"I'll go." Ginny murmured, "I'll go." She ran out the door after Hermione.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. The tips of Ron's ears went red with anger and embarrassment. Harry sighed having sensed what the outcome would be when Ron told him his plan. Molly Weasley tutted angrily and ranted - confused and hurt by Hermione's actions. Arthur simply left the room to make a cup of tea for everyone. Molly's shrill voice filled the air.

"-I mean she's just been so strange and distant for so long and then she goes missing and then she comes back and it's like she doesn't even want to be a part of our family and after all we've done for her-,"

Harry tuned the noise out and gazed at the door hoping Hermione and Ginny would walk back through making out this was all a silly joke. For years it had been the three of them: Harry, Ron and Hermione, and now they were a comfortable group of four: Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. The four of them were supposed to have kids with their other half. Their kids were going to be best friends. They would end up going on adventures like their parents had, but they'd be safe - without the threat of Voldemort looming over them. They'd go to Hogwarts together. Be in Gryffindor together.

The future Harry had always imagined after the war wouldn't happen anymore and he felt selfish for being disheartened about it. If things went the way he thought they were going to now - they were going to have to accept Draco into the fold. They would have to stand back and watch as Hermione married Draco. Had kids with Draco. Kids that would probably get sorted into Slytherin.

Harry shook his head trying to dispel his thoughts. No. If that happened he would support Hermione. And who said it was even going to be a forever thing? Who said Hermione and Draco would actually get married or have kids that get sorted into Slytherin? No. It might not even happen.

But it might.

And what about Ron. What about his best friend? What would he do? Where was his future now and who would it be with? Ron, who had tried and tried and was constantly known for being the one who tried his best to help. Who supported. Who stood behind Harry and backed him up. Didn't Ron deserve someone who would treat him like the chosen one. Who would treat him like a king for once.

Though, didn't Hermione deserve that too? Someone that wouldn't take advantage of her intellect and power. Someone that wouldn't overlook her genius. Someone that, up until the yule ball, didn't even see her as a girl. Didn't she deserve someone who could look past the surface, because Ron sure hadn't until she had put on a dress.

Draco, however, had noticed her from the start. Had been a force in her life from the start. Granted at first it wasn't a particularly nice force, but he had seen her, she had got under his skin, he under hers and he had made himself known to her. In fact, now that Harry thought about it, how many times had Hermione been so lost in thought at school because she was thinking about Draco, angry about something he'd said or done?

It was all so confusing.

"HERMIONE! WILL YOU- UGH- JUST SLOW DOWN OKAY. WAIT-,"

Hermione could hear Ginny's footfalls fast and hard behind her along with their shallow breaths from running for so long. Hermione registered that she could apparate if she needed to, but it felt good to run. It felt good to feel her heart pumping erratically and feel her legs beginning to ache and feel a sweat beginning to break out.

Ginny's hand curled around Hermione's arm and pulled her to an abrupt halt. Ginny was bent over slightly, panting, as was Hermione. The two caught eyes and a slow smile grew on their mouths. Ginny began to chuckle, Hermione joined, and soon a chorus of laughs rang out. Ginny wrapped her arms around Hermione.

"I missed you so much. I'm so glad you're home."

Hermione sighed, "Me too, I think. I just needed to get away for a bit. I'm so sorry. I just- I didn't want Ron to follow. I assumed someone would come looking for me at some point, and by then I thought I'd be ready to come back. And I am. I think. I just didn't expec-,"

"You didn't expect it to be Draco?"

Hermione shrugged, her mouth turning down into a grimace. It was Ginny's turn to sigh then as she looked at Hermione's confused expression.

"That too. But, I meant I didn't expect for Ron to propose. The last time we broke up, before I left, well I thought that was the last time. I... I loved Ron, once. But it was so difficult. We're so different. We want different things. We like different things. And that's okay, to be different, but we were arguing Ginny. And all the other girls. Granted we were never together when he was with the others - but it still hurt, you know? And I, well I was struggling. Still am struggling. I- I found my parents, Ginny."

Ginny's eyes grew wide, her mouth falling open into a soft 'o', "You did?"

Hermione nodded, tears beginning to manifest in the corners of her eyes, "And they- My Dad, Ginny, he's well he-,"

Sobs overtook her and Ginny reached out, encircling her arms around Hermione again, brushing her hand through her hair. Hermione could hear the soothing noises falling from Ginny's lips but couldn't make out the words. The two girls stayed like that for a while, needing the other close. While Hermione was thankful for her friendship with Ron and Harry, sometimes she needed a girl to talk to. She was so glad that her and Ginny got on and were good friends. There were things Ron and Harry didn't understand that Ginny could relate to perfectly.

"He- he died. After all the effort I went to, to make sure they were safe, he died anyway. Of cancer. And I can't help but think maybe it was my magic. You know how some muggles contract viruses when they're exposed to magic and well maybe, maybe it was me. Maybe the spell caused the cancer the start. To spread. Or maybe he already had cancer but didn't know, and the magic caused it to grow. What if it was me, Ginny-,"

"Hermione-,"

"-And my mum had a baby. A little girl. And she's called Hermione. What if she's magical too Ginny? And I'm not exactly unknown. She'll find out about me. Oh Merlin, she'll probably blame me for everything,"

"HERMIONE," Ginny watched as Hermione's mouth snapped shut, her hand coming up to her lips trying to silence herself. Her body shook from trying to contain her sobs, "Hermione, you did what you thought was best. What if you hadn't of sent your parents to Australia? What if you had left them here? The chances are Voldemort would have found them. Would have killed both of them."

The two of them sat on the hard ground then, staring out over the fields surrounding them in silence. Hermione knew Ginny had a point but it was hard to ignore the possibility that maybe, just maybe, had she of chosen another course of action, that her Father wouldn't be dead. That she wouldn't suddenly have a younger sister. Or a Mother that didn't remember her.

A memory swirled to the surface of Hermione's mind and she turned her attention back to Ginny, "Earlier, you seemed so excited to drag me into the snake pit."

"Huh?"

"Before Ron proposed - you were practically overflowing with happiness, but I can remember a conversation not too long ago where you said... now what was it... that I'd 'be unhappy' if I chose Ron. That we 'weren't right' for each other."

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed, a small 'v' crease appearing in-between, "I- Well, shit Hermione. You were missing for so long. We were all so worried. Ron especially. He was so, distraught. I haven't seen him like that since Fred. I just, I saw how much it was affecting him, how much he cared and I guess he, we all got carried away with it. You're my best friend, Hermione. Of course I want you to be my sister in law. But I forgot, you know? I know it never would have worked. I just hoped. We all hoped."

"And that's my fault?!"

"No! No of course not. None of us were thinking. I wasn't thinking. Especially after I'd tried to set you up with Malfo- Oh."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. Ginny's widened. A slow blush crept over the red head's face.

"Draco? That was the guy who you thought would sweep me off my feet? Oh dear wizard God what was even going through your head?! Draco?"

"Well," Ginny snapped, "Harry told me you were getting pretty close when you were missing... I mean, if you can remember that? Oh Merlin. Sorry. You can't, can you? I mean, Harry said no one ever remembers-,"

"I did. I do, I mean," Hermione interrupted, "He, er, put some of his memories in the spell. So..."

Silence overtook them again.

"So. Is he a good kisser?"

Ron sat slumped in his favourite chair, head in his hands, ring on the table beside him. Harry sat in the chair opposite. Neither spoke for a very long time, and the silence was unbearable. Unknowingly, the two boys were filling that silence with the same thought. It choked Ron, who still refused to believe anything could have come from their chance meeting, from him having to retrieve her. Harry was beginning to delve into the realms of acceptance. He was testing the waters now, and found they weren't as harsh or cold as he had imagined.

Hermione and Draco. That was the thought.

Ron rubbed his forehead, trying to stifle the beginnings of a headache. Harry continued to stare at the door.

"She still loves him."

Harry's eyes roamed from the door to his despondent friend, "We don't know that. The facts say that none of the missing persons remembered their time as a muggle-,"

"He's made her remember. She remembers. She still love-,"

"We don't know anything Ron. Better not to speculate until we have facts."

The room went silent again. The thoughts were the same.

"He put his own memories in the spell," Hermione began softly, "memories from our time together. It was strange, still is, having all these memories that I wasn't present for, and yet I was in a way. I feel like an outsider to them but at the same time I can see it all unfolding through my eyes so clearly. I can see him through my eyes. It's not like I'm looking down on the two of us from afar. I'm present in them. I was there. And I see him and I just..."

"You love him." Ginny replied, reaching over to take Hermione's hand in her own.

A frustrated hum fell from Hermione's lips and her eyes pooled with a fresh set of tears. The tears were different from the broken ones that fell when she thought of her mother, or the desperate ones that fell when she thought of her dad and all those who had died. The tears that belonged to Draco were slow, soft against her skin, almost like a caress, "I don't. I shouldn't. I wasn't... awake when I met him. I was there, but a part of me was dormant. That part of me, that wasn't aware, she doesn't love him."

Ginny nodded knowingly, "But the rest of you does. Your mind responds to him. So does your body. So does your soul."

"I've never been the sort of girl to need a man. To feel incomplete without a man. I'm a bloody feminist! But I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel... lost." Hermione chuckled, her voice breaking from the dryness of her throat. She looked up at Ginny and gripped her hand tighter, "What do I do?"

"You go and see him. Talk to him."

Draco,

Thank you for writing to me. I read through your letter a few times and originally decided not to respond. I was, and still am, confused. Thank you for explaining your intentions to me. I know that you, more than anyone, has struggled with life after the war and the false impression people have of you without actually getting to know you. I'm glad, that in my dormant state, you tried to befriend me.

But I am not dormant anymore. I am awake. And I have to admit I feel drawn to you in ways I never would have imagined. I can only think it is because of the time we spent together in Australia. While I am still frustrated that you got to know me intimately, without my being completely aware, I'd like to meet with you.

Consider this your second and last chance for, whatever this is.

Hermione.

P.S if the fault is Blaise's give him a good hex from me.

A/N: Well I am rubbish aren't I! Sorry for the delay. I've been watching a lot of Breaking Bad. And now a lot of Hannibal. And reading a lot of Tom Riddle/Hermione fanfics. I wrote a Tomione one shot so if anyone is interested feel free to check it out on my profile! We're nearing the end of this story, not many chapters left! oOoOoOoOoOo.

Anyway, enjoy! I'm off to watch some more Hannibal because Hugh Dancy.