DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author notes: If the language seems to be ill-fitting, please forgive me. I wrote the first chapter about a year ago, and I had a bit of trouble fitting back into the style that I used then.

Chapter One: Boarding the Train

He was always gone. He took his job so seriously, and Hermione couldn't seem to ever get through to him. Harry had always promised to be there, but he would never show. He would be gone for literal weeks, and then he would work from home when he was finally there.

Everyone seemed to think Hermione would be the one who would be the work-a-holic. It was true she was very ambitious, and was relentless when she had found a subject. She still worked, but she had gotten a promotion and another opportunity across the country. She didn't want to start a project only to have someone else finish it.

When she had told Harry her plans of going away fro a researching job, he had hardly paid attention. It was true working for the Ministry was a full-time job, but after being in an empty relationship for so long, Hermione had begun to become lonely. You can only live with an empty person for so long before you want to get out. Hermione was the only one who seemed to live in their little flat. She left a note taped to the front door explaining why she was ending the relationship, telling him where she would be working, and stating where she was going to leave. Even after the long relationship, she couldn't help but to hope that he would still show- still try to stop her from leaving. Hermione really hadn't expected Harry to show, but it still hurt that he would choose work over her, after all, Voldemort had been defeated and there was no immediate threat to the world.

Hermione had said goodbye so many times. And each time Harry would come and beg her to go back home. Hermione thought that Harry couldn't stand the embarrassment to his image. He was the boy-who-lived. He became one of the top Aurors, and was the perfect politician. He has married his childhood sweetheart, and kept a lovely flat. He couldn't bear having any blow to his perfect world. He always convinced her that each time would be different. The mind games had being to rot her mind, and the love had begun to take a serious toll on her. Each time was like the time before, an endless cycle of goodbyes. It was now almost routine. But not anymore, she thought to herself, finally passing though the station's gate.

As she pulled her luggage behind her, her diamond ring flashed, sparkling even through the weather. Hermione stopped for a minute to stare at it. She still remembered their first date. Who knew such a simple evening would turn into such a disastrous marriage? Hermione yanked the ring off and shoved it in her pocket. She pushed a soaked strand of curly hair behind her ear.

She had finally reached her train. Behind her the clattering of running feet sounded dull to her ears as she thanked a porter for levitating her heavy bags up. Suddenly she felt herself being whirled around, a cold, wet hand gripping her arm with a painful amount of force. She looked up into Harry's eyes. Her emotionless mask seemed complete except for her eyes.

"I… I thought I was almost too late." He managed to wheeze out. She gave him a sad smile in return.

"You are too late, Harry." Even to her the words sounded strange. It took all of her willpower not to let herself be enveloped into an embrace and give in again.

It had been so long since she was really alone. She was the one who comforted Harry when Sirius had died. That was when he had first asked her to be his girlfriend. She had agreed, if only to help with his grief. Hermione had no idea it would be taken so far.

"Surely you don't mean that! Come on home. We'll talk this out!" Hermione told herself to be strong, and to not give in to the urge. The love would never last, and she didn't want to have to say goodbye anymore.

"Goodbye Harry." She could see the hurt in his brilliant eyes, even though her back was turned. He didn't stop her as she boarded the train. Someone was shouting the last call. Hermione found a seat and looked out the dirty windows. She watched Harry stand, watching as the train pulled farther away from him. Hermione finally turned away from the window and relaxed in her seat. She turned to her seatmate, and was quite surprised to see cool grey eyes and a very familiar sneer.