Chapter 1: Learning to Live Again

The realization came to her suddenly and painfully and the sheer grief almost made her faint. Neville Longbottom was dead. Sweet caring Neville, one of her first true friends at Hogwarts. As with most of the people you meet in a life time, she didn't realize how dear he was to her until this moment and now it was too late.

Hermione silently reprimanded herself for the emotional breakdown. She should be used to it by now. Neville was not the first casualty of the war, far from it; in fact Professor Dumbledore's death started a chain reaction of loss.

Being here watching her friends grieve for Neville brought back another painful memory, her parents. To this day she still missed them but day after day she was learning to live again. Hermione wasn't special every person here has had to do the same.

Hermione felt a tear trickling down her cheek and a strong arm wrapped around her. She leaned her head on her boyfriends shoulder.

"Thank you" she whispered to Viktor Krum. "Thank you for coming with me"

"Your welcome Mione" he whispered and kissed the top of her head.

Luna Lovegood collapsed in front of Neville's casket. Hermione's heart went out to the girl. Luna and Neville was more than a couple they were truly soul mates. Hermione and Luna had never truly been close but she couldn't stop herself from approaching her. She pulled the frail girl to her feet and wrapped her arms around her as tight as she could Luna wept for what seemed like hours in Hermione's arms. The stayed there even after the funeral as the other people drifted away.

"Hermione" Ginny Weasley said, touching her shoulder. Hermione faced the person who used to be her best girlfriend and smiled, thankful for the distraction. Ginny brought Luna from Hermione to her own shoulder and took over stroking her long dirty blonde hair whispering condolences in her ear.

Hermione looked at the Weasley family and without a word she could read their minds, especially Ronald's, which was relief because over the past year she and Ron, just she and Ginny and she and Harry had grown apart. Ron smiled gently at her and touched her lightly. She missed Ron as a friend even more than the others and was glad that since their break up they were able to still love one another.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I am fine Ron" Hermione told him. 'You?"

"Been better" Ron admitted. 'I don't remember when, but I have been better"

"You're coming to the party right?" Harry asked. "The celebration of defeating Lord Voldemort?"

"Yeah" Hermione replied. "It's at Malfoy manor right?"

"Saturday at eight" Harry confirmed.

"Hermione darling" Mrs.Weasley started. "We were hoping you would come and stay at the burrow. I can't bear the thought of going to that empty house and being alone"

"No" Viktor said coming up behind her. He gave Ron a very antagonizing glare. 'Hermione will be staying with me in Bulgaria for the summer."

That was classic Viktor making plans without asking and expecting her to agree. She would, she always did in the end.

"Thank you Mrs.Weasley" Hermione replied finally after a moment of horrible silence. 'But I am afraid I can't"

"You're always welcome in our home" Mr.Weasley told her. "You will always be family to us"

Hermione didn't trust her mouth to speak so she nodded and allowed Viktor to steer her away. Of all of the damage war caused, the thing she regretted the most was the distance it put between her and the people she loved. That damage was irrevocable.

"Can we at least stay for the celebration?" Hermione asked as she and Viktor headed for the Leaky cauldron.

"Well see" was the only answer Viktor would provide.