Chapter 4 – An Unexpected Visitor

It had been a long, hard week for Hermione as she hurried down the lane from the Ministry. Three months after the celebratory party at The Burrow, Hermione had buried herself in her work to try and forget Kevin, Harry, and avoid Ginny hounding her. Now she was looking forward to her night with her parents and made sure she was finished on time and bolted out the door even before Matilda could say "'Night!". She stopped by the roadside and waited patiently with a small crowd of Londoners waiting to cross the street. She looked quickly at her watch and gave a frustrated growl. She was late despite leaving on time. She looked at the crosswalk light in annoyance, willing it to turn so they could cross. If it wasn't so busy with traffic and she would have been run over, she might have tried crossing on her own.

Finally, the traffic light stopped traffic and crosswalk light turned to allow the now large group of pedestrians to cross the road. Hermione practically ran across the road and once across turned right and briskly walked towards the rendezvous spot where her parents undoubtedly were waiting.

After the war ended, Hermione had traveled to Australia and helped restore their memories. After a few minutes of a rather angry conversation between the three, where she had explained in detail why she did what she did, her parents grudgingly had accepted what she had done and her reasons for it. However, they had also decided to remain behind in Australia and continue their dental practice they had started there. Hermione was relieved that they had enjoyed their time there enough to want to stay but was equally saddened that they didn't want to come back to England. As they sold their practice in London before they left, there was nothing tying them to England except Hermione and she could easily apparate to Australia anytime she desired. So, it made sense that they decided to stay in Australia.

She pulled her coat tighter to her when a cool breeze blew by her. She ran a couple of steps before slowing back to a brisk walk. It had been a few months since she had seen them last. They told her they had news for her, but didn't say what, and she was excited to know what that news was. She wondered for the hundredth time what they could possibly want to tell her that required them to travel all the way from Australia. As she ran down the possible list of reasons, she saw them wave from the corner and she smiled brightly and waved back enthusiastically. They smiled just as brightly.

She quickened her pace and wrapped them both up in a big hug when she finally reached them, "Oh it's so good to see you both again!" she exclaimed through the hug.

"Oh it's so good to see my girl!" her mother Emma replied enthusiastically returning her daughter's hug.

"How's my Princess?" her father asked with a large smile as he looked at her, "That minister of yours working you too hard?"

"No," Hermione laughed, "It's hard work, but rewarding."

"Uh-huh," he replied with a smirk, "How's Kevin?"

Hermione's face dropped, "Umm, well…"

"You broke up?" her mother said with a look and tone of sympathy.

Hermione nodded, her face darkened with sadness, "Yes."

"What happened?" her mother asked, her voice both sad and concerned.

"It's a long story," Hermione said with a tired sigh. Wanting to change the subject, she hooked her arm in her father's arm, "And I'm hungry."

"Food! Right!" her father immediately replied, sensing his daughter's wish to change subjects, "This way. Your mother and I saw a new French restaurant a couple of blocks from here that we thought might be interesting to try."

"La Table de Poisson?" Hermione asked.

"You've been there?" he asked looking down at her as they walked down the sidewalk.

Hermione nodded, "I've gone at least once a month with Matilda for the last couple of years."

"Ahh," her father replied. He then tried to sound downtrodden, "So it's not new."

Hermione picked up the mirth in her father's voice and smiled, "For you, yes. But it is good food and I think you both will love it! They have a great baked sole hollandaise."

"Brilliant!" her father replied, then winked Emma, "Ringing endorsement from our daughter, Em."

Emma smiled, "I'm sold. If it that good we'll have to come back more often."

"That'll be hard to do when you're in Australia," Hermione immediately replied without thinking. When no reply came, she looked between her mother and father and saw them both with knowing smirks on their faces. She stopped them dead in the middle of the sidewalk in shock.

"You're serious?" Hermione asked looking between them hopefully.

Her mother nodded with a bright smile, "Yes, my dear. Your father and I have decided to move back to England, Islington in fact."

Hermione almost squealed in excitement as she wrapped both her parents in another hug, "That's so perfect!"

Her parents laughed at their daughter's reaction. Hermione pulled away, "When do you move?"

"Two weeks ago," her mother replied, her mouth quirked upwards.

"We just flew back from selling the practice and the house in Australia a week ago," her father added.

"Two weeks and now you tell me?" Hermione asked stunned and slightly offended.

"No slight against you Princess," her father quickly replied, "We just wanted to make sure we moved in and were settled before we said anything."

"I could have helped," Hermione said, again slightly offended.

Her father put his arm around his daughter and they started walking again, "I know, but it's okay and we wanted to surprise you that we were actually here."

Hermione gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek before smiling, "Thanks. It'll be great to have you back here," she gave them a curious look, "Wait… you sold your practice here. What will you do?"

"Oh we're still dentists, my dear," her mother replied, "But thanks to our practice in Australia, the money from selling it, and some investments we've made, your father and I are in no need to be full-time dentists."

"So we're working part-time with Dr. Jansen in his practice three days a week," her father finished, "You remember him right?"

Hermione nodded. Dr. Jansen had known The Grangers for almost 20 years. She was happy that he would want them to work in his office.

"It's just so brilliant you're both back here," she said again.

"Your father and I were going to look in at our old house later if you'd like to come," her mother said with a slight hesitation in her voice, "We're going to sell the property."

Hermione nodded in agreement. The Ministry of Magic had helped her secure the property from being sold in the muggle world as part of her reward for helping to defeat Voldemort. Hermione had told her parents they still owned the land when she had first returned their memories. Of course, they had both been devastated to learn the house had been destroyed by Voldemort's Death Eaters in revenge for Hermione's ruse. But Hermione had assured them what remained of the house was safe from looters and that a powerful ward had been erected for that reason.

"Sure," Hermione said with a slight hesitation in her voice, "You don't want to rebuild?"

Her mother shook her head, "No. Too many bad memories," she gave her daughter a sideways look, "For all of us I think."

Hermione again nodded, "Yes. Why don't I apparate us there after dinner?"

Her parents gave each other a disconcerting look. Hermione let out a short laugh, "Oh come on! It's perfectly safe."

"Oh it's not that we don't trust you, Princess," her father quickly said, trying to cover-up their worry, "It's just… well…"

She gave them a smirk, "I won't apparate you into a building if that's your worry."

"Ah well," her father stammered, "More like I don't want to appear with no clothes is my concern."

Hermione's laugh returned a laugh from her parents, "Ok, we'll do it, Princess," he said, "After dinner then."

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Hermione apparated them to the abandoned lot of their old home. The first thing they saw was the remains of a half-destroyed home in the middle of the neighborhood. Emma put her hand over her mouth as she gasped in horror at the sight of her home in ruins.

"Good Lord," Dan breathed in shock, "This is beyond repair!"

Hermione nodded, "As I told you," her voice lowered, "It's even worse inside."

The three approached and carefully entered the house. Debris was scattered everywhere. Pictures were half-burned in broken and twisted frames. All the windows were blown out. And there wasn't a single piece of furniture that wasn't damaged or destroyed. For many silent minutes, the Granger Family stood in the rubble and gaped, wide-eyed at the amount of damage the angry Death Eaters had done when they knew Hermione's parents had fled.

Hermione went over to look out the shattered back sliding doors while her mother picked up one of the many photo frames and wiped out of the years of filth to try and see what the picture was of. The photo disintegrated under her touch before she could figure out what it was of. She sighed wearily and softly put the battered frame back on the floor and stood up, wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Hermione," he mother looking at her daughter, "What caused this?"

"I caused this," came a voice from the destroyed front entryway.

All three turned, startled at the sudden voice. They were greeted by the figure of a dirty, ragged, and pale man standing to look at what was left of their home. Though there was very little of him that could be called a man. But it was not his appearance, but the pain and anger in his tired face, which rendered them speechless. They were silent until Hermione's gasp came as she recognized the man.

Even though his long, unkempt hair and beard. His threadbare, worn and battered clothing that practically just hung on his thin body. She still recognized her best friend. Harry James Potter, or what was left of him, was standing in her house and in her presence after 14 years of absence.

"Harry," she breathed in shock almost inaudibly. She looked as if she was seeing a ghost.

The man never acknowledged her, but again looked around the Granger's destroyed home. As he looked, he knew he stood in a place that should never have been affected in this way if he had not saved the life of the woman standing across the room from him.

"I caused all of this," he repeated in a hoarse whisper.

Dan and Emma Granger looked at each other with pensive looks before turning their gaze on their daughter. Hermione stood stock still, looking at the ragged man and no words were coming out of her still open mouth. For the first time in her life, Hermione Granger was completely dumbstruck and unable to move.

Dan Granger seemed the only one to be able to speak, "Ummm… who are you?"

The emerald green eyes of the man locked on him. There was something familiar in Dan's memory about this man, but he just couldn't place it yet.

"I was at one time called Harry," the man said. The bitterness in the voice at the speaking the name was not lost on Dan as he watched Harry take one more step inside the house. Then his mind suddenly remembered the only Harry he really knew of. But this… person in front of him didn't look like the young man he had seen year after year when they would pick Hermione up at King's Cross.

Dan flashed a look at his daughter, who was staring in shock at the man in the doorway, and saw in her eyes the truth of who he suspected this man to be. He looked at his wife with a baffled "what now?" look and was met with a cautious expression. He turned back to Harry and gave the young man a warm smile and stepped slowly towards him.

"Well Harry," he held out his hand to the man and spoke in a soft and warm tone, "I think I remember you when we met many years ago at that magical bookshop. It's good to see you again son."

Harry's eyes narrowed and his face darkened, "I am not your son," he said emphasizing each syllable in a voice bitter with emotion.

Dan awkwardly lowered his ignored hand and nodded, "Of course," he replied in a neutral tone, "I'm sorry. What brings you here then Harry? You said you caused this?"

"Yes, I caused this," came the simple reply, "And I need to apologize for doing this to you."

"Why do you think you caused this?" Emma said now standing next to her husband, "Hermione said it was the Death Eaters who did this."

"But I was the reason why!" Harry snapped back, eyes flashing with fury, "Without me, none of this would have happened!"

Dan looked at Emma and gave a slight shake of his head. Harry was angry and they needed to try and calm him, "Harry… you do realize that none of this is your fault," he said in a calm and soft tone as he waved his hands around the destroyed house.

"It is my fault!" Harry angrily snapped back before stepping back towards the door, "Because I saved her life in my first year at Hogwarts and we became friends," he pointed at the still rigidly standing Hermione, "And because of that I put her in danger from that time forward and made her a target for Voldemort and his Death Eaters," he looked back at Dan and Emma, "And in turn put you in danger and…," he stopped talking suddenly, looked away at some unseen memory and then whispered, "I… I put everyone in danger…"

Silence descended between them and Harry shook his head, "You don't understand," he muttered with barely contained rage, "No one understands," he flashed Hermione a look and whispered, "What does it matter anyway. I caused this. My fault."

He started backing up towards the door before stopping suddenly. He looked between Dan and Emma, "I'm sorry for everything," he said with weariness in his tone that Emma was certain meant the man would collapse where he stood," I wish there was some way to undo all of this. To go back to… back to…," he trailed off and stood silently in front of them. His head dropped in the same weariness that was in his voice. He was unable to meet their eyes because of the painful guilt and shame that was overwhelming him.

Then he looked up and the strength in his voice returned, but it wasn't harsh. It was almost a sad whisper, "I just wanted to apologize for all the misery I brought into your lives before I…," he stopped and unable to say more just gave them a quick nod and turned to leave.

"Wait! Harry…," Dan stepped forward, "Before you what?"

Harry ignoring Dan's question, walked out the door and disappeared into the night.

Dan and Emma looked at each other with shocked expressions before turning to their daughter. Hermione's face was white as snow. She hadn't moved a muscle or spoken during Harry's surprise visit. Now they saw their daughter slowly have her reason and understanding return to her. Neither knew who moved first, but they both rushed to catch Hermione before she collapsed in a heap on the floor.

The moment Hermione was wrapped in her mother arms the dam of emotion suddenly flooded from her. Hermione sobbed uncontrollably. Her body shaking violently in their arms. They just held her, unable to do anything more. Emma softly stroked her hair and whispered, "It's okay, Hermione" over and over as she softly rocked her daughter. Dan, silently kneeling next to them, just rubbed Hermione's back comfortingly, but looking between his daughter and the empty doorway. For a long time, in the midst of their old shattered home, their daughter just wracked with sobs and emotion and they just sat with her.

Sometime later, both Dan and Emma didn't know when, Hermione stopped crying and was trying to breathe in ragged breaths. Emma felt her daughter's hands still trembling with emotion as she gripped her mother. Hermione just stayed in her mother's arms and looked at the spot where her best friend, a man who had disappeared from the world, once stood. It was a painful eternity for the two adults to just sit there and do nothing while Hermione's logical, orderly, and rational mind tried to recover from this shock.

"Why?"

Emma was shaken from her reveries by the barely audible question, "Sweetheart?"

"Why, Mum?"

Emma looked at her husband who imperceptibly shrugged his shoulders, not comprehending the question, "Why what Hermione?"

"Why is he like that? He's not the Harry I remember."

Emma thought for a few moments trying to understand the question and how best to answer, "I honestly don't know Sweetheart. You've spoken to us a lot about Harry and everything he's had to endure. It's possible that he reached his breaking point. Everyone does as some point," she looked at her husband for his support.

Dan nodded understanding his wife's silent plea for help, "Princess, your mother's right. I'm sure you haven't told us half of what Harry's been through in his life," he took a deep breath, "But from what you have told us, I'm surprised that he hasn't been overcome by the pressure when he was much younger. It must have been immense at times and that intense pressure for that long period of time affects someone to their soul. In Harry's case, his soul must have reached its limit at some point."

"Then I've lost his soul," Hermione whispered, still staring the empty spot.

"Oh Hermione," Emma said softly, "You haven't lost his soul. He's lost that a long time ago from the looks of it. Your Father's right, the amount of pain and suffering he's felt growing up and during the war probably mounted upon him and with no way to release it he kept it inside. He kept it inside and it chipped away at his core and until it finally consumed him."

"And there was nothing anyone, not even you, my sweet and noble girl, could have done to stop that," Dan said sadly.

Hermione stayed silent for a couple of minutes, "But I was there, Dad. I should have seen the pain. I should have done more. He knew I was willing to be there for him. We shared everything between us. All he had to do was ask for help."

Dan sighed and dropped his head. He knew what she was saying, but had no ready answer that could help. He raised his head and look at his daughter's tear-streaked face, "Hermione… from what we know, Harry's relied on you and trusted you for years. And you and him. For years you were each other's other half. You were his logical and reasoning side and he was your passionate and impulsive side," he placed his hand gently on her head, "But even with your combined strengths, when something life-changing happens, like the final battle you told us about, it can deeply affect how someone views the world… and how they view their closest friends and family."

"This is not your fault, Hermione" Emma added, trying to help Hermione come to grips with what they were talking about, "Even if you had been aware of it, I don't believe there would have been nothing you could have done to stop it."

Silence fell between them again, but both Emma and Dan knew Hermione's mind wasn't finished.

"He knew he had to die," Hermione said after few moments of silence, "When he came from Dumbledore's office. I saw it in his face. He knew. It's the same look I saw on his face today."

Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. She looked at Dan, who shrugged his shoulders in equal confusion, "What do you mean?" she asked.

Hermione pulled out of her mother's arms and sat back on the ground between them. Her tear-stained face looked between the two confused faces in front of her and explained, "During the last battle, he found out that he was Voldemort's last Horcrux. He saw it in Snape's memories. He saw that he had to die to kill that last part of Voldemort's soul and make him mortal again."

She looked at her father, "He had to die by Voldemort's hand."

She then looked at her mother, "I knew it when I saw his face as he walked down the stairs from Dumbledore's Office. He knew I figured it out too," she started crying again, "I wanted to go with him. To be there when it happened."

Emma's face turned to sadness and she felt a tear run down her cheek at hearing Hermione's story. She looked at her husband who was looking at his daughter with a deep look of sorrow. They had not heard this part of their daughter's life, but it was heart-wrenching to them both to try and understand what Hermione felt like at that moment.

Hermione wiped the tears that were flowing down her cheeks, "He said no. And he gave me a look," she indicated the empty spot across the room, "The same look he gave me today… he knows his end is coming."

The silence was deafening after she spoke. Dan and Emma looked at each other in pained sympathy for their daughter.

Hermione's eyes glazed over as she looked past them, the empty spot, and possibly time itself, "He's going to die," she whispered.

She looked quickly between her parents in the hope they would contradict her, but they both remained silent.

"I'm sorry Princess," her father sighed sadly, "I don't think there's anything you can do if his heart's truly set on it."

Emma scooped her daughter in her arms again and held her, "Oh my girl," she whispered in her ear, "He looks like a man who's lost everything and has nothing to live for."

Hermione's eyes locked on the empty doorway and whispered, "But he still has me."