It all started with a dance

2

Dear Hermione Granger

I would like to inform you that you have been accepted to come back to Hogwarts to redo your seventh year, and with great privilege, you have been given the position of Head Girl, the information on the Head Boy will be disclosed on September first, please go to the Prefects train car. All required items have been added to this letter. q

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hermione was holding the letter in both hands, her jaw was open

There was someone knocking at the door

After the war Hermione moved into a small apartment, she had moved out of the burrow, she felt that after the war and after Fred's death, the burrow didn't feel like a home anymore, and she didn't feel welcomed, no matter how many times Molly Weasley told her she's allowed to stay, she felt like a familiar stranger

Harry had moved into Grimmauld Place and began restoring it, he had offered Hermione a room but Harry and Ginny had finally gotten together and making up for their lost time, Hermione felt like a third wheel

Hermione had begun looking for her parents, the moment the war ended she went to Australia in hopes to find them where she left them, but unfortunately they weren't there, Hermione looked in all possible places where they could have been, to no avail, this put a strain on Hermione's relationship with Ron, who one night whilst drunk, gave her an ultimatum, stop looking for her parents and move on or she'll lose him and it'll be her fault, she kicked him out of her apartment in the middle of the night and swore she would never get back with him

Hermione shook her head and walked to the door, opening it she saw her three best friends waiting for her

"Did you get it?" Ginny exclaimed

The three entered Hermione's apartment and each took a seat in the living room

"I did," Hermione told them

She handed them the letter and they all read it

Hermione walked to the kitchen and put some water for tea, she leaned against the sink, she had a constant migraine, caused for the lack of sleep, she couldn't sleep anymore, the nightmares were constant, this was started to affect her mental health, none of her friends knew she was struggling but that's how she wanted to keep it, no one could know that she wasn't okay

The kettle began to whistle, snapping her out of her mind, she grabbed four cups and filled them with the hot water, grabbing the tea bags she took them to the living room where her friends were talking to one another

"You got Head Girl?" Ginny exclaimed

Hermione smiled and nodded, unfortunately, none of her friends saw that it didn't reach her eyes, they each took a cup and started congratulating her, and they were trying to guess who the head boy was

The four Gryffindors talked late into the day, when it was late in the afternoon Harry and Ginny decided to leave, Ron was going to head out in a few moments but first, he wanted to talk to Hermione, she knew what was coming and she wasn't ready for it

It was just the two of them, Hermione was in the kitchen and Ron was in the living room, Hermione was waiting for him to barge in at any moment

"Please take me back, Hermione"

Hermione put the clean cup down and rubbed her forehead

"Ron...we've talked about this, we are never going to get back together," she said

"Why? Why won't you stop being selfish and take me back?" Ron raised his voice

"I'm being selfish? You gave me an ultimatum! You know how much I want to find my parents! And you tried to force me to chose!" Hermione yelled at him

Ron slammed the table and Hermione flinched

"You spent months looking for them! You didn't pay any attention to me! I was your boyfriend!" He yelled

"THEY ARE MY PARENTS! OF COURSE, I WILL LOOK FOR THEM! AND YOUR JOB AS MY BOYFRIEND WAS SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT AND HELP ME!" She screamed

"AND YOUR JOB AS MY GIRLFRIEND WAS SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME AND ATTEND TO MY NEEDS!" Ron yelled

"I'M NOT A BLOODY SLAVE! I AM A HUMAN BEING AND I AM SORRY IF YOU NEED CONSTANT ATTENTION LIKE A NEEDY CHILD AND I COULDN'T DELIVER! BUT I AM NOT A SLAVE OR SOMEONE YOU CAN USE TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER!" Hermione screamed

A screaming match took place, just like it has happened the last few months, this was tiring her but Ron didn't seem to understand that she was trying to move on

"ENOUGH!" She yelled, causing Ron to go silent

"I am tired of fighting with you Ron, I am so exhausted, I will never be with you like that ever again, I am willing to go back to being friends but nothing more, we don't work, we will never work," Hermione told Ron, breathing heavily

"Is there someone else?" Ron questioned

Hermione threw her hands in the air and scoffed, he didn't listen

"No! There is no one else! I just don't want to be with you Ron"

Ron glared at the brunette

"We'll be together 'Mione, you can bet on that" Ron said

He stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door, Hermione sighed in defeat and opened one of her cabinets, taking out a bottle of firewhiskey and drinking half the contents in one swift motion

The next day she would be going with her friends to Diagon Alley to collect her necessary items for school, she had subtly tried to get out of it to no avail