Disclaimer: Everything you recognise isn’t mine.

A/n: It’s been a long time since I updated this one. This chapter is for you, my three anonymous reviewers. I hope you enjoy it. ^_^

Time passed, and the news soon broke out that Hermione and Ron- that golden couple that had always caught the spotlight thanks to their contribution to the war- were now over. Whispers of betrayal, affairs, and other sordid tales that had been fabricated around the young couple lurked in every café, living room, and goodness knows where else, breathed by the lips of gossip-addicted witches and wizards clutching trashy magazines in their greedy fingers, obsessively discussing all the dirty secrets rumours had spun that were as ridiculous as they were untrue.

“I heard she was sleeping with her boss,” a skeletal looking woman remarked in gushing excitement to a bunch of harpy-looking females sipping coffee as if it were the finest champagne. “Apparently Ronald Weasley found them together in his bed!”

“Well I heard that he was the one having an affair. It runs in the family you know- think of that horrid Ginny Weasley and that poor Harry Potter…”

“Speaking of Harry Potter. Did you know that the Granger wench has taken up with him?”

“You don’t say?”

“I swear it’s true!”

“Oh my, that is simply awful! That poor Ronald Weasley must be so heartbroken to have his friends go together.”

The skeletal woman took a sip of her coffee with her pinkie sticking out delicately, and then gasped and nearly choked on the scolding liquid. She nudged her companions and gestured to a table just a little away from them. There very clearly in their vision was a raven-haired man leading a somewhat pretty brunette to one of the tables near their own.

“Isn’t that?”

“I think it is!”

“Oh my...”

Hermione took her seat on the straight-backed chair, sighing slightly at how very uncomfortable it was. She did not have the perfect posture to sit comfortably in these chairs, having spent most of her life leaning over books in an odd assortment of places. The sudden feeling that she was being watched tingled at her skin, and lifting her eyes she was surprised to see a bunch of women who looked to be in their late thirties all staring at her from over their coffee mugs, identical haughty expressions on their over-painted faces.

“Harry,” she began with a crease on her brow. “I think those women are staring at us.”

Harry followed her gaze to where the women were sitting and let out an exasperated sigh. “Just ignore them Hermione. They’re probably just a bunch of busy-bodies with nothing better to do than stare at people.”

Somehow Hermione didn’t think that was why the women had been staring, but she said nothing all the same and tried to ignore the tingly feeling that kept creeping over her body. She’d heard some of the rumours that circled her of course, and had seen the many curious and sometimes angry glares thrown her way when she ventured into town, but all in all Hermione had decided to ignore the tabloids printing lie after lie about her relationship with Ron, as well as the idiots who believed them. The new rumour that she was with Harry was not one that had come to her ears yet, and if she had known she would have been more than a little annoyed to hear it. Harry was her best friend, and the last thing she wanted was idiots claiming she and Harry were shagging because she was using him as a rebound, or worse that he was taking advantage of her because she had just split up with her fiancée.

“What do you want?” Harry asked, his emerald eyes searching the menu in thoughtful contemplation. It always amused Hermione how men took such a serious fascination in choosing their food, but that thought soon brought a pang of how much Ron had loved food. She could hear in her mind his voice mumbling very incoherently thanks to the amount of food stuffed in his mouth, ‘Food is the only thing that should be taken seriously. You can never be sure if the food will satisfy or not, and I can’t exactly think if I have an empty stomach now can I?’

Angry that she was letting sentimentality get the better of her again, Hermione firmly pushed all thoughts of her ex-fiancée and stared at Harry again. They had met each other on their lunch break to just get a break from the incessant questions thrown their way by friends and co-workers. Even Harry was not safe from the gossip addicts, since most people knew that Hermione was staying with him now and therefore knew he had first-hand knowledge into what was going on. She hoped he would not lose his patience and kick her out, but then she knew she was silly to think of such a thing. Out of everyone Harry had always been the one she could rely on- that was the reason she had turned to him for help after all.

“Hermione?”

“Oh right,” she said with a laugh, and quickly scanned the menu at the delicious food being offered. Nothing seemed to strike her fancy at all. She didn’t have much of an appetite these days in truth, but she was always a practical woman and wasn’t against forcing herself to eat if it came to that. “Just a muffin and a coffee will be good. You know the way I like it, right?”

Harry nodded and stood up to go make their order. Hermione tapped her fingers against the steel table, shifting uncomfortably again against the chair. The sound of catty voices drifted towards her ears, this time coming from a bunch of women her own age on the other side of the café.

“Who does she think she is? Look at her just sitting there as cool as she pleases.”

“What a tart.”

Hermione gripped the table tightly so that her knuckles shone white. She took a deep breath and tried to block out the voices, but it was proving very difficult. She’d had to deal with comments like this before of course, both at Hogwarts by such spiteful students as Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy, as well as by people during the aftermath of the war. Everyone had something to say about her, something horrible... but this- this was something she hated. People who didn’t even know her were scorning her because she had broken up with Ron, and it was none of their business at all. They had no idea how much pain she had faced in her relationship with Ron, crying herself to sleep in suffocating silence after one of their infamous rows, watching him leaving her again and again for a ‘break’ when he didn’t want to deal with their problems. She had been hurt so much, and had contemplated leaving so many times, but then he would always come back and hold her in his arms, planting sweet kisses on her lips and smiling and laughing with her to make all her worries melt away. She had tried to keep it going; tried to keep the love burning, but the pain and anger was too much. The bad times started outweighing the good, and finally she had snapped. These people had no idea of any of that, and it made her furious to hear their snide comments made so freely, knowing that not any of them understood what had happened at all.

“Did you hear that she’s staying with Harry Potter?” One of the girls said in her spitefully mocking voice. “Mariah- she’s a close friend of mine- works with Harry you know… Anyway, Mariah was telling me that she sometimes comes and visits him at the office, actually flaunting their relationship in front of her ex!”

“I bet they shag in the office when no one else is around,” the catty voice said snidely, and then in a burst of inspiration, “I bet they shag on her ex’s desk!”

Malicious laughter drifted to her ears, and Hermione could feel her face heating with rage and embarrassment. How dare those people say these things about her! About Harry! She’d never even thought about Harry in that way, and there was no way she’d ever have sex with anyone on any desk, let alone in the office. She had a bit more decency than that. Just who did they think she was? Better yet, who the hell did they think they were?

Fuming silently to herself, Hermione forced herself to not listen anymore to the obnoxious women, but her teeth still gritted in frustration. She just hated how her life seemed to be plastered for all the world to see, and even worse, for all the world to mock. Couldn’t she have any privacy at all? Couldn’t she ever be allowed to live her life without nosy people butting in and making stupid jokes about her?

Harry came back over and sat down on his chair opposite her, emerald eyes falling on her in some concern. “You all right?” he asked quietly, reaching out a hand to grasp hers that rested on the table.

Hermione stared at his hand closed over hers, her throat feeling hard and sore, as if something had got stuck inside it and would not be budged. This was just perfect, she felt like she was going to cry. Her eyes were burning, her breathing was quickening in that awful way that made her feel short of breath, and she could feel a moistness gathering at her well-exercised tear-ducts. Feeling so vulnerable only made her angrier. Where had that strong woman gone? Where had her pride vanished? Had breaking up with Ron really stripped her of everything? Was she really going to break down again because people were stupid? No… it wasn’t sadness that made her so upset right now. She realised she was just tired of it all. Tired of being mocked, tired of being the one who always was in the wrong. She was so angry; so sick and tired of it all…

“Hermione, what’s wrong?”

She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat and shook her head, one hand coming to rest over her eyes where she could already feel the dampness of tears pressing into her skin.

“How about we go, okay?”

“No,” she managed to get out in a weak voice thanks to the constricting feeling in her throat. “We’ve already paid for our food and-”

“Hermione you’re upset,” Harry interrupted firmly, gently pulling her hand away from her face with his free hand to meet her glistening, tear-filled eyes. There in those emerald green eyes she could see his quiet gentleness, and that simple reassurance that he’d take care of her. A breath of relief shot through her to learn that she was not alone in this, sending a gentle warmth to fill her body that was sweetly comforting. She didn’t know what she’d do without him; half the time she didn’t even know what she had done to deserve him as a friend. He was so good to her, and though it had never always been that way, as they had grown older he had stepped up into being the person she trusted and respected the most. He had his own problems, but he was always ready to drop whatever he was doing and help her. It was like their roles had reversed somehow- as if he had taken on her role as comforter and guide that she had been to him throughout the war. She needed him so much… just he had always needed her.

“C’mon, I’ll take you back to the house.”

“Okay,” she conceded, knowing that right now all she did want to do was get away from this café and away from these people. Harry’s home had become a sort of sanctuary for her over this past week- a place where she could get away from everything and just feel secure and free from judging eyes.

He smiled nicely at her, releasing her hands and standing up. She did the same, feeling bad for pulling him away from his lunch, but glad at the same time that he was willing to forgo food for the sake of comforting her. If it were Ron who had been sitting at the table, he probably wouldn’t have even noticed she had been upset, and though it was a harsh judgment, it was the truth as well. Why hadn’t she seen before how very wrong they were for each other?

Harry took her hand in his again, the action so natural for him to do that Hermione thought nothing of it, and led her out of the café. The streets of Diagon Alley were bustling with people going about their daily shopping, all too caught up in their own lives to spare a glance for two people standing on the cobbled footpath outside a very normal café. Hermione stared at him questioningly for a moment, and his eyes once more found hers. He was not much taller than her, and she had always liked the fact of how comfortable it was to meet his eyes. At first it had been rather odd for her to look up at him, so used to the fact of meeting his gaze directly during their school years, but he had grown during the war, and sadly she had stayed much the same. She was by no means short though, sitting nicely at average height.

“I suppose we can just disapparate.”

Hermione nodded, and both of them pulled out their wands and vanished with a small pop before reappearing in Harry’s flat, which was now much cleaner since Hermione had started living there. He led her silently to the same cosy couch they had sat on only seven days ago when she had first came to his home, pulling her down gently with her onto the seat and meeting her eyes with that same concerned expression that was always so warm and comforting.

“So what happened? One minute you were fine and then…” he trailed off and looked at her steadily, she herself frowning down at her lap. This would be hard to explain without blushing furiously. Somehow bringing up sex with Harry (especially about a rumour that he and her were having sex) made her very embarrassed; it was not just about that though. The very fact she could hear people judging her for her actions just made her so upset and angry.

“Well I…” She broke off, swallowed hard, and tried again. “I heard some of the people in the café talking, and well…” She scrunched up her face, trying to think of how best to phrase this.

“Yeah?” Harry prompted.

“Well they were calling me names because I had broken up with Ron and-” Dear Merlin she could feel her face heating again. She hoped it was only the faint tinges of pink and not that awful blotchy red that splattered her whole face and looked like a tomato had been thrown at it- “And, well…” She shook her head in frustration and met his gaze with helpless and embarrassed brown eyes. “Oh, Harry, there are rumours going around that you and I are seeing each other, and everyone thinks I’ve been shagging you in your office, and that we’re doing this just to spite Ron, and I’m just so sick of all these stupid rumours, and all these stupid, stupid people always saying spiteful nasty things about me!”

Harry blinked, faint surprise flittering across his face, but then he just looked angry, with his emerald eyes narrowing distantly, as if glaring at something she could not see. Somehow he didn’t seem as surprised by this as she had, and she had to wonder if he had known about this.

“Did you- did you already know about this?”

Harry shook his head, his face still set in that terribly grim expression. “No, but I remember something Ron had said to me…” he broke off suddenly, turning his face back to her with not a trace of his previous anger, his expression becoming calm and reassuring. “Don’t worry about it Hermione. You know what people are like, and you know this isn’t the first time they’ve accused us of seeing each other. People are always ready to think the worst of any situation.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh, “I just… I just hate it that they’re making me out to be some mercenary slut.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a firm but reassuring squeeze. She could just feel the comfort sweeping through her at the simple touch and felt the tenseness in her body leaving, instinctively leaning into him in the hopes of immersing herself in that soothing feeling.

“Hermione,” Harry said softly, eyes firmly locked on hers. “What matters is that you know what’s really going on. You’re stronger than this. Remember it was always you who told me to just ignore it and continue on with my life when they said all that stuff about me?” He smiled and used his free hand to brush the strands of brown hair away from her face. “Don’t disappoint me now by not listening to your own advice.”

She couldn’t help but smile, not just because it was just like him to say something like that to comfort her, but also because he had remembered her advice, even though it had been so many years ago.

“You’re right. I need to just ignore it… I just wish people would leave me alone sometimes.”

He smiled again and pulled her into a one armed hug, leaning his head lightly on top of hers. “It’s okay to be frustrated. I think anyone would be annoyed by those things, but you just have to move on.”

She nodded and leaned into him more, a deep breath escaping from her lips. He was right of course. She just had to suck it up and keep moving forward with her life. People always had something nasty to say, and Harry was right that the important thing was that she knew the truth. Of course it would be frustrating, but she couldn’t let them bring her down. She had enough depressing thoughts at the moment without adding that to it.

“Thanks Harry. You always seem to know how to cheer me up.”

He smiled and held her just that little bit closer. “That’s what friends are for, isn’t it?”

She lifted her face and met his gaze with her own smile. “I guess. I only hope I can do the same for you then.”

Laughing slightly, he nodded his head. “You do more than enough for me, Hermione. Out of everyone I think it is you who has always kept me going. I have a lot to be grateful for from you.”

She smiled again and snuggled more into him, just happy to be close to him. She knew she would have to go back to work soon; back to where people would stare and mutter behind her back, but for now she was in his arms and safe. For now she was free from everything that bothered her and could just feel happy.

“Thanks Harry…”

Harry sat down at his desk, a small smile still lingering on his face. He was glad that he had prompted Hermione to confide in him. It seemed like every day they were becoming more closer than ever, and it had never really struck him before how much he truly enjoyed her company. At school there had always been things going on, and they were so young that he knew he was guilty of being unappreciative of all that Hermione was and all that she did for him. Now he really appreciated her, and could look back and see the sacrifices and support she had always given him. He did want to return the favour, but that was not the reason why he was trying so hard to help Hermione in this difficult time. He wanted to see her happy all the time; he wanted her to never have to worry about anything, and because of that he was willing to give all and everything he had if only to see her smile.

This week had been hard for her, and it had pained him to see her struggle just as he was sure it pained her. People had made up every nasty rumour possible, and he knew it had been dragging her down. Once the tabloids had found out about the break up they had gone wild with articles on her relationship and how it had ended. Ron didn’t seem to be trying to help the matter either, though Harry had heard that Ron had threatened to hex one of the reporters if they kept pestering him.

“Ron…” Harry sighed and placed his head in his hands. Their friendship had been torn because of their conversation, or rather argument, the other day. Harry didn’t even want to talk to him, and it seemed Ron had no desire to make amends either. There was a rift between them, and this time they didn’t have Hermione to play mediator. He wasn’t sure if Ron had talked to Hermione yet. He had come home to find the rest of Hermione’s stuff in his house, but Hermione had not said a word about it, and seemed to prefer to not talk about Ron at all. It seemed everyone was avoiding the other; all too angry and upset to really confront each other and sort out what was going on. Harry was afraid of what would happen once everything boiled over and there were no places to hide anymore. One thing he did know though was that he would stand by Hermione no matter what. Ron had his family to support him in this, but Hermione was left all alone. Harry would not abandon her just because it was the easy option out. He’d had the choices of choosing between friends before, and this time he knew which was the right option. His heart would not allow him to leave her stranded, and in truth he had no desire to anyway.

Pulling his hands away from his face, he picked up his quill and once more started working on his case. He could see Ron over in his cubicle, and for a moment their eyes met, but neither showed any recognition that they knew each other at all. That was how things were at the moment, and though it hurt Harry sometimes, he could only hope that time would close the gap between them, just as time would heal Hermione’s heart. Already things seemed to be looking up for her, and though she was still struggling it seemed like the emotional load was lessening on her shoulders. He’d just keep doing what he could for her the best he could until then.

‘Hang in there, Hermione.’

A/N: I know I’m making Ron seem like such a git, but he’s not really that bad. It’s just because you’re only seeing this from Harry and Hermione’s point of view. Just wanted to throw that out there. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know I’m not spectacular at writing H/Hr fics so I always feel a bit ‘meh’ about all my chapters, but ah well, if you enjoy it that’s the main thing.