As the Great Hall sky showed the clear, starry night above it Hermione though to herself, "here we go, our final year." She looked around at the faces of her friends, all of sudden much more grown up than their years, forced to go through so much so young.
Hermione thought back to the previous July, The Battle of Hogwarts, Harry's last stand against Lord Voldemort and his victory to become truly, the Boy who Lived. Hermione looked across the table at the wizarding world's saviour. Harry stared blankly up at the teacher's table waiting for everything to kick off. His face showed no emotion but Hermione knew better. His eyes were darting everywhere counting the seats that now stood empty and silently berating himself for those who lost their lives to bring about the end of Voldemort. Hermione gently nudged him with her foot, forcing his attention on her, she smiled sadly and shook her head, he shouldn't blame himself for those deaths. Harry half smiled back and then glanced back to the stage where McGonagall was taking to the podium.
"Attention all students, welcome back to Hogwarts. I hope you've all had restful summers and a chance to recuperate from July's events. I can only begin by saying that the healing may have only just started for some but we, as the teachers, are here to help you in that process in any way we can. With that said eat up!"
The food appeared, as delicious as always, on the tables. Everyone dove in to fill the plates and Hermione was no exception, 'maybe I just need some routine and normality,' she thought. She began to eat her meal whilst listening to Ron and Ginny bicker about quidditch, they had only just begun to compare the goal scoring abilities of their favourite chasers when dinner disappeared and Gryffindor began to ascend to the tower.
In the tower Gryffindors grouped around their usual spots while Hermione made sure the first years found their new dormitories, she was after all Head Girl this year. To many people's surprise- including his own- Neville had been named Head boy and was taking to it naturally. The Battle and the resulting clean up and rebuild had been his focus over the summer and it had created a more confident boy that hadn't lost his caring, loyal personality.
After seeing the first years to the correct places and coordinating shifts with the prefects Hermione threw herself down on the sofa next to Ron, who glanced over at her fondly, "Hermione where have you been?"
"Prefects meeting, Malfoy being his usual difficult self, I can't do this, I can't do that. Typical he claimed quidditch practises were on almost every night! Luckily, I was able to contact Slughorn and sort out the whole thing."
"Well Hermione, I'll have you know that quidditch this year…"
"Ron! Be quiet! Hermione has got a point." Ginny reprimanded her brother from her perch on Harry's lap in the chair across from them. They had finally gotten together after the final battle and although Ginny seemed happy with the new relationship, Harry had become increasingly withdrawn and often he would disappear by himself. Ginny however, didn't appear to understand his need for peace and believed they should be grieving and healing as a group and was often seen knocking at whatever door he had closed himself behind.
Hermione sighed heavily, she stood up, intending to go to bed and sleep. Ron however, had other ideas. "Oi! Hermione don't go to bed yet! It's early and I've heard Dean bought some muggle firewhisky back with him."
"I'm going to pretend, as head girl, I didn't hear that Ronald. I'm going to bed, we've got class tomorrow after all."
Ron huffed, "Same old Hermione, go on then. See you at breakfast. And with that Ron turned away and walked over to where Dean and Seamus were sitting.
"Well, night guys." Hermione looked at the remaining couple. "See you at breakfast."
"See you, night Hermione." Harry looked up at her and half smiled, he knew she wouldn't sleep. Their endless night time chats at Grimmauld Place had shown them both that nightmares from the war plagued their nights and left them both with insomnia. He wasn't quite sure what he would do without her when he woke tonight.
Hermione smiled back, thinking the same thing, she turned and walked up the staircase to the top where a small portrait of a lion sat. "loyalty." Hermione spoke the password that Professor Mcgonagall had given her earlier. The portrait hole swung open to reveal the head's common room.
The common room was cosy and not unlike the larger one downstairs. There were two chairs and a sofa in front of a roaring fire and a small study area with a large table and shelves with various books on. Hermione knew she would be spending a lot of time there.
She wondered through to the two doors at the back of the room, Hermione noticed her name on the right hand one. She turned the handle and slipped inside.
Her bedroom was spacious, with a large four poster bed and another desk. The room was hung with scarlet paper and contained two other doors, Hermione assumed they were for her wardrobe and her bathroom. She padded across to the wardrobe, found her pyjamas, changed, slipped into her bed and slept.
A few hours later, Hermione awoke covered in sweat and panting. Another nightmare. Another flashback to the battle, to people laying with eyes that would never see again across the Great Hall, to Harry laying dead in Hagrid's arms and finally to Fred and his body surrounded by the Weasleys. She rolled over and stared at the door, this would be when she would normally go for a cup of tea and a chat with Harry but she was now two floors above him in the castle without a way of contacting him.
Suddenly, a silver ray appeared in her room, she grabbed her wand and pointed it, ready to stun. "Hermione, give me the password, I can't sleep." Harry's voice came from the stag stood at the end of her bed.
Relief flooded Hermione, after the nightmare she was convinced she was back in the battle. "loyalty", Hermione whispered whilst conjuring her patronus. The otter floated gracefully past the stag and disappeared.
Swinging her legs out of bed Hermione let herself into the common room to wait, she was pacing back and forth when she noticed a small kitchen area, 'perfect', she thought. She began to make a warm milk adding in vanilla and some cinnamon, her night time go to drink. Just as she finished she heard the portrait open and turned to see messy black hair and sleep deprived eyes stumbling through the portrait hole. Hermione grinned and took the drinks over to the sofa in front of the now dying embers. "Hello Harry, I wondered how I was going to get through tonight."
"I couldn't sleep Hermione, it was the same, he was back and I was running again. Except I was without you, without Ron and I had no one."
"Harry you know that's not true. He's gone. You have us, we aren't going anywhere."
"I know." Harry rubbed his eyes, "but it almost seems too good to be true, the wizarding world, safe at last."
Hermione sighed, "But it is Harry, at least for the moment. Maybe we should try to be happy and keep going. Even if it's for the sake of the others. What more can they throw at us? You've singlehandedly saved the wizarding world they owe us a normal year."
"I hope your right Hermione, I've just got a feeling."
"I know Harry me too."
They sipped their drinks in silence staring at the embers, Hermione moved to sit with her toes under the edge of Harry's leg, to stop them from getting cold. "Just back to school tomorrow and then we take each day as it comes. You know you can come seek refuge here."
"Thanks Hermione, I just feel like I need to escape sometimes."
"Me too Harry, me too."