Disclaimer: Right… I really don't own Harry or Luna or Draco or Hermione yadda, yadda, yadda. They all belong to JKR an not me, blah, blah, blah. I do own a few things, anyway.

Author's Note: Grr… I am so mad at myself! I have been so swamped with school work and trying to find a job. Harry Potter is coming out in a few days! Yay!

Spoilers up to and including The Order of the Phoenix

Rating: PG-14 for language, violence, kidnapping, and sexual themes.

-

Ron gaped in shock.

Hermione's home.

Hermione came back.

Hermione caught me snogging Pansy. Oh, crap.

"Her-Hermione?" He said questionably. He was slightly suspicious. In the wizarding world you could never be too sure.

Hermione stood stone faced. Her hands were crossed tightly over her chest with fingernails digging into her arms. Ron knew this look. He got it when he slept with Lavender.

"Hermione, nothing happened!" Ron said as Pansy snorted behind him. "Well, besides kissing." He trailed off. He moved forward to hug his wife, but she held a hand in front of her.

Hermione shook her head. "Whatever, Ron. I understand."

"You do?" He asked with a sigh of relief.

"Yes. I could have been dead. You didn't even know where I was. I was kidnapped by the way, in case you care. I might never have came back and you wanted to make sure that you wouldn't have to be alone. But I get it Ron, because that's the way you are. You can never be alone." Hermione informed him.

Ron shook his head. "Hermione, it wasn't like that." Ron rubbed both his hands over his face and looked pleadingly at Pansy.

Pansy nodded lightly and made her way up the stairs, all the while attempting to conceal a smile.

"So you were kidnapped." Ron said weakly.

"Yes." Hermione said shortly.

"Who kidnapped you?" He asked her.

"I can't tell you." She informed him as she turned away.

"What!" Ron exclaimed as he walked around her to look at her face. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because I promised that if they let me go, I'd never tell anyone who kidnapped me." Hermione said, desperately wanting to tell him Pansy helped. She couldn't however, because it would get traced back to Draco. Not that she cared very much.

"Hermione, these people kidnapped you! They took you away from your children and your friends and me! We were so lost without you." He said softly as he grabbed Hermione and held her tightly to his chest.

"I know, Ron." Hermione said softly. "I know what they did, but I don't break my promises. I never have and I never will." Hermione paused for a moment. "They aren't bad people. In fact I became friends with many of the people who were with me."

"Other people who were kidnapped?" Ron asked her.

"No," she said as she pulled back from him. "Employee's. The person who kidnapped me. I really do like them and I don't want them to get hurt."

"You like people who kidnapped you?" Ron asked her incredulously. "Hermione, you aren't thinking straightly." He said, convinced of his own words.

"I am, Ron." Hermione said. She was always the one who thought clearly, so why would now be any different?

"No you aren't! They have you under a spell, Hermione."

"No they don't, Ron." Hermione said exasperatedly. She hated it when people tried to convince her to turn away from her friends. "Did you ever think that Pansy has you under a spell?"

"Never," Ron said with assurance.

"Why not?" Hermione exclaimed suddenly.

"Because she's my friend!" Ron said loudly.

"And they're my friends!" Hermione said in the same tone.

Ron sighed and sat on the couch. He stared at a bottle of nail polish that Pansy had left on the coffee table. He picked it up and examined the dark red colour.

He heard Hermione sigh and felt the couch sink as she sat on it. "All we ever do is fight." She said. "I've been home for the first time in weeks and all we can do is yell at each other." She said with a sigh.

"We fight, Hermione. It's what we do." Ron said with a shrug. "We're famous for it."

"It's all we ever do, Ron." She stared at the bottle Ron was playing with. "It isn't healthy. We haven't had the same relationship since Lavender came into the picture."

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry?" Ron asked.

"Until you mean it." Hermione shook her head. "I don't think that this isn't going to work, Ron."

Ron buried his head in his hands and attempted to breath as his world collapsed.

"I'm going to go to bed," she said as she put a hand on his shoulder and lifted herself up.

Ron heard her footsteps as she climbed up the stairs. He wiped some stray tears out of his eyes as he laid down on the couch and fell asleep.

----

Pansy let out a light giggle as she gave a thought to how the confrontation downstairs was going. The look on Granger's face when she caught her and Ron kissing in the foyer was one Pansy hoped she'd never forget.

Now, the night hadn't gone as Pansy would have originally hoped. In revenge terms it was ten times better because there might be a break up on the horizon.

On the other hand, I didn't get laid, Pansy thought with a pout. Too bad. There has to be a reason Granger stayed married to Ron for so long.

Pansy sat up on her bed and sighed. "Well, other than the fact that he's really funny." Pansy said thoughtfully. "And the sweetest guy." Pansy flopped on her back and folded her arms.

Pansy stared at the glaringly white ceiling, listening to the yells that were happening downstairs.

"Because she's my friend!" Ron said loudly.

Pansy couldn't help but smile. It was true, no matter how much she wanted to conceal it. Her and Ron had become friends over the last few weeks.

It was odd for Pansy to have friends like Ron. Ron is someone who was good inside and out. Not like her other friends, not like her. The closest was Blaise but Blaise never really had been good no matter how nice he could be.

Now, of course Ron had his fair share of indiscretions. He did cheat on his wife, but from what she heard, it wasn't surprising.

According to Ron, the marriage was not what a little girl dreams of. He only slept with Hermione because he was drunk and married her because she was knocked up. And he only slept with Lavender because she was there.

Not exactly a dream in the making.

Not that Pansy found that to be an excuse, but it was a better excuse than the one's she comes up with every time she cheats on one of her boyfriends.

And let's just say, Pansy's needed a lot excuses.

She sat up and glared at the opposite wall. It wasn't in Pansy's nature to be defending Gryffindors. And before that she complimented him? She obviously had too much Champaign at The Gala. Although, Pansy did have a high alcohol tolerance and she only had two glasses.

"Hmm," Pansy hummed under her breath as she put her chin in her hand. She was rather concerned with the lack of yelling coming from downstairs.

What if they worked things out? Pansy started to breath heavily. She didn't want them to work it out. She wanted the marriage to fail. She wanted Ron to be single. She wanted Draco to get what he wanted. She knew as soon as Granger was with Draco, there was no going back.

But why? Pansy attempted to calm her breathing and mulled over the question.

As soon as Draco gets what he wants, there's no way Granger can get Ron back. Pansy thought to herself. But why do I want it?

Revenge?

A good laugh?

Money?

Fame?

Love?

Pansy's eyes widened at the last thought. She was sure she didn't love him. She wasn't Draco; it took her a lot more than some flirting and opening up to get her to fall in love.

But could I love him one day? Pansy closed her eyes tightly.

"The second you can look at him and see your future, can see your children, it's love." Aida had said as she patted Pansy's soft golden hair.

"How can you know that from infatuation?" Pansy had asked.

"You just know. Trust me."

Pansy knew she hadn't seen her future yet. She couldn't see children with Ron. Yet.

That wasn't the question though. The question was could she love him?

He was very lovable, she supposed. Although Pansy had very little experience when it came to love. She never really fell in love with any on her many boyfriends.

Although, did it really matter? Pansy had never been in love before, save Draco, so why start now? She wasn't the type of girl who fell in love. She was the type of girl that mocked the type of girl who fell in love then sleep with that girl's boyfriend.

"Wow! I never thought I'd see the day when Pansy Parkinson had an expression of deep deliberation on her face. Must be the apocalypse." Hermione remarked dryly from the doorway. She was leaning against the white doorframe and her arms her crossed. "Let me help you out. You pick the evil one."

"Taking Draco's stance now, Granger? Seems odd. I've had a lot of sex, but I've never inherited the personality. Must be love." Pansy said acidly as she stood up.

Though her hair was messed up and her make-up was smudged, she still reminded Hermione of an aristocrat. Her posture was perfect and her robes looked like they were made just for her. She looked unwavering in her lacy, high heels and by the way her arms were crossed and how she looked down her nose at Hermione made Hermione waver slightly.

It wasn't surprising though. Most Slytherin's that Hermione came in contact with were polite, uncomfortably so, and the designation of aristocracy. Pansy being no exception to this.

"Although, I never thought I'd see the day where you got the stick that was up your ass surgically removed. Big day?" Pansy mocked as she pulled off her strappy shoes.

"Poor Pansy Parkinson. Can't come up with a better retort than those that I've heard since I met you?" Hermione said with her hands on her hips.

"Oh Goody, Gryffindor Granger. I'll keep sayin' them as long as they keep bothering you. Don't you know anything about bullies?" Pansy asked with a smirk.

"If your diluted enough to actually believe that they bother me, then you are very sad."

"If it doesn't bother you, then why are you still standing here?" Pansy asked as she cocked her head to the side.

Hermione made a sound in the back of her throat before turning on her heel and stalking out the door, slamming it behind her.

Pansy flopped on her bed and sighed. "I never found out if they broke up…."

----

Vega and Sirius strolled side by side down a bridge covering a dark river. Vega couldn't help but smile at her new and only friend, no matter how down he looked.

She smiled up at him. "Don't worry about it, Sirius," she said with a wave of her hand. "We'll get her back. So, no worries, yeah?"

Sirius smiled back down at her, although his wavered slightly. "Yeah, alright." He said as he flopped down on the dark cement, his legs dangling over the edge. His arms rested leisurely against the mettle bar that ran across the side of the bridge.

Vega sat down next to him, careful not to wrinkle her dress robes. "I don't even see why you like her so much. I mean, yeah she's pretty and nice. Seems kind of lacking in the personality department, however."

"She has an awesome personality," Sirius snapped, causing Vega to smirk. "She is very nice and funny. She knows a lot of stuff that I don't know (and I don't know a lot). She-She's…"

"Lacking in personality?" Vega questioned as she turned her head to look at Sirius.

"Like yours is any better?" Sirius asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Well, in a way yes. You see, while I may be vindictive, manipulative and bitchy, but I still have a personality." Vega said as she nodded.

"Your not bitchy." Sirius told her with a roll of his eyes.

"Stop lying."

"Alright, but your not manipulative." He said with a goofy grin playing on his face.

Vega couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "You barley know me, Sirius."

Sirius replied with a shrug before gazing off to a nearby island. "I guess I don't know people as well as I thought I did." Sirius watched as Vega shot him a questioning glance. "I mean Zander. We've been friends for years."

"And now he's all over the girl you like?" Vega asked. At seeing him nod, she continued. "You know what they say about love and war."

"All's fair?" Sirius guessed.

"Get dirty." Vega said with a smirk. "I'll help you get her." She promised with a smile before looking out at the island, formulating a plan.

----

Harry flopped down on his couch with a goofy smile plastered on his face. He wasn't able to stop smiling since Luna agreed to date him. For Harry, it seemed as if everything was finally falling into place.

Except for Hermione, he thought with as his smile turned into a frown. He was sure she wasn't dead. The three of them, Harry, Ron and Hermione, had a connection that went deeper than what was likely.

Harry sighed loudly. On one hand, he couldn't be happier. He finally got the girl of his dreams. Harry never really gave Luna a second thought when the two attended Hogwarts. He admired her bravery and ability to not care what people think, but never enough to fall in love with her.

He was always thankful to have her as a friend in his later teen years. She kept him grounded. Harry was always one to fly off the handle whereas Luna stayed calm. A great tactic in the time of war. He wasn't even sure if he had ever seen Luna get exceptionally mad.

The reason for his sadness however was the fact Hermione was still missing. In all reality, he had thought she would be home by now. He at least thought that there would be a word or clue from someone.

Harry knew that if anyone could take care of themselves, it was Hermione.

It wasn't a question of whether or not Hermione could take care of herself. It was a question of who, what, why and how someone could take her.

Harry mulled over this issue as Seamus walked into the apartment. Thankfully alone this time.

"Do not tell me you sat here all night!" Seamus said as he took off his shoes. Seamus, not one for fancy parties, opted to go to a pub with his other friends. Causing a huge rift in his relationship with Parvati, a girl who loves big parties. "You are becoming lamer than lame."

"I went to The Gala," Harry responded, still staring ahead. "Hence my dress robes."

"Oh yeah," Seamus said with a laugh as he walked into the small kitchen. He returned a minute later with two bottles of beer and handed one to Harry before flopping down next to him.

Harry looked over at his roommate and sighed. "So how's Parvati?" He asked him dully. It wasn't that Harry didn't like Parvati, because he really did. She didn't like him though.

"Mate, so do not want to get into that!" Seamus said as he rubbed his forehead. "I forgot how bitchy she could be." Seamus looked at the wall in front of them. "It's odd, really."

"What's odd?" Harry asked as he watched Seamus.

"How when you fall in love, the little annoying things that they do turn to cute. When as soon as you fall in love bitchyness turns to spunk and even if they are only slightly nice they turn into Gods in your eyes." Seamus turned and looked at Harry with a shrug. "And when you fall out of love, they are the most annoying person you ever met."

"Seamus, I knew you and Parvati were having problems, but I never knew you fell out of love with her. You should have talked to me," Harry said as Seamus' words played through his head in a loop.

"You have bigger problems, Harry. You have you job which does, and should, take up most of your time. You have Hermione to try and find and you have Luna to impress." Seamus gave Harry a smug smile as he said that one. "I, on the other hand, spend all of my time solving other people's problems."

"You're a bartender, Seamus." Harry pointed out bluntly.

"Yeah, and it's basically psychology." Seamus said as he took a swig from his bottle. "Don't worry about me Harry. Parvati will soon realize how much she needs me. Remember, I saved her."

Harry shrugged and took a drink. True, Seamus did help Parvati get away from her abusive boyfriend, but that was three years ago. Two years of dating and Seamus never even proposed.

Seamus was never one for commitment. Parvati was his biggest commitment. Sometimes, Harry felt bad for the girl. He saw the longing look in her eye and every wedding and baby shower he ever attended. Parvati was not afraid of commitment.

"Of course, Seamus." Harry said skeptically.

----

Ginny giggled as Blaise made obscene gestures in the middle of The Café. The place was empty, save an older couple sitting in the back and a waiter and waitress. Ginny put a hand to her cheek. She had been beaming all night, thanks to Blaise's antics and now could feel the pain setting in.

Ginny hated social gatherings, especially those that were meant for the more classy people. She frankly would have just gone to a pub for the night, if it were up to her.

Blaise, on the other hand, fit right into everything. She was lucky to have him there really. She never felt like she fit in at these particular social gatherings.

A pause in conversation swept over the two. Ginny took a sip of her Butterbeer and Blaise of his coffee. Ginny set down her drink, "you know, I don't even know why they call this place 'The Café' because it says right on the building it's called 'Courtney's'."

"Easier to say?" Blaise offered with a shrug.

"I suppose." Ginny said as she looked around. The conversation had fallen into a rut, sure, but it wouldn't last long, Ginny was sure of it.

After all, silence couldn't last forever.

----

(Again! I am so sorry! I don't know when I will update again. I still have to write the next chapter. It will not be as long of a wait as this one. And yet again, I have no time but I do thank each of the reviewers! You guys are my idols!

Remember, REVIEW!

Catherine!