Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended. All credit goes to JK Rowling. If you see something you remember from the books or films, it does not belong to me. You can't sue me, I don't have any money.
Author's note: I'm still alive and the aliens haven't abducted me… It's short, but it needed to be done. AU.
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He paused in the middle of the abandoned hallway and sighed, even at a distance he could see that the lock had been forced.
"They seem to have gone in, sir."
He turned to the helpful ghost and nodded.
"Thank you, I'll deal with it."
The ghost bowed slightly and turned back down the corridor, leaving him alone.
He had been reluctant to return again, but following the battle there was a rather serious staff shortage. Eventually, after much negotiation, he'd handed a signed contract to the openly relieved Professor McGonagall and moved back into his old office. One year, one year as a favour to the headmistress. At this point he wasn't sure if anyone was looking for a replacement.
Most of the castle had been repaired over the summer, but some parts of the school were still out of bounds. Including the fourth floor corridor on the northern side.
He'd been about to turn in for the night when the ghost had informed him of a disturbance on the floor above his and he was quick to respond. The corridor was out of bounds because it was dangerous, but children will be children and he knew that a few warnings wouldn't have kept the marauders away either, quite the opposite in fact.
He carefully pushed the door open with his wand at the ready, experience telling him you could never be too careful. Constant Vigilance…
It was cold in the hallway. The broken windows hadn't been replaced yet and there was nothing to keep the elements at bay.
There were no candles in the brackets against the walls, but he could see well enough without them. The detritus from the fight had been removed along with the portraits that had previously occupied the hallway, but there were black burn marks and gouges in the marble floor and against the walls that served as a stark reminder of the battle that had taken place here and the lives that were lost.
He could make out a figure huddled in a corner at the far end of the hall, curled up so that he couldn't see a face, but he didn't need to. The pajama clad figure with the bushy brown hair was almost painfully familiar.
"Hermione?"
She didn't respond and he wasn't sure if she had heard him, so he took a few careful steps closer.
"Hermione, you should be here. Why aren't you in bed?"
The poor girl had returned to Hogwarts to complete her education, but even though he understood why she had done so he knew that it was too much too soon.
There was still no reaction and he moved to stand beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.
She looked up at him with tears running down her face and he could tell that she'd been crying for some time.
"I'm sorry, professor, I… I didn't…"
Whatever else she had been about to say was lost in a fresh round of sobs.
He sat down on the cold stone floor beside her and pulled her closer until she was leaning against him with her head on his shoulder. She was shaking slightly and her tears were soaking his robes. He placed his arm around her and held her close.
"Shh, shh… It's over now. I know it hurts, but it's over now. He's gone, he caused so much pain but he's gone now."
He rested his head against the wall gently stroked her back. It would take time to recover, but it was truly over now…
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