AN: Hi! This is my first-time writing fanfiction. It is my take on the 19 years between Battle of Hogwarts and Epilogue. Basically we all know how their lives turned out to be, but we don't know the paths that took them there. This story about Hermione finding her path, with a lot of help from people who love her. I only have an idea of the plot, and this is the only chapter I have written so far.
Mostly canon-compliant (Except Cursed Child).
All characters and the World of Harry Potter are properties of the one and only JK Rowling.
This chapter is more of just a setup of the world. We will hopefully get more into the plot by next chapter. Please read and review. Any suggestions are welcome!
Hermione paused at the entrance. She had crossed these doors thousands of times, and yet it seemed to be the most difficult thing to do today. With a sigh, she adjusted her hat and stepped forward into the Great Hall.
Today was the day. Today she would officially complete the journey she had started almost 8 years ago and graduate from Hogwarts as a fully qualified witch. The results for NEWTs had come in couple of days earlier, and to almost nobody's surprise, she had received Outstanding in every subject except Muggle Studies and Divination, which she didn't even attempt. She was herself surprised at the Defense Against the Dark Arts grade as she had only received an Exceeds Expectations in OWLs for the same subject. Maybe the years spent really fighting evil and the darkest arts had helped her academically, she wondered. Defense had always been more Harry's thing, and once they had few decent teachers in Lupin and (surprisingly) Fake-Moody, she had learnt to accept it and even learn from him. Speaking of whom…
She missed her best friends. Well, now her best friend and her boyfriend. While she had decided to come back to Hogwarts once McGonagall confirmed the re-opening, Harry and Ron had accepted Kingsley's offer to directly join Auror training. It had been best for them she supposed, neither had been as academically inclined as her. While she knew they would always be there for her, she missed their daily presence around her, more so after having lived in close quarters over the previous years. They were off being responsible adults though, as unbelievable as it may seem (and as Ron never failed to tease her about), holding down jobs, pulling their weights, helping rebuilding effort. Well, she had an interview lined up at Ministry the next day too, and she couldn't wait to contribute to the society, especially now with so many opportunities to set things up right! She would show Ron who's a responsible adult!
With these thoughts in her head, she joined in the line of graduating class at the front of the Great Hall, while the rest of the hall consisted of remaining students, and friends and family of graduating students. Ron had written to her earlier apologizing for both Harry and himself. With fallout from war still being contained and training getting kicked into higher gear, it was not possible for them to take any time off.
Her parents weren't here either. She didn't want to expose them to Wizarding world again so soon after being able to restore their memories. The whole encounter had understandably left them sour with magic in general and they were only slowly repairing their relationship now.
Ginny waved to her from the Gryffindor table. Weasleys had been having a rough time following the War. Each of them had been dealing with losing Fred in a different way. Arthur and Percy had thrown themselves into reorganizing the Ministry the right way, Charlie had decided to take a touring job visiting dragon reserves across the world. Bill and Fleur, with their experience in Gringotts, were working on bettering Goblin-Human relations. George had been depressed for a long time, suffered a bout of alcoholism and seemed to have lost the will to live. But with his family and all their friends rallying around him, and regular work with a mind-healer, he had started putting his life back together. Molly made up by fussing over everyone just a little bit more, being a bit more overprotective of her kids, and a lot more emotional. No one missed the tears in her eyes when she looked at George. She too, with the help of a mind-healer, was slowly learning to move on for the sake of the rest of her family. And yes, Harry and Hermione had been always included in that family too.
Yes, the Wizarding World was recovering from the devastating War that had just been fought. Nowhere was it more evident than right here in Great Hall, the scene of the final conflict. It was resplendent in all its glory. No one could tell that there had been a decisive battle fought right here less than a year ago, unless you knew where to look. The scorch mark on the floor where Voldemort's spell backfired was still there. Like Harry's cursed scar, the mark may never fully disappear. Several spell marks on the walls were left as they were too, as a tribute to all the fighters, and as a lesson to future generations. Because those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Hermione was brought out of her musings as Headmistress McGonagall rose to her feet. It was only then that Hermione noticed the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, sitting next to her. Kingsley had been officially elected as the Minister after acting as Interim Minister for few months following the war. His success with re-establishing all basic services, with focus on discipline, merit and zero tolerance policy for corruption had won him lots of supporters. Hermione had never thought that Minister himself would be at her graduation. But she had never thought that she would be on first-name terms with the Minister while still in school either! Kingsley noticed her looking, and gave her a subtle version of his usual cheerful smile, before putting on his public face again. Hermione grinned back, laughing internally at how absurd it all felt.
Then her favourite professor, the woman who introduced her to magic, started speaking, and Hermione automatically tuned out everything else in her head giving her full attention to a teacher speaking, as she had all her life.