Hermione Granger's life was falling apart before her eyes a year and a half after the infamous Second Wizarding War. She spent half of the following year healing from the emotional burden the war put upon her. Shortly after the war, Death Eaters that escaped imprisonment murdered Hermione's muggle parents. She blamed it on her allegiance to the light side and Harry Potter, The Chosen One. Her involvement in taking down the greatest dark wizard of all time, Voldemort, made her a threat. The week Hermione went to Australia to repair her parents memory she found their dead bodies in the living room of their home. The strong-willed spirit Hermione Granger was known for broke into pieces when she discovered the mangled bodies of her beloved parents. As for her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, they lost their best friend to grief. Fighting in a war together could not bring the three of them close enough to understand the grief she felt. She locked herself away in a bedroom for days on end without food or company. She denied any compassion Molly Weasley offered in fear of betraying her dead mother. Hermione Granger was irrevocably lost to the world and herself.
After months of mourning and isolation from other beings she decided to come back to reality. Hermione was tired of being an outcast in the world. She was tired of watching everyone's life move on without her. She was tired of letting her grief take over her life. Her parents would always be with her but she needed to move on. She would not let her knowledge and 6 years at Hogwarts be for naught so she applied for an internship as a Healer. Despite her lack of NEWTS they made an exception and allowed her into the program.
She decided to rekindle her relationship with her best friend Ron. At the end of the war they shared a kiss, but since Hermione found her parents and fell into crippling depression she never got around to defining their relationship. She didn't know if she loved Ron as a friend or something more so they decided to move in together. This seemed to be the reasonable decision as this was expected by each of their friends and family members. Hermione was overwhelmed by the congratulations on there relationship, especially from the Weasley mother. Molly had already mapped out their wedding plans and children's names. Hermione became increasingly hesitant about her true love for Ron and she wondered if he felt the same way.
On the outside she appeared to be doing better. Everyday she put on a brave face for her friends and pseudo family to assuage their worries. The attention was off her for now and that is all that mattered. Inside was a different story. Hermione Granger was falling and no one there to catch her. She was stuck in a toxic relationship and she missed her parents every hour of every day. She physically ached. The only thing that seemed to keep her together was her internship as a Healer at St. Mungo's for Magical Maladies. Work was a great distraction and a place she could escape but even that wouldn't last forever because one fateful day would change the course of her future.
She was seething as she began to throw random articles of clothing into a suitcase. She couldn't believe he would do this to her. Her. The one he promised love to and said he cherished. She slammed drawers open and close, emptying her clothes out onto their shared bed. She glared at the bed and wondered if that's where they did it. Or on the couch. Or the shower. She then began to wonder what the woman looked like. Was she blonde? Brunette? Booby? Tall? Short? Hermione shook her head expelling the thought from it. I don't care she told herself. Her eyes danced around the room, searching for anything she forgot. They landed on a moving photo of Ron and herself. Ron's arm was wrapped tightly around her. He was placing a wet kiss on her cheek. The Hermione in the picture was laughing. Blissful. A single tear fell down her cheek. It stung her skin. Like his betrayal. She continued to look around the room till her eyes caught the pair of rolled up hot pink panties in the corner of the room. Hermione remembered her initial reaction to the item. It began with confusion, then process of elimination, denial, anger , and lastly sadness. Immediately another tear fell after the first, then another, and another until Hermione couldn't tell the difference between her tears and her soul. She composed herself, wiping the tears from her cheeks and magicking all her clothes to fit into her suitcase. She heard the front door open as she was exiting the bedroom door. She guessed their would be a confrontation after all. One she was hoping to avoid. Shit.
Ron walked in and saw Hermione with puffy eyes, a livid expression, and a suitcase in hand.
"Mione listen-", he stuttered. He knew what caused her distress the second he laid eyes on her.
"I don't want to hear your bullshit Ron", Hermione pushed past him into the living room.
He tried to grab her arm but she dodged his grasp. Noticing a letter addressed to her on the coffee table, she walked over and picked it up. Making a mental note to read it later, she pocketed it.
"It didn't mean anything I swear, and you are always working I just needed-",he tried.
She gave a mirthless laugh,"Seriously Ron, don't you care about what I need!"
He looked down at his feet like a scorned child. His face turned beet red.
She began again, "Oh right but you didn't think of that, because it's all about you. You didn't stop to think maybe i'm going to hurt my girlfriend in the process. You didn't think that maybe i'm still having a hard time over my parents and that I need comforting. No you only thought about yourself and the fact you needed a good screw". Hermione's balled up emotions were bubbling to the surface.
"Sorry I'm not perfect OK! And I thought you were over that. They died like a year and a half ago",Ron argued.
She held back the tears that were threatening to break through."So did Fred! and Remus and Tonks! We all lost someone in that war, Ron! I don't understand how you can make me feel weak for having emotions. How can you get over your own brother that quickly", hermione cried out.
Ron wasn't perturbed. He merely shrugged,"I guess we just cope differently".
"You're right Ron, I spend my time on my work because my boyfriend doesn't pull through emotionally and you fuck sluts with fusicia panties because your girlfriend won't pull through sexually, it all makes sense now!",she exhales dramatically as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
No response. She made her way to the fireplace. She knew not where she was going, just that she needed to get out of there as fast as she could.
His back was to her, facing the opposite wall. "Give me a good reason to stay", She challenged.
Silence.
"Wow. You are pathetic. We are over. I never want to speak to you again Ronald Weasley", she finalized as she made her way over to the floo. She grabbed a handful of floo powder, "and the worst part is during this whole time you didn't once say you love me, nor I to you-"
Ron spun around and gaped at her. With that she flooed away. Gone.
Hermione barely made it to Harry and Ginny's flat before breaking into hysterics. Why did she feel like her world was falling apart. Did she not just admit to him she didn't love him. She wanted an explanation for the excruciating pain in her chest. She tried to catch her breath, taking in big gulps of air making it hard to breathe. Her knees collided with the floor creating a thud with the hard tile. Even her body was retaliating from the betrayal.
She was surprised she flooed to the right place considering the condition she was in. She just couldn't comprehend Ron's insensitivity. Why did he not care about her and why was he so willing to give up. Her sobs woke up the two occupants and drew them into the living room.
"Mione what happened", Harry asked, rushing to her side embracing her.
Ginny does the same but doesn't say anything. She cradles Hermione in her lap and strokes her hair back in a soothing motion.
"I had nowhere to go",Hermione croaks. Her voice is hoarse from all the crying.
"Please tell us", Harry asked again. Always the hero.
"Ron...Panties",is all she can manage before she becomes hysterical again. She doesn't know where all this is coming from. She is not one to break down in front of others like a baby.
Recognition briefly crosses over Ginny's features and is replaced by anger. Harry is still confused and looks between a sobbing Hermione and his livid girlfriend.
"Come again, i'm still lost", Harry insensitively asks.
Ginny slaps him upside the head and gives hermione an apologetic look."Argh! I'm gonna hang that good for nothing brother of mine by his toes then hex him into next week",she threatens.
Hermione offers her a weak smile. Ginny is always fiercely loyal to her friends and although Ron is her brother, Hermione knows Ginny will be with her through this tough time ahead.
Ginny whispers the situation to Harry. Hermione is thankful for this. She doesn't know if she can bear to have it brought up again.
Although Harry is caught up, he still looks confused. He directs his attention from his girlfriend to Hermione. He asks, "Why would he do that, Ron would never…"
"I don't know",Hermione whispers. Ginny gives her a sympathizing look and watches Hermione attempt to stand on her own. She loses her balance and trips over her feet. Her vision is blurred and her head is fuzzy.
"Let's get you to bed, I'm sure you're exhausted, and dehydrated, and fed up, i know i would be. so I'll go get you some water and a dreamless sleep potion and-"Ginny rambles reminding Hermione of Molly.
She continues her hospitable rant, guiding Hermione to their guest room,"- and of course you can stay here as long as you want we will never let Ron set foot in this flat" hermione flinched at his name.
She felt dazed, the shock still hadn't left her. Hermione climbed into the full sized bed. She noted it wasn't as plush as her old bed. The comforter wasn't as warm. She also realized there wasn't another body next to her. She murmured her thanks to Ginny and shooed her out the door. The room was a little smaller than hers and Ron's. The bathroom was across the hall instead of directly in the room. The closet door was a light mahogany instead of dark. She realized the comparisons she was making so she laid her head down on the semi plush pillow and shut her eyes. Unconsciously she reached out for the frame of a body but she only grasped bedsheets. This was going to take some getting used to.
Hermione woke to the smell of fresh bacon. Her eyes still closed, she wondered if Harry woke early and made breakfast. She smiled a little reminiscing her childhood days when her mum made her bacon. Life then was simple. She wasn't a witch. No Hogwarts. No Voldemort. No death eaters. No Ron. Hermione was afraid to open her eyes. She knew that when she did she would be pitied. People would say poor Hermione. They will say, "She was cheated on and now watch as she hides away again like before". She knows she will be the talk of the month. War heroine Hermione Granger spirals into depression again shortly after the loss of her parents.
She was determined to prove them wrong. This time would not be like last. Ronald Weasley is not worth mourning over and the wizarding community is going to learn that.
Breaking from her musings, Hermione opened her eyes. She climbed out of bed and dressed in some of Ginny's spare clothes.
On her way to the kitchen she remembered the letter addressed to her in her coat pocket. She went to the desk chair where her coat was and brought the letter with her to the kitchen.
Ginny greeted her by the stove. She was wearing a set of black robes with turquoise designs and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Hermione smiled back and sat down at the kitchen table.
She ripped her letter open as Ginny set a plate of bacon and strawberry toast in front of her. "Thanks gin", Hermione said, her eyes still glued to the letter.
Ginny watched Hermione's countenance with morbid fascination as she read the letter. The slice of bacon in Hermione's hand fell to the table as she continued on. Her brows furrowed in confusion. As she finished the letter tears swelled in her eyes. Hermione threw the letter to the ground and stormed out of the kitchen leaving a very confused Ginny by the stove.
On a normal parcel in a nice cursive scrawl the letter said,
To Hermione Jean Granger,
In regards to your current position as an intern at Saint Mungo's for Magical Maladies we are very sorry to inform you of your 2 weeks notice for removal from our program. Due to the lack of money St. Mungo's is acquiring, we now lack the funds to further your internship here. The faculty here believes your termination would not only benefit the funds for our hospital but your learning experience as well. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we assure you that you are not the only one being cut off due to lack of resources. We care about your future, Miss Granger, so we have guaranteed you an internship at the well known Rome International Magical Center in Rome, Italy. Not only does this renowned hospital treat magical humans, but magical creatures as well. Please consider the advance in knowledge and resources this hospital will provide. Thank you so much for being apart of our team, it was a pleasure. We wish you the best of luck in the next chapter of your life.
Sincerely,
Intern Director
Roger Carson
The fresh information weighed on her like a ton of bricks. The pain in her chest erupted again, making it hard to breathe. She remembered Ginny was still there so she left the kitchen and stumbled into the living room.
This issue she could not just floo away from. She needed to think of a reasonable solution. One that wont take her thousands of miles away from home.
She needed some fresh air. She tore open the doors to the balcony and stepped out. Her knuckles turned white from grasping the rail too tight. Why was everything going to shit. She lost her boyfriend and her job in less than 24 hours. Although she was offered another job, moving away would test her willingness to move on. Was she ready to abandon her parents memory. She promised to visit them, and Hermione never forgot one single visit. When she moved away would she move on and accidentally forget about them. She couldn't just let their gravestones go unnoticed. No she had to stay here in England. She had a duty to her mum and dad.
Hermione cried again but she was tired of crying. The tears went as quickly as they came and were quickly dried by the blowing wind. Her job was an escape from reality and now they were casting her aside to a random research center. She didn't care about the stupid place. She couldn't care less that they are the fastest advancing research center in the world.
Hermione sighed. Okay she did care. She wanted to go desperately. The old part of her wanted to go. The old Hermione Granger was coming out of her at this moment. The one who used to spend every night studying, creating elf hats for the house elves at Hogwarts and the girl who raised her hand at every question.
Hermione wondered where the girl who was driven by passion and determination went. Then she remembered. She was cast aside after she discovered the ones she loved most in the world were gone.
Suddenly Hermione had an epiphany. Her parents would want her to got to Rome. They would want her to pursue her dreams. This meant sacrificing the life she has become accustomed to. Maybe going to Rome is the fresh start she has searched for to create a better life.
With Hermione's desicion final she turned to go back inside but was blindsided by Ginny's shoulder. "I know you probably won't listen to me but I think you should take it. I think it will be good for you." Ginny was adamant with her hands on her hips, reminding Hermione much of Molly.
Hermione smiled at the fierce redhead and said, "I agree and I plan on taking it". Ginny shrieked with excitement and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. After a few second she softened and they just sat there in each others arms. "I'm gonna miss you guys", Hermione cried.
Ginny gasped and pulled away, "Well your not gone yet. And you bet i'm gonna miss you to death too! But you promise to owl?!" she pointed a threatening finger at Hermione.
Hermione put her hands up in surrender, "promise". They both laughed.
That night they discussed Hermione's move to Rome, potential love affairs she will have with mysterious Italian men and when harry got home they filled him in. Again. Hermione was happy for the distraction her two friends were providing. All night she didn't once think about her crumbling life. Maybe because her life was starting to pick itself back up again.