Hermione was determined and promised herself to take it one day at a time. She didn't want to be the same young and naive woman, who kept taking her boyfriend back the second he apologized to her. Tom was her everything back then, and he made the choice to leave her and everything they had behind. She had to do the same. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, and some days would be difficult, but she needed to do it for herself. It wasn't to be petty or to hurt him. She gave her all to their relationship, only for it to not be enough. For weeks, she cried over him, thinking that it was all her fault. It wasn't true at all. She was seeing their relationship in a different light.

She put the other night's event behind her and left his card unanswered. His flowers remained in the bin without any regret. It was the first step of many. There was no more looking back and wondering what could have been between them.

Hermione got ready for work, set on a plan to move on with her life. Every morning was a new day, she told herself. She left for work at the Ministry via the Floo. When she arrived, the lobby was filled. There were lots of talk that she couldn't decipher. Too many people were talking over the other. She never understood why there were so many people after a weekend. With her petite frame, it was difficult to navigate through until someone grabbed her hand and was walked out of the crowd.

"Nicholas," she breathed a sigh of relief when she met his blue eyes.

His hair was fixed the same way as the other night when she met him at Hogwarts, slicked back. She found that she preferred it that way. He looked handsome, but had a boyish charm with his hair down. Either way, she knew that he was at least a decent guy.

They walked hand in hand through the ever-growing crowd. It seemed endless. They kept walking until they passed the gate that lead to the lifts. The hall was somewhat quiet. There were others waiting as well and talking amongst themselves.

"First, I'd like to apologize about what I said at Hogsmeade," Nicholas said above a whisper, keeping their conversation between them. He blushed when he finally let go off her hand. "I don't regret telling you how I feel, but how it came out. It's clear that there's still something there between you and him."

"There's nothing to apologize for. It's over, but I'm not ready to date," Hermione replied.

"I understand. Hope it doesn't change anything between us. I'd like us to remain friends," he said.

A lift came on the opposite end, where others were gathered. Another came in front of them. They stepped in together, and he pressed the button for Level 2 where they were both headed. Hermione needed to do her daily brief with some departments before heading to her office.

"Of course, we're friends. I don't want that change. Maybe in the future, but not right now," she answered with confidence.

They both blushed when their eyes met. It's clear that there was something between them that neither had expected until his confession. Perhaps that was all that was needed to start a spark, hoping to ignite a flame. There was a different air between them.

"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled. The lift stopped and the golden grille opened. He let her step out first and went their separate ways.

xxxx

After a few days, another bouquet of roses came from the same sender and with the same message. Tom wanted to talk to her about their relationship. They had none to speak of. He made sure of it when he dumped her and left their flat.

Hermione left the roses outside, for anyone to take, hoping he would get the message. She crumpled the card and threw it in the bin. There was no going back, she told herself. It was a promise she needed to keep for herself.

Another bouquet of roses arrived in a matter of days with the same message of wanting to see and talk to her, but that wasn't the end. He added at the bottom that he wasn't giving up on her so easily. She did not let it melt her resolve. She left the vase of roses outside, for someone else to enjoy.

In the following week, more roses came. A dozen every other day with the same words that started to annoy her. She threw out the cards and left the roses outside. It didn't matter what happened to them, as long as she didn't have to see them.

Her work was the only thing that helped her forget about her personal life. It kept her mind occupied most of the day, and it also helped that her interactions with Nicholas hadn't changed much, except that they spent more time together. He waited for her to take his lunch break. Sometimes she brought him coffee during afternoon breaks when she was taking one.

Their friendship was blossoming into something more. The broken and hurt part of her was scared of what might happen if they decide to take it another step. She loved her career and enjoyed his company. He was smart, funny, and importantly, kind. She never heard anyone in his department bad mouth him, and there were a lot of gossip that she wished she hadn't heard. So many were willing to betray their friends to climb the ladder in the Ministry. It was a tough place to get ahead with just hard work and effort. She was lucky enough to have Professors and Headmaster Dumbledore speak highly of her skills and knowledge. Once, she heard others talking about how young she was and how quickly she ascended.

The opposite was said of Nicholas. Many spoke highly of him and respected him as a colleague. He was one of the few to be the last to leave on busy days, helping carry the workload. Women complimented his handsome face, and hard body. Their words, not hers. Not that she didn't notice when he changed out of his robe and into a coat before leaving the Ministry. She shook it out of her mind. She could feel her face heat up and cheeks blush. It wasn't the right time to be thinking of his body when she was in a meeting with Minister Scrimgeour.

She was never this distracted at the Ministry before. Her tasks always took priority. Earlier in the day, Nicholas was standing too close in the overcrowded lift. Her body was pressed against his, and he used his arms to keep her from being crushed. She smelled the cologne on his coat. It was a light scent of musk and aftershave. She made the mistake of tilting her head back, looking up at him. He stared at her, and smiled as his hand moved to hers. Their hands remained entwined until they got off the lift on Level 2. It was the first time she was thankful it stopped on every floor before theirs.

For almost two weeks, the mornings with her parents were quiet and normal. They had breakfast with small talks before work. No roses came for her. She finally felt at ease and began looking for her own place.

When she thought the roses stopped and Tom finally gave up on trying, she received another gift from him. It was a gold necklace with a locket she had her eye on when they went to Diagon Alley together. At the time, it was too expensive, and they were saving up for their own place. She had forgotten about the necklace until she saw the dark green velvet box and opened it. Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced herself to stop them. She hated him for remembering things about them after hurting her. She was already trying to move on with her life.

There was no return address, just a note to meet him with the date, time, and place. If she didn't show, she would have to keep the gift, or try to return it to the antique jewellery store. What if they didn't take it back because she wasn't the original purchaser? She could toss it in the bin, but it was too expensive. Why couldn't he just stop and leave her alone, like he intended to months ago when he broke up with her. She was finally beginning to feel happy.