Time flew by after the down fall of Tom Marvolo Riddle. The wizarding world was regrouping and recuperating the loss in the past two decades. Flowers on graves have long since withered; sorrowful tears that fell on graves have dried and seeped in the cold, hard stone. But those who have seen death in the eye still wore the veil of mourning, futilely forgetting the name Voldemort, the dark despot, the nightmare to the wizarding world.

For Hermione Granger, on the contrary, those dark years were etched to her eternally, for it was her adolescence she gave fighting the dark lord along side her friends Ron Weasley and the legendary Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. The past decade was a blur of struggles and unwavering will, which gave rise to the most preeminent times of Hermione's life.

The cleverest witch of her time then took over the vacant Potions Professor position at Hogwarts. Minerva McGonagall, having recognized the witch's thirst for knowledge, offered the freshly graduated Hermione Granger the job that Severus Snape, one exceptional Potions Master, held before his untimely demise. Hermione was given lodging, books and the opportunity to further her inquisitive nature in Hogwarts. More than willingly, she obliged.

Her relationship with Ron Weasley turned out unsuccessful soon after the war. It seemed like sibling-love, for Hermione had always seen Ron as a comforting and humorous friend. Ron was desperate to bind the witch into a strictly domestic life, cooking and looking after a dozen redheads, much like Molly. He had even drawn up a plan for a house to be constructed near The Burrow. This resulted in a heated spar between the couple, where Ron "reasoned" in vain to an immovable Hermione. Finally, both decided separation and fresh air would do both good, and Hermione sought refuge at Hogwarts' castle.

Little over a month after the dispute, Hermione and Ron decided that it would be best to remain friends, rather than pursue a strained relationship. With Voldemort's finish, Hermione and Ron suddenly were thrown into normality, and their conflicting interests ended up winning over their emotions. It was just not meant to be.

Our story begins here, with a newly appointed Potions Mistress, Hermione Granger, riding on the Hogwarts Express.

The witch, seated in a unoccupied cubicle, took in the scenery with great interest; the way Britain had appeared from a faraway view, with all its tall towers; the way birds roaming the clear blue sky had vanished behind the bulging white clouds venturing unhurriedly across the blue.

I wonder if I look half as bad as Professor Lupin looked, when he was sitting on this exact spot, Hermione pondered, remembering her first meeting with her former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, with his worn appearance and thread bare robes.

I wonder how all of them are. Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Moody, Sirius, and… and Snape, she bit her lip at the last name that crossed her mind.

'Severus Snape was her potions teacher for a full six years and later becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts when Voldemort reigned supreme in the wizarding world. She rarely doubted her Potions Master, no matter how much suspicions had been hurled at him by Ron and Harry. She had qualms on her trust, however, when Harry had seen Snape murder Dumbledore. But soon, it became evident that Severus Snape had been loyally serving the light side when he had given Harry his memories, which later led to the successful defeat of Lord Voldemort.

I wish I could have at least saved you, Hermione whispered and dabbed at the tears which brimmed in her eyes and the memory of Nagini sinking her fangs in Snape unfolded itself. Feeling the final lurch of the Hogwarts express and ignoring the fact that she was in her compartment by herself just like her first hour on the Hogwarts Express, she beamed brightly.

"Home at last."