A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I had to do major revisions to the later chapters. I realized that this story isn't going the way I wanted it to, so I had to adjust everything But anyway, here's the second chapter, I hope you like it!

CHAPTER 2

Brighton, England. November 2007

Hermione was reading the paper when the bell jingled, signaling that someone had just entered her shop. She looked up from behind the librarian's desk and saw Ms. Amelia, one of her usual patrons, coming through the door carrying a bunch of books.

"I'm returning the one I borrowed, and I've got some to donate as well," Ms. Amelia said.

Hermione beamed at Ms. Amelia. It never failed to make her happy when people came to her to donate books - it was like a Christmas present all year around. Granted, she did offer a reward in the form of free tea and coffee in exchange for books, but she'd like to think people donated because they really wanted to.

She asked Ms. Amelia where the books came from.

"Oh, I got them from my mother's attic," she replied. Hermione noted the sadness in Ms. Amelia's voice. Her mother recently passed away with old age.

"It gets better everyday," Hermione said emphatically.

"Yeah, well, I hope it comes sooner. I'm sick of all the gloom in my life these days," Ms. Amelia said with her nose in the air. "We need all the positivity we can get... which is why I wonder why you're reading that trash."

Hermione glanced sheepishly at the paper she was reading.

The headline read:

KATIE BELL TO WED DEAN THOMAS, and under it, as a sub headline, HERMIONE GRANGER THE ONLY SINGLE LEFT IN THE GROUP.

The photo that came with the article was of her and her friends last night at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione looked isolated from her friends as they gushed over the happy couple. Katie was admiring the ring with tears in her eyes, and Dean was glowing with happiness beside her. Ginny was batting Harry's arm, trying to fight the happy tears that threatened to spill. Hannah was wrapped in Neville's arms, looking serene and delighted.

Blaise Zabini was placing a chaste kiss on Luna's forehead, who was smiling up at him with love evident in her eyes.

And there was Hermione, squeezed between Ginny and Luna, nursing her bottle of Firewhiskey looking like a sad, old matron.

"I couldn't help it," Hermione confessed. She felt a little disgusted with herself for caring what the tabloids said. It was like a gruesome car crash - she wanted to look away, save herself from the carnage and blood, but couldn't. She was taking in every details, memorizing the lines, the curves and the sharp edges of the scene.

Ms. Amelia snorted. "That article's trash, and Skeeter is trash. First of all, there's no shame in being single, and second, who the bloody hell cares?"

Hermione smiled at Ms. Amelia. At 48, she's single, independent, and vibrant. She admired the older lady for choosing to never settle for less than what she deserved.

Ms. Amelia softened at little. "There's no shame in feeling a little forlorn as well, especially if your friends seem to be finding the one." She offered Hermione a smile as she took the free-drinks stub, heading to Penelope.

"Fix me those berry drinks with the yogurt in them, please," Ms. Amelia ordered.

With a shake of her head, Hermione deposited the books in a box she would send to the MLE for double checking. Sometimes, old books came with curses and other undesirable things. She wanted to make sure The Hiraeth was a safe place for everyone.

.

A few minutes before Hermione was about to close her shop, Luna Lovegood walked in with Blaise Zabini.

"Hermione!" Her friend called. "We were just in the area, we thought we'd stop by."

Luna skipped to her side and hugged wrapped her arms around Hermione's shoulders. She could smell the grapes that were used as Luna's earrings. The last time Hermione had seen Luna, which was this weekend, she had on radishes for earrings.

"Let's have dinner," Luna whispered in Hermione's ear. "Blaise's treat."

"What?" Blaise said with an incredulous laugh. "I promised no such thing."

"Yes, you did," Luna replied with a cock of her head. A few awkward seconds passed by until Blaise sighed in resignation.

"Sorry, how could I forget," he said.

Hermione chuckled at her friends. "Why don't you sit for a while, I'm just cleaning up a bit."

"Did you notice, Hermione," Luna lilted, "the apartment above you is for sale?"

"Yes," Hermione replied without looking up, her brows furrowing.

"You've always wanted to buy it, yes? You want to live above your store instead of taking that half an hour walk."

"Yes," she said again. "I can't afford it yet."

"That's a shame," Luna commented.

Hermione only grunted in reply. She missed the look Luna and Blaise shared, and continued to lock the register as part of her closing time routine.

"Let's go," she said.

.

As Hermione laid in bed that night, she couldn't help but smile as she remembered her evening with Luna and Blaise. They were such an odd couple. Blaise encouraged Luna's strange antics with enthusiasm, going as far as asking her what he should order so as not to anger the nargles.

As soon at they finished ordering, Luna wasted no time in asking her about the article.

The food hasn't even arrived, Hermione had thought to herself.

"Honestly, I'm more annoyed Skeeter managed to take a jab at me during Katie's engagement announcement," Hermione said honestly.

"How do you feel about what she said - about you being the only single one left?" Luna was sparing no reservations in asking questions.

Hermione furrowed her brows. She really wanted to tell Luna off, but Hermione remembered that this was Luna, one of her closest friends, Luna without a filter. She knew that with her friend, there was no judgement, only concern.

"It was kind of... strange. I felt like I had a deadline - am I supposed to be married by now? It's silly."

"There's no deadline for you, Hermione," Luna said softly.

"Although, we could set you up on a date if you want to," Blaise wiggled his eyebrows for effect.

Hermione laughed. It was just like Luna and Blaise to set her up on a blind date. "No, thank you. I'm quite happy with where I am right now. It was just a temporary panic."

Blaise and Luna shared a look, but nodded their assent to her choice. "Okay then," Luna said. "I heard Bill Weasley is close to catching nargles..."

Hermione was glad for the change in topic.

She really wasn't in the mood to discuss her love life today. She didn't need a reminder of her horrible break up with Ron.

She should have seen their break up from miles away. Ron was absent, distant, and detached during the last part of their relationship. It was only until he got up and left for America - without warning, without a note, and with a girl she didn't know - that she was doused with the cold reality that they were over.

What kind of person does that? How could he leave her, his family, Harry, without any warning? A total prat, that's who.

Looking back, she supposed that what she felt when Ron left her was more anger than sad. She never mourned their relationship, never wished that he return for her. Instead, she was angry and embarrassed. Angry at the audacity he had to cheat on her. Angry that she was too weak to confront him about it. Angry that he was selfish enough to leave his mum, selfish enough to never speak to Molly again.

Embarrassed because she had been cheated on, by her boyfriend and best friend. How long had they been laughing behind her back, thinking her a fool? How long has been sneaking behind her back during his Quidditch matches, running off for a quick shag with one of his groupies?

How long has she been the laughingstock of the Wizarding World?

She ignored the tabloids, the moving photos of him leaving countless with witches she didn't know. She chose to support him despite everything, despite all the hurt because he was Ron. Ron Weasely, one her bestfriends, her boyfriend.

And she, Hermione Granger, was apparently very stupid.

Well, not anymore.

After a week of sulking and crying, Ginny and Luna hauled her off her butt and talked some sense into her.

No, the world doesn't think you're stupid.

No, the world isn't laughing at you.

We're worried, Hermione. We want you to come back.

And come back she did. She moved out of her flat in London, leaving all of Ron's things. She lived with Harry and Ginny for a year, working for the Ministry of Magic under Kingsley Shacklebolt as his secretary. After that, she decided it was time for a fresh start. Hermione started to look for a place to stay outside of London. During her search she fell in love with a muggle beachside town called Brighton. After a little research, she found out that although it was a muggle town, the wizarding community was alive and thriving. She bought a flat after a month, and moved in the next month.

Hermione spent the first year in Brighton apparating five days a week to her job at the Ministry. She bought a small flat that was enough for her, and saved up all her money for her bookshop.

Hermione sighed in frustration. This wasn't doing anything good to her mood. She made her way to her kitchenette to make herself a cup of tea. It was going to be a long night.

.

Two days after the whole Rita Skeeter incident, her secret benefactor sent another donation, this time requesting for even more books. He - she thought to call him a he - requested for more books this time. She was ecstatic over his choice of books. Whoever her secret benefactor was had a great taste in literature. There was a mixture of wizard and muggle books, so she knows for sure he's not a muggle.

She was not going to get on a high horse and claim that she can do without the donations. They have helped her a lot. She was able to acquire new, comfortable sofa sets, she was able to pay for rent, and she was able to buy several rare books with the money.

Penelope whistled at the list of books requested by her benefactor. "That's a lot of books."

"He gave enough money to buy them all - and so much more," Hermione murmured.

Hermione was in awe. Who was this person - and why is he giving her so much? Who was she to deserve something like this? It's tearing at her heartstrings not being able to thank this person who has helped her so much. She thought that this person's intentions couldn't be fame, or recognition, since it was anonymously sent.

It was terribly baffling to her, and to be honest she was a little scared. However, she prided herself in doing things for the greater good - and what greater good there is than knowledge?

Hermione smiled to herself as she wrote a letter to various bookshops and odd shops.

A/N: Thank you so much for your patience! This was a particularly difficult chapter for me to write because I'm not that good with the whole reminisce-looking-back-at-the-past thing. But, after months of painstaking writing-erasing-editing, I've finished chapter two. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think.

Also, one dashing Slytherin might make his introduction in the next chapter. Stay tuned.