A/N – Only three reviews… not too good, but better than none at all. I know some of you are thinking that that wasn't Hermione in the Prologue, at least not her personality or something she would do. But you'll understand it a bit better…. Just read on.

Summary – Years after Hogwarts, Hermione has lost everything. Her family, her pride, one of her best friends, and her true love. But in the process, she has gained a beautiful daughter, even if her profession is shameful. What happens when the truths are revealed and it turns out she messed things up worse than ever? Her chances at love again, deterred because of a stupid mistake. Will love get a second chance? Or will she push him away after all these years?

Rating – R, for obvious reasons and later chapters

Disclaimer - It really is mine! JKR just stole all of my ideas! And now she's the one making millions of dollars off of books, posters, movies, and other propaganda. God help me, I've gone insane. cries heavily Okay… its not mine… none of it. WAAAAAAA!!!

Second Chance

Chapter 1 Tears

Hermione walked back down to the living room. She sat down on the end of the sofa at Harry's feet.

"Wake up," she said quietly, jiggling his feet. He just groaned, mumbled something like "five more minutes" and turned his head into his pillow. "Alright, but you forced me to do this," she said, shaking her head sadly. She took out her wand and whispered a silencing charm (she didn't want to wake Serenity). She then said another incantation. Water sprayed out of her wand and onto Harry's face.

He sat strait up within a millisecond. He looked like he was cursing up a storm, but because of the silencing charm, no noise was made.

"Now Harry, you've gotta be quiet, Serenity's still asleep," Hermione explained, amid laughter. Harry nodded eagerly. "Un silencieux," she said and Harry stared at her expectantly.

"Well?" he questioned.

"Well what?" Hermione retorted.

"You obviously woke me up for some reason, normally you just let me sleep," he said.

"I wanted to thank you… for everything," she said slowly.

"It was nothing," Harry began to explain, but she interrupted him quickly.

"Harry, it was everything. You stayed when I needed you most and Ron ran away. You've watched Senity countless times while I… 'worked' and not ask for anything in return."

"Hey, she's my goddaughter, what do you expect?" he said nonchalantly.

"I expected you to run like Ron when you found out I was pregnant," Hermione replied.

"I would never do that, no matter what. The only thing that upsets me is why you don't get a real job!" Harry said, he didn't like the thought of her sleeping with men she didn't even know.

"Now Harry, you know why I do it…"

"Yes, but you could get hurt! Why didn't you just contact her dad? He could support her, couldn't he?" he asked logically.

"He probably could… but Harry, I'm scared. Her father was the only man I've ever been in love with. When he turned me away… I… I didn't know what to do. And then I found out about Serenity, I was just out of school Harry. I was scared he'd want me to abort her! Besides, we don't need him!" Hermione replied. Harry always asked her this, it was almost a ritual.

"Then take money from me!" Harry said as he stood up and began pacing the room. "God knows I've got enough!"

"Harry, I'm not a charity case! Everything she's ever needed, she's had, and on MY income!" she replied. Hermione was an independent soul and rarely accepted help from anyone, even her best friend.

"Look 'Mione, I'm sorry, it's just I worry about you. And then Senity asks where you are when you're gone. What am I supposed to tell her? 'She out sleeping with any man who'll pay,' yeah, that'd be great to tell a five-year-old!" he said sarcastically.

"Harry, I can't help what I do! Okay? But if it puts bread on the table… Harry, I've had to grow into an adult at the age of 19. Do you know how hard it was? Sometimes I just couldn't take it! And even now it's painful! My daughter's father isn't here and she doesn't even know who he is! I'm the only one who does!" she yelled. "It's hard Harry, really hard," she said a little softer.

"I know 'Mione, I know."

"Mummy?" came a soft whisper from the top of the stairs. Hermione quickly ran to the bottom of the stairs and looked up to see her daughter standing there with her stuffed dog that Harry had given her at her birth, which look conspicuously like a certain animagi. She was wiping the sleep from her eyes and it made her look so innocent.

"Sorry hunny, did we wake you?" Hermione said sweetly. When it came to her daughter, she could've been yelling at the top of her lungs and could change her attitude within seconds while talking to her.

"Mm-hm," Serenity said as she nodded sleepily.

"We're sorry sweetie, aren't we Harry?" Hermione said pointedly towards her best (and only) friend. Harry nodded quickly, glad for the excuse to escape Hermione's wrath.

"Can I come down?" she asked timidly. Her mommie didn't let her stay up late till she got home.

"Yea, why not?" Harry said quickly, anything to get out of a scolding.

Hermione gave him a disdainful look, but welcomed her daughter downstairs anyway.

"Yes, come here baby," she said. Senity quickly ran down the stairs and gave her mom a hug around the legs. Hermione quickly knelt so she could give her a proper hug. She clutched onto her daughter like her life depended on it. Serenity and Harry were the only real things in her life, if it weren't for the life of her daughter, Hermione wouldn't have made it through the past six years.

"Let's get you some hot chocolate," Hermione said as she stood up with her daughter in her arms and began walking to the kitchen.

"I missded you," Serenity said as she laid her head in the crook of Hermione's neck.

"I missed you too baby," Hermione replied softly as she sat at the table in her kitchen.

Her house was nice sized; three bedrooms, two bathrooms (one upstairs, one down), an eat-in kitchen, living room, dinning room and the basement. Sure the rooms were small, but it was cozy. Harry practically lived there, even though he had his own pad, he was never away from his friend and goddaughter long. He had followed the small family into the kitchen and began to mix the hot chocolate; he knew he had to make up to Hermione for waking her daughter so early in the morning. For becoming a mother at such a young age, Hermione did it very well.

She had Serenity when she was only 19 (18 in muggle terms because of the use of a time-turner). But her daughter was her pride and joy, the only link to her soul mate. But she tried not to dwell on the past.

"So, what did you and Uncle Harry do?" Hermione asked her daughter, who was now sitting on the table in front of her mother.

"Nu'in much," Senity replied sweetly. "Jus' pyayed."

"So, what did you two play?" Hermione asked curiously. Normally this was the routine in the morning, but Serenity was awake now.

""Howse," was her simple reply. Hermione's smile faltered, but she then plastered it back on, not wanting her daughter to see her sadness. She knew all about how Harry and Serenity would play house. Serenity would pretend that Harry was her dad. Harry normally didn't want to, he knew Hermione didn't need reminded about being a single parent, but Serenity had him wrapped around her little finger and could make him do anything.

"That's nice," Hermione finally said with fake cheerfulness. She pulled her daughter into her lap and held her tightly. Don't cry, not now, not in front of Serenity and Harry, she told her self as she buried her face in her daughters silky locks of black hair. "I love you Senity," she breathed.

"I yove you too mummy!" she replied enthusiastically.

"Your beverages my ladies," Harry said regally as he laid a hot chocolate in front of both women. Serenity turned around in her mom's lap and began to sip at her hot drink. Hermione just stared blankly into her mug. Harry looked at her concernedly, but did not question her. He knew what was running through her mind.

"I'm tired guys, I'll see you in the morning okay?" Hermione said as she pushed her chair back and sat her daughter back down to finish her hot chocolate.

"Nighty-night mummy," Serenity said.

"Nighty-night baby," she said as she kissed the top of her head. "G'night Harry." She then walked up the stairs and into her room. She lay on the bed and buried her face in her pillows and began to cry.

"Why did all of this have to happen? Why did he push me away?" she cried to herself in anguish. She pulled the cover up around her and tried to imagine it being his strong and steady arms that were her security blanket six years ago. She tried to find someway to forget him, but to no avail. That night had haunted her mind for the past six years and it didn't want to go away. "I loved him, and he didn't even give me a chance to tell him," she said as another onslaught of tears welled in her eyes.

A soft knock came from her door and Harry stuck his head through the door. He looked at the bed and noticed that she was still awake.

"Hard night?" He asked quietly as he crept towards her bed.

"It's gonna be an even harder morning," she said, trying to hide the tears from her voice, but it didn't get past her friend of 11 years.

"You miss him don't you?" he asked while he rubbed her back comfortingly.

"So much," she replied, hiding her face deeper in her pillow. "Where Sen?" she asked.

"Bed. The hot chocolate put her out," Harry said. "Get some sleep 'Mione, you need it." He began to walk out the door when Hermione spoke again.

"Every night, every time I'm with some slug off the street, I think of him. I try to pretend it's him, but… it never works. I hate myself." Harry didn't know if she was talking to him or herself, but he replied anyway.

"Don't hate yourself Hermione. You loved him, you can't help that. And someday, I hope whoever this man you love dearly notices this like I do. Goodnight." He then walked out the door and left her to herself as she cried herself to sleep over a man whom had probably forgotten her, a man who would never love her or know about his daughter, a man that she still loved to death.