Author's Note: I hope everyone's been enjoying this fic. I know I've only got a few readers but that's more than enough for me. The next chapter will be the last chapter, and I need some time to write it, so there probably won't be an update on Monday. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed!

The next week was one of the best of Hermione's life.

Every morning she woke up feeling happy. She wasn't afraid to open her eyes anymore, wasn't afraid of the day and what dangers may lay ahead. Each morning she woke with a fire in her heart, wanting to see Draco and be with him.

They had lunch together every day and sometimes he would come by her office randomly and surprise her. It was happiness at its best.

When she woke this morning, she could feel the warmth of the sun's rays playing on her face. She basked in it, her eyes still closed and a small smile tugging on the corners of her mouth. She breathed deeply and felt complete. Draco completed her.

Why was it, then, that she went into his office to find Draco with another girl? An incredibly beautiful girl. The girl had her hands running through his hair and she was kissing him fiercely, the way Hermione kissed him when she hadn't seen him all day.

Hermione wasn't surprised. She was a pragmatic and slightly cynical witch, and she knew the facts. Draco was handsome, rich, charming, and extremely powerful. He could have any girl he wanted and just now it proved it. Hermione wasn't going to lie – throughout the week she had secretly wondered why on earth Draco would choose her. There were plenty of other smart witches who just happened to be a lot prettier than Hermione. Hermione and Draco came from completely different backgrounds – she was a muggle-born witch who came from a middle-class family, and Draco was a pureblood who came from a prestigious and extremely rich family. It was a wonder they had gotten along as well as they did during the short-lived relationship.

In all honesty, Hermione expected this. She wasn't going to confront Draco or yell at him. She was just going to end the relationship calmly and like an adult. She just wished Draco hadn't cheated on her. She would have understood if he broke up with her first and then made out with another girl – but instead he cheated on her, and humiliated her. Hermione was now doubting herself – am I really so unbearable? Am I really as ugly as I thought?

The rest of her day didn't go quite as smoothly as she'd hoped. She made sure not to be around her office during lunch because she didn't want to face Draco. Instead she Apparated nearby a Muggle restaurant and ate by herself, contemplating the best way to end things with Draco. She felt depressed. She had really enjoyed her time with Draco. He made her feel good and he wasn't a sap, just the way Hermione liked him. He was charming and witty and wasn't afraid to tell her how he really felt and Hermione valued that. She valued honesty above all in a relationship, but evidently Draco wasn't being honest anymore.

Sitting at her desk at the end of the day, an owl tapped at her window. She recognized it as Ginny's and quickly opened the window and shut it again to avoid bringing in the cold air.

It read:

Hermione,

I feel like I haven't seen you at all since the trial. I'm so sorry about having to ask you to leave – I hope you understand why. If you're still willing, I'd love it if you came back. I promise I won't kick you out again and I'll do all the cleaning around the house too. Harry tells me you're seeing someone, but not who. I WANT TO KNOW WHO.

I'm so sorry again and I want to talk – meet me for coffee at Fortescue's when you're done at work?

Love you,

Gin.

Within the hour Hermione was sitting inside of Fortescue's enjoying a hot cup of coffee and reading the Daily Prophet, as Ginny had yet to arrive.

Ginny burst through the door, the bells on the doorknob ringing loudly. She scanned the premises quickly and spotted Hermione in a corner and made her way to the table.

Hermione stood and hugged her tightly. It felt like a long hug and Hermione needed that support.

"So sorry I'm late," apologized Ginny. "My boss made me re-stack all the new merchandise. And that was an awfully desperate hug – everything alright?"

"Not really," said Hermione nonchalantly. "That relationship I'm in? Yeah, I'm not in it anymore, I don't think."

"Oh, Hermione!" said Ginny. "Tell me all about it. Who are you dating first of all?"

"Draco Malfoy."

When Ginny tried to suppress a smile Hermione frowned.

She said, "Don't tell me you knew too. Harry wasn't even surprised when I told him."

"Well, I'm rather perceptive," said Ginny cheekily. "I expected it for a while. Ever since you told me he bought you dress robes from Gladrags, actually. That and Colin and I have been talking a great deal lately."

"Lousy little bugger," said Hermione fondly.

"And what's wrong with the relationship?"

"It was absolutely perfect until this morning," said Hermione. "I caught him making out with a gorgeous girl."

Ginny's jaw dropped. "You didn't! That's so scandalous!"

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure he'll want to break up with me now," said Hermione dejectedly. "And it just bums me out – it only lasted for a week, you know? I was really happy."

"Have you heard his side of the story?" asked Ginny thoughtfully. "I mean maybe you should talk to him about it first before you jump to conclusions."

"Jump to conclusions?" said Hermione loudly. "I saw it with my own eyes – I wasn't jumping to any conclusions!"

"I'm not saying you were hallucinating or anything, but there are always two sides to every story. As your best friend, I recommend you talk to him and get the facts straight. It might not have been intentional, after all," said Ginny logically.

"I don't want to embarrass myself," said Hermione pathetically. "I just want to break up with him before he breaks up with me."

Ginny frowned at her, disappointed. "That's always been your problem, Hermione. You're afraid of getting hurt or humiliated so you either hurt the other person first or just steel yourself altogether. Sometimes you're just like ice."

Despite her best efforts to negate Ginny's statement, Hermione knew it was true. Ever since the War she had completely cut herself off. She was weary of new people and didn't get too attached for fear of being turned on. The fact that she had gotten so attached to Draco proved she was letting her façade slip. She and Draco were alike in that aspect and she hadn't even realized it until now – they were both afraid of getting hurt.

"Thanks, Gin," said Hermione with newfound confidence. "I think…I think I'm going to talk to him."

"That's my girl!" cheered Ginny. "Be sure to let me know how it turns out. I wish you the best, 'Mione."

When Hermione returned to her room at the Leaky Cauldron she found that a note had been slipped under the door.

Picking it up, it read:

Hermione,

I didn't see you all day. You weren't at your office when I stopped by around noon and you left right after work, it seems. You weren't around when I came by here either. Everything alright?

Come by my place after you read this.

Draco.

Hermione steeled herself once more and took a deep breath. She changed out of her work clothes and put on a casual skirt and top and flooed to Draco's manor.

A house-elf was there greet her and take her coat and bag and he led her to a sitting parlor.

Minutes later Draco came in with a smile on his face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite frizz ball," said Draco teasingly as he dipped down to give her a kiss.

Hermione reciprocated only half-heartedly and Draco took note.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

The confidence Hermione had back at Fortescue's was now gone and she swallowed a few times before she responded.

"Fine," she said weakly, smiling up at him.

He looked as if he didn't believe her but he didn't pursue any further. He sank down on the sofa beside her and took her hand in his.

"Work sucked today," he said flatly.

"I'm sorry that it did," said Hermione politely.

For the next fifteen minutes Draco seemed to ignore Hermione's unusual behavior.

Finally he was annoyed enough to question her again.

"What the hell is wrong?" he asked warily.

Hermione was looking down at her hands, which were clasped together tightly on her lap. She fiddled her thumbs and thought of the best way to say, 'I want to break up.'

There really wasn't a best way to say it.

"This isn't working out for me," she said emotionlessly, as if it had been rehearsed many times. "I think we should break up."

"I'm sorry?" said Draco, surprised.

"Yeah," said Hermione. "It's just not working out."

She got up to leave quickly but Draco caught her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Why?"

"I just don't think we're good with each other," said Hermione, wishing desperately that Draco would let go of her arm so she could run, run far away.

"That's bollocks and you know it," snapped Draco. "Where the hell is this coming from?"

Hermione really didn't want to bring up the fact that she'd seen Draco with another girl. She didn't want to embarrass herself again nor did she want to hear Draco's excuse.

"Please let go of me," she said calmly, trying to reach out of Draco's grasp.

He held her arm tightly and said, "What is it, is it another guy?"

Hermione felt something snap in her head. He had the audacity to ask her if she'd been cheating? How dare he!

"Excuse me?" hissed Hermione, her body shaking. "You're asking me if I've found someone else? I should be asking you the very same question."

There was a slight falter in Draco's voice as he said, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me," said Hermione venomously, "I saw you this morning. Making out with a gorgeous girl."

"I…it's not what you think," said Draco weakly. "Please believe me."

"Why should I? You've given me no reason to," spat Hermione. "You weren't even going to tell me about it, were you? You were just going to lead me on blindly all the while you were having another girl on the sidelines."

"No, it's not like that," pleaded Draco. "This wasn't an ongoing thing – it was the first and last time it happened. She was just an old girlfriend; I don't even remember her name."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?!" laughed Hermione hysterically. "How am I supposed to feel when you tell me you don't even remember your past girlfriend's name? If we broke up would I just become another nameless fling?"

"No!" protested Draco forcefully. "And we're not breaking up!"

"Said who?" retorted Hermione.

Draco became frustrated and he stood up with momentum.

He spread his arms wide and gestured to himself. He said loudly, "This is what you get, Hermione. This is who I am. I'm Draco Fucking Malfoy and you can't change that. I can't even change that, no matter how hard I try.

"I didn't cheat on you. Trust me when I say that. God, you don't even realize how in love with you I am, do you? You ask why I'd bother with you when I could have anyone I wanted – well it's because it's you that I want. I'm sick of having to prove myself to you because it's not my fault if you're just some paranoid bitch."

Hermione felt a slow snarl playing on her face. When her teeth were fully bared she spat, "We're through."

She stopped in front of him to slap him hard across the face, the sound echoing in the large room.

She gathered her coat and purse and Apparated out, furious and crying.

She arrived at Ginny's house, sobbing.

Harry was at Ginny's as well and he Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron to gather Hermione's things, under Ginny's instruction.

Meanwhile Hermione was sobbing on Ginny's shoulder, while Ginny hugged her tightly and tried to calm her down by whispering soothing things to her.

Hermione fell asleep on Ginny's couch feeling dejected and despaired.

She woke up feeling the same way, only this time with a lot of panic mixed in – today was her meeting with the Muggle Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Ginny made her some Pepper-Up Potion and had already laid out a professional outfit for Hermione to wear. She loved Ginny dearly that morning.

She arrived in the Ministry that morning only to give her staff directions about what they were to do that day. She left Stebbins in charge and she made sure to tell him that Rose Zeller needed constant reassurance.

She was in and out of the Ministry within an hour, for which she was very grateful as she really didn't want to run into Draco.

She Apparated outside of a grand building in Muggle London and straightened her clothes. She had a thick portfolio tucked neatly under her arm and she felt as ready as she'd ever be.

A posh-looking secretary led her to the Prime Minister's office and told her to kindly wait until the Prime Minister arrived that morning.

While Hermione was sitting there, she thought of what she'd say. She had known of Tony Blair since before she'd become a witch and she wasn't at all fond of his policies. She was, frankly, glad he would be retiring the following year in September.

He entered looking like a normal man and smiled at her politely.

"Miss Granger, was it?" he asked her good-naturedly.

"Yes, sir, it's very good to meet you," she said professionally, extending her hand.

The Prime Minister was followed by three other men, all looking either bored or tired. They all sat at a round table by Blair's large desk and shuffled their papers. To them this meeting seemed like a daily routine. Hermione was anxious to make a good impression.

"Well, Miss Granger, I trust you know I'm planning to officially step down as Prime Minister next year," said Blair, taking a seat.

"I do, sir," responded Hermione.

"I don't want to do anything drastic this year," said Blair. "My prime focus is to keep the peace and stability."

"I understand that," agreed Hermione. "As a representative from the Magical Ministry for Magic, I agree whole-heartedly. We're not looking to start anything; our goal is to keep peace between the magical and non-magical communities."

One of the three men, a younger man of about 35 said suddenly, "I don't mean to be abrupt, but I've heard about Scrimgeour's plan to use Muggle technology to harness magical power."

Hermione blushed slightly, as she'd been hoping no one would bring that up. She was not qualified to talk about this subject and would surely get a stern 'talking to' from the Minister for Magic himself if she said anything wrong.

She said delicately, "He has not yet put anything into action. Of course, he would not do anything that is outside of the guidelines of our relationship with you."

"Isn't that a bit brass, though?" countered the man. "As if the magical community doesn't already have an advantage over us. Why should he even consider using our technology to further his own people?"

Hermione was at a loss for words. Personally, she agreed with this man. As a muggle-born witch, she had responsibilities to both Muggles and wizards. Right now she was representing the magical people, but that didn't mean she couldn't put her own opinion in.

"Sir, I am a muggle-born witch," explained Hermione. "Both of my parents are Muggles. I was a Muggle before I became a witch and I have not forgotten that part of my life. Speaking strictly off the record, I agree. Scrimgeour's policy of furthering the magical community and leaving the Muggle community behind is both politically and ethically wrong."

"Do you have any power within the Ministry to stop this?" asked Blair conversationally. "I can't stress enough how important it is to me to keep my people safe from harm."

"I highly doubt Scrimgeour would be so rash," reassured Hermione. "A majority of the Muggle population is unaware of our community. He has been, as of late, considering the idea of coming out to the Muggle public, but I strongly disapprove. It's not the right time – Muggles still need to make peace within themselves before they can accept an idea so large as magic."

Another man of the three, this one bald and with glasses, said, "But you can't keep it a secret for so long. The magical people are a very large population – every country in the world has some percentage of magical people. Your barriers will not hold for long."

The rest of the meeting continued similarly – Hermione trying to appease the Muggle political party and at the same time represent her Ministry well.

Just before leaving, Blair shook hands with her firmly again.

"You're a very bright woman," he complimented. "It's about time they sent a qualified witch who represents both the magical and non-magical community. I look forward to meeting you again."

Hermione felt light-hearted and happy as she Apparated back to the Ministry. She still had some paperwork to finish and had to look over the staff's work. Stebbins had left her a detailed report of everyone's activities and the work that still needed to be finished.

She was surprised an hour later when Scrimgeour walked into her office.

He looked pleased and said, "I've just received a letter from the Muggle Prime Minister. He says he's very pleased with you and that he believes his team, along with your help, will achieve a lot this year. Congratulations, Miss Granger."

He patted her awkwardly on the back and made his way out.

Hermione was flying. She was proud of herself and completely happy. As long as she didn't think of Draco, she would be happy for the rest of the evening.

She went back to Ginny's place, feeling great. Ginny was still at work and Harry wasn't around either, so Hermione made herself a sandwich and basked in her glory.

She heard the distant jingle of her cell phone ringing and rushed to find it. It was Colin.

"Colin!" Hermione exclaimed. "Hello, hello! How are you?"

"Someone sounds extremely happy," he noted.

"Well, it just so happens that I had a fantastic day at work today. I met with Tony Blair and he complimented me!"

"That's wonderful," Colin laughed. "Did you tell Malfoy your good news?"

Hermione paused. She really didn't want to think about him today.

"Hermione?" asked Colin hesitantly.

"We broke up," said Hermione abruptly.

"Uh…so soon?" asked Colin. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," said Hermione, "But I don't really want to think or talk about him right now."

"That's fine," said Colin. "I hope you feel better. I have to…do something. I'll talk to you later, love."

Hermione felt confused by the end of the conversation. Colin had sounded weird just then.

When Ginny came home she was all smiles and giggles. Harry followed behind her, an excited look in his eyes.

"Guess what?" Ginny sing-songed.

"What?" asked Hermione, smiling.

"I've got a new job!" exclaimed Ginny. "I was so frustrated at work today – my boss is such an arse­- that I all out and quit!

"Ginny!" gasped Hermione, horrified.

"But it's okay!" reassured Ginny. "Because….drum roll please, Harry … I'm going to be an interior designer!"

"Gin, that's perfect!" gushed Hermione. "Tell me all about it!"

"That book you gave me for Christmas, it has an updated list of interior designers looking for apprentices," explained Ginny. "Griselda Marchbanks' niece, Bryony, is an accomplished interior designer. She's done all the greatest people's houses – she worked on a house for the bass player of the Weird Sisters! It's a miracle she even considered me. Apparently Griselda loves my dad because she gave me a lot of praise and recommendation."

"That's so wonderful," said Hermione. "Didn't I always tell you you'd be an interior designer?"

They celebrated with Fred and Angelina that night, drinking lots of champagne – except for Angelina, whose pregnancy was going splendidly.

It was well past midnight when Fred carried a sleeping Angelina home and Ginny kissed Hermione goodnight, as she was going to spend the night at Harry's.

Hermione lay curled on the sofa feeling happy for Ginny. The fire warmed her cold feet and she was slowly drifting to sleep when she heard the doorbell ring.

She groggily forced herself to get up and opened the door, to see a pained Draco Malfoy looking at her with pleading eyes.

He held a package in his hands and asked politely if she'd let him in.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Hermione, annoyed.

"Colin Creevey sent me this tonight," said Draco, extending his hand with the package in it.

She read the note attached to it first and recognized Colin's messy scrawl.

The note read:

Fix things with her.

Hermione was curious when she opened up the package and found a beautiful glass frame with the picture of her sitting at the foot of the Peter Pan statue. It was a still Muggle photograph, and Hermione could clearly see the tear running down her cheek.

"You look beautiful," commented Draco.

Hermione sniffed and looked up at him. "Look at me and tell me you felt nothing for that other girl."

Draco looked straight into her eyes and said seriously, "I feel absolutely nothing for her. I'm completely and absolutely in love with you."

"Good," said Hermione, sliding her arms around Draco's neck. "Because I think you've grown on me – I was pretty miserably without you."

"It was no walk in the park for me either," whispered Draco against Hermione's lips.

He kissed her soundly and lifted her effortlessly and carried her into Hermione's guest bedroom.

That night Hermione lost her virginity to a man she was head-over-heels in love with. He had been gentle and kind and wonderful.

Hermione looked forward to being with him every night for a very, very long time.