Hermione walked into her empty flat. It wasn't really empty. She had her stuff, but she didn't have him. She sighed and took out her bag, returned it to its normal size and threw it on the floor next to her television. She sat down hard, her couch slid slightly on the hardwood floor from her force. She kicked her shoes off, and let them lay where they fell. She didn't feel like doing anything, she felt suspended in time and space. She chose to lie down and stare at the ceiling. Her vision soon began to warp the paint marks on the ceiling, turning them into abstract shapes and pictures in her mind.

"STOP!" Hermione cried out, begging her mind to be still. She rolled over and faced the back of her couch, curling up into the fetal position she cried again. That's where she was a week later when she heard a knock on her door. She stood up and looked around. Her flat was a disaster. Dirty clothes and dishes were everywhere, pillows and blanket were haphazardly strewn about, and used tissues dotted the landscape like tear filled flowers. Hermione grumbled as she walked to the door. She had extreme bedhead; all of her curls were fizzed and laying off to the left side of her head. Her face was swollen from crying and lack of sleep. She was wearing pink pajama bottoms and a green and purple shirt, unmatching socks, and a lone tissue stuck out of her hair. She opened the door a few centimeters and peered out, Harry was standing in the hall looking eagerly at her.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, his smile faltered as he looked at her.

"Go away." Hermione replied as she began to shut the door. Harry stopped her with his foot.

"Merlin's beard, Hermione! What happened to you?" Harry exclaimed, he was obviously concerned about her.

"Harry, just leave me be." Hermione replied.

"No. Minerva sent me an owl and asked if I would come and check on you. She said you've been back for a week. Why didn't you let us know?" Harry asked. Hermione dropped her head and peered at her unmatching feet.

"I didn't want company." Hermione said slowly.

"Let me in. Come on, open this door!" Harry commanded.

"No." Hermione shook her head.

"If you don't open this door, I'll use my wand." Harry threatened. Hermione looked up at him and saw he was serious. She didn't have her wand in hand, and knew she couldn't stop him.

"Fine." She seethed through gritted teeth. She closed the door and began to unlock all the hooks, and latches. The door flew open and Harry walked in. Hermione had her back to him as she made her way back over to her couch. She lay down, pulling the blankets over her head; she turned her back to him.

"What's this all about?" Harry asked as he surveyed his surroundings. "I thought you were helping Minerva, did you two have a fight or argument of some kind?"

"Harry, please just leave me alone." Hermione's voice was muffled by the blanket covering her face.

"Minerva is concerned, Hermione. What did you expect me to do, just ignore her owl? Harry asked. He kicked some debris with his foot and pushed a mountain of clothes and pillows off of a chair and sat down. "She didn't say why, but she's concerned about you."

"I'm fine." Hermione replied.

"Yeah, I can see that." Harry raised his eyebrows as he spotted the tissues. "Ginny would like to see you."

"I'm not going out, Harry." Hermione sat up and wrapped the blanket around her until only her face was showing.

"Well, I'm not bringing her here, that's for sure. She'd have a right fit seeing you like this, and seeing well…this." He motioned to her mess. Hermione followed his gesture with her eyes, then huffed.

"Then don't bring her." She flung the blanket away from her. "I don't care! I don't care!" She started to yell.

"You don't have to get loud." Harry shook his head.

"Get out! You saw me, report back to Minerva whatever you want. Just leave me alone!" Hermione jumped up and went to her door, opening it she pointed into the hallway. Harry stood up slowly and made his way to the door.

"I'm worried about you." Harry said simply as he walked out into the hall. Hermione slammed the door, and he could hear her locking up.


"Bloody hell!" Ron cried as he sat and listened to Harry's retelling of visiting Hermione the week before.

"I know!" Harry responded as they walked down the sidewalk towards Grimmauld place. "I don't know what's going on with her."

"She's mental." Ron shook his head as they ascended the stairs.

"I don't think that's it, Ron." Harry shrugged as he opened the door and they both walked in. They removed their coats and started to walk towards the living room. They could hear Ginny speaking with someone, they turned the corner and saw Hermione seated on the couch beside her.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, he was shocked to see her.

"Hello Harry, Ron." Hermione nodded in the direction.

"Hermione was just about to tell me something important." Ginny looked from Hermione to Harry and her brother then back to her friend.

"Yes, well…I was just about to tell you that I have decided to take a little holiday. I think it's just what I need at the moment." Hermione smiled, but her eyes still appeared to be sad.

"A holiday? Really?" Harry asked as he sat down. Ron remained standing. "Where are you going?"

"Yes, a holiday. I'm not really sure where just yet. Perhaps I'll go to the States for a bit." Hermione shrugged.

"Oh, but Neville and Luna's wedding!" Ginny exclaimed.

"I'll be back in time for that." Hermione responded.

"Oh, then when are planning to leave?" Ginny asked as she brushed her hair back away from her face.

"Today." Hermione replied simply.

"Today? How on earth can you leave today? You aren't even sure where you're going yet!" Ron exclaimed.

"I'm going to go to the airport, and take the first plane out of the country. I really don't care here I end up." Hermione shrugged.

"Did you ever answer Minerva? She's been sending about two owls a day about you." Harry interjected.

"No, and I don't plan to either. I'll leave that to you. I honestly don't care." Hermione stood up.

"This isn't like you, at all." Ron shook his head.

"Exactly." Hermione replied as she stood up. "I just wanted to stop by and inform you of where I would be in case any of you showed up at my flat looking for me. My neighbors' daughter is visiting from abroad and needed a place for a while, so she is staying there until I return." Hermione picked up her coat, and proceeded to put it on. Harry, Ginny and Ron sat there dumbfounded as they watched her. "I'll send you a letter, once I get to wherever I'm going. Take care." She nodded and left, leaving her three friends looking at one another for an explanation.

"You weren't kidding, Harry." Ron finally spoke, breaking the silence.

"I told you!" Harry replied. "What are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" Ginny sighed.

"Nothing, that's what." Ron replied biting his lip.

"I'm going to write to Minerva, she needs to know about this." Harry stood up and walked over to a desk not far from them and grabbed some parchment and his quill and began the letter.


Minerva was putting her hat on as she heard a light tap tap on her window. Turning she spotted Harry's owl and quickly went to fetch the letter. Giving the owl a treat she took the envelope, broke the seal and began to read. Her brow furrowed as she read over his words. Clutching the letter she went to her fireplace, and activated the floo.

"Severus!" Mineva exclaimed as she walked into her home.

"Yes?" Severus responded. He was seated in his normal chair reading a book. Minerva advanced on him quickly; he could see she was angry. "Twisted your bun too tight this morning, have you?"

"Severus, I am not in the mood for your attitude this morning! Read this!" Minerva threw the letter into his lap, which he picked up. He smoothed out the wrinkles she caused by grabbing it, looked at her with a raised eyebrow and began to read.

Headmistress McGonagall,

I had to write this in a rush, forgive me. Hermione just left here, after two weeks of seclusion. She came to inform us she is going on holiday, where, she doesn't know. She plans to board the first plane leaving England and does not care where the destination is. She is worrying all of us. She appears to be depressed and she obviously is behaving irrationally. Would the Hermione we know, ever do this? I think not. She has informed me that she has no intentions of writing to you, so I am taking the liberty. If I may be honest for a moment, I don't believe she is planning on returning. Could we meet to discuss this?

Sincerely,

Harry

"She's leaving, Severus!" Minerva exclaimed. "You did this!"

"I did nothing." Severus replied. Minerva suddenly snapped.

"Severus Snape that girl came here to help you, and she did just that! She cured you, you ungrateful troll arse! She loves you! Don't you dare sit there and say that you did nothing! She's fleeing the country to try to run from her memory. How nice for you that you have now become that which you loathed for years. She loves you yet, and you don't deserve her, not the way you are now." Minerva turned her back to him and exited through the floo, leaving him sitting there holding the letter from Harry.