So, I hope you like it so far. I'll always welcome constructive criticism. No Ron bashing, (he is one of my favourite characters)but there may be a competitor for Draco. Watch out!
Hermione Granger was reading Hogwarts: A history for the umpteenth time. She was sitting on her four- poster bed, her legs splayed out, as she concentrated on each and every line.
Her once- frizzy hair was now considerably tamed, hanging in the form of loose ringlets, down to her waist. Her smooth pale skin had developed a tan over the past year. Her face was dotted with tiny freckles, and was forever free of make up, making her natural beauty more evident. Her wide chocolate eyes, with a fringe of long eyelashes, and her heart shaped face with Cupid's bow lips, unknowingly, made her the envy of the witches in Hogwarts.
As if being the Brightest Witch of her generation wasn't enough!
But young Hermione was unaware of her beauty. She considered herself ordinarily pretty, unaware of the glances and wolf-whistles that she received.
Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, apparated into their best friend's bedroom, apparently without reservation.
"Harry", she ran up to the Boy- Who –Lived, the man she considered her brother, embracing him with a wide smile.
"Oi, What about me?", said Ron, highly affronted.
"Ron", she embraced him just as tightly.
Soon after their kiss, Ron and Hermione had both thought that it felt incestuous, and had agreed to remain friends, making everything much less complicated.
Harry had been fine with it, but Ginny and Molly Weasley had not hidden their temporary disappointment.
"So …. what now? You look like you have something to say ….", began Hermione.
"Yes, right, you know us better than anyone.", said Ron. He took out a chocolate frog, and popped it into his mouth. Harry chuckled, his green eyes twinkling.
"So…"
"Yes, well Hermione, I …", Harry began
"You got into the Auror department.", she finished with her know-it all voice.
"I got into the…. Wait! How did you know?", said Harry, confused.
"What else could possibly have you so excited?", she said, rolling her eyes, good-naturedly.
Harry smiled brightly at her.
"I'm working at George's shop, thanks for asking.", grumbled Ron, scowling as his ears turned red.
"Oh, stop moaning Ronald. Ginny told me."
"You're going back to Hogwarts.", said Ron.
The silence hung heavily in the air, as they looked at each other.
For the first time, the Trio realized, that their paths lead elsewhere. No longer would there be a rush to complete the homework, or sneaking out past curfew, or their moments in front of the Gryffindor fire-pace, or Quidditch tryouts, or the feasts in the Great Hall, or visits to Hagrid…
"At least everything is the way its supposed to be.", said Harry. His bleak expression convinced nobody. They knew he was thinking of Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Colin…
The two boys left after awhile, leaving Hermione to her thoughts and tears.
It was so hard for her to keep a straight face, even though every cell in her body, wanted to just run away, or give up – succumb to the tears, the grief. The hole in her heart reminded her- everything around her reminded her- of her dead family.
Kingsley, the new Minister of Magic had informed her a month ago, of the raid on her parents' home, the day after she obliviated them. Dolohov had killed her parents, brutally- and was still on the run. She wanted to scream, to take her wand, track him down and crucio him, till he died from the pain. She wanted to use sectumsempra on him till he bled to death.
But she never did.
"No. No. No. God please. No….",her words trailed off as she choked.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. If I had known….", began Kingsley.
"Its not your fault.", she choked. "I obliviated them. They knew nothing about me. They were simply Wendell and Monica. They were supposed to go to Australia….", she broke down again.
Her sobs were the only sound in the room, as Kingsley looked on sadly.
Finally. "Take me to them.",she said, in a soft child like voice.
She knew nothing beyond that.
She remembered flashes, falling on the ground in front of their graves, screaming and pulling her hair. She remembered her hoarse voice "Come back. Come back." For a second, she had actually contemplated searching for the Peverell stone.
She was unconscious for the next three hours, and when she awoke, she begged Kingsley not to tell anyone.
She was broken, completely and utterly so.
She had combed through all records of Dolohov, ruthlessly, forgetting to eat or sleep. She told everyone, she was on a vacation with her family.
She knew this would not have been, what her parents wanted from her. They would have wanted her to finish school, get a degree, get a job and be successful and be happy. They would not have wanted her to waste away in her desire for revenge.
She had not told anyone about their deaths. She knew Harry would be beside himself and blame himself for their deaths- she would not let him do that. For just one year in his life, he deserved to be happy and free of guilt- to be full of hope and anticipation for the future, and she'd be damned if he didn't get it.
She looked down at the Head Girl badge on the palm of her hand- and smiled. She was one step closer to making her parents proud of her.