It was a brisk Sunday afternoon, one of those days you get when it's near October but the autumnal weather decides to make it's presence known when just the week before it was blazing sunshine. Hermione had gotten all her homework and extra reading done for the day, and since Draco was writing to his mother Hermione wanted to give him some space. Besides, someone deserved a visit. She'd written ahead beforehand, since she did not want to barge in and impose herself upon them if they were busy. Her visitor had said they had no business to race care of and would love to see her. So at two o'clock Hermione found herself in a thick black coat and Gryffindor scarf, knocking on the door to Hagrid's hut.

He opened it instantly with a warm smile. "Hermione!" he exclaimed, picking her up and giving her a hug that lifted her off of her feet. "I missed yer." Hagrid put her back down. "Com in, com in, I've got the kettle on an biscuits if yer hungry."

"Thanks, Hagrid," she said, closing the door behind her and being instantly treated by the slobbering mess of Fang, who was trying to topple her over in excitement. "Calm down, boy," she said with a laugh, stroking him behind the ears, which made his tail wag exuberantly.

"Ya know Fang, can't control himself when he gets excited." Hagrid said as he took the kettle off the stove, pouring the brew into two cups and setting them on the table, fiddling with some pots. Hermione took off her coat and scarf and draped them neatly over her chair.

"Be caref'l, they're hot," Hagrid warned as she took a sip.

Hermione smiled at him. "You remember how I take my tea," she said, touched.

"O' course I did. How many times did you and Harry and Ron sit in here, even when ya shouldn't. Especially when ya shouldn't. Now, tell me how you've bin keeping. How's school going?"

"It's going great," Hermione said, wanting to start off the conversation with a light, easy topic. "I'm really glad I chose to come back, I know I would have regretted it and having that gap in my knowledge."

"As if you don't know most of it already," Hagrid chuckled, taking a sip of tea from his bowl-sized mug. "Rock cake?" he offered.

Despite having had years of negative experiences with Hagrid's confections, Hermione took one, for old times sake. Maybe they weren't as bad as she remembered. She took a bite. They were. Well, if she washed it down with some tea she'd be fine. Hagrid had gone to so much trouble already; the least she could do was eat a few rock cakes.

"How have your classes been going?" Hermione asked, since one could only glean so much without verbal confirmation.

"Good, Good. They're great. It's jus,' well, everyone's not as excited anymor' about learnin' this stuff. It's not that they're not int'rested, jus' that the War's taken that spark out of 'em, yer know?"

"I do," she agreed sadly. She saw it in her classmates eyes sometimes, that glazed look as if their minds were somewhere else, and not just mindlessly daydreaming. She knew that some witches and wizards couldn't go into certain classrooms and corridors, to haunted by the memories. McGonagall was more than happy to accommodate, and they'd had a meeting about it only Monday. Ways to boost moral and what types of non-invasive therapy could be implemented. Hermione herself wouldn't sit at the end of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where Fred's body had been laid out.

"I thinks it's great that you're trying though, Hagrid. That your passionate about your subject; that goes a long way for your students. Trust me, the best teachers are always the ones who love their subject, put time and effort into it, who actually want to be there instead of those who have to to pay the bills."

"Thanks, Hermione. I appreciat' that."

"You're most welcome. Have you been in touch with Harry and Ron lately?"

"Not a lot, I get the odd lett'r here or there, but I rec'on they're jus' busy at the Minis'ry. How are they doin'?" Hagrid asked, pouring Hermione another cup of tea.

She nodded her head in thanks, considering her words carefully. "Harry's doing well, I think he's adapting to being out on his own since he's so used to taking care of himself. From what he's told me, the Audit training is going great and the first part should be done by Christmas, where they have this big exam before taking a break for the holidays. As for Ron," Hermione sighed, knowing that honesty is the best policy. "Ron and I aren't speaking."

"You and Ron? Not speakin'? What happened? You're as close as friends can get without sharin' socks."

"We had a falling out. Or rather, he acted like an immature, insensitive jerk when I was in a very vulnerable emotional state and he will only apologize if I do, presumably, even though I have nothing to apologize for."

"What made you so upset?"

"I Obliviated my parents before the War, to keep them safe. They don't remember me. I tried to fix it, Ron came with me, it didn't work and then we got in a fight after I saw him kissing some girl."

"O'. I see. Boys sure are dumb, aren' they? I'm so sorry about your parents, Hermione. No child should have ta do that. At least you're friends with Malfoy know, aren't you?"

Hermione almost spilled her tea, but composed herself easily; she'd had much practice. "How did you know about that?" she asked mildly.

"Ginny, o' course. She may have mention'd that you two had bin spending a lot o' time together and that he seems to have really changed since the War, is all. Despite what's happened, I think it's great that you're tryin' to reach out to those who other's might judge less deservin', Hermione. You always did try to see the best in everyone, even when they couldn't see it in themselves."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Hermione said. "For being so understanding. Not everyone has."

Hagrid frowned, swirling his tea. "I can imagin'. Stupid idiots. Anyway, I've been chattin' with Headmistress McGonagall, and I wanted to get your opinion on somethin'.

"Sure, fire away."

Hagrid drained his tea to the dregs, as if stalling for time. He picked up a rock cake, fiddled with it absently and then put it down, making patterns with the crumbs in the table. Finally, he sighed and looked at Hermione. "The Headmistress has offered for me to come back to Hogwarts, to finish my education. You know I was expelled, and I wanted ta get your opinion, since you're so smart and all and I want ta know what you thought about it."

She was out of her chair in an instance, wrapping her arms around Hagrid's arms and hugging tightly. "That's a great idea!" she beamed. "Everyone deserves a second chance, and everyone has the right to learn magic. Nothing should stop you from embracing all you have to offer."

Hagrid gave her a grateful pat on the head. "Thanks, Hermione. I really appreciate that. But, ya don't think people will make fun, since I'm so old and all? I don't want to cause trouble."

Hermione frowned. "How could they? You're a part of Hogwarts just as much as the owls and the pumpkin juice and the unreliable stairs and the magic. And if anyone says differently, I will gladly demonstrate how I held my own against Death Eaters and walked away."

He chuckled and poured another cup of tea for her. "That's sweet, but no violence. I'm still a teacher, aren't I?"

And they stayed like that for the rest of the afternoon, trading stories and remembering good times gone by. She'd thought it would be painful, bringing up those memories from when all had been well between her, Harry and Ron, but in a weird way, oddly healing, to be reminded of how deep that bond of friendship has been, how integral and deep-rooted. Perhaps she should apologize, reach out to Ron.

Hermione stopped in her tracks, as if hit by lightning.

She thought, oddly, of Draco, how he would tell her that she should not apologize for standing her ground and being honest, just to placate someone else who's destructive behaviour was not only harming himself but others, those who cared about him. Draco would not want her to diminish herself. She didn't want to diminish herself. And so she wouldn't. She would not waste her life trying to save someone who didn't want to be saved. But she could help, at least from a distance. She would not make excuses for him.

Hermione made her way back up to the castle, relishing the quiet of the late hour. She paused, though, at the sight of the Great Hall, double doors open enough for a meagre shaft of light to fall out and hit her feet. Five months, five months has gone from when shed stood in that room, looking at Fred's dead body, expecting him to get up and crack a joke at any moment. He'd looked peaceful, as if he'd only been asleep, but he hadn't. A few feet away, the dead body of Lavender Brown, her room mate for so many years. And Remus and Tonks, who she had loved like family, despite the brief time she knew them. Her life was full of ghosts, full of people she would never see again and things she could not change. But they had died for a reason, had thought for a future for them all, and that was what mattered, what she would carry with her. After all, 'The wound is the place where the light enters you.'

Author's Note: Hello, everybody! I'm sorry for the late update, but I had to take a break for a while. But I'm back, and I've got lots planned. Thank you for staying with me, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

With love, Temperance Cain