Title: Flashback

Summary: 20-something year old Hermione finds herself suddenly back at Hogwarts, able to relive her 7th year. Everything that she remembers happening that year is seen in a new, more mature perspective. How will making different choices affect her life after the experience is over?

Rating: PG-13 – for sexual themes and language

Disclaimer: I don't take credit for anything, except maybe the plot.

Author's Note: Ok. This is important. Read this or die. This fic is indeed, DM/HG. I know that I don't say it outright, I haven't really put in any clues in the first chapters or even in the summary.. but it is. Once again, I repeat – DM/HG. If you don't appreciate this pairing, don't flame. That doesn't help me at all. If you do, however, wish to critique my writing and not the ship I'm writing on.. by all means, do so. Just thought I'd clear everyone up. This is a DM/HG fic!

Chapter 4 – Bring Me Down

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"Granger, don't even try preaching to me. You're nothing but a Gryffindor bitch with dirty blood," he said in a voice dripping with venom. A long time ago his comment would have hurt her, or pushed her to the end of her rope, but she was over that. She wasn't like that anymore. She was an accomplished young woman, living out a life any girl would dream of, and enjoying every second of it. That kind of stuff just didn't get to her anymore.

"Alright. Well, I suggest you grow up, Malfoy." she said very calmly. And with that last comment, she put out her cigarette, and left Malfoy alone in the classroom with his own.

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She came back to the classroom five minutes before class ended. Ron seemed to have lost his ability to speak to her, and Harry was very uncomfortable talking with her as well.

But it didn't hinder The-Boy-Who-Lived. He appeared to be dead-set on making their conversations pleasant. It was strange seeing his determination, because she hadn't given him any reason to think that she was uncomfortable speaking with them.

"Why were you gone so long, Hermione?" It seemed like really bad acting on Harry's part. What was wrong with her friends? Had they started to notice that she wasn't "herself" lately?

"I just needed to get out of there."

"Ohhh," he said with a look of pure understanding. His glance shifted from herself to Ron and he looked sympathetically at her.

"Exactly," she replied, going along with whatever he thought her reason was for leaving. Obviously it had something to do with Ron. The redhead seemed to finally get over his fear of looking at her or speaking to her, because he lightly grabbed her by the arm and said, "Listen, 'Mione. Can we go somewhere and talk for a minute? Just about.. you know, things?"

"Sure.." she said in confusion. He led her into an empty classroom, walked in, and sat on top of a dusty desk.

"Ok. I know things may seem.. strange. But, let's just try our best to put this behind us, eh?"

"Alright.."

"I know you must be really heartbroken, and that's alright, Hermione. But I think that it would be better for you to just cry it all out rather than hide it with a mask. Do you understand?"

"Yes, definitely," she lied.

"Good."

Merlin, she was confused. What was happening? She racked her brain for any significant events that had happened during her seventh year. At first, nothing came. But after a good deal of time in History of Magic with Professor Binns, she didn't understand why she hadn't figured it out beforehand.

She and Ron had broken up. In fact, it seemed as if last night was the official date of the break up. No wonder things seemed strange.

It was during Flitwick's class the day before, in which Ron had started to creep a hand up her thigh. That part didn't bother her; she was used to him showing his affection in sneaky ways, but it never got to be more than a hand resting on her leg. This time he went too far.

His hand began to slide up her thigh even further than before, and even when she slapped it down, it would slowly inch its way back up. Suddenly it was tracing the line of her underwear and that was when she lost control.

"RON!" she shouted very, very loudly as she stood up and stalked out of the classroom. This must have been what Snape was referring to at the beginning of class. That wasn't all. That was just the beginning.

She remembered more obvious clues she should have picked up on before. The tissues on her bed, the hug from Ginny, the way too short shorts. That night, she had been with Ron.

They were in the seventh year boy's dormitory enjoying a very long make-up snog, when he stopped and looked up at her with guilty eyes.

"Hermione.." he started.

"Yes?" she asked as she leaned in to kiss a tender spot on his neck. But that was the last kiss he would ever receive from her.

"Stop. Look at me." So she did. And she didn't like what she saw. His eyes were emotionless and his face was set straight.

"What's wrong?"

"Hermione.. we can't be together anymore."

"W-What!?" she asked after a considerably long pause, finding it hard to breathe. Her throat got tight and she felt that all too familiar cold lump beginning to form. She focused hard on steadying her breathing, rather than what her boyfriend of a year and a half was saying to her.

"I just.. you.. we can't be together anymore. 'Mione, I'm breaking up with you," he told her bluntly. She refused to hear anymore. In a flash, she was darting to her dorm and landed with a thump on her soft bed. She cried her eyes out. Loud, pathetic moans and whimpers only the pain of a broken heart could induce. Her shoulders shook and she dramatically rolled across the bed with her soft comforter, scrunching it up to use it as a makeshift teddy bear. She didn't even care if Ron heard her. She was hurt!

"Oh my God! Hermione, what happened?" Lavender asked her. She stopped for a minute at the sudden intrusion and allowed herself to sit up pathetically on the bed, warm tears still flowing gently down her red cheeks.

"R-R-Ron.." she started and exhaled a shuddery breath, "broke.." another shaky breath exhaled, this time followed by a loud, even shakier intake of breath, "up with me!" Another wail ensued and she lifelessly fell back down on the bed.

After hearing the news, Lavender let out a gasp and embraced her tightly. It seemed as if Lavender had not come in here alone, because Parvati was clinging onto Hermione's neck as well. When they broke apart, Hermione noticed that both girls seemed to have teary, glistening eyes.

"It'll be ok, Hermione," Parvati said as she wiped a tear off of Hermione's cheek and brushed a few strands of frizzy dark hair out of her face.

"No worries," Lavender added. Another hug was had by all and Parvati got up to leave. After she shut the door, another shaky breath escaped Hermione's mouth as she tried to calm herself down.

"I.." shaky breath, "I just loved him so much!" She put her head in her hands and let out a couple of moans and cries. This time, it seemed as if there were even more arms holding her. When she looked up, she saw that a redhead was sitting on her bed. But not the one that had broken her heart.

"Thanks, guys. But I think I want to be alone right now."

It obviously wasn't happening. Ginny held up a box of tissues and set them down on the bed, followed by what looked like a pair of shorts and a white shirt. "Put these on." And she did. And she found that they were hideously skimpy. "Oh Merlin! No, no, no, I can't wear this!" Lavender rolled her eyes. "Calm down! No one's going to see but us, anyway! It's just to boost your self-confidence." "I don't need any self-confidence, thank you very much. And I'm certainly not going to get any by wearing this.. this strip of fabric called a shirt and this other one that has been mistaken to be a pair of shorts!" "You look great! If you don't believe it, go take a closer look in the bathroom. We're just trying to help," said Ginny defensively. Instead of following that set of instructions, however, she stalked back to her bed with a huff and fell onto it face forward. "I.. I just want Ron back." The other girls left her alone for the rest of the night while she cried herself to sleep, blowing her nose whenever necessary. 

The two weeks that followed had been the worst two of her life. She had gotten way behind on schoolwork and if it hadn't been for Harry giving her the scariest pep talk of her life, she would have not become Valedictorian. But luckily, being Quidditch captain had certainly done him a world of good on speeches, because he basically said, "Get over it, move on, or else." The worst part about it was that it lasted a good hour and a half.

But.. now she was over the break up. What would she be changing this time? Even when she thought about how much it hurt, she still thinks of good ol' Ronald Weasley the same way. He's her best friend. Her partner in crime. Would it ever be the same? Would she change everything just because she got over the break up completely in a matter of 6 hours rather than 6 weeks?

Just because Ron was the one that broke up with her, doesn't mean that he doesn't hurt either. And it would probably be a big puncture to his ego if she wasn't completely heartbroken about it. So, the question was: should she act like she was affected, or go on with her life the way that the older Hermione would?

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Ah, more lovely reviewers to thank!

Sierradogbaby – glad you enjoy it. I know cigarettes are a muggle thing, but im planning on addressing that later on.. blackmage – happy birthday! I hope seeing another chapter makes you happy and I hope that you're not confused anymore! If you still are, ask me again.. morning sun – yeah, it sure is dm/hg. Thanks for reviewing, im glad you like it!.. beliya – I hope that was a "good" kind of interesting.. melanie – yay! Im so glad that my story interests you.. dreaming one – OMFG I loved your review. It was so long it was almost orgasmic. And all those nice compliments, mmm I loved it! And yes, Hermione should probably have remembered it, but lets just pretend she doesn't have a very good memory, eh?.. joey – hey, thanks and ill be sure to.. madmonkette – eep! Your review was so nice. Im so glad that you find my story interesting!.. the simon cowell of fanfiction.net – you make me very happy.. tokyobabe2040 – yeah, I think that you guys like it when I update quickly so that you don't forget whats going on in the story. Plus, these chapters feel like they're writing themselves.. I write them very quickly. I don't know why. Thanks for the kind review!..

I think that's it. If you're not on here, don't worry because I don't forget anyone and you'll be on the next one. I probably just got your review after I had posted already. KEEP REVIEWING! They are my oxygen. I live for them.