Background for Chapter:

The quotes are from a tv show I was watching that I can't remember the name of.

Slight Hermione/Harry

Hermione and Lavender are cousins

Hermione and Seamus are step-siblings

Hermione and Dean are next door neighbors

Set during seventh year

The Seventh Years go to muggle London and manage to find two people from Hermione's past that she really doesn't want to see.

"I know some of you don't like each other, but you all must stick with your groups. Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, as Heads you are in charge. Please, be careful, all of you." Professor McGonagall closed her lecture as Filch finished handing out the portkeys.

"Have fun today," was the last thing she said before the portkeys activated and her seventh year students began to disappear.

The seventeen year olds landed in an alley and, after a head count was made, walked out on to the sidewalk. They spilt into their groups and went their separate ways. Hermione was surprise to see that the sidewalks weren't packed with people. When they started to walk, Lavender slid up next to her and looped their arms together. The two girls giggled and began walking a little faster. Harry, Seamus, and Dean shared a laughing look before matching their pace.

"Oh my God! Is that—" Lavender stopped suddenly, pulling Hermione back and causing some of the people in their year to crash into them.

"Oh, crap." Hermione groaned

"Isn't that your ex?" Seamus asked, spotting the boy the girls were looking at.

"No, that's the worst mistake of my life." Hermione responded, beginning to look around for a hiding spot.

"Remember when you dated him?" Dean asked, finally seeing him he pointed, his eyes mocking Hermione.

"Shut up!" She hissed as she pulled Seamus and Lavender close together and hid behind them.

The four others laughed at her antics.

"Dean Thomas!" the topic of the conversation called.

"Troy Branton," Dean greeted, bumping fist with the other boy.

"Where's my ex?" Troy asked jokingly, looking for Hermione, "She's always with you."

"She's hiding behind Lavender and Seamus." Dean replied.

"I was not hiding, Dean." Hermione snapped, coming out from behind her cousin and step-brother and mouthing 'traitor' to Dean.

"Hello Hermione," Troy greeted, taking her hand and kissing it, putting all his charming qualities to use.

"Hello Branton." Hermione deadpanned, not falling for any of it.

"Still stubborn as ever, I see."

"Still as arrogant as ever. Some things never change."

"Come on, Hermione, you know you can't resist me and my charms.

"I can and I will."

"You've said that before and I'm sure you remember how that turned out."

"Well, I don't intend to make that mistake again." Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and pulled the angry boy close to her, "This is Harry, my boyfriend."

"Why would you want him when you could have me?"

"Because he would never cheat on me!"

"You're still upset about that?"

"Yes, I'm still upset about it. You picked the worst person to cheat on me with. You picked the only person who would have the guts to rub it in my face. And you know what? She did. Every chance she got."

With that, Hermione lead the group around Troy and further down the sidewalk.

"Hermione—" Troy tried to gain her attention again.

"Just shut up! I don't want to hear it." Hermione yelled over her shoulder. She stopped suddenly and crashed her lips to Harry's, who responded after half a second.

Lavender, Seamus, and Dean began laughing. Harry had yet to witness this side of Hermione, but it was fairly obvious that he was thoroughly enjoying it.

"Alright, lovebirds, let's get going before things get too heated." Lavender said, when she felt they had had enough couple-y time.

They broke apart and Harry rested his forehead on hers and they laughed quietly together. Harry pressed a kiss to her nose right before Lavender pulled Hermione out of his arms and into one of the stores. Dean and Seamus shook their heads at the lost look on Harry's face.

"It's okay, you can manage without her for a minute." Seamus said, laughing and following the girls.

"Come on," Dean said, pulling Harry into the store.

"That would look good on you," Harry said coming up behind Hermione and holding up a leather mini skirt.

Hermione giggle and turned to face him, "Thanks, but no thanks."

"How about as an early birthday present for me?"

"I already have your birthday present." Hermione cheekily responded.

"Trust me. It's way better than a leather skirt." Lavender put in, walking over and shoving a gold, knee length dress into Hermione's arms.

"What's this for?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at her cousin.

"Merry Christmas. It's your size and already paid for."

Hermione shook her head with a smile and the group left the store. As they walked, Harry took Hermione's hand and kissed it, before smiling at her and kissing her temple. Hermione smiled up ant him a snuggled against him, his arms wrapping around her.

Shortly after, Lavender grabbed Hermione and dragged her into another store. Harry rolled his eyes and followed the girls, Dean and Seamus following him.

"Oh my God! Look what the snow blew in!" a nasally voice shouted.

Harry noticed Hermione and Lavender tense up and Dean and Seamus groan. Turning around, they saw a girl who had her hair way bigger than necessary.

"Hermione! Lavender! How are you girls? I hope boarding school hasn't been too hard on you." She greeted.

"Hey Janice." Hermione greeted, placing her well practiced fake smile on.

"Oh, I hope you weren't too upset when you heard the news." Janice said, placing a hand on Hermione's arm.

"What news?"

"About me and Troy."

"What about you and Troy?"

"Well, we've been together for a while. He bought me a promise ring." Janice said, holding out her hand to show off the glittering diamond.

"I hope you two are very happy together." Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"I know this might be a shock to you. And we never talked about what happened."

"We didn't have to. You slept with my boyfriend for around nine months and then rubbed it in my face. There really was nothing to talk about."

With that, Hermione spun on heel and lead the group out of the store. Once outside, Lavender looped their arms together and Harry went to take her hand but was stopped by Seamus.

"She needs Lavender now." was all Seamus said. He, Harry and Dean hung back a little as the girls picked up their pace.

"I hate her." Hermione said after a while.

"Hate's a strong word." Lavender put in.

"I know, that's why I used it."

"Why don't we go get the boys' Christmas presents now?" Lavender changed the topic.

"Okay." Hermione said, a small smile on her face.

They turned around and headed back to the guys to tell them that they were going to split up and do Christmas shopping. After agreeing to meet at the park across from the alley they appeared in, the group separated.

*Christmas*

Hermione and Lavender laughed as they opened their gifts from each other, seeing as they had both gotten the same thing: a charm bracelet with charms that symbolized their favorite memories together. They laughed harder when they saw that the charms were the exact same ones.

"You guys really are in each other's heads." Seamus said with a laugh. He shook his head and saw that there were two gifts left: one for Harry, one for Hermione.

"Open yours first," Hermione said with a smile.

"Okay." Harry began unwrapping it. He pulled out the silver pocket watch. Engraved on the top of the watch was Harry James Potter, my hero. Opening the watch a smile nearly split his face in two. Inside, on the underside of the top was a picture, taken by Seamus, of him and Hermione curled up on the couch in the common room. He had his arms wrapped around her and his head resting on her shoulder, reading over her shoulder. His smile turned into a smirk as he remember what had happened later that night.

"Thank you so much, Mione." Harry said.

"You really like it?" Hermione asked, doubtfully.

"I love it." He said, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips, "Now open yours."

Opening the box, Hermione gasped. She pulled out at a silver chain with a silver band with a rather large diamond set in it. She turned her wide eyes to ward Harry.

"I'm not proposing because I know you want to build your career before you have to plan a wedding. But this is my promise that it'll happen. And when you're ready to be officially engaged, all you have to do is say the word." Harry explained.

"Harry," Hermione undid the necklace and took the ring off of the necklace, "As long as it's to you, I'm ready to be engaged."

"I love you, Mione." Harry said, slipping the ring on her finger.

"I love you, too, Harry." Hermione replied, throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

"I think we had better leave. Merry Christmas, you two." Lavender said, dragging Seamus and dean out of the Heads' dorms, not that the Heads themselves noticed.