Author's note: Sorry for the late update, but i've been trying to update at this site called Coloured Grey, its a wonderful D/Hr fan site and i think they've usupended this story because no one seems to want to reveiw it. (hint hint) haha haha so before i whine anymore to you guys, here's the next installment.

Chapter 20 – The Morning After

When she woke up the next morning, he was gone.

For a single second, she kept her eyes closed and wished that it was all a dream. But she felt the weight of the rings that he had bestowed upon her the day before. One, the 'engagement' ring, was the oval cut diamond flanked by two opals. The other, the wedding ring, was even more exquisite. It was set in white gold with a dozen or so baguette cut diamonds making up the band.

She hated him.

Honestly.

She loved the rings so much that she almost didn't want to take them off, so she had to remind herself what they stood for to pull them off her left ring finger and slip them on a white gold chain along with the locket her mum and dad had given her years ago.

After this internal battle, she went though her usual morning routine. Thought she could clean her teeth with a simple spell, she tended to do it the muggle way, it just made her feel better. Now it gave her something systematic to do to take her mind away from all of this. when she was finished with everything, she left the suite of rooms, although, it take her a moment to remember the password and how to activate the portkey, but she got it in the end and made her way downstairs.

She entered the great hall and immediately strode up to her regular place, Harry and Ginny were there but Ron was no where in sight. Hermione inwardly sighed in relief. Even after all these months she still could not stand to be around him. She was pretty sure that no one else knew about his infidelity. She sure as hell did not mention it to anyone and Ron had yet to come clean to Harry and Ginny.

"Exited, Hermione?" Ginny asked. "Your OWLS are a week away."

Hermione grimaced.

"Don't remind me." she said. "Please."

The three of them laughed.

"I was wondering where you had gone and Gin couldn't find you upstairs." Harry explained. "We waited up for you but when you didn't show we came down first. Hope you don't mind." he paused to stuff a forkful of scramble eggs into his mouth. "Where were you by the way?"

Hermione bit her lip, it was times like these that she just needed to tell then what had happened and exactly here she had been the night before. Only, she knew she couldn't. So she kept her mouth shut, because it was too risky.

Luckily, Harry and Ginny took the guilty gesture as:

'Okay, okay I admit it I was studying for the OWLs in the library.'

Ginny laughed.

"I figured that if you were studying the last thing you would want is for us to come barging in on you, although Harry seemed to think it was a good idea." she said elbowing Harry. "So I dragged him and Ron down here, but he up and left a while ago."

Hermione couldn't help but tense up at the mention of Ron's name.

Harry, ever perceptive noticed this immediately.

"'Mione?" he asked, sounding concerned. "What is it?"

The Gryffindor prefect forced a smile.

"It's nothing really."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed.

"No way, 'Mione." he said. "Something is going on. What is it?"

Ginny nodded.

"Maybe we can help." she added. "What's troubling you?"

What was troubling her?

Oh that was rich.

The more pertinent question would be what was not bothering her at the moment.

Hermione almost had to bite back hysterical bouts of laughter when she spoke the most atrocious lie in the history of all existence.

"Really." she said levelly. "I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle."

Both Harry and Ginny looked satisfied. She had admitted that there was something amiss, but she could handle it. That seemed truthful.

It wasn't.

She had lied out right and fooled them.

Maybe Malfoy was beginning to rub off on her.