A/N: Right, well, I'm sorry for the delay and all. But I got caught up doing things, studying and such. Also, I know you're going to hate me, but this chapter is short. In fact, they're all short. I can't really do much about that at the moment, because if I force myself to write more than what is here, it'll come out terribly.

Special thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited, alerted, or even read. Makes my life lovely, it does!

Chapter Six:

Despite the fact that I had come here to make my life better, I constantly felt guilty for leaving everything behind and feeling good about it too. Humans, I've discovered, are emotionally wired creatures and most of the time, these emotions rarely make sense. This is for the better, right?

But by now, even I am completely sick of hearing myself rant about if moving here was a good thing or not. However, the recent bout of owls from home have just... sped my thought process along by miles. They started on the third week, and just never stopped.

Dear Hermione,

So, how's the infamous American Ministry? I can't believe you actually left us here to deal with Molly all by ourselves. We all thought you were extremely happy with all of your success at the ministry. It's really a pity that you've gone, though, we all miss you to a fault. Perhaps you'll reconsider? Or at least visit.

Yours truly,
Kingsley Shaklebolt

This set of correspondence was the first and the last from my very beloved Minister of Magic. I think he felt compelled to write to me because I had accidently kissed him during a ministry Christmas function after having had one too many to drink, if you know what I mean. Afterwards, he had always seemed a little too close for comfort, in my opinion, but it was all harmless, I'm sure.

Hi, Hermione,

Do people say hi in letters? I don't know. You're overseas now so I suppose it's fine. I miss you, there I said it. And everyone else misses you too, so it's not just me. Not that it would just be me, you're too easy to love. For everyone. Not just me.
Anyways, mum wants us to try to get you back here so I can properly marry you and settle down, have a dozen kids like she did. That was a joke, by the way. I know you made yourself clear when you moved, but can't blame a bloke for trying.

Ron

Hermione,

My life is in ruins without you, come back PLEASE. I was promoted head of the Auror department, as you very well know, and I can't really do anything here. It's chaos. By the way, Ron's Mum is planning to come over there and kidnap you. She's eating my head about letting you go. I don't think she ever took that break up between you and Ron quite well.
How's America? You haven't written and told us much, so I'm going to badger you until you do. Anything interesting going on?

Love, Harry.

PS: Ron is going to write to you, but it's going to be awfully awkward for the both of you. Thought I'd do you a favour and let you know.

PPS: Sorry...I delayed in sending this letter, it's been sitting on my desk for a while. I guess you've already received Ron's train wreck. SORRY.

Out of all of my friends back home, only Harry was supportive of any decision I made. In fact, I was still cross with a lot of them for making such a fuss about me leaving. Mrs. Weasly had refused to speak to me until a week before I had left in hopes that I would see my way and keep her happy by taking Ron back into my life and staying in the Ministry.

Ron had completely avoided the topic, when we actually spoke, which in itself was an enigma. He had pretended that nothing was happening and that we were, in fact, still youngsters going out. He'd buy me flowers and chocolates, then get upset when I told him it was not appropriate. The man was a child, but I still adored him. For old time's sake. But that didn't mean I'd marry the fool! Last I heard, Lavender was still pining after him. Perhaps I'd write her a letter to encourage her to sweep the man off his feet.

George had tried to prank me into staying, which didn't work and so he realized that he couldn't stop me, instead, offered to help. Which he didn't, instead went back to pranking. I can't say I enjoyed finding my underwear drawer completely bright hot pink and all of my clothes white. And unchangeable no matter what spell I tried. I ended up wearing long coats and sweaters to work for three days until Harry finally had the decency to tell George to take a break.

Everyone else just seemed shocked and awkward about the situation, wondering why on earth I'd want to leave my prestigious job, my brilliant friends and life to go to America. They all thought I was happy. Only Harry saw how miserable I was. Only he knew about the nightmares and unsettling thoughts I had after the war that to this day still haunt me. He was the only one who could actually understand what I had gone through, but only because he had gone through worse and actually managed to get past it.

I was not as strong.

Life here has been better for me, though, has been getting better. My date with Kevin for one, had been a blast. He had taken me out one evening for a long stroll in the park, and then we had eaten lunch on the steps of the Met after which he took me to my first wizarding museum in New York.

...For Witches fashion history of New York.

So alright, it was dull as hell, but he was a gentleman, considerate unlike everyone else I had dated before and attempted to try to do things I should like, being a woman and all. Can't blame a guy for trying, right? But the mitigating factor would have to be that he is by far, the most gorgeous wizard I have met so far.

Kevin Greene is ideal. He's tall, 6'2'' to be precise, dark curled hair that seems touchable from a distance and drool worthy up close, strong in appearance and gentle persona and his voice...well, I'm melting just thinking about it. It's occurred to me that it's rather immoral dating a guy just because he looks ravishing. I've decided that at the moment, I don't really care. No one has to know.

The only thing that bothers me about him is that he thinks I'm rather...slow. Perhaps even dimwitted. The audacity of the thing blew me away, I mean, thinking Hermione Granger is stupid? It's the very thing I'm set completely against all the way to my core. Especially at my core! At first I thought it was just the way he was, you know, strange, and now I have no way of correcting him.

I'm not exactly sure what to do about it. At this point in my life, I don't really want to do anything about it, seeing as things had been going great.

Ah, well. This weekend, however, will be a great one. I've already gotten my work done for this week and the next, so I'll be completely free. Kevin has asked me go out with him on Saturday and I'll have all day to prepare for him and his odd perspective of me.

In other words, I was going to get myself prepared with all the knowledge I can that's appropriate to spew in a normal conversation.

No one, absolutely no one, thinks Hermione Jean Granger is mentally incompetent!

Draco:

If I had a mind, I believe I have lost it.

Everywhere I go, all I see are world breaking, bushy brown haired women. People look at me everywhere I go. People notice me. They can see me. And it's all because of that damn woman. If I find her, I shall scream. But finding her seems impossible. Everyone is her, and they all know me. She knows me. Why don't I know her?

My body hurts. I walk, I eat, I sleep, I breathe. But all I can think about is how my life is in tumbles. I have not been sought out and spoken to in public in years and years and years. I cannot remember a time where it was regular to be spoken to. How do people do it?

I'm scared and in pain. Sometimes I wake, gasping and choking, not being able to feel my limbs, soaked in sweat only to realize it's not night time anymore, but the day. Rays of sunlight licking at your skin... it's not safe. Only the night is safe, but the night is for wandering. For walking and eating and breathing. One cannot do such things safely during the day. It is not safe anymore.

The girl has made it so.

Now the only time to be safe is during the night, where you can hide in the darkness. The darkness has always accepted me, I do not need to remember the horrid past to know that. It claims me, soothes me, holds me... It was better than my own mother. Raised me, it did. That was why I chose to sleep during the night, so that it could protect me while my mind turned to the chaotic side.

Is it possible to be insane and sane at the same time?

A/N: Now I know I said Hermione was going to stalk Draco, but that will come in the next chapter... please review anyways!