Hermione took a big, deep breath, staring on at the beautiful white house with the bright red door. She was trying to find the courage to take the several steps to that front door, and she found herself nervously wringing her hands.

C'mon Hermione, you can do this! Just remember all that Severus told you and encouraged you with.

She found herself standing in front of the door at some point, barely recalling the fact that she walked up there herself with how fast her mind was going. She raised her hand to knock, but before she could, the door swung open, and Hermione was greeted by the familiar face of her mother. Her eyes were identical to Hermione's, but her hair was a much lighter colour, and the curls of her hair had more of a waviness and were much tamer and had more of a gentle wave.. She was slim like she always had been, wearing a beautiful baby blue summer dress with summer sandals. Hermione froze when she made eye contact with the matching eyes, and the woman showed a look of puzzlement as she came to see this stranger standing on her porch, her hand raised in the air despite the door already being opened.

"May I help you dear?" she asked in, tilting her head in curiosity at the girl before her.

Hermione shook her head to pull herself together. She brought her hand down, blushing a little at her silliness. "Oh! I-erm-sorry! Had a moment there. My name is Hermione, Hermione Granger. I was hoping to speak with you and your husband?"

"Hermione..." Her mother replied. "What a beautiful name." Hermione nodded her head and smiled. "Thank you."

"What was this in regards to?"

"Well I am moving into your little neighbourhood here and I was hoping to speak to some of my new neighbours for a few moments if I'm not intruding?"

"Of course not! Please, come in, and welcome to our home!" she exclaimed.

Hermione nodded and gave her thanks again as she stepped through the threshold.

"Please," her mother said, gesturing to the living room sofa. "Have a seat, I'll go get my husband," she finished as she made her way up the stairs.

Hermione made her way into the living room and sat down, fiddling nervously with the skirt she was wearing. It was taking everything in her power not to break down in tears at seeing her mother for the first time in over a year.

Her mother returned just a couple minutes later with Hermione's father right behind, and Hermione stood and turned to greet both of them. Seeing the two of them side by side with those very familiar smiles on their faces caused Hermione to choke back a sob, just enough for them to not notice. Her father's hair colour was the same as Hermione's, but he had just a hint of grey poking through. His skin was much tanner from the hot Australian sun compared to the overcast weather in England, and that only made his pearly white teeth stand out more.

"Ralph," Her mother began, gesturing her arm outward toward Hermione, "This is going to be our new neighbour, Ms. Hermione Granger."

Ralph extended his hand with a beaming smile and Hermione took it graciously. "An absolute pleasure to meet you, Ms. Granger. I'm Ralph Walker, and this is my wife, Evelyn Walker."

"Ohhhh how silly of me!" Evelyn exclaimed, shaking her head. "I didn't even tell you my name earlier. My apologies, dear."

"No need to apologise, it's very, very nice to meet you!" Hermione said, smiling back and taking her hand as well.

"Evelyn, dear. You were just about to put together some lunch and refreshments since it's so hot today, why don't we include our surprise guest and sit down for a nice afternoon lunch?"

"That's a wonderful idea! I'll be back soon!" She said in a peppy voice, scurrying her way into the kitchen.

Hermione and Ralph took a seat in the dining area, and Hermione started to grow nervous again. She couldn't dwell on this for too much longer, she had to act soon, and if this didn't work, she would most likely have to obliviate their memories again of her even being there in the first place.

Evelyn poked her head into the dining room doorway, asking for her husband's help. Hermione took the opportunity while they were both in the kitchen to retrieve her wand. She clutched her wand tightly, her knuckles white and her palms sweaty.

This is it, Hermione...you can do this!

Hermione recalled Severus' words about having a clear and positive mind before performing this counter spell, and she thought back to the most recent letter she had received from him.

Hermione,

Her heart had leapt out of her chest seeing her name in his handwriting.

He finally worked up the nerve to call me by my first name, that stubborn git. She had thought with a smirk on her face.

I hope Melbourne is still treating you well. I write you with rather positive news. My hearing was completed earlier the other day, and I am pleased to inform you that I have indeed been acquitted of all charges by the Wizengamot. To my surprise, which you and I know rarely happens, Potter came to my defence as well as several other of his and your friends and members of the Order. I will admit, it was rather humbling to have them all come forward and do this for me, even though I won't admit it to them, but I will , reluctantly, admit it to you.

It's rather something that you've been able to get a notoriously private wizard like me to open up, and through letters, for that matter.

I want to thank you, Hermione, for being so diligent in your efforts to stay in contact and continue to share stories of your life with me as I have with you. I truly look forward to our conversations when you return from Australia.

I hope to hear soon that you have succeeded in restoring your parents' memories. I know you, the brightest witch of them all, can do it.

Yours,

Severus

The butterflies in Hermione's stomach fluttered, as did her heart. She would've never expected her relationship with her former potions professor of all people to grow into such an intimate relationship through writing. The thought of returning home to see him finally brought the biggest smile to her face as her parents returned from the kitchen with trays of finger sandwiches and lemonade in hand. Hermione withdrew her wand, channelling all of the happiness exuding from her, and began to murmur the counter spell once her parents were seated. They both froze, sitting straight and rigid in their seats, their eyes wide. There was a glossiness to their eyes as Hermione's magic surged through them, their mouths agape and she continued her murmuring and intricate movements with her wand.

After several minutes Hermione lowered her hand, sitting just as rigidly as her parents were, eying them carefully, and anxiously waiting for one of them to say something.

"Mum? Dad?" Each of her parents glanced her way, and Hermione immediately saw the recognition in their eyes, and she felt her breath hitch.

"Hermione? Hermione wh-what on Earth has happened? Where have you been?" Her mother spoke up first.

Hermione couldn't contain her tears, she just allowed them to stream down her cheeks.

"M-mum…d-dad…you're back…" she said through the sob emerging from her throat.

Her father now spoke. "Hermione I think you have a lot to explain to us, young lady!"

"Gregory, please. Don't raise your voice at her. Let her talk to us."

It was a lengthy talk Hermione had to have with her parents for the remainder of that day. Little by little she slowly described to them what had been happening in the wizarding world and why she had to do what she had done in order to save them. Even though her parents weren't so keen on the fact that they had uprooted themselves to Australia and were eventually going to need to work their way back to their original home in Hampstead, they understood why their daughter had done what she had. There were several hugs and tears exchanged, and Hermione couldn't even begin to describe the mixture of emotions she was feeling as she left their home.

I cannot wait to tell Severus!

She raced back to where she was staying, having agreed with her parents to return the following day, gathering up her things to proceed to write as fast as she could.