Auld Lang Syne

"Honestly, Ginny. This is ridiculous. I've had a really long week, and I'd truly rather curl up with a good book in front of the fireplace tonight..." Hermione protested as her friend waved her wand vigorously about her head, muttering spells under her breath in a futile attempt to get Hermione's curls under some semblance of control.

"Of course you would. That's the problem. You're never going to meet any single men lounging about in front of your fireplace," Ginny grumbled, moving to Hermione's other side, and continuing her spell-casting. "It's not like handsome single blokes floo in on a regular basis!" she muttered as she worked on smoothing Hermione's hair into a sleek updo.

"Is Father Christmas still married?" Luna murmured thoughtfully from her place on Hermione's sofa.

"Er...yes, I believe so..." Ginny replied to the blonde witch in a very serious manner before turning to Hermione and making a wide eyed face that clearly asked, ' Is she joking ?!' It was always so hard to tell with Luna. "Anyway, he and 'Mione would never get along...he has all those elves working for him..." she quipped, winking teasingly.

Hermione barely suppressed a giggle. "I really don't mind being single though!" she insisted, ignoring the obvious jab about S.P.E.W. "I like my life right now. I love my job, and I love my friends." she gestured at the large collection of framed photos of her friends and family that covered her bookshelves, end tables, and mantel. "And I do go on dates! I'm fine . Honestly!" It was true...she went out fairly often, and had even dated a few men long term. She hadn't met 'the one,' yet, but she really wasn't worried about that. She was only twenty three, for Merlin's sake!

"You've been saying that for years! It's time for you to move on! Settle down!" Ginny exclaimed frustratedly.

"Move on?" Hermione blinked in confusion, then gaped at her best friend in mock horror. "Wait. Do you think I'm still hung up on Ron ?!" she asked, unable to keep from laughing. "No offence, but your brother isn't so wonderful as to render me incapable of getting over him. Our break up was a mutual decision." Just like every guy she'd dated since him. Not that she was concerned...

"And what a wonderful decision that was.I'm especially fond of how it worked out for me ," Luna murmured. When Hermione shot her a grin, the blonde winked back in one of her rare moments of...clarity wasn't quite the right word, and neither was seriousness. Hermione recognized that Luna had momentarily let the 'mask' of ditziness she normally wore slip a bit. It didn't happen often, but whenever it did, Hermione felt like she'd been given a special gift.

"I'm so glad things are working out for you,Lu," she replied, playfully sticking out her tongue, even though she was completely sincere. Ron and Luna had been together for about a year now, and though they probably seemed like complete opposites to people who didn't know them well, they made perfect sense. Luna helped Ron see 'outside the box,' and in return, he kept her from getting completely lost in the clouds. Ron was still one of Hermione's best friends, and she was really glad that he'd found someone who made him so happy. (Never mind that Luna had been right under his nose since at least fifth year...)

"But really...I'm quite happy. It's not like I'm withering away with loneliness..." she gestured at the pictures again.

"Maybe we just want to see you as happy as we are," Ginny murmured. Hermione caught her friend glance down at her left hand, a soft smile lighting up her face. Hermione couldn't help but smile too. After Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies faced each other in an epic seventeen hour Quidditch match three months after Ginny had joined the Harpies, she and Oliver Wood had begun dating. He'd proposed to her on Christmas Eve, dropping to one knee in front of all of her friends and family. Hermione was pretty sure Molly was still screaming with joy.