Hermione sighed as she pulled yet another exam paper towards her for marking. Terrible. These kids hadn't got a clue how to write an essay, or on the basic principles for charms. Had anyone actually done any revision? Bit like Ron's, really. No! Don't think about him.

It's been years since I saw him. And even longer since I saw Harry. They were my best friends…until that happened.

She blamed herself for breaking up the Golden Trio. Once the war was over they had all returned to Hogwarts for their last year. It had not been long afterwards when both Harry and Ron had fallen for her and made her choose between them. She had postponed making the decision for months until they forced her to drink veritaserum and tell them who she was in love with.

The answer had been Ron. And Harry hadn't spoken to either of them since.

She and Ron had dated for about two years. Then he proposed and she accepted. But she had had misgivings and had left him at the altar. She still considered it the worst decision of her life. He had then dropped off her radar and even Ginny was refusing to tell her about how he was doing, because he had forbidden her.

After that she had gone travelling for about six years and then returned to Hogwarts and became the Charms professor, as Flitwick had retired due to age and students making fun of his height, or lack thereof.

Ginny was also here as assistant school nurse in aid to Madam Pomfrey. The Defence Against the Dark Arts job was still proving hard to fill and Draco Malfoy had been the Potions master for a few years. Other than that the teachers were the same ones that Hermione had had whilst she was at school.

Hermione wasn't happy with the way her life had turned out. She missed Harry and Ron an awful lot. She wondered what they were doing now.

Harry, she supposed, would probably be an Auror, rooting out the last dregs of the Death Eaters. Ron she wasn't so sure about. If he had followed his dream he would be a player for the Chudley Cannons, but Hermione knew that he didn't play well enough for that.

She reached down into her desk drawer and pulled out a photograph of the three of them with Ginny, and Draco lurking in the background. It was taken by Colin Creevey years ago, when they were still students. She had a lot of the photographs he had taken of them.

We all look so happy there. I wish I could go back to those times, and enjoy my friends while I had them. It was such a petty little thing that separated us. Well Harry's side anyway. I can understand Ron's feelings. Of course he never wants to see me again.

Hermione sighed a little and then a movement in the shadows made her start and hide the picture.

"Don't. I've sent the picture before." Draco said as he approached her desk.

"I was wallowing again."

"I thought you agreed to stop that?" he asked sweetly taking the photograph from her and looking at it thoughtfully. "Man I look great in this piccy. Anyway, Dumbledore wants to see you about something."

"You look wonderful in any picture. I don't think you are capable of having a bad picture taken of you. Do you know what he wants me for?"

"Something to do with a new appointment to the staff, I think."

"He's not firing me is he?"

"I think you can rest easy in the assurance that he most certainly is not. He'd be a complete fool to do that. You better go, the old man hates to be kept waiting."

Hermione grinned at him and left the room. Draco smirked to himself before setting the photograph frame on the desk. "If only she knew." He muttered. "Oh well, she'll find out in about five minutes."

Hermione stepped out of the revolving staircase and knocked on the headmaster's door.

"Come in." Dumbledore called. She entered and noticed he was with someone.

"I'm sorry sir, if you'd rather I came back." She couldn't see who it was in the slightly dark office.

"Not at all Hermione. I am actually glad you answered promptly. I was just briefing our new Defence teacher and I thought you might like to observe him, before he joins our team next term. I believe you already know each other." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling in such a way that Hermione was beginning to have misgivings as to who it was.

The person turned around to face her. There was no mistaking that messy black hair and brilliant green eyes.

"Harry." She whispered.

"Hello Hermione." He said pleasantly but with reserve.

Harry. Harry Potter. This is gonna be awkward as hell.

"Long time no see." She said as calmly as she could manage.

"Indeed. I'm sorry for being such an idiot back then." He nodded courteously at her.

"It was my fault. So what have you been doing with yourself?" She sat down in the chair next to Harry's in front of the desk, possibly to hide her shaking knees.

"I passed the Auror test easily, first time round. And I've been hunting dark wizards ever since. That's pretty much all I've been doing. And yourself?"

"Not much really. I nearly got married, travelled the world to escape him, came back here to teach. That's it."

"Escape whom? Who was the groom?" Harry asked with his charming smile.

"Ron." She saw the smile and light fade from his face. "I left him at the altar."

"I bet he didn't like that."

"Understatement of the millennium. I haven't seen him since. Have you?"

"Nah. Not since we graduated. Tonks said she'd heard he was working in the ministry too, but I've never seen him around. Maybe he's avoiding me at work."

Hermione gave a small chuckle. "Maybe. Seems a little childish though, even for him."

Someone knocked on the door as she spoke and Dumbledore called them in. Ginny inserted herself.

"Sir, the replacement for Argus Filch is here to see you. Oh, but you're busy. Harry?"

"Hi Ginny."

"Send him in. I need to give him the keys."

"I didn't know Filch was leaving." Hermione said to Dumbledore.

"His rheumatism has been acting up recently. But I also know that the descendants of the Weasley twins will be coming to school the year after next and I think he wants to be well away before they turn up."

"I can see why. Any children of theirs would be little terrors. Who married the twins by the way? Ginny refuses to tell me." Hermione chuckled.

"Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet." A voice said from behind them.

Hermione and Harry turned back to the door.

"Ron." Hermione said fearfully. Then she pulled herself together and turned back to Dumbledore. "Are you kidding me with this?"