The morning of Monday of September had a slight bite to it, making my nose slightly redder than usual. Today was an unusual day, however. I could feel it in the air. There was a slight charge for it, making my body slightly throbbing in anticipation. Anticipation for what exactly, I wasn't too sure. It was just a regular day, I mean as regular as a witch like me can get. I glanced at the packed trunk beside my bed, knowing in one hour I would be living with Harry Potter with his uncle and her former professor.
Tomorrow is the day I go back to Hogwarts with Harry only. Ron had decided that he was done with school and jump start his Quidditch career as a Keeper with Lavender on tow. Ron had also decided that the kiss we had shared in Chambers of Secret on the night of the Dark Lord's death and after destroying the diadem was simply a course of action caused by adrenaline. I couldn't agree faster on that subject. That simmering love that I had for Ron had dissipated as quickly after the War. What her dreams of marrying him after all the fighting was done, as she later found out, was all caused by people's (when I say people, I meant Molly Weasley) expectation.
Now Molly Weasley had Lavender to dot on about grandchildren and marriage while I thought about furthering my education to become an Auror like Harry. Honestly, I surprised myself. I thought I would go into the Department of Magical Creatures in the Ministry but saving lives in the war made me feel good about myself. I am not doing this for the fame. I am just doing it for my own sanity, knowing there were still Death Eaters out there. Catch them before they regroup.
Despite the fact that I am not in love with Ron anymore, I was still allowed to sleepover at their house. I was in Ginny's room, alone, sitting on the window sill, enjoying the cool, crisp air. Ginny was off with Harry; probably snogging his brains out before we leave. What a dramatic girl. She was complaining throughout the past few days about both of us going away from the Burrow. She made it sound like she will never see him at all but I found it funny because she, too, was attending Hogwarts. The atmosphere used to be thick with tension, almost equivalent to walking through gelatinous substance, when I first arrived at the Burrow. As days passed and the date to go to Hogwarts came rapidly around the corner, the tension lifted and the passive aggressive comments stopped.
The door opened to reveal Harry, his always unkempt hair even more messy, with Ginny grinning smugly behind him. "Are you ready?" I nodded, smiling. I loved the Burrow and the Weasleys but I couldn't wait to get out of here. "Want me to grab your trunk for you?"
"I got it, Harry. Go and make out some more with Ginny." I said, a sly smile pulling at my lips. Harry blushed profusely and was tugged away by Ginny again.
As I grew up longer in the wizarding world, I slowly started to drift apart from my parents as sad as it sounds. They weren't mad at all but sad. They knew that their daughter was going to leave them for education, regardless of her being a witch or muggle. Conversation with them became like talking to acquaintances; not knowing what to say to keep them interested. Thus the reason of moving into the Grimmauld Place with Sirius, Remus, and Harry. I don't expect the Burrow or the Weasleys to hold on to me while I finish my schooling while Lavender was still under the same roof.
I took my wand and pointed it at my trunk. I softly said, 'wingardium leviosa' and the trunk raised from the ground. I left the room, with my trunk following me, and I descended down the stairs that I traversed for seven years of my life. As I got to the living room, I saw immediately saw Lavender standing next to the matriarch, learning how to cook from her. I softly settled my trunk on the floor and sat on the brown couch. Few seconds later, Harry emerged with Ginny, shortly followed with slightly irritated Ron (who probably caught them snogging) with George and Fred pranking around from behind him. Ginny sat next to me as Harry stood by his trunks as we watch Lavender go 'Won-Won' as she skipped to Ron. Ginny, Harry and I caught each others eyes and rolled them together.
"Oh, you guys are already ready? Wow, that was fast." Molly said, inserting herself in the crowd. The door the house opened to reveal Arthur coming in with a big smile. I brightened up immediately. Arthur didn't act differently around me when I broke it off with Ron, unlike his wife and I gratefully appreciated his support throughout the biting comments throughout dinner.
"The portkey will be ready in five minutes exactly. So, say your goodbyes and Harry and Hermione can go." announced Arthur and I sighed in relief. It was an awkward moment, really. Molly rushed in and hugged Harry as hard as she could and honestly, I think I heard his back snap two times. Molly let go of the poor bespectacled boy and turned towards me. I just waved at her, awkwardly, not really wanting the hug that used to feel maternally. I looked at Arthur who smiled at me sympathetically. I went up to him and hugged him fierce; now that's what a parent's hug was all about. I let go and went back to stand next to Harry, avoiding Molly's eyes.
I eyed Ginny and in return eyed me. "I will see you at Hogwarts?" I asked, meekly. I still don't know where she stands with me after breaking up with Ron. She rolled her eyes, laughing, and jumped at me. I hugged her back, feeling glad that she forgave me.
"It wasn't meant to be with my brother but doesn't mean that I will stop being your friend, you silly girl." she said as she hugged me. She leaned in closer to my ear so no could hear. "I am not my mother." She let go of me as we both giggled.
"You guys are going to see each other at Hogwarts anyways, so why are you saying bye that sounds like we will never see each other?" asked Ron, causing us three to sigh in defeat. "I still don't understand why you guys are going back to school."
"Some of us still like to be educated, Ron, and our jobs calls for requirements that we still haven't done." I answered, smiling sweetly at Lavender then at Ron. Lavender glared while Ron looked at me with confusion. I just rolled my eyes and looked away. "I see that our five minutes is almost up, Harry, and I think we should get to the portkey."
The portkey was a ratty old recorder, sitting on top of a boulder. I stood with my trunk in one hand and Harry's hand, firmly clutching it. I heard Arthur countdown as the portkey started to glow. "4...3...2...1!" Harry grabbed the portkey and the sensation of being squeezed through a pipe enveloped us, the scenery wrapping in itself for few seconds before snapping back to reality. We landed as best we could but we stumbled. The portkey's light dimmed then vanished, telling us that the old recorder was no longer a portkey.
We were right in front of Grimmauld Place 12 and the building shifted to reveal the magical door. We grinned at each other, excited to see Sirius and Remus. I still remember the crush I had for Professor Remus Lupin when I was thirteen and I suddenly realized that I still do but quite faintly. We walked up and knocked as gently as we could so we don't wake Lady Black. The door opened to reveal a tall, lean muscled man with curly black hair and mischievous smirk gracing his lips as he looked down at us.
"Sirius!" Harry called out, before launching himself at his godfather. Sirius laughed as he hugged the boy. "You are free now!"
"Yes I am and to celebrate that, I got drunk at the pub!" Sirius said and the two people roared in laughter. Sirius turned to look at me and I gave him a huge beaming smile. "Ah, my Hermione!"
"Hello, Sirius!" I said, giggling at his possession of my name. I hugged him and the comforting smell of sandalwood and smoke engulfed me. "How are you?"
"I am fine, thank you." A voice from behind Sirius answered and I looked around Sirius to see the object of my fading away crush standing there, also smirking.
"Remus!" Harry and I screamed, totally forgetting about Lady Black, as we barrelled past Sirius to reach our favorite professor. I was there to hug him first before being engulfed by Harry from the back.
"Okay, okay. I see that you have more love towards Remus than me!" Sirius wailed, jokingly, from behind us. I giggled as I untangled myself from the group hug. I smiled hugely at Remus who grinned down at me, his warm brown eyes twinkling.
Before Remus could say anything, Lady Black decided to introduce herself and started her usual screaming, consisting of mudbloods, half-bloods, blood traitors and so on so forth. I used to be bothered by the house but not anymore. I just started to enjoy the way Sirius deal with her. I laughed as Remus herded us both to the living room while Sirius told the Lady to kindly shut her trap. I sat down on the loveseat, placing the grumbling kneazle, Crookshanks beside me. I turned to Remus who got himself seated on the couch in front of me.
"Excited for another year of teaching, Remus?" Albus had asked Remus to teach again, despite the fact that what Remus was. Everyone at the whole school knew that Remus was perfect for Defense Against Dark Arts because he made it fun and learning was easy, unlike the boring, restricted lessons taught by Umbridge.
"Excited for brats like you, yeah sure." Remus answered back. I scoffed and I threw a couch pillow at him. He dodged it, laughing. "No, honestly, I am bit apprehensive. It won't be like last time. Last time, no one knew about what I am. Now, everyone knows and I don't know how I feel about that. I am sure that Dumbledore got letters from parents that he shouldn't let a werewolf," he spat out the word with disgust, "teach at a school with children."
"And yet it was the same werewolf who had protected those children from Voldemort." I said, raising my eyebrows at him. A yell of 'yeah' was heard from Sirius who was making tea at the kitchen. Remus still didn't look convinced. "Remus, Albus may be bit eccentric, but he has a good sense of character. You are a wonderful teacher. I could call in...Neville Longbottom right now and he will tell you the same! Not because he is nice...because he understands what you teach! You are not fake and a peacock as Lockhart, or weirdly creepy as Quierell, or tyrant like Umbridge or paranoid as Moody. Remus, you are just perfect at what you do. Yeah?"
Remus looked at me with something akin to scrutiny mixed with wonder. "Yeah." he agreed slowly, looked away as Sirius walked in with a tray of tea. I gave Remus an incredulous look then stared at Sirius, the incredulous slowly turning into wonder in my eyes. Sirius caught my expression and he scrunched up his face.
"I do make fantastic tea for your information." defended Sirius, causing Harry and I to laugh at his antics. I tried to go for a cup but Sirius moved the tray away from me. "Not for you!"
"Why?!"
"Because you are so rude that you even make Kreacher look like a nice house elf!"