CHAPTER 4

Hermione couldn't sleep and she had a feeling it had to do with that god awful article Rita Skeeter wrote. Trust that bint to completely blow things out of proportion.

Of course some took it worse than others, namely Ron. Who had expressed his thoughts of the article with some very colourful language indeed.

"Have you seen this 'Mione?!" he had cried as were having breakfast that morning.

Sighing …this cant be good she thought.

"No, what is it Ron?" she asked gently.

"It's you …and the ferret!" he said his tone filled with disgust.

Hermione went silent. Oh dear.

"What do you mean?"

"That Skeeter woman has written an article about you and Malfoy…it's made the front page!" he continued

"Really?" she stopped chewing and looked at Ron, who still locked shocked and disgusted. Sighing she took the paper for his hands and read the article. She would have laughed at the obvious stupidity of Skeeter but she knew not everyone knew what she knew about the nosy so called journalist. She dropped the paper and noticed Ron was still sporting a not to happy look.

It was slightly annoying that Ron got worked up so quickly for nothing. It had been cute when they first started dating, but not it was just tiring.

"Well I imagine they had nothing better to print" she said dismissively. He looked at her with a more than shocked expression.

"What? ' she questioned .

"Skeeter does make a very valid point," he began, "why is he back 'Mione?"

"Oh Ron!" she rolled her eyes at him, "that's none of our business."

The fire roared to life and Ginny walked out dusting shoot of her as she made her way to the table.

"Morning" she said and gave Hermione a small smirk.

"Hey Gin", Hermione suppressed the deep urge to wipe the growing smirk on her face.

"Don't even go there Ginny Potter. As it is your brother is about to give himself a heart attack." Hermione stated evenly, putting an end to Ginny's teasing game before it even began.

Ginny laughed as she looked at her brother.

"Oh don't mind Ron 'Mione, you know us Weasley's and that famous temper" she winked at Hermione. Ron simply glared at his sister and asked, "What are you doing her Ginny?"

"Well mum wants me to make sure that you too will be coming to the family lunch today at the Burrow. You have missed the last three Hermione."

"I have been busy …with work" she said but didn't look up to meet her eyes. It was by no accident that she had missed the last few Weasley Sunday lunches. It's probably because Mrs. Weasley started asking questions about when Ron and Hermione were going to tie the knot.

Hermione felt that she was too young to get married. It wasn't that she didn't love Ron, because she loved him, very much. But something just was not right as off recent months and she couldn't figure out what had changed. She didn't want to encourage Mrs. Weasley's ideas but she didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise. In fact she hadn't said anything to anybody about she was feeling recently. She wanted to confide in Ginny but felt that perhaps she should feel obliged to tell Ron as he was her brother. So in order to escape all the questions she'd receive every time she was at the burrow, she busied herself with work.

"Hermione" she stated plainly knowing that her former classmate was lying.

"Gin, it's the truth…I've been very busy this month, what with so many new interns to train." Hermione spoke quickly and rose from the table, walking towards the kitchen.

While Ron worked as an Auror, it seemed fitting after all they had been through. Hermione choose a different route, opting to become a healer instead. It was tough decision at first at the Ministry had offered her the top position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but she had seen enough violence to last her this lifetime and the next. It was worth it in the end though.

Hermione loved nothing better than to help people and was brilliant at her job. That proved true when within a few short years of her working at the hospital she was promoted to head Healer. While being a healer was very demanding of her time, being in charge was no less stressful but it did allow her some freedom with her timetable, and was able to spend more time with her friends and especially Ron.

Hermione and Ron lived in a rather modest flat in a Wizarding Town not far from the heart of London. While they both earned extremely well, Hermione didn't feel the need to over do her flat and therefore kept it quiet simple. There were simple but still somewhat stylish furnishings in the lounge with an extremely comfortable couch that Ginny had deemed the "Gossip Couch", whilst the kitchen over looked the dinning area.

Ginny followed her to the kitchen determined to find out what was really wrong with her best friend.

"Come on 'Mione you've been avoiding the family lunch, I just don't get why" she said sadly. "You know that you can't hide from us for very long"

"I'm not hiding Gin!' Hermione said some what defeated, because she knew Ginny was right she couldn't hide forever from them.

"You not coming to the family lunch today 'Mione" Ron asked, only catching up to the current topic now. "I thought you said you didn't have to work today?"

"Perfect!" Ginny said happily "we'll see you later today at the Burrow." She finished as she walked towards the fire place not giving Hermione chance to talk herself out of it.

So with all her excuses used, Hermione and Ron apparated to the Burrow. Both received big warm hugs from Mrs. Weasley as they walked into the kitchen. The delicious smell of food filled the house and literally made Hermione's mouth water. There was no denying that Mrs. Weasley was an exceptional cook.

"Hermione dear, so nice to see!" Mrs. Weasley said as she gave Hermione another hug. "We thought you had forgotten about us" she joked as she moved around the kitchen.

"oh no , nothing like that Mrs. Weasley I've just been busy …work things you know." she said as she helped lay the table.

Ginny walked in with her youngest, Albus Severus on her hip and Fleur behind her.

"Hermione! Finally!" she said as Albus insisted on being handed over to his Aunt 'Mione. "We thought we'd never see you again"

'Oh Gin! Don't be such a drama queen." She replied as she cooed at baby Albus, "I told you I was busy."

Ginny didn't say anything but sent a knowing look to her before going to help Fleur and Mrs. Weasley

"So we've heard" said a humoured Fred from the doorway. "Our dear Hermione and the ferret! When were you going to tell us 'Mione?" he added playfully.

"I wasn't planning on it" she said going along with the joke. "Besides I'm sure Rita Skeeter would have more details on this my non-existent secret affair with Draco Malfoy…well more interesting details anyway."

Fred laughed and took his seat at the table as the rest of the Weasley's and Harry took their seats.

The rest of the afternoon past by rather pleasantly, Hermione was surprised to find that she was enjoying herself and was somewhat grateful that Mrs. Weasley had not mentioned getting married again. Well not that she gave Mrs. Weasley the opportunity to do so, Hermione tried her best not to be left alone with the older Weasley woman. Maybe Ron had mentioned to her that they were not yet ready to get married?

The article was long forgotten and the afternoon was well spent with family. But it was much later that Sunday night; when she tossed and turned, when Ron's snoring had become too much and when she realised sleep was definitely eluding her, that she thought about the article again.

She was indeed very curious as to why Malfoy had decided to suddenly reappear. If she were given the choice to move somewhere, where people didn't know who she was, if she could be normal for just a day, she'd take it.

It wasn't that she hated her life; it was just that sometimes she wished it were different. That people didn't see her as Hermione the war hero or the cleverest witch of the age, she wanted to be just Hermione for a few short hours.

And so she tossed and turned a little more as she thought about what life could have been like for the Malfoy's. Living in a foreign place with no ties to the past, must have been nice. She thought back to what Skeeter wrote about a romantic future and thought ridiculous that was, because anybody from Hogwarts would tell you just how different Draco Malfoy and Hermione granger were.

It was silly really, that stupid article keeping her up at night, and perhaps with that thought and with sleep drawing in on her she succumbed to a rather restless sleep.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I thought I'd treat all you wonderful people with two chapters as the next time I'll be able to update is probably on Thursday. Sad I know! I look forward to hearing what you think. Leave me your thoughts! You make my day!