A/N: I had this plot bunny a few years ago but didn't start writing it until recently. There is a little Weasley bashing but that's mainly due to their attitude towards Hermione than anything else.

Hermione felt like her heart was breaking all over again. There was so much she wanted to say, to ask, but the look in Molly Weasley's eye stopped her from doing so.

She knew that the Weasley matriarch would be upset at her and Ron's break up, but she could not understand what she had done to warrant her anger. After all, it was Ron who she had found in bed with another witch, and it had been Ron who had told her that he had never loved her and that she was just someone who would bear his children and keep his home.

"What are you doing here? How dare you show your face after what you have done to my son!" Molly roared.

Instinctively, Hermione took a step backwards. She heard chairs scrape against the kitchen floor and several quick footsteps walking towards the door as Molly Weasley finished her question.

They were all there now; the people she had called her family. They were all staring at her with expressions ranging from fury to puzzlement.

"What do you mean? What did Ron tell you?" Hermione asked dreading the answer.

"That he came home and found you in bed with another wizard, and that you told him that you never loved him and were waiting for someone better to come along," Molly explained with suppressed anger.

Hermione felt like she had been punched. Ron had told them the opposite of what had happened. Instead of owning up to his mistakes, he had told them that she had been the one to betray him.

Before she could say anything Ginny snarled, "How could you do that Hermione? You knew how Ron felt about you!"

"I didn't. He's lying. I was the one who found him like that," Hermione pleaded tears falling down her cheeks.

"Don't you dare lie to us! Ron said you would do this. You are no longer welcome here," Molly said with menace.

Gathering her strength Hermione said "Fine, but don't expect me to accept your apology when you find out he's lied to you."

She turned her back and walked to the apparition point barely keeping herself together.

Once Hermione returned to her parent's old house she crumpled into a heap on the floor and sobbed. She could not believe Ron would do this to her. At the thought of him a strangled cry escaped her throat. She was angry at him for doing this to her, yet she was devastated at losing him.

He had been her best friend for seven years, and they had gone to hell and back together but it had meant nothing to him. She had meant nothing to him. She loved him, and she would have died for him if she had to.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione sat up.

I can do this. I can pick myself up and put myself back together again. I am a war survivor and I will survive this. I will let no one and nothing stop me. I am Hermione Granger and I can do anything.

She stood up, took off her shoes, and went to bed. Tomorrow was another day, and she would face whatever came with it.

Hermione woke with a heavy heart and at first she didn't realise why until the events from the previous night came rushing back.

She felt like someone had ripped out her insides the pain was that bad. She had lost her family because of him.

But they weren't your family, a snide voice reminded her.

Hermione sighed. The voice was right they were Ron's family, and she was only a part of it because of him.

She wondered what Harry would do. Would he take Ron's side as he did the majority of the time? Or would he know that it was something she could never do?

Trying to take her mind off what her friends would think, Hermione went to her desk in the next room and pulled out some parchment. At the top she wrote:

Operation Veritas

She was determined that she would expose Ron's lies both to his family and the rest of the wizarding world. Hermione needed to create an elaborate scheme in which Ron would ultimately incriminate himself, but she needed help to do it.

Although Hermione was clever she needed someone who knew more about the wizarding world than herself and had the perfect person in mind.

Draco Malfoy had suffered several taunts and cruel jokes from Ron ever since the war had ended. Hermione had told Ron many times that Draco had been coerced and pressured into doing Voldemort's bidding, but he had taken no notice and carried on anyway. He also had been taught about what was expected of him in wizarding society from the time he could learn until he graduated from Hogwarts. In addition, Draco might be able to help her formulate her scheme as his own revenge against Ron.

Getting another piece of parchment from the draw, Hermione wrote a letter to him.

Draco,

I know that we are not close friends, but I would like your help. I have a sensitive matter which I would like your guidance and advice on. Would you be willing to meet with me?

Hermione Granger

Hermione looked at the letter one more time before she placed it in an envelope and sent it off with her owl. She then sat down and stared at the empty parchment underneath and eventually began to outline several plans she could put in place. They were all elaborate and would require consent from a number of different people which would make it harder for the plan to succeed.

A few hours later Hermione heard a popping noise which alerted her that she had a visitor.

"Hermione!" called a muffled voice she recognised as Harry's came from downstairs.

"I'm upstairs in my study," Hermione called back.

She could hear him come into the hall and walk upstairs. It had given her time to hide the plans from him and pull out some of her regular work.

When Hermione saw Harry's face she knew that he had been told Ron's version of the story, and that he would probably take his side over hers.

"What's going on Hermione? I went over to the Burrow this morning and all I've heard is that you cheated on Ron and that you have split up," Harry asked uncertainly.

"He's lying Harry. I know what he's told you, and if you switched our places around then you would get the true story. I would never have done that to him. I would never have betrayed him. I love him and it's breaking me that he could do this," Hermione answered emotionally whilst looking into Harry's eyes.

"I don't want to believe it. I know that you wouldn't do it, but I can't believe that Ron would either. He always loved you. He was jealous of ever guy who was close to you, even me." Harry said closing his eyes.

"I know you don't Harry. I don't really want to believe it either, but he did do that to me," she said quietly.

Opening his eyes, Harry moved forward and hugged her.

"I believe you," Harry whispered.

"Thank you. I was afraid that you would believe him and choose his friendship over mine again."

"Not over this. I know you would never be as cruel as that."

"Harry, what are you going to do?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I don't know what to do with Ron. He's my friend and I don't want to lose him, but I also want him to know that I'm on your side. I just know that it's not going to work," Harry sighed. "There is one thing I do know though."

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

"I will make sure that they and everyone else knows that I'm standing by you." Harry answered.

"Thank you, Harry."

"It's no problem. I've got to go to work otherwise I will be late."

"See you soon," Hermione said smiling slightly.

"Owl me if you need anything," he said walking out of the room as he went to the fireplace.

Now Hermione was alone, the reality of her the situation set in.

She no longer had a wizarding family, and she was unsure which of her friends would also standby her.

Hermione had no doubt that Ron would tell them his version of events as soon as he could, but hoped that some of them had enough sense to not believe him.

Her thoughts turned to the letter she had sent to Draco Malfoy. Had she been rash to owl him? Would he really risk his new reputation to help her?