Seeing You through Different Eyes

Chapter 1

"Hurry up Hermynonee!" Hermione sighed in disgust. He still hadn't figured it out. Her-my-oh-nee! It wasn't that difficult! Why couldn't he, after seven years of knowing each other, and three of dating, say her name correctly?

"I'm coming Viktor! This luggage is heavy! I'm sorry-"

"Just hurry up! Ve're going to miss the train!" Viktor said rolling his eyes. Hermione wished he would treat her with more respect, but she didn't want to upset or offend him, he'd had a hard time lately. The Cannon's weren't doing well and the media was putting the blame on him entirely.

They boarded just in time and took their seats. Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had finally graduated from University. With honors! But it didn't mean what it should have to her. It was just...something. So much had happened in the last four years. Besides her studies at The Irish Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she had spent the entire time repairing herself emotionally, after the defeat of Voldemort. Compared to that, graduating with honors from IIWW was nothing.

She shuddered.

Voldemort.

Hermione had watched as dozens of friends and acquaintances were killed in battle. People she had laughed with, cried with, grown into adulthood with. A tear ran down her face as she remembered that cold November night. The last night of battle. It was the night when it felt like all hope was gone. The night that would change her life forever. The night when she would lose many of her friends...

"Look out, Hermione!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs. Hermione dove into the bloody ground to avoid being hit by a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange.

"DAMN IT! Watch it, Harry! Lestrange is throwing the killing curse left and right!" Ron said with difficulty as he dodged avada kedavra.

Hermione wiped blood from her face, some of which was hers, most of which was from someone else, and gazed across the field. People were falling down, screaming in agony as unforgivables were thrown from both sides, no one showing any mercy. If there WAS a sunny side to the situation, it was that almost all deatheaters that were on the ground, writhing in pain. Blood, screams...it was all too much. She wanted to be gone. To be happy. To be young and careless. No. She couldn't have that. She had people being torn limb from limb. Being murdered left and right. It was insanity! All because long, long ago, someone thought they were more worthy than someone else. It disgusted her. She felt as if she were going to throw up, and then suddenly, her mind went black and she fell to the cold, hard, blood-drenched earth.

"Hermione? Are you awake?" Harry asked in a very concerned voice, looking at her as if she could break at any moment. She rose up slowly, feeling her muscles ache and her joints crack and pop. Her head swirled and she felt exceedingly dizzy. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. Everything was still a bit blurry.

"Harry? What happened? Where's Ron?! Is he ok?! Where am I? Where's Viktor? Did we win?! What happened to-" Harry gently placed his hands on Hermione's shoulders, his thumbs caressing the base of her neck.

"Hermione, Ron's ok...so is Viktor. You're in the infirmary at Hogwarts. You just passed out from all of the stress and horror of it all. We won Hermione. I killed him. I killed Voldemort."

Silence.

More silence.

Suddenly, Hermione broke into tears and threw her arms around Harry. At about the same time, Ron and Ginny ran into the infirmary, realizing Hermione was awake, and joined in the hug. They were all crying and holding each other.

Reluctantly, she withdrew, "How did you do it Harry? How did you kill Voldemort?"

"Honestly, I'm not really sure. One minute, I was throwing curses at him, the next; all these words were coming out of my mouth that I didn't even understand! It was like I was possessed or something. Dumbledore thinks it was something to do with my parents," Harry smiled, "They helped me. I know it. They're the reason I killed him. They're the reason we're alive."

Hermione smiled at Harry and turned to Ginny.

"Ginny! Oh, I was so worried about you! How did you get past Bellatrix?" Hermione's tone was serious and concerned for her best girl-friend.

"Professor Lupin distracted her and I hit her with the killing curse," Ginny's head fell and she looked truly sorry, "I killed someone. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I never want to have to do it again." Hermione embraced her friend again and patted her back encouragingly.

"You did what you had to do, Gin. You are a hero. You too, Ron," He blushed at this, "You are all heroes, and now, the entire wizarding world will be able to live their lives in peace."

"Oh Hermione. What would we have done without you?"

"What would I have done without you, Ron?"

Three weeks later, the first classes for IIWW were starting, and Hermione had to leave Hogwarts.

"You have to owl me all the time! I love you both sooooooo much!!" She said between laughing and crying. She quickly hugged Ginny and Ron, giving Ron a kiss on the cheek. "Harry, look out for yourself. Make sure you go to see Madam Pomfrey and get all of your injuries checked regularly!"

Harry laughed a bit, "Yes mother!" his expression got a bit more serious, "I love you 'Mione. Remember that."

"I love you too, Harry," she kissed him on the cheek and ran to Viktor, who was growing impatient.

"Hermynonee! We're here! Wake up!" Viktor poked her in the side a bit hard for her taste, grabbed her luggage, threw it in her arms, and pulled her off of the train.

"Where are we going now?"

"To get you settled in. Then we'll go to the Ministry and see what jobs are available for a Potions/Defense against the Dark Arts major," he said in an exasperated tone. He hadn't even wanted her to GO to University. 'Vomen should not vorry themselves vith such things!' he had said.

She sighed. It was ok to settle...right?