Have you ever smelled something that just enthralled you. It was so potent that the thought of it was enough? A smell that drove your world, that when you finally smelled it again it brought back every memorable moment you've ever had that involved that smell somehow?

Books. The smell of those fresh pages, even the old books had a smell. It was a smell that relaxed her, that brought her back home where she knew she belonged. For Hermione Granger, books were her saving grace.

Four years after the War, almost to the day, Hermione Granger sat in her overly large, and overly plush recliner. The light from outside her small cottage was starting to fade. It was her indicator that she had spent her Saturday curled up with an old favorite, Hogwarts A History, a tan wool blanket wrapped around her lower half. She wore a deep green sweater with sleeves just slightly to long. There was a mug of hot chocolate sitting next to her on her side table.

The TV was on but she had turned it down so that it was almost to a mute, there was a movie playing, one she didn't seem to recognize. It looked interesting enough, but her stomach turned over. She was hungry. She had been reading all day, with nothing to eat. So she laid her book down on the arm of her recliner and made her way to the kitchen. Her sweater was accompanied by grey leggings, her curls had finally started to calm down and lay in a large wave down her back and over her shoulders. Her feet were cold as she didn't care to wear socks.

Getting to the fridge she opened the door and rummaged threw it. She grumbled to herself when she couldn't find anything. But at the last second she caught a glimpse of an old Chinese container out the corner of her eye in the trash bin as she was closing the fridge door. She checked the clock over the stove. She had just enough time to place an order and have it delivered.

Hermione lived near a small muggle town just outside of London. She liked the secludedness her cottage gave her. It sat back in the woods in a small field down a gravel road. She liked being away from society just enough she could keep to herself. The War had taken a lot out of her. She spent her weeks at work, and her weekends at home. Sometimes she would leave to hang out with her friends. But she had slowed down on even doing that really.

Harry and Ginny had a newborn baby boy named James, after Harrys dad. Ron had a long term girlfriend that he lived with. The boys had done well for themselves. Harry was an accomplished Aurora. Ron was a high galleon Quidditch player, that teams had to fight for when its selection time. For Hermione herself she wanted more, she had a job at the Ministry logging the Prophecies that came in. But she needed something more something that would bring the old Hermione back.

The doorbell rang thirty minutes later. She paid the man adding a gracious tip as she always does. The bag of food wafted up towards her nose. The smell of General Saos, and crab ragoon put her stomach into a fit of rage waiting to be fed. "I need to remember to feed myself throughout the day" she thought as she pulled up a TV tray next to her recliner. The movie she had noticed on earlier was ending. So she waited for the credits to stop rolling to see what would be coming on next.

An hour and a half later or so Hermione was woken up by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. She flung herself up out of her chair her wand crushed in her fingers and at the ready. She had lost crookshanks a year ago to an illness no one could figure out what he had had. So she knew it wasn't him, and she didn't have any other pets.

Hermione quietly made her way over to the entry to the kitchen and pressed her back against the wall. This hadn't happened to her, not here at her home. She was scared, her hands shook, the hair on her arms stood on end. How did anyone get through her wards? Her wards were just protection wards, the only way you could get through was through the front door, or back door. So who or what was in her kitchen?

Hermione peeked around the doorframe. She looked around, she didn't see anyone. Then she saw it. She had to laugh at herself. Putting her wand down she stepped out from behind the door. In her cabinets above the sink where she kept treats and snacks was a large golden barn owl. He was attempting to steal treats.

"Excuse me sir, what do you think you're doing?" The owl perked up, his large golden eyes shining bright. He let out a chirp and swooped down to her kitchen table, and held out a leg. He had a piece of parchment tied to it. "Who could it be from?" She thought. She walked up to the owl and scratched him under the base of his wing. Most owls she encountered seemed to like this. She took the parchment and walked over to the cabinet the owl had been rummaging through and pulled out some treats.

The owl took them and left. He had gotten threw the chimney it seemed. She noted that she would have to make sure to fix that later on. Making her way to her bedroom after turning the TV off she crawled into bed and slid her fingers under the all to familiar seal on the back.

Dear Hermione Granger,

I would like to formally invite you to my office on Monday May 1st at 1:00pm. I look forward to your visit.Headmistress of

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hermione laid back in her bed, what could Professor McGonagall need from her? She folded the parchment and carefully laid it on the table next to her. She pulled the large grey comforter up to her shoulders and rolled onto her side. Dreams were calling her. She hoped the nightmares would stay away tonight. She fell into a deep sleep wondering what Monday would bring.