Hello and welcome to my little story. This is the first thing I have properly written in English.

I will try my very best to update every few days, sometimes life gets in my way and I have to stop but I beg your patience and swear I won't leave for long.

I own none of the characters, locations etc... They are all J.K Rowlings.

Chapter one

Hermione Granger was restless. She was bored of everything, her office with its single small window that magically displayed the weather outside, the cheap desk and chair she had been given when she joined the department, the horrible, green carpet on the floor and the brilliant white walls. The same inane conversations she heard as she walked through the cubicles everyday..

"Jane and Freddie broke up."

"Sam and Dave spent the weekend together at his dad's lake house."

It was the same stories every time, only the names and locations changed occasionally.

After the second wizarding war, Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to complete her education. Within six months she had taken her N.E.W.T.s and received O's in every subject. She then went on to work at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where she revolutionized the rights, laws and treatment of non-human creatures such as house elves and goblins.

After twelve months, she had become bored and transferred to a subdepartment of the Auror office in the Magical Law Enforcement. She had done that job for two years. Her main duties were to check and change some of the old laws and to visit the prisons across the country to see what could be changed to make them more humane places.

Each day was the same, doing paper work, reviewing laws, doing more paper work and reviewing more laws. Occasionally she got out of the office to visit a small prison in another county, but it just wasn't enough for her anymore. Having such a high place within the department meant that she didn't see much of the action anymore, unlike the Aurors. She needed a challenge.

This is why she found herself sitting in the head of the Auror department's office.

"So let me get this straight. You're willing to give up a high-powered, very well paid job and go back down to trainee status because your bored?" He asked a little shocked. Surely this woman couldn't be serious? Who in their right mind would do that?

"No sir, not bored," she replied. "I just think that my time in this department has come to an end. I've done all I can here and feel like I'm no longer being challenged or working to my full potential anymore," she finished.

The look on the head's face was one of disbelief. He had never thought she would be bored in his department, that's why he practically begged her to take the job in the first place.

"And where is it you wish to transfer to?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"The Department of Mysteries has always held a fascination to me and I believe I will find the challenge and stimulation I need there," Hermione replied.

The head sat back and laughed. "You have no experience in that area, Hermione. The DM isn't somewhere you can walk straight into with no training," he finished with a slight smile on his face.

"You know as well as anyone, sir, two or three months training and I'll know everything I need to specialize in any area of that department. I am smarter than most, I grasp things far quicker than people twice my age and that have ten years more experience than me," she replied angrily. How dare he laugh at her. This was a genuine request and she has wanted to join the Department of Mysteries since she left school. It was only unfortunate accidents and favours to friends that she had worked in the others for so long.

He knew she was right. It had only taken her six months to work her way to head of the subdivision in the Auror department with no experience or training.

"Ok, Hermione, I'm sorry. Look, I can't grant you a transfer just like that," he said, clicking his fore finger and thumb together.

"The Department of Mysteries isn't even taking applications at the moment. I'm sorry," He finished.

"With due respect, sir, I know the influence you have on the other departments, I know you would be able to transfer me where ever you wanted as fast as you wanted to, if you were willing," she said shortly. She was starting to get angry, the head of department was being difficult for no good reason.

"I'll give it some thought and get back to you. There's a lot to consider before I can make a decision. Give me a week or two to think it through," he said with a sigh.

Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself before answering him, a couple of weeks wasn't good enough for her.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can`t wait a week or two. I would like an answer in two days time or I'm afraid I will be forced to explore my options outside of the Ministry," she replied in a steady but firm voice. Hermione knew that she was bordering on insubordination, but she didn't care. In the years after the war, she had learnt that when you want something, you should go for it with all you have and that's exactly what she had done and the reason she had been one hundred percent successful in every aspect of her career so far.

After a few strained moments of silence he sighed and replied, calmer than she had expected.

"Ok Hermione, Two days. But can I ask, why the rush?"

"I have my reasons, sir. Reasons that I do not wish to get into at this moment," she replied, not meeting his eyes.

They sat in silence once again, both wishing things could be easier, the head felt as if her leaving was his fault. He knew what had happened to her, what his friend had done. He knew that if he had just helped her when she asked him to instead of running to a Quiddich game, it would never have happened.

"Is it because of him? Is it because you heard he is coming back to the Ministry, Hermione? Because if it is, I can make sure he doesn't come near you or your department, you will never have to see him," he said in a rush before she could tell him to shut up.

"Not the only reason, Harry. You should know better than that. I would never run away because of him," she replied quietly.

When Hermione had joined the Ministry, she started dating Ron. He had already completed his training and was quickly making his way up the ranks in the Auror offices. He was called out in the middle of the night in late October to aid Harry and another Auror on a raid somewhere in Norfolk. But something had gone wrong, they had received incorrect information. They had walked into an ambush and Ron was injured. He had been hit by a severing spell. Had it not been for Harry`s quick thinking and fast reactions he would have lost his leg, possibly even his life.

Ron was out of action for 3 months undergoing treatment, but he had begun to drink heavily and started acting out of character. He became mean and hurtful towards Hermione. He would insult her and tell her she was useless and that she would never make a proper magical wife. Hermione had put up with it, because she knew how tough it must have been for him, not being able to do the job he loved so much, to be stuck at home or in the hospital with little to no company day in and day out.

One day she decided to talk to him about his behaviour and his drinking. She had asked Harry to come with her for moral support, but he had told her that he had an important meeting to go to. In truth, he just couldn't stand to see his friend like that. It was cowardly he knew, but he just couldn't face it.

When Hermione had gotten home that cold January evening, she walked into the apartment she had shared with Ron since his accident and found him on his back, passed out on the couch in nothing but a pair of dirty boxers and a filthy white vest in a puddle of his own vomit and urine. Unshed tears stung her eyes as she looked at the man she thought she loved. What had he turned into? Casting her gaze around the living room, she noticed that Ron had drunk his way through six lagers, the cans where crushed and strewn across the floor, and finished two large bottles of firewhiskey, one bottle smashed against the opposite wall and the other clutched in his left hand.

She took out her wand and cast a few spells over the filthy man to clean him up. Picking up the empties from the floor, she cast another spell to clean up the glass and remove the bottle from Ron's hand. Pointing her wand towards the small kitchen across the room, she cast Accio for a sobering potion from the pantry. Lifting her boyfriend's head so she could pour the potion in his mouth without choking him, she gently rubbed his throat to stimulate the swallowing reflex. When she was satisfied that he wasn't going to spit it back up, she moved back and waited for him to wake.

She didn't have to wait long, the potion was fast acting. He started to stir, lips smacking together and groaning. Hand swinging towards the ground in search of the bottle. After a few moments of aimless groping around the floor, he was forced to lift his head and open his eyes to look for it. He noticed Hermione standing there, looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"What are you crying for, you silly cow? What have you done with my whiskey?" he demanded in a harsh voice while he pushed himself into a sitting position.

" Oh Ron, you can't go on like this. Please," she said, the tears finally falling over her lids to stream down her face.

"What are you waffling on about, woman! Go on like what?" he said, looking around the room, searching for any type of alcohol to quench his thirst.

"Like this, look at you. You're a mess. You need to stop drinking and get some professional help. Ron, please. You're going to kill yourself," she said quietly, almost begging him to listen to her.

" Oh shut up will you. Who made you my fucking mother, huh?" he sneered at her, looking her up and down.

"I care about you, Ron. I just want you well again, " she replied

"I'm fine. Just shut up and make yourself useful for a change and get me drink. A real drink. Whiskey or vodka, that good Russian stuff we had the other day and if you're a good little wench, I might reward you," he said with a leering smirk.

Hermione felt sick. This wasn't the Ron she knew from school. This thing was a hideous shadow of the man she fell in love with. She took a steadying breath, wiped her eyes and squared her shoulders.

"I won't help you destroy yourself, Ron. You need to stop this now! Get up and get in the shower, clean yourself up, brush your teeth and get dressed. For God's sake, have some dignity!" she shouted at him, bending over so she could be face to face with him. She didn't want to have to be mean, but she just couldn't take anymore, she was starting to resent him.

"And why the fuck would I want to do that?" he said, standing up so quickly, he forced Hermione back a few steps.

Moving towards her, he had a hard look in his eyes, almost cruel. Hermione kept moving backwards until she bumped her back against the fireplace.

"Why should I care what someone like you thinks of me, huh? A silly little bint from the muggle world? A stupid bitch who has no real understanding what its like to be a real witch, no understanding of her rightful place behind her wizard husband," he sneered at her, almost in her face.

She was trapped between the stone and a very upset Ron. She tried to move sideways, just enough to be able to grab some floo powder and get out of there. But he was faster than she had anticipated. He put his arms on either side or her shoulders, holding on to the top of the fireplace effectively pinning her there. She made to reach for her wand in her right pocket, but he grabbed her wrist and twisted so hard she felt it crack between his fingers. She cried out and tried to push him away from her, but he was physically stronger than her.

"Ron, please let go. You're hurting me," she sobbed, grabbing his fingers with her free hand and trying to pry them off her. It was pointless, he had a death grip on her wrist and wasn't about to let go anytime soon.

Ignoring her pleas and tears, he squeezed harder and this time she was sure she felt something break.

"Tell me, Hermione. Why did you refuse to marry me when I asked you after the battle at Hogwarts? Was I not good enough for you? Not smart enough? Or was it because you were after someone else? Harry maybe?" He continued, ignoring her sobs. He stroked her face gently with his other hand, moving from her lips across her cheeks and into her hair. Grabbing a fist full of her curls, he yanked her head sideways. She felt as though he was going to rip it from its roots.

"RON, STOP. PLEASE, IT HURTS! I DON'T WANT HARRY! I ONLY WANT YOU!" She screamed, hoping to get through to him. It didn't work.

"LIAR! if not Harry, someone else. You must have fucked your way through half the Ministry by now, you slut. How else did you get so far so fast?!" He said quietly, almost calmly.

"Dirty little whore, aren't you, Hermione?" he said with a twisted smirk on his face.

"Fuck you, Ronald." Her head snapped back and her left cheek throbbed. Before she realised what had happened, she felt another slap across the other cheek, catching her lip. It split open. Blood dripping down her chin, he yanked her head back by the curls he still had hold of, he raised his fist and hit her square in the face.

Stars popped behind her eyelids, the sound of blood rushed through her ears, her nose throbbed, he had broken it, tears and blood mingled on her face. She dropped to her knees in front of him, only staying up because he still had hold of her hair. Silently, he let go of her and turned his back. She dropped face first onto the floor.

"You're disgusting, do you know that, Hermione." It wasnt a question and he didn't wait for an answer.

"The only reason I asked you to marry me was because I pitied you. No one else would have you. Not a muggle born, a bushy haired, nosey, bossy cow you were too, still are. You're not exactly pretty and trust me, you're not a very good fuck either," he finished, turning around and looking down at her bloodied face.

"I hate you," she choked out and in that moment she truly did.

He kicked her hard in her side. She heard the ribs snap, then felt the pain. Struggling to breathe, she tried to push herself up, but Ron put his foot on her back and pressed down, holding her on the ground.

"I'm glad I didn't get trapped in a marriage to you. Look at you, you're pathetic," said Ron, grinding his heel into the small of her back.

Hermione couldn't take any more pain. She slid her hand across the floor and towards the front pocket of her jeans. Her fingers found the hilt of her wand and wrapped around it. Ignoring the pain in her wrist, she quickly pointed it toward him. A bright, red spark of light hit him just under his chin. He flew five feet back over the couch hitting the ground on the other side.

She manged to drag herself up onto her feet, holding her ribs with her broken arm, and limped over to the unconsious Ron. She stood staring at him for a moment, wondering when he had turned into this thing laying in front of her. The old Ron would never have done this, never have physically attacked her. She couldn't stay there anymore. She had to leave, go somewhere safe that he wouldn't think to follow her.

She moved as quick as she could back over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder, stepped into the flames and disappeared with a choked "Harry Potter's house".

A few seconds later she landed in a heap on the floor of Harry's study.

"Hermione?" he said, standing up from his chair behind his desk. Running over to his bloodied friend, he lifted her gently over to the couch.

"Hermione, can you hear me? What happened?" He asked, afraid that he already knew the answer.

Hermione sobbed in Harry's arms for half an hour before she could tell him what had happened. He lay her on the couch and went to the door, calling for Ginny to take care of his best friend. When Ginny walked in, she gasped, she barely recognised her friend.

"Oh my God, Hermione. What happened to her, Harry?" she asked, sobbing.

"Your Brother," he replied angrily.

"Stay with her. Do what you can to help, I'll send for a healer," he said, stomping furiously over to the fireplace. Throwing a pinch of floo powder into the flame, he knelt before it a stuck his head in. Two minutes later he was back on his feet and throwing more powder onto the flame.

"Harry, where are you going?" Ginny asked.

"There's a healer on the way, she shouldnt be more that five, ten minutes. Please stay with her and keep an eye on her for me. I'll be back soon, I promise," he answered her while stepping into the flame.

She just nodded, she knew where he was going, but she wouldn't stop him. How could she?

When Hermione woke up nearly twenty-four hours after landing on Harry's floor, she was in a comfortable bed in a cosy room, completely healed. Well, physically at least.

After three days, she was ready to leave Harry's home and move back to her parents' old place. She hadn't sold it, holding on to the hope that some day she might find a counter to obviate. She felt safe enough to be alone once more. She had heard that an hour after attacking her, Ron was mysteriously left outside St. Mungo's, bloodied and bruised with a broken nose, eye socket and ribs, sobbing for his mother. No one ever found out what happened to him or between him and Hermione. She had begged Harry not to go to the Aurors. She made him promise to make sure he got the help he needed.

Back in Harry's office, he looked at Hermione sadly.

"No, I know you would never run away," he said quietly.

She cleared her throat and stood from her chair. Making her way to the door, she turned as she opened it.

"Two days, Harry. I'll see you Monday," she said as she left.