A/N: Thanks to the following people for a review on Chapter 32: Angel JJK, ggghhhaaarrr67 and Mia Leonor (I'm Really Sorry!), Amy, noirmatin, notwritten, Susan!

Thanks to the following people for alert adds for both author and story, they make me smile! : lovely music, megansr2008, britjc07,MrsJulyhaMalfoy, noirmatin, XMoonButterflyX and Carlisle-Cullen-4-life!

Again most importantly, thanks to my Beta Darkly Dreaming!

Chapter 33: Life falls back into place

It had been a week since the funeral of her father and Hermione thought that she had recovered nicely. She wrote daily to her Mother and kept in touch with Bryan, She still brewed with Severus for the rest of the summer and she enjoyed hanging out with her family. Small little family secrets came out here and there, like that her Paternal Uncle, Samuel had run off with a muggle but faked his own death so that he could live happily with her. This made Hermione laugh, she giggled at a lot of things that her father said, soon all of the sadness that plagued her mornings were gone and she lived the life of a typical teenager again. She hung out with George when they both had free time and she enjoyed hanging out with the Weasleys. One day, her brothers had decided that they wanted to make a cake for their parents for their anniversary. Hermione got sucked into helping and while the cake was baking, the boys had run off to practice quiddich and she was left for the baking cleanup. Suddenly the fire roared and George called out for Hermione.

"Hey you, what are you doing?"

"Nothing just taking a break."

"That's good, how's business?"

"Doing really well, surprisingly."

"Yeah, that is a surprise, with the war and all I mean."

"Yeah, hey are you alone?"

"Kinda, the boys are out practicing, but other than that I will be alone for the next few hours, why?"

"Can I come through?"

"Of course." George stepped through and looked a bit nervous, "George, what is it?"

"Hermione, how do you think that we are doing?"

"What do you...?"

"How do you think that we are doing in our relationship?"

"I don't know, good?"

"You don't sound so reassured."

"Fine then we are doing great!"

"But you don't mean it."

"George, you're worrying me, what's on your mind?" George grabbed her hands and pulled her to the couch.

"Hermione, you know that I would do anything for you right?"

"Sure, we've been like family for the past seven years."

"You know that I don't want to hurt you right?"

"Yes, George, what is going on with you?"

"Hermione, I don't want you distracted with this war."

"There's someone else." It wasn't a question.

"No, I mean there could be in the future but not right now, no."

"Then what are you saying."

"Hermione, I view you as a really good friend that I would do anything to keep from getting hurt, but…"

"You don't think that this is working."

"It was for a while, but then with Ohmare and your father and the business and your internship, we just grew apart."

"Actually I am glad that you noticed too."

"What?"

"I've noticed this for the past six months, we don't interact like we used to. You are still very attentive, but it feels like you are holding back and I have been all but focused on us."

"Yeah, and I think that until this war is over, we should both be single, I'm not saying that this is permanent but, but we are both very venerable as it is with our families and Harry. We are all so close and us dating just increases the chance that we will be more of…"

"A target."

"Yeah." George looked at Hermione; she wasn't looking at him, simply studying her hands. "Are you ok?"

"No, but I will be, thank you for saying something," She took a breath and looked up at him gracing him with a smile. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her hair. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For simply being honest with me, and waiting for my world to stop spinning before having this discussion with me. Thank you for supporting me when I needed it, and just everything."

"You are very welcome." He hugged her once more and then noted that he had to get back to work. She saw him off and then continued to clean the kitchen. The cake finished and she pulled it out of the oven and set them on the cooling rack. She whipped up the icing just as her grandmother came into the kitchen, "Hey baby."

"Hey Grams."

"What are you doing?"

"Finishing what the boys started an anniversary cake for Mom and Daddy."

"That was sweet of you all, could you use some help?"

"You know, I could actually," she smiled at her and then moved to put some of the cleaned dishes away. She grabbed a big platter and put the first layer of the cake on the plate. "Could you ice that for me?"

"Sure." Minerva and Hermione finished the base layer of the icing and Hermione made a few bags of colored icing and decorated the cake. With 'Happy Anniversary Mother and Father' and a few roses here and there along with a shell boarder. When they were done, Hermione cleaned up while Minerva put a preservation charm on the cake. Hermione cleaned the last of the dishes and then started to quietly cry.

"Baby, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Then what's with the tears?"

"It's nothing stupid really."

"Oh yes, well does it have something to do with your father?"

"No."

"Your brothers?"

"No, really it's nothing just …stupid."

Minerva walked over to her granddaughter and drew her into a hug. "Hermione talk to me, you've always been able to confide in me."

"We broke up," She whispered.

"You and George?"

"Yeah, it was mutual but it still hurt!" Hermione's voice became higher pitched before her voice broke on the last word.

"I know baby, I know it hurts, tell me what happened." Hermione relayed the conversation she had with George and waited for her grandmother to say something. "Well at least it was mutual and you both felt that way, also he didn't say it was permanent, just until the war was over."

"Grams, most break ups that are temporary never take a second chance."

"This is true, but you are not most people Hermione. You are beautiful, smart and very caring, even if it's not George that holds your heart, the man that holds it is going to be a very lucky man."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." Hermione smiled and dried her tears just as the boys walked into the house.

"Wow the cake looks great Mia."

"Thanks."

"Are you ok?" Blaise asked.

"Fine, just had a small emotional moment."

"Ok, if you say so."

"I do." The boys laughed and went upstairs to get ready while Hermione and her grandmother cooked dinner. When that was done, they had fifteen minutes to get ready. Hermione French braided her hair and went and put on one of her summer dresses that she loved to wear along with a nice pair of shoes. Minerva and Albus were sitting in the sitting room when the three kids sat down on the couch. They waited for two minutes before their parents walked through the door.

"Happy Anniversary!" the five shouted.

"Oh wow, hey you guys, thank you, your father and I were thinking of taking you out to dinner."

"Sorry but Mia and Grams already cooked."

"Really?"

"Yep, table and dinner are set and ready so all we have to do is sit down."

"Well alright." The family sat down and chatted about various topics including what Blaise wanted to do for his seventeenth birthday. Blaise simply said that he wanted to go for an all day horseback ride and go on a picnic with his family. They ate the cake and then talked some more about what the twins wanted to do for their birthday, Hermione decided that she wanted just a few friends over and celebrate with the closest friends and family. Draco mildly agreed and said that he wanted to have a barbeque. Soon it was time for the family to retire and everyone went their separate ways and then the day came to a close.

The summer came to a close with Blaise's birthday, they indeed stuck to his wishes and had an all day ride and a picnic, and their Hogwarts letters arrived as well. Hermione and Draco both got the positions of Head Boy and Head Girl so Lucius and Narcissa decided to take the kids out for a formal dinner to celebrate. Of course no celebration s complete without a scoop or two of ice cream so they went to the parlor as well. They went to King's Cross where they were greeted by the entire Weasley family.

"Oh you two got the heads? That's wonderful," Molly pulled the two into a hug and then released them.

"Congratulations," Arthur said. They got other congratulations from the others as well and then they boarded the train that would whisk them away to their final year of school. Hermione, Draco and Ginny attended the meeting for the Heads and Prefects before rejoining the group they had boarded with. Soon they were at Hogwarts and were celebrating in the welcome feast. Albus gave his usual welcome after the student's were sorted and seated, it was a bit dark but that was to be expected with a war on the horizon.

Classes struck up quickly and Hermione barely left the library except to do her rounds, Draco had to basically drag her to meals but she did eat normally. This year was starting off great, Ron wasn't being such a prick and Hermione was actually enjoying herself.

Her and Draco's seventeenth birthday was upon them faster than they expected and true to their word, her parents allowed her to invite the Weasleys and Harry to the house Saturday afternoon for games and a barbeque. They got a few things for school, Hermione got a sketch pad and Draco got a notebook to write his stories that he had started over the summer. George came as well and added another charm to her charm bracelet, she said thanks and hugged him but right away everyone knew that they were no longer the young couple from a few years back, but they were making an effort to stay close.

"I didn't know that you and George were no longer seeing each other," Luna said.

"Yeah, it was mutual, with the war and all; we had enough to worry about, things that were more important than a relationship."

"That makes sense."

"Yeah."

The party went uneventful; just fun and family, there were plenty of laughs, provided by the Weasley twins, and plenty of candy, provided by none other than Albus himself.