm and he was leaning closer to her, he whispered something into her ear and she threw her head back, laughing.

It was as if Charlie's stomach clenched, he had no right to care but he could not help the anger that gently simmered just below the surface. They might not be willingly married but that didn't mean she had any right to go flirting with somebody else. If she did have to do that she could do better than that. Charlie had no idea who the man at the bar was but instinctively knew that he was an idiot.

"Charlie?" Felix wasn't smiling anymore "Charlie, you're going to break your glass. You know it's probably nothing"

Charlie's only answer was the scraping of his chair as he stood up and strode over to the bar.

Hermione was feeling a little uncomfortable, she wasn't yet to drunk enough that she couldn't work out what this man's aim was, he didn't exactly plan to spend an evening with her in conversation.

He had refused to let her pay for her own drink and had not removed his hand from her arm. He talked to her quietly; he was obviously completely sloshed because he told her he though she was beautiful about 6 or 7 times within ten minutes. He refused to listen to Hermione's assurances that she was very flattered but she was in fact married. Evidently he was convinced that she was practically in love with him because he suddenly looked straight at her and whispered in her ear

"So…your place or mine?" caught off guard she was unable to suppress her laughter. She placed her hand on his and gently but firmly placed his hand on the bar

"Neither. Look, I'm sure you're very sweet" she said looking right at him "but I'm married and it's just not going to-"

She was unable to finish her sentence because Charlie suddenly appeared by her shoulder. With a mask of forced calm on his face.

A/N: OK so I know I said I'd update soon and I fully intended to but life got in the way once again and glandular fever knocked me back for quite some time. anyway, I am now fully recovered and I have 3 and a half months of summer to fill so I plan on updating loads.