Always Her That Gets Wet

"If you want love then we'll make it" --John Mayer, Your Body is a Wonderland.

     Always Her That Gets Wet

     Hermione was on the verge of an absolute breakdown. She tugged at her ponytail thoughtfully and then sat down, huffing unpleasantly. Its not that she wasn't happy to be out of the relationship, it was just that she wanted to be the one to end it. She shuddered to think about the humiliation he had caused her, the horrifying words he had spoken that speared through her very heart. She scowled and kicked at the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley.

     "I hate all men," she murmured darkly. In her mind she imagined him being tortured by garden gnomes. She could hear them laughing along as they bit his toes and pulled his hair, then they finally used a catapult to fling him over a huge garden hedge. Her own pained laughter rang out through the surrounding area. Several witches eyed her suspiciously and skirted far around her. Distressed mothers kept their children close at hand. Hermione glared at them all, and didn't even bother to look at the passing men.

     She seemed to remember it like it was yesterday. she thought to herself bitterly So yes, it was yesterday when the little yellow bellied slimy greasy mother-- ~Hold it!!!! This story is supposed to be reader friendly, as such my editing team has come in and cleaned up the offending sentence, sorry about that! Ciara~ waltzed on in and ruined her picture perfect life. Oh yes, it was all his fault.

     It all happened at a Ministry party to celebrate the treaty of Ministries, the British Ministry and the Magic Ministry. As such Muggle fashion was the call of arms. Hermione had decided to grace the ballroom with a lovely Chanel number her rich aunt had given to her a year ago. Blue had always been Hermione's trade color, so she thought the red was a nice change of pace. And how nice the change was! She was so busy being swept around the dance floor she didn't even notice that her very own boyfriend had not had the chance to dance with her.

FLASHBACK:

     "Oh yes, well I do think that Percy will be quite fit to take on the job of assistant Minister. He is quite willing for the job." Hermione had said. She was having a rather engaging conversation with Alastor Moody on the subject of the new office appointments.

     "I personally never would have expected Amos Diggory to actually take the offer of Minister myself. I never actually thought that he'd get over Cedric's death enough to take on such a responsibility."

     "Well we both know times have changed, I think that the defeat of Voldemort has had much more of an impact than seems at face value," she said wisely and thought of Harry. He had taken to a solitary refuge for the time being to ponder over his life and past.

     "So it seems, Miss Granger, so it seems." Moody murmured and took a deep sip from his wine glass. "Lovely party. The British Ministry seems to be taking the magic world very well, no?"

     Hermione nodded vigorously. "Quite. I was rather excited to tell the truth so I read up on the British Ministry, quite interesting."

     A voice laughed behind her. "Only you Hermione would get excited over something like this."

     She turned and a bright smile lit her face. "Well Seamus I think it is an event we should all be excited about. The unity means better Muggle relations and better understanding of each other. I've been very impressed at how well Amos is handling the matter." Seamus smiled at her. Three years and absolutely no change. his mind reconsidered that thought. His eyes noted she had gotten a shade taller and was very willowy. When her hair was sleeked out, she was quite attractive.

     He grinned and shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the ceiling. "I personally don't see what all the hoopla is over. After all Fudge had very good relations with Blair before he went off and got himself killed." Dark shadows crossed both of their faces.

     Hermione spoke in very well chosen words. "Fudge would have been a great leader, he was just too naive to see the truth."

     "Aye," was the solemn reply. Gentle waltz music floated past their ears and Seamus suddenly perked up. "Care for a dance?" he asked holding out his hands. Hermione looked around for a moment, then smiled.

     "Alright then," she said and took his hand. He began gracefully whirling her around the dance floor and the shock on her face was evident.

     "Mum made me take ballroom dancing lessons the summer after third year. She told me that it would be wise to have such a skill if I were to go into the ministry." Seamus was quick to explain.

     "Of course she didn't know you'd be a vampire hunter either," she shook her head and laughed.

     "If our parents had known half the things we'd do, they wouldn't have sent us to get a magical education in the first place! Honestly when I told my mother I was working in the department of the containment of dangerous creatures she fainted." It was his turn to laugh. His sandy hair fell in his eyes causing her to reach up and brush it away.

     His smile broadened at the sudden thought of Hermione running around with her wand trying to catch a dragon. "What possessed you to go into that field anyway? We all had our money down for the youngest and first woman minister."

     To this she shrugged. Hermione wasn't exactly sure. However the excitement and adventure had something to do with it. She had swam in the deepest parts of the ocean, trekked through huge underground caves, and scaled huge cliffs and mountains. "I suppose the educational value, the adventure and the money is very good as well." Her mind also traced back to the number of zeros that were on her first check. To say that Hermione was living comfortably was a very mild statement.

     "Aye, mum doesn't understand what I see in roaming around the country side looking for fanged idiots. She won't let me sit at the her table until I take a thorough bath, because apparently I smell like garlic all the time."

     "No you don't, at least right now you don't." she murmured and felt a slight pink rise in her cheeks. The music stopped. They both parted as if they had been electrocuted. "Thank you." Were her meek words before scurrying off. Flirting with former housemates was not a good idea, especially when one has a boyfriend of four years.

     When she made it to her beau however she could tell right away something was wrong. "I've already extended my apologies to the Ministers, we're leaving now." his voice was rough and very annoyed.

     "But darling I was going to talk to Remus."

     "You can talk to him another day"

     She looked at him rather surprised. "But, darling! I haven't talked to him in over a year!" Hermione was about to walk towards her former teacher when a cold hand grasped her arm. She looked into his hard eyes and knew he meant business. Swallowing hard she nodded meekly.

     "Alright, we'll go home if that's what you want." she told him quietly and followed him out the door.

     After he herded her into the car, she expected him to explode, after all, his temper was not one to keep easily. Instead he remained silent, staring at the road. His grip on the steering wheel was so tight that his knuckles were white. Hermione cowered in her seat, she knew when he didn't talk in the car it was bad, really bad.

     She contented herself to look out the window and speculate upon what was wrong. Had a ministry official said something wrong? Did someone make a nasty comment? Was it about Harry? Or did she do something and didn't know it? The suspense was killing her, she had to know what was wrong with him. she thought,

     When they pulled up to her flat, she sat and waited for him to come open her door. He got out, slammed his and walked straight to the front door and into the building. Her jaw dropped. He could be bad, but he was never so rude! Ever. Huffing she got out and slammed her door as well. She shoved the keys into the shaking hands of the confused valet. She went onto the elevator after his, and when she got to her door she found it wide open. Her anger only escalated from there. She kicked it open with her heels and stomped in.

     "Alright buster, anytime you want to tell me what the hell is wrong with you go right ahead!" she yelled slamming her beaded purse down on the counter. He watched her with blazing eyes as she tore off her fur coat and threw it across the room like she was two years old.

     "You, my dear are the problem." He said simply and continued to watch her through his long lashes. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but she could only make herself look like a fish out of water.

     "I-I'm the problem?" she sputtered. "Since when have I been the problem? What in the hell did I do to you?" He jumped because it was very unlike Hermione to cuss.

     He gritted his teeth as he calmly removed his tux jacket. "Did you enjoy the dancing tonight?" was his question, but his voice considerably lighter. This indicated one thing to Hermione, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She raised her eye brows.

     "Yes why?" Then it fell on her, and the look on her face suggested that he had made her eat a very, very sour lemon. "I see what your getting at," she snapped.

     He looked up from his cufflinks. "Oh and what would that be?"

     "You're jealous because I didn't dance with you. Is that it then?" her voice became very edgy, very fast. She hated it when he did this, she hated it with a passion.

     His face twisted. "Did you enjoy dancing with Seamus so close that you couldn't even put a sickle between you two? Hmmm? Or did you enjoy sweeping his hair from his eyes and laughing into his shoulder?" he flipped his own hair from his face. "Did you like flirting with him huh? Would you prefer to sleep in his bed tonight then?"

     Hermione stood and walked over to him, the fires of hell blazing in her eyes. "I sleep in no one's bed you hear that? No ones, not yours, not his, not even Harry's for crying out loud!"

     His eyes darkened once again. "Don't mention him right now. Don't even think to mention him."

     She clouded over. "Why not?"

     He slammed his fist down on the table. "Because I know you love him dammit! You still love him. I see it in your eyes whenever he gets mentioned, you're all far away and dreamy. You get flushed whenever they say that he loved you too. It wouldn't surprise me if he had gotten you all hot and bothered right under my nose and I'd never even know!"

     CRASH!

     She had picked up a vase full of flowers and had flung it against the wall. "What did I tell you earlier? I sleep in no one's bed, not Harry's either."

     "Who said anything about having to be in his bed?" was the dark question.

     Hermione had never been so infuriated in her life. Harry had never so much as touched her in that manner, much less done anything in her bed! "How dare you! How dare you throw around accusations like it was your right to! You don't even know what your talking about! You don't understand and your childish pride is getting in the way again."

     "It is not!" he roared. "So what if I see something you don't, so what if I notice that you don't notice me anymore! So damn what if you don't care!"

     Tears began to seep from her eyes. "What are you talking about? Of course I care, of course I notice you. I love you!"

     He stopped and stared. For a moment she thought everything would be all right. Instead his expression got hard and in the lowest, coldest, deadliest voice he could muster he said, "Don't lie to me."

     She stepped back and tripped over her heels. Hermione went crashing to the floor. "My ankle," she muttered to herself.

     He ignored her, and he didn't even make an effort to help her up! Instead he watched with conviction in his eyes as if she had gotten what she deserved.

     "Get out!" she said in a very even tone. Well, as even as it gets for a girl in Chanel who just hurt her ankle. To make matters worse, she was having the fight of a lifetime with her boyfriend.

     "Pardon me?" he sputtered.

     "Get out. Leave. Go away! I never want to see you damned face again!"

     He huffed. "I guess that's it then, we're over, I can't believe I ever thought you would love me the way you loved Harry."

     She looked at the floor, tears dripping on the hardwood. "Just go dammit." She whispered. Without even a parting glance, he strode from her apartment and slammed the door. Moments later she heard the screeching of his car wheels as he tore out of the drive.

     "I hate you. I hate all men." Hermione muttered and lay down on the floor. She had no idea how long she stayed like that, but when she looked in the mirror she was a mess. Her sleeked hair was a frizz ball once more and she had mascara running down her face in two thick black streaks.

     "I'm never falling in love again."

END FLASHBACK

So here she sat, a week later. Hermione had no idea what to do with herself. So she continued on with her normal routine, which was rather boring. Today was her day off. She had decided to wander Diagon Alley and pick up some new supplies for the office.

     Many children were passing by with their school things. Most laughing about their adventures last year and some groaning about classes. She almost wished she could be going back to school, seeing all her friends and making fun of Malfoy on the train. However, as much as Hermione loved school she wouldn't go back.

     Her friends passed and stopped to chat for a while. So did Draco whom was with his new trophy of the week, apparently her name was Erica. She was a daycare teacher at Cally's Cauldron Daycare Center for the Little Tykes. Erica looked like she fit the part, wearing a floral skirt and a sleeveless mock turtleneck sweater in cream. She also seemed just the girl Draco would go for. Although Hermione had never told Ron or Harry, she and Draco got on quite well these days. Seeing as to how their offices were commonly associated. He worked as a dark arts researcher and often the dark arts had a lot to do with the containment of dangerous creatures. They had worked on numerous assignments together.

     Then he passed by with Dean and Fred laughing heartily about something. When Fred stopped to say hi he stood back and scowled.

     "Hullo Fred!" She said happily "Dean!"

     "Hermione, dear, how goes it?" Fred asked, setting his bags down at her table. She looked warily at them. He laughed slightly.

     "Not to worry, nothing in there will explode." He scratched the back of his head. "I think anyway." She smiled.

     "I bet not."

     "So what brings you to the Alley?" Dean asked absently, his eyes following a short skirt and long blonde hair.

     She rolled her eyes. "Just my day off. I needed to pick up some potion things and a new scrying mirror. Mine got smashed by a griffin." Dean looked surprised then laughed shakily.

     "That's right you work in the containment of dangerous creatures department. I keep thinking you're like a Percy in training or something."

     She shot him a dark look before turning to Fred. "So how goes the joke business?"

     His face fell. "A bit slow right now, but I suppose the Hogsmeade branch will pick up a bit once school starts." he explained and began telling her about the economic charts he and George drew up last week to keep organized. The man behind them made a loud coughing noise. Dean and Fred looked at him. They both scratched the back of their heads and made a nervous laugh.

     "Oh right, we're late for an appointment with our ah..." Dean began.

     "Hair stylists." Fred said confidently. Then realized what he had said and laughed nervously. "Hah what a girly thing to say. Anyways one can never have too many hair cuts." he lied fast and the all walked off quickly.

     she thought bitterly.

     Yes, Hermione Granger hated all men, but Ron Weasley the very most.