I own nothing! Just playing in J. K. Rowling's amazing universe!

Hermione's POV
The first week was a weird experience. She was the only student at school, and Minerva had invited her to eat at the teacher's table. Professor Snape rarely ate with the rest of them, and she was glad he didn't. After his furious departure the night she arrived she did not dare look at him, and he seemed set on pretending she didn't exist. It was a relief when the week finally came to an end.

The first month of the school year passed by in a missed her friends. She and Ron had broken up just after the war after agreeing to the fact that they were better off as friends, and she didn't regret it for a second. As far as she knew, neither did he. She missed him, though. She missed them all. They owled, but both Harry and Ron were slow writers, so the letters came less frequent than Hermione would have wanted. Ginny was a bit better, but with the busy life of a rising quidditch-star, she too rarely wrote.

Hermione had started spending more time with Luna. She realized she really liked Luna, the way she saw the world were so different, and Hermione often appreciated Luna's different perspective on things. Luna understood the concept of feeling different than everyone else. She had always been a bit out of the ordinary. And she had fought in the war. Hermione felt, in a weird way, that she had a kindred spirit in Luna.

Hermione had been asked to be Head Girl, but had declined. It didn't feel important for her like it had in the past, and she didn't feel like she had the energy to take care of everyone around her. She needed more space than she used to, and spent a lot of time alone.

She had nightmares. She frequently woke up in the middle of the night from a terrifying nightmare, just to continue right where she left off if she managed to fall asleep again.

Hermione felt disconnected. She spent hours in the library, and the Room of Requirement. Studying in the library, and finding peace and practicing magic in the Room of Requirement. She had noticed changes since the war ended. Her magic was growing stronger; her skin felt smoother, and her hair was shiny and silky, much less frizzy than it used to be. Still a raging chaos of curls though. Her body had changed also. She felt stronger physically, and even though she was tired, she felt healthy. Her magic was slowly changing. Advanced spells, transfigurations and charms came much easier to her now. She was practicing silent spells and wandless spells too. After a time it was easy as pie. Even spells she used to find difficult had become easy, and she didn't feel drained afterwards, even after practicing magic for hours in the Room of Requirement. She noticed her hand was sometimes glowing when she cast wandless, silent spells. Just a golden glow in her palm for a moment, before fading.

She excelled in potions, and it pleased her immensely. Every potion she brewed, even advanced essays and homework felt so easy now. She still did her absolute best though. She would never act differently.

She felt weird around professor Snape after the whole I'm-having-a-panic-attack-so-I'll-hug-you thing. It was awkward. And he kept glancing at her in his lessons. She could feel his eyes on her. It was weird. A couple of times she had tried to talk to him, to apologize, but he shut her down with his harsh, sarcastic words and sent her running. But something didn't feel quite right. One thing was the glances he sent her, and he wasn't as hard on her like he always had been. Sure, his words were still as harsh, but lacked the dark sting behind them. She was curious and it frustrated her beyond belief.

After a potion class where he stood by her desk, watching her while she was brewing a rather difficult potion she decided she had to figure out what the hell was going on with her potion professor. Three times while standing there he had hesitated, opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, and then shut it fast. In the end, he had just told her "Well done, Miss Granger" and swiftly walked away, robe billowing around him. She'd had enough. After years of defending him when her friends badmouthed him, he had proven her right to do so. And she had a new understanding why he was such a harsh, dark, angry, bastard of a man. He was really a broken, lonely soul. Torn apart by his conscience for more half his life, being a double agent, risking his life every day, it was no wonder. She hoped he would forgive himself one day. Maybe she could make him talk to her, try to help him? She almost winced at the idea, picturing his reaction. But Hermione Granger wasn't one to give up on an idea. Next time she went to the room of requirement, she made a list.

How to help Professor Snape

1.Be on time for lessons, be polite.

2.Try not to annoy him too much with questions.

3.Don't be an insufferable-know-it-all. She smirked at this point

4.Keep working hard in potions, don't gloat.

5.Wear the good robes and look good for his lessons.

She froze at this. Wait, WHAT?! Where did that come from? She hastily removed the last sentence on the list with an urgent wave of her hand before snapping the book shut, abandoning the list.

She wanted to help him, though. And he was a potion master and she was going to try for potion mistress after Hogwarts. She really wanted his advice and guidance on this. She had to be careful though, if she pushed him even an inch too far, he would probably refuse to help her at all.

She had a semi-plan. It would have to do for now. She pushed all thoughts about the fifth point on her list way back in her head, trying to forget it. Really, Hermione, where the bloody hell did that come from. Oh well. She packed her things and left the room of requirement to go to dinner.

She hoped no one saw her coming out of the room, and glanced hastily down the hallway when she emerged. She saw no one. Phew. She didn't really want to be seen at the moment. She had too much on her mind.

Entering The Great Hall, she saw Luna, and went to sit with her. Luna looked to her side and smiled at Hermione. "I didn't know you could turn invisible, Hermione. It didn't feel like normal magic." Then she turned back to take a sip of her pumpkin juice before looking back at Hermione.

Hermione didn't know what to say. I was invisible? Oh Gods, it's the new magic isn't it? I keep doing things without thinking. I thought about hoping that no one would see me, and no one did until I relaxed. Hermione tried to think fast. I don't want to tell her about my new magic. I have no idea what to think of it yet. She made a fast decision. Rolling her eyes she smiled. "Oh God, I forgot that I did a disillusion charm! I went to the room of requirement to read, and charmed myself before leaving. I forgot, sorry" Luna cocked her head and smiled at Hermione. "No, that wasn't a disillusion charm. But you don't have to tell me." Hermione didn't know what to say so she just nodded. "Maybe another time." Luna nodded back, and turned her attention back to her meal.

After dinner Hermione decided to go back to the room of requirement. She was a bit disturbed at what she had done, and had to clear her thoughts and try to figure out what was happening to her. Entering the room, she cast silencing spells and wards that would keep anyone else entering.

The room contained the regular things, a fireplace with a comfy sofa and a table in front of it. A desk, ink, parchment and quills. This time the room was bigger she noticed. It suddenly had training dummies, a vase filled with daisies, and some small ugly ragdolls. She froze with the sight of them. They looked like Bellatrix Lestrange. "Why are these things here?" She knew the room couldn't answer, but she guessed there was a reason the things were here. What did I wish the room to be when I entered? I wanted the usual things, the sofa, fireplace and desk, but what else? Then she got it. I was thinking about hoping to find out what is happening to me, what these new powers are. Not just train spells and magic like usual, but research more. So the room answered. "Clever room! Thank you!"

She went over to the dolls and picked one up. They looked very much like Bellatrix. Oh Gods, why is this here? I don't want it. The doll disappeared. She froze, looking at her now empty hand. She didn't cast a vanishing spell. "Did you do this? If you did, please don't do it at the next doll, maybe I did it?" She picked up another doll. She waited a bit longer before this time. I don't want this here. It vanished. "I am doing this aren't i?" This time she thought about it while reaching for it. I don't want this here, I don't want this here. The instant she touched it, it vanished. Maybe I can do it with more things? She turned the vase, and picked out a daisy. Sorry flower, I don't want you here. It vanished. Typical me, being polite to a flower. She laughed. "Thank you, room!"

She didn't figure out why the flowers were there in the first place, but she found what the training dummies were there for. She stood before a dummy, reaching for her wand before stopping herself. I did the vanishing spell without a wand, maybe I can do more?

Making a throwing motion with her hand towards the dummy, she yelled "expelliarmus!" The wand flew out of the dummy's hand. Oh Gods. What if I don't speak? Can I do that? She went to the next dummy, lifted her hand towards the dummy, and thought in her head. Expelliarmus. The wand flew out of the dummy's hand with full force. She was stunned. In the next hour, she tried several spells, and it worked. She was shocked. She could see a glow in her hand when she threw a spell. She held up her hand, palm flat, and looked at it before gasping, as a tiny ball of light appeared, hovering over her palm. What. Just what. She reached up with her other hand, and gently touched it with her finger. She flinched when the ball exploded in tons of little pieces, floating around her. It's beautiful. I can do this? Deciding to try again, she held her hands together, like when making a snowball, picturing light. When she opened her hands, she saw a new ball of light. This one was bigger and brighter. Oh. This is amazing.

She realized she was exhausted, and left the room to go to bed. Finally in her bed, her head was spinning with thoughts. In the end she finally drifted off to sleep.