Hermione looked at the empty wine bottle and let out a sight.
She lifted the silver plate and looked at it.
"How are you planning to clean this mess up drunk Granger?"
She looked at the mop on the corner and took a deep breath. She stood up and took the empty bottle to throw it in the bin.
Once again she looked at the mop.
"I could make you clean everything…" She said to the mop disappointed.
"I COULD MAKE EVERYTHING CLEAN EVERYTHING." She dropped down on her knees and started to sob.
When she was about to pick herself up she took one last look at the mop and shook her head.
Then it happened.
The mop dropped on the floor.
She froze.
"Breathe Hermione." She calmed herself.
A mop that has been there for the last -at least- 3 hours just dropped on the floor right after she desperately needed it to clean the room.
She looked at her hands. She held out her right hand and focused on the mop.
"It's not that hard, you know. Wandless magic I mean. Wands are just to channel it. We all have magic in our core." Hermione explained to Harry as they walked down the stairs to get to the common room.
"I don't know Mione, I've never seen anyone but Dumbledore do it. And I am not going to compare myself with him." He laughed. She smacked the back of his head.
"I am not saying you can produce a patronus without a wand at the moment Harry. But in the time of need , if you practice you can improve yourself to do smaller things. Let's say you were disarmed and in desperate need of your wand, but it is out of reach. Wouldn't it be brilliant if you could summon it with your hand?" Harry stopped and looked at his friend.
"It actually would."
"Tomorrow after Potions, Requirement Room!"
"C'mon.." She was using everything he had to move the mop and she started to think maybe it just fell. Was a victim of gravity.
"I need you to move please." Just as she was about to give up the mop actually moved.
It was slightly hovering in the air. Not like flying but it was a few inches off the floor.
"I KNEW IT! I KNEW THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT!"
Hermione has been practicing her magic for almost 6 months now.
Everynight after the closing. And she got better. She was feeling like a new person. Not like a new person maybe but like Hermione Granger. Not Jean Whitmore.
She changed her name fearing that she would get unnecessary attention.
After almost 2 years she had hope again.
It was about 03:00 in the morning. She was still practicing and she would say she was doing pretty well.
"4th year level Granger. In 6 months , without a wand. You got this." She looked at the chair and waved her hand willing to turn it around and place it on the table. And it did exactly as she willed.
She jumped up and down with excitement but her celebration was cut short. There was a series of knocks on the door.
"Bloody hell, we are closed mate you can come back tomorrow!" She walked to the door , since the curtains were down she was not able to see the uninvited customer.
She moved the curtain when she reached the door and she forgot how to breathe.
Her shock was disabling her ability to move.
"Will you open the bloody door Mione?" Without questioning she did as she was told.
Her eyes teared up and she took a few steps back as her guest stepped inside.
"You are alive…" Hermione managed to say. And the next thing she knew she wrapped her arms around her best friend's neck.
"I can't believe you are alive, Harry." Harry returned the hug. After a while when they broke apart she had a chance to take a look at him. Though he was alive it was hard to say that he was alright.
He had scars all over his face, bags under his eyes. He aged. He didn't grow up. He aged.
"What is going on? Tell me everything. How did you come here? How did you find me?How did-" She stopped. Look of terror appeared on her face. She held out her hand and took a few steps back.
"Mione… It's me." Harry said calmly as he understood what this reaction was.
"Prove it." She simply demanded.
"I took off your shirt once by mistake as we were practicing wandless magic." She let out a relieved breath and smacked the back of his head.
"All of our memories no one could have known and you go with this.." She shook her head smiling.
"Seriously now, you need to tell me what is going on."
They sat down and talked for hours.
Harry told her about how he planned his escape for a year. Taking advantage of Voldemort and death eaters being ignorant to muggle ways. How he remembered her talking about her grandmother's restaurant.
"Did they do this to you?" She asked looking at his face and he nodded.
"This is what is showing." He gave her a weak smile. She took his hand in hers.
"I am so sorry Harry."
"Are you mental? I am the one who should be sorry. I put all of you out there and look at us. Stripped from our magic. Shunned to the muggle to cut contact with everyone we knew,everyone we loved. It's all my fault."
"You listen to me, Harry James Potter. Without you the first war was lost,without you I wouldn't even be a you we wouldn't even be able to try to defeat him. Do not do this. And honestly… I don't think we are stripped from our magic."
"It happened to you too?" He asked in shock. She nodded.
"I never understood how they could take it from us. It is not something to take. They could only maybe hide it. Or make us forget about it. But eventually it would manifest again. And I've been practicing."
"Have you heard from-"
" are not to contact outside of the wizarding world. And we are not to contact inside."
"How did you leave the wizarding world Harry?"