Chapter 1
It wasn't often I was physically alone, especially the last year. Being in such close quarters with Harry and Ron for the last few months had made it impossible. Yet, there I stood, in a muggle airport heading on a plane where only my thoughts would keep me company. I'd concluded a few days ago that it was time I took a break from the excitement of the magical world, or more honestly my mother had. I'd pulled my wand on her during my first visit after she'd come out of hiding. She'd started me, not knowing that I wasn't the same person I had been last year. She spent the next few days begging me to spend some time with my father.
He was a muggle in some part of America, a police officer or something of the sort living with my sister completely oblivious to the magical world which had encompassed me for the last eight years. He had gained custody of her while I decided to head to England with my airhead of a mother. Her freedom of spirit and open loving nature was an enticement I couldn't help but follow to the end of the earth. We became friends more than parent and child and I grew up exceptionally fast until the day I met my true family Harry and Ron, and of course all the rest of the Weasley hoard.
Harry didn't understand why I had to leave. Kingsley, who had been granted emergency powers after the war had ended, had offered us all quite prominent jobs in the ministry. Which seemed odd at first, but looking into it with the few people Kingsley could actually truly trust in the aftermath of the an imperious driven war it was no surprise why a bunch of kids Dumbledore entrusted would get a look in. I'd excepted of course, who couldn't off of such a driven dignified man? The question still remained however; how was I supposed to take care of a sector of the ministry if I couldn't take care of my own nightmares and seemingly insuppressible war instincts?
I needed to be removed from this environment. To thrive in normality for a few months and accompanying my sister to her drab and plain high school seemed like a reasonable way to tone down my adversity to the world at the moment.
"You're sure?" his voice came, sounding pained, his dark hair covering the scar that had marked his existence.
"No," I replied with a definity that suggested we never were. He snorted and picked up my bags casually. "All I know is that I need to get away," I added distantly.
"Well let it be known to all that I think this is a massive mistake," he joked with an edge of seriousness glimmering clearly in his smile. A few muggles looked around to see what the strangely dressed man had declared so loudly.
"I can't stay here," I commented knowing it to be true. He paused and turned to face me all guises of humour dropped.
"We all feel like that 'Mionie," He said in his low voice, his green eyes full of passion. "But I've never known you to give up," he added mournfully. Anger suddenly coursed through my veins.
"I've battled for this cause until the very end Harry, I've been demeaned, cajoled, tortured, threatened, made a murderer and you say that I-," He cut my rant off with his usual finality.
"I wasn't talking about the cause," he added looking more like the lost boy I'd dragged through first year then the war hero he'd become before my eyes.
"Then what?" I pried gently.
"On me Hermione, I've not lived a day for the last year without you by my side. How am I supposed to face this life without the only person I know who understands what it's like to be thrust into it?" Suddenly I saw what he really was... terrified. I put both my hands on either side of his face which was looking down at his hands carrying my bags. I pushed his chin up until he was looking into my eyes.
"Harry you're a great wizard, you know?" He scoffed at my familiar words but I saw past it. "I'll be back, I'll never ever really leave you, and if you ever feel lost I'm a portkey away, which shouldn't be too hard for the Assistant Head of the Auror department," I added a teasing smirk towards the last bit. He seemed to calm at my words and a sigh of relief left his body.
"Speaking of which, an aeroplane? Really?" He changed the subject never being one to hover on his feelings for too long.
"With my father and sister as clueless as they are it would just raise too many unnecessary questions," I answered easily.
Our goodbye was stilted and awkward. He held my hand briefly and I hugged him suddenly and then that was it. Harry was gone and I was left completely on my own, with just my thoughts. I was grim entering the plane and bypassed everything that could have held my attention preferring to drift off into a fretful sleep where my senses couldn't quite turn off to my environment. I hated being surrounded by people.
I hadn't seen my father in over four years, getting closer to the Weasleys had meant I'd slowly drifted away from my father and sister and my two week visits just stopped happening. My mother had always been disheartened by this, loving my father and my sister in her own unique way always commenting how blood was thicker than water. Little did she know how valiantly I'd fought to dismiss the idea of blood altogether or how misdirected her quoting was. The true quote described the blood of the convenient being thicker than the water of the womb. Ironic, right?
The plane landed roughly in Seattle and I silently cursed muggle transport. I fought to get my luggage though the hoards of people. Finally leaving the airport, I found Charlie easily and beside him with an almost comical expression of disinterest stood my sister Eva. I headed over towards them. My father waved with a wide grin I held my breath dreading this interaction.
"Hey Dad," I said with a smile. "How're doing Eva?" I greeted. God I was more nervous now then in a life or death skirmish.
"Hey Hermione, how was the flight?" he asked taking my bags out of my grateful hands. My sister nodded with a smile putting her modern looking phone away.
"It was grand, pretty uneventful really," I replied glad for something to say. I turned my attention towards my sister.
"So Eva, how've you been?" she seemed bemused at my interest.
"Good you know," she commented and I could tell she was as awkward as I was. The weakness of the water of the womb washed through my head and I dismiss it with great difficulty.
"You excited to finish up school out here Herms?" Charlie asked me his voice excited yet strained.
"Yeah it should be..." I fought valiantly to find a fitting word, "interesting," I finished.
"You'll be in the year ahead of me, but don't worry the schools so small we mostly mingle anyway." Eva said in an attempt to comfort me, surprising me.
The ride home was awkward but not so bad that flinging myself out of the car was a viable option. The house hadn't changed one bit I noted silently as we arrived. Same blue and white, three bedroom one bathroom house I'd not resided in since I'd been five. With help with my luggage I headed up stairs to the same purple bedroom that hadn't changed since I'd last stayed here. Which was odd, I'd have thought Eva would have taken the bigger room.
Left alone to unpack while the two other occupants of the house gone to prepare dinner. I unloaded everything that has been shrunk and put it away magically, enjoying the feel of the wand between my fingers. Even after the war and the bloodshed I knew I was supposed to be a witch. Being without magic just made me feel empty inside, nowadays besides rare moments with my friends it was the only thing that put a smile on my face. I felt the elation flow through me as my magic danced across every fibre of my being.
"Hermione?" A voice called from outside my door. I dropped the spell and several items feel to the floor while I shoved my wand roughly up my sleeve cursing my carelessness as the door opened.
"God are you okay?" Eva asked shocked at the state of my room.
"Ah.. I fell," I cringed at my own horrible lie. She simply raised one eyebrow, while shrugging in indifference.
"Dinner's ready," She said walking out of the room as fast as she'd entered. I vowed to be more careful in future.
Dinner was a fast affair filled with awkward silences as we slowly tried to get to know each other, well I tried to get to know them, everything I showed was a lie. Since the war had begun I never felt guilty for lying to muggles about the wizardry world, it was a necessary cover up. The world I lived in was far too messy to be involved in, but for some odd reason I had a niggling feeling of remorse at their ignorance.
Soon I was in bed preparing myself for a night of restless sleep, dreading the day ahead. That's why eight hours later the sound of the alarm clock after a dreamless sleep shot me straight out of bed shocked but more rested then I'd been in years.
A.N Read and review, let me know if you think this is worth continuing.