Return to Me
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in Harry Potter world. I mean no harm by using the characters in this fanfic.
A/N: Thanks to Portkey that accept me as an author here. Thanks to my beta Nakhash, who has done a really good job in beta read. And thanks in advance for all of you who read and review!
Chapter 1
It was five years since she had been away from her home. It was five long years but, to her, it felt like it was only yesterday that she had been saying goodbye to her friends at the Portkey station. Now, she was packing her trunk and soon she would be back home and with her friends. She could not wipe away the smile that was stuck on her face as her thoughts drifted to the events of five years ago.
The war was still being fought at the end of their seventh year at Hogwarts, despite the hopes that it would all be finished before the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, graduated.
The war raged on for six more months until, finally, it was finished with Harry Potter's throwing of a new spell developed by himself, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, at Lord Voldemort, causing his evil soul to die under the power of love and peace, never to rise again.
Things were going rather well with the whole Wizarding world celebrating the downfall of Lord Voldemort and the trio off to seek their futures.
Harry had decided to join in the Auror training like he had told Professor McGonagall in his fifth year. With his success in fighting the Dark Lord, the Ministry of Magic was more than willing to accept him to the training and hired him after he finished. Harry Potter was not willing to take advantage of his celebrity to succeed in his beloved career. He tried his best to prove to the world deserved his position.
Ron, another best friend of hers, had shown some interest in being an Auror as well, but he ended up playing as a professional Keeper for the Chudley Cannons, saying he would be bored working as an Auror without Death Eaters to chase after.
She, Hermione Granger, was the odd number in her group of friends. She had decided she wanted to know more about the Wizarding world so she chose to travel to all the countries that had Wizarding communities.
When she declared her plans, Ron had teased mercilessly that she had found no more books to read in England and that was why she wanted to go seeking other countries' libraries.
They had had a good time before she left. They drank and talked about past times and future plans. During the Leaving Party, Harry had been mostly silent, which worried Hermione very much. She knew he had a hard time living his life outside Hogwarts, much less being separated from Ron and her, but she could not allow his attachment to continue any longer. He needed to move on with his life. He must move on. If she allowed him to cling to her like she had when they were still at school, Harry would never find himself a place in the Wizarding world. It was not that he was incapable, but rather that he would be forced to live his life in the past and would not have any future. So, she left him to make his own way though she promised herself she would do whatever was in her power to make his life better. But first, he had to learn to fight his own demons.
In five years of traveling, Hermione learned a lot about the Wizarding world and the differences between one community and another. She had learned, not from books like Ron had teased her, but from people in the living world. Now, it was time to go back home. She felt an odd tightening in her chest. 'How are they doing now? Will things have changed much after five years?' she kept asking herself nervously, as she packed.
In truth, they had exchanged letters over the past five years, but they were few and far between because she often changed her location and owls weren't always able to find her. So, the latest information she had on her friends was limited, especially regarding Harry. He had only sent her a piece of parchment wishing her a Happy Birthday every September 19th during the five years. She had tried to owl him a few times but he never replied. At first she had thought he was angry with her for leaving him alone, but he kept sending her the birthday wishes even though the notes were short. It was enough to make her feel a little better and at the same time just enough to make her feel guilty.
Ginny or the 'Daily Prophet' brought her most of the information she had concerning Harry. The only time she had heard directly from him was before his wedding day. Much to her surprise, he had called her on the telephone at a local hotel in Africa. She was so excited that she forgot to ask him how he knew she was there. He didn't speak much on the phone, just saying he wished she could be at his wedding, but of course, she could not. She was busy studying an old tribe and had made an appointment with the local Wizarding research organization to go the next day and observe their living conditions. She wished him the best of luck and happiness in his life. He thanked her and dropped the phone. That night, Hermione found herself unable to sleep and felt disappointed without reason, though she didn't try to seek it out. She let it slip by in the amount of time she spent in her researching and studying.
'Will things have changed much?' she repeated her question again. 'Yes, it would be different, you stupid girl,' her brain said crossly to her, but she retorted back, 'I'm not a stupid girl! I'm 23 years old now, and I know that things will be different, but you don't know how nervous I am, you idiot!'
Hermione argued with her brain as she finished packing her clothes and books. She turned to the drawer on her writing desk and pulled out a massive photo album setting it down on her bed. She turned to the first page; there it was, the photo of her, Harry and Ron when they were in first year. Harry and Ron were standing close to each other while she was standing behind at Harry's left side. Well, they were not very close back then. The second page was she and Harry sitting under a tree by the lake as Ron was sleeping, a Transfigurations book under his head.
Hermione turned page after page, looking at the photos and smiling, sometimes laughing, sometime crying as the memories of their adventures at Hogwarts floated in her mind.
She looked at a white page with gold embossed letters, which read: 'After Hogwarts', separating the rest of the photos from the first section.
The first photo, of the members of The Order of the Phoenix before the final battle, included Snape. Hermione scanned the photo in amusement; most of them were still alive. Harry had told her about the photo Moody showed him at Grimmauld Place, but it was opposite to the one she had, as many of those members had died in the battle.
The second photo was of the celebration at Hogwarts after the victory. The third was Ron and Luna's wedding photo they sent her a year after her departure. The couple was smiling and waving at her frantically. Harry and Ginny were their best man and bridesmaid. Hermione smiled; finally Ron had found the right person for his life and settled down happily after dating many witches. He had even tried once with her, while they were at Hogwarts, but things just didn't work out what with the two of them tearing each others heads off once or twice a day; not a big surprise actually.
Another page was Ginny and Draco's wedding, a strange and unexpected couple that shocked Wizarding society. When Draco had turned his back on his father and joined the fight for good, he and Ginny started dating. They had struggled to get the approval of Ginny's parents and a certain over-protective brother to agree with them, and they were now a happy couple. Hermione had nothing to add but to bless them from afar.
A few pages more and there was Ron and Luna with their first child and Draco with a very pregnant Ginny. And there, the two last photos were Harry and Cho Chang's wedding. Hermione smiled weakly at the photo. She had heard about them from the 'Daily Prophet' and from Ginny. The two started dating after Harry began his work at the Ministry of Magic. Coincidently, Cho was also working there as a secretary for the new Minister. So things progressed as Cho tried very hard to catch Harry's attention by praising his work and showing up every now and then in the Auror's department, that was what Hermione had heard from Ginny. However, Hermione didn't care if Cho seduced Harry or Harry seduced Cho, it was his happiness that she cared about. In the photo, Cho was smiling happily but Harry was wearing his usual serous expression. Hermione always shook her head whenever she looked at the photo; Harry was still the same, he still couldn't bring himself to enjoy the most important event in his life. She hoped Cho was teaching him.
The last photo was of Harry and Cho's newborn child. From the look in Harry's eyes, she knew he loved his daughter dearly; the glints of adoration and happiness were shining in them. Hermione was happy for him; he deserved the nice little family he had always yearned for.
She closed the album and wiped a few drops of tears from her eyes. 'Well, things might change, but at least it changes for the best and whatever had happened, their friendship would always be there,' thought Hermione, as she put the album in her trunk and closed it.
She stood up, straightened her clothes, and smiling, she told herself she was ready to make the journey home.
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