"Ahh... Miss. Nott," Dumbledore greeted with a smile as Hermione stepped foot into Snape's classroom.
Hermione frowned. "I don't mean to be rude, Professor, but where is my godfather? I understand I was supposed to have detention with him for a week."
Dumbledore gestured to a seat and she took it with him taking one across from her.
"I'm afraid, your godfather has much more important matters to attend to."
Hermione scoffed. "Please. I know he's just avoiding me. You can say it you know, Theo and I gathered as much. I just wished he'd at least talk to us rather than leaving us out in the dark. If he's putting his life in danger, we need to know."
Dumbledore frowned. "Hermione, you won't be serving detention, although I understand why you'd surely deserve it, but you won't be serving it only because I think you have much more important matters that need your attention. Detention right now, especially in these times, isn't important especially when you have such a big role.
"And because of that, your godfather and I have come to the conclusion that it's in your best interest if you do not return to Spinner's End come end of year."
Hermione's mouth dropped open and she let out a quiet, "What?"
"I will be arranging a safe house for you this summer."
"B-but what about Theo? What about Uncle Sev? Wait, why couldn't he tell me this himself? He's not even going to say goodbye?" Her eyes were wide and she felt the sting of onset tears but she forced them not to fall.
Dumbledore remained silent.
"Professor, what matters exactly is my godfather attending to?"
"I'm sorry, Hermione but I'm not in the position to disclose-"
"Please!" She cried out.
Dumbledore was unfazed by her outburst and only looked at her with a solemn expression.
Hermione stood and shook her head. She turned and made to leave but stopped in her tracks.
"Theo and I- we need him as much as Harry needs you. If he abandons us just like Harry feels he's been abandoned by you, we wouldn't know what to do."
Because her back was facing him, she had missed the guilt that crossed his face.
"I believe your godfather feels the same as you refusing to go into hiding. He can't lose you like he's lost Lily- like he's lost your mother."
Hermione turned around and faced the headmaster, uncaring about the tears spilling out her eyes.
"Tell him to come say goodbye. The least he can do is say goodbye."
Dumbledore nodded softly and Hermione rushed out. As soon as the door slammed shut behind her she made a run for it. She didn't know where her legs were taking her, all she knew was that she couldn't breathe.
Dumbledore stared at the shut door for a moment and saw movement in the corner of his eye. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Severus?"
Snape emerged from the shadows and let out a low breath. "There's no other choice."
Dumbledore nodded.
Somehow Hermione's legs had led her to the Astronomy tower. She collapsed against the wall and sobbed.
She sobbed for her mother, for her godfather, she sobbed for Draco and Harry, for her brother, she sobbed for herself. She sobbed because everything, even Hogwarts, was just so fucked up.
For so long she tried to keep strong and do what she knew was right. But she was so exhausted. Draco had been right when he said there was probably too much on her plate but she never really thought about how filled it was until now.
She sobbed because for the first time in her life she never felt so lost and what made it worse was that she had no one to turn to for comfort. She had to go around with her face on and keep everything together not for herself but for everyone else. She had to be strong for everyone else but who would be strong for her? Who would help her when she was exhausted from carrying other people?
Hermione knew she couldn't confide in Harry or Ron because they didn't know her real identity. She may still be the same person- the same Hermione, but she wasn't Hermione Granger and she couldn't explain that to them just yet. She couldn't confide in Theo because she knew he'd take their godfather's advice and try to get her into hiding. He'd probably do anything in his power to grab her and run.
She threw up a muffliato and screamed to her heart's content.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped.
When she was met with the worried emerald eyes of her best friend, she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest while he held her close, not saying a word.
Harry waited patiently for her sobs to die down into sniffles. He was sure it was nearly sunrise at that point but he didn't care.
He had been watching the Marauder's Map watching Dumbledore pacing around in his office with Snape when he saw Hermione's name at the astronomy tower. It was late and he knew she had detention, but he thought she'd head straight to bed after so he was confused as to why she was where she was.
As he made his way up the stairs he heard nothing but when he saw Hermione on the floor practically drenched in her own tears, he knew something was terribly wrong that she had to put up a silencing charm just to mask her own crying- he knew something was terribly wrong if Hermione Granger of all people he knew was crying.
"How'd you find me," she murmured into his chest.
Harry rubbed her back and leaned his head back against the stone wall. "I saw you on the map and had to find out why you were here and thank Merlin I did."
Hermione didn't reply. She just wiped her face with the sleeve of her robe and let out a deep breath.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"I don't think I can," she whispered after a moment.
"Why not?"
"I'm just not ready, Harry."
Harry sighed but nodded anyway.
"I'm sorry."
She leaned back to look at him but he was looking out at the slowly lightening sky.
"Whatever for?"
This time he did turn to her. "I know sometimes I can be a right git, Ron and I both, but I know I get too distracted with everything else that you need to take care of me because you know no one else will. I'm sorry that sometimes- most of the time- I don't take the time to thank you or tell you how much I appreciate having you by my side, but I want you to know I am.
"I didn't grow up knowing what care or love was and it makes it hard for me to show it. I know my parents loved me so much they died for me- but I don't remember that. I only remember how the Dursley's treated me. But then the Weasely's took me in, when Sirius and Lupin came along, I started understanding what the word family actually means.
"You're my family too, Hermione. I'm sorry Ron and I take your care and kindness for granted."
"Thank you, Harry," she whispered and a few more tears slipped down her cheeks.
He wiped them away, albeit awkwardly much to her amusement, but it's the thought that counts.
Hermione rested her head once more on his chest as they watched the sun slowly start to rise. "I love you and whatever comes, we'll get through it. You, me, and Ron. We'll fight by your side until the very end."
Harry leaned his cheek on her head. "Thank you, Hermione. Speaking of Ron, by the way. I know he's been meaning to apologize."
Hermione snorted. "Ron apologizing? That's new."
Harry chuckled and nodded. "We're not kids anymore."
She looked out into the distance as the sunrise was just above the horizon. Before the view of sunrise and sunset at Hogwarts had amazing hues of pink, orange, and purple to it but now it just seemed...dreary. The atmosphere was definitely getting darker and she knew what that meant, they both did.
"No, we're not."
Harry and Hermione stopped by Gryffindor tower to get changed and cleaned up for the day then headed over to breakfast where they found Ron stuffing his face across Ginny who looked absolutely disgusted and appalled. One would think she'd be used to his eating habits by now.
Harry took the seat next to Ginny and she was grateful no one noticed her blush.
Hermione took the seat next to Ron much to his surprise.
He quickly swallowed his food and watched her with wide eyes as she began piling her own breakfast onto her plate.
"Hermione!" Ron said still shocked she was sitting next to him.
"Ron," she replied.
"So...how was detention with Snape?"
Hermione put down her utensils and looked at him expectedly.
"What?" He asked and Hermione huffed. She turned back to her food and began eating so she didn't notice when Ron slightly jumped because Harry had kicked him in the shin.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron murmured.
Hermione raised a brow and swallowed her food before saying, "For what?"
"For expecting you to do my homework. For using you as my own library and to help me get through school. For treating you terribly when things don't go my way, really. I am sorry."
Hermione saw the genuine remorse on his face and nudged him with her shoulder. "I'm your friend, don't be surprised when I throw a fit for getting treated less than I deserve."
Ron gave her a lopsided smile and threw his arm around her shoulder. "I promise that I'll only come to you for help now and won't ever expect you to do the work for me."
She shook her head but had a grin on her face. She nudged his ribs causing him to jerk back and they all laughed, continuing their breakfast and catching up.
There was still the looming darkness around them, but for now, they did their best to just enjoy each other's company while it lasted.
"Look's like the golden trio made up," Blaise pointed out.
Draco and Theo turned their heads to see the three friends and Ginny all laughing at some snide remark Hermione had made towards Ron.
"Whatever," Draco sneered and returned to his breakfast.
He occasionally glanced up to see Ron casually touch Hermione and he'd feel sick to his stomach. It was no secret the ginger prat had a crush on the know-it-all and everyone would always bet when they thought the two would finally get together.
The idea always disgusted him knowing full well how much Weasely didn't deserve Hermione, but now he felt more jealous because as he watched the prat use any excuse to make small touches here and there and Hermione barely acknowledge them, Ron had one advantage Draco could only dream of having- her trust.
Draco couldn't stomach knowing Weasely of all people would be the one to probably win Hermione's heart. He continued watching a bit longer- call him a masochist- and finally decided he had enough when he saw Hermione give him one of those smiles with a shake of her head. It was her endearing way of telling someone she thought they were being idiotic. It was a gesture he'd always pictured himself constantly being on the receiving end of because of banter that instead of being cruel, would be good-natured and teasing, but only if things were different.
"I'm full, I think I'll head up to class now, I'll see you both there." Draco didn't give Blaise or Theo an opportunity to reply. He quickly grabbed his bag and made his way out, doing his best not to look in Hermione's direction.
Blaise and Theo waited for Crabbe and Goyle to finish stuffing their faces with food and catch up with Draco before finally being able to talk.
"You shouldn't have done that," Theo said.
Blaise gave Theo a sideways glance but continued eating. "Draco is a big boy. Maybe this will incentivize him to discontinue trying to go after this imaginative friendship with Hermione."
"Do you really think it's impossible for them to become friends? For her to see the real him?" Theo asked genuinely.
Blaise gave it a thought before shaking his head. "I don't think we should be hoping for possibilities or a 'maybe in the future' because if we're being honest, there might not even be a future."
"That's no way to think," Theo said tightly.
Blaise finally turned to look at him and raised a brow. "Mate, it's the only way to think. If we think about the possibility of no tomorrow, then it'll make us work that much harder to make sure there is."
"That seems very unconventional."
"But we're not conventional, are we? If we were we'd be doing our family's honor by bowing down to that freak."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the common room stressing. Hermione was ranting on and on about the reformed way of teaching or lack thereof while Harry was seething that the Ministry- Fudge especially- was blaming the disappearances all on Sirius.
Sirius face suddenly appeared in the fireplace. He informed them that because of Fudge's paranoia that Dumbledore is assembling an army to take on the ministry, it's interfering with the Order. Not only that but he told them that the disappearances occurring were just like how it started before. Voldemort was on the move and they were on their own.
"We can't fight him if Umbridge refuses to teach us," Hermione stated angrily.
"Well, what can we do?" Ron asked.
She glanced at Harry. "Umm... I was actually thinking maybe it's about time we learn ourselves."
Ron raised a brow. "We have enough to do as it is and you want to add more?"
"But this is more important! None of this-" she waved to the scattered books and parchment on the table, "-will even matter if we end up dead in the end. Harry is right. We need to learn how to defend ourselves and that's not happening with the way things are so we need to take matters into our own hands."
"Who do you s'pose will teach us though?" Ron asked.
"If you're talking about Lupin-"
"No, no," Hermione interrupted Harry.
Harry frowned. "Who then?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm talking about you, Harry."
Harry and Ron looked at her with blank faces.
"Me, what," Harry asked.
Hermione looked at him with a straight face then slapped her forehead with a resounding smack. "Merlin give me strength," she murmured to herself.
"I'm saying you should teach us Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Harry continued looking at her blankly before turning to Ron who had a contemplative face.
"That's an idea," Ron said.
Harry's eyebrows shot up. "No that most certainly can not be an idea. I mean come on! Me? Me teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts? Hermione, I got a D on the potions essay how the hell do you expect me to teach? I'm not fit enough to be a teacher, why don't you do it?"
Hermione stowed her reprimand for his grade away for later. She rolled her eyes and stood up pacing back and forth.
"I can't be the one to teach Harry. I may be book smart but in DADA you're better than me."
"I am?" Harry asked momentarily stunned proud.
She rolled her eyes and nodded furiously. "You beat me on exams in third year when we had an actual qualified teacher but that's beside the point- I'm talking about as a whole. I mean, look at what you've done, Harry!"
Ron and Hermione tried to make him see reason but it only got him riled up and angry.
"You don't get it so don't act like you do! I'm sick of everyone painting me as a hero when I'm far from it. You think I could just go around teaching everyone how to defend themselves from death?" He laughed sardonically. "Fighting for your life isn't like how it is in class. You don't just memorize spells and incantations to throw at him and hope that it'll be enough. They don't teach us what to do or how to deal with being only a second away from murder, or torture, or watching your friends-" He cut himself off when Cedric's face came to his mind.
"You just don't get it," he murmured.
Ron and Hermione shared a look before Hermione stepped forward.
"But Harry," she started, "Don't you see? This is why it needs to be you. You're the only one besides the Order who's actually truly faced him. This is why we need you. You're the only one who can show us what to expect when we go against V-Voldemort." They all cringed at the name.
Harry dragged a hand down his face then rubbed at his scar.
They watched the action and felt a bit guilty for putting more pressure on him but they need this.
"Just... just think about it, okay?" Hermione said. At Harry's silence, she sighed. "I'm off to bed."
Hermione knew how much Harry was struggling as is feeling like there were all these expectations he needed to uphold. But the reality of the matter is that they'll be in so much more pressure as the days pass and they need to be prepared. This is their life they're fighting for.
A/N: Hello beautiful people! Here is another somewhat short chapter for you all that I hope you enjoyed. I'm trying my best to incorporate the book and movies into it to make it flow more smoothly and it's kind of hard but I don't mind! Thank you so much for reading!
Love Always,
to-be-Slytherin xX