Disclaimer: I'm sure this will come as a shock to no one...but I don't own Harry Potter in any way, shape, or form. This disclaimer will cover the whole story, all chapters.

Note: italics are Hermione's thoughts.

Chapter One

"Hermione, I just don't know...he isn't the same."

Of course he isn't the same...Hermione thought to herself, her forehead resting on the metal bedframe. Ginny had asked Hermione to come to her room because she needed to talk about something. That something ended up being Ginny's relationship with Harry.

Ginny whispered, "He scares me now. He's always so dark. Ever since Ron died..."

It isn't just because of Ron. Harry was no stranger to losing the people closest to him. The things that had happened; the things he had seen...he just couldn't come clean with Ginny on that level. Harry wanted to keep Ginny untainted and separate from that, but he couldn't see that his need for that was driving Ginny away.

Ginny didn't want to be a princess on a pedestal. Ginny had stayed out of the war like Harry had asked, but she didn't want to be kept out of the loop forever. She couldn't stand to stay so close to darkness; she needed the light. Harry had become a stranger to Ginny. He wasn't the same person that she had loyally and patiently waited for...for him to notice her...for him to come back...for them to finally be together forever.

Hermione had suspected something like this would be coming for a long time. Ginny had finally realized that she had a choice to make. She had to choose between what would make her happy or learn to be happy with what made Harry happy. What am I going to do? Harry is already on the downward spiral...

Finally, Ginny said, "I think you would be better for him...for Harry."

Hermione's head snapped up, and she spoke for the first time in their conversation, "Me? Ginny, I loved Ron. I loved your brother."

"Ron wouldn't want you to be lonely."

But Ron was always the jealous sort...I loved him anyway. "I have Harry," she said lightly.

Ginny's eyes flashed briefly with...anger? Jealousy? "That's exactly what I mean. You have Harry, and Harry has you. You both tell each other your dark little secrets. Me? I'm..." Ginny stopped and took a deep breath. Bluntly she stated, "I've met someone at work."

Hermione stared at her in amazement. She had known Ginny was frustrated, but she never thought...

"It's not like that," Ginny said defensively. She stared out of her window. "He makes me laugh. I feel warm when I'm with him. I love Harry, but lately, when I'm with him..." her voice dropped to a whisper, "I feel so cold." She was silent a moment more and then continued in her normal voice, calmly, as if she were discussing the weather and not her and Harry's future. "When he kisses me, I feel like I'm drowning...like he expects me to save him..."

In a way, he does. Hermione thought, but felt it would be unwise to share that with Ginny at this point.

Ginny turned to stare at Hermione, unmasked pain in her eyes. "I just don't know how much longer I can take it, Hermione. I don't know what I'm going to do." She was silent and then finished with, "I just thought you should know."

After Ginny had left, Hermione gave Ginny's odd pronouncement some more thought. If Ginny gave up...could Hermione do what had to be done to save Harry from himself? She had no reason to be selfish...Harry was all she had left of Ron. The Weasleys, Ron's family by blood...they hadn't been there...they just didn't know. They didn't and couldn't understand.

Hermione and Harry had always considered each other to be more like brother and sister, so thinking of them together romantically...on some level it seemed so wrong. But on some level it seemed so very right.

A/N: The title of Shattered Light was suggested by my beta, Boogum (I heart you, Kim!). The more I thought about it, the more I thought it was rather appropriate. This is going to be a darker sort of romance.