Disclaimer: Must I keep doing this? Well anyway, like I said, I do not own Harry Potter. It's J.K. Rowling who thought up all the wonderful Wizarding world.

Author's Note: Here's chapter three! Please don't forget to review! Thank you.
-poostix

Chapter 3 – A Thousand Shattered Pieces

It was two years after her graduation at Hogwarts and two full years after she had her last fight with her best friends, whom she never saw again. Hermione was putting on her dress that she had just picked up from the dry cleaners. She was ready to attend the first reunion with her graduating year at Hogwarts (this was a particular reunion in which classmates of the class they graduated in to reunite with one another as well as vote most successful classmate). Hermione longed to see her old classmates again, especially Ron and Harry… she had to apologize for all the years she had regretted the cruel words she said to them on their graduating day. Hermione could remember it as if it was only yesterday, for she regretted the cruel words she said to Harry and Ron. The last time she remembered seeing them both was with Cho at the La Bella hotel in some section of the Muggle world.

Hermione had grown to be a wonderful young lady, deciding to go into Muggle trade on Wall Street, and living in Muggle living quarters in a place called Manhattan, New York. Yes, indeed, she moved away from her beloved town in London to venture out to the country called America, (which was full of Muggles), but she slowly adapted to the Muggle world, barely using her magic as well as hanging out with her Muggle friends. She had just turned nineteen, last week in which she celebrated with her Muggle friends. Hermione, as matter of fact, still enjoyed the Muggle life quite passionately.

"Hermione!" her friend, Emily shrieked, widening her eyes. "I believe your flight to London is in around ten minutes! How on earth are you going to get there?"

"I'm going to walk," Hermione replied.

"And how do you plan to do that, may I presume?"

"I'm quite fast, believe it or not…"

"To J.F.K. Airport?" Emily asked, sounding incredulous.

"Yes…" Hermione said, as she quickly put on her accessories and grabbed her small suitcase, and handbag.

"I suppose you will be on your way…" Emily said.

"I assure you I will…" Hermione nodded and smiled. She placed her hand lightly on Emily's left arm. "And do take care of my living quarters. I'll be back… er, hopefully tomorrow, or if I decide to stay longer, maybe this weekend." Hermione finished.

"Do be careful…" Emily said, taking hold of Hermione's hand.

"I will…" Hermione assured her. She grinned at her friend and walked away. While walking down the hall, Hermione paused and looked around, for she knew she must get to the airport in ten minutes. So with that, she rummaged through her handbag, took out her wand and apparated quickly to the airport. When she opened her eyes, she was in front of Gate 12, ready to board her flight back to England.

Hermione arrived at her destination around 5:00pm that afternoon. With that, she headed to Kings Cross, the familiar train station she used to take to Hogwarts and went through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, and found herself on platform 9¾. She boarded the crimson Hogwarts Express and took a seat near the window, as she hurled her suitcase beside herself. Hermione stared out the window, looking at all the people passing by, until she saw a strange fellow with flaming red hair, pudgy cheeks and freckles everywhere—it was Ron! Hermione opened the window and called out, "Ron! Ron!" Ron, puzzled, looked around obliviously.

"What? Who—who's calling me?" he questioned, still looking around anxiously.

"Me, silly…" Hermione giggled. She stuck her head further out the window. Ron turned around.
"Hermione! You frightened me… I thought I was going crazy for a sec." Ron laughed.

"I bet you already are," Hermione joked. "Come inside," With that, Ron came off the platform and stepped into the train, and sat next to Hermione.

"So how you've been?" Ron said taking of his jacket.

"Oh, I've been well. I moved over to the States, you know," Hermione said. "What about you, Ron? Everything okay?"

"Me? Yeah, everything's fine. I'll be working with Dad at the Ministry soon," he answered.

"Really? That's wonderful…!" Hermione said, smiling broadly. He grinned back. Hermione bit her lower lip. She had been meaning to ask Ron about Harry.

"Er… how's Harry been?" she asked meekly.

"Harry?" Ron asked. Hermione noticed he seemed a bit startled. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes, why is there something wrong?" she asked, worriedly.

"No, no… Harry is great. Which reminds me, I have great news," Ron brightened and beamed at Hermione.

"Yes?" Hermione asked. For some reason, she did not want to know the good news.

"Harry is going to get married this summer," Ron said. Hermione's hopes fell. She tried to look surprised.

"Really?" Hermione half-shrieked. Her voice cracked at the last syllable.

"Yes, and guess who it is he is marrying…" Ron smirked.

"Er… hmm… I don't know…" Hermione said, although inside she didn't want to know.

"Bah—I think I'll save it for later; let him tell you the great news. I never thought Harry would be able to get married, since the fact that You-Know-Who is sort of out to get him," Ron said.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "But after we graduated, You-Know-Who hasn't touched him since." Ron frowned at her.

"That's because he was in the Muggle world." Ron said. "Don't you remember?" he continued. "We went to that hotel get away trip—" Ron stopped suddenly, and sulked in his seat.

"I know, Ron…" Hermione said. She stared hard at him and placed her hand on his shoulders. She smiled sadly at his sullen face.

"What?" Ron asked, slowly. He looked up at her.

"I knew you guys went without me." She replied. "You should have… I was such a blasted idiot."

"Hermione…?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron?" She asked.

"We replaced you with—" Hermione answered for him.

"Yes, I know Ron, Cho…"

"Yeah…" He lowered his eyes, feeling a bit guilty for doing that, now that Hermione was next to him. She didn't seem a bit disappointed about it at all. Ron wondered about that. Hermione looked at him and tried to raise his eyes.

"Ron?" she asked.

"Uh-huh?"

"Can I tell you something?" she asked, quietly. He nodded. She bit on the corner of her lower lip and looked at Ron nervously.

"I followed you guys there, and er… I saw Cho with you guys—and—and I felt… I felt… a bit jealous," She paused for a bit and looked at him. He looked back at her blankly. Hermione continued. "So I wanted to go chase after you guys and apologize for what I said earlier and—" Ron nodded and interrupted her.

"Apology accepted," He nodded at her and smiled.

"Ron… You didn't even hear what I had to say," Hermione frowned at him.

"Hermione… we are still friends, I was never mad at you. Harry was," he said quietly.

"What? Harry?" she asked. She couldn't believe her ears. Ron looked at her sympathetically. He looked at her grimly and touched her arm, gently.

"Hermione…" Ron whispered as he crept closer to her. "He liked you and Cho… It's just that he felt more of er… a force of energy from Cho—" Hermione gaped at him. She frowned angrily at him.

"A force of energy? What is that supposed to mean, Ronald Weasley?" she glared at him. He looked at her nervously. "What, he liked Cho more… is that what you mean?" Ron looked at her and nodded slightly. Hermione's face fell.

"And… Since the summer, he kind of forgot about you…" Ron said. Hermione widened her eyes. At that moment, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

"N-NO!" Hermione stammered.

"Hermione…" Ron began.

"What, Ron?!" Hermione snapped at him.

"You did have feelings for Harry, didn't you?" Ron asked, as he looked at her thwarted face. There was a grand pause, and Hermione cupped her hands as she covered her face and wept.

"I-I-I didn't want him to leave me Ron…" Hermione said through her sobs. She continued to weep into her hands. Ron looked down at his friend with concern. She swallowed hard and continued.

"Not only did I follow you guys to the hotel, I also chased after Harry. I chased after him… I—I—I can't believe this," Hermione placed her hand upon her forehead.

"Hermione—" Ron began but Hermione cut him short.

"Now let me take a very logical guess… Harry is marrying…" she couldn't bring herself to finish. She swallowed hard. "Cho…" Hermione finished. Ron didn't answer. He continued to look at her sympathetically. Hermione stared at him with anger in her eyes.

"Ron, I don't need your sympathy. Tell me, is it TRUE??" Hermione demanded as she glared at him. Ron lowered his head and said nothing.

"Augh!" Hermione furrowed her brows. She frowned at him. "I came here to apologize and now… now…"

"And this was all a waste?" Ron asked.

"Yes…" Hermione sobbed.