Authors Note: I am aware that it has been a long time (almost three months) since i updated, but i have a good excuse. Since i am doing Advanced courses, i am currently swamped with courswork...-.-. I swear i started this chapter ages ago, but my commitments to my school work comes first.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any other character recognised in this fic. This is purely for entertainment use.

Chapter 3

Dean Mattican was someone who you would not wish to anger. The very mention of his name sent shivers down spines.He wasn't as nearly as feared as Voldermort but at times he could come close.

He was feared within the ministry. No one dared question his actions for they were soon made to regret it. He was a horrible man with no conscience. If he did have a conscience it was drained out of him a long time ago.

Mattican was a tall man with a skinny frame. His skin was as pale as a white sheet, which gave a ghastly impression. His hair was a charcoal black and his eyes were like steel. His dark icy glare made it sure that he could get what he wanted without question.

Dean Mattican came from an extremely powerful line of purebloods. His family was very rich and was highly regarded in the wizarding world. His bloodline goes back generations, his great-grandfather, grand father and father were powerful wizards and more importantly to them pure blooded.

Now you must understand about this man. He is not one you would wish to pass in a corridor. He is not one to anger, for he has a temper unlike any other. He feels highly about himself and it truly shows in the way he acts.

He only hired people who he thought were up to the standards, in other words only pure bloods. His attitude was worse than the Malfoy's put together. Not only could he not stand muggle-borns, but also he had a strong dislike towards Half bloods.

It's hard to believe that a man can be full of hatred. How can one man be so cruel, so full of negative energy that just thinking about him brings shivers down peoples' spines.

One thing that came to most people's minds is why was he running for Minister of Magic? Surely people won't want someone who has a strong prejudice for almost half the wizarding community. There must be a reason why he wants the position. Maybe gain extra power? Maybe another alternate reason?

Whatever reason he was running for, the outcome if he won would surely not be something to look forward to.


Ron was tapping his fingers nervously on the table; his eyes never left the window as he was trying to look out for Harry and Ginny. Hermione looked at his fidgeting hands and sighed. She knew that Ron was nervous but she saw no reason for it.

"Ron, please stop that tapping it's giving me a headache" Hermione said softly "Besides, there is nothing to worry about, I am only meeting up with two of my best friends, after a few years. There is absolutely nothing to worry about"

Ron placed his hands flat on the table and gave an apologetic smile towards Hermione. She just smiled and shook her head, as if trying not to laugh.

"You're right, sorry" Said Ron in an apologetic tone.

"Ron, how many times do I have to say it? I don't want you to apologise to me anymore" Hermione stated calmly.

"Sorry" Ron looked up at Hermione and let out a nervous laugh

Hermione sighed and presented a light smile to Ron. She knew that he was expecting her to be angry with him. She knew that he had expected her to reprimand him for abandoning her at her time of need. Deep down all she wanted to do was to shout at him, but she couldn't. She knew that being angry with Ron would be too much heartache, she lost too much to loose anything now.

She missed Ron so much during his time spent away. She didn't realise this very fact until a few hours ago when he appeared at her office door. She was filled with mixed emotions, that she really didn't know what to feel. She was angry with him, Harry and Ginny; after all, they weren't there for her in her times of vulnerability. She could never hate them, but they definitely let her down in more ways than one.

Sure they were supportive immediately after Death Eaters killed her mother, but that wasn't enough. She needed support after they left, a shoulder to cry on and they weren't there to give her that. Sure she felt selfish for feeling this, they had their own lives to deal with, but she wished that her friends had made more of an effort to keep in contact.

She knew that she was probably going a little too easy on them. They showed her no thought after her dad's funeral and just left her to pick up the pieces. She knew that they had their own life to sort, even more so for Harry. She sympathised with him; he was lost after the war, gaining the new identity of "The-Boy-Who-Triumphed". All his life up until he turned eleven, he was known as Harry Potter, but soon after he received his letter from Hogwarts his identity to the majority of the wizardry community was "The-Boy-Who-Lived". She knew that it must have been hard, being a huge public icon that so many people admired. She understood how after the war, he had to find out who he was. He spent most, if not all of his adolescence preparing for the battle he was destined to fight, only to find that afterwards he was completely lost.

She knew how he felt at some level, when both your parents are gone, you loose your identity. Soon after her dad died, she felt she could no longer carry on with her life. Her parents were very important figures in her life, and since she had no siblings to turn to for support she couldn't help but feel lost as to who she was anymore.

During the times that she was alone, Hermione experienced extreme cases of insomnia. At times she couldn't close her eyes without images of her parent's death haunting her. Every time she tried to sleep, she heard her mother's desperate screams; they felt so real that it had to take Hermione a few minutes to realise that it was just a dream. She trembled, in cold sweats every time she woke up from a nightmare of her parent's decease.

She felt, for a time that it was indeed her fault that they died. If only she had gone down those stairs that night, then maybe her parents would still be here. She knew that her dad didn't blame her, but she would understand if he did. She was their original target, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for all the pain she caused.

She wanted to see her friends again, since without them she has been a wreck. It was safe to say that Hermione wasn't herself ever since she was alone. She was depressed and kept to herself most, if not all of the time. That didn't mean she hadn't made any friends, it purely meant that she had trouble getting too close to them. She couldn't handle anymore-abrupt departures; she experienced too much loss in her life to cope.

She was happy to finally be able to see Harry and Ginny. She wanted to see how much they had changed in the past years. She wanted to hear about what they were doing in life, but more importantly; she wanted it to be like old times.

Hermione knew that to get to that stage would take a lot of time and effort. Damage already came and has stained parts of their friendship that desperately need mending. Only time can remove the stains that have hung over their minds and hearts for a long time.

Hermione and Ron heard the café door open with two figures emerging from the outside. Hermione instantly noticed a wave of a certain trademark red hair at the entrance to the café, only such hair could belong to a member of the Weasley family.

Hermione instantly perked up as she saw the couple walking towards the table that she and Ron were sitting. She immediately stood up as they approached the table, and embraced the nearest one with so much force that he almost toppled over.

Indeed, the nearest person to her was Harry Potter. He smiled warmly and returned her embrace, holding her with care as she quietly sobbed into his shirt. He rubbed her back soothingly, comforting her; easing the pain. She pulled out of the embrace and looked into her friend's green eyes. She noticed that they had matured slightly, no longer were they the eyes of a boy, but the eyes of a man.

He had definitely grown a couple of inches and had a broader figure. He looked toned and healthy, which means that he must have been taking care of himself. His hair was still messy, but with a neater style. He smiled as his green eyes met with Hermione's brown. He noticed a small tear escape from her glossy eyes and he carefully wiped it away with the tip of his thumb.

"It's good to see you again, Hermione" Harry greeted, breaking the silence that had consumed the group since he first arrived.

Hermione smiled lightly, trying to stop the tears from falling as she replied "You too Harry, You too"

He gently tapped her on the shoulder, as she greeted Ginny with a friendly embrace. The two women couldn't help but let out a few tears at such an emotional time.

"I missed you, Hermione. It's great to see you again" Ginny said lightly through her joyful tears.

Hermione again smiled lightly, "I missed you too"


Authors Note: Well, yes it was a short chapter. I wanted to carry on with this chapter and make it longer, but with the emotions carried with it, any futher would make it bland, and i don't want that:D

Let me know what you think:D

Looking forward to hear from you:D

cutehelenjames