Title: Hermione's Helping Hand

Hermione's Late Gift

When Hermione and Severus arrived back at Hogwarts, it sounded as though it was about to rain, so they hurried inside. Hermione had Dobby take their things down and then she went to change into her school robes. By the time she had returned, the hall was filling up with students. Hermione quickly found Harry and Ron, and settled between them.

" I would like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts," Remus told them, as the last students sat down. " I'm most pleased to have our Herbology teacher back. Now Filch has left us for good, which I know most of you will be most pleased about."

Everyone in the school clapped, including the Slytherins.

" Yes, yes, I know," Remus went on. " Tonight I'm most pleased to welcome Petunia Dursley as our Caretaker."

Everyone looked around and then saw a very thin women standing next to the side door. She looked very defeated and very sad. Hermione had only seen her once, and that was when she first left Harry at the end of her first year. She didn't look like that, but then again, times had changed.

" Now she will be patrolling the halls and I do hope that none of you break the rules," Remus went on. " Now lets eat."

And the table filled with food.

" Well it looks like it was your Aunt Petunia!" Ron said

" I guess!" Harry said, putting chicken on his plate.

" So have you gotten the chance to talk to her?" Hermione asked Harry.

Harry shook his head.

" Oh, Ron, I hear that your going out with Luna Lovegood!" Hermione said.

Ron groaned which made Harry laugh.

" Harry, I told you not to tell anyone."

Harry laughed even harder and soon Hermione joined in.

When dinner was over, Hermione joined up with Petunia, in patrolling the halls. She didn't seem like she wanted to talk and that was fine with Hermione. She knew that Petunia was still upset about all that had happened. But she figured that if she presented herself in a friendly manor, then she might get a few answers.

" Are you okay?" Hermione asked.

Petunia said nothing, but all this did was fill Hermione with determination. She decided another tact.

" I heard your son is almost out of Smeltings," Hermione said. " Are you going to see him graduate?"

Petunia shook her head.

" I'm sorry to hear that!" Hermione told her, looking very bad for her. " But why not? I mean, he's your son after all."

" H-He doesn't want me around," Petunia finally mumbled.

Hermione looked at her.

" And why's that?"

Petunia stopped and looked down at the stone floor.

" I've raised him to believe that people that were different, were freaks. Now I discover that I've got magic and now he's spitting everything back at me."

Hermione bit her lip.

" I lied to Harry when I said that Lily was the only person that got a letter, I got one too, but I didn't want to go. I didn't want people to see me as something different."

" And so you lost your talent."

Petunia nodded.

" Or at least, I thought I did," Petunia clarified. " It came back up when I needed it the most."

" Do you think that your son's children might have magic, when they're born."

Petunia shrugged her shoulders.

" I don't know about anything, anymore," she told her. " Um…I want to thank you for something."

" What?"

" For listening, that was the greatest gift of all."

Hermione grinned and Petunia returned it.

A/N: Most people might not think that listening is a gift, but listening and understanding is the greatest gift of them all.