Disclaimer: characters and world owned by the illustrious JK Rowling, I'm just borrowing them to use as my personal playground!

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As soon as Hermione arrived at her office Wednesday morning, there was an owl outside her window, waiting for her. She sighed and the owl tapped its beak on the window expectantly. She let it in and it flew swiftly to her desk. As soon as she'd untied the letter attached to its leg, it flew quickly out again. She noticed Ron's handwriting on the envelope and opened the letter in irritation.

Babe,

This is getting silly now. I said I was sorry, I don't know what else I can do. Why won't you reply to my owls?

Ron

It was the third letter he had sent her this week. Apart from that, Hermione had had no contact with her fiancé whatsoever- no calls, no texts, and all his letters had been ignored. But as much as Hermione wanted to, she couldn't ignore Ron much longer. For the moment, though, she folded the letter and placed in one of her desk drawers, telling herself that she would deal with it later.

Today Hermione was much more productive at work than she had been the previous days. She was able to push her worries aside for a while and concentrate, managing to finally finish the report on her most recent case, one involving a house elf accusing his master of prolonged abuse.

After a couple of hours work, Hermione closed the case file with a satisfied sigh. It was just past eleven- in just over an hour she could have a break. She spent the rest of the time tying up loose ends on other paperwork she had and then at half past twelve she apparated to her favourite bakers and bought herself her usual ham and coleslaw baguette. She quickly apparated back to the Ministry and went to the onsite library, a rare occurrence these days because her workload gave her so little time to pause for a while.

Hermione loved the library at the Ministry. Although not as grand as the library at Hogwarts it was filled with fascinating texts. She browsed the shelves in the Magical Artefacts section, looking for any texts that referenced the Resurrection Stone. She found a few books and went to sit at one of the few study booths, flicking through the books while eating her lunch.

She found little information on the Stone. Few scholars had studied it compared to other, less mythical magical objects. Every text she found seemed to say the same thing as the book she'd bought from Flourish and Blotts- that there had to be a strong connection between the user of the stone and the soul being summoned from the afterlife; and if the connection was strong enough, the soul may be bound to the Stone.

Hermione frowned. There must be more to it than that. Remus had been getting stronger day by day, becoming more corporeal, able to feel. Can the Stone resurrect the dead permanently? She hardly dared hope, she couldn't bear the thought of losing Remus again but the possibility of him coming back properly seemed impossible to her.

She spent the rest of her break studying the texts, finishing her lunch but soon it was time to return to work. She made herself a cup of tea in the department's kitchen and went back into her office. She sat down at her desk, hoping to get a good few hours work done, and looking forward to when she could return to Remus again.

She had only been working about twenty minutes when the door to her office swung open suddenly. She gasped in surprise as Ron strode into the room. Maggie followed him hurriedly and spoke before Ron could say anything.

'I'm sorry, Hermione,' Maggie said apologetically. 'He just barged past me. Shall I get him to leave?'

Usually Maggie liked Ron but she glanced at him in alarm now. She'd never seen him angry. Ron glared at Hermione and she ignored him, focusing on her co-worker.

'No, Maggie, it's fine,' she said casually. 'He is my fiancé after all.'

Maggie nodded and left immediately, glancing at Ron pointedly before shutting the door behind her.

'Oh, I'm your fiancé, am I?' Ron asked bitterly, and Hermione frowned at him. 'Then maybe you take the time to actually reply to my owls.'

'I'm sorry Ron-' Hermione began but then she stopped herself. 'Actually, I don't know why I'm apologising, especially after your behaviour on Sunday.'

He looked ashamed and sat down. 'I've said I'm sorry,' he mumbled, his ears turning pink.

'I know,' Hermione replied, 'but I don't understand- what was that all about the other day?'

He shook his head. 'I don't know... I mean I was just imagining you in your wedding dress, and that got me thinking about our wedding night and... I don't know why I went that far but... 'Mione, you've never been that against, you know, sex. Is something wrong?'

'No, I was just tired, that's all,' she said calmly, but her stomach clenched as she feared there may been another reason why she hadn't wanted to do it. 'But that doesn't mean you can force yourself on me like that.'

'Of course not!' He exclaimed quickly. 'It'll never happen again, 'Mione, I promise. If I want it but you're not in the mood then I'll respect that.'

Hermione nodded and Ron sighed in relief. He relaxed into his chair and smiled at her sheepishly. He started another conversation almost as quickly as he'd barged in, babbling on about the wedding.

'...And my mum sent you a parcel, it arrived at my house. I think it's a portfolio filled with examples of flowers and wedding favours, so you can decide what you want on the big day.'

He looked genuinely happy to be talking about the wedding and she let him prattle on. 'Also she said she'd like your guest list soon so she can take a look at the seating plan for the reception.'

Hermione groaned inwardly as the list of tasks Mrs Weasley wanted her to complete grew and grew, just as Hermione's dread about the wedding did. As Ron's waffling about his ideas for the seating plan faded into the distance, Hermione closed her eyes. Her anxiety and resentment of her upcoming nuptials churned in her stomach and she was seized with a sudden urge to say or do anything to shut Ron up.

'So is that ok, 'Mione?' Ron's enquiry stopped her train of thought. 'If we seat the team at the top table?'

Hermione began to nod but then stopped herself. 'No, Ron-'

'I mean, I know the top table is going to big enough as it is but we can use an enlargement charm, can't we?'

'Ron, actually, I really need to speak to you about the wed-'

'Crap, I've got to go,' he jumped up from his chair. 'We can continue this later, alright?'

Hermione ground her teeth in frustration, but nodded with a sigh. Ron sidled around her desk, bent towards her and swiftly pressed his lips against hers in his usual haphazard manner.

He straightened up and grinned down at her. 'I'm glad we're ok now.'

Hermione returned his smile weakly. Ron walked towards the door about to leave but stopped and turned around, his hand resting on the door handle.

'Oh, before I forget, Harry invited us out for a drink on Friday evening with him and Ginny,' he said. 'Do you want to go?'

'Why not? That sounds nice,' she replied. 'I've got something to tell everyone, anyway.'

'You're not pregnant, are you, 'Mione?' He said, half-jokingly, half-hopefully.

She laughed, and to her it sounded a little forced but Ron didn't notice. 'No, not yet.'

Ron grinned at her. 'I'll speak to you later, then.' He kissed her again and left.

Hermione walked back to her desk, her hand covering her mouth, dismayed at the repulsion she'd felt as her fiancé kissed her.

'Are you sure this is a good idea?' Remus asked. Hermione turned to him, having just finished styling her hair. She could see apprehension clear on his face.

'Yes,' Hermione said firmly. 'You're part of my life again. Everyone needs to know you're back.'

'Ron's going to be jealous,' Remus reasoned with her.

Hermione lowered her head, knowing that Remus was right. When she didn't say anything, he continued speaking.

'And he'll have a right to be,' he said quietly. He gently put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up, looking at her with a careful expression on his face. 'I'm not saying that I want to stop this... whatever this is... but you need to decide. I don't think you can marry Ron, not now- but I can't make that decision for you.'

She nodded. 'I know. I tried to tell him earlier but he kept interrupting me.'

'Then you need to assert yourself. Where's that Gryffindor courage?' He reached down and captured her hand in his, squeezing it lightly.

'You're right,' she said solemnly, 'I'll tell him soon.'

Within a few minutes, Hermione was ready to go and, taking the Resurrection Stone and putting it into her bag, she apparated to the Three Broomsticks, knowing that Remus would appear there when she used the stone.

She materialised outside the pub. She peered in the window and saw that Harry, Ron and Ginny were already there, sitting at a table with their drinks. Hermione took a deep a breath and pushed open the door.

''Mione!' Ron said happily as soon as he saw her. He moved a chair out for her without getting up and slid a glass of wine towards her. 'Sit down, have a drink!'

'Has Ron had one too many?' Hermione said, trying to inject humour into her voice.

Harry chuckled. 'He's only had one beer.'

'I'm just happy to see you, babe,' Ron said, kissing her on the cheek.

'So, 'Mione,' Ginny said eagerly, after taking a sip from her drink, 'what have you got to tell us?'

She glanced at Harry and Ron, who were looking back at her expectantly. Slowly, she reached into her bag and took out the Resurrection Stone and placed it carefully on the table.

'Hermione, is that...' Harry looked up at her, his eyes wide.

'The Resurrection Stone,' she said with a nod. 'I found it in the Forbidden Forest- when I went to the Anniversary Ball.'

Hermione glanced at her friends who all looked confused. She picked up the stone and turned it over on her palm, three times. Remus appeared, standing right next to Hermione, looking as corporeal as ever. Ginny gasped; Harry and Ron gaped, exchanging a shocked look.

'Remus...' Harry said in wonderment.

There was silence for a moment. Harry and Ron looked nonplussed while a peculiar expression settled on Ginny's face.

'How long have you been back?' Ron asked.

'Only about a week,' Remus said, sitting at the chair on the other side of Hermione. 'I've been staying at Hermione's.'

'What!?' Ron spluttered. Ginny gave Hermione a sharp look and Hermione had to avert her eyes guiltily.

'Well...' Hermione said slowly, completely unsure of how to explain herself. 'I thought it was... a miracle, really, that Remus was back. It's fascinating; I mean we could learn so much from this... so I decided to offer him a place to stay.'

She flinched slightly as Ron and Ginny glared at her. Her excuse sounded feeble even to her own ears.

'But how can you look so alive?' Harry said, still amazed.

'I've been growing stronger and stronger since I returned,' Remus said calmly. 'I've been able to pick things up, to feel them- it's remarkable.'

Hermione nodded in agreement and Harry grinned at Remus.

'So I'm the only one who thinks it's strange that my fiancée has shacked up with him?' Ron said his voice even louder, attracting unwanted attention from the other patrons of the pub.

'Ron, don't,' Hermione said quietly but with a warning in her voice. 'Not here.'

'You're the one who brought Remus here,' Ginny pointed out tersely.

'I thought you'd been acting strangely lately,' Ron said, the anger rising in his voice. 'And then you didn't speak to me for days. I thought I'd done something wrong but then this was going on behind my back.' He swept his arm towards Hermione and Remus, as if it was something distasteful that he had the misfortune of drawing attention to.

Hermione felt her own anger rising at his words. 'Ron-'

'Listen, Ron,' Remus said, the calmest person there. 'You don't have to-'

'Don't talk to me!' Ron spat at him. 'You filthy, disgusting- I don't know what you are anymore!'

'Ron, you're being childish!' Hermione said, feeling as though she was chastising a child. She could understand that Ron would be worried, jealous even, but she couldn't abide him making a scene in public.

He completely ignored her, threw his chair back and stormed out of the pub. Ginny gave Hermione a vicious glare and rushed out after her brother. Harry sat speechless in his seat.

'That went well,' Hermione said shakily.

Remus covered her hand with his on the table and squeezed it slightly. Harry glanced down at their hands and then raised his eyebrow at her.

'Is there something going on then?'

'There was,' Hermione admitted, 'there used to be, before the war ended. Remus and I...'

'We loved each other,' Remus explained.

Harry inhaled sharply.

'It was a long time ago. But now Remus is back and I'm engaged to Ron. When I accepted his proposal it was a promise to marry him. But...'

'But what, Hermione?' Harry asked. 'You're not calling off the wedding, are you?'

'I think I'm going to have to,' Hermione said quietly. 'How can I go through with it now Remus is back? He's the love of my life, Harry.'

'Ron's going to be crushed,' Harry said, shaking his head. 'What a mess. 'I'd better see how he and Ginny are.' He downed the last of his drink and stood up, leaving Hermione and Remus sitting in silence.

Hermione drew in a shaky breath. Remus moved closer to her and started stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, his presence at her side constant and solid.

Don't worry, Hermione's predicament will be solved soon!

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