I waited for my mother at the Burrow. I knew that she had gone to lunch with Hermione and I hoped to hear everything that was said. When mum arrived she didn't look surprised to see me.

"Hello dear. Let me make some tea and we'll talk about it."

I followed her to the kitchen and took a seat. "How was lunch? What did she have to say?"

Mum sat down and placed a cup of tea in front of me and began to recount the meal and conversation. "Then she said that Minerva had offered her a job at Hogwarts."

My heart leaped with excitement. Maybe she wouldn't leave after all. Maybe I would be able to make it up to her.

"Dear, she didn't say she was going to take it, but she is considering it. Also, don't get your hopes up, if you two are ever going to be together, it will be a long road ahead. I told her that things will work out in time and that she will learn to reconcile her feelings. Ron, Hermione is confused. She doesn't want you to put your life on hold for someone that may never be ready."

Mum might have thought that would have depressed me, but in fact it gave me hope. She wouldn't have said that if she didn't have some sort of feelings. If she truly despised me should would have just said so. "Mum, if she never wanted to be with me she would have told you that right?"

"Well, you might be right. What we need is for her to stay in the wizarding world." She took a quick sip of tea. "She asked how Sirius was able to forgive everyone and honestly I don't really know how he did. Also, I spoke to her about Ginny."

"What did she say?" I asked this was one area that I feared would drive her away.

"She's worried as to why Ginny doesn't believe her innocence. I also asked if anything that Ginny said at the trial were true. She said that they weren't at all. She never had an affair with Viktor or anyone else." Mum saw the relief in my face. "Hermione said that she talked to Ginny about her feelings for you and somehow Ginny got those all turned around."

"She didn't misunderstand her mum; she told the Aurors and the Ministry what they wanted to hear."

"Don't forget you are an Auror and you didn't run to her defense. I'm afraid that it may be too much for her to get past."

"I know mum, but I have to try. I know she doesn't want me to put my life on hold, but I haven't gone on more than a couple dates over the past year and none of those led to a second. I don't mind waiting and if one day she says that she never wants to be with me, maybe I can move one. I'm telling you mum, she's the one."

"I know dear, I've always known that. Even when you would write about how awful she was in first year, I knew. By the way, don't you have a date tonight?"

"I'm not going; Gin doesn't even have Harry to go with. I sent that girl an owl though; it seemed the right thing to do."

"My son, always a gentleman; well, when you aren't being a prat." She said with a laugh. I couldn't help but smile at mum's attempt to be witty. I told her thanks and gave her a big hug.

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The day of the ceremony had arrived. I knew I would need to make a decision soon as to what I was going to do. I felt vindicated that I would finally receive what I had deserved all along, but I hated having to see people and be paraded about.

I wore very simple black robes with a plain black dress beneath and arrived at the Ministry an hour before the start as the Minister had requested. The ceremony would take place in the grand ballroom; a lovely place that usually held many round tables and was used for eating and a quiet place to work. I entered the office and found that Harry and Ron were already there.

"Hi 'Mione, you look beautiful." I rolled my eyes at Ron. I didn't look beautiful and I purposefully didn't buy anything fancy or do anything special with my hair or make up. Ron came up to me and before I could do anything gave me a quick hug. He backed away and Harry gave me one too.

"Did you know that we were going to be a part of the ceremony?" Harry asked.

"No, no one mentioned that to me." I looked at the Minister who had gotten up from his seat and came around to shake my hand.

"It's good to see you looking so well Miss Granger. I see you've changed your hair since we last saw one another. How was your visit at Hogwarts? I understand Professor McGonagall offered you a position. You should take it."

"I'm still debating." At that, Ron looked disappointed. His mother must have told him about our lunch.

"I think it's a great idea 'Mione." Ron informed.

"I haven't discounted it, I'm just still deciding."

"Well," the Minister interrupted, "Harry is going to be the one to give you the Order of Merlin Miss Granger. I thought that would be nice to get it from a dear friend."

I simply looked at Harry and nodded. Then I asked, "are you sure that's ok with your wife?"

"That doesn't matter." He said and placed a hand on my shoulder. I stepped forward to speak more directly to the Minister and so that his hand would fall off my shoulder. It was comforting and like old times. I didn't want to think about that time; I wanted to focus on now.

I could hear the sigh of defeat behind me as I discussed more of the arrangements. There would be a dinner of important Ministry people. Then there would be the ceremony followed by a reception, both of which were open to a larger number of people.

I was petrified of seeing so many people. What would they think about me? I had been searching the Prophet assuming that something about my treatment in prison would be a story but it hadn't been. I was happy to think that they wouldn't know, but I couldn't help but think that they all did.

I followed Ron and Harry into a lovely dining room. There was just one very large table and it was extremely ornate. There were several Aurors and former Order members plus heads of some of the Ministry Departments. Professor McGonagall was there along with Tonks and Lupin.

We sat down and dinner magically appeared. I was sitting in the middle of one side of the table with Ron and Harry on either side of me. I picked up my fork and began to pick at my food. It was delicious, but I just couldn't seem to swallow.

Ron said in a hushed voice, "Are you nervous?"

Not looking at him, I answered yes. He then placed his hand on mine as if to let me know it was ok. The gesture was quick but powerful.

"I heard about you and Ginny, Harry I'm very sorry." I blurted out. Why did I just say that? At least I didn't yell it. That was so stupid! "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say anything, it just came out."

"It's ok. I hope all we need is some time. I'm pretty worried though. I promise you this isn't like her. I know your innocent, it's like she put up a barrier and won't let anyone in."

He talked about her sympathetically but he was the one I felt sorry for. I just couldn't feel sympathy for her. The fact that she refuses to believe me makes me never want to forgive her. Then it occurred to me, does that mean I'm willing to forgive Harry and Ron? Maybe, I looked to my right at Ron who was stuffing his face, someday.

Ron looked back at me and gave me a trademark lopsided grin. "You know, I really think you should take that job at Hogwarts." Then he looked across to Professor McGonagall who sat opposite me.

"You know, I really think you should start chewing with your mouth closed." I countered. Both he, Harry and Professor McGonagall started laughing; it almost felt like old times.

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The ceremony went by very fast and to no one's surprise Ginny was a no show. The reception was nice, Harry thought, everyone was happy to see Hermione. She was being treated like a celebrity, something I and Ron had grown accustomed to over the year. People were complimentary and offering her jobs, asking for interviews, and one bloke even proposed marriage. Harry was sure that Ron was going to explode.

Harry pulled Hermione out into the corridor to talk in private. "Hermione, I wanted you to know that we filed the complaint both nothing will go public until tomorrow. Ron and I both thought you wouldn't want people asking you about that tonight."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

"We're always here for you if you want to talk or anything. You know that right?"

"I don't want to be more of a problem for your marriage. Ginny wouldn't approve."

Harry's demeanor changed and he pulled Hermione off into a private room realizing that people were walking by in the corridor. He began to mask a sob. "Hermione, I don't know what to do. I don't know what's wrong with her or why she's acting like this. Molly said something about you saying that if you were still in Azkaban my marriage would be ok. I don't want you to think that. Hermione, that woman living in my flat isn't the woman I married. I don't know who that is.

I'm living with Ron for Merlin's sake", he continued. "I met her for lunch the other day, thinking we were going to reconcile or something, but she was just asking me questions about you and pressing charges against the guards. I'm an Auror; I know when I'm being pumped for information."

"Harry, don't talk like this," Hermione quickly went back into her old role as the comforting member of the trio. "I'm sure she wasn't trying to get information from you, if she was I'm sure it's just for her own information. Why would she care about the guards anyway?"

Harry looked at her, she hadn't asked how Ginny knew about the guards and he really didn't want to tell her. But she continued, "I don't know what's wrong with Ginny either. I'm sure she made up that stuff to get me convicted; the person she thought killed her father. It's funny that I thought she would be the first one begging for me to forgive her. How wrong was I? Don't give up on your marriage yet. I don't want to create more problems. Maybe I should just disappear back into the Muggle world. You wouldn't have to hear from me again."

"What? And crush my best friend's heart? You working at Hogwarts is what's keeping Ron sane, I beg you to take that job. It's given him hope, it's the best I've seen him since, well since we found the evidence against you. He was never the same after that."

"Hope? What do you mean? Does he think I'm staying for him?"

"We both know you wouldn't be staying just for him; but this is where you belong. You have to know Hermione that he loves you so much. His head and his heart have been doing a battle for over a year and he's been like a zombie. Plus, I'm begging you; I need you in my life too."

Hermione began to cry. "Oh Harry, it's just too hard. It's going to take a lot of time for me. I told Mrs. Weasley I don't want Ron or you to put your lives on hold."

"Hermione, Ron's life has been on hold!" Harry screamed. "I don't think he's going to care about a longer wait. Look, I'm losing my wife; don't let me lose you again too."

"Thanks for the guilt trip Harry."

"I didn't mean it like that, I just, I want something to go right."

"I know Harry. I had actually already made up my mind to stay at Hogwarts so don't think this little crying fit changed my mind."

"You're staying!" yelled a voice from the door. Ron ran in and picked up Hermione swinging her around. He realized what he was doing and sat her down gently. "Sorry."

Hermione blushed, she made the excuse that she needed to return to the reception and swiftly left the room.

"Don't push it mate, but she is going to stay. Maybe there is hope for you yet."

Ron's grin could be seen from outer space. "Yep, she's staying." Harry and Ron both walked back into the reception with renewed spirits.