Chapter 1

Hermione Granger lay awake in her bed, with her eyes tight shut. In her mind she could see the dark chestnut posts of her bed, the deep scarlet curtains surrounding it and even the spider (who she had named 'Charlotte' in her first year) curled up and asleep in its web in the top left hand corner. As it was only about 6 am, everyone else was asleep and she could hear the soft snuffles of the other girls in their sleep. In an hour they would all rise and she would make her way down to the great hall for breakfast with Harry and Ron, like every morning. Although they all had the same standard setup, each day at Hogwarts was exciting and Hermione thoroughly enjoyed it, or at least she had done when she'd been there. With a groan of disappointment Hermione opened her eyes, not to the four poster bed she'd seen in her mind, but the cream ceiling of her bedroom at her parent's home. The snuffling noises were not the other girls in her dormitory, but actually Crookshanks gently snoring in his sleep. And instead of making her way down to the great hall, she'd soon be downstairs eating soggy cornflakes by herself, as she'd done for the last year of her life. Hermione had known that she'd miss Hogwarts – that had always been clear to her – but she never realised how much it would hurt, and how little the hurt would go away as time passed.

Glancing at her bedside table, Hermione caught sight of her alarm clock which showed that it was only 6:12 am. With a weary sigh she climbed out of bed, grabbing a jumper from the chair at the end of her bed and pulling it on. The jumper she'd put on was second hand, although who its original owner was she'd never known as she'd simply found it abandoned in a corridor in her fifth year at Hogwarts, and had picked it with the intention of returning it to its owner. Due to several events that day, the jumper had ended up in Hermione's trunk, forgotten about until she returned home at the end of the year. This had now become Hermione's 'cosy jumper' which she wore on cold mornings and rainy days.

Hermione made her way across the messy bedroom and padded quietly downstairs (eager not to wake her parents, as things were still a little awkward between them and her since they returned from Australia three months ago). She made herself a cup of tea, and sat looking out the window and contemplating life. The weather outside wasn't particularly inspiration weather – grey clouds filled the drizzly and cold looking sky – but Hermione felt it reflected her mood perfectly. This is my life now, sitting around, drinking tea and watching the sky Hermione thought to herself I haven't seen my friends for months nor taken notice of any happenings in the Wizarding world. Harry had become an auror just over six months ago, and was currently away in Norway searching for the last few death eaters that hadn't yet been captured. Ron had been persuaded by his brothers to join 'Weasleys Wizard Wheezes' and was working at the branch in Hogsmead, which was too hectic for him to escape for a day and come and visit her. Ginny too was busy, she and Harry had married a few months ago, and she recently announced her pregnancy – something Molly disapproved of due to her being 'only 18 years old!'. Nonetheless, they'd all grown up, changed and moved on – unlike Hermione who spent her time moping around and missing the previous 7 years.

I need to do something with my life Hermione told herself, I can't just carry on like this! With a sudden feeling of purpose and intent, she picked up a pen and paper and beginning to write something she'd been considering for a long time now.

Dear Professor McGonagall,

I'm writing to enquire about any potential teaching opportunities at Hogwarts. I would be willing to teach any subject – excluding Divination – and would appreciate it greatly could you alert me should there be any openings.

Thank you for your time,

Hermione Granger

After reading it over, Hermione folded up the letter and placed it in an envelope before quickly changing into some proper clothes. She scribbled a note to her parents, telling them she'd be out for the day, grabbed her beaded bag and spun on the spot with a loud crack.

"""""

Diagon Alley was seldom busy this early in the morning, yet there were a few witches and wizards buzzing around. Hermione made her way down to the post office, pausing only to buy more food for Crookshanks. The post office was an interesting room, filled with the screeches of hundreds of owls which were nested on stands all over the walls. At this time in the morning there was only one counter open, a slightly sad looking wizard with hair that stuck on end and a crazed look in his eye.

"Good morning" Hermione said cheerily.

"Hello, not a very nice morning is it?" the man replied "my cat woke me up this morning, he'd caught a mouse and he left it on my pillow. Wasn't very nice at all, I quite like mice"

"Umm I'd like to post a letter" Hermione said nervously, he was much chattier than expected.

"Oh yes, post a letter" he echoed, snapping his fingers in the air until a handsome grey owl flew down and landed on it. Hermione handed the letter over, almost tingling with excitement of what could come of it.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Hogwarts please"

"10 Knuts dear" he told her, tying the letter to the owls leg as it stood proudly "same price as my morning paper delivery funnily enough, used only to be 5 knuts but times have been tough since you know who came about"

"You can call him Voldemort you know, he's dead now" Hermione told the man helpfully, although a shiver ran down her spine as memories flashed in her head.

"He…he killed my cousin" the mans eyes had widened "you have no idea what it was like"

Hermione stared at him, not wanting to be disrespectful but at the same time wanting to scream 'I know what it was like! I was there, I lost friends, I lost my parents for 2 years, I know more than most how awful it was!' Instead, she nodded sadly and walked out of the shop, watching the dot in the sky that was her letter on its way to Hogwarts.