Lavender's Blue

Chapter One: Lavender's Blue

Hermione Granger was officially exhausted; in the five years since the Battle of Hogwarts, she had yet to take a proper vacation. As soon as she was able, she had used the rest of the month of May to track down her mother and father in Australia, and had somehow managed to restore their memories. After a thorough tongue-lashing at her methods for protecting them, her parents had promptly left Australia and returned to the family home in Hampstead. Hermione had previously sent a desperate owl to Bill and Fleur, asking them to make sure that there were no curses lurking in the house, and Molly had even stepped in to give the property a thrice-over with Household Spells. In addition, she had made enough meals for both Drs. Granger to last the month, something which Geoffrey and Isabel Granger were very grateful for.

Next, Hermione had returned to Hogwarts and assisted with the rebuilding wherever she could, in the midst of studying for her NEWTs. As Harry and Ron had decided to forgo a final year, Hermione had decided to do so as well, but she absolutely refused to take any handouts from the newly-reformed Ministry of Magic, now headed by Kingsley, without proper exams. Hermione was put on the team to resurrect Gryffindor Tower to its former glory, alongside Minerva, Aberforth, Arthur and Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Ron, Harry, and Ginny. They finished their work in a matter of weeks, just after Harry's birthday, and Hermione agreed to sit for her NEWTs in the month of August.

It had been a devastating experience for Ron to lose Fred, but it had been a surprising one when Lavender had turned out to be alive herself. Hermione, knowing that Lavender was Ron's true first love, released Ron from any promises he had made to her, and was pleased to see both Ron and Lavender so happy. Harry and Ginny returned to one another, and it was unsurprising to see that Neville and Luna were a happy couple as well. With everyone pairing up, Hermione sat for her NEWTs, not even considering her romantic life, or any inclinations she may have harbored for a certain potions master—who had survived by the skin of his teeth—and managed to get all Outstanding's in her NEWTs.

When September dawned, Hermione, who had spent the remainder of August back at her childhood home of Hampstead, took her parents' up on the offer of filling in for their receptionist in their dental office. It was easy work for her, as she decided what she would want to do for a proper career, and the hours were decent. Eight to five Monday thru Friday, and she had the weekends off, giving her plenty of time for Saturday tea with Minerva at Hogwarts, or Sunday dinner at the Burrow with the Weasley family.

Of course, she was lonely, given that Death Eaters had tracked down Crookshanks and had done away with him, during the aftermath of what had happened after Bill and Fleur's wedding. Even though everyone in her life attempted to cheer her up in various ways, including suggestions that she get a new familiar, she steadfastly refused. Only Harry seemed to truly understand her grief, and many Sunday afternoons found them sitting quietly together in the small flat that Harry and Ron now shared in London, close to the Ministry. They didn't speak much, with Harry going over Auror paperwork and Hermione with her nose in a book, but it was good for them to have the company they so desperately craved in a matter in which they both could understand.

And so, in that vein, time passed slowly, although not as slowly as it had done when the trio had been on the run in various forests throughout England. Hermione remained at her parents' dental office for a period of six months, before she began writing out lesson plans for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes for Beauxbatons Academy of Magic's new curriculum. Madam Maxime had asked for Hermione's help specifically, and Minerva had been only too glad to offer Hermione a rousing endorsement. Meanwhile, it was Hagrid who was tasked to deliver the missives on Hermione's behalf and, quite soon, Hagrid and Olympe was back together, much to everyone's delight.

With time passing came life decisions, and Ron and Lavender married, along with Harry and Ginny, Neville and Luna, a reformed Draco and his long-term girlfriend Astoria Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass, and Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott. Hermione, who had long ago given up prejudices and had made friends with all the aforementioned Slytherin couples, had been a guest at all the weddings. Naturally, she was a Bridesmaid for Ron and Lavender, as well as Neville and Luna, although she had gotten the plum part of Maid of Honor when Harry and Ginny had tied the knot. At every gathering, she would see Professor Severus Snape, healed and no longer working at Hogwarts. She learned that he had his own owl order potions business, specializing in research and the concoction of especially rare potions, as well as ingredient cultivation, and was very successful.