Disclaimer: The wonderful HP universe belongs to J.K. Rowling

A big thank you to my wonderful Beta Clover Bay!

Romanian Summer

Chapter 1

Hogwarts: Hermione's and Ginny's graduation party

"So, my dear, what are your plans now for the future?"

Hermione groaned inwardly but put a polite smile on her face nonetheless.

"I'm planning on studying magical law." She would strangle the next one who asked that question, she had been asked the same bloody question a million times in the last few weeks. She looked at the wizard in front of her. He looked familiar, an order member, but she couldn't remember his name.

"Oh I'm sure we'll hear great things of you," the wizard replied smiling indulgently.

Hermione nearly rolled her eyes, but stopped herself at the last moment. She just mumbled a reply and quickly made her way outside towards the lake.

After returning to Hogwarts to complete her seventh and final year, Hermione found herself as she always envisioned: top of her class, surrounded by friends, enjoying a perfect day. Instead of the pride and happiness she thought she would feel, though, the reality of the day was exhaustion and loneliness.

True she still had her friends. It was also Ginny's graduation party and almost the whole Weasley clan was there. But she felt somewhat alone in a sea of people.

Neither of her two best friends had returned to school with her. Harry had started Auror training a year ago, while Ron had helped out George in the shop. But Ron planned to start Auror training this fall. Ginny would be playing Quidditch professionally for the Holyhead Harpies next season (she still couldn't believe it and would start squealing and jumping around every other moment).

Hermione also missed the close relationship she had with her parents; she had gone to Australia to find them, and successfully restored their memories.

Her parents had been very upset and disappointed at the beginning, but they had talked a lot, Hermione had told them everything that had happened during the last seven years. Her parents had gone through various emotions: shock, anger, bewilderment before they had finally started to understand. To understand that this was a world completely different from their own, a world they would never fully understand and a world they couldn't follow Hermione in.

They didn't want to lose their only daughter but it would take a while until the trust would be restored and even though the relationship was still strained, it had started to heal.

Hermione had been disappointed when her parents had decided to not come back to England with her, at least not yet. She would be going to visit them in Australia soon, but she still wished they would be there.

XYX

"Okay Hermione see we've got a room for you, we haven't done anything 'cause we thought we'd let you decorate it," Ron exclaimed enthusiastically.

Hermione looked around, the room was neither small nor big, it was light and except for a closet, a bed and a desk it was empty. She liked it, she could do something with it.

Harry had sold Grimmauld Place and moved into a flat in Diagon Alley with Ron. And now Hermione would be moving in with them too.

She was glad everything had gone back to normal with Ron. After she had kissed him during the final battle (she still wondered what possessed her to do it) they had a short and awkward – she didn't even know what to call it - that they had maybe a fling or intermezzo. Very soon, however, they both realized that it would be better for their sanity (and that of those around them) if they just stayed friends.

Ron discovered some of the perks of being a war hero, more precisely that it drew the ladies towards him like moths to the flame. Needless to say that he took full advantage of that.

Harry had been relieved when they broke up and decided to stay friends, their constant bickering had been driving him nuts. While Ron enjoyed the attention he got from the fairer sex, Harry didn't. He had already found the one he wanted and after he had charmed her back into his arms he was determined to never let her go. Luckily Ginny was rather feisty and put some of Harry's rather forward admirers to flight with a well aimed hex.

The day after moving in with her two best friends, Hermione went shopping for some furniture to make her room more homey. She didn't have much time before she left to visit her parents in Australia.

Her parents were happy when she arrived; the last time they've seen her was during the Christmas holidays. Hermione enjoyed being spoiled by them. Her Mum would make her favourite dishes and they all went on excursions together.

They were proud of her and approved of her decision to study magical law; unlike Transfiguration or Arithmancy, law was something they could relate to.

Even though she had felt more content and at ease there with her parents than she had in a while, her mother still sensed that something was wrong with her and decided to address it one evening.

They sat together on the patio with soft music playing in the background and a bottle of red wine on the table, when her mother suddenly said, "Hermione, I can't help but think that something is wrong with you."

"Oh, what makes you think that?" Hermione replied, unsure whether she felt like talking about it or not.

"You're pale and you got thin, you look tired and I know that you don't sleep well and you just don't seem to be as interested and enthusiastic about things as you used to be."

Hermione chose not to answer and instead took another sip from her wine. So her mother continued, "You've been through a lot and you didn't take your time to process everything that had happened. You went back to Hogwarts right away, maybe you need some time for yourself, maybe you need professional help…"

"I don't need professional help," Hermione replied fiercly, "the others move on just fine with their lives so why shouldn't I be able to do so as well."

Her mother sighed, "You can't look into another person; you don't know how fine they are, and even if you could, everybody handles those kind of things differently."

"We won the war, we're supposed to have our happily ever after now," Hermione huffed.

"Life is not a fairy tale, Hermione."

"I know, but I don't have any reason to feel like this. I mean we won the war so we don't have to fear for our lives anymore, and I graduated top of my class. I can have any career I chose and I do want to study magical law, I've wanted that since fourth year, but now the thought of going to university and study just makes me feel.. I don't know what I feel – I guess that is the problem, that I don't feel anything actually," Hermione felt that she was starting to lose control over all those feelings she had carefully suppressed for a year now.

Her mother took her into her arms while Hermione started crying.

"It's gonna be alright," she murmured into her daughters ear, holding her tight.

After a while when Hermione's sobs had died down, her mother said carefully, "You could take some time off."

"And do what?" Hermione sniffled.

"You could stay with us here, or go travelling or something."

"I'll think about it."

XYX

Hermione had been back to England for a few days. She had already bought any book she could get her hands on, on magical law in general and the enslavement of the house elves in particular. But for the first time in her life she actually had to force herself to open a book.

Her mother's idea of taking time off, sounded more and more appealing. She just didn't know what she should do, she didn't really feel like staying with her parents and then do what, travelling sounded good but she didn't want to go alone and she was not the type of person to just sit around and wait and see, she needed a plan.

This evening when they were at the Burrow for dinner, Molly told them excitedly that she had good news.

"So what news do you have for us, Mum," Ginny asked curiously.

"Well, Charlie invited us all to the Dragon preserve." She said happily.

"I'm in." Ginny, Ron and George cried simultaneously.

"What about you dears?" Molly looked at Hermione and Harry expectantly.

"Oh, we're invited too." Harry said surprised, "well I'll have to see if I can get a few days off."

"And what about you Hermione?"

"I'm in."