Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor its characters. I just want to write whatever cross my mind.
Chapter 1 Can I stay here?
The Golden Trio parted ways after the Battle of Hogwarts and all the funerals that came after.
Harry went back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He would like to spend time in the place despite all the bad and heartbroken memories there. It was where Sirius Black spent his youth and time after Azkaban. He did not want to bother the Weasleys, yet he promised to visit them when time fits. He just did not know when.
Ron was in the Borrow with his family. Weasleys were in sorrow for the loss of Fred Weasley. House needed to be rebuilt after the war caused massive destruction to the village. Their hearts were to be mended from the loss.
Hermione had nowhere to go. She did not want to trouble any of her friends when everyone already had so much on their shoulders. She did not want to go to the empty house she used to live with her parents whom she had sent to Australia before their run as Wendell and Monica Wilkins. The house remained as it was as the mortgage was repaid years before. But the memories there stopped her from going back.
Now, she was sitting beside the Black Lake and wondering where to go.
"Miss Granger, what are you doing here?"
A solemn voice came from the back and startled the young witch. She turned with a wand in hand, then lowered it as she realised who's there.
Minerva McGonagall, her former Transfiguration profession and head of house, now Headmistress of Hogwarts.
"Professor, I…" Hermione muttered.
Raising her elbow, Minerva was unused to her favourite student's reaction. Though she never admits to it, Hermione Granger was her favourite student of all time. She encouraged her in her studies and worried for her as the younger witch always ended up with lots of trouble together with the other two young wizards.
"I am glad you remained alert all the time. But I am no harm to you." softened her expression, "is there anything I can do for you," paused, "Hermione?"
The younger witch loosened her stiff body, mouth opened and closed a couple times, and seemed to be searching for the right words.
Minerva walked closed and eventually sat down beside Hermione. She looked into the latter's eyes, repeated, "is there anything I can do for you?"
Took a deep breath, Hermione finally bucked her courage and asked, "can I stay here?"
Averting her glance, she continued, "I can help with the clean-up and rebuilding. I might not know much on how to start but I am willing to help on whatever you see fit…"
Minerva cut her words and smiled, "Sure you can stay here. Your help would be lovely for us."
She did not question why the younger witch did not go home or go with her best friends. She could sense that her favourite student did not want to share that yet, maybe not with her. She would let it go, just as she let her go in her first year.
She stood up and held out her hand to Hermione, "well, let's figure out how to accommodate you."
Hermione was surprised at how easy she got passed for this unusual request. She grabbed her professor's hand and stood up.
Slightly squeezed the younger's hand, Minerva let go and turned around towards the ruined castle.
/ OoOoO /
The two arrived in the old Great Hall. All the dead bodies were processed, either to their families or to the Ministry. The latter was also a mess but at least they still had Aurors to work on those dead bodies of Death Eaters.
The two stood quietly at the entrance, both had the images of all the heartbroken scenes from recent days. Then they walked past the corridors before Hermione broke the not-awkward silence.
"So, where could I stay?" Hermione looked at her professor.
Minerva let go a sigh. Many chambers were damaged, especially the towers for Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Even still somehow inhabitable, it was not an ideal location for a longer stay. Over the past few weeks when funerals were held, most people either lived in Hogsmeade Village or anywhere they could as simple as lay down. Students went back to sort whatever was left behind in the war and a few did stay there during the time when the war just ended. Hermione herself was in her room, alone. Her ex-roommates either went home with families or had to be in St. Mungo's if not in the Hospital Wing.
"I could still stay in the Gryffindor tower. It might not be in its best condition, but, as long as I could stay within Hogwarts is fine for me." Hermione offered. "Or, I can use my tent." she added.
Sighed. "Yes, that might be the only option we could offer now." Even if the castle was damaged, it still offered better protection than a tent, despite Minerva's trust in her student's magic intelligence to build a safe tent.
Hermione shrugged, "at your service, mistress."
Minerva rolled her eyes uncharacteristically. She was sometimes amused how the younger witch was never intimidated by her image, not that she minded, still.
With the first issue resolved, Hermione would like to start helping on whatever the headmistress found fit.
"Where could I start?" She looked up to the tall witch.
"Hospital Wing. It was not severely damaged but we still have quite a number of patients there." Been through three wars, Minerva still not found herself comfortable with all the casualties.
The two left for the Hospital Wing. Met with Madam Pomfrey who were busying treating the patients, the mediwitch immediately welcomed the younger witch. Madam Pomfrey and Hermione started dividing and prioritising tasks, stock-taking the potion inventories and checking on patients' status.
While the two had hands-on Hospital Wing, Minerva excused her left to meet with other remaining staff and volunteers. They needed to discuss how they should address the restoration of the castle.
It would be an enormous project. Minerva signed.
/ OoOoO /
The next morning arrived. Sun lit the Gryffindor tower from the broken wall but Hermione was already up before the sunrise.
She had not been sleeping well since their run. The fear of potential threats, the uncertainty on how to accomplish Dumbledore's missions and the aftereffect of what happened in Malfoy Manor. She still felt the craved word on her wrist burning from time to time.
Mudblood.
She saw the word when she woke up from the Shell Cottage. Fleur took care of her over the time there but she could not find a way to erase that. She said there was dark arts in the wound and she could not perform more advanced magic to heal it more.
With no time paying attention to that at that time, and also nothing really could do, Hermione just ignored it since then. More was happening than that stupid word on her wrist.
But now, when most things seem to come towards an end, the memories and pain found their way creeping in.
Before she could drill down further, a silver tabby emerged into the empty room, "if you might, please come to the staff room we met yesterday."
Hermione recognized it was the Headmistress's Patronus.
She hurried to perform some cleansing spells on herself, which she had done a lot over the last year. She showered every day but staying in ruins was not helping to keep clean by all means.
Just before she stepped out, she performed a disguised curse on her wrist. Without further hesitation, she headed to the said meeting point.