Disclaimer: I don't own it, I wish I did but I don't. I just write stuff. Hope you don't mind JK but your books really are too brilliant not to write for. Thank you!

A/N: Read and Review as always, you people keep me running, thank you! I reply to as many as I can, if not all of them. You people are amazing.

PS This is intended as a MMADness and HermiRon fanfic, so I apologise if you don't like those pairings but those are the ones I believe in, but it's a fic all the same, so please, read and review! You can read the ships as you please, there's chemistry everywhere!

Summary: Hermione left Hogwarts and she got hurt. Now that she's back, will she get hurt again? Read to find out!

She Goes Back Again

Chapter 2: Meeting

Hermione took a deep breath as she waited for Dumbledore to open the door. She had never been inside here except with Professor Flitwick and then she had been much too nervous to look around, so this would be another new experience to add to her growing number today along with lying to Hagrid and Dumbledore. Dumbledore checked her face but it was carefully impassive, as always. She caught his eyes and nodded, straightening her back and holding her head up proudly, looking more like Minerva than she would have ever believed.

Albus nodded and opened the door, passing inside as quickly as he could, leaving Hermione to stride inside as she took a deep breath, her eyes darting around to pick out familiar faces. Dumbledore smiled round at his staff all gathered in that tiny room, knowing they had all come just to see her. She smiled nervously; looking round at some many people she knew and cared about. So many she had forgotten. Albus watched as a light danced in her eyes, a light he hadn't seen so far and turned to his colleagues to say proudly,

"I am very pleased to welcome Professor Granger to our teaching staff." Hermione drew a shaky breath and nodded.

"Hello." It sounded small, even to her ears, and she cursed herself for sounding weak. Minerva McGonagall stepped forward out of the crowd and smiled a warm welcome at her old student as she shook her hand.

"Welcome back Miss Granger. We've missed you." She said happily. Hermione smiled, then to her surprise as much as Minerva's, she hugged her, closing her eyes as that feeling of comfort Albus gave off swamped her, this time from Minerva.

"Thank you Professor. I've missed you too." She whispered, as she drew back, still smiling but with a touch of regret mixed with it now. Minerva laughed (much to everyone else's amazement) and shook her head.

"You're not a student any more Hermione. Minerva's fine." She replied in a light tone, squeezing Hermione's hand for a brief few seconds before letting go and stepping back towards Albus. Hermione's gaze slid past her to another familiar face.

"Professor." She greeted him as she inclined her head, while he rose from his chair and approached warily.

"Miss Granger." He nodded curtly, as he stopped a few paces in front of her. They regarded each other for a few seconds, both fighting the urge to laugh before she broke and, with a smile climbing her face, she held out her hand.

"I have missed your cutting remarks Severus." She admitted freely, as he shook her hand grudgingly.

"And I have missed your hand shooting up before I've even finished my question." He replied, shooting her a look that Hermione had to take as amused, at least, that was what she could faintly make out glittering in his dark eyes.

A few of the staff tittered quietly as they stood there, their hands still joined, each staring the other out, before Severus broke away and dropped her hand. She nodded briskly, a flash of triumph on her face as she turned away to Filius, her faithful old Charms teacher, now to be her joint colleague. Severus' gaze slid past her to Minerva standing next to Albus, watching her favourite student with a rare, small smile. He resisted the urge to curl his lip. He knew Minerva cared for Hermione more than she should, and he knew that for some reason, Albus did too.

He was genuinely confused as to why Minerva had taken such a liking to the swot he had never really got close to. She normally kept a fair distance from her students, ever since that one had betrayed her trust and sold her to Grindlewald all those years ago. Now he thought about it, he could almost see a likeness between them, almost as if they were… well, related. But that, of course, was out of the question. Minerva had never had any children; he knew that, despite being involved with the most loving man in the world, he had always assumed that it was because they thought of themselves as more grandparent material, but now…

Severus sighed inaudibly and hastened for the door, resolving to question the Headmaster about all this later. He took one last glance at Hermione, surrounded by all her friends and old teachers and smiled a tiny smile.

"Welcome home Hermione." He whispered as he slipped from the room. Minerva turned as she heard the whispered welcome, and smiled. He did really care, though he might not admit it. Looking up at Albus, she smiled and leant slightly into his embrace, into his welcoming warmth.

"I'm so glad she's home." She whispered to her husband, under her breath, watching as Hermione turned and grinned at the door, knowing instinctively who had gone. Albus looked down at his beautiful wife and bent down to give her light kiss on the top of her head, when no one was looking.

"I know my dear. She is home." He whispered back, wrapping a subtle arm around her. Hermione looked over at her old Professors and smiled, catching Minerva's eye and sharing a silent laugh with her. Albus couldn't help but let his eyes sparkle in response. He was surprised that no one had made the connection yet, they really were so alike it was absurd no one had realised yet, though he could tell that Severus was close. He knew the young man was concerned and would no doubt question him about it later and Albus couldn't decide whether to tell him or not.

People would find out eventually he knew, but for Severus to know before Hermione herself? Albus shook his head subtly, kissing Minerva lightly on the top of the head assuring her as much as himself. Maybe more would realise now, they were working side by side after all. Hermione greeted all the staff members with a smile and a shake of the hand, even Professor Tralawney who had "descended from her tower for a short while to mingle with the un-Seeing." Hermione rolled her eyes at this and looked over at Minerva, who told her with just a glance that Sybil had come down expressly to see her.

Minerva just stood back and watched her best student make herself part of them. There was no way she could leave now; she was part of the team, "part of the woodwork" as the saying goes. Minerva couldn't help but be proud of her. She smiled as she watched Hermione brighten quickly into more like the girl she remembered, not the nun she had at first not recognised. Albus knew what she was thinking and held her tighter, trying in some way to show his support, for he had felt the same when he had first seen her.

Hermione, unaware of the thoughts being sparked by her and her apparel, stepped back when she was sure she had shook every member of staff's hand and prepared herself to speak, but her speech wasn't to be voiced for she heard the door behind her open and as she turned, she saw two faces she could not have been more happy to see. She grinned, waited for them to both enter the room, then repeated her action from earlier, and threw herself on the first face with a delighted shout and a happy face.

"Harry!" He laughed and hugged her back, smiling broadly at the sight of Hermione in his arms, just like she had been in their second year. It was a welcome feeling, like she was back where she belonged.

"Hey 'Mione, it's good to see you." He stated happily, laughing into her ear, and she laughed back, hugging him more tightly before sliding back as she said happily too,

"Good to see you too." He grinned and she grinned back then turned to his companion. She straightened her face quickly and put her hands on her hips as she faced the one boy she had given a second chance to redeem himself and earn her trust.

"Don't throw yourself on me Granger; I might not be so obliging." Draco sneered at her, and she sniffed, then laughed.

"I wouldn't dare Draco." She replied in a voice she vainly tried to make serious but it was beyond her, holding out her hand. Draco shook it, the stoniness wearing off fast as he smiled.

"It's good to see you Granger." He mumbled as he dropped her hand, neither of them used to much human contact. She leant forward.

"What was that?" She asked loudly, putting a hand behind her ear mockingly, a grin climbing her face for the second time in as many minutes.

"I said it's good to see you Granger." Draco repeated a little louder, a small slight pinkness growing on his face as Hermione grinned triumphantly again and nodded.

"Good to know. What subject are you teaching?" She asked eagerly, knowing Harry was waiting to step in and question her. Draco grinned and answered,

"History of Magic, Professor Binns finally realised he was boring people literally to death. He was persuaded that it would be in the best interests of the students for him to retire and go haunt a nice classroom on the third floor. I heard he had some trouble with a young girl falling asleep in his class and them not being able to wake her for several hours afterwards." Hermione laughed and shook her head, swatting at him playfully. He half-smiled and nodded, continuing quietly,

"So, let me guess, since Harry's teaching DADA you must be teaching Charms, with Flitwick because he's getting a little tired in his old age. You always were good at Charms." Draco added in a mutter, running a hand through his hair in an awkward gesture. Hermione laughed and nodded, adjusting her sleeves and not meeting his eyes, trying to think of something else to say before Harry stepped in. Unfortunately, no spark of inspiration came to her and Harry stepped in as she knew he would.

"Well well Draco, embarrassed and jealous in the space of a few minutes, what is the matter? Ginny would be jealous if she knew." Harry joked, standing by Hermione and facing Draco, who glared at him and turned away to talk to Professor Sinestra who also looked as if she hadn't aged a day. Harry took Hermione's arm and led her away a few paces from everyone else's conversations to ask her in a low tone,

"How've you been?" His voice was filled with concern and she sighed, not wanting to go through all this again, especially not with him.

"I'm fine." She answered, striving to sound truthful and indeed, to her ears, it sounded so, but he wasn't fooled and he also noticed the change of tense in her answer. He shook his head, not taken in for a second by her little display.

"I know you're fine now, but what about before? Where have you disappeared to for this past year and more? I searched for you everywhere, I was so frightened for you 'Mione you could've died and I wouldn't have known." Harry reprimanded her sharply, all the more sharply because he meant what he said. He had been terrified for her. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at him sceptically. Yes, she had disappeared for a few months but he could've found her if he had wanted to, there were plenty of signs and Albus managed to find her so it couldn't have been that hard.

"Harry, don't be melodramatic. There were plenty of signs as to where I was, if you'd only looked hard enough. I just needed some time, time you wouldn't have given me. I'm sorry, truly Harry, for worrying you but really, if Albus could find me then I'm sure you could." Harry looked taken-aback and she used that moment to tare her arm away from him and step backwards slowly, pleading with her eyes for him not to mention this anymore but he wasn't that easily swayed.

"Hermione, people care about you, you can't just up and take off when ever you feel like it without a word to anyone. When Ron heard you'd disappeared, he nearly went wild, he-" Harry saw at once he had said the wrong thing. Her whole face darkened, and she folded her arms over her chest defensively, looking deeply at him and willing herself not to hurt him more than needs be. He took a step forward and lifted his arms a little but she recoiled in disgust and he stilled, hurt beyond what she could tell. Hermione took a deep breath, and looking him straight in the eyes and lifting her head determinedly, she told him in a calm yet forbidding tone,

"I don't care how much he suffered, maybe he had a vague idea of how much I suffered from what he did then, but as for taking off when I feel like it, I did not do such a thing. I did tell one person where I was going, and I told that person because I trusted them not to follow me. Harry, I know that you care, I know that. But I needed time, just by myself to sort things out and to find a way to deal with what has happened, and possibly what will happen. I could not have done that with you there. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She broke off and slid away from him over to Minerva to excuse herself, then out of the door, still with a calm, collected countenance. Harry knew better than to think that he had not upset her, only that she was unwilling to seem weak in front of so many people, especially her idol. He groaned and scratched the back of his neck as he had taken to doing when he was agitated. Draco noticed the sign with a watchful eye and excused himself from his conversation to ask how it went. He knew Harry had been planning on asking her where she had gone and from what he had seen, it had not gone well.

Harry looked up and smiled wearily at Draco before going over to one of the squashy armchairs and flopping down in it, followed by Draco in a seat opposite. Draco waited for Harry to tell him what had happened with a patience he still found remarkable in himself. Somehow, over the years, he and Harry had become almost like brothers, they talked about everything, especially now Harry had drifted away from Ron, though he maintained it was the other way round. Draco knew Harry couldn't forgive Ron for what he had done to Hermione; he just wasn't as vocal about his feelings as Hermione had been at the time.

"Draco, what am I going to do about her? She won't talk to me. How can I help her if she won't talk to me?" Harry asked softly, resting his face in his hands, tiredness overcoming his features. Draco raised his eyebrows and rested his chin on his hand, which was supported by the arm rest.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't try yet." Draco answered thoughtfully, looking at the old faded carpet on the floor. Harry looked up in an almost horrified way. Draco looked up and laughed.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Well, you just basically said leave her to rot. You know I can't, she's one of my best friends. I have to help her, especially when she can't help herself." Draco shook his head, sighing.

"That's not what I meant. I think perhaps that you should leave her for a little while, treat her normally and be her friend, and when she's ready, she'll ask for help. Until then, she won't accept help from anyone, least of all you, and she won't thank you for trying to force her." Draco told him, looking up and answering in an even tone. Harry glanced at him, then rested his forehead in his hand to think it over. Perhaps Draco was right. Perhaps backing off a little would be best, for a little while anyway. He humphed a bit then leant back in his chair and nodded to Draco.

"Maybe you're right. But then, what if what happened in seventh year repeats itself? What if she keeps it all in until she can't take it anymore and she blows again? This time, she may actually bring the school down if that happens." Harry said agitatedly. Draco frowned and took his head away from his hand. Harry looked up and an expression of realisation filled his face.

"Oh yeah, sorry, you didn't know about that did you? You weren't in our Transfiguration class that day were you? Sorry, I'll explain." Harry folded his legs and scratched his neck again before he began.