A/N Here is Chapter 4!

Chapter 4

Defiance

Hermione finished doing a spell for a bit of make-up and put her hair part way up to help control its unruliness. The brunette marched to the door in a button up shirt, her most comfortable dress jeans and a small necklace enchanted with a simple cloaking charm. Not exactly "going out" clothes but since all she had was suits, robes and pajamas it would have to do. She stopped at the doorway, she took off her slippers and bent to slip on her modest flats. She knew flats would be more sensible than heels. Hermione grabbed the doorknob and jerked it open. For the first time she was looking out into the hallway of the building.

There was a large, dark hallway just outside her door. Despite several bright lights, the hallway seemed shrouded in shadows. She appeared to live at the end of a hallway in an apartment complex or a hotel, there were rows of doors on either side of her all the way down to the other end of the hallway. The other side was somehow pitch black, there must have been a window; The sky was black outside. She wondered if any of her colleagues might live behind the doors in the hall.

The brunette stood at the door for a moment, Hermione had second thoughts. 'Maybe I shouldn't do this, what if Harry finds out?"

She had heard the lectures enough: They would say how dangerous it is. They would say how much they would lose if they lost her. They would remind her she wasn't just important because of her ability to create new spells; She wasn't just important because of her ability to help run the government. She must never forget she was also the secret keeper for quite a few people. And then, every lecture ended with guilt: Reminders of all the people who would be devastated if she were hurt, all the people counting on her, all the people who put their very lives in her hands, and she must not forget all the people who would never be the same if she were killed.

The guilt began to eat at her for a moment, was she doing the wrong thing? Was she being selfish?

She stood in the doorframe, stuck at a crossroads.

She did not know what would happen if she took a step outside her door, she didn't know if it would be worth the risk. Hermione didn't like not knowing.

The fear and guilt won; heartbroken Hermione began to lift her foot to step back into her flat. A thought came into her head like a lightning strike. She didn't know what lay outside her home, but she knew exactly what would happen if she were to stay. Pajamas, nightmares, dreamless sleep.

With that, the anger returned. 'It feels like all they care about is what I can do for them, for the war,' her anger melted into sadness and tears welled in her eyes. She closed her eyes, 'They don't know how I feel, they won't listen when I tell them. I'm losing my mind and they just don't care. Just one night out…That's all, just one time…'

Quickly the brunette took a step forward, closed the door and began to walk down the darkened hallway, clutching her hands to her stomach. She approached the darkest part of the hallway and found a set of dimly lit stairs. Down the stairs she found a lobby. It was even darker than the hallway up above, but across the darkened room she could see a streetlight. She rushed across the lobby and threw herself against and through the door.

Hermione was a bit shocked when she stepped outside of the building. The inside had been relatively bright and clean, in comparison. From the outside the building looked dark and almost vacant. She stepped away from the door and looked back. Posted on the door was a sign that said, "Condemned. Building unstable. Beware." Hermione chuckled. That would definitely keep most Muggles away from the building. She knew the building would also have a muggle repellent charm on it, but those weren't always reliable.

Now, determined to have some fun Hermione looked up and down the dark street hoping to see some lights or activity pointing to a place where she could find some fun. She saw some lights to the north and began walking in that direction. Passing many muggle homes and a few shops. After a few blocks she heard music. Not music that she would normally be attracted to, but she figured she would give it a try. She followed the sound another block to the east, and she found the source, a pub. It was kind of dark and grubby, but it would suffice.

Hermione took one more look around the area being sure to note the landscape and looking out for anything that may indicate magic or more importantly, Death Eaters. After finding nothing but darkness, music and the smell of smoke coming from inside she decided that she was definitely in a fully muggle area and pushed the door of the pub open and stepped in.

Hermione surveyed the inside of the pub. Quickly noticing the much larger amount of smoke inside. Also noticing that there weren't a lot of people in the establishment. A surly looking bartender, some men drinking and laughing in a corner, a group of what looked like couples taking up the largest table in the middle of the bar and an angry looking woman sitting at the bar. Deciding to get right to the drinking, Hermione approached the bar. As she got closer she noticed that the woman she had glanced at moments before looked very familiar. She immediately stopped in her tracks, worried that perhaps her fears had come to light, and she had run into a random Death Eater or worse….. a ministry official.

Hermione began to back up to make an escape when the woman turned towards the movement she had obviously sensed. Hermione's eyes went wide when she finally recognized her: Ginevra Weasley. She panicked for a second not sure if finding Ginny was any better than a Death Eater or Harry himself.

"Hermione? … Hermione is that you? What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, putting her cigarette out as if to try to hide the fact that she had one in the first place. Hermione stuttered for a moment before deciding to bluff her way through this situation.

"I might ask you the same thing, Ginevra," Hermione asked with a tone of authority.

Ginny rolled her eyes and said, "Please don't call me that. I hate it. Did Ron send you after me? How did he find where I hang out? I'm not using magic, I'm not doing anything to draw attention to myself….," Ginny began in an attempt to get her side of the story out.

Hermione raised an eyebrow to the last part, looking closely at Ginny's outfit. Tight skinny jeans with a dark leather belt that didn't seem to go high enough and a black tank top that didn't seem to go low enough. Black leather, fingerless gloves and dark leather boots that seemed to be similar to something military men would wear. Ginny may not be using magic, but she definitely had Hermione's attention with that outfit. Tough and sexy, that's what Hermione would categorize that outfit as.

"Besides, I'm not a child anymore. I'm an Auror. A Captain. Even if he doesn't agree, I can protect myself and I can do what I want. I don't need a bloody babysitter," Ginny's anger fizzled, and she retreated to take another gulp from her glass.

It was then that Hermione realized that Ginny was doing the same thing that she was doing. Sneaking out of captivity, Hermione kept her mouth shut as she watched her old friend who she hadn't seen in more than quick passing in years.

It was also at this moment that Ginny realized that if Ron had found her, he would come get her himself, not send Hermione to get her. She hadn't even really seen Hermione in a few years. Ginny smiled as she looked back from her glass to Hermione. Hermione frowned.

"Oh, wait… I get it," Ginny mused, "You're not here for me are you? You are here for the same reason I am. I can't believe it! Hermione Jean Granger, caught in the act of being naughty!"

Hermione scoffed, "I highly doubt that I am here for the same reason as you, Ginny….. not in that outfit," Hermione said as she took a seat next to the redhead at the bar.

"And just what do you mean by that, Ms. Granger?" Ginny said feigning insult.

Hermione smiled, "I am here to drink. You are obviously here for…. something else," Hermione joked as she waved down the bartender and ordered a mixed drink. Ginny ignored Hermione's astute observation and took the opportunity to order another vodka.

As Ginny downed the rest of her glass, she took the opportunity to look at Hermione closely. 'Wow, she has matured. A lot. All of the right curves in all of the right places.' The redhead noticed Hermione's button down and tight jeans. She liked how the shirt fit her and the jeans seemed to hug her form nicely. 'If only she were here for the same reason as me,' Ginny thought with an ache in her loins.

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