When Hermione was younger, and times were infinitely less complicated, she used to play this game where she would think of all the choices she had made, and determine how her life would be if she had chose differently. At the time, it was with silly little things such as choosing the pink dress over the blue, or the book on romance over the history text. As she got older, joining Hogwarts, and eventually participating in a war, she kept up with my game. The choices she debated on then were matters of life and death, or perhaps life-altering. She was playing this game now, as she wondered if breaking up with Ron was her best choice.

It has been three months since their graduation from Hogwarts, and Hermione, despite being young and fresh out of school, was knee deep in Ministry work. They were quick to accept her application to work for the Department of Care and Regulation of Magical Creatures, and she often found myself bringing work home. Not that she… you know… actually had a home.

It was quite a complicated set-up, to be completely honest. After the war, the brightest-witch-of-her-age was quick to go to Australia to fix the memories of her parents. They were suitably angry at her, of course, however they were much too relieved that they were all actually alive to hold a grudge. Once the summer came to an end, the golden trio all went back to Hogwarts to complete their missing education, before finally graduating. It was at this time that Hermione's carefully thought out plans seemed to go to the wayside.

Harry and Ron were accepted into the Auror training program, an intensive one-year course which basically cut them off from the outside world. They all knew it was inevitable, it was the boys dream after all. Hermione and Ron had spent the entirety of the previous year in romantic bliss. After the horrors experienced during the war, it was amazing to have a year at Hogwarts absolutely drama free.

Yet once the boys were accepted into the program, both Ron and Hermione agreed that it would be ridiculous to stay together when they wouldn't even be in contact for a year, so they went on a break. Well, it was Hermione's idea, but it was still a good one. It took a bit of convincing for Ron to agree, however at the end, she had convinced him that it was for the best. Plus, she reasoned, it wasn't like the moment he came back, they wouldn't get back together. It was just a break after all.

Ginny on the other hand, was also accepted into a kind of training, as a chaser for the Hollyhead Harpies. As a professional quidditch player, she had to live in the player dorms with the rest of her teammates. The schedule for training and games was so ridiculous, that she barely had time to visit her family once every two months or so. Still, she was happy. Her relationship with Harry was as strong as ever, not feeling the need to go on a break like Hermione did.

This all brought Hermione to her current predicament. As she was still working an entry level position at the Ministry, she didn't exactly make enough to completely support herself. So for the last three months, she has been residing at the Burrow. Alone with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione was starting to get uncomfortable. It was one thing when all of the other guys were around, keeping her company. She had never felt like and outsider then. Now though, as the only child around, and without any other Weasley kid here, Hermione couldn't help but feel as though she was intruding. Mrs. Weasley told her several times that she loved having her around, since the Burrow felt less empty. Yet still, the young witch couldn't shake off the feeling.

Hermione wasn't Ron's girlfriend anymore. At least, not officially. So frankly, she felt as though the Weasleys had no reason to put up with her, she's the girl who broke up with their prodigal son. Hermione decided that she needed to find a place to live. Fast.

Leaving the Burrow this morning to work was an absolute chore. At breakfast, Mrs. Weasley had once more decided to question Hermione about her decision in regards to breaking up with Ron. When Hermione explained, for the seventy-third time, why it made for sense for them to go on a break, Mrs. Weasley dismissed it all with a huff.

At work, Hermione's boss thought it would appropriate to give her a mountain of paperwork to fill out. Usually, this wouldn't be a problem, as Hermione was always very diligent and hard working. Today, however, Hermione was also set to give a presentation on the Vampire Reparation Act, a speech she had been preparing for for the last several weeks.

By the end of the day, Hermione wanted nothing more than a few shots of alcohol running through her system. Making her way down to the Leaky Cauldron, she found herself completely distracted by her thoughts. Taking yet another shot of fire whisky, she somehow failed to notice the tall, well-built man who occupied the seat next to hers.

"A sickle for your thoughts?" Hermione quickly pivoted in her chair to see the incredibly familiar grin of one Fred Weasley.

Smiling slightly, she responded, "Hello Fred. Fancy seeing you here."

Fred flagged down the bartender, ordering two shots of firewhisky, "I work down the road dear Granger, and frankly, I practically live at this bar. But I never thought that the Miss. Hermione Granger would ever be seduced by the powers of alcohol."

"Shove off Fred. I'm not in the mood." The power of the strong liquor had already begun, numbing her mind and jumbling her filter.

Fred gasped loudly, his hand placed over his heart, "My my Granger! What powerful language! Tell me, what book did you learn that in?"

Hermione leveled a glare at the older half of the infamous Weasley twins, "Fred, why are you here?"

The prankster shrugged, downing a shot, "Like I said, it's close to the shop. Plus, a lot of cute ministry workers come here after long shifts. It's a great place to meet women." He said this with a grin, shooting a particularly flirtatious wink to an attractive girl down the bar.

Hermione rolled her eyes, completely accustomed to the playboy ways of the Weasley Twins, "Where's your other half?"

Fred smirked cruelly, "Ah, well it seems that my lovely twin has went and gotten himself a girlfriend."

Hermione couldn't see the problem with that, "So? George has a new girlfriend every other week. So do you in fact."

Fred downed yet another shot, "But this girlfriend seems to be a serious one."

Hermione laughed, "What, do you guys have some weird pact where you promised that neither of you would ever get serious girlfriends?"

The tall man just gestured for another shot before answering, "Not particularly."

"Then why do you care that George has a girlfriend?"

"I don't. I care that it's Angelina."

Hermione almost spat out her drink, "Wait. Angelina? Your ex-girlfriend Angelina?"

"That would be the one."

"But… but… how?!"

Fred sighed, leaning back in his stool, "It seems that they've been actually dating for a while now. They just haven't told me until they were sure that they were in love."

"But George is as infamous a playboy as you, how-"

"He stopped months ago. He told me it was because he was concentrating on our new Hogsmeade expansion."

Hermione didn't know that they were expanding their store to Hogsmeade, it turns out the shop was doing better than she suspected. However she knew it probably wasn't the right time to bring up business, "They told you today?"

Fred nodded, "Yeah. Well, that, and the fact that George is moving out to live with Angelina."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Seems like they truly are in love." Raising his glass, he toasted, "To my twin and my ex. May you find happiness!"

"Fred, I don't know what to say." Hermione said softly. She really didn't. She never was particularly close to the twins, she never had a reason to be. They were merely Ron's older brothers. But the rumor grapevine in Hogwarts ran well. She knew that Fred and Angelina dated for a while, and that she was his only serious girlfriend. No one knows why they broke up, only that sometime during their seventh year, they just decided to call it quits. Since then, Fred has been known to partake in many… uh… extra curricular activities.

Fred waved his hand, "There's nothing to say. Anyways, now that I spilled out my soul for you, what's got you down Granger?"

Hermione, now reminded of her predicament, couldn't help the sigh she released, "It's just… Living in the burrow by myself, with just your parents is… I don't know…" She didn't want to continue. This was his family after all.

"Awkward?" He guessed.

"Yes. Very awkward. You know I love your parents, but now that Ron and I aren't technically together anymore… I don't know, it just doesn't feel right living with them." She confessed.

Fred grinned down at the short witch, "Well then, I guess you're in luck. With George moving out, I happen to have an empty room."

Hermione's eyes widened, "You want me to move in with you?"

Fred shrugged, "I'm used to having a roommate, I don't exactly fancy living alone. And something tells me that living with me won't be as bad as living with my mother. I at least won't pester you about breaking up with Ron."

"You have a point there."

Fred, a showman to the very end, got down on one knee, "Hermione Jean Granger, would you do me the honor of moving in with me?"