Prologue
Hermione's Point of View
Harry slept for forty-eight hours after we went home to the Burrow. Mrs Weasley had worked tirelessly making sure everyone had a bed, and that Harry's, Ron's and my rooms were all secluded. It was a sacrifice for everyone else staying there and I hugged her tightly when I saw we had been given three rooms down a separate wing. It wasn't until some weeks later that I learned McGonagall and Flitwick had all but forced the Weasleys to take money to add to their house. But I was too exhausted to notice, or too apathetic. Anyway, Harry slept for two days straight. Ron slept for a day and spent a lot of time playing quidditch. Harry also joined him, and took up running. Those few weeks after the war, the boys kept themselves busy by physically exhausting themselves, to keep the memories out of their minds I suppose.
I envied them. I was up all night, and listless during the day. I kept getting flashbacks, of the Creevey boys being killed and me not being able to stop them, of seeing Tonks and Lupin lying among the dead, of Snape being eaten by Nagini. I kept trying to write lists, I needed to plan stuff for the new school year, but I needed to find my parents, but I needed to visit Luna and Neville, things kept going around in my head and I couldn't think straight.
The only thing that brought be back to my old self (well as much as I could ever be my old self) was a morning when McGonagall came over. I have weirdly good hearing. Later I would learn that children who are quiet often have good hearing, because they are so used to not speaking. Anyway (stop rambling Hermione) McGonagall was in the kitchen with Mrs Weasley, Harry, Bill and Ron. I'd not slept until about 5 that morning and had woken up about half an hour earlier.
"How are things Minerva?" Molly asked.
"Just fine, thank you" McGonagall said briskly. "Where's Hermione?"
"She's having a sleep in, she's very tired."
"A sleep in?"
"Yes" Molly said after a pause. I hadn't told anyone about my nightmares but Molly had raised seven children. I would be surprised if she suspected something was up, or knew what was going on.
"Excuse me" McGonagall's footsteps started approaching the staircase.
"Professor, wait" I could hear Harry's footsteps, which I knew as well as my own, following the headmistress.
"I'm sorry Mr Potter, but I have not known Ms Granger to sleep in during her six years at Hogwarts and she's been asleep the past three times I've visited. When she has been up she's been pale and listless and it won't do. If you'll excuse me."
Her footsteps approached at lightning speed. I tried to get up and get dressed before she reached my room but I only succeeded in getting out of bed and throwing on a cardigan before there was a knock on my door. I looked down in dismay, I had my pink with blue polka dot pyjamas on. I wouldn't have time to get changed.
"Come in" my voice was croaky.
Ms McGonagall opened the door and strode in. She had taken up the mantle of head of Hogwarts with aplomb and had been the driving force in the two week clean-up of the school. As a muggle-born it astounded me that the castle could be repaired and strengthened in that time, despite living partly in the wizarding world since I was 11.
"Hermione" McGonagall's voice was softer than it usually was.
"Yes professor."
"Hermione, I think you've earned the right to call me Minerva, but I wanted to see how you are doing. I am sorry to intrude when you're uh" she looked me up and down and I blushed. She saw me looking and embarrassed and waved a hand dismissively "don't be embarrassed child, I've seen you mid-battle and after all you've done for us, I think you can wear what you like. I'll cut to the chase, I'm worried about you." Her voice was gentle, gentler than I'd ever heard her.
"I'm fine" I said automatically, forcing myself to smile and make eye-contact. "Really Professor I just fancied a nap."
McGonagall laughed. Normally I wouldn't have cared, but in those few weeks after the war, I was super sensitive and I flinched.
"Hermione, I have never known you to want a nap. You're listless and you can't focus. You've been through hell. You were the backbone of the light in the war."
I protested "it was Harry and Dumbledore –"
"No, it was you who kept Harry alive, you who took so many people under your wing and made them loyal, you who kept a cool head at every turn. I am not surprised that you're exhausted."
I knew where this was going "Professor, please don't tell me I need to get away a bit and have a break. I can't think of anything worse."
McGonagall smiled. "I know you can't, I can't think of anything worse, either. I never understood holidays, utter waste of time and galleons. No I'm suggesting what you need is some structure and a good dose of old fashioned hard work."
I raised an eyebrow. Something I'd become proficient at after living solely with Harry and Ron for eight months. "I'm listening."
McGonagall nodded "I thought you'd be interested. This isn't a particularly intellectually stimulating job but it involves organisation and a lot of hard work. We are having a memorial service for the war, at Hogwarts. I'm not going to have a lot of time to focus on it, and I want it to be something that will do justice to those who fell."
For a second I thought I would see her cry. I can remember thinking that the guilt she must carry for surviving when so many of her students didn't must be eating her alive, if it was anything like I felt.
"I can't think of anyone else I would rather entrust the organising to."
I smiled, a proper smile, for the first time in what felt like forever. This would be hard work, for something worthwhile which wouldn't involve anyone dying. I'd have a reason to get up in the morning, and then after a while, I'd have energy to find Mum and Dad. "I'm in, Professor." I grinned in spite of myself.
XXX
There were so many owls, so many meetings, so many speakers to appease. I had no idea how important some people thought they were. Eventually McGonagall, Kingsley, and Aberforth decided on Mr Weasley, Professor Flitwick, Kingsley, and Andromeda Tonks. Harry flat out refused to be the person to speak on behalf of Dumbledore's army. He said he knew people would expect it of him, but he couldn't face it. I had to say I sympathised with him. I think he, Ron and I would take at least a year to get our energy levels back up. And Harry had seen more death than any 18 year old I knew. Ron and Ginny and George didn't want to speak if their dad was.
McGonagall looked at the list with all of the names crossed out.
"This isn't looking promising, Ms Granger. I want someone who was prominent in the war effort. Otherwise it will look like no one wanted to speak. Are you sure I can't persuade you?"
"Professor, I'm organising. It would the height of arrogance."
"Yes I know, I know." She sighed. Something I'd become accustomed to hearing.
"What about Neville and Luna?" I couldn't believe I had overlooked them. I kicked myself internally. Those two had also lost parents and tolerated ridicule to become two of the bravest people I knew. Well they had always been brave, I'd just never noticed.
"Very good" the headmistress chuckled "I'd almost awarded you ten points to Gryffindor. Old habits die hard it seems."
XXX
Harry's point of view
The grounds of Hogwarts were packed. I avoided looking at Dumbledore's tomb which was opposite the new memorial for those who had fallen in the war, the war which seemed like a million years ago and like yesterday all at the same time. The school used to feel like home. And it still did, but there were memories here which were still pretty fresh, and as I hugged and shook hands with about a million people there were too many people who were missing.
Ginny gently held my hand and Ron moved closer beside me as we approached the front of the chairs. I was always used to having eyes on me, but today was unbearable. Well almost, I had my friends and Ginny. And I suppose the whole Voldemort trying to kill me phase had sort of finished. I cringed at glib thoughts. The war had made my sense of humour very dark and very dry.
"Come to the front, Harry" I heard someone speak. Automatically I shook my head, it was taking everything I had not to bolt.
"Come on, mate, I know it's annoying being at the centre of attention but you've earned it, and well I think people expect it of you" Ron said quietly. The fact my best friend, who'd struggled with insecurity was saying these things made me nod and agree to go to the front. "Besides" Ron added as we walked up "if we're at the front, we will be closer to the food afterwards."
I laughed in spite of myself, some things never changed.
Ginny, Ron and I sat down in the front row, Hermione: distracted and rushed joined us just before the first speech. She looked tired but also happy. Mr Weasley spoke, he spoke of both wars, of sacrifice, of duty, of loss, and hinted at forgiveness. He briefly spoke about Fred and his heartbreak and the heartbreak of everyone who had lost loved ones. There was not a dry eye in the house. Luna and Neville followed him, speaking together. They spoke of the importance of including everyone, and how division and excluding people results in disenfranchisement and love and encouragement can conquer anything. They kept looking at Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I. It made me feel sad that I hadn't seen past Neville's shyness and clumsiness and Luna's oddness earlier and seen the bravery and kindness. Andromeda spoke of hope for the future, for Teddy the half blood son of a warewolf and hope for him to grow up safe and happy.
Aberforth's speech was funny and a nice break from the intense emotions of the other speakers.
Finally Kingsley, interim Minister of Magic rose to speak. I suppose wizards have a longer life expectancy than muggles so they tend to have very long-winded speeches at formal occasions. The Dursleys were not particularly good caregivers, but at least I never had to go to any long functions growing up. The downside of that of course, was that I was terrible at listening through them, or at least pretending to listen.
"Pssst Harry, Harry" Hermione whisper-yelled. Startled I sat up, realised that I'd been almost sleeping.
"Sorry" I said to my best friend, trying not to roll my eyes. We'd lived through a war but it was funny how quickly we descended back to our usual roles. I rubbed my eyes and sat up straight. I wondered how many of the speakers sitting on the stage had noticed. I was willing to bet all of them. I sat up straight and straightened my tie.
"With the devastation we have endured, moving forward we must focus on unity and friendship" Kingsley said.
I nodded, forcing myself to look interested.
"Education is especially important, school is the one time where people of all talents, personalities and abilities are all in one place, all participating in similar activities, and it is the place where friendships are forged between people who would otherwise have very little in common. That's why we have decided that everyone who was, or would have been a student at Hogwarts last year will repeat the year, last year students did not receive an adequate education, and this way forward will ensure that these young people have some stability and can recover from the past year's traumatic events in an environment where they will be supported."
Ron and I looked at each other in disgust, I looked over at Hermione who looked relieved. This year was going to be quite different to what we had all been anticipating.
A/N Thanks for reading my first Harry Potter fanfiction chapter. Let me know if you've got any suggestions or requests for pairings, I'm still not sure yet.