A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I really enjoyed them all. Seeing the response Im getting makes it worth all the effort I put in to writing it. Sorry this took so long, I got tied up with kiddos and school stuff. Next thing I knew, it was the weekend again. Here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.

Special Thanks: To my beta TabiPrewett for all the hard work you put into this. I really appreciate it, especially when I know you're busy too.

Chapter 4

The next few days were hell for Hermione. She was hung over for most of them. It took two days to get over the effects of the fire whiskey. The first day had her sleeping or vomiting for the majority of it. She'd apparently drank more than she'd thought she had. The second was mostly a headache and exhaustion from the first day. When she finally felt up to getting out of bed, she went downstairs.

Where she found herself pounced upon by Ginny, who demanded to know why Hermione had dumped Ron the night of the party. Hermione had frowned at her friend, not understanding why it seemed like Ginny was angry with her.

"So, you spend just about all night dancing with Snape and then you dump my brother? What the hell, Mione?" Ginny demanded, hands on her hips as she glared at Hermione. Ginny may not have thought Hermione and her brother made a good couple, but the dope deserved better than to be dumped without any warning.

Hermione pushed past her angry friend and went into the kitchen for some coffee. Harry was inside and gave her a curious look. He didn't seem to be judging her, but he was as curious as his wife as to why she had dumped Ron.

Pouring a cup of coffee, she hadn't even taken a sip yet before Ginny came in and started on her again. "Dammit Hermione, you owe me an explanation. How could you do that to Ron? I know he can be an arse, but what you did is just wrong. Are you and Snape going out now or something?"

Hermione spun around, wand in hand, and shot Ginny with a silencing spell. No matter how much the woman yelled, they couldn't hear even a whisper from her. Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing since Ginny didn't seem to notice. She was still ranting at Hermione, only silently now.

Drinking down the coffee in her cup, Hermione refilled it again. Not even letting it cool down before chugging it down again. She glanced at Harry who gave her a pointed look and nodded towards Ginny.

Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw Ginny glaring at her, pointing at her throat. She obviously figured out that Hermione shot her with a spell. Since she had gotten a few minutes of peace and two cups of coffee, she figured she couldn't ask for more than that. Not with Ginny being angry, though it wasn't any of her business anyway.

Hermione sighed. "Alright, I'll give you your voice back, but you have to promise to listen to me before you speak. Okay?"

Ginny rolled her eyes but nodded. With that, Hermione shot Ginny with the counter spell before sitting down at the table with a fresh cup of coffee.

"First of all, no, I didn't dump Ron just so I could go out with Snape. Though even if I did, it wouldn't be any of your business. I know you're his sister and my friend, but in this you don't get a say." Hermione said, making Ginny glare, but nod.

Taking a deep breath Hermione went on. "Second, I don't know what Ron told you but I'm assuming he is passing the blame like he does with everything else in life. Did he tell you that when I got home from the party that I found him shagging Lavender Brown?"

Ginny's and Harry's eyes bugged out and their mouths dropped open in shock.

Hermione snorted. "I thought not. Oh, not only was he shagging her, but he was also shagging her in our bed. Then, all he said when I busted him, was that I wasn't supposed to be home yet."

Harry snarled. "That bloody prick. I'm going to hand him his arse on a silver platter." Harry jumped up and started storming towards the door, but Hermione grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"No, Harry. Yes, he's a prat and deserves to get his arse kicked, but it wouldn't solve anything. Besides he's your best mate. Don't do anything rash to mess up a fifteen-year friendship." Hermione said calmly.

Harry frowned. "You're my best mate too. How can you expect me to do nothing? You're like my sister, Mione. I love you like the sister I never had."

Hermione smiled. "I know, Harry, but you two need to let me and Ron handle this. Thanks for the support though, Harry." She leaned in and hugged him.

Harry hugged her back, but he still wanted to kill Ron for hurting her. Hermione was so sweet and nice to everyone that you couldn't help, but want to protect her.

Ginny stood up and touched Hermione's shoulder. "Hermione, I'm sorry for what I said. I'm sorry for yelling at you and accusing you of dumping Ron for Snape."

Hermione pulled out of Harry's arms and hugged Ginny. "He's your brother. Of course, you would stick up for him and be angry. I don't blame you for doing it, but next time, have a little faith in me, please."

Ginny nodded. "I will, Mione, I'm so sorry. It's just…Mum told me that you dumped him after the party and didn't tell him why. Then, I remembered how much you danced with Snape, and then you left after going to get a fresh drink with him. I guess I put two and two together and…somehow came up with a wrong answer."

Hermione sighed. "I left because I didn't want to stick around and see Lucius Malfoy. Severus pulled me away when he saw how…uncomfortable I was with him there. That was all that happened with Severus and me."

"Severus?" Harry asked. "Since when do we call him anything but Snape or the dungeon bat?"

Hermione smirked. "Since he tried to say Ginny and I were his favorite students, which was just plain funny. He and I took turns saving each other by dancing to get away from very boring conversations. Besides, as I said, he pulled me away from a rather bad situation when Lucius joined us. He asked me to call him Severus so…I guess I am."

Harry was frowning still. "So…it's Severus? Are you two like…I don't know…friends or something? That's kind of…weird."

Hermione shrugged at Harry. "Yes, it's weird and maybe we're…friends? I don't know. He's not my professor…so he's not required to hate me anymore than I'm required to hate him. He's supposed to owl me to have lunch…so we'll see."

Harry's jaw dropped again. "You're going out with him? Ick. Like…what does a person even do on a date with Snape? Does he give you a grade for…ordering well or having table manners or whatever?" Grimacing at the thought of having to sit across from the dark-haired man and share a meal. Or worse, conversation. The latter gave Harry a shiver, like icy nails crawling up his back.

Hermione chuckled at Harry obvious discomfort. "I don't know, but I doubt he'd grade you at the end of it, Harry. Besides, if I have lunch with him, it won't be how you think. We would just go as friends…I guess…maybe. I don't even know about the friends part, but it's not like a date or anything. That would just be too weird for me to even consider."

Ginny snickered. "He was flirting with you that night. Are you sure he doesn't think it would be a date?"

Hermione sighed. "He wasn't flirting, but I'll set him straight from the get-go if he does think it's a date."

Ginny chuckled at her husband who was still wigged out by the thought of his friend on a date with Snape, before glancing at the friend drinking coffee still. Obviously, Hermione hadn't seen all the wizards that were staring at her that night. If her friend had seen them, she must not have realized that they weren't coming up to her merely for conversation purposes.

They knew what Ginny already knew. Hermione was gorgeous and one hell of a catch. She was smart, loyal, pretty, and just plain wonderful. Hell, if Ginny didn't love her so much like a sister, she might just be jealous of the little book worm.

They chatted for a bit before Harry had to go. Though the two women wondered if he wasn't happy to escape before more conversation about dating Snape could be brought up. He was being sent on a quick assignment and wouldn't be back before dark. Before leaving he kissed his wife, and hugged Hermione. Telling her Ron was an idiot and if Hermione didn't want the dope there, best mate or not, he'd kick Ron out.

Hermione smiled softly. "No, don't kick him out. Not over something that is between him and I. I'll just move my things into another room. If it gets too uncomfortable, I'll just go find my own place."

Harry and Ginny both started to argue that Hermione couldn't leave. That if anyone should leave, it should be the prat that couldn't keep his pants zipped up around other women.

Hermione told Harry that they'd discuss it later. She knew he needed to go. With another hug to his dear friend and a last kiss to his wife, Harry was gone.

Ginny spent the rest of the day helping Hermione move her things. The whole time trying to convince her that she shouldn't leave. They loved having her there. Hermione listened patiently while Ginny ranted about how Ron should leave instead.

In the end, Hermione finally told her that it wasn't just Ron that made her think of leaving. It was something she had been kicking around for a while. Ron was the one that wanted to stay. She loved living there, but she was ready for it just to be her for a while.

Besides, with Harry and Ginny being married, Hermione felt the couple needed some time alone too. They were bound to start thinking about having kids sometime soon. They would need time together as a family without so many people under foot.

Ginny wasn't fully buying her story, but she understood the need to be alone sometimes. She had grown up in a house full of people. You couldn't have a moment's peace while at the Burrow, not even if you went into the loo for a hot bath. Someone inevitably always knocked on the door and tried to rush you

With the last of her clothes in the closet and everything else set up the way she wanted it, Hermione turned to Ginny. "Gin, I love both you and Harry. If I end up getting my own place, it's not like you two won't ever see me. I expect you both to join me for dinner there at least one a week, and I know I'll still come over here on a regular basis."

Ginny smiled. "I know, but...I like knowing you're down the hall and all I have to do is go knock on your door, or maybe go bug you in the library. I like that we all eat dinner together and help clean up together. I like that if Harry is running late due to work, I can go to you to keep my mind occupied, so I don't sit there fearing the worst until he's home again."

Hermione hugged her friend. "I know, but you should think of it this way. All you'll have to do is appartateapparate or floo to wherever I end up living and we can do the same things as before. You guys are always welcome to drop by whenever you want or need to. That won't ever change."

Ginny nodded as she pulled away. "So...how soon are you planning on leaving?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it depends on how soon I find something."

The women chatted a bit more before going down to make dinner together. When Ron came in and found them setting the table and getting ready to serve, he sat down. Ginny glared and was about to say some scathing comment, but Hermione placed her hand on her shoulder and shook her head slightly.

With a huff, Ginny finished placing dinner on the table. They all sat down to eat, and the air was thick with tension. With Harry's job, there were many nights that they ate without him. When he finally came home, he'd eat while Ginny or Hermione sat at the table with him.

Ron was oblivious to the glares his sister sent his way. He ate just like he had at Hogwarts when they were students. He shoved all his food in him mouth quickly and if someone said something of interest, he'd join in. Usually spiting bits of food at everyone, since he never swallowed before speaking.

When dinner was done, he quickly made his excuses and left them to clean up. Both Hermione and Ginny glared at his retreating form. They cooked dinner, which meant he should help clean. However, Hermione had always helped clean when it was his turn. Now that they'd broken up, it seemed he still expected her to clean up for him.

Muttering curses softly, both women got the dishes done and everything sparkling clean again. Ginny already had plans of cornering her brother and letting him know that if he didn't start pulling his weight, she'd kick him out, whether Harry liked it or not, though she was sure Harry wouldn't mind.

That night, after a long hot shower in her bathroom, Hermione pulled on her pajamas and crawled into bed. After laying there for over half an hour in the dark, she sighed. She wasn't sleepy. She was tired, but her mind wouldn't shut down for the night and she couldn't sleep.

Rolling over, she grabbed her book and her wand. She always kept some kind of book on her nightstand for the nights she couldn't sleep. It didn't happen often, but she knew that if she tried forcing herself to sleep, she'd just toss and turn all night and it would take even longer for her to fall asleep. She'd found that if she read, eventually whatever was keeping her mind occupied would settle down, and then she'd be able to sleep.

It was part of the healing process from the war that she was still suffering from. The inability to just lie down and go to sleep some . Other nights she woke in the middle of the night because of a nightmare, and she read until she felt safe enough to try sleeping again. It didn't happen as often anymore, not like it had right after the war ended, but it still happened sometimeson occassion.

Ron's ability to just nod off to sleep, usually within minutes of his head hitting the pillow, had always amazed her. Some nights she'd find herself a little jealous of that ability. Wondering how he could do it, when she couldn't.

None of the healers at St. Mungo's could really answer the questions on why she had so much trouble sleeping. They prescribed dreamless sleep potions for her nightmares, but those were easy to become addicted to. When magical means failed, she tried the muggle medical system.

Four different therapists later, the last one was who was a squib and aware of the magical world, and she was diagnosed with PTSD. It explained the flash backs she would have sometimes, though something usually had to trigger them. Hermione had tried jogging, but those having people jogging along with her in a park, had caused flashbacks of being chased in the woods by snatchers. Then, there were the nightmares. Nightmares of people dying on the grounds of Hogwarts. Nightmares about of being tortured at Malfoy Manor. Nightmares of wandering in the Forest of Dean, hungry, alone, and with her wand broken so she couldn't even use magic to help her. Nightmares about her parents dying.

Hermione didn't really tell the others about what she was going through, at least, she didn't tell them all of it. They knew she had trouble sleeping, or would have a bad dream now and again, but that was all she told them. Mostly because they all seemed to move on so easily after the war.

She tried explaining some of it to Ron, but he didn't really understand what mental health meant. If you needed a doctor, you went to St. Mungos. A healer would do some wand work, or brew you a potion, and that's it, you were fixed. Otherwise, you went to the ward for lasting spell damage and stayed there until you weren't broken any longer. It was like the wizarding world didn't acknowledge mental health issues, at least, not with mostly functioning wizarding folk.

Instead of explaining further, she spent a lot of time with her therapist, doing her best to work through it all. Getting to the root of the issues. The root, they'd found, stemmed from years of not truly feelings safe. Not at Hogwarts where so many awful things happened, including her being petrified by a giant snake, or almost killed by giant troll. Not at home, where her muggle parents couldn't protect her from a sadistic, power hungry wizard, who was hell bent on destroying anyone that was like her. She certainly never had a single moment where she felt safe during her hunt for Horcruxes with the boys. She lost count of how many times she almost died, both at school and away from it, and it was usually only dumb luck that saved her.

Knowing the root of her trauma, her therapist went to work on it with her as the years passed. She had succeeded in keeping the worst of it at bay. She rarely had nightmares anymore. At least, not as vivid as they had been early on. The night of the party was the first flashback she'd had in ages. It was the one scene she couldn't shake too.

Out of all the flashbacks and nightmares, that moment during the war was the worst for her. The fear, the pain, the cruelty, it all stuck with her. That was the night she was convinced she was going to die. Every other time she could have died, she hadn't had the time to really thing about it before whatever happened, happened.

That night though, was different. When the snatchers brought her to the Manor with her friends, she suspected it might be the last place she ever saw alivewould be seen alive. When she was cut loose from her friends, the fear of what was coming engulfed her, petrified her in place so that she couldn't have run from it, even had she tried. However, it was seeing the mad glint in Bellatrix eyes, in that moment, just as Bellatrix raised her wand to torture her, that was the moment that Hermione knew she probably wasn't walking away this time. Knew she'd never see her friends, her parents who didn't even remember her at that point, or anyone she cared for ever again.

Seeing all the people around her as she screamed in pain, hearing all the laughter as they watched, she'd resigned herself to her fate. Her only hope was to keep her secrets safe, to protect Harry and their mission until her final breath. She clenched her jaw and refused to spill her a word, wondering how long until she went mad like Neville's parents. Wondering if death would come before insanity did as the pain exploded from every inch of her body.

That moment stuck with her, no matter how her therapist tried to help her. Eventually, Hermione had given up trying to fix that one moment in her mind. Especially, after her therapist said she'd never get past it, if she didn't try to work through what happened that night. If she didn't face it head on. Head on, it seemed, meant at Malfoy Manor, and in Lucius Malfoy's office where she was tortured. Hermione knew that would never happen. There was no way she would ever set foot back in that room.

Now she just read to get through it. Which was fine with her. Her brain was seventy percent healed, or there abouts. There were those that were so much worse off than her. A few nightmares were way better than those that had lost their families or all their worldly possessions. She could live with seventy percent.

With a softly quietly spoken, "Lumos", her wand glowed softly and allowed her to see what she was reading. Halfway through her current chapter, she paused. Looking around she realized something.

She didn't have to read by wand light anymore. Ron used to always complain if she left a light on to read, even a soft one, so she had gotten into the habit of reading by wand light. He didn't understand why she read so much. She'd explained it to him many times, but he'd always just grunted and complained about the light keeping him awake.

Now, Ron wasn't in bed with her. He didn't share her room anymore. She could turn on a light and read all damn night if she wanted to. She didn't have to listen to him whine about how tired he was and that her reading was a problem for him. She didn't have to keep explaining to him that sometimes she suffered from insomnia. Or that sometimes she'd wake from a nightmare and knew that if she went right back to sleep that she'd just slip back into the same nightmare.

Her lips curving with the realization, she sat up and turned her light back on. The room glowed brightly before she dimmed it. She didn't need that much light after all. Looking around the room, she sighed.

Thoughts of all the things she had been forced to deal with floated through her mind. She didn't have to keep the lights off to read. She didn't have to constantly pick up her room due to sharing it with a slob. She didn't have to listen to him complain about...well anything. She was free.

A soft chuckle escaping her. Building slowly until she was laughing hard while holding her sides. She was free. She hadn't even really thought about how much she'd had to put up with before. Yes, there were things that annoyed her about Ron, but now that she didn't have to put up with them...she saw many more things that she'd just lived with before. Now she didn't have to.

She had tears streaming down her cheeks from her laughter. The best part was...now she got was going to be able to watch as Ron made Lavender deal with everything that Hermione had been living with these last few years.

Lavender was going to have to clean up after Ron, deal with his bad moods, and everything else that Hermione was no longer required to deal with. Lavender wasn't as calm or patient as Hermione was, so Ron was in for a rude awakening when Lavender exploded and told him off.

A snort escaped with her laughter. This was going to be entertaining as hell. Ron would not know what was going to hit him when Lavender finally had enough.

She wiped her eyes and slowly stopped laughing. Ron might have done her a favor by cheating on her. Though, it still hurt her pride to have been so foolish to stay by him for so long.

With a deep breath that ended in a sigh, Hermione picked up her book again and started to read. Reading for hours before she finally fell asleep with her book still in her hand.

A/N: I always felt like there was a big hole in the HP stories when there was never any mention of a mental healer or psychologist of sorts that worked with patients like Neville's parents or Lockhart. It always seemed like they simply expected a spell or a potion to fix it all. Maybe I missed something when I read it. Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter. Please leave me your thoughts, and I promise it won't be two weeks before I update again. In fact, I'll probably update again this coming week to make up for it. Take care.