The early morning forest was peaceful and quiet, if somewhat cool with fresh dew and a premonition of rain. Hermione took a deep breath and happily stepped inside, touching green grass with her bare feet. It felt like coming home after years away in a way that made it impossible not to smile. It didn't take long for the scent of mint, basil, and rosemary to catch up on top of the sweet smells of nature, making it hard to believe they weren't right there. But this would be a different kind of homecoming, so she kept going.
She found herself walking along a familiar path, looking for a particular plant that seemed to always grow around here.
A few minutes later, her hand touched one of the flowers on its stem, feeling the softness of petals under her fingertips. She inhaled deeply again before plucking a small piece of lavender, carefully rolling it around in her palm. The herb smelled good, but that wasn't what had caught her attention, no matter how much she loved it. No, the beauty of the plants around her just reminded her of all the things she'd never had time for before, especially when she thought back about the many months she had been away.
It wasn't the day or time to think about her not-so-bright past, and she was quite happy living her life here, in the small wizarding village in Scottish Highlands.
The new day of work in the kitchen waited for her. She made a vague gesture as if trying to send away the stray thought. No matter how hard her Professor was trying to instill in her the importance of having a proper lab, if she ever wanted to be a distant Potions Mistress, Hermione stood her ground. She preferred her pans and pots, her old copper cauldrons, and her polka-dot teapot over the sterile lab. She preferred nature over nurture. She preferred sincerity over manners.
Her eyes roamed across the field as she walked slowly through the forest, taking in everything with open curiosity. After spending so many weeks locked indoors during cold days of March, watching over her cauldrons and helping the village inhabitants with their sneezing, coughing, and running noses, her new surroundings were beautiful to behold. The sun peeked out between some branches just above, sending streams of pale yellow light down towards the earth below.
Hermione spent the last three years of her life here, building her new life as she saw fit. And no, she didn't miss her old days or her small flat in London, She didn't miss having pizza with Harry and Ron on Fridays, or sleeping late on Sundays. She didn't miss her parents. She did but not as much as she expected to. She still caught up with them two times a year. And she didn't miss her career in the Ministry. She didn't miss her Apprenticeship with Snape... Hermione let her thoughts trail away as she stared into the morning haze. If only she could stop thinking about the past and go back to the peaceful days at Hogwarts and her family, and friends, but she knew it couldn't happen. The past was in the past.
As was Professor Snape. Severus...
She looked up at the clear sky above her and smiled. There was nothing more peaceful than being on her own and seeing nothing else for miles around her. Nothing but the sunny morning and endless grass.
And her new life as a young and wise forest witch.
She sat back down in front of the cooking fire, blowing on hot embers as she watched them slowly ignite the wood. This was something she missed the most; not sitting alone and waiting patiently for food or drink to be ready. There was magic in cooking, her own kind of meditation. She could have sworn, that she still heard the distant snarky laugh when she confessed that she always thought of preparing food as an act of enchantment. This was just a quiet moment.
One that had become her most treasured.
Hermione sighed, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees as she leaned into the flames. They cast shadows on her face, making her appear older. As if by age, she had gained wisdom and experience she could never have back at Hogwarts. Today she was feeling a bit nostalgic, but those feelings would pass. One day, she might even be able to return to the castle and feel as at home as she did now. Maybe then, she'd be able to forget what she had lost. Maybe, that was something she needed to look forward to... But for now, Hermione decided to focus on the future rather than the past. She had so many goals and ideas to fulfill, so many dreams to fulfill; she wasn't willing to waste any more time in regret or self-hatred than she already had. Today she would just live her life as best as she could, hoping that the memories and pain would eventually fade away in time, leaving only happiness behind. But first, she'd cook her breakfast and allow the memories of a distant whisper to guide her. He always guided her, even now. Hermione closed her eyes and let the moment of peace overwhelm her. She felt herself growing calmer, more centered, more present, as the fire began to warm her fingers and her body. She breathed the scent of herbs once more, savoring every second. Then, as though she were breathing the essence of life, she exhaled, letting the warmth fill her entire system. She opened her eyes. Today was a new day of her new life.