Based off the series by JK Rowling, as well as a loose adaptation of the video game Remember Me
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Fall, 1998
"I still can't believe George is letting you run the shop by yourself today."
"Really, Hermione? You still have no faith in me."
"You know that isn't how I meant it, Ron."
Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley stood in the storage rooms within Weasley's Wizards Wheezes, stocking up the joke shop for the day's sales. George Weasley, Ron's brother, wasn't coming into work that day. A fact that Hermione found very…
"…peculiar. George usually spends all day and all night in the shop working himself tirelessly since the war and…"
Ron dropped a box of Rubby O'Chickens during Hermione's sentence, which managed to bounce out and do an Irish step dance.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Hermione hastily apologized, bending over to restock the chickens. Ron stood frozen. She felt so insensitive by almost mentioning Fred's death. George lost his twin, but Ron lost his brother too. He wasn't grieving any less.
"I meant to say that I'm really proud of you, Ron. You must've shown George how useful you are around here," Hermione said to a still Ron. She handed Ron the now collected box of chickens hoping to drive him out of his reverie. It worked. Ron gave a slight tremor before flashing Hermione a toothy grin.
"Of course I'm useful, Hermione. Mum thinks I have a knack for business, kind of like Bill does with Gringotts. But I figure she'd have my head if I try a career anything less than safe in her eyes."
"And what could possibly be safe in Molly Weasley's eyes?" she asked walking close to Ron. She placed her hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes with a soft smile.
"Knitting comes to mind."
Hermione laughed as Ron broke from her embrace to continue restocking shelves.
"Perhaps singing and dancing even," Ron continued. "Although I could always break my ankle trying to waltz." He finished stocking the box and turned to face Hermione. "And you remember me fourth year, I was shit at the waltz."
"If I remember fourth year, you hardly danced at all."
"And you danced too much." He held out his arms for her to walk into, giving her a tight hug and resting his head atop of hers. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I know this isn't how you wanted to spend your free day in Diagon Alley– waking up early and helping me restock."
Pulling away, she smiled at Ron. "It's alright. I'm just glad I got to see you. I feel like I've hardly seen you since term started."
"Well the shop has been hectic and you were the one who insisted on going back to Hogwarts."
"And you know why I did, Ron," she stated in an exacting tone.
Ron groaned, "Bloody hell, let's not start this again."
"No, maybe we should. Obviously you don't understand my reasoning towards going back to school and I've explained to you and to Harry…"
Ron put a finger to her lips to quiet her. Then he gave her a soft, lingering peck that made her sigh with content.
"I don't want to argue with you. I want to finish stocking these shelves then spend a few moments with you before Verity comes and the store opens."
They remained in silence, with Ron continuing to stock before Hermione decided to fill it. "Are you nervous?"
"Well, do I need to be? I can handle any of the little innocent kids that come my way."
"Innocent? Ron, they're whatever you can imagine 13 and older schoolchildren to be. Anxious, rowdy, and ready to spend their galleons."
"Why can't they all be like me at that age?"
"Then George would never leave you to run the shop alone. He'll never leave himself to run the shop alone."
"Again, with the no faith."
"No, it's just that you and Harry were no model students at that age."
They walked up towards the front where Ron began to fiddle with the cash register.
He sighed in apology. "Again, I'm sorry, 'Mione. We should be getting lunch together or something."
"And again it's fine." She came from behind to hug him around the waist. "I'm just happy to see you."
Just then, their store associate, Verity, walked in–her bouffant hair seeming bigger than ever. Hermione immediately dropped her arms from around Ron and stepped aside him. She disliked showing affection in front of a crowd.
"I know I'm early, Ron, I'd just thought I'd come in and help you restock everything," Verity said. She spared Hermione no attention, as if she didn't exist.
Ron flashed her a toothy grin while saying thanks. "I've pretty much handled everything, but you can take a look in the back to see if I've missed anything."
"I'm sure you didn't." She gave him a look that didn't sit well with Hermione before she sauntered her way into the back stock room.
"Hello, Verity," Hermione stated in a no nonsense tone.
Verity gave her a slight head nod before eventually disappearing. Hermione immediately stared at Ron for commentary, one he didn't provide.
Crossing her arms, and stonily saying, "Verity is helpful," Hermione wanted Ron to say something.
"She is," he responded, closing the cash register. Hermione frowned slightly. Maybe she was being paranoid. He kissed her on the forehead before he turned towards the stockroom. "I'd best bet getting ready."
"Yeah," she said downcast. "Floo later tonight?"
"I'd can't. Knowing George, he'd want to sit me to and tell him exactly what happened today."
"Where is he, by the way?"
Ron shrugged. "I'm not sure. He told me the Ministry and that it could take an hour or all day."
"Okay. Perhaps I'll send you a post then."
"Then I'll be waiting for a post."
Ron leaned forward to give her one last kiss before she departed the store. The chiming sound of the door seemed to echo in the alley.
Spring, 2002
The alarm sound of her clock sounded through the room. Hermione, bushy hair and all, reached from her duvet to turn the offending sound off. Getting out of bed would mean starting a day she dreaded so much. Slowly shifting herself to a sitting position before she stood to walk to the bathroom, she glanced at the calendar on her wall. May 2nd, it read, as clear as day.
Her apartment stood quaintly within the confines of muggle Newcastle, as part of her newly created role as Governess of Muggle Liaisons with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had the week off and today was a known wizarding mourning day.
She took a quick shower and magically dried her hair, before she was dressed and grabbing some fruit for breakfast.
She feared she'd be late to the Burrow. Hermione always spent Remembrance Day there. Hermione would usually help Molly cook and prepare for everyone. While the sadness of the day hung over everyone's head like a rain cloud, there was a silver lining. It was Victoire's 1st birthday. Hermione could never forget the hectic atmosphere that led to her birth last year.
Bill hadn't wanted Fleur to travel anywhere during the last couple of weeks in her pregnancy. Fleur, hormonal and authoritative, commanded Bill to move out of the way as she headed toward the floo to head over to the Burrow. Fleur started going into labor in the fireplace.
Bill was freaking out, understandably, on the other side of the connection at Shell Cottage while Molly helped coach Fleur and her granddaughter's entrance into the world. Ron had passed out when he saw Fleur on the floor, which George was sure to take a picture of, to cement Ron's embarrassment. It was the first time Hermione could recall George laughing since the war.
Victoire's birth brought a therapeutic relief to the mourning day, but the Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione had all still grieved for what was lost. But looking at the newest Weasley, it made Hermione cry. She was a light of hope and innocence in a world she long thought tainted by the ramifications of war.
Her job with the Department was just a customary title really. Muggle borns, for the most part, had no substantial knowledge of the war and the Ministry wanted to keep it as such. Hermione, along with a different Hogwarts professor or alumnus, would travel to the home of a muggle born, explain the war in the most fundamental of terms, further explain the war of over and the magical world was doing its best to rebuild itself. Many parents were skeptical; they would laugh and look at her with a dubious stare. But the child would likely believe Hermione and look at her with worry and apprehension.
Hermione would escort many of the muggle born wizards and witches to King's Cross a day early for an orientation many of the former Order members would sanction. She never went though, deciding the event best for Hogwarts staff and the Order to control. On the second to last day of schooling, she would follow up with many of the first years that were reported happy, active, and fitting in with their peers. She believed her job was almost too easy.
Hermione ran off into a deserted muggle street to successfully apparate into the Valediction of Fallen Victors, a small, commemorative park within Wizarding London designated for the fallen of the second war. It was usually packed any other Remembrance Day, but today the park was deserted.
If you didn't count Hermione standing at the entrance, looking confused.
She walked up to the center statue. The beautiful thing about the park was the sculptures erected, as well as a wall for everyone's name that passed. The Ministry wanted a giant statue of Harry in the center, but Harry immediately shot down this idea, instead putting an empty chair to represent Dumbledore's seat in the Headmaster's office. Hermione would reach out and touch the armrest of the marble figure and feel the mentor's wisdom envelop her as if he were there.
There was a small werewolf with a stag and a dog, with two girls in front of them playing with flowers; one girl's hair would change every so often. There was a tall man who would disassemble and reassemble into funny positions. There was a little boy with a potion cauldron in front of him. The statues were not explicit as to whom they were for, but Hermione thought that's what made them more meaningful.
Despite being alone, Hermione would go through her ritual of placing magical flowers by the memorials. She would have thought flowers and trinkets already be placed at the site, but there was nothing. She was confused. She knew she wasn't late; this was the same time they had agreed upon last year. Maybe plans had changed?
After laying her flowers, she started to leave. She offered one glance at the park and saw a figure she hadn't noticed before. They were dressed in gray, moving beside the statue of the boy with the cauldron in front of him. She felt some relief; someone else had remembered today.
Hermione began to walk towards the person, before they realized someone was approaching them. They turned around and Hermione came face to face with the only other person who seemingly remembered. She had faltered in her steps.
"Wh…what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice coming out smaller than she would've liked.
He looked at her with a guilty glance, before bowing his head and walking away from her. It was different from how he used to look at her though, with barely disguised contempt.
"Malfoy, wait," she called out. He stopped, but did not turn around.
"Why are we the only ones here?"
Again, no response. He left her alone in the middle of the park.
Hermione was alone in the expansive field as she apparated to the Burrow. She was still worried something was wrong.
She entered to see the Bill, George, Harry, and Ron all crowded around Victoire and Teddy, whom Andromeda brought, as Victoire began to clap.
The boys all began to cheer and Teddy, who was a little older, was able to mimic and clap and cheer along with the rest of them. It was a really endearing sight to see.
"Hermione dear, I thought you weren't going to show!" Molly exclaimed from behind her. She gave a flustered Hermione a tight hug.
Hermione looked closely at Molly's face, for any indication that she forgotten the significance of the day. "I was just at the park." She waited on baited breath for the response.
"Well luckily you made it in before the rain storm. Come, I'm just putting the finishing touches on Victoire's cake." Molly led Hermione in the kitchen where most of the girls were congregated.
Ginny ran up to her first. "Hermione, good to see you."
"You look a bit flushed, un peu inquiet," Fleur said.
"I'm fine," Hermione admitted. But why are we avoiding the elephant in the room?
Further back, she could see Verity's bouffant hair washing dishes. She was still uncomfortable in her presence.
"Nice to see you, Verity," Hermione said politely.
Verity glanced at her briefly. "Likewise," she muttered.
Ginny took her hand and lead her back out to where to boys were. "Don't worry if you feel like you're late. Mum got an extremely early start this morning. She said she woke up in the middle of the night and doesn't know why. She figured since she was up, she could start baking. And boy, she did."
Hermione shook her head. That sounded partially like her. She would wake up in the middle of the night often, having unconscious flashbacks to the war. Maybe it's the reason the plans have changed and why no one was there to meet her at the park.
"By the time most of us got here, she was nearly done with her roast. We're almost besides ourselves with idle time."
The other girls started filling out of the kitchen, standing behind them.
"Mum must've kicked everyone out," Ginny noted. "I'm going to check on Dad, Percy and Andromeda outside. We can probably help set-up tables or start de-gnoming the yard. I just need to do something…"
Ginny headed outside and took Harry with her under the intimidation of 'if you wanna look at babies, then get some of your own!'
Hermione snuck away to go back to the kitchen to hopefully talk to Molly and clear up the confusion she was experiencing.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, she saw Molly hold a lavender liquid with a shaky hand, before drinking all of it.