AN: This is the first ever fic I started.

Prologue

After the Battle and the seemingly endless funerals were over, Hermione Granger had gone in search of her parents. Upon having their memories restored and learning about Hermione's true involvement in the war, they were conflicted. They liked Australia and felt that they hadn't really finished their time there, but they didn't want to be apart from their daughter any longer. They had a relationship to heal and a daughter who was showing signs of post-traumatic stress. In the end they split their time between Australia and England. Australia gave the small family the quiet they needed to begin healing the broken bonds of trust, England forced Hermione to confront her anxiety and learn to cope with the reality of the loss of so many loved ones. Come September Hermione was coping a lot better and her parents felt confident that they could return to Australia for the school year and decisions about where they would live come June, could be made later.

It turned out to be a lot easier than the Granger's had anticipated to make a choice that suited them all.

Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione had all been offered direct entry into Auror training. Hermione had declined the offer knowing she didn't want to spend any more of her life fighting ,and feeling that her talents would be put to better use elsewhere. Kingsley was desperate for staff, but had the forethought to realise that Harry in particular, had spent his whole life fighting an adult's fight, and that the boys all deserved to experience just one year of peace and normal teenage life before once again taking on the task of saving the world. So whilst they were guaranteed a position and obtaining their N.E.W.T.S was simply a recommendation, Kingsley insisted they return to Hogwarts and they would start their three-year Auror training in June.

In February, a very excited Ginny received an invitation to the Quidditch League's recruitment and training camp. She returned for her final term with a contract for the Holyhead Harpies ,and was therefore moving to Holyhead after Graduation. Luna's Quibbler article on the mating patterns of Blithering Humdingers had brought her to the attention of a Naturalist Society who offered her an internship with a team working to preserve magical creatures' habitats in South America. So in the end Hermione had no reason to stay in London and instead chose to join her parents in Australia, where after 6 months of travelling the country together Hermione would indulge her dream of attending University. Muggle university, since the magical world didn't have an equivalent. It was the last place she expected to meet anyone she knew.