Edith Piaf's angelic voice sounded through Harry's apartment.

"Non ! Je ne regrette rien"

"No, nothing at all"

It has been two years after the Last Battle in Hogwarts. Harry was awarded enough Galleons to keep the entire Sub-African continent alive. But it can't buy... Love?

"Sigh..."

"I don't care about the past!
With my memories I lit the fire."

Ginny Weasely, his one and only love, had gotten fed up with the media attention he was getting. Her temper was as fiery as the colour of her hair.

He could still remember the day they ended it all.

There weren't any tears shed. He acted as if he did not care.

He did.

"Harry... It isn't working out for us... I have other callings."

"I... Sigh. Leave, Ginny, leave now."

"I have wiped away my loves, and my troubles.
Swept them all away."

Harry leaned back on his chair, holding a quill that was still dripping ink onto the parchment. On the parchment, in Harry's untidy handwriting, it reads,

"Regarding Voldermort,"

His hand hovered over the parchment, and he added in the next line.

"Dedicated to my friends, Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Weasely."

He then turned the parchment around and started on Chapter I, while Edith Piaf sang on,

"No, nothing at all, I have no regrets
Because from today, my life, my happiness, everything,
Starts with you!"

Xxx

Anyway, today was supposed to be an Auror's meeting, and Harry threw his cloak over him as he paced down the streets of London. As he strode down the street, several people who saw him inclined their heads and Harry nodded in acknowledgement. It was taboo to openly do something wizard-ish in the muggle world.

He walked into a typical cubical in a shopping centre, and flushed himself to the depths of the Wizarding World, the Ministry of Magic.

He quickly dusted himself as he walked out of the green-coloured fireplaces, the place was pretty alive for 7 am in the morning. As he quickened his pace, greetings of "Morning, Mr. Potter!" filled the air. He nodded at the people who had greeted him and ran for the elevator.

"Get in, Harry..." a familiar voice rang from inside the elevator. Harry then turned the running into sprinting, and he entered the elevator with an apologetic face, and met a girl with bushy brown hair and dressed in a muggle's gown for formal occasions.

"Thanks a million, Mione. What's with this anyway." Harry gestured up and down at the gown.

"Oh stop kicking up a fuss, Harry. Ron said that today is going to be a very important occasion and that I will be better off prepared!" She beamed as she said that.

Harry laughed and waved goodbye to her as she stepped out of the elevator and grinned as she stumbled in her high heels while hurrying off to her own meeting.

Xxx

"Morning, Potter. Sit down." Kingsley Shacklebolt said in his deep voice. Harry muttered a word of thanks and sat down at Kingsley's right.

"Today's meeting concerns the welfare of our schooling wizards and witches."

A flutter of movement swept through the meeting room, people conjuring up parchment and quill to take down notes.

"As you know, many years ago, Voldermort, went astray and went into a path. A path that would transform him beyond all recognition, and make him the most feared wizards of all times."

A murmur of agreement sounded through the meeting room, and Harry sighed. He pitied Riddle sometimes. If only he had understood love.

"The School of Hogwarts, will be taking a government employee from each department, the most outstanding one of course." He placed a heavy emphasis on the word, outstanding.

"Any volunteers?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked around the room. No one raised their hand. Even Harry wasn't ready to offer his services to the School just yet. He was writing his book...

"So, this is how it is going to be huh." Kingsley's voice sounded through the room.

"Whoever completes a two year stay can opt to take leave of the Ministry of Magic, on full pay monthly."

Suddenly, the room became alive with volunteers, people tried to stretch their arms as high as possible, while some stood up.

"It is our duty to the nation! Let me go!"

"No, Carl... I felt that I have not done much for my country! The only dangerous thing I did of recent was to wipe out the last resistance of the Death Eaters!"

"Am I supposed to be trampled by this sudden display of patriotism..."

Kingsley raised his hand and motioned for silence. The faces in the room turned towards him.

"Harry Potter, you will go. Take that as a direct order from the Ministry of Magic. Defying which is considered..." He turned to look at Harry, "Treason."

Xxx

"Oh wow. Treason. Some laws we have..."

"Oh, give it a break Harry! I got chosen as well!"

Hermione Granger was casually walking beside Harry as he complianed about Kingsley's decision while escorting Hermione to the fireplace.

"Argh... Maybe your right. As usual. Coffee?"

"No thank you! I have a date with Ron and I am getting late!"

Harry nodded and gestured for her to leave first, he still had some work to do.

Xxx

Harry sat down in his seat in the office of Head Auror, and he conjured up a cup of coffee with a wave of his wand.

He picked up the quill and dipped it in the bottle of ink, with his free hand turning the parchment around on a new sheet.

"Concerning The Weasleys."

Harry laughed and continued writing, or at least until at least a letter arrived.

Harry thanked the Auror who brought it in and opened it.

Inside, was Ron's untidy handwriting,

"Meet me at usual place tonight. In trouble. Urgent."

Harry threw his cloak over him and took his leave.

Xxx

"Blimey, Harry! What took you so long!" a rather red faced Ron shook Harry as he popped out of the air, and almost lost his balance.

Apparation. Tricky business.

"I need to ask you how you broke up with Ginny! Quickly!" and he shook Harry violently again.

"Hold it!" and he forced Ron's hand off him. "I thought we cleared that out a few months ago? You said you'd understand." Harry stared at him.

"Ah-Ha... Well... You see... Hermione and I..." he laughed a nervous laugh and attempted to make some gestures.

"No way... Come on!" Harry bellowed at him and Ron whimpered. "She is such a wonderful girl! I mean!" Harry threw up his hands in exasperation.

"I dunno... What I felt for Hermione was what I felt when I snogged Lavender Brown when I was a wee lad." he gestured to an invisible-shorter-than-him image.

"Whatever! I am getting out of here. Seven years in Hogwarts and I didn't have peace. I want some. Now." Harry made to leave but saw a girl walking towards them, in the form of Hermione Granger, who was smiling and walked up to Ron and hugged him.

Harry whipped out his wand and apparated, before Hermione could ask why he was here.

He stumbled and fell flat on the map in his home. He got up and shook his head.

"Oh Boy."

Harry collapsed into the armchair and pulled out his wand. He conjured up a bottle of Firewhiskey and with another wave of his wand, the radio sprung to life.

"Kreacher!" Harry called out.

With a loud crack, Kreacher appeared, wearing a white towel with a locket bouncing off his chest.

"Yes, Master?" Kreacher croaked.

"I want you to spy on Hermione Granger, secretly and you are NOT to tip her off regardless of what you do. You will give me hourly reports on her. Understood?"

"Understood! Master! Kreacher is going now. There is a steak ready on the table of the dining room for your enjoyment."

"Wait. Bring a bottle of Vodka to the dinner table also. Thanks Kreacher!"

The house-elf bowed low and with a loud crack, disappeared.

Xxx

While Harry was savoring his steak, a loud crack sound made him choke on a fairly large piece which he just swallowed. He quickly took out his wand and pointed at himself, "Anapeo!" he thought to himself. As his throat cleared, Harry turned around to look at Kreacher, and asked, "Well? Kreacher?"

Kreacher bowed again and said, "Kreacher did as Master ordered and hid in the closet of Miss Granger. She is very upset sir. She is crying and cursing master Weasley. Miss Granger's makeup is a mess and her clothing was..."

"Ok! Kreacher! Enough details. Go again and make sure she does not do anything silly! Hourly reports as well!" Harry bellowed at him, even though he was slightly tempted to hear the next part.

Kreacher bowed so low that his nose touched the carpeting, and disappeared again.

Xxx

Harry didn't sleep that entire night. Kreacher kept coming back with repeated news of Hermione's devastation. This kept him upset and he had trouble closing his eyes. Let alone sleep.

Harry was keeping himself awake by drinking cup after cup of coffee, and he was tempted himself to call Hermione (Both had telephones) but he was convinced that the chances of her picking up would be minuscule.

Harry decided that he would do some packing instead, for his little journey back to Hogwarts.

He went ty his cupboard and took a deep breath. He stepped to the side and opened the cupboard. A wave of objects, textbooks, robes and other school-era material fell out of it. Harry picked up the spell which Hermione used to enlarge the insides of her handbag during the Last War, during their search for the Horcruxes, which was, rather... "A messy affair" as Hermione liked to put it.

Harry then dragged out 3 empty trunks from the cupboard, and with a flick of his wand, the items packed themselves neatly into the trunks, and he shut the trunks before stacking them in the corner of a room.

Only when Kreacher had reported that Hermione had fallen into an uneasy sleep, did Harry cancel the spying order and fell into a deep sleep...

Xxx

As he got up, he ordered Kreacher to spy on Hermione again, and when Hermione was reported to be preparing to head for work, Harry left the house and was already waiting for her in the lobby as a red-eyed Hermione stepped out of the fireplace.

"Hey... Hermione... How err... How's life?" Harry asked Hermione.

"You should have seen how I cursed Ron to oblivion, lucky you apparated, I am in a mood to kill."

At least she was making a very bad joke out of it.

Harry shrugged and asked her, "Anyway, who was chosen in your department to head for Hogwarts? We are all leaving tomorrow. Change of orders. Kingsley told me earlier on."

Hermione stopped short in her tracks, and squawked, "Tomorrow?"

"Uh yes... Why are you so concerned?"

"Harry! I was the chosen one!I have some shopping to do! Have you done yours?"

Shopping. What for?

"Would you kindly point out why I should go shopping as well?"

"Oh Harry! Have you even heard of the fact that we will have an office? DECOR!" She squealed, temporarily forgetting about the fact that a breakup just occurred.

"Oh uh... Okay... I'll do it later?" Harry said uncertainly. Despite having a fortune of money, he never understood the meaning of shop-till-you-drop.

"Let's go together. We can go shopping and keep our minds off..." She gazed into the distance, "Unhappy things..." as her thoughts came back to talking.

"Okay... But I warn you... I am a bore when it comes to shopping."

Even in her rather soup mood, she grinned, "You lack practice. That's it." and she laughed.

Harry had to admit. Maybe shopping more really helps.

Xxx

When their work ended, Harry and Hermione met at the Leaky Cauldron, where they would stock up on decor.

"Harry? All ready to go?" She was dressed in a simple T-shirt and Jeans, but she still looked dazzling nonetheless.

"Uh yes... But lets head for Gringotts first."

He was painfully aware that he was dressed like a hobo, but his a famous one, no doubt.

As they stepped into Gringotts, a familiar sight greeted him. A goblin, Griphook, shuffled towards him, "Ah! Mr. Potter! Here for the gold in your vault I see... Please, follow me. Miss Granger too of course."

As they boarded the cart that started to weave and bolt around the tracks leading to Harry's vault, Hermione's face turned purple, and she clung onto Harry's shoulder so hard that it hurt.

When the cart stopped, Hermione quickly got off and leaned against the stalagmite, slowly controlling her breathing, and panting at the same time. Poor girl.

Harry took out a few empty pouches, and started shoving Galleons into them, oblivious to the fact that Hermione's vault, though right beside his, she was too weak to walk and start shoving her own Galleons into her pouch.

When Harry had finished stocking up his own money supply that should last him a year, Hermione was sitting down, her head in her hands. Harry clucked his tongue in sympathy, and pulled Hermione up, and with a bit of Griphook's help, collected her money and went to sit down in the benches of Gringotts Bank's lobby.

"Goodness Harry, that was comparable to that when I broke up with Ron..." She said while shaking her head. Harry had brought her some warm coffee from that tiny little café across the bank.

Harry kept quiet. He wasn't so sure whether he was to say anything whenever she mentioned Ron. Well at least, this is the first time she mentioned Ron since their rendezvous at Gringott.

Hermione slowly sipped her coffee, while gently rocking forward and back on her bench.

The uneasy silence between Harry and Hermione continued for a couple of minutes. Harry flipped through the booklet about Gringotts he picked up at the counter. Hermione was slowly enjoying the warmth of her cup, and it's content.

"Harry, why did you break up with Ginny?" she suddenly asked.

"Oh... Uh..."

My first Harry Potter fanfic.

Anyway, I have always been fed up on how Ginny appears out of nowhere, (no offense to her), I'd always liked the Harry-Hermione pair. So... TA-DAH!

Please review and give me suggestions :)

Ok...Ok... In the end, Harry/Hermione pair.