Brightest Imprint of The Age

Chapter 1 - H

"Honestly Ronald I can't believe you're doing this again. It's my BIRTHDAY. I've been reminding you about tonight everyday for two weeks now, how can you back out at the last minute?"

"Mione you know I have practice tomorrow. I'm exhausted. We can celebrate any other night, why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

"Everyone is expecting us! I told them all that we would be there, TOGETHER. Don't you realize how embarrassing it would be for me to show up alone?! Not to mention, this is the first party that George has planned since Fred died, if not for me then you should at least go to show him your support!"

"George will be fine. He knows how important my work is."

"Right. Because doing laps around a damn quidditch pitch is more important than your fiancé's birthday. This is the first night you've spent at home in a month and you can't spare me an hour or two? You know what Ron, just get your bloody beauty sleep. Don't wait up."

With a slam of the door, Hermione marked the end of yet another argument with her fiancé of two years. Angrily wiping away tears as they fought to escape her eyes she once again thought back on their relationship.

After the final battle her hopes were high. FINALLY, after years of playful banter and hidden smiles and possibly-romantic moments in the common room, he had acknowledged the tension between them. The first few months after the battle saw their relationship flourishing. Dates in the magical world, though often interrupted by the press, left her heart fluttering with love and contentment. Nights spent at the burrow with the Weasley's had her feeling a sense of family that she was so desperate for ever since her parents death-by-death eaters in Australia. Ron had been so understanding when she had found out about their death. Still feeling the grief over the loss of his brother, Ron had held Hermione as she cried over their loss and battled with her own resentment and guilt in the part she played in having them die with no memory of her.

About three months after the battle she and the other Hogwarts non-graduates were given the opportunity to go back to the castle to complete the seventh year they had been denied, whether due to incompetent punishment-driven professors or horcrux hunting. The golden trio all denied the offer, having felt that they'd seen too much and grown up enough during their year away. Not to mention they all had multiple job offers across magical Britain.

Harry, unsurprisingly, had immediately taken the role of Auror, and had spent the last four years rising through the ranks, capturing the death eaters that had narrowly avoided persecution following the final battle. A year into his post he had proposed to Ginny, and not a year after that they had been married. Hermione and Ron had happily played the roles of best man and maid of honor, holding the flowers and presenting the rings for their best friends on their beautifully special day.

Ron decided that he'd had enough dark wizard hunting, and accepted the Keeper position for the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team. His placement had drawn many more skilled players to switch to the team, and the Cannons had since seen more wins than they ever had previously. His second year on the team had brought their first ever national cup win, along with loads of paparazzi and fans. Never one to turn away attention, Ron had thrived in the spotlight his new team brought him.

Hermione had spent a few months debating her next steps, eventually deciding to follow her passion for helping house elves and taking a job with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry. After many hours spent in front of the Wizengamot debating regulations regarding the house elves, she effectively passed 'Dobby's Law' which demanded the fair treatment of all elves, and a safe space within the ministry for each elf to come regarding issues with their family-placement. With the Elves safe from abuse, Hermione then expanded on her own ambitions, working with magical creatures of all kinds to fight the discrimination in the magical world. After four years in the department she had made a name for herself, and the Wizengamot dreaded the days that she would appear before them, knowing that she would come prepared, unfearing of their arguments.

Ron had never understood her dislike of the press. While she preferred dates in the muggle world to avoid the attention, he would insist on going to high-end restaurants in diagon alley, posing for pictures and giving out autographs during their walks. Hermione could sense that Ron was still harboring the ill feelings of being the youngest son of a large family, and enjoyed that now, unlike during his childhood, he was the main character. She, however, had little patience for it. This discord often resulted in arguments between the two, and more often than not she spent nights in their apartment reviewing her cases while he would go drinking with his teammates.

Despite these arguments, they had been content in their relationship. He always insisted that she would warm up to the attention, while she was sure that it would die down as the war faded into the history books. After the Cannon's national win two years ago, Ron had taken her to one of his regular fancy restaurants in diagon alley to celebrate, and had proposed over dessert. In a flurry of confusing emotions- overwhelmed by the imposing eyes of the patrons around them, tired from her week at the office, love for the man on one knee in front of her, and thrilled at the idea of the life they could live together, she had agreed.

Now she was here, two years later, stomping her way to the closest apparition point to attend her twenty-second birthday party- alone. Utterly failing at holding back tears, she realized that while she hadn't spent a night with her fiancé for a month, it had been even longer since they'd went out together. When was the last time they'd even kissed? She'd been so frustrated after an argument a few months ago that she'd thrown herself in to her work- even more so than usual, and had taken all her frustrations out of the wizengamot, fighting for both werewolves and vampires, as the two creatures were similarly discriminated against. Since then she'd spent more and more hours at the office, and less time thinking about her engagement. She sometimes found herself wondering if it was even worth it. Other than the war and their shared history, what did she and Ron have that was worth fighting for? With that thought in mind, she apparated away.