Authors note: maya, thank you for your review and I figured I could post ch 2 and you would know ;) Thanks to JKR for this world.

-Maybenotahufflepuff

Hermione sat at a table on the side of the Great Hall and looked around. People were milling about and some looked unable to function at all. The huddle of Weasleys to her left were staring pitifully at each other and then the space that had held one of their number. Percy Weasley had pushed Fred out of the way and taken the force of the wall falling on him. Fred was propped against George and being held up by Charlie on his other side while he slept off the potions that Madam Pomphrey had forced on him. If he wanted to stay with his family then he could take the potions. It had worked and this was fine. Everyone was careful with him.

Harry sat between her and Ginny with Ron on his sisters other side and occasionally they caught each other's eye. She wondered if the incomprehension there was mirrored in her own. Now that it was over, what should they do? It was the adrenaline keeping them going. It had been days since they slept properly and maybe years since it was without threat.

"I'm going to go to bed. McGonagall said the tower was open." No one moved and she stood. Then braced herself against the table top and took a breath. It was a long way up but she knew that it would be worth it. Harry stood too and then the whole end of their table did the same. Neville looked to Ginny who nodded, then they watched him walk toward the doors with a group of Hufflepuffs. Everyone had behaviors now that they hadn't last time she was here. So much had happened and it was all swirling in her head.

Linking arms with Harry, the two of them led the way up the grand staircase, around the holes and obstacles, and toward one of the hidden staircases. Eventually their group made it to the Fat Lady, who looked them over before swinging open without demanding a password. Which was good as she didn't know what it was.

People were all over the common room. Awake and asleep. Not younger students but older ones and families. Even people who had been in this house during school and needed a place to crash.

Ginny led them up the girls staircase and into her dorm room. It was empty and they all stood there for a moment before filing into the bathroom or throwing themselves onto beds. She ended up with Ginny and Harry. He had pulled her down on his other side and she didn't care. Here with him was better than anywhere else. Tomorrow they could begin to think about things. As her eyes closed she had a thought and they opened again. Staring into the darkness and listening to the quiet mutterings of those here with her, she wondered about Josh, and him. Tomorrow.

When she woke up, most were still sleeping but Molly was awake and seated in a chair by the window. Arthur looking out the same one, standing behind her. She smiled softly and then silenced herself before washing up and pulling some of her clean clothes out of the beaded bag and then doing the same for Ron and Harry. Laundry at Shell Cottage had been wonderful after washing their clothes in rivers or buckets in that Merlin be damned tent.

Both adults caught her eye as she walked toward the door leading out and she smiled a small one at them. Hoping not to add to their grief or worry but she had to move. Couldn't stay here now that she was awake. Eventually Arthur gave her a nod and she took it as both of them accepting her exit.

The common room still had people sleeping in it but some were awake and she spotted Neville looking out a window and walked over to him. The grounds had people all over them and he answered her unspoken question.

"It's about noon and they started showing up a couple hours ago, Sprout said. Coming to help." Hermione reached out and squeezed his hand in hers. Knowing that he too would have thoughts about where they had been last night. Not charitable but honest. His eyes met hers and she let him see her lack of judgement. Understanding that they had gone through terrible things and it was okay to feel. Intellectually she understood but it was hard. Her own emotions were all over the place.

"Have you seen the order? Or Kingsley maybe." She asked and he shook his head before giving her hand a gentle squeeze and letting it go. That was enough and small talk was out of the question now. Neither of them wanted to go over what had happened or talk about what would happen. Not yet.

There were people all over the castle, even students that hadn't been here yesterday. Without uniforms but working with parents and teachers. Some had dustpans or shovels and some were using only magic.

Knowing that someone would be in the Great Hall, she walked in that direction and stopped when she saw Daphne Greengrass, and her sister Astoria, standing with a woman that must be their mother. They were looking around and Daphne was argueing quietly it seemed. As she wove through the obstacles still left on the stairs she wondered what they were doing here. Then she seen Professor Sprout step toward them and smile at the two girls.

"If you want to help then by all means do so." The Head of Hufflepuff had her kind smile on and hermione caught her eye as she walked past them. Her nod indicated that she agreed. House Affiliation or not.

"Have you seen Kingsley?" Hermione asked McGonagall when she finally found her at the back of the great Hall and waited her turn to speak to the woman. Who looked frazzled and tired.

"He left for the Ministry early this morning." Her direct gaze wasn't weary or clouded and Hermione straightened in response to the serious tone. "He was summoned." Hermione nodded and decided that her own problems could wait for a day or two at least. Maybe a week even. Then she asked what she could do and accepted her direction to go find something to fix or someone to help. Wondering where the Greengrasses had got to, she headed out of the Hall and ignored everything but fixing the school for the rest of the day.

It had been three days of fixing the school and flooing to the Weasleys for dinner and bed before her mind had started to function and then four days of funerals and memorials. Sometimes there weren't bodies and sometimes she thought she would break under the never ending crushing sadness and anger.

Knowing that she had to talk to Harry, but being thwarted again this morning, she had acquiesced to Kingsley's request that she come this afternoon. The man was surely busy but had replied to her owl and been polite and friendly while they sorted out a time.

Now she looked at the telephone booth and wished she had just taken the floo. Wanting to clear her mind a bit, she had walked for half hour through muggle London and tried to calm down. Make herself feel less panicked and frantic. It had been marginally successful but now she had to enter the Ministry alone. For the first time since she had escaped it months ago. Kingsley's former Auror partner, Tomlinson, had come and sat with the three and taken their statement. It was splotchy and they didn't share everything but a general run down had been gone through and he hadn't quibbled when they stopped mid sentence or glossed over something. Even the assurance that this would be sealed and confidential hadn't changed the reluctance Harry and her had to share. Ron was less obvious in his preferences and just wanted to leave the room. None of them were really okay.

62442. She dialed into the old fashioned phone booth and put on the pin that came out with her name as that she had an appointment. The halls were crowded but quiet and after the wand clerk stared at her in silence for a minute, she snatched the wand back and walked away. Not wanting to know if he knew who it had belonged to a couple months ago. It worked and that was enough for now. She tried not to look at it more than needed.

The clang of the grilles on the lift closing made her jump and she tried not to look scared while meeting no ones eyes. Not wanting to see the looks on their faces while she was trapped with them. People had been weird on the few occasions she had been exposed to those outside of her circle. Excitable or curious. Somber and scared. It was frustrating and she didn't know what she could do about it.

Finally the bars slid open and she walked onto a floor she had never been in. It contained only the Minister's offices and those of his immediate staff. Harry had been here though, looking for the locket. This was where he had found Moody's eye. The thought made her shiver. A woman she didn't know sat at a long desk and was scanning a pile of papers in front of her. The look on her face, when she noticed Hermione walking toward her, was one she didn't understand completely. Awe and maybe some uncertainty. Other things too and she tried to ignore it. Before she spoke, the woman did.

"He's waiting for you Miss Granger." She pointed toward a huge ornate door and Hermione didn't huff her exasperation with the opulent surroundings and pomp. Just carried on and knocked twice then entered. He was expecting her and she was exactly on time.

"Hermione. Sit down. How are you?" She Just blinked are the concerned man in front of her until he pulled his wand and put wards up. She nearly fell into the seat he had led her to and she breathed for a moment.

"I'm fine. Mostly. I don't know. I'm sorry you are stuck in here." It was honest and he laughed his deep chuckle. She smiled weakly and they had a moment of understanding.

"Interim is only for a year and it was made clear that I was the best option for now. Order member anyways and not completely in the dark. Before we get side tracked let's have a coffee and you can tell me why you are here." Hermione nodded her agreement and then watched him stand and retrieve a tray with an ornate silver pot and plain earthen cups. These were his and she remembered from her time at Headquarters how much the dark man enjoyed coffee and accepted the ribbings for his pot.

"I opened a vault. Last July and then got a letter. My blood matched to another vault and I ended up signing a contract. Two of them actually. So I could go with Harry and he wouldn't use the family magics to keep me or find me." She looked up from the creamy coffee in her cup and looked over his face. Little showed except the wide eyes of surprise. Then he gave her a look and she just waited. Tired and not sure what to say.

"Who Hermione?" She couldn't speak and didn't know how to explain anything. Hadn't spoken once about since that day and now it seemed more than she could force out of her mouth. Deciding this was easier, she summoned the scroll out of her beaded bag and handed it to him. Then she remembered and tapped it with her wand. It wasn't the wand she had sealed them with and she had to close her eyes so she didn't scream her frustration. Summoning a short silver knife, she pricked her finger and then watched the drop fall onto the scroll and be absorbed without a mark.

Then she waited, while Kingsley read them. Both of them and then looked up at her. He said nothing and she could only wait. This man had been a Slytherin and had an excellent mask. He had spent some time at Headquarters and been kind to her. Helpful as well. Accepting questions and letting her talk magics over without asking her why she needed to know something like that. He had helped with the protean charm prep she had done, even when she hadn't known their final use. Hadn't questioned her ability to do the NEWT magics either.

"Rosier. The baby. Everyone assumed she had died with her mother. Nothing is ever announced, not births anyways for some time. Especially the purebloods who always fear a squib or infant death. Their circle would have known though and you would have been a prize then." As she watched his dark lips move she relaxed, as least a bit. Relieved that he was speaking of things she didn't know. Adding some context or something instead of berating her or demanding to know how she could have been so reckless.

"How many contracts were there?" He looked interested and leaned back k to his chair. Sipping and watching her. She blinked at his casual acceptance and then deflated a bit. There was no way out. This was to be the way it was. This pureblood knew things and had explained a few to her before. He had been a good mentor in their limited interactions.

"Four." She nearly moaned the word and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Trying to sip the coffee without spilling it. Her hands wanted to move and it was hard to keep in her agitation.

"Come on then. Who was it?" The interest was clear and she scoffed lightly.

"Nott, Flint, and Avery. Justin." The last was in clarification of which Avery. He had three sons.

Kingsley looked thoughtful and then sceptical as he looked her over. He wouldn't ask though and Hermione wanted to know what he wanted to ask, but had the manners not to.

"Just go on." She put in grudgingly and he smiled at her.

"Why not the Nott boy?" Hermione met his eyes and wondered how much he knew. Surely he couldn't know about their hidden study dates and kisses.

"He didn't want me when I wasn't a Rosier." Her eyes were level and his jaw clenched at her response. Then a questioning glance and she nodded then looked down. She had liked Theodore Nott a great deal and she had thought that he liked her too. They had met secretly on and off for a year and he had kissed her. Like he meant it too. One fumbling conversation told her that it wasn't Voldemort that made him reluctant but his father and his teachings. I'm not sure I can risk my House like this. To a girl like you. It would be a betrayal of my own beliefs. You are lovely and brilliant though. That was enough for her and she had had stood and picked up her things before leaving the hidden nook behind the stacks and had never returned. Or opened a note from him. Or let herself admire him the same way she had. It hadn't been too hard, except on her pride, and so she thought it wasn't enough to marry someone she knew better but also would never forget dismissing her that way. He had meant it and that was more than she could deal with. It had been recent enough that it hadn't been a contest really.

"I also killed Thorus Nott at the battle so maybe that's for the best." She let her feelings show and he wasn't smiling now. Neither was she. He had aimed at Luna and she had sent a loose piece of stone at him. It had crushed his skull and Luna had looked so grateful that Hermione wondered what she knew of the man. It wasn't like to blond to show so much fear. It had mitigated whatever guilt she felt to a steady level. Now though, she wasn't sure.

"We all have names to our credit. Most of us anyways." That was comforting if she ignored how twisted that was.

"Like all veterans after a war Hermione. You lent me the book." He gave her a wry smile then and she blinked at him. Veterans. The concept hadn't occurred to her in relation to herself. It was true of course and she had noticed it in the order members before the war. She would have to think on that later.

"When are you going?" She snapped her eyes up to his dark ones and didn't know what to say.

"You signed." She nodded and then decided to ask.

"Are they in Azkaban?" She nearly felt sick at the question and tried to keep herself steady.

"Yes. No dementors." She breathed out and then put the coffee cup down. Her shaking had increased and she didn't know what to do about her emotions or how to think more clearly. For a minute she tried to calm herself and looked up at the man in front of her. She had no one to go to and felt it.

"You will go and meet with the goblin. Then you will fulfill your terms. Nothing will change about you. Your last name but little else. Family is important to us. This shows surely that he wanted you to live. What he wanted if you both did live." Hermione huffed at him in response. Thinking back to that day.

"Did you know when you, your parents." She flinched and felt it at his question. Then gave a jerky nod. He gave her an understanding one. It did explain some of why she had done it the way she had.

"Let's have dinner once a week. It will be good for both of us I think." She was surprised by the suggestion and the serious look on his face.