Thanks so much to all of my faithful readers. I haven't abandoned this story, but I was fairly muse-less there for a minute. I'm very happy to find out that you haven't abandoned this story either. Your reviews were so nice I decided to gift you with another chapter!

Hermione had spent a good portion of the past year studying for her N.E.W.T.s just so she'd feel like she was doing something. It's very difficult to research the secrets of the Dark Lord and she'd had a lot of time cooped up in a tent, trying to stay awake. That was why, despite the fact that she hadn't heard a word said in all of her morning classes, she'd still been able to answer any question asked of her. Before she knew it, it was time for lunch.

"Hermione!" Harry called from behind her, catching her arm.

"Harry! Sorry, I'm a bit out of it today. Bill wanted to know all about my childhood well into last night and now I'm off to meet him in the entrance hall."

"May I come with you?" he asked. Lowering his voice and looking around he added, "I need to talk to you about something and I don't want certain people to overhear."

"Of course," she said, setting off once more.

"I may have done something rather... rash," he tried to explain. "I know I should have asked Ginny first, but it seemed like such a good deal and a great opportunity and I just couldn't pass it up! I really feel like this is what could make me happy!"

"Slow down! What did you do? It can't be that bad."

"I bought an ice cream shop," he mumbled.

Hermione couldn't contain the laughter that bounced around in the stone hallway where she stood frozen. The Chosen One, savior of the wizarding world, champion of muggles, and boy-who-lived twice, had just told her he bought an ice cream shop. Her laughter ceased as soon as she saw the stricken look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I don't mean to laugh. It was just so unexpected. An ice cream shop?"

"Yes. Fortescues? He had no family so the Ministry was auctioning it off. I couldn't bear the thought of someone buying it and turning it into something like Madam Puddifoot's and you know he always used to give me free ice creams and after Molly's cooking lessons I've decided I really enjoy making desserts. I figure I could fix it up on weekends, work on recipes during the week, and when I graduate I can open it up. I'll still have my N.E.W.T.s in case I decide I'd like to do something else, but for now I think I'd enjoy owning an ice cream shop, " he finished, looking timidly at his best friend and taking a much needed breath.

"I think it's a great idea, Harry," she said. She believed it. Harry loved to save people and, hopefully, now all that there would be to save them from would be a bad day.

"You do?" His voice was so hopeful.

"Of course I do! You can do anything! Not to mention, anyone who has had your chocolate biscuits could attest to your abilities with desserts. Even if Ginny doesn't understand immediately, she will come around. After all we put her through last year, I seriously doubt your new found desire to make the wizarding world's best ice cream would scare her off."

"Whoa there!" he exclaimed. "I never said anything about the wizarding world's best anything. In fact, what do you think of my naming the place 'Mediocrity'?" he laughed.

"You know, this may work out in my favor," she mused. "You know I've been struggling with money so I've gotten a part time job. I don't think Bill would approve and I really can't afford to quit, but I'll probably be working at least one day per weekend. I can say I'm studying some of the time, but would you mind covering for me a little?"

"Of course not 'Mione! I know you're trying to choose your battles, being mated to a part werewolf, but are you sure you even need a job?" he asked tentatively. They'd had this fight half the summer. Once her parents had cut her off, Harry simply could not understand that she needed to stand on her own. He seemed to think that since she'd followed him around for a year he could now provide for her without complaint.

"Harry, we've talked about this. I need to do it on my own. You grew up in the muggle world, lot's of people have part time jobs after school. Bill's taking care of so much and I want to at least buy my own wedding dress and a wedding ring for him," she spat, fairly annoyed that he'd questioned her on this again.

"Okay, okay," he said, with his hands up in surrender. "You know, I really do miss talking to you every evening," he added quietly.

"Me too. We'll just have to work on spending more time together. Come here," she said, opening her arms for a hug.

Just as Harry's arms closed around her the hall echoed with a roar of anger.

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF MY MATE!"

Hermione felt as if she couldn't breathe. She and Harry had long jumped apart, but Bill was barreling down the hall toward them, his yellow eyes murderous.

"HERMIONE, GET BEHIND ME," Bill commanded.

"Bill, he didn't mean any harm! Really, it was just a hug!" she tried to reason. Part of her knew that he was beyond reason.

As he pushed her roughly behind his form and turned on Harry, she remembered what she'd promised him.

"Stupefy!" she yelled and Bill's form crumbled to the floor.

"Well, so much for 'choosing my battles,'" she grumbled, looking at Harry once again. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. What shall we do with him?" He asked. To his credit, he looked completely calm. There was something comforting to her in knowing she had a friend who would calmly ask what the two of them should do with a body, even if it wasn't dead.

"I suppose I'll levitate him to McGonagall's office and floo him home. I probably won't be in classes the rest of the day. Possibly tomorrow. Have Ginny take notes for me?"

Harry looked like he was going to protest for a second, but thought better of it and walked with her and floating Bill to the end to the hall before parting ways.

Taking extra care to scrub Harry's, and anyone else's, scent from her body, Hermione thought about her current predicament. She'd promised to have lunch with McGonagall on Monday while she was walking through the older witch's office levitating an unconscious not quite werewolf to whom she was to be wed. Thankfully her Headmistress seemed fairly nonplussed by the whole situation and required little explanation. Hermione found it quite disheartening that this was not the strangest thing that had happened to her since she'd started Hogwarts. It didn't even make the top ten.

She hurried through dressing in a pair of Bill's pajama pants and one of his t-shirts from his hamper. She had cast another stunner on him before getting into the shower but she still had no idea how long it would last. She briefly considered summoning Charlie, but having another man here when Bill woke would not help things. Clutching her wand and keeping her back to the open bedroom door she summoned her Gryffindor courage.

"Enneverate."

"WHERE IS HE? I SWEAR TO THE GODS I WILL RIP HIS LIMBS FROM HIM FOR TOUCHING WHAT'S MINE!" Bill screamed.

A split second before she stunned him again, Hermione saw his eyes focus on her and his entire demeanor soften at the sight of her fear, but she thought it best to steel her nerves once again before testing that. Crossing to the window, she looked out onto the muggle street below. It was so normal. People walking by, buses and cars honking and cutting each other off, a man across the street leaning against a light post smoking a cigarette, looking into her window. Antonin Dolohov took the cigarette out of his mouth, smiled at her, and winked.

Hermione briefly wondered if it was her screaming before the world around her went black.