Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the world of Harry Potter or Twilight. They both belong to JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, respectably.

Chapter 10

It has been approximately one month since Harry has been out of St. Mungo's and with each day that passes, it doesn't get any easier. With Hermione's disappearance, Molly still in emotional limbo, and the Weasley's all gone, he was finding it very difficult for things to go back to normal – whatever normal was to a wizard. To make matters worse, Kingsley continued to harass Harry into making an appearance at the Ministry of Magic to calm the nerves of many witches and wizards who still feared of living a normal life, despite Voldemort being gone. Kingsley didn't want to pester Harry as he did, but a statement needed to be said about the well-being of the wizarding world and who better to say it than the Boy-Who-Lived?

Molly wasn't helping matters either. Whenever Harry wanted to go outside for a walk and experience Diagon Alley post-war, Molly would put her foot down and demand he stay at the Burrow "where it is safe". Harry knew better than to argue with her when her voice reached that high pitch it always tended to reach when she was mad.

But the worse part about being awake and having everything about the wizarding world all out of sorts was the fact that Hermione, his best friend who managed to make it through the war was gone. She left out of her own accord and no one knew where she was. Harry tried many locater spells, but none of them seemed to work. What he wanted more, aside from having Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George alive was having Hermione by his side and he couldn't even have that. To say he was upset to know she was gone was an understatement.

When Neville informed him that Hermione needed a break from everything, he was shocked. He never knew Hermione to give up on anything and here she was giving up on a world she just fought defending. Harry woke up alone, more or less. Sure he had people standing by his side, but he didn't have his best friends. Ron was gone. Ginny was gone. Hermione was gone. He never felt more utterly alone than when he was with the Dursley's.

He needed to fix things. And so he did.

"Harry, you be careful up there." Molly told him, trying to straighten out his unruly hair. "You don't know what kind of lunatics could be in that crowd."

Harry sighed. "Of course, Molly."

After a month, Harry finally agreed to a statement about the war. He was currently dressed in black slacks and a nice, gray button down shirt. Once Minister Shacklebolt finished with his opening address, Harry made his way to the podium and began his speech.

"Witches and wizards," He began, "for the past seventeen years, we have been trying to defeat a wizard who was threatening our well-being as a community- as a world. And not too long ago, that wizard was finally defeated and we can finally live in the world we only dreamed about living in. However, on our road to a better future, we have lost many good people. Many people lost family members, friends, loved ones. This world would not be where it is today if it weren't for their sacrifice and for that, I am eternally grateful. In all honesty, this world is what it is now because of you. I needed your help and you graciously gave it. I was only eleven when I realized who I was. I was fifteen when I realized what I had to do. I was sixteen when I learned how to defeat a dark wizard that was threatening the one place I called home. And I was seventeen when I finally came to defeat that dark wizard. Through it all, I had help from friends and the people I am honored to call my family – the Weasley's. You may all think of me as 'the Boy-Who-Lived', but I'm just Harry. I wasn't the one who saved this world - you did. I only helped. So please, do not think of me as the boy who saved this world, because I'm not. I had a lot of help from a lot of great people who are longer with us. I am no hero, they are. Give your thanks to the ones that truly deserve it. Thank you."

And with that, Harry stepped off of the podium with no chance of answering questions from the vast amount of media in the crowd. He walked straight to Molly and took her gently by the hand.

"I am so sorry for your loss. If it were my choice, I would have gladly taken Ron, Ginny, Fred and George's place if it meant they were here with you today. I loved them as if they were my own flesh and blood… I know how much pain I feel for their loss that I can't even imagine what you're going through. I am so sorry, Molly."

"Harry, don't even start." Molly berated him gently, "Their... deaths were very hard on me and yes, I am still mourning over my children, but I wouldn't want you any less alive. I love you as if you were my own. I will be fine."

Harry managed a small smile. "Thank you for saying that. It's what I needed to hear, especially after what I'm about to tell you. Molly, I'm leaving. I've got to find Hermione."

Molly huffed and pulled her hand away from his, "No, absolutely not. I've already lost four of my children, I'm not going to lose another. You will do no such thing, Harry Potter."

"With all due respect, I'm an adult. I can come and go as I please." He replied, "I love you, Molly. You have been the only mother I've come to know and I will be eternally grateful for loving me and accepting me as your own, but Hermione is my best friend. And I'm awake. I need to find her."

"Harry," She started to say

"You know you're worried about her, too. You want her back just as much as I do, you're just afraid to lose me; but I promise, Molly… I will be careful and I will come back."

She sighed, "Harry, you don't know what it's like to lose a child - and I lost four of them. The thought of losing you, too… I can't even bare to think about that."

"And you won't lose me, Molly… I just won't be here for a while. I will come back; I just need to find her. This world is incomplete without her."

What felt like hours, took minutes for Molly to finally respond. "Alright, Harry. Just promise me you'll be careful and that you'll at least send your patronus every so often so I know you're alright."

Three days later, Harry found himself at Wendell and Monica Wilkin's gravesite.

"Oh, Hermione" He began softly as his fingers grazed their tombstone. "I'm so sorry."

Harry said a silent prayer before walking past the gates that led out of the cemetery. 'At least, now, I have a better understand of why she could have possibly left. Her parents are gone. And I was in a coma with the possibility of not waking up. And Molly was a wreck. And the Weasley's were practically no more.'

He continued down the Australian street, wandering around aimlessly and wondering were Hermione could possibly be. Harry kicked rocks down the beaten pavement as he tried to search his brain for where his best friend could be. And truth be told, he hadn't a single clue. He sighed one large sigh before kicking a last rock and apparating away to Godric's Hollow. He walked towards his parent's tombstone and sat quietly waiting for a sign or a hint of some sort that would lead him in the right direction.

Before he forgot, he sent his stag patronus to inform Molly that he was still searching for Hermione and that he was alright. Once he saw his stag disappear, he spoke to his parents.

"Hello, mum and dad. Been a while, hasn't it?" Asked the silence around him, "Well I'm sure you know, but I did it. I defeated Voldemort. You both should know… you were there, along with Sirius. I miss you all."

"We miss you, too Harry." A soft voice said from behind him

Out of instinct, Harry jumped to his feet and drew his wand, only to find the ghostly figure of his mum and dad floating in front of him. "Mum, dad?" He smiled, putting his wand back into his pocket, "How are you here?"

James smiled, "You came here for a sign and we're here to give it to you."

"Year, dear." Lily replied, "But we also wanted to say how proud we were of you that night. You showed a lot of courage for a young boy of your age. You were so brave and we were so proud." She beamed

"We love you, son. Please don't ever forget that. We love you." His dad added

"I won't." Harry answered, "I love you both, too. I miss you always."

They both gently smiled in response.

"You need to find Hermione." Lily stated, "You must apparate to her."

Harry sighed, "That's the thing. I don't know where she is."

"You're not thinking hard enough, son. Look deep down. You know Hermione better than anyone. If you were in her position, where would you want to be?"

Harry let his father's words sink in. He thought long and hard about what he would have done if he were in Hermione's place.

"I suppose," He began, "I suppose I wouldn't want to be around the wizarding world. I wouldn't want to be around anyone who knew who I was or where I came from. I'd want to be somewhere quiet."

And the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen graced his mother's lips. "Apparate there, Harry. Your head has an idea of where to go, as your heart says Hermione. Go find her." She told him

Harry looked confused.

"Listen to your mother, Harry. Always remember we are here for you. We love you very much." James added

"And we are proud of you – so very proud of you." Lily reminded him before she and James disappeared into the crisp London air.

Harry stood silent. He knew apparition didn't work like that. Or at least he thought he knew. Despite his own thoughts, he took his mother's advice. He visualized a quiet, serene place while his heart called out for Hermione. He felt that familiar tug at his belly button and his feet landed firmly on new ground. He didn't know exactly where he was, but he knew it wouldn't be safe for him to be roaming around the woods (or what looked to be the woods) as a human so he transformed himself into his animagus form, which was a stag.

Harry didn't know where to begin, but at least as a stag, he can search these woods a lot faster than he could in his human form.

AN: Been a while, hasn't it? I'm sincerely sorry for that years long hiatus, but I'm back! Please be warned that I still won't be updating as often as I used to... I still have summer school and work that keeps me busy and I only write when I have a surge of inspiration. Don't forget to review! Your reviews actually help me find inspiration because I don't want to let my you down. During my hiatus, I often found myself reading past reviews to help me get the ball rolling, so please don't think since I'm not updating every week, I've given up. Like I said before, I'm determined to finish this story! :) I want to see this story finished just as much as you do, so don't give up on me!

Anyway, I'm not too happy with this chapter. I feel like I could have done better, but it'll do for now. Maybe when the story is completely done, I'll do some tweaks here and there and fix what isn't up to par. However, I do hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to review! :)