Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, I don not own Harry Potter.
Side Note: The story takes place after DH, also Ron and Percy are both dead in this fanfic.
Only time could heal theses wounds.
When autumn fell on Hogwarts, Hermione was at a loss. She has lived enough lifetimes in the short years of her life to see; horror, anguish, loss, love, heartbreak and triumph. But through all this she never got to achieve anything she planned to. She knew more than anyone could expect of her but still it wasn't enough. She needed to understand what pulled these people into the dark magic, was there something so unfounded they needed so much. She did not agree Dark magic was right but there were some things she needed to know.
"Hermione...Hermione, it's time to leave. Are you okay?" Harry stood in the doorway to the library, it was still uncompleted even with the mass donations to resurrect it. It was not enough. "Sorry, Harry did you say something." Harry's smile faltered. "It's almost 6 Hermione, it's time to leave" Hermione's face began to scrunch up. "It's only Thursday, we leave on Fridays." Harry huffed "When was the last time you left this library?" Hermione's guilt showed. "Well the house elves are kind enough to give me my meals here and with the introduction of the lavatories...also the cot in my office. I don't know Maybe Tuesday for my meeting with McGonagal?" Harry was now sithing was huffs and puffs. "Hermione it is Friday, you missed the construction meeting this afternoon. And it is time to leave, I won't have you say another weekend on your own hauled up in this library."
"This LIBRARY! This Library is important, how else is a student supposed to gain knowledge and learn outside of a classroom. How else is the outsider going to find solace from the bullies. This Library is important maybe not to you but to me it is a staple." Harry's anger calmed and pity shadowed his face. "Hermione, I know this is your safe place but when was the last time you went outside. Got some fresh air, seen your friends apart from me." He began to continue but saw a swell of tears in Hermione's eyes. "I can't, I am too ashamed. I couldn't save them, how am I supposed to face the others?" She turned to walk into her office and pile things into her new improved beaded bag, it was a plain leather satchel. "I will go to grimmauld, but not the borrow." She relented, knowing the battle could not be won with Harry.
Harry knew Hermione better than any person in this world, she was strong, bull headed, the smartest witch he had ever known and completely broken. The only person who he could think of who knew her almost as well was gone and Hermione blamed herself for that. She blamed herself for the death of Ron, Percy, Tonks, Remus and countless others. Because Ron stopped Nagini from biting her but received her fate instead. He couldn't hold the wall up over Percy long enough for a winded Fred to pull him out and almost killed Fred in the process. She was cases and almost impossible to catch a snake instead of fighting with everyone else. She believed she deserted her family when really she saved almost all the surviving. But she would never see sense. She couldn't face the Weasley's, she broke down every time andromeda brought Teddy to the house. And most of all she couldn't face the world.
Many a moment Harry considered explaining the extent Severus Snape helped the war effort to Hermione. But then it would be another person on her list she could have saved but didn't. She had thrown herself into the restoration of Hogwarts. In the first month at the Castle she restored Gryffindor Tower almost single handedly. The Great hall was a group effort among many of the remaining staff, She was the one to restore the Slytherin area in the dungeon. Despite the anger she rose, her argument was always the same. "People can do the wrong thing for the right reason, some of those in this house did their best to aid us. And are you saying those 11-14 year olds who took no part deserve to have no home at Hogwarts." It soon shut any arguments up but no one offered her help apart from a few teachers from the houses itself.
Soon enough Harry saw Hermione rebuild almost half the school, some days almost draining her magical core to the point Poppy would put her on bed rest till her core fully recovered. But no one said anything because you couldn't fight a person who believed this was the only thing she could do to make things right. The Library was the biggest task yet, Hermione requested Shacklebolt to arrange a debt of book relinquished service for war criminals. Many books received this way were expertly looked over by Hermione before placing in the Library. Harry donated all the books from Gimmauld's, McGonagal donated all of albus' collection. But one collection was not yet received. Severus Snape's private collection was still in debate now a war Hero, his will and testament was to be carried through. However the goblin's stated the Will was a funny thing as it could not come into place until 2 years after the war. And a retrieval service was emplaced to be vaulted and evaluated beforehand.
Hermione never heard of such a thing but knew she didn't have a leg to stand on with the Goblins; however, the money she received from her Order of Merlin First Class she Donated to the Bank with the agreement, half would be used to open and fill a vault. She was a VVIP with the goblins and they were very happy taking her gold. She was the first on the Trio to approach the goblins and offer apologies and compensation. Not that the vault was ever touched apart from very small purchases. She allowed the Goblin's Access to her property and business list, telling them to sell the House and Dental Surgery as she could never face her Parents again. They did as requested. They also transferred all money in Savings accounts from Muggle banks to her vaulted. From their estimates she was a very rich young witch. She went to the Bank once every two months to review the usage of her money in goblin investments, once in a while to lock up some very dark books she had retrieved from the Library which had no place at Hogwarts.
Hermione's Life became a mission of penance for what she felt she had done. What she hadn't realised was she was now more powerful than ever. Hogwarts seemed to sing when she walked its halls. Hermione never took notice but many older staff realised Hogwarts had now placed its full castle protection on this sole inhabitant. Days when Hermione would walk the halls whilst reading and the castle create a new path for her to travel safely and reach her destination quickly. The Goblins became very fond of Hermione, when they had made a great investment she would give money back to the bank for them to do with as they saw fit. And greatly compensated the goblins who looked after and ran her account.
Harry lost in thought of everything Hermione had done to attone and how to help her. Was slightly knocked off his feet as a book was thrown towards him. "Could you get that to Shacklebolt for me please? It's the book ledger." As Harry swung the book into a bag a sheet of parchment fell out onto the floor.
DARK BOOKS STORAGE
Severus Snape's Copy of Advanced Potion making
Basic Hexes for the Vexed
Secrets of the Darkest Art
Hypothecary Hidden Secrets
How to kill your enemy Vol 1,2 and 3
Blood by blood
All it takes is a nail, hair or drop of blood
Curses the damned
The List continued on and on and only looked like one of many pages. "Hermione what is this?" Hermione sighed. "It is exactly what it looks like, dark magic books, that are in my possession and locked in the highest security vault you can get." More questions filled Harry's head. "But some of these don't even look dark." "That is because I have read each and every book on the list, categorised it. Written a report and then handed my findings onto Kingsley." Harry was absolutely confused. Hermione was doing all this whilst making sure to resurrect an enormous library, as well as helping with construction. "You're doing too much, you will burn your magic out and then probably work to death." Hermione completely ignores the last words to come out of Harry's mouth. "Come on, let's leave. We can use the floo in my office." Harry questioned again. "Your office"
