Setting up S.P.E.W in an abandoned warehouse wasn't what Hermione thought would happen when she left school. Trying not to get killed by a new threat wasn't supposed to happen either. As her perfectly planned world starts to fall apart, she realises...
"SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF ELFISH WELFARE!" Hermione said hoarsely. Nobody had even noticed her, standing in a corner of the ministry atrium.
"Hermione." Harry looked tired as he ran towards her.
"You need to stop doing this." he hissed, "I'm supposed to report you."
To say that Harry hated his job was an understatement, and if he had a knut for every time he'd been star-spotted he could probably buy a full Quidditch team. But seeing as he had turned down every job that had looked at his scar and not him, he would have to stick with being a Welcome Wizard.
"Harry, where else am I supposed to advertise?"
"I don't know! The Daily Prophet? Just not here!"
"And how am I supposed to find the money for that?"
"Can't you duplicate it or something?"
"Harry! Gamp's Second Law of Transfiguration, items intended for trading cannot be conjured duplicated vanished or transformed -"
"Right, can you just go home? You can probably convince Luna to print something in the Quibbler."
"No way! Harry Potter!"
Harry sighed and hurried away.
~•~•~•~
She trudged through the offspring of a muggle garden project and heavy rain, trying to keep her leaflets from blowing away in the sleet that threatened to make the last of her money she had spent on them worthless.
The back of what looked like a muggle ruin - was her home for now. The enchantments that made it look like it had burned down had taken forever, but it definitely kept any nosy passerby's out.
Because she had been busy trying to get patrons for her charity, she hadn't had the time to do up the inside at all. The grey paint on the walls was peeling, revealing more layers of the exact shade underneath. The tasteful avocado bathroom looked amazing with the ripped upholstery littering the narrow corridors.
Hermione had managed to vanish most of the grime off the dingy walls, and the remains of the sofas were easily transfigured into a bed, but she had a lot more to do.
Her parents were still living happily in Australia, as she had modified their memories to make them believe that she didn't exist. Hermione tried to avoid thinking about them. After all, apparating across countries was a death wish, and Hermione had neither the galleons nor pounds to make the journey.
The Weasleys had always accepted her as their own, but after the death of two family members she was sure that they didn't need any replacements, and the gingers everywhere really didn't help. If only she hadn't been so precise in her enchantments around the tent, if only she hadn't cast that stupid shield charm, if only -
Hermione downed her ration of Sleeping Draught in one gulp.
~•~•~•~
"My parents are dead!" Harry yelled.
"And mine could be going the same way!" bellowed Ron.
"Then GO!" roared Harry.
Ron and Harry both made to pull out their wands but then she cast protego between them and Ron turned to her and asked if she was staying and said she was why did she say she was and he left the tent and disapparated
and
never
came
back.
~•~•~•~
Awaking to the sound of scuffling with a few curses, Hermione almost tried to go back to sleep. It was just another day at Hogwarts, it was only Holly and Fay applying makeup ridiculously early, it was only Lavender hunting for something to wear. But Lavender was left to die in pain, and Hogwarts was in ruins. She couldn't afford to waste any more of the Sleeping Draught either.
She held a few minutes of silence as she did every morning, mourning the fallen mercilessly killed by the Death Eaters and their side. She was interrupted by a particularly nice combination of words from the front.
Hermione had learned to expect the worst whilst hunting horcruxes, especially after what had happened at Malfoy Manor. That was another thing that she avoided thinking about. Unfortunately, she was Hermione Granger, and her memory was as sharp as the knife Bellatrix-
She sprang up like a spring, ignoring the potion bottle she had just spilled and scrabbling frantically for her wand. Her heart sounded like it was trying to escape her body as she tried to calm herself down. Creeping forward, she winced every time a floorboard creaked. Almost there now. Rushing into the main room, wand raised high, jinxes on her tongue, she tripped. Landed flat on her back, a scared muggle peering over her.
"Hi, um, my name's Rae? I'm gonna get you to the hospital."
But at that moment there were more important things to worry about, because Hermione knew what blood smelled like.
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NOTES This chapter is set in around January but the story will be set over a year I think.
I've kept everyone dead (and killed more of them :)
If there are any typos blame Grammarly.
The speech from the flashback is J.K Rowling's.
Yes, the image above is a stock image.
Word Count: 773 words
Fay Dunbar did actually share a dorm with Hermy, there was also an unnamed ginger witch who I've called Holly.
