A New Beginning – by Nearly Headless Nic

Author's Note: Sorry about it being so long, other things just got on top of me! I am so sorry! I wish I could give each and everyone of my reviewers a bag of cookies of your choice for being such a retard and not getting round to another chapter. Anyway, I hope this one is up to scratch.

Chapter Seven --- Being Apart.

Harry and Hermione avoided each other for the next few weeks. They rarely spoke or acknowledged one another's presence in class or at parties. It was truly a sad sight to see. Of course, they missed each other, their relationship is too strong to break, but they both had silently agreed that they should live on Ron's stubbornness.

Hermione seemed to spend most of her time with Buffy and her friends, Willow, Xander and Oz. Hermione found out that they regularly go to The Bronze to chill out and relax, to get away from slaying and work. Hermione enjoyed their company, but not a day went passed without her thinking of the times when she relaxed with Ron and Harry in the Gryffindor Common Room or The Three Broomsticks.

Harry walked about campus a loner. He never easily made new friends – especially when he couldn't be himself and had to put on a muggle front. He went to his classes, did his research and completed his essays and usually lay in his bed thinking about how much he missed his best friends at his side. During Hogwarts it was easier if you fell out with one of them, you could still talk to the other one. But now, it seems it was just him. Alone.

One night, Harry was staring at a book, occasionally flipping the page but not actually reading or taking any information in. His mind was somewhere else. Back in England to be precise.

Harry didn't actually agree to move in the first place, it was all Hermione's childhood dream, to go university and study something logical and get a well-paid job in the States. Hermione practically begged Harry to go, talking about all the pros of California. He gave up in the end and went for it.

He guessed it was easier for Hermione, her parents were quite happy to let her go to a muggle school and become some type of doctor with a PHD, plus Ron, the only wizard who she thought was worth staying in England for, was dead.

It was hard for Harry because not only was Ginny in England, but Remus was too. He had to leave behind his love and his mentor to pursue Hermione's muggle dream with her. Harry felt his heart wrench when he thought about Ginny, not seeing her flaming hair or smelling her flowery scent everyday killed him inside.

Fed up of sitting in his room he made his way out, grabbing his jacket and wand as he went. He trudged down the stairs and walked around the campus, not making any eye contact with anyone as he went. He walked for what seemed hours, staying at his feet, passing groups of friends laughing, couples strolling, guys joking and girls strutting. He kept himself to himself, his mind still on Hermione.

How could she think he was being selfish for seeing Ron? He was his best friend after all, and he did risk his life to save Harry's. Harry had to go back to England, he had his family there (not the Dursley's of course) and he couldn't just cut out family like that.

Harry walking along one of the main paths near the entrance of the campus and heard laughing. One very familiar laugh. He looked up and there she was, Hermione, with Buffy and her friends coming back from somewhere, obviously someone fun. Se had a huge smile on her face.

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He stared as she walked past on the adjacent path to the one he was on. Hermione head turned and her eyes met Harry's. She walked on but did not lose the eye contact. She made a small smile and then turned and carried on, her face no longer smiling.

Harry sighed, looked at his watch. Noticing how late it was, he turned and walked slowly back to Stevenson Hall, hoping not to see Hermione there.

-----

About an hour earlier, Hermione was spending sometime with her new found friends. They were at The Bronze and Oz's band was playing. Hermione was sitting on a high stool at a table with a cup of diet coke in her hands, whilst Willow, Buffy and Xander were all dancing on the dance floor, lost in the music. Hermione quietly tapped her fingers along side her plastic cup along with the music, watching her friends.

Her thoughts were somewhere else, mostly on Harry. How could he be such a jerk? Doesn't he realise that they were in this together? He went back. He revealed their hiding place, their sanctuary. It was hard to move for her, away from Ron. Didn't he realise that?

When back in England, Hermione visited Ron every morning, at the same time. It helped her grievance; she had the happiest times with Ron. They went to their graduation ball together, and were voted best couple. It was such a shame that Lord Voldemort came that night. That night was the night that Ron died. That night was the night that Harry finally defeated Lord Voldemort.

Her eyes stung as tears unwillingly proceeded through, she closed her eyes too stop it, but only more water came. Thinking of Ron was way too much for tonight, so she wiped her eyes with her fingers and then the back of her hand.

Hermione looked up and saw that Buffy was beckoning her over to dance along with them. They hadn't noticed her little break down, and so Hermione smiled through her invisible tears and downed the last of her diet coke. She hopped off the stool and walked her way over to them.

Willow was having a good time, Hermione noticed as she approached them, dancing with Xander. Buffy took her hand and she started to sway her hips, Hermione imitated her, not knowing really what to do. There wasn't any club in Hogsmeade, she hadn't really danced in a crowd before. Hermione started to feel the music and raised both arms above her head. Her worries seemed to melt away as she swayed more and more.

Around half an hour later, they all came off the dance floor as Oz's band finished their set and decided to walk back to their respective dorms. Xander, not being a member of UC Sunnydale, walked back to his basement below his parent's house, leaving Buffy, Willow, Oz and Hermione heading back to campus.

Hermione hadn't forgot about her problems with Harry, but it was nice to have something to laugh about, to take her mind off it for a few short hours. But just as soon as she was laughing for the first time in what seemed forever, she saw him.

He was just standing, staring. Their eyes met and a thousand thoughts crossed her mind as they just looked. It seemed so far off that she was walking along with Buffy, Willow and Oz, she could still hear their laughter, but it was muffled and distant.

For one moment, Hermione thought it was all ok. For one moment, Hermione thought she had her friend back. But, her head decided to remind her that he betrayed her and gone back to England without her consultation.

Hermione sighed and ripped the eye contact between them and carried on walking.

----

Harry walked back to his room disappointed. He kept in head down and his hands in his pockets. He could hear people walk by him, but he didn't bother to look up to see their faces. His thoughts were once again on Hermione. Their friendship has been hit badly and was now torn in two, and Harry hoped it wouldn't become driftwood, floating lifelessly across ebbing waters.

Harry then accidentally bumped into someone. He muttered an apology and moved on.

"Harry?" the person said.

Harry spun and looked up. A beautiful blonde face looked back.

"Are you alright?" Buffy asked with a concerned look.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry answered sullenly and moved on, walking away.

"Well, wait up!" Buffy called after him. She jogged up to his side. "Do you want to talk?"

Harry shook his head, he didn't want to talk, and walked a bit faster.

Buffy's legs paced quicker as she was keeping up with Harry. "Well, not talk then. How about patrolling with me?"

Harry again shook her head and carried on walking fast.

Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed Harry's arm, spinning him round to face her. "Look, I'm a good listener, so either you come with me and rant all your troubles, or you go back to your dorm and bottle them all up until you explode. What's it to be?"

Harry didn't know what it was about Buffy, her dominance for such a petite person, her slayer instinct or her breath taking beauty, but somehow he felt as if she was on his level and understood him.

They began to patrol, as Buffy called it, which Harry soon learnt was looking out for vampires, demons, anything super natural wondering about Sunnydale in the night. Harry soon started to talk, about his feelings about this break up with Hermione He told her about Ron, his best mate in the world, about Ginny, his first love, and about Sirius and his parents. He practically told her his life history.

And Buffy listened.

----

Hermione was in her dorm, and so was Willow. As soon as Willow learnt that Hermione was a witch, and as soon as Hermione found out that Willow was an Earth Witch, they began to practise their gift together. Well, not practise, more showing off.

Hermione showed Willow how to levitate objects with Wingardium Leviosa and made books zoom across the room with the summoning charm.

"Wow," Willow commented as Advanced Potion Making slowly floated down into her lap. "That's amazing."

Hermione just grinned and placed her wand beside her, "It's nothing really, I was taught that at Hogwarts."

"I wish I went to a Wizarding School. I am so jealous," She said, opening the text book and flicking through the pages.

"I so jealous of you!" Hermione protested, "You are able to invoke the earth's natural magic! I could never do that."

Willow rolled her eyes, "Yeah right, I bet you could if you tried. Anyway, all I can do is float a pencil."

Hermione thought for a moment, and then came to an idea. "Well show me what you can do and then maybe we could help each other out."

Willow smiled and nodded, and then quickly prepared a circle of lit candles and sat cross-legged in the middle. She began an incantation whilst Hermione sat and watched. She had never actually seen anything like it before. Willow had such control over the magic, she looked powerful. Hermione felt admiration towards her. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Authors Note: How's that? Review wanted and all are welcome. Also, I am looking for a beta, so any offers; please send a message to me. Thanks.