Ok, here is the deal. I am calling this a songfic, because it's my take on one. It is not a traditional songfic being that you will NOT find big chunks of lyrics in this story, nor will you want to skip over them. I will be creating a Spotify playlist with the same name as this fic, but it won't be available until a few chapters in as I will add each song used for the chapter/s as they post, so as not to create any "spoilers". You will find the references to every song used in the notes at the end of each chapter.

Thank you to my amazing beta - MissyJAnne85 - for putting me in my place and kicking my butt into gear making everything seamless and creating this banner for me. I love you!

2nd July 1998

It had been exactly two months since the Battle at Hogwarts ended the Second Wizarding War. Memorials had been held for those who fell during the battle, of which there were so many. Hermione had been to Australia, found her parents, restored their memories and then returned with them to their family home in Hampstead. She was thoroughly enjoying her quiet life at home with her parents, getting reacquainted and learning of their adventures in the Great Down Under. She had reintroduced Ron to them as her boyfriend and the four of them had spent many an evening together eating supper and teaching Ron all about Muggle boardgames. He was immensely pleased with the television, often requesting for it to be turned on once their meal had been cleared.

After spending these two precious months with her parents, Hermione decided that she would join Harry and Ron at 12 Grimmauld Place. The boys had been there for several weeks already and while Kreacher was doing his best, without much help from her friends, the house remained a pigsty. The ransacking that occurred once Hermione had accidentally led Yaxley there had been cleared, but the work they had begun in their fifth year was in desperate need of continuation. Hermione was not satisfied with those living conditions for her boyfriend and best friend, so had put some strict schedules in place to achieve an optimum result before they returned to Hogwarts for their eighth year.

An eighth year had been installed at Hogwarts for all of those who had missed out on their final year there. Having said that, the education of the year previous had been seriously lacking, so all students would be repeating the year in order to catch up to where they should be. At least, this is what Professor McGonagall had conveyed to Hermione in her most recent letter.

Ron had moved in with Harry shortly after the war had ended. Harry had felt the need to begin his life afresh and as he had an already established home, thanked Molly and Arthur for their offer of housing but declined. After more than a year of being out from under the roof he called home, Ron decided to join Harry in this new adventure. Molly had protested initially but had let it go on the premise that both boys would join them for a Sunday roast every week.

While Harry wouldn't admit it to Ron, he was very grateful for Hermione arriving that day, list brandished in both of their faces and a tone of expectation in her voice. She had moved her things into the room formally known as Regulus', which Ron had claimed and begun her cull in there.

"Are you sure that there is nothing in here you want to keep, Harry? We will work on every other room together, but there is no way I am sleeping in here while it looks like this. When was the last time you even washed the sheets, Ronald?" She admonished.

"I'm positive that there is nothing of Regulus' that I would like to keep. But if you come across any photos with Sirius in them, or anything else belonging to him, please put them to the side and I will look through them later."

"No problem, Harry," she smiled. "Ron, get in here and tell me what needs washing!"

"Bossy isn't she?" Ron asked Harry.

"Feels good to be back to normal, doesn't it?" Harry grinned back before disappearing to the Master Bedroom. Up until now, he had been sleeping in Sirius' old room, but as the owner of the property, he was strongly encouraged by Ginny to claim the main bedroom for himself. Under Hermione's guidance, he would rid the room of its dark energy and moulding furniture. But in the meantime, he would get a jump on things, making sure that Kreacher was preoccupied with dinner preparations so the little elf couldn't hinder his progress.

During the next few weeks, the residence of 12 Grimmauld Place received a huge makeover. Several other Weasley's had joined in the fight against the aging and unused furnishings, Ginny playing a major role in styling what the house would become. Harry, Ron and Hermione had to make several trips to the Ministry of Magic during this time to participate in the trials of many former Death Eaters, to each receive their own Order of Merlin: First Class and to take part in the Returning of the Wands ceremony for all the Muggleborn witches and wizards who had had theirs confiscated under the rule of Pius Thicknesse.

It was after the trial of Walden Macnair that the trio was approached by Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt and asked to join him in his office for a pot of tea. Even had Kingsley not been elected to the office of Minister for Magic, they would have happily obliged. They rode the elevator together from the tenth level up to the first and once seated in the large round office, Kingsley poured four cups of strong English tea, offering milk and sugar in kind.

"So, my young friends," Kingsley rumbled. "I believe that Minerva has been in touch with you and you are aware of the repairs to Hogwarts Castle and the structure of this year's curriculum?"

"Yes," Hermione replied while Harry and Ron sipped from their cups. "It will be good to feel safe inside those walls again."

"I'm sure it would," he replied. "However, I have a counter-offer for the three of you."

Harry and Ron snapped their heads up to pay close attention at this unexpected announcement from the Minister himself.

"As war heroes and heroine," he inclined his head towards Hermione with a smile. "You will not be obligated to return to Hogwarts to continue with your education. The Ministry is delighted to offer the three of you a place with the Auror's Academy, a place to train under professionals who will guide you to become one of our Dark Wizard Catchers. All without the usual need of a N.E.W.T completion. If you so wish, that is."

All three teenagers gaped at the dark-skinned bald man, large as he was with the personality of a teddy bear, he softly chuckled at their speechless response.

"No need to give me an answer yet, my young friends. It is a big decision and something that you should think over seriously. Of course, if you do not wish to become an Auror, this offer can be extended to almost any other Department within the Ministry. Exam results will be waved for the three of you and you need not concern yourselves over your future without them. It will all be taken care of."

"Thank you, Minister," said Harry as Ron and Hermione seemed to be at a loss for words. Though, Harry suspected, for entirely different reasons. "This is a very generous offer and we will be sure to talk it over with each other and our loved ones."

"Yes, thank you, Kingsley!" Ron had snapped out of his stupor.

"You will be sure to receive an owl with our answers before the start of the first term," Hermione told him. "I'm sure you're incredibly busy, Kingsley. Thank you for the tea, but we should be on our way."

"Thank you for joining me. It was a pleasant break to my usual duties, I can assure you," the big man smiled warmly at them as they showed themselves out.

Back in the lifts on their way down to the Atrium on level eight, Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at each other with a grin before breaking into a relieved round of laughter.

"Can you imagine?" Ron said. "No more classes! No more exams! No more teachers! No more detentions!"

"A streamline to the career of my dreams? It's too good to be true!" Harry couldn't wipe the grin off of his face.

"It would be a shame, though," Hermione said. "All those years at Hogwarts with one goal in mind and not being able to achieve it after everything we have been through?"

"'Mione," both Harry and Ron groaned.

"What a buzz kill!" Ron said as he pulled her to him and nuzzled his nose against her neck, face buried in curls. While Harry stood by and laughed.

This was exactly how they were found as the lift doors opened at the Atrium to reveal Narcissa and Draco Malfoy.

Harry cleared his throat as Ron and Hermione looked up to see the unamused expressions of their audience, breaking apart instantly and the laughter dying on their faces.

The Malfoy trial had been the week before and all three family members had been tried. Lucius had been found guilty of multiple counts of murder and treason, harbouring fugitives in his home and kidnapping and sent directly to Azkaban Prison. While Narcissa had been found not guilty on the charge of kidnapping and harbouring those same offenders. With the use of Veritaserum, she had confessed to being under duress. Draco was unable to be tried as an adult for his crimes of the sixth year and had thus been excused from further prosecution, with the help of the statements from the Golden Trio on behalf of both mother and son. After all, if it weren't for Draco delaying the arrival of Voldemort to his home by not confirming Harry's identity and the action of Narcissa lying about Harry's death, none of them would have survived nor the war won on their behalf.

The tension between the Golden Trio and the Malfoys had a very different air about it now, both parties knowing they were in debt to the other and somehow still not coming to a truce. The air grew thick with it until awkward hellos were exchanged and Harry, Ron and Hermione exited the lift so that Draco and his mother could enter it.

Ron and Hermione clasped hands and walked together alongside Harry towards the fireplaces to Floo home. Stepping into the kitchen at 12 Grimmauld Place felt oddly normal to Hermione already, as if it were a place she would be calling home for a long time to come. Kingsley Shacklebolt had dropped a bomb on them but she didn't have to think about which avenue she wanted to take. Finishing her education at Hogwarts was what she was meant to do, there was no question for her - even if the offer to get a jump start on her career was incredibly tempting. However certain she was of her future, she was equally uncertain which pathway the boys would take. Harry had always referred to Hogwarts as his home, so maybe he would stay on. Ron could certainly use the extra discipline that came with a job, but he would also benefit from continuing his education. Hermione felt strongly that they should stick together as they had always done and that staying at Hogwarts would be the best thing for all of them. Having said that, she couldn't force either of them into staying on for the extra year.

Having heard the Floo system activate, Kreacher had emerged from his closet and begun loading the table with everything needed for a complete Devonshire Tea. One thing was certain, if they did decide to work for the Ministry this year, Kreacher would not let them starve. Pouring the tea out into three cups, Harry started the conversation again.

"What do you think we should do?" He asked.

"I think we should return to Hogwarts," Hermione said immediately, piling jam onto her scone and reaching for the clotted cream.

"Of course, you do," Ron said around a mouth full of his own.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What do you think, Harry?"

"I think I'm going to do it," he replied, eyes alight.

"Really?" Ron and Hermione asked in unison.

Harry nodded, chewing on his scone. "I feel like it's the right step for me. What would going back to Hogwarts achieve? If last year had been normal, we'd be finished already and this would be the natural progression." Ron was nodding his head in agreement, already reaching for another afternoon snack from the tray.

"Yes, but last year wasn't normal and we haven't finished our education," Hermione countered.

"Didn't it feel like the end of something, though? The battle, I mean," Harry said. "It sort of feels like that was the end of it for me. Hogwarts was my home for six years, where I felt the most secure - even with all the shit we went through - and got ourselves into," he admitted upon a look from Hermione. "It did. It felt like home, but not anymore. The war there was the final piece of the puzzle played out. Now this place is home and I think I'm going to live here for many years to come," he said with a final nod.

Hermione sighed. "Promise me that you will at least sleep on it before you decide?"

"I don't think it will make a difference, but I promise to sleep on it before I tell Kingsley anything."

Hermione nodded in sad acceptance. "And you Ron? What will you do?"

"You're definitely going back to Hogwarts?"

"Definitely."

"Then that's where I will go, too," he said with a sheepish smile. Hermione leaned over and kissed him soundly on the mouth. "Thank you," she smiled against his lips.

"Ok, ok. Enough of that you two. You have a bedroom upstairs for that kind of behaviour," admonished Harry with a wink.

"Don't mind if we do," Ron grinned, pushing his chair back and offering his hand to Hermione.

"Ron!" she slapped his hand away.

"What?" He laughed, taking his seat back and picking up his teacup. Harry and Hermione joined in on the laughter. As Hermione wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, she couldn't help but feel the pang of sadness at the idea of Harry being away from them for the next year, as if a link in the chain was coming undone.

1st August 1998

No longer under Unplottable, 12 Grimmauld Place was able to receive owls delivering the post. Harry had wanted people to be able to visit without the necessity of a Secret Keeper. He did, however, request that his address never be shared with anyone working for The Daily Prophet and in particular, Rita Skeeter. The Ministry granted this request and kept his address off of the public record. Three thick envelopes slid through the letter slot in the door just as Hermione was making her way downstairs for breakfast. She squealed in delight upon seeing them, clapping her hands together as she ran to pick them up. "Ron," she shouted up the staircase. "They're here!"

"What's here?" He hollered back, emerging from their bedroom and pulling a t-shirt over his head. Hermione brandished the letters at him with a grin. "I'll be in the kitchen," she told him.

When she arrived in the kitchen, she was surprised to see Ginny, clad in her dressing gown and clutching a cup of coffee. "Ginny! What are you doing here? Did you stay over?"

"Yes, but don't act so surprised. If mum asks, I stayed in your bedroom. You know, the one you don't share with my brother," she said with a wink.

"Oh, yes. Fine," Hermione agreed. Molly and Arthur were blissfully ignorant of their two youngest children's sexual activity and both of them wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. "Oh look, McGonagall has sent us your letter, too. Looks like she isn't as easily fooled," she said, handing Ginny her letter before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Not waiting for Ron, Hermione tore her letter open, a red pin falling out as she did so. "I knew it!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione picked up her shining red Head Girl badge. "Congratulations, 'Mione!"

"Thanks," Hermione said with a grin, already attaching the badge to her blouse. She spread the pages of her letter open over the table and reached for a piece of toast. The first page was the standard uniform list and Hermione skipped over it to get to the second, more important page.

*Required Textbooks

Advanced Potion-making by Libatius Borage

Futhark Magic: A Study of Ancient Runes

The Advanced Arithmancer's Handbook

Quintessence: A Quest

Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century

Advanced Creature Care

Advanced Herbology Editon Nine

Muggle Space Exploration by Greenlee Warren

The Standard Book of Spells Grade 7 by Miranda Goshawk

Egyptian Origins: Magic of the Ancients by Fauna Smethwyck

Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration

Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms

A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions

The Dueler's Art

Note: For NEWT students, sixth-year textbooks are also required for NEWT level revision.

Other Equipment:

1 wand

2 cauldrons (stone, standard size 1, copper standard size 4)

1 set crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass or silver scales

1 advanced potions ingredients kit

1 set of protective gloves

Quills

Inks

Parchment

Blank Journal

1 abacus

Lunarscope

Rune Set

Wand Holster

"Merlin, Hermione. That is one extensive list," Ginny said. "Thank Morgana I'm not taking Arithmancy, Ancient Runes or Astronomy. How are you going to have time to take all of those classes, study and be Head Girl?"

"I'm not sure," Hermione replied honestly. "I don't know exactly what the duties of Head Girl are going to be, but I sure am wishing for my time turner back," she smiled at her friend. "I'm guessing that there will be a lot of late nights and not so much free time on the weekends."

"Don't forget to take care of yourself while you're doing all of that," Ginny told her with her eyebrows disappearing into her fringe.

Hermione munched on her toast and waved her hand in the air to dismiss her friend's words as Harry and Ron joined them in the kitchen.

"Merlin's pants, Ginny. Could you get dressed before you come down in the mornings? I don't need to see you in your nightdress when I know you've spent the night in my best mate's bed!"

Harry's face turned beet red, while Ginny flipped Ron the bird and pushed away from the table to do exactly as he asked regardless. "I was waiting for the shower," she informed him, sticking her tongue out at him as she passed, ruffling Harry's wet hair on the way.

"Geez, Ron. Take it a little easier on them. They don't have so much time left together," Hermione advised him, indicating the lack of a letter for Harry who had already accepted Kingsley's offer. Ron's ears turned pink, but otherwise, he acted as if Hermione hadn't said a thing as he smeared some marmalade onto his toast. As he opened his letter, a matching red pin fell onto the table. Hermione hugged him tightly. "Congratulations, Ron!" She said. "Head Boy, just like you always hoped for!"

"Yeah," he replied a little unenthusiastically. Hermione didn't notice his tone as she showed him her badge and he congratulated her in return.

"Well done, you two!" Harry said with genuine enthusiasm. "That's really fantastic, news!"

"And even better, Ron," Hermione lowered her voice so Harry wouldn't overhear. "Head Students share private quarters," she wriggled her eyebrows at him. Ron broke into a grin at the look on her face as well as the idea of continuing to share a room with her.

"We will have to put aside a day of cleaning and get to Diagon Alley. I don't have a lot of these books and I'll be needing a new set of Runes, as well as the necessities," Hermione told Harry and Ron.

"Sounds great," Harry replied. "I've been dying to get my hands on a new broom!"

"And I'm always happy to skip a day of cleaning," Ron added, searching for a clean mug for his coffee.

"Shall we go tomorrow, then?"

31st August 1998

"Ron, you really should get your trunk packed," Hermione told him as she locked the clasps on her luggage. She shucked her dressing gown off to reveal her silk lace nightgown and climbed into bed.

"And you expect me to do that with you looking like that ?" He asked, appraising her body in the sheer garment. Pulling her close to him, he slipped a strap off of her shoulder and kissed the skin where it had been. Hermione's head fell back as he reached a particularly sensitive spot on her neck and all thoughts of protest died in her throat. She let her hands roam over his recently toned chest. He had really filled out during the war and she was now reaping the benefit of it as she let her hands glide over his shoulder blades, nails digging in as his mouth sought out her right nipple.

His mouth travelled down her body until the nightgown was discarded on the floor and her body was arched on the bed, his head buried between her thighs. He knew she was close when she could no longer keep still, her legs twitching on either side of his face. Ron stopped his ministrations on her clit and looked up at her. Eyes clouded with desire, he crawled back over her body and positioned himself at her entrance. Pushing into her, they both released a moan of pleasure.

Biting her lip, Hermione braced herself with one hand on the edge of the mattress and dragged the other down to the already buzzing bundle of nerves between her legs. While Ron fucked into her, Hermione worked on achieving her orgasm at the same time as him, feeling deliciously full. When she heard Ron start to pant, she went overtime with her fingers and they came together with each other's name on their lips. As he pulled out, Ron vanished the mess they had created and pulled Hermione's back against his chest. Sometime later as they were falling asleep, Hermione murmured "I love you," and closed her eyes.

Hermione's eyes flew open at eight the next morning, ready to get started with the day and to be at the train station well before eleven. She bolted from bed, gathered her dressing gown from where she tossed it the night before, put it on and shook Ron from his sleep. "I'm going to shower," she told him. "When I come back, I hope to see you out of this bed and packing!"

"Mmmmph," came his reply.

When Hermione re-entered their bedroom she was pleased to see that Ron was no longer in bed and already dressed. He was not, however, packing his trunk.

"If you think I am packing for you, then you can think again!" She told him as she gathered her outfit for the day, navy blue slacks and a sky blue blouse.

"Hermione," Ron started. "I'm not going."

"Oh, ha-ha, Ronald. I am not packing that trunk for you, get a move on!"

"No, really 'Mione. I'm not going back to Hogwarts."

By this stage, Hermione only had her underwear and her pants on. The blouse still hanging on the wardrobe door.

"What do you mean you're not going ?"

"I've been thinking and-"

"Oh, that's novel! You've been thinking!"

"Hermione, please! I agree with Harry, Hogwarts is over for me. I was always rubbish at most classes and you know I don't have the patience for homework and exams. If I take the N.E.W.T's I'll probably fail most of them - "

"I'll help you!"

"What? On top of your million classes and your Head Girl duties? Shacklebolt is offering me a fantastic career, something I could only dream of before and all without the need of another year at Hogwarts. I can't pass that up!"

"Fine," she huffed, pulling the blouse off of the hanger, stuffing her arms through the holes and buttoning it up with shaking hands.

"I guess I'll be on my own then and we will get to experience the fun and games of a long-distance relationship!"

"About that... I - I think we should break up."

"You WHAT?" She roared.

Ron stepped backwards, tripping over his empty trunk, immensely glad that Hermione didn't have her wand in her hand.

"And when, might I ask, did you come to these decisions?" She snapped, tying her hair back into a bun with furious hands.

"About two weeks ago. When the letters arrived," he admitted, wincing as she burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.

"You decided two weeks ago that you wouldn't join me at Hogwarts and on top of that, that you didn't want to continue our relationship? And you're telling me now, right when we should be leaving? Oh, that's rich, Ronald. Really rich!" She had seized her wand from the dresser, swished and flicked it at her trunk, sending it downstairs ahead of her before turning it on him. "I can understand Hogwarts, but why the break-up?" Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, so she quickly batted them away.

"Well, we're both going to be really busy and I guess meeting new people and I didn't want us to feel any kind of restrictions on what we could and couldn't do."

"My God. You're breaking up with me so you can go and sow your oats all over Wizarding Britain because you're some famous war hero now?"

Ron winced again at her furiously bitter tone and the stick of truth in her words. "Well," he blustered. "I wouldn't put it quite like that."

"You know," she said. "When you appeared in the Forrest of Dean, returning to us after so long, I thought... I thought I saw a man come to life. You were warm and you came around like you were dignified ." Her wand fell to her side as the tears dripped from her eyes and she left the room without another word.

"'Mione," Ron called after her as she raced down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Harry asked as Hermione appeared tear faced in the kitchen.

"This conversation isn't over," Ron said, breathless in the doorway. Hermione swiped at her face again, gathering her thermos and filling it with coffee for the Hogwarts Express. "You just couldn't be that man that man I adored," she told Ron before turning to Harry. "He doesn't seem to know or seem to care what his heart is for." She shrugged, swallowing past the lump in her throat, she whispered, "I don't know him any more."

She screwed the lid onto her thermos, plucked a piece of buttered toast from the wire rack on the table and pushed past Ron who was still standing in the doorway.

"Hermione, wait!" Ron begged. "I wanted to say that we should just take the time apart and when we meet back for the Christmas holidays, see how we feel."

Hermione laughed bitterly by way of response. She was having a hard time processing all of the things coming out of Ron's mouth. She needed time alone to think all of it through because right now, she knew she wasn't being rational. It was like the words were spilling from her mouth without any help from her brain. The laughter died on her lips as she shook her head.

"Ron, I think you'd better go back upstairs," Harry said, catching on to what was happening between his two best friends. Ron looked like he was going to protest but after opening and closing his mouth several times, he took a hold of the bannister and dragged himself up the stairs.

"Hermione, I'll talk to him. It'll be fine, you'll see," Harry reached a hand out to clasp her arm. Angry tears pooled in her eyes and she swatted them away.

"Nothing's fine, Harry. I'm torn and I -," the sound of a horn outside startled her. "I have to go."

"Hermione!" Ron called, his face pleading with her as he leaned over the landing rail.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley! Just stop. I've heard enough. You want it over? Fine, then it's over. I'm going back to school and I'll forget all about you ," she jabbed her index finger at him accusingly. "You won't be it for me. Congratulations, we're both moving on." The taxi cab blared its horn again, longer, louder this time. "I hope you do fantastically in the Acadamy." With that, slammed the door to 12 Grimmauld Place behind her and stepped into the taxi she had called for the night before. Thanking Merlin she was organised, she confirmed to the driver that she wished to be taken to Kings Cross Station. Placing her head in her hands she sobbed, allowing herself the breakdown now that she was out of sight.

Torn- Natalie Imbruglia

*Look guys, I'm not gonna lie. The list of school supplies has straight-up come from Snitch Seeker and I have blatantly stolen it and done just a touch of editing to make it fit better for Hermione's needs. You can find the full list a href=" snitchseeker-rpg-archives/hogwarts-supply-lists-74850" rel="nofollow"here/a