A/N - Happy New Years to all! One more chapter after this, I believe will finish out this story.

Three Months Later

November, 2003

Mr. Boscoe left her to tend the shop on a sunny Saturday morning while he ran some errands. It had been a busy day, so when the shop was temporarily deserted, she went to the back room to open another box of Gilderoy Lockhart books. Lockhart had passed away the week prior at St. Mungo's, never regaining his memory. To mark his passing, his publisher had re-released special memorial editions of some of his best-selling books and they were flying off the shelves. Hermione struggled to keep a straight face every time she sold one to a mournful witch. She heard the bell above the shop door jingle and called "I'll be with you in a minute!"

Although the Malfoy investigation had been a disaster, the other cases Harry had been assigned had gone very well. Gordon had turned out to be an amazing researcher, once he had calmed down. He could see clues others missed and put together seemingly unrelated events to create a whole picture; still, Harry had refused to take him on any of the field work. The other four cases he had been assigned had resulted in arrests and Dawlish followed through on his word to promote Harry to Auror First Class. Now he needed to master advanced potion making and antidotes and he dreaded it. Potions had been his least favorite class in school and he had barely passed. He had left behind of all his potions textbooks when he ended his formal education. He wished he still had Snape's copy of Advanced Potion Making, but it had been destroyed in the Fiendfyre Crabbe had unleashed in the Room of Requirement. He decided his best option to succeed was to start at the beginning, with basic potions textbooks. When he entered Flourish & Botts the shop seemed empty; then he heard a voice from the back call "I'll be with you in a minute!"

His heart jumped into his throat when he heard the familiar voice. He hadn't seen Hermione in more than six months, since she left him in France. He walked towards the stock room. She almost collided with him as she opened the door. She looked up and saw her customer. "Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed happily and hugged him with one arm, the other arm clutching a stack of books.

He held her tight for a moment, inhaling the scent of her sweet shampoo. She stepped back and he got a good look at her. If he hadn't heard her voice first, he wasn't sure he would have recognized her. It wasn't just her physical appearance that had changed. She stood with confidence and glowed with a contentment he didn't think he'd ever seen on her.

"Hermione, you look amazing!" he said. She blushed.

"Oh" she said modestly, as she busied herself shelving the books. "I just changed my hair a little. How have you been Harry?"

He told her about the success of his investigation and his promotion. She laughed when he explained what had brought him to the bookstore.

"I always told you to pay attention in school, you were going to need it someday!" she mockingly scolded him.

"Of course you were right" he admitted, "You usually are." She showed him the potions books he would need.

"How are you Hermione?" he asked seriously.

"I am wonderful Harry" she answered sincerely. "I'm happier than I can ever remember." She smiled and her face lit up. She certainly looked wonderful.

"When did you start working here?" he asked and she told him, only the story of how she came to be employed at the book store. She was extremely careful not to divulge too many other details of her new life. She was not ready to share it with anyone.

Harry selected the potions texts she recommended, she rang up his purchase and he paid, unable to keep his eyes off her. She walked him to the door of the shop to bid him goodbye.

He stepped closer to her and took her hand. "Hermione" he said softly. "I know you left Ron. You two aren't together anymore." Harry's heart raced as he realized he was finally going to get his chance. "I was wondering, maybe sometime we could..."

There was a time she had lived to hear those words, but not now. She stopped him before he said any more.

"No, Harry. I don't think so" she said kindly, as his face fell.

"Is there someone?" he asked. He wouldn't have been surprised if there was, she was stunning.

"No Harry, there's no one. And I don't think there will be for a long time."

"Then why, Hermione? You and I, we…I thought..." he didn't know what to say next. She did though.

She had had a lot of time to think the last six months. The more she thought, the more she considered her life, she realized that for nearly half of it she had been living the labels others had assigned her. Bookworm, know-it-all, Harry Potter's best friend, the girl who helped defeat Voldemort, Golden Trio, Brightest Witch of Her Age, Ron Weasley's girlfriend, Ron Weasley's fiancée. These labels she had proudly embraced because they were flattering, they made her feel accepted in this world she hadn't even known about until she was eleven. They were her shield, her protection, her credentials that proved to everyone she did belong here, in this world that was often not just cruel, but sometimes brutal to those who weren't pure blood.

When she had lain awake during those first nights, asking herself over and over what her next move was going to be, what should she do now, these labels ran through her mind. She had worked so hard at making sure she fit those labels, she wasn't sure anymore who she really was. That's what she was learning now; and she didn't want anyone around her to slap one of the old labels back on.

"I have a lot of things I need to work on, Harry. And I need to do it by myself" was the best explanation she could offer him.

He smiled at her. "Sure Hermione" and kissed her cheek, then hugged her again. Before he let her go he whispered into her ear, "I love you, you know."

She smiled and wiped away a tear when she pulled away. "Thank you, Harry. It really does mean a lot to me."

"If you ever need me, you know where to find me" he reminded her.

She nodded. "Please don't tell Ron where you saw me" she asked him. "I heard about what happened when he came looking for me at the Ministry. Mr. Boscoe was so kind giving me this job, I don't want to bring that kind of thing here." Harry assured her Ron would never know, kissed her cheek again and walked back into Diagon Alley.

One year later

September, 2004

Hermione wrapped her robe around her and padded barefoot to her small kitchenette, switched on the coffee and began to prepare for her day.

Not long after she insisted on being taken off the assignment with Harry, she had come to realize one of Gwen's greatest pleasures had been thinking that she had the power to push a famously brave witch around. Gwen had never been the same after Hermione stood up to her the day she returned from France, and was endeavoring to make her life miserable. She wasn't succeeding. Hermione remained calm and collected no matter what antics Gwen tried. However, Gwen's behavior was beginning to affect others in the department and their ability to do their jobs. Hermione knew she needed to leave.

Hermione had an interest in the law, so she approached the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Xavier Snodgrass, and asked for a job. He interviewed her extensively then hired her on as a prosecutor for the Ministry in criminal trials. The position required her to attend another year of schooling to become qualified. The Ministry would continue to pay her salary while she attended classes. She had gladly accepted, and today was her first day at the magical law school in London. She was excited to be starting something new again.

And there had been bad days this past year. Walking home after an evening shift at the bookshop, she had run into Molly and Arthur Weasley.

"Oh, Miss Granger, it's you" Molly said icily.

"Molly, Arthur" Hermione's greeted them. "How are you?"

"Mr. Weasley and I are well, Miss Granger. Well, several hundred Galleons in debt because of a cancelled wedding, and helping our devastated son rebuild his life, but other than that," she trailed off.

"Molly" Hermione started.

"Mrs. Weasley" she was corrected.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley. Of course. I am so sorry..."

"Come along, Authur" Molly spoke to her husband, and walked away as if she couldn't hear.

Arthur Weasley followed his wife. He turned back, smiled sadly at Hermione and waved slightly. Hermione smiled and waved back.

"Arthur, let's go!" his wife scolded. They walked away.

Then there were the really bad days. The days when the insecurity had been overwhelming. What was she going to do? Oh God, she would think. I have ruined so many lives. What have I done? Those were the days she stayed in bed, huddled under her covers, crying.

But those days happened less and less.

As the coffee brewed, she went into the bathroom to shower and fix her hair. She followed her morning routine by rote as she had for the last year. As she finished casting the glamour charms on her hair, however, she stopped cold. Today, instead of the cursory glance to make sure her hair was right, she really looked in the mirror and stared in disbelief. She did not recognize her own reflection. She saw a pretty, happy, confident woman instead of the anxious, worried girl she had seen looking back at her for the last thirteen years. In truth, that girl had been gone for a while, but today Hermione finally saw the woman who had taken her place. "Wow" she whispered to reflection. "Look at you!" That was the day she decided she needed to leave her little rooming house nest and find her own place.

Mrs. Dulaney caught her circling apartment adverts in the paper one morning at breakfast. "Hermione Granger, what is this?" she asked, holding up the red circled page she had left on the table when she had gone to use the restroom.

"Oh, Mrs. Dulaney" she began.

"Don't you 'Oh, Mrs. Dulaney' me girl. Are you thinking of moving?" she asked, now shoving the offending page at Hermione.

"Actually, I am" she answered calmly as she took her paper back. "It's time for me to move on. Celeste," she used the woman's given name for the first time. "You don't have any idea what this last year has meant to me. You helped me so much more than you will ever know, and this will always feel like home to me. But it's time for me to find my own place. It's my next step."

"Oh dear" Mrs. Dulaney began to tear up. "I watched you grow, girl. It gave me joy to see it. I will miss you."

Hermione hugged her and started to cry too. "I'll miss you too!"

"You make sure you eat! I don't want to see you skin and bones again! Come back for Sunday dinner sometimes, ok?"

"I promise!"

It was hard, apartment hunting and attending law school at the same time, but she refused to give up until she found the perfect place. After two months, she finally did. It was near both the Ministry and law school, so she wouldn't have to move again after graduation. It was a small flat in an old townhouse that had been converted to apartments. Hers was the top floor. The living room had beautiful floor to ceiling windows that flooded the place with sunlight. The kitchen in the rear of the flat had a back door that led to a small balcony overlooking the garden. She fell in love and took the place immediately.

She spent the first week in her new home sleeping on a cot Mrs. Dulaney had loaned her. She had continued to save much of her earnings, and while the fees associated with renting a new flat did take a noticeable portion of her bank account, she still had enough to start buying some furniture and decorations. The next Saturday, she went shopping. She went to all the Muggle stores that sold furniture that matched her taste. She arranged for delivery of it all in the evenings over the following week.

She then headed to Diagon Alley to outfit her place with all the magical comforts she wanted. Books, potion ingredients for home brewing, parchments and quills she needed for school, and finally, at Magical Menagerie, she got a cat. Her beloved Crookshanks had died not long after she moved in with Ron. She had always wanted another cat, but he claimed to be allergic, so she never did. Pleased with her day's efforts, she left Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron and headed for her home. She never noticed the person following her.

She returned home and began arranging her things. She still hadn't gotten any cookware, so she ordered Chinese takeaway to be delivered. She sat on the floor in her living room, playing with her new kitten and waited for her dinner to arrive. Soon there was a knock on her door. That was really fast, she thought as she grabbed her wallet and opened the door. Ron Weasley was standing on the other side.

"Ron" she gasped. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" She was shocked and after the scene he caused at the Ministry, a little frightened that he had turned up on her door step.

"I was in Diagon Alley today. I followed you."

"You followed me?" she asked, contemplating slamming the door in his face.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be so creepy, but when I saw you today, I knew I had to talk to you. This was the only way I could think of."

"Uh, can you give me a second?" she asked.

"Sure" he said.

She shut and locked her door. She had left her wand in the living room where she had been dangling it over her kitten to play with. She ran back to the living room, dropped her wallet, grabbed her wand and opened the door again.

"My downstairs neighbor is a world champion weightlifter, and the woman on the ground floor is a martial arts instructor" she warned him.

He laughed. "I promise, just talk."

She opened the door wider. "You can't come in" she told him. "But I'm listening."

He smiled at her. "You look really good 'Mione."

"Please don't call me that" she asked.

"Ok. Hermione. I didn't come here to beg you to come back, or to tell you how much I miss you or how miserable I am without you, even though all those things are true. I came here to tell you that your leaving was the best thing that ever happened to me."

That was not what she expected to hear and the surprise showed on her face.

"After you left, I was so angry. Angry at you, angry at the Ministry, because I thought your job was why you left, angry at everyone except the one person that was truly to blame. Me. I drank for about four days straight. I don't even remember the day I went looking for you at the Ministry. It was bad. Even after that bender, I still kept drinking, hard.

Then one day Ginny showed up at my door. Didn't even knock, she just charged into the place and started shouting at me. My whole family had seen what's been happening with me and George, but Ginny was the first to say a word. She told me that I was a complete ass and that not only had I thrown away the best thing in my life, but I was throwing my life away too. 'You can't help George' she said. 'No one can, because no one can bring Fred back from the dead. George can never get back what he lost. Hermione loved you and you pushed her away for years. But she's not dead. You can get back what you lost Ron. I think you even know how.'

Of course I told her she was wrong and kicked her out. But what she said kept playing in my head. The next time I was out with George, I knew she was right. He still cries for Fred when he's drunk. He thinks what he's doing will fill that hole Fred left, but it never will. I realized I still had a chance to fill the hole in my heart. To fill it with what belongs there, what makes me whole. You, Hermione.

I quit the shop and I quit drinking. It has been the hardest thing I've ever done. There have been so many times I needed a drink, just a taste, just a sip to make it through the next minute. But then I would think about you, and what Ginny said and I stopped.

I pushed you away because I saw over and over again how much better you were than me. I never thought I was good enough for you. I wasn't as clever as you, or brave, or kind, or loyal. Whenever anything got hard, I gave up when you fought on. Whenever you showed once again how incredibly smart you are, I put you down so I could feel better about myself. When you chose to stay with Harry instead of leaving with me, I accused you of wanting Harry instead of facing that I was too cowardly to stay.

I have been so selfish, it's destroyed my life, and I am trying to change. I'll never be perfect, but I hope that one day I can be the man that you deserve."

She had started crying as he poured his heart out to her. She opened her arms and hugged him tight. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor, and buried his face in her neck.

"Baby" he begged. "Please come home."

She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I can't Ron. I am so happy and proud of you getting your life back. But I've changed too. I have spent the past year getting to know Hermione Granger, who she really is. And I like her, Ron. I am happier than I have ever been. I don't know if I would still fit into the world that knew the old Hermione."

"Ok" he said, holding her hands in his. "I'm keeping our apartment, though. So if you ever need me, you know where to find me."

"Ok" she answered. "I'll remember that."

Just then her food delivery arrived. "Oh!" Hermione laughed, "I left my money inside, just a minute."

"No, wait" Ron said, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. "This one's on me. I owe her at least that much."