Seek and You Shall Find

Chapter One: A New Morning

The War was over. All over the wizarding world, wizards and witches rejoiced, while the Deatheaters took their last glimpse of freedom. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was vanquished, and his servants were in the Ministry's grip now. Only Hermione Granger, valedictorian of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was mourning. Many lives were lost in the War, many innocent and dear lives. Ronald Weasley, the local red head had died saving Hermione. Lavender Brown, Padma Patil, Colin Creevey, and many others died at the hands of the Dark Lord's servants. Her dear friend Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, was now recently bed in Mungo's under the care of his beloved fiancé, Ginny Weasley.

It was a strong blow to the stomach when she saw the surprise on Ron's face, then the empty look behind his eyes. He had saved her, died for her. He had loved her, and it was that last glimpse that she realized his love, that she felt the guilt of his unrequited love, the guilt that he chose to die for her.

Even now her eyes were dry. She was beyond grief, beyond the stage of tears and tissues. She had locked herself in her apartment for weeks. On her breaks, Ginny had tried to get Hermione out of the dungeon she had put on herself, but Ginny was always faced with the same reply to her avid knocking: silence. It wasn't until Harry had woken up from his comatose state and gone over to Hermione's apartment. He unlocked her door magically, and stepped in to be faced with the reek of sweat and mold. Hermione was crumpled on the middle of the floor, her mousy brown hair rumpled and oily, skin pale.

" 'Mione?" He was afraid of this small frail figure. He had always seen Hermione strong, a woman who could stand and fight for herself. But the woman he saw, the girl he saw, was not Hermione. It could not be her. " 'Mione?" He heard a ruffle, and her head lifted up. He faced a pair of empty eyes, gaunt cheeks, and pale skin. A look of confusion further destroyed her emaciated face, as if she could not recognize who was standing in front of her. Her eyes squinted against the light from the open door, and she tried to stand.

"Harry?" She collapsed against the floor and shuddered. He rushed over and helped her up. "Harry? Is that you?" Her voice was raspy and dry. Harry answered with a worried glance and hurried to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. She drank it down and looked up. Harry's face was blurry. The room began to fade in and out. "Harry?" She sounded scared, unsure what was happening. As she lost consciousness and fell into Harry's open waiting arms, Harry kissed her forehead and replied quietly as if not to waken her up, "It's okay Hermione. Just rest."

---

She woke up slowly to the smell of bacon, and the murmur of voices, and then quiet shushing from the all too familiar voice of Molly Weasley. Weasley. Tears emerged at the corner of her eyes as she remembered Ron. The side of her bed dipped and she rolled over to face the worried look of Dumbledore. She no longer felt obligated to call him Professor Dumbledore, seeing that she had graduated and was no longer situated at Hogwarts. He spoke softly, like Harry had done and rested a dry hand on her forehead. "Hermione? How are you doing?" She opened her mouth, but no words came from her mouth. "You have stayed locked up here too long. It is time you saw the outside world, Hermione. Time for you to move on."

She finally found her voice, and spoke. "How long has it been?"

"Two months. Far too long." Silence followed. An awkward silence that hung in the air. A silence that was disrupted by Molly's voice.

"Hermione, dear, we made breakfast for you." Hermione pushed herself up to a half sitting position to see whom 'we' included. There, facing her was Molly, Harry, and Ginny. Molly stepped up and handed her a plate with strips of bacon, an omelet, and a breakfast roll. Her stomach rumbled, and she glanced back up with a silent thank you.

It was after she had finished eating, taken a quick shower and changed into clean clothes till Dumbledore spoke again. "As I said, you have been locked up here far too long. It is about time you went out and started to do something with your life." As if he read her mind, he added, "Ron would not have wanted you in this state. He died for you to live on and live happily, as he would want you to."

"But there's nothing to do! There's nothing I can do without feeling guilt, without feeling that Ron could be here doing this beside me." By this time, Molly had turned pale, but she spoke.

"Hermione, I know as a fact that Ron loved you. He should not have left, but he chose to. He chose for you to have a better life, without having the threat of the Death Eaters at your door. So take this opportunity, Hermione. If not for you or me, than for Ron. Do not forget that as long as he is remembered, he will be in our hearts. If you worry about him, his soul will not be able to rest. Please, Hermione. I'm speaking to you as if you were my own daughter, so hear me out. Please, Hermione."

Hermione stood there speechless, and Dumbledore spoke up. "I know it's hard, Hermione, but if you don't start now, you never will be able to." He walked over to her and led her over to a chair. "I have a proposal for you. As you know, you graduated valedictorian, with the most N.E.W.T's in centuries. I would like to offer you a position as the new professor of charms at Hogwarts. If you-"

"What?" A startled look appeared on her face. It had begun to lose its pale color, and was replaced by a homey pink color. "Charms professor? But-"

"Professor Flitwick has left. The position is open and I feel that you are most fit for it." His eyes sparkled behind his moon spectacles. "Think about it Hermione."

"Thank you, professor, I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll take it?"

"I...yes."

"What is that?"

"I would love to be Hogwarts' Charms' Professor."

"That's settled then!" He bent down and kissed her forehead in a fatherly fashion, and strolled to the door. "I'll be going to Hogwarts then to let Minerva and the rest of the staff know. We'll be expecting you!" He took his wand out, muttered a quiet word to himself, and apparated away. She turned to not face Molly, who had most likely already apparated away, but to Harry and Ginny. A shy smile crept over her face.

"Welcome back, 'Mione." They reached in for a great bear hug, and left. Hermione was faced with a new life, and a messy flat.

"Bloody hell, this will take forever to clean."