A/n: Hi I'm back. First of all, replying to reviews is in order
Herovillain: Thank you. The bowl at the ending, which usually holds lemon drops is empty. It's a sort of symbolism because Dumbledore always has lemon drops to offer and now he's out of them and they were talking about his death. It's hard for me to explain.. You either understand or you don't but I hope you get the idea.
Not mad mentally unstable: Thank you so much. And here's your next update.
Duj: Thank you for the advice. I'll try to invest in a Harry Potter Lexicon.. Unfortunately I'm just a poor poor student with absolutely 0$ in her pocket. Thanks for catching the later and latter mistake.
LastTrueBard: I would love for you to be my beta reader, unfortunately I cannot send you an email. Both times I tried it sent me a message back saying the delivery failed. I tried on outlook express and it said the system was down. So I'm sort of stuck here.
Thanks to all reviewers. 3
I forgot this in the last chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all J.K's.
We do what we have to
Chapter 2 – Introducing Hermione GrangerIt was over.
Seven years of magical training and it was over.
Hermione Granger fell onto her bed and closed her eyes, smelling the covers and her pillow one last time. She smiled against the sweet smell of lilac and the softness of the material underneath her cheek. This was it, in a few minutes she would be heading down to Hogsmeade station and taking the Hogwarts express home. She rolled over; a tiny badge attached to her robes sparkled in the sunlight and proved to everyone that she was Head Girl.
Smiling to herself, Hermione thought back on her last year at school. Her NEWTs had been easy. Many sleepless nights and tremendous hours of studying had ensured that she would pass at the top of her class. Which of course she did, Professor McGonagal could not help but pull her into her office and gush with pride about how amazing she was. Graduation was to be as expected, full of pretty robes and chatting parents. Her parents, they had been there, not really understanding what was going on, but there none the less to support her.
Of course there had also been Ginny, who had spent most of her time with Hermione during the past year. She had really enjoyed spending time with her in the heads room. It was a place to go away from the dorm and away from the constant giggling of the six or so girls who all lived there as well. The Heads room seemed to be a sanctuary.
Hermione chuckled and shook her head, rising from her bed she took one last look around the room before heading out her door. Ginny had gone to her graduation as well, Hermione had invited her. She had come in a pretty green dress robe, which she had learned to make herself. With her family being so poor, Ginny had never known fancy robes like the other pureblood girls had. She had taken it upon herself to learn how to make her own dress robes, and found that she quite enjoyed the hobby.
'I wonder where she went that night', Hermione mused. Ginny had disappeared half way through the dancing, to Hermione's disappointment. She had asked the red head where she had gone and got the simple answer of a headache. Hermione hadn't believed her but didn't bother pushing the subject; just assuming she had gone off with some boy.
Running her hand along her door she felt the engraved letters underneath her fingertips. She didn't have to open her eyes to read the words there. 'Head girl', this is what she had worked for, for seven year, this is what she had slaved for hours over books for. To be the best, and it was worth it.
And yet, leaving now, she seemed so unfulfilled and incomplete.'It's because they aren't here.'
A voice nagged her in the back of her mind and she rested her head against the door.
They weren't here.
She had done everything she had dreamed of doing in the seven years of being here and they weren't here to share it with her. They weren't here to laugh and joke about how they had known all along she'd get the highest grades. They weren't here to sit by the lake underneath the beach tree after exams. They weren't here for her to watch them play quidditch.
Harry and Ron.
Hermione sighed, recalling their last conversation they had face to face, after Fleur and Bills Wedding.
"What are you going to tell your parents, Hermione?" Ron asked. They were seated on the lawn in front of The Borrow, Harry, Ron and Herself. The wedding cake Molly had made was amazing."Excuse me?" She asked taking a rather large bite.
"You know, about not going back to school next year," Harry jumped in. "About traveling a bit and going to Godrics Hollow." Hermione began to cough, choking slightly on her cake before blushing hotly and looking away from her two best friends.
"I haven't told them anything." Ron looked confused and Hermione filled him in. "I'm going back to school in the fall."
There was a thick silence that ate away at her nerves; she finally found the courage to look up at them. Ron's face was a picture of anger and Harry looked more amused then anything.
"Listen I'm sorry-"
"Bullshit, Hermione. I don't even know why I thought you'd come in the first place. School before friends, like always." And with that he got up and left. She felt terrible and she looked back down, tears pricking at her eyes.
"Harry, I have to finish school. I've worked six years for this point. I can't just drop out now." She sighed defeated and looked up into his eyes. "I really am sorry." She whispered, and to her surprise Harry laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
"I know you can't come. To tell you the truth I thought I was going to do this alone. Besides, I think you'd go crazy without any homework to do after three days with just me and Ron." He pulled back to look at her. "Your one of my best friends, I'm not going to take your education away from you… And I'll work on making Ron understand." He finished sheepishly. Smiling, Hermione wiped away unshed tears.
"Thank you for understanding, Harry."
"Not a problem." He said before becoming serious. "This might be the last time I see you." He stated sadly.
"When are you leaving?" She frowned, ignoring what he had implied.
"Soon." He said before drawing her in and hugging her fiercely. They didn't know how long they stood there, but when they both stepped back they were slightly teary eyed. "I'll write." He smiled at her sadly before turning and walking away.
Harry had kept his word too, he had written once or twice, before he sent a final owl in the middle of October saying that they could no longer correspond incase the owls were being tracked.
And that's the last that she had heard from Harry or Ron.
The year had started and had been rather lonely without either of the boys, but she quickly solved that loneliness the only way she knew how, reading. They weren't the only ones who hadn't come back this year either. The Patil twins hadn't returned, to Lavenders dismay, Hannah Abbot and some other Hufflepuffs hadn't come back, as well as a handful of Ravenclaws.
Not to Mention Draco Malfoy.
Big Loss.
Of course no one had expected him to return. Not after he helped the Death-Eaters into the school. Which is the reason why Snape hadn't returned as well. Hermione gritted her teeth with a sudden rush of anger.
The slimy, rotten, hooked-nosed, traitorous bat, she seethed.
Traitor.
The word cut deep, and part of her was still in denial about the idea of Professor Snape being a traitor. There had to be an explanation, something just wasn't fitting, like part of the puzzle was missing.
"Granger," a deep voice shocked her out of her musings and she jumped, turning around.
"Zabini," she shrieked. "Don't scare me like that." She scolded the Head Boy. His dark eyebrow arched delicately as he surveyed her.
"Well, Granger, you were standing with your head against your door not moving, and since you are one of the heads I assumed you wouldn't want to miss the train." He smirked at her as she yelped, hurried out and started to run towards the portrait hole.
"Come on, Blaise! We're going to be late!" She hissed. Stupid, stupid Granger! This had been the exact thing she had avoided all year, falling into here thought patterns and forgetting about her duties, it would be no good to start now.
She was so preoccupied with berating herself, that she forgot to drink in the halls of Hogwarts, one last time.
