"Hermione looked reassured as she answered Kingsley's smile." One moment, however insignificant, has the power to unite two people. Can the same person who shattered Hermione's world, rebuild it again? Can he provide reassurance with more than a smile?

Oneshot. Of the many contradictions that exist in the world, the contrast between love and hate is perhaps the starkest. Her love and his hatred. Yet some would argue that worst of all is indifference; a lack of emotion. For her, his hatred is enough.

The war has left many people with scars; the worst are often the ones we cannot see. Hermione needs a new beginning, and somebody provides her with a lifeline. What happens when the same lifeline can bring about another's salvation?