The Forgotten Zabini

Prologue

Hermione Jean Granger, brightest witch of her age, part of the golden trio, was having a mental breakdown. It was not the first and certainly not the last but the nightmares and guilt crushed her every step of the day. It had been exactly two months since the Battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of the Dark Lord. Since then, life had been a whirlwind of events. 

First, there were the funerals. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and all of their friends felt obliged to go to almost every single one, feeling somewhat responsible for the people that had died protecting them. They grieved and cried for days only to put their brave faces on whenever they went out. It was a dark time, to say the least, and it would be a lie to say that none of them wanted it to all end.

Second, there were the trials. Former Death Eaters and supporters of Voldemort were being tried right and left for war crimes, most sent to Azkaban with life sentences. As the Saviors of the Wizarding World, the 3 friends were stuck as witnesses, their words responsible for the fate of many. Much to everyone's surprise, they had all spared Draco Malfoy and Narcissa from a 10-year term in Azkaban, saying their actions had saved Harry's life multiple times.

Then, after the media was tired of reporting about that, they turned to the Golden Trio, slamming them with questions and swarming the Burrow with reporters. After begrudgingly giving a few interviews, including the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and the Quibbler, they finally declined all other offers, Molly threatening to unleash the house ghoul on them. Many had grown fearful of Molly Weasley who had managed to kill Bellatrix Lestrange using extremely powerful spells and dejectedly left. 

⋱⋰

After that, a psychiatric evaluation ruled that Harry, Hermione, Ron, and many of their friends were unfit for media attention or any involvement in the rebuilding of the Wizarding world and required them to heal and grieve the ones they had lost. Thus, it ended any involvement in rebuilding their torn world and the 3 friends were stuck watching the repairs on the sidelines. Kingsley Shacklebolt was declared new Minister of Magic, Hogwarts was rebuilt stone by stone, and life slowly got back to normal. 

But the nightmares relented. Hermione, being tortured by Bellatrix in Malfoy Manor. Watching Fred die, his last breath in a laugh. Seeing Lupin and Tonks, their bodies on the floor of the Great Hall, their son newly orphaned. Hermione felt guilt coursing through her veins and knew she wasn't alone. Harry had changed, his smiles were rare and futile. Ron tried to stay upbeat, motivating his best mate to go out and play quidditch. Only Ginny could make Harry move and they spent every step of the day together. They leaned on each other, grieved with each other, facing every day together even though their tormented sleep and scared minds stopped them from celebrating the victory they had won. Hermione had nobody.

Ron and Hermione had decided that whatever had happened in the Chamber of Secrets, a burst of adrenaline or a rash sign of affection, was not actually good enough for a relationship. Hermione loved Ron like a brother; Ron had his eyes on another anyway. None of the awkwardness that Hermione expected lasted and soon they were back to normal, bickering, and sometimes laughing although it was rare. Hermione buried her emotions, playing the "strong friend" part along with Ron. All were broken but without Ron or Hermione, they would shatter with no one to pick the pieces up again. 

Hermione didn't know what happened that day, the early morning of July 2nd, but she had reached the breaking point. She began hyperventilating, sobs racking her chest as she sat on the edge of her bed. She had not told Harry, Ron, Ginny, anybody about the secret that was weighing her down. She didn't want to give them another reason to pity her, but after all, they were all sore sights to see. No, what had happened concerned her, and her only. She would grieve alone as she had done before.