A/N: Anything taken from Harry Potter is not mine, but good ol' JK's. This is my first non-one shot, please be gentle.


"Hermione, explain to me again why you're going to a Muggle university?" Harry Potter asked for the millionth time, lying down on his friend's bed and throwing a miniature Quaffle at the ceiling. "You're already done with your Arithmancy apprenticeship, what more will this do? You could get any job in the field that you want!"

Hermione Granger sighed and stood up from the trunk she was reorganizing for the millionth time that day. "Harry, I told you that I want to go into Potions ultimately. I haven't lined up my apprenticeship with a Potions Master yet, and Muggle science could be incredibly useful for future work! Besides, Oxford secretly houses the British Wizarding University, so I could take advanced Potions and Charms classes on the side while getting my Chemistry degree, and then hopefully find an apprenticeship."

"And…you know…he hasn't responded to any of your owls?"

Hermione brushed a strand of curly chestnut hair out of her face. "Not one. I'm starting to think that maybe Ron is right, and that he really is dead, and we just missed his body being removed from the Shack."

After the final battle, when Harry Potter finally defeated Voldemort, it took Hermione a couple hours to remember her mysterious Potions professor - the Order Spy who everyone thought was evil until the very end - lying in the Shrieking Shack after being viciously killed by Nagini. Her guilt at misjudging him for all those years (though not as much as Harry and Ron misjudged the man) propelled her to the Shack as fast as her feet could carry her, only to find that he was no longer there. All that remained of the man was a deep red blood stain where his body had fallen.

Naturally, a number of conspiracy theories erupted from his disappearance. That a rogue Death Eater stole his body, to try to reanimate into an Inferi for later dark deeds. That he was taken by a Ministry worker sent to check the scene, and either cremated or buried, since he was presumed dead and had no family of his own. One person said that he exploded, claiming that Voldemort managed to alter Nagini's venom to be combustable when in contact with human DNA for too long.

The hardest rumor to swallow, however, was that the man was alive. And that Hermione had just left him there to die, not helping him survive.

It all fit, though. There was no record of his body being anywhere, nor was there a magical record of his death on file at the Ministry. No one had heard from him in the three years since the final battle, but there were rumors across the country of those who had spotted him for a moment, only for him to disappear a second later. And then, there was the fact of his portrait in the Headmaster's office.

It had never woken up.

Coming back to reality, Hermione flopped down on the bed next to her black-haired best friend. "I'll only be gone for two years, Harry. I need something to do now that I'm at a break in my apprenticeships. You can easily Apparate to Oxford - there's a special apparition point and everything there! It's not like you won't see me or hear from me at all."

Harry flipped over to look up at the girl. "And what about Ron?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, Harry, but Ron and I just…didn't work out. What we wanted for our future was too different. You and I both know that. Hell, Ginny is the one who told me that I needed to leave him in the first place!"

Hermione ruffled Harry's unruly hair. "Ron will come to his senses and realize that. I don't want to lose his friendship at all, he means too much to me. But he will find a girl that is absolutely perfect for him. Like you have with Ginny, or like what Neville and Hannah have. He'll be okay. He and I still talk, you know, and I think it's getting closer to normal."

Harry sighed and pushed himself up to a sitting position. "So, this isn't you running away from your breakup?"

Shocked, Hermione laughed at his ridiculous statement. "Gods, no! I mean, sure, it'll be great to avoid the press of it for a bit, but this has everything to do with me really wanting to be the best Potions Mistress I can be, and I think this will really benefit me in the long run. I mean, think of all the Potions Masters out there who don't even understand basic chemistry! The discoveries being made and the advancements in technology are just astounding! And biology, too! Just think, with a broader understanding of human and non-human biology, I could even possibly cure lycanthropy someday…"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Show off," Harry chided as Hermione threw a pillow at her friend. "But what about you?"

"What about me, Harry?"

"When will you find your perfect someone, huh?"

This time, it was Hermione's turn to fall back on her bed and stare at the ceiling. "Oh, I don't know, Harry. I will eventually. Who knows, maybe I will at school. But honestly, I've just decided not to think about that aspect of my life right now. I'm just going to focus on my studies."

"Shocker," Harry muttered, laughing when another pillow hit his face. "Okay, okay, sorry! I just want you to be happy, Hermione. You're like a sister to me, I want to make sure you're okay."

Hermione smiled up at her best friend. "I'll be okay, Harry. I promise."

"Now, will you PLEASE let Ginny take you shopping before you leave for school? I don't know how you got her hooked on all those Muggle fashion magazines, but she's going crazy and insists on giving you a makeover before you leave in three days."

Hermione nodded, trying to hide her panic at the thought of a full makeover. Though she had definitely matured in some ways, her hair was still its bushy nest, and she preferred comfort over style. "How much is this makeover going to entail?"

Harry looked around her room, eyeing what she had already packed. "Are you planning on keeping most of the clothes you already have?"

Hermione nodded.

"You're going to need a second trunk."


Ginny and Hermione laughed as they strolled arm-in-arm down Oxford Street. Normally, the two girls tried to avoid the more crowded locations in London, but Ginny insisted on the full shopping experience. They had just arrived, and Hermione had to admit that spending the day with the redhead was something she was looking forward to. The day was sunny but not too hot - typical of the end of August. Ginny was just finishing up telling Hermione a story about one of her brothers getting caught with a girl in the shed behind the Burrow.

"And then…Charlie turned and saw mum and said 'can you at least let me finish before you lecture me?!'" Ginny was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, and Hermione had tears running down her face. "She walked back into the kitchen redder than her hair and muttering that Romania has made him too disrespectful. They didn't talk to each other for days!"

Hermione smiled at the story. She missed spending time at the Burrow with the Weasley family. Since her and Ron had broken up, she stopped going, knowing that her presence would make the boy feel uncomfortable. But she missed the closeness and the craziness of the family that had practically adopted her as a second daughter, especially after her parents were unable to recover their memories.

"Mum misses you, you know," Ginny said, practically reading the other girl's mind. "She doesn't want you to distance yourself just because you and Ron broke up. She understands. Honestly, I don't think she thought you two would work together anyways. You're already your daughter, you didn't have to marry her son for that. She wants you to come to dinner tomorrow, to celebrate you going away. She's making all of your favorites."

The kindness of the two Weasley women made tears well in Hermione's eyes. "I miss everyone too. I've been avoiding everyone since the breakup, because I didn't want to make Ron uncomfortable, but…"

"We're your family too, Mione." Ginny stopped outside of a store, and turned Hermione to face her. "Say you'll come, please?"

Hermione couldn't say no to Ginny, and definitely not Molly. "Okay, I'll be there tomorrow."

Ginny beamed. "Great! When we go to the Leaky for lunch I'll send her a Patronus to let her know. Now, we need to completely revamp your wardrobe. I have so many ideas for you!" Ginny began pulling her into the first store she stopped by.

"Ginny, I don't know what you have in mind…"

"Oh come off it Hermione, I know you prefer comfort over fashion, but you can combine the two! That's what I'm here for. You need to step out of your comfort zone into…well, into a new comfort zone. You know, you can be comfy without looking like you still dress like a thirteen year old. It's all about how you style it."

Hermione looked unsure, but she wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. Summoning her courage, she took a deep breath and looked Ginny in the eyes. "I trust you."

The redhead smiled victoriously, and grabbed onto Hermione's wrist. "Good, I know just what to do."


Three hours later saw the girls exhausted and laughing, slumping into a booth at The Leaky Cauldron. Both girls' arms were weighed down with shopping bags from every store imaginable; since they went shopping in Muggle London, they could not shrink their purchases until they arrived back at the pub. As much as Hermione was nervous about the day beforehand, she was relieved and happy with the turnout.

A waiter came over, and they both ordered the steak and kidney pie, with Hermione ordering a glass of red wine and Ginny a Firewhiskey. Leaning back against the booth, Hermione sipped the ruby drink, her legs groaning in gratitude that she was no longer walking. She couldn't believe how some women could spend all day in heels! And, furthermore, that Ginny had talked her into buying a couple pairs!

"They're lower to the ground, and the thicker heel will make it easier to balance," Ginny had said. "It'll distribute your weight better, so your feet won't hurt as much."

As Ginny sipped her drink, her eyes sparkled with happiness and exhaustion. "Now, I don't want you wearing any of this tomorrow. Let them think the same old Hermione is the one leaving for Oxford."

"Why?"

"First of all, I don't want Ron drooling over you at dinner, and trying to chase you down. Honestly, you two breaking up was the best thing to happen in a while," Ginny said, placing her glass back down on the table. "Second, we don't want people to get concerned that you're changing too much before you go. You know mom. She'll think you're going to impress a boy and then freak out about grandchildren and whatnot. No, we want her to think that the change occurred when you went to school. That the environment changed you. That you went to Oxford and changed into a woman while studying chemistroph or whatnot."

"Chemistry," Hermione corrected.

"Whatever. Also, really, I don't want you messing up any of your new clothes. Or your hair."

Hermione paused at that. "What about my hair? We haven't done anything to it!"

Ginny smirked. "Yet. I'm coming over tomorrow and teaching you about hair and makeup. No, don't give me that look. You always assume that it's either hours of effort or nothing. You can do simple things that take like, five, ten minutes tops." Their pies arrived, and Ginny began to dig in. "Oxford will never know what hit them."

Hermione started chewing her food, thinking for a minute. "I don't want to feel too different from who I am, Gin."

Ginny scoffed, waving her fork around. "It's not changing yourself, it's emphasizing what you already have. Highlighting your natural beauty. For example, you have these BEAUTIFUL eyelashes, but no one really looks because you don't draw attention to them. And you have gorgeous gold streaks in your hair, but people just pay attention to the curls. If you tame the curls a bit, you'll still look like yourself. Just…more."

"I guess…I'll have to see what you do."

"You're going to love it. Are you going to finish your food?" Ginny reached over, already taking a bite of Hermione's entree.

"Ginny!" Hermione laughed, pulling her food out of reach. Suddenly, the door to the pub burst open, and in walked Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy. While Ginny's face cooled over in suppressed hatred, Hermione's just reflected confusion.

"So, you're leaving tomorrow?" Blaise asked as the pair walked up to the bar.

"Yes. I have a lead I'm following, and I intend to see it through," Draco answered nonchalantly, reaching for the glass of FIrewhiskey that was automatically placed in front of him.

"You mean you've heard something about where S-"

"Not here, you idiot!" Draco snapped, before schooling his features once more. "This is not the venue for that conversation, Blaise. We do not speak of these things where anyone and everyone can overhear."

As if on cue, Draco looked over his shoulder at the table that Hermione and Ginny were sitting at. He grabbed his glass and stood from the bar, nudging Blaise to follow him.

"Granger," he said, approaching the side of their table. "Weasley."

"Malfoy," Ginny replied cooly.

"May we join you? It's been so long, I thought we could catch up."

Hermione scoffed. "Why would you want to join us? If I recall correctly, you consider us to be beneath you. Are we not still the bane of your existence?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sat down next to Hermione, forcing her to move down the seat closer to the wall. "You know, Granger, it has been a while since school. People change, or so I've heard. Can the four of us not enjoy a drink together, now that we have matured a bit and moved on in our lives?"

Ginny rolled her eyes at this, leaning back in the booth with her arms crossed, but Hermione considered his words carefully. Loathe as she was to admit it, but he did have a point. "Fine, one drink, but then Ginny and I need to leave. I need to finish packing my flat, and she's helping me." Ginny went to protest, but Hermione swiftly kicked her under the table.

"Packing? Where are you going?" Blaise asked, sliding into the booth next to Ginny.

"University. Oxford," Hermione replied, taking a full glass of wine from the waiter and spinning the liquid around in her glass. "I finished my Arithmancy apprenticeship, and need something to fill the void while I wait to line up my Potions apprenticeship."

Draco smirked. "What a coincidence, that is where I am headed tomorrow. I assume you're attending the Wizarding University there?"

Hermione looked startled. "Both, actually. I'm focusing on higher level Potions and Charms work while earning a science degree from the Muggle campus. What are you doing going to Oxford?"

"Would you believe me if I said bettering myself?" Draco asked, as Blaise chuckled behind his hand.

"No," Ginny retorted, forcing the two men to look at her cooly.

Draco leaned back in his seat. "Well, it's the truth. Partially, that is. I have some contacts for the company that I would like to meet there, and while I'm out there I might as well better my business knowledge a bit, seeing as with my father's…incarceration, I am now in charge of Malfoy Industries."

Ginny's eyes widened, both at his mention of his father and of the implication of his statement. "You're going to a Muggle university?"

His eyes narrowed. "For a bit. I'm taking an intensive course on business law, and to attend a seminar on international trade. I want to ensure Malfoy Industries remains the best of the best, so therefore I must learn as much as I can."

"Seems fair enough," Hermione responded. "And Blaise, what have you been up to?"

The Italian shrugged. "Traveling, staying out of trouble. I work as a business consultant for Malfoy's company, and also own a small branch of apothecaries in Ireland. Working on expanding the company's holdings."

"Ah, the Slytherin businessmen. Seems apt. You two always seemed to hunger after power and control," Ginny remarked.

This time, Blaise narrowed his eyes. "I would've thought we moved past identifying each other solely with our houses," he said.

"Why?" Ginny snapped. "It takes into account aspects of our personality that we ourselves might not even see at the time. I think it is an apt distinguisher of character, do you not?"

"Well sure," Draco drawled. "But you have to admit that one's personality is far more complex than a mere hat can tell. For example, Granger here could've easily been in Ravenclaw, what with the brain she has, or Hufflepuff, as evidenced by her incessant need to care for and fight for what's right," Draco rolled his eyes with this comment. "Or even Slytherin, with what she pulled with Rita Skeeter and the jar she trapped her in."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "How did you know about that?!"

Draco laughed. "Rita is a friend of my mother's. When you finally let her out of that jar, she bitched about you for at least an hour and a half over tea at the Manor. Well done, by the way. That woman is insufferable."

Ginny blinked. "I guess I see your point. But you two still seem to be the most textbook Slytherins I have ever met."

Draco smirked again. "Ah, you would think that. But you are missing one crucial piece of information. The hat almost put the two of us in Ravenclaw. Do with that knowledge what you will, Weaslette. Now, if you'd excuse us, I know you two lovely ladies have somewhere to be. See you at school, Granger," he said, standing up from the table and walking back to the bar.

Blaise followed suit, nodding at the two girls before he rejoined his friend.

"Well that was odd," Ginny muttered, downing the rest of her drink.

"I agree," Hermione said, staring after the two men. "I wonder what business contacts Draco has at Oxford?"

"Who knows," Ginny shrugged. "I guess you'll find out soon enough, though."

"I guess," her friend said absently. Shaking her head, Hermione turned her eyes back to Ginny. "Now come on, you bought me more clothing than anyone in the world needs. The least you can do is help me pack it all. I'll order takeout." The two girls stood and walked into Diagon Alley, apparating back to Hermione's flat.


Dinner at the Weasley's the next night was an enjoyable affair. As usual, the house was crowded to the point where they had to sit outside to eat. All of the Weasley children were in attendance - even Charlie was back from Romania, with a gorgeous Italian girl on his arm who he met at the dragon reservation. Her name was Martina, and she had tanned skin, dark eyes, and black hair that hung in luxurious waves down her back. Charlie couldn't keep his eyes off her, and Mrs. Weasley couldn't keep her eyes off their joined hands; Hermione knew the woman was mentally planning another wedding. Bill, Fleur, and Victoire were there as well, talking to Remus and Tonks, the latter who was bouncing a violet-haired Teddy on her lap. The two families lived close to each other, and raised their children practically together. Harry had his arm around the back of Ginny's chair, George was flirting with Angelina Johnson - unnecessarily, considering that they were already dating - and Percy was droning on about Ministry work to Kingsley, while Fred mocked him behind his back.

Ron, who was seated next to her, kept glancing at her sheepishly. Hermione finally took pity on the boy and, wiping her hands on her shorts, turned to face him.

"Ron," she started. "I don't want to leave here with things awkward between us. I really want things to go back to normal. I miss your friendship."

Ron smiled at her. "I miss yours too, Mione. And you're right - about us, I mean. It…it never would've worked out. It just has taken me a while to see that. But that doesn't mean I want to lose you in my life. You're too important to me."

A bubble of nerves that she didn't know resided in her stomach popped at his honest confession. "I don't want to lose you either, Ron. And I'm sorry things didn't work out between us. But I want you to be happy, and to find someone that will be perfect for you, and that person just wasn't me."

Ron simply shrugged. "I know that now. It's not worth dwelling on, ya reckon?" He smiled, passing her the bowl of chicken curry - her favorite. "Now, tell me all about your program, eh?"

Hermione laughed, tilting her head back as she did so. "Ronald, are you really interested in hearing about how Muggle science relates to Potions?"

He smiled back at her. "I guess not, no. Just trying to make conversation."

"Oh please, I know you're dying to talk to Harry about your team," she responded. Ron had flown with the Chudley Cannons for a year and a half, before quitting to coach a junior Quidditch team. "You must be proud of them."

Ron beamed. "I am, they've improved so much over the past few months. The junior championship is going to the Catchpole Clippers for sure!"

The team was a summer league mostly, but sometimes students who were homeschooled would come to Ron for training year round, and he was occasionally called by Hogwarts to provide additional coaching for the house teams. Granted, it meant he had to be impartial - even to Slytherins - but luckily he had matured to the point where he could get past old schoolboy grudges, and he was actually great with the kids.

"Oi, Harry, think you can help me out next weekend? I want to hold a Seeking workshop and that's the one position I can't really do."

Harry smiled at his friend. "Sure, what time?"

"Probably 10 am?"

"Send me a Patronus at nine, I'll forget otherwise."

Ron laughed. "Better yet, I'll Floo to Grimmauld and wake you up myself."

Harry's face fell. "You wouldn't. Last time you did that you dumped a bucket of water on my head!"

Ginny, sitting next to him, smirked. "Oh if he comes over this time I'm sure he'll do worse, and I'll help. You need to get better at waking up early, Scarhead."

Harry's face fell as the two redheads and Hermione burst out laughing. She would miss this, she realized, but it was nice that things were beginning to feel back to normal; she would be able to leave for school without any regrets.


Hermione was trying her best not to fidget as she sat in front of the mirror at the salon, Ginny and Lavender - who had become a magical stylist since leaving Hogwarts - looking at her head.

"I have been waiting since first year to get my hands on you," Lavender practically squealed when the pair walked into her salon. She told her assistant to cancel the rest of her appointments for the day, and closed the place down, immediately pushing Hermione in a chair and mumbling to herself all of the things she wanted to try on the girl.

"We want to keep it simple, Lav, but emphasize what she has," Ginny explained to the stylist.

"I know I know, but I have so many ideas I want to try! Things she can file into her back pocket for later, you know. Oh, I have dreamed of this day! Come, come, I need to wash her hair. Ginny, help me out here. Grab that purple bottle off that shelf, would you?" Lavender pushed her to the sink and tilted Hermione's head back under the stream of warm water.

"Hermione, have you ever gotten your eyebrows done?" Lavender asked.

Hermione furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Good lord! Ginny, we have more to do than I thought."

Hermione grimaced through brushing, washing, waxing, sitting for an hour with something in her hair - gloss, she thinks? - plucking, painting, lining, and the like. She was in Lavender's salon for hours. And she knew she was not done, because Lavender would have to explain through all the things for her new, everyday routine - something that Hermione was dreading, given what she had already been through today. Ginny promised that the routine would be easy, but she felt that going to Lavender kind of derailed that sentiment.

What seemed like a lifetime later, Hermione sat in front of Ginny and Lavender, listening to them explain what to do for her new, improved look.

"Now, use this for shampoo and this for conditioner," Lavender said, passing her a purple and a black bottle. "When you run out, just owl me and I'll mail you more, it's right for your hair, I don't know what you've been using before now but it's all wrong."

"When your hair is damp, put this in it to smooth it out," Ginny continued, passing her a green bottle. "IT's easy, just a bit - you rub it in your hands and smooth it over your hair, it'll smooth out your curls, but not change them. They'll just look more polished. You'll see when we turn you around," Ginny winked.

"The gloss I put in your hair will last for six months, so next time you're in town just pop buy, I'll give you a discount for even just finally letting me work on you," Lavender chuckled, and then picked up a bag with makeup in it.

"Stick to browns and golds for your eyes, honestly just sweep this powder on your eyelids, it'll take thirty seconds," Lavender pointed to a light brown shade she indicated with a small star sticker. "You don't need to line your eyes if you don't want to, but if you do, use this brown pencil - it'll highlight the color of your eyes. And then mascara is self-explanatory, I know you know how to use that, don't lie to me - you wore it for graduation."

Ginny pulled out another thin pencil, this time marked with a blue sticker. "This is for your eyebrows. Just small strokes where they already exist, it will make them look fuller. Trust me. Use this side," she said, indicating a small spool-shaped brush, "to even them out and blend it all in. You got that?" Hermione nodded, remembering what Lavender had done not ten minutes ago.

'So, you ready to see how you look?" Lavender asked, and Hermione nodded. Grinning, Ginny spun her chair around so Hermione could catch her reflection. Hermione gasped at what she saw.

Her curls were not frizzy, but defined, with hints of gold running through each strand. They fell to the middle of her back in perfect ringlets, like she had wished for her entire life. Her eyelids were dusted with a light brown powder, and her eyelashes looked longer than they ever had. Her eyes popped - not because they were different, but because what was done made them brighter than they ever looked before. Her lips were painted with a slightly reddish-pink, which complimented her skin tone. Her eyebrows were still thick, but trimmed, framing her face perfectly.

It was how she wished she looked for years come to life.

"How did you…" Hermione started, still not sure how to react.

"Hun, you made it EASY. You are so naturally beautiful, this is all emphasizing what you've already got." Lavender stood behind her smirking, clearly pleased with the work she had done. "Now, when it comes to formal events and updos, I have loads of ideas so you just have to come back here to see me, but for an everyday look, as long as you stick to what we told you this will be the result. You can also pull your hair into a ponytail like this…" Lavender grabbed her hair and lumped it into a low pony, with strands of hair framing Hermione's face, "or this…" Lavender dropped half the hair she was holding until she was just pulling back the hair framing Hermione's temples.

"I…I can't thank you enough. Both of you," Hermione gasped. Looking at both Lavender and Ginny.

Ginny smiled softly. "Hermione, this is how we normally see you. We just enhanced your natural beauty. You were always stunning. This just helps you to see that." Ginny gently placed her hands on Hermione shoulders as the brunette fought to hold back tears.

"Don't think anything of it, you deserve it," Lavender said, almost in tears herself.

Ginny laughed. "Now, come on," she said, knocking Hermione on the shoulder. "You said I need to help you pack and we're nowhere near done."


Exhausted, Hermione fell back onto her navy blue couch as Harry passed her a beer. Normally, she was a wine drinker, but right now, the refreshing coolness of the craft beer that Harry brought (he had joined a Muggle beer club and was ALWAYS trying new brews) was the best thing in the world. Off in her new kitchen, she could hear Neville and Ginny arguing over what kind of pizza to order - she regretted ever showing them how Muggle takeout worked.

Harry glanced at her from the loveseat placed perpendicular to the larger sofa. "You look phenomenal, Mione. Ginny and Lav did a great job." He took a swig of his beer and rested his head on the back of the couch. "And your apartment is coming together beautifully."

Smiling, Hermione looked around at her new place. Her apartment was a half mile walk from the school. Thanks to a Squib landlord that was easy to pay off, she was able to expand the studio into anything she wanted. The apartment was light and airy, with white walls and wooden floors throughout the space. The living room was cozy, centering around a brick fireplace and with three walls of floor-to-ceiling bookcases. The kitchen, while small, had plenty of counter space - all white - and a butcher block counter, with a small table in the corner with two chairs. The rest of the apartment was similar. The whole place has large windows wherever there was space, and Hermione managed to create a small terrace off of her bedroom, which hosted a small table and a chair for perfect early-morning reading. The second bedroom was currently being used as an office, though Neville had a clever spell to create a Murphy bed, for when a guest inevitably showed up.

And every spare table, square inch of flooring, and wall space was covered in greenery. For weeks, her and Neville worked to find the best indoor plants, both magical and non-magical, to have in her apartment. She now had ferns cohabiting with monkshood, cacti living next to a magical variant of dewflower that didn't need to be outside. It was her own little greenhouse, and she loved it.

"I already feel at home here." Hermione admitted, taking a sip of beer and looking at the watercolor painting above the fireplace; a gift from Luna on her 20th birthday. "Where is Ron again?"

This time, Ginny shouted from the kitchen. "HE'S ON A DATE," she cried, quickly followed by, "NO, Neville, if you suggest pineapple again I will hex your bollocks off!"

Hermione laughed at the exchange in the kitchen. "Good for Ron, he deserves to be happy," she sighed, turning so her body extended down the entire length of the sofa. "Anyone we know?"

Harry shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know, he was being very secretive about it. It could be anyone."

Ginny walked back into the living room and sat on her boyfriend's lap. "Watch it be Millicent Bulstrode. Anyways, did I tell you Hermione and I ran into Malfoy the other day?"

Harry stood so suddenly his girlfriend toppled onto the floor. "You WHAT?! That bastard, did he do anything to you?!" His chest rose rapidly as he struggled to find his breath, and Neville came to stand in the doorway.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Harry, we were fine. He was oddly pleasant in fact. He's going to Oxford too, something about bettering himself for the business' sake. And he had to meet some business partners in the area or something like that." She swigged her beer and turned to look at Neville. "Thirty minutes, yeah?"

Neville nodded. "Peppers, onions, pepperoni, extra cheese, NO PINEAPPLE," he said, glaring at Ginny.

"Can we FOCUS for a minute?!" Harry seethed. "You're SURE he didn't pull anything?" He looked at Ginny with wild eyes.

"No, he was fine," Ginny said. "Actually, he seemed eager to move on from everything during school and to start over. It was almost nice." Hermione nodded in agreement.

Harry looked nervous as he sat down. "If you say so…" he trailed off, helping Ginny to sit next to him. "But, Hermione, if he tries anything let me know RIGHT away, okay?"

Hermione nodded. "I promise, Harry, but I'm sure it'll be fine. He didn't try anything, and I can't imagine him pulling anything around such a large Muggle population."

Harry nodded, seemingly placated. "Okay, if you say so," he replied. A second later, he perked up. "We should play a game! Hermione, I'm sure you have a bunch of board games. Or we could play a drinking game, have I taught you all Ride the Bus yet? I learned it from an American bloke visiting for an Auror seminar…"

The night faded into a blur of alcohol, pizza, and laughter. At some point, Ginny called to have a bunch of chips delivered, and at two in the morning Neville and Harry were debating the pros and cons of curry versus tartar sauce. Hermione figured she should have been sad, considering they were all going back to London in the morning, but instead she felt incredibly blessed. She truly did have the best friends alive.


Hermione tossed her curls back behind her shoulder as she sat in her seat in the lecture hall. She was in the center seat in the center row - she wanted her professor to see her and know her from the beginning. She looked down to straighten her white button up shirt, making sure it was tucked into her jeans and that the sleeves weren't bunched under her brown blazer. She had to hand It to Ginny - she really did feel confident in her new clothes.

Since she was twenty minutes early, she was able to sit and watch the other students in her immunology class trickle in. Some were impeccably dressed, even one man wearing a suit, while some stumbled in wearing pajamas and clearly unshowered. Most, if not everyone, was holding some vessel of either coffee or tea. Hermione, herself, had a canning jar full of coffee - she made sure to unpack her coffee maker, but her mugs were not as crucial.

She heard a noise next to her and looked up, startled to see who was sitting down. There, attached to impeccably tailored black pants, a white blouse, and a green jacket, was Pansy Parkinson. Her hair was shorter than it had been in school - only up to her chin - but she looked older, more suited to her features.

"Hello, Granger," the raven-haired girl said, sliding into the chair next to Hermione.

Hermione struggled to find her voice. "Are you the one Malfoy is here to meet?"

Pansy laughed. "Not at all. I could care less about his business. Honestly, I'm here because my mom said the longer I'm learning, the more I can put off my responsibilities as the Pureblood daughter of their dreams," Pansy responded, making a disgusted face. "They want to marry me off to Nott, can you imagine? No, I'd rather hide here in Muggle university, thank you very much. At least here I'm doing something, instead of being a breeding machine."

Hermione had to admit, she enjoyed talking to the Slytherin girl. She was so caught up in the conversation that she did not notice the professor walk into the room.

"I will not tolerate hijinks and tomfoolery in this class. You are here to learn. Do not forget that."

Hermione's blood turned to ice. She looked over at Pansy, and saw she she was not nearly as surprised as herself. She then realized she was front and center, and that there was no way that they could escape unseen.

"Now, my name is Professor Tobias…" the man turned around, long black hair flinging around his shoulder, and black eyes scanning the room. Scanning, that is, until they fell on one Hermione Granger.

"SHIT," the man yelled, startling the class.

Hermione wanted to vomit. She couldn't tell if what she was seeing was a dream come true or her worst nightmare.

Severus Snape. The missing man. The one half the world thought was dead. The hero everyone was searching for.

Severus Snape was her professor, once again.