Disclaimer: I wonder if Ms Rowling has ever done fan fiction herself. It'd be funny to see where she goes with her own characters and to see if she has the other stories she's wanted to do with them. I'm rambling, it's all hers.

A/N: Thanks to Chantal J, T'Lorie, SongOfStars (you're the best, always reviewing my stuff) and Purplereader (you completely made my day with all your reviews, thank you soooo much), for reviewing my other one-shots. Love you all. Now this piece suddenly hit me this afternoon while I was desperately trying to avoid tidying my desk, so here's the product, hope you enjoy.

Recovering

Hermione lay on her bed in Grimmauld Place sobbing uncontrollably while facing the wall. All her memories from the past year were finally catching up with her and now tearing her apart with grief. The war started on the day she was to return to Hogwarts for her final year. Her dad was telling her and her mother a joke as they had reached the barrier in King's Cross station that would lead them to the hidden platform when an explosion reverberated around the building. All three of them instantly spun round trying to find what the cause of it was and they didn't have to look far. She watched in horror as she saw Death Eaters making their way to the barrier while throwing aside any Muggles that got in their way with a flick of their wand. Some weren't even that lucky and were killed instantly.

"You have to run and hide," she managed to finally say to her parents with a shaky voice. She looked round as she took her wand out of her sleeve and saw a train further down platform ten, "Go get on that train and keep down." But they didn't move. They were frozen to the spot as they watched the Death Eaters near them. Before she could pull them to move another explosion deafened them, Hermione's heart skipped a beat in fear as she realised that the explosion came from just above them.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion as the brick pillar before them started to crumble down. Bricks were flying everywhere and hitting people that were in their path. She kicked and screamed as she felt a strong pair of hands wrap around her waist and pull her backwards. She tried shouting to her parents but she couldn't get the words out. The last thing she saw as she was pulled through the secret barrier was her parents being engulfed in bricks. She desperately tried to shout a spell to protect them yet she couldn't, it was as though her voice had disappeared.

She stared at the brick wall that was the entrance to Platform nine and three quarters as she was placed on to the floor. She turned in a stunned silence to find Remus Lupin saying something to her. She couldn't hear what he was saying, all she could hear was silence; there was chaos on the platform as she watched fellow pupils race on to the train and parents hastily kiss them goodbye. She turned away from Remus to race back out to where her own parents were, praying that by some miracle they were alive. She felt a hand grab her by the arm preventing her from getting through the barrier.

"Let me go," she cried as tears started to sting her eyes, "I have to help them." She felt him pull her sharply to him and hold her tightly till she finally gave up on struggling. She started to breakdown and as he held her.

"They won't have made it, Hermione," he spoke in a whisper into her ear. She felt as though her heart was going to stop beating it hurt that much.

"You should have helped them first," she wailed into his chest but holding on to him tightly, "Why couldn't I say a spell?" He looked around knowing that they would have to move soon. He shuffled towards the barrier with Hermione still holding on to him; he stuck his head through the entrance and found nothing but pandemonium. He glanced at the pile of rubble knowing that Hermione's parents were under it, after a few seconds looking for movement or any sign of them, he gave up. He scanned the surroundings to see anyone he recognised; no one, just Death Eaters. In one swift move, he pulled his head back and took Hermione's wand off her to seal the barrier.

Remus picked Hermione up and carried her onto the train, she felt numb and exhausted as she peered at her surroundings from his arms. She had no more tears to cry now and slowly was becoming unaware of what was going on around her. She felt herself being put down, someone talking to her, then nothing, nothing but black.

She woke up a couple of hours later to find she was still on the train and it was moving. She quickly sat up to find herself in a compartment with Harry, Ron and Ginny, who were sat opposite her. Harry moved to sit next to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he spoke softly. She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything, she felt like she didn't know how to talk anymore. A single tear escaped her left eye but it would be the last one to come from her in nearly a year.

Hermione's final year of school passed with many events, good and bad. Voldemort and Death Eaters made many attempts to attack the school and Ministry and killing so many people with every attempt. She felt her heart harden every time she heard news of yet another friend was dead. She study hard and worked hard to protect her and what was left of her friends.

Members of the Order started to go missing; she could never work out if it was good news that their bodies hadn't been found. There was never a day where another death was announced in the paper or that more Muggles had been tortured but not killed.

Hermione could feel a cold setting in her soul and she wasn't the only one to feel it; others were becoming too scared to get attached to anyone for fear that they might have to face the pain of loss. She desperately wanted to distance herself from Harry and Ron, she didn't know if she could cope with another loss like her parents, but somewhere deep down a nagging feeling wouldn't let her.

Then one of the worst devastations of the war hit everyone in the middle of May. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and nearly everyone from the third year up was there enjoying the spring sun. No one had been expecting it and Albus thought Tom wouldn't be so foolish.

Nearly a third of the pupils there were killed, many injured, but wasn't it funny that not one Slytherin had been harmed in anyway? Aurors were there in a blink of an eye but not quick enough to prevent so many casualties. The Death Eaters and Voldemort were gone at the sight of so many Aurors, they didn't even bother to try and fight.

Hermione and Harry lost Ron that day and neither one shed a tear, they didn't know how to with such hatred flowing through their veins. Revenge was all they could think of, tears wouldn't bring him back. Ginny didn't have the strength to not cry and began to keep to herself.

Then the glorious day finally happened at Hogwarts at the end of July, Voldemort was killed by Harry's hand but the rush of relief Hermione felt at it being over was gone when a Death Eater got his revenge on Harry in return. She felt like her heart had been ripped out as she raced to Harry, he was dead before he hit the ground, and nothing she did would have prevented it. The intense hatred for all things linked to Voldemort and his followers that had been brewing within her for the past year hit the surface. She lost control of what she was doing as she knocked down Death Eater after Death Eater; death was too good for them, the Dementors could have them. No one dared go near her until she hit the last Death Eater in her sight with her final spell; Bill Weasley was the one to catch her as she started to fall to her knees but she refused to let any tears fall.

She moved around like a zombie for the next two days as she packed up her stuff in Hogwarts and was taken to Grimmauld Place by Mrs Weasley. Sirius had left the house to Harry in his will and until he was of age it was to be used as the meeting point for the Order. Who was it to go to now?

So there Hermione was, one week after Harry had died, sobbing uncontrollably, wondering how on earth she was going to recover from such devastation. Who was going to help her piece together her shattered heart? Who was going to hold her hand when she went to Harry's funeral? She'd had both Harry and Ron when she went to her parent's funeral, she had Harry when she went to Ron's, but now she had no one for when she went to Harry's tomorrow. Bill and Fred were all that was left of the Weasley's after the horrendous year and she wasn't close to them.

There was a gentle knock on the door but they didn't wait for an answer as they entered her room. She tried to control her sobs a little while she listened to them walk in and place something on the desk under the window.

"Hermione," she heard Remus' voice speak lightly and sorrowfully, "I've brought you some food." She didn't answer him or even turn to look at him. She suddenly felt him get onto the bed and his arm worked his way round her waist. He lay there with her and let her carry on crying. "I know what you're going through and I'm here whenever you need to talk." She gently squeezed the arm wrapped round her in acknowledgment.

Finally she felt her tears stop flowing and her sobs began to subside after what seemed like an eternity of crying. Hermione shifted herself as she turned to face Remus. Her cheeks were red and damp, her eyelashes glistening from her tears, and sorrow emanated from her brown eyes.

"I don't know how to keep going," she finally spoke, her voice hoarse, "I've never been alone before." He gently took her hand in his as he leant up on his other elbow.

"You're not alone, I'm here," he told her with a warm smile, "We'll get through this together and build our lives up once more." She smiled a little at his kindness.

"How?" she asked in a whisper. He was silent for a few minutes but it seemed hours to Hermione.

"I don't know, but we have to," he finally said with a hint of fear, "But you must remember that we're not alone. If we stick together, it'll get easier." She nodded in understanding as she left her heavy eyelids close. Remus kissed her tenderly on her forehead before getting up and leaving her to sleep.

Hermione got through the next day with the help of Remus, he stuck by her side and it was a great comfort to know that she wasn't alone. To Hermione's surprise Harry had done a will not long after Ron had died. Albus had explained to her that he didn't want the Dursleys to get the money his parents and Sirius had left him and was insistent on having a will. The house went to Hermione along with half the money he had, what was left of the money was to go to the Weasleys and Remus. The Invisibility Cloak went to Remus as well.

Finally the day ended and Hermione went to bed exhausted, hoping that it got better from now. And thankfully it did.

With the help of her brand new best friend, Remus, she sold her parent's house; she felt it would be left to go to ruins if she kept it. She packed up everything and decorated Grimmauld Place with it all, she couldn't leave anything behind, it was all she had left of her parents. She pleaded for Remus, Fred and Bill to move in with her; the house was huge and they only had each other now. They were grateful for the offer and wasted no time accepting it. Fred and Bill were sorry to leave the Burrow but it was also too painful to stay there, too many memories of their large family floating round.

A couple of months had passed since Harry's funeral when Hermione could be found in the kitchen reading a book Remus had bought for her birthday not too long ago. She was just about halfway through when she put it down and couldn't work out why. She was loving every sentence, every word; it was all so interesting, but she had this sudden urge to stop reading. There was something new that had happened without her knowledge yet it was now coming to her attention. She got up and started to walk round the house.

She found Bill and Fred playing exploding snap in the living room and Remus was scribbling away on a piece of parchment at his desk in his room. She paused at the doorway and watched him for a few seconds before moving on. She still hadn't figured out this revelation and it was starting to annoy her; it didn't usually take her this long to solve anything.

She got to her bedroom and looked at all the pictures she had on the walls. There were many of Harry and Ron laughing and waving at her, some were of the Weasleys, some of friends from Hogwarts taken through her seven years there and some of her mum and dad. Then realisation dawned on her; she smiled as she placed her hand over her heart.

Hermione almost ran back down the hallway to Remus' room and bounced on his bed in excitement.

"You're going to break my bed if you carry on," Remus playfully scolded as he continued to write, "Please stop before I hex you." She giggled at his silliness before finally sitting down at the edge of the bed. He finally stopped writing and turned to his left to face her, she was grinning like a fool and it was the first time he had seen her smile properly in a long time. "What is it?" The excitement seemed to be catching as he found a giddiness spread through him.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, Remus," she proudly announced. He frowned, completely lost at what she was saying. She laughed at his confusion, "Since Harry's death I've had this pain right here," she placed her hand over her heart again, "that wouldn't leave me alone, it was a reminder of losing Harry and Ron and my parents. But it's gone now, it doesn't hurt anymore." Remus leant forward on his knees and took both of her hands in his.

"Maybe your heart has finally healed its self from all that tragedy it's had to endure this past year," he offered as an explanation, "You've been through so much this year that you even surprised me when you managed to pick yourself up and keep going." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What about all those times you said that I was strong and never let anything keep me down?" she questioned with mock outrage. He smirked as he moved to sit next to and placed an arm round her shoulder. He leant towards her mischievously with his eyes sparkling.

"I was lying," he whispered into her ear before she hit him playfully in the gut. He laughed as he got his breath back, "But now it means I can do this," he placed a quick kiss on her lips before carrying on, "without feeling as though I'm taking advantage of a heartbroken young woman." She mocked outrage before aiming for another punch in his gut but she lost when he moved forward and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.

"You know," Hermione breathed when she pulled away, "I may have to hurt you very badly now. I know a few good curses." He eyed her up and was sure that she probably did too. Finally seriousness appeared on his features.

"But are those curses being aimed at a very good friend or possibly, just maybe, in the slightest chance, are they being aimed at your………..boyfriend?" he asked with the last word coming out as a squeak.

"Definitely my boyfriend," she reassured him with a grin, "because my very good friends don't get a head start while I get my wand." Hermione shrieked as she jumped up and raced out of the room with Remus hot on her heels to stop her finding her wand.