AN: I do, in fact, own Harry Potter. And, in other news, I just got a pink unicorn, so if you wanna ride, just give me a shout.

Thank you guys so much for the reviews, for following, or for adding to your faves. Glad you are still enjoying this.

Just a fair warning - this is a Hermione/Harry, Hermione/Ginny centric chapter. Don't blame me. I just write what the muse tells me.

Alright...I think it's time to feed my unicorn. So, while I do that, you go read. Enjoy!

"I'm sorry it didn't work out between you and Melinda, Harry." Hermione said, handing him a glass of ice water.

Harry waved his hand with a shrug. "It's alright, Mione." he said, sitting back in the patio chair. "I don't think she was really interested in me, anyway." he said.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Uh...let's see. Because in six months, she only agreed to, like, four dates." Harry said, rolling his eyes. "It's really not a big deal, you know." he said, shrugging.

Hermione frowned, observing her friend as he talked, even though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of it. "Well, I'm still sorry." she said. "I'm sure you'll find someone someday, Harry." she said, patting his hand.

"I hope so." he said. "I mean, you have Snape, Ginny has Draco, Ron is nauseatingly happy with Mallory, even Neville and Luna are still happy together. I just want someone who'll love 'Harry', and not 'Harry Potter', you know?" he said, glumly.

"Harry," Hermione started, "trust me. I know that right now it seems like you're surrounded by happy couples everywhere you turn, and you're feeling left out, but it'll happen to you someday." she said.

Harry nodded, slowly spinning his glass. "That's exactly it, though. It seems like everyone is happily taken, and I'm left out in the cold. Even Sirius is in a relationship now." he said.

It was true. Sirius' latest flavor of the week was sticking around a lot longer than any of the previous witches he'd dated. So far, Precious had been with Sirius for a record...well, for him, anyway...five months. And according to the old dog himself, he wasn't planning on throwing her over any time soon.

"Well...if you're willing, I have a couple of single friends I could set you up with." Hermione said, staring off into the distance.

"Wha...what? Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Hermione nodded, not looking at him. "Yes. Uh, give me a minute, alright?" she asked, mentally going through her list of single friends.

'Let's see. There's Lea. She's nice, funny, likes Quidd...oh, wait. She started dating that guy from Gringott's. Okay, how about...no, she's pregnant. There's Michelle. I swear, if I were a man, I'd be all over her. Hmmm...although, she always smells like cheese, so probably not. Oh! Andrea might work. She's been looking for someone. She likes Quidditch. Likes? Please. She could give Ron a run for his money with her obsession. She's Harry's opposite in every other way, though. But...that could be a good thing. Opposites attract, after all.'

"Andrea Cooper." she said suddenly, startling Harry.

"Who?"

"Oh, you'll adore her, Harry." Hermione smiled. "She's great. She works at St. Mungos, looooooves Quidditch, is a master in the kitchen, she's funny, brilliant, and is very easygoing." she said. "And, she's gorgeous, so I bet that won't hurt, either."

Harry gave it some thought for a few moments. Did he want to go on a blind date? Spend a potentially awkward and uncomfortable evening with a complete stranger just because Hermione knew her and said she's great? Not really. But, on the other hand, Ron and Mallory started as a blind date. Although, it was Mallory who was being set up, albeit without her knowledge, and they were still disgustingly happy.

So really, what was the harm?

"Alright." he said, nodding. "You set it all up, and I'll give it a shot, Mione."

Hermione let out an uncharacteristic squeal, bouncing in her seat. "Oh, I promise you won't regret it, Harry." she said, smiling brightly. "I'll call Andrea tonight and work it out."

Harry sighed, already regretting his decision.

"So," Ginny started, looking around the pristine kitchen of Hermione's house, "been busy I see."

Hermione chuckled as she set a plate of eggplant lasagna in front of the pregnant witch. With Severus out of town on his book tour, and Draco out of town for the night, the two of them decided to have dinner together instead of their usual lunch. Especially with Ginny being extremely pregnant and not wanting to go out in public very often. At seven months pregnant, she looked more than ready to pop already.

"Yeah, you could say that." Hermione said, sitting down across from her. "It's just, with Severus away, and Nicholas with Mum and Lucius for the weekend, I got bored."

"Yeah, I see that." Ginny laughed, digging into her food. "I mean, you do realize you're a witch and could've just raised your wand, right? Poof! Dirt gone." she said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I do know that, Gin, thanks. But, I needed to fill my day somehow." she shrugged.

"Tell you what, love," Ginny said, smiling, "if you're bored tomorrow, come by our house. I'll gladly let you clean up." she said.

"Not in nesting mode yet?" Hermione asked.

"The what?" Ginny asked as she took another huge bite of her dinner.

"Nesting mode." Hermione repeated. "Usually, toward the end of your pregnancy, you have this urge to make your house as clean and efficient as possible in preparation for the baby." she said. "I went through it when I was about seven and half months along. I just started cleaning one day, making sure everything was clean, and throwing things out, rearranging things."

"Oh! I remember that." Ginny nodded. "Severus got pissed that you threw out his Potions Monthly before he got to read it, right? I think I remember him grousing about that for a while."

"Yeah, that's it." Hermione answered, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. "Although, to this day, I still don't understand why he was so angry. I mean, he'd had that issue for almost six months. I figured he'd read it by then." she added, making Ginny laugh. "You want some more?" she asked as Ginny set her fork on the empty plate.

"I won't say no." Ginny nodded, handing Hermione the plate sans fork. "When does Severus get back again?" she asked as Hermione dished out another helping of the lasagna.

"Uh...not until next weekend." Hermione said, adding a bit more. "The publisher added more dates to his book tour, so he's out another week." she said, handing the plate back. "There you go."

"Thanks, Hermione." Ginny said, her eyes lighting up.

"Sure." Hermione said, re-taking her seat.

"Is everything alright, sweetie?" Ginny asked, observing her best friend and sister. She noticed almost as soon as she arrived that something was off with Hermione.

Hermione shrugged, pushing her food around her plate gloomily. "I just...I've gotten used to having Severus and Nicholas around, and now that they're both gone..." she said, trailing off as her eyes filled with tears. "I miss my boys." she said in a thick voice.

"Oh, Hermione." Ginny said, reaching across to grab her hand.

"I'm being silly, I know." Hermione said with a little laugh. "I've gotten used to hearing Severus puttering around the house, or knowing he's just out in his greenhouse, and having Nicholas attached to me in some way, and now they're not here and..."

"Now you're lonely." Ginny finished.

Hermione nodded. "I thought it would be nice to have some time to myself for a while, but bloody hell, Gin, I could've just had Mum babysit for a few hours, not the entire weekend." she said. "I've done everything I wanted to do in one day, and now what?"

It was true. While she had the house to herself, Hermione had made a list of things she'd wanted to do. She got the flowers planted by the porch. She'd straightened up the bookshelves in the living room. She'd gotten that blueberry spot out of the oven from when it spilled when she had baked a blueberry pie a few weeks ago. The loo was spotless, her study, Severus' study, Nicholas' room...the whole house was spotless. Even her Range Rover was spotless.

"Well...why don't you read a book? I know Mum passed that one about a vampire on to you a few days ago."

"Yeah, but I passed it on to Mum." Hermione said. "No offense, but it didn't look like my kind of book. Besides, you know I only read before bed."

"Right." Ginny nodded. She'd forgotten, but when she and Hermione went back to Hogwarts for that final year, Hermione had trained herself to only read right before she went to sleep. She said it helped with her nightmares if she put her brain into a fictional world for a bit just before it shut down. It was a habit she apparently still had. "I know...why not spend some time with Harry? I know he's been a bit depressed since what's-her-face dumped him."

Hermione shook her head. "Actually, I set him up with a friend of mine from Mungos, and they're on a date right now." she said. "Gin, I know you mean well, but please don't worry. I'm just tired, I think. I'll be fine tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." she nodded. "I got some things to do, so..."

"Alright." Ginny relented, going back to her dinner. She knew Hermione well enough to know she got in a funk when she was tired. "But, if you need me..."

"I know. And thanks." Hermione smiled, already feeling a bit better.

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Til next time!

XOXO - Onyx Obsidian