A/N: Argh! Three days in Orange for a 25th wedding anniversary party (not mine!) right when I didn't need it. Aaaand I have a history assignment that quite desperately needs doing, so writing fanfiction is out of the question until its done. Grrrrrrr....Anyway, here's the next chapter - don't forget to review :)

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Chapter 5 - A New Beginning

Hermione left the office angry, confused, and upset; emotions that had plagued her for nearly a year. The potions master had seen right through her, and it made her head spin. Who was he to know her thoughts, her feelings? Even she could not make any sense of them!

Her mind, as well as her feet, continued to wander until she found herself at the door to Professor Neffler's office. She knocked hesitantly, and then louder when there was not reply. Instead, Hermione turned in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. Having arrived unnoticed in the common room, she saw Harry and Ron engaged in conversation by the fire. She walked over to them, but stopped when she was close enough to hear what they were talking about.

"...first match of the season, and she missed it! Come to think of it, she only went to one game last year as it was!"

"I really don't mind, Ron. I know what it's like to lose your parents, I can understand why she's been so depressed."

"But suicide? She mustn't care about our feelings much, to try and kill herself like that! We've been so bloody careful not to say anything that might upset her, but even then she hardly listens! She acts as if we don't exist! I hate it, I thought she was a friend!"

"That's not fair, Ron, you know this has been hard on her."

"It's been a whole year, Harry. She can't keep going like this..."

Hermione could not listen to any more, she had heard enough. Everything Ron had said was true. She fought to hold back the tears as she ascended the stairs leading up to her chambers. It was the first time she had entered them in four days, having been in the hospital wing since the incident on the Astronomy Tower. The sight of the note she had left brought on a flood of tears, and she threw it on the fire, which she had lit with a point of her wand.

Drying her eyes with her robes, Hermione picked up the small, round package that lay on the floor. She carefully unwrapped it, and recognised it as a Love Crystal. Professor Trelawney had shown them one in Divination three years ago, explaining that it was a form of crystal ball that showed the wielder an image of their love, wherever they may be. Hermione gazed into it and saw nothing but greyish mist.

So this was what her life had come to. She got up, and stood before her mirror. Her bushy hair had become wilder, and desperately needed attention. Her face had become gaunt; her eyes dull and surrounded by dark rings. She was thinner than she had been a year ago, and her robes were creased.

Hermione stared at herself for a good few minutes before picking up a disregarded hairbrush from her dresser. It was time to get on with her life.

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After his brief, though exhausting, conversation with Hermione, Professor Snape had gone straight to Dumbledore's office, demanding entry with a brusque "Chocolate Frog,". He marched in to find the headmaster at his desk.

"Severus! I would invite you in, but it seems you already are!" Snape was in no mood for small talk, and got straight to the point, explaining what had happened in his office.

Dumbledore nodded sagely throughout the speech, and when he was done, said, "I think you will find Miss Granger is alright for the time being. She..." Dumbledore was interupted by a knock on the oak door. "Come in," he said, and the door opened. It was Professor Neffler that stood at the top of the spiral staircase. "Do have a seat, Celia," Dumbledore started, and Professor Neffler occupied the seat next to Snape, to his barely hidden disgust. "We were just discussing Miss Granger. Severus here is concerned about a second attempt on her life."

Neffler frowned. She had thought that Hermione was just beginning to come to terms with what had happened, and said so.

"But there must be something else!" insisted Snape, surprised at his own outburst, and that Dumbledore agreed with him.

"Miss Granger has never given me any reason to believe that she is anything but a very level-headed and mature young lady. This behaviour is very unlike what I would have expected of her," Dumbledore added. "Has she given you any indication of an additional traumatising event, Celia?"

"No...only, about a month after she initially received the news, and to all appearances was coping quite well, she stopped coming to me for almost a fortnight. The week afterward she seemed very vague, almost confused. Then her depression got much worse, and has been until the...night."

"Was that the week following the last Christmas holidays?" enquired Snape. The professor nodded. "I gave her her first detention in six years that week, for making a mess of her Farseek Serum. The girl seemed to be very disconcerted, and couldn't pay attention."

"Perhaps we should adjourn this conversation until Miss Granger's condition either improves or deteriorates. For now, I think we should leave her be, and let her face the facts alone. If one of you could inform Professor McGonagall of what has been said here, I would appreciate it," said Dumbledore, silently dismissing Professor Snape, who stood and left. "Now, Celia, about that owl. It seems that you were right about the connection between Lucius Malfoy and Macnair, he was arrested a few days ago after Malfoy admitted to his involvement in the rampage on Muggle families last year. I thought Miss Granger might attend the trial, but I leave it to you to decide if she is up to it."

"Maybe, but I will have to speak to her about it," Neffler murmured. "Will that be all, Professor?"

"Yes, thankyou, Celia," he told the ex-Auror. "Goodnight."