A/N I'm so sorry guys! I think I forgot to post on Friday - things are getting a bit hectic now the holidays are over. Anyway, make sure you have a box of tissues at the ready, this is gonna be tough but it has to be done. Comment what you thought. A lot of you also seem to want to see Draco learning some occlumency, to be honest I hadn't thought of that but in now seems kinda obvious it has to be done at some point. And so...
Chapter 17 - Obliviate
Arithmancy with the Ravenclaws was boring. Potions with the Slytherins was awkward; she was working with Seamus and Dean but the trio of Slytherins kept looking at her and Pansy kept glaring at her. Defence Against the Dark Arts was just down right painful, metaphorically speaking, as Lavender and Draco were there. However the lessons that Friday weren't what was bothering her. Nor the people she was with. It was the daunting prospect of her task during free period. No one knew apart from her, Hagrid, McGonagall and possibly Lupin. Ginny had asked what the matter was but she'd brushed it off with tiredness, however she was wide awake, traipsing up to the headmistress' office in muggle clothes.
"Ubi concordia ibi victoria," she spoke to the gargoyle, who looked at her and stepped aside. Maybe she was imagining things, but she was sure the gargoyle had smiled. The stairs materialised and she started walking up them, right up to the head's door. She knocked. "Come in," McGonagall spoke. Her originally stern face twisted to sympathy when she saw who had just walked in. "Ah, Miss Granger. Come, come. Are you ready child?" Hermione nodded. She looked around. Then her jaw dropped, a portrait hung on the wall near McGonagall's desk, and Hermione stared at her late, sleeping headteacher. "Ah, yes em, I was wandering when one of you would come by asking about that," McGonagall said sheepishly. She looked at Hermione, who was still staring. "Oh alright, Albus. Albus wake up!" She ordered loudly. Dumbledore opened an eye and then the other, then peered down his long nose at Hermione. "Hermione!" Dumbledore beamed, "Wondering just the other day when you'd come and visit. Where are Harry and Ron may I ask?"
"They're doing what you asked them to do," Hermione said quietly. Dumbledore nodded. Then he looked sheepishly down.
"Professor Dumbledore you swore you had no idea about where the boys were!" McGonagall thundered angrily.
"Well I..."
"They are my responsibility! I understand that when you were headmaster responsibility wasn't really high on your priorities, keeping a three headed dog, having a basilisk, having Lucius as a governor, hiring a potentially dangerous werewolf and half giant, agreeing to have dementors guarding the school, letting first years do there detentions in the forbidden forest, letting Harry compete in the triwizard tournament, hiring Barth Crouch Junior, tying four drugged students to the bottom of the lake, letting dragons into the grounds, hiring Umbridge and letting yourself die, being just a few of them, but -"
"Who was the one who let Hermione use a time turner exactly?"
"Yes well, I told you after you noticed Hermione was going to every single lesson on the timetable but -"
"Professor I thought you said Dumbledore was fine with me having a time turner in third year," Hermione asked.
"Yes... Well..."
"Ha," Dumbledore smiled, "Ten points to Dumbledore!"
"He's a little mad," McGonagall whispered to Hermione.
"I'm still a genius though, if I say so myself," Dumbledore grinned.
"Hagrid came by just this morning, Miss Granger," McGonagall started. Dumbledore silenced and gazed out the window.
"Oh?" Hermione asked.
"The Podmores..." McGonagall began.
"I'm sorry professor I thought the Order had known."
"No, he was meant to be on Holliday in Romania, we weren't expecting him back till only recently. How may I ask did you come by this news?"
"I..." Hermione began. She couldn't do it. "Professor I can't tell you." McGonagall eyed her warily before nodding curtly.
"I sent Kingsley round after Hagrid came by, he came back saying that you were right." There was a long pause, in which Dumbledore sighed and nodded at Hermione, who smiled wearily back. "We should be going, Miss Granger. You are of course free to come up here and talk to him anytime," McGonagall smiled heavily. Hermione's faded smile grew into a frown.
"Okay," she said solemnly, nodding.
"Your parents?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Hermione said definitely.
"Remember, help will always be given at Hogwarts, to those who ask for it," Dumbledore smiled. Hermione smiled gratefully and nodded. "Now, take my hand," McGonagall said.
"But professor, I thought you couldn't apparate within Hogwarts," Hermione stated.
"There are certain privileges to being a headteacher, Hermione," McGonagall smiled. Dumbledore beamed at her. She took her hand and they whipped out of sight. Hermione felt the familiar sensation of being sucked through a plug hole and then, pop, they were gone.
"Hermione?" McGonagall asked. Hermione looked around. It looked so peaceful, the little church at the bottom of the road, the block houses either side and - her house. The living room blinds were open. She could see her parents. "I'm ready," Hermione said after a long silence. "Miss Granger, I can do it if you wish," McGonagall said sympathetically.
"No," Hermione replied firmly, "it's okay. I'll be max an hour."
"I'll wait here then." Hermione walked up to her front door and knocked.
"Just coming," her mum said from inside. "Oh God Hermione!" Her mother cried as she opened the door. "Honey come! Our beautiful girl is here! Why are you here sweetie?" Hermione hugged her mother and father before going inside.
"Free lesson, thought I'd come round. What have you been up to lately?"
"Oh nothing much, just watching this programme about houses, beautiful one in Australia, really cheep too!" Her mum replied.
"Want a coffee hun?" Her dad asked.
"Okay dad, let's sit down," Hermione choked.
"Darling are you okay?" Her mum asked.
"Just came to pick up Crooks, where is he?"
"On the landing I think," her dad said. Hermione rushed out the room, teary faced and went to find Crookshanks.
"Hey Crooks," Hermione smiled through tears, holding out her arms. Crookshanks leapt into her arms and purred. Hermione went into her room.
She gasped. Everything was still there. She flicked her wand and packed every ornament into her beaded bag, which had an undetectable extension charm on it, and sighed, taking out a box of Christmas ornaments and decorations for the tree. She packed that too. She packed every photo every picture every book every object, until all that was left was the furniture and some of her old clothes. Unsticking the last tacked photograph from her wardrobe, she took one last look at her room, cried, and turned on her heel, walking out and locking the door. She had to make it look like the room was a spare bedroom. Never her's. Never her's.
She walked around the landing. There were two doors on her right, one on her left, and one in front of her. In front was the bathroom. The first on the left was her room. The second was the spare room, best check that out. There was a large portrait of her and her parents on the wall to her left - that'd have to go. She couldn't take that back though, the attic perhaps? She flicked her wand and opened the hatch to the loft, she then levitated the photo up the hatch and put it down, closing the hatch with a further flick, locking it. Then the spare room, which she quickly discovered was clear of her belongings, with only a bit of cat hair on the bed. She left and walked into the bathroom. Empty, but on her way out she saw a small engraving on the wall. A single letter - 'H'. She'd done that when she was seven, with the end of a stone. The tears were coming again and she determinedly walked out. "Hermione are you coming down? Your coffee's getting cold!" Her mum called. She hurried into her parents room and looked around. Their bed was to her left and she quickly removed the family photo on their bedside table, and tore out her picture in the calendar. She opened the wardrobe and saw their clothes, more clothes, shoes and a parcel labelled, 'Hermione's Christmas present.' This was too much. Clutching her mouth, she wiped the tears furiously and sunk to the floor. She opened the box cautiously and saw a gold wrapped present. She added the parcel to her bag and searched the room once more, desperate to leave. Once satisfied, she opened a suitcase, put a few shirts and tops inside, and went back downstairs.
She crept into the kitchen and looked in the mug cupboard for the mug that she'd got her dad for his birthday. It read, '#1 Dad!' She sent that up through the ceiling to the loft too. She then took out all children mugs, plates, bowls and cutlery, and sent them up following her dad's mug. Packing Crookshanks' bowls and food, she then searched all other rooms until retreating back into the living room, to say farewell to her parents. Crookshanks eyed her before purring and leaving the room. There were three mugs on the coffee table, two empty and one full of coffee. Hermione looked around as quiet as possible whilst her parents were transfixed on the television screen. There were two pictures of her and her parents on the wall. She flicked her wand at them both and she faded away from each photo, leaving just her parents or a pretty view. Then she was stood behind the sofa. Could she at least say bye? Silent tears rolled down her face. The TV droned on about the Australian house whilst Hermione raised her wand. "Should I call her again?" Her mum asked her dad.
"She's probably forgotten all about it," her dad replied, "Give it another minute."
"Why do you think she's here?"
"No idea."
"I wish she was here all the time," her mum sighed, "I love our little witch Hermione."
"Obliviate," Hermione whispered through tears.
She watched as the threads of memory left her parents. Everything about magic, about her friends, her grades, everything about her. She tried not to sob. From the window you could see their reflections, confused. Hermione stood back, and walked outside. Last thing and then she could leave. She waited a minute and then knocked on the front door again. "Coming!" Her mum called. "Ah, hello there," her mum smiled.
"I'm awfully sorry but I do believe my cat has wandered into your house again. Sorry but I don't - I don't think we've met," Hermione said with a false smile, "I'm Miss Patil, Tracy's daughter from across the road. I heard you were moving to a house in Australia! Very nice."
"Yes, sorry my memory's gone a bit funny," her mum replied.
"You're Monica Wilkins right?" Hermione asked, feeding her mum false memories.
"Yes that's right."
"Is Wendell in?" Hermione asked.
"My husband? Yes, Wendell!" Mr Granger walked into sight.
"Sorry Monica, just looking at the post. Ah! Miss Patil, I assume," her dad smiled.
"My cat has wandered into your house again. Here C - Kittie!" Crookshanks looked at his owner oddly, before prowling outside. Hermione picked him up. "Ought you to be packing? Mum told me to give you your plane tickets," she reached into her pocket and handed them two adult plane tickets to Australia, "You left them at our house last night!"
"Oh goodness, what time's the flight honey?" Her mum asked her dad.
"Two and a half hours, just enough time for you to finish packing, get there and go through security," Hermione cut in. Her parents nodded and rushed in to pack their belongings. "Apparently you're only packing a few belongings, as the house in Australia is fully equipped with everything!" Hermione called. Ten minutes later and her parents were at the door with two full suitcase, wallet, car keys - crap the wallet. "Accio," Hermione muttered, and the picture of her and her old library card flew out of her dad's wallet and appeared in her hand.
"Pardon?" Her mum asked, wheeling her suitcase over to the car.
"Nothing, just telling off Kittie for going into your house!" Hermione called. Crookshanks glared at her.
"Well, bye! Send Tracey our love!"
"Bye," Hermione called, waving at them as they got into the car and started the engine. She watched them reverse out and waved, but they didn't wave back. Breaking down into tears, she ran over to her headmistress with her cat and hugged her, not caring she was her professor. She held her tightly and said soothingly, "Well done, no one should ever have to do that." She wept, taking one last look into her house through the front window and saw three mugs on the table, two empty and one full of cold coffee. Then there was a pop, and nothing.
A/N *Tearing up* I'm sorry. No words are needed. At least Dumbledore's back in the picture, literally, and he's better than ever. I feel for Hermione, but what'll happen when she gets back to her dorm?
I'm also really sorry but I'm only going to be updating once a week now. For those of you who've read this chapter already I'm sorry, seeing as I'm updating this since it was posted. Anyway, I will always update on Tuesday's. See you on Tuesday!