"From Out of the Ashes" written by Edbha Foxe
Remember, anything you recognize of this is not mine, and I'm not making any money from it. Just playing in J.K. Rowling's back yard and hopefully not making too much of a mess. Please read and review; I am a new fanfic writer and would love to learn how to write better. Thanks!
PROLOGUE
Hermione woke from the dream with teary eyes and a heavy heart. It had been a cruel reminder of what life had once held in store for her, and she resented it immensely.
In her dream, Harry and Ginny were married, as were she and Ronald, and they were all standing on the platform at King's Cross, watching as their children departed for Hogwarts. It was so perfect, and so unlike what she saw stretched before her that for a moment, she wanted to collapse in despair.
But there was work to be done. Harry and Ron were away at Auror training, Ginny was at home with her parents and a counsellor from St. Mungo's, and Hermione had remained at Hogwarts to help with cleaning and repairing.
Harry had understood her need to stay, but she and Ron had gotten in a serious fight over it. Ron had taken for granted that the "Golden Trio" would stay together, but Hermione had no desire to become an Auror. She'd had her fill of tragedy and danger, and simply wanted to help bring the school she loved back to its original state. She had tried to explain this to Ron, among other things.
The truth was, she wasn't completely sure, after everything she had been through, that she wanted the life that Ron had seemingly planned out for them, and she regretted her hasty kisses in the heat of the battle. At the time, nothing had seemed more important than showing Ron how she felt for him. Now, she wasn't sure how she felt at all. She needed time to think and be alone. Ron couldn't understand. He was in a great hurry to get his life on a particular path, and couldn't see how Hermione couldn't feel the same way. She didn't know how to explain it to him, and he had left without even saying goodbye. Harry apologized for Ron's behavior but also left, sending an owl every evening to make sure she was doing alright and to make sure she wasn't cutting herself off completely from the world.
She had been working very hard the past two weeks, helping to replenish the supply of healing potions in the hospital ward, helping clean the library and repair the books, and finally, helping to restore the grounds of Hogwarts. Today would be her last day of doing so, as she had been called up to the headmistress' offices the day before.
McGonagall had been selected as the best person to lead Hogwarts as it recovered from the war, and Hermione found herself part of the new headmistress' plans for the school. Professor Flitwick was looking into retiring, as at his advanced age it was time to begin thinking about such things, and he had hoped that Hermione would agree to be his apprentice and take over permanently when he left; and in the meantime, Madam Pince had left Hogwarts with Filch, leaving a need for a librarian. Hermione had not told Harry or Ron any of this, as she was still getting used to the idea herself, and McGonagall and the remaining faculty had agreed to be discreet until she was ready.
Hermione sighed as she pulled on her warmest clothes and slipped her wand into her sleeve. Tomorrow she would begin revision to take her final exams in a week's time, but for today, there was much work to be done and not enough hands to do it. She wanted an early start, and she also wanted the time for thinking. As she stepped out into the cold morning air, she took a deep breath and made her way towards her day's task: the Whomping Willow.
