Hermione kneeled atop her overflowing trunk as Ron struggled to clasp it shut, his face red with exhaustion.

"Can't you just place an extension charm on the ruddy thing?" Ron begged, feeling defeated by the task he'd been handed.

"That'll tempt me to overpack," Hermione explained, determination still marking her features.

"I think you might've 'overpacked' twenty books ago," Ron muttered exasperatedly, but Hermione was too focused to notice.

"Try again, I'll put more weight on it."

Ron sighed before returning to his battle with the overstuffed trunk. Sure enough, the added weight did the trick and he was able to force the thing shut. Hermione laughed as the man howled, punching at the air victoriously. Every once in a while, it actually felt as though nothing ever changed between them.

"I still can't believe you're heading back to Hogwarts... as a teacher!" Ron mused, plopping himself down on the couch with a fizzy drink. "I guess you were always great at teaching Harry and me all sorts of stuff."

Hermione smiled a little nervously, still in disbelief herself.

The interview had gone far better than she'd expected. McGonagall had been the one to ask all of the questions with Mathilda Sweetleaf chiming in every so often with, what Hermione considered to be, irrelevant but mood-lightening commentary. Snape, on the other hand, remained silent for the duration of the interview, eyes glued to the notes he was actively scribbling throughout. McGonagall often prompted the man to add to the conversation, but her efforts proved pointless as he appeared determined to remain uninvolved. Truthfully, Hermione was thankful for it.

Immediately following the interview, McGonagall gave Hermione her thanks and promised to inform her of the decision promptly. Sure enough, an owl arrived at the Burrow the following day carrying a letter from Hogwarts.

Dear Ms. Granger,

We are pleased to offer you the position of Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please respond in a timely manner informing us of your decision to uptake the position.

Further details will be provided upon your employment.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress

Hermione fondly remembered the shock and relief she'd experienced at first opening the letter. After reading and rereading it several times for the fear of misinterpreting something, she finally believed and accepted that she'd landed the job. At the news, Mrs. Weasley had burst into hysterical tears, pulling Hermione into a wet, bone-crushing hug. "I knew it all along, but it's so wonderful to have it be official," she had wept into the younger witch's shoulder. Hermione hadn't had the same sureness, but she was touched by the confidence each of the Weasleys seemed to have.

"Weren't you supposed to be leaving ten minutes ago?" Ron asked, snapping Hermione out of her reminiscing.

"Oh, right. Well, I guess I'll get going," Hermione declared a little sadly, feeling quite bittersweet about leaving her home and family of three years. "I'll send an owl as soon as I arrive."

"Of course," Ron laughed, jumping up from the sofa to see his friend off. "Well, I guess I'll see you for Christmas then."

"Yep. It'll only be a few months."

A long moment of unsureness passed before the two of them shared their first real hug since the breakup. Hermione cherished the moment, a sense of assurance flooding her that she'd been starving for for several months. As Ron held her tightly, she realized that they truly would be able to move past everything they had gone through together. The old friendship they'd abandoned years ago was slowly but surely returning.

"Bye."

"Goodbye, Ron."

Hermione apparated from the Burrow, leaving the man behind with what she could've sworn was pride in his eyes.

Milliseconds later, she landed in the picturesque little village of Hogsmeade with only her trunk, wand, and the clothes on her back. That evening, she was to be moving into her private quarters and after would be attending an all-staff dinner. The prospect of eating amidst her former professors as an equal was entirely surreal and she couldn't help but feel quite nervous about fitting in. They were, after all, some of the greatest and most powerful witches and wizards in the world.

"Wingardium leviosa," Hermione spoke firmly with a swish and flick of her wand. At her command, the bulging trunk floated into the air as though a phantom force had lifted it. Freed of the burden of carrying the weight at her side, the witch energetically began her ascent toward the majestic Hogwarts castle, her heart thumping excitedly in her chest.

Hermione searched deep within herself for any ounce of confidence she could muster. That night, unbelievably, she'd be beginning her life as the Hogwarts Professor of Transfiguration.

"Okay. You've got this," she assured herself as she entered the grand iron gates.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review or comment to give me some writing fuel. Much love, friends!