"Thank you, Minerva, thank you for taking me in. I had nowhere to go." Hermione looked up at her mentor, who had a frown on her face. "I'm sorry this happened to you darling. Mister Weasley and you never quite fit together in my eyes. He always seemed the type to never settle." Minerva paused. "I've been trying to get you back here to teach Muggle Studies since you graduated, so I'm so happy you're here. You know, though, that these walls consider this your home and you will always be welcome. Considering that the school transformed the room I chose for you to one I think you will truly enjoy before I could even step inside it, I think the school is actually quite eager for you to be back."

Hermione smiled at this, knowing that while she was a student at Hogwarts, the school always was slightly more accommodating to her, flights of stairs not moving when she had a place to be, the library always a little bit closer… it even took her only one pace in front of the Room of Requirement for her to be granted access. She felt like they had a mutual respect for one another, but as she left, she knew it was more. The Castle seemed to envelop her in warmth as she left after graduation, in what felt like a hug, bringing tears to her eyes.

Minerva was right: she did quite enjoy the room. The door was behind a painting of a witch who looked suspiciously like Le Mona Lisa, and the portal opened to a cozy space, long wood planked floors leading to a sunny bay window.

A small kitchen was in the corner, with dark wooden countertops, cozy white cabinets, and vintage stove and refrigerator. One entire wall was lined with book shelves, but for a small space with a muggle flat-screened television (the first to ever be in the castle? She would have to research that) and a fire place. There were three doors along the other wall. The first one was a small bathroom with a pretty claw foot tub and a pedestal sink. The second was her bedroom, the only room with furniture – a small, functional room with a Hogwarts four poster bed, a queen size rather than full, and sheer champagne colored curtains that caught the light coming from the window in a romantic, soft way.

The third door, small with a peculiarly intricate turn down handle, she was delighted to find led her directly into the back of the library.

It was perfect – the castle left her with a beautiful blank canvas for her to put her stamp on. Minerva sensed this too. A note from the Headmistress was left on the counter – Hermione, the castle seemed to sense that you would like the opportunity to pick out your own furniture. When you are ready, Winky was happy to volunteer to take you to the furniture storage room to pick out what you would like, and she will accompany you to your rooms to help you arrange your things. – M.M.

So Hermione and Winky spent companionable time picking out plush rugs, a lovely, worn brown leather sofa and matching arm chairs that she learned had once been in Professor Dumbledore's office, and a pair of wrought iron floor lamps that had once belonged to Professor Burbage.

Hermione sat on her comfy couch, after Winky had left with a promise to bring her whatever she needed, mulling over the fact that she would have to eventually bring in more than her clothes to make it feel like home. She quilled a short note to Ron, advising that she would be by the next day to collect her things. A short while later, his owl, Errol, knocked on her window. She took the note from his leg, offering him a treat, which he refused haughtily, leaving immediately.

Hermione,

Thankfully, I will not be home tomorrow. Please know that this is the last time you will be allowed into the house, as I'm moving to the burrow and subletting the apartment. There is no reason for me to live like a Muggle if you aren't there. Your bath things and the remainder of your clothes will be on a box on the kitchen counter. Please take any personal affects that mean anything to you as they will be thrown out before the sublet moves in.

Ron

Hermione shuttered at the coldness of his note. She stuck on a pair of house shoes and made her way to Neville's quarters, two doors down from her own (the other doors being a janitor cupboard and a storage cupboard). She knocked, hoping desperately that he would be in, because if she were alone for one more second she would burst into tears.

Neville answered with his soothing, charming smile and Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
"Hello, Professor Granger! What can I do for you?" He ushered her into his living room with a flourish. His rooms were a perfect representation of her friend – leafy greenery covered every possible surface. Bookshelves on either side of his fireplace were filled with botany books, a happy mixture of Magic and Muggle. His remembrall was sitting on his mantle, along with a magicked picture of his parents, one of him and his Gran at Graduation, and one of the entire DA.

"Wow, Nev. Your room is so very … you! I love it." He blushed, smiling at her with a quiet thanks. "Well, I've had a few good years to get things collected, haven't I?" He put a kettle on at the bar that she supposed was his kitchen.

Once they sat and had steaming cups of tea in hand, Hermione spilled out her relationship in a few hurried sentences. "I just always thought he would settle down by now, you know? I don't want to party all my life. I want a husband and children, and NOT in ten years. I'm sick of how our house always smell slightly like Marijuana and stale crisps, and how he has no idea how to cook. I want a partner, not a perpetual man-child. I don't love who he is right now, and it finally got to the point where … where I realized that it wasn't right now, it was forever. He wasn't going to change, no matter how long and how patiently I waited."

"I'm sorry, Mione. I know how it feels to realize that the person you've been with forever doesn't want the same things as you do." He pursed his lips. She nodded in recognition – she knew from Ginny that Luna Lovegood's wanderlust finally got the best of Neville, whose main ambition required him to stand maddeningly still for her taste. "Well!" He stated with finality to whatever thoughts he was lost in. "You are lucky, Professor Granger, for you have a dedicated friend on your side. You and I will go to that flat, collect your things, and then get right smashed afterward. What do you say?" Hermione took a second to appreciate how lucky she was, put her teacup down, and gave her friend a crushing hug. "Thank you."