An Outdated Map

12:15 AM Sunday

A/N: I meant to post this yesterday because Tuesday's are update days for this story but my whole week has been thrown off! Apologies my loves! Here's another chapter for this story! Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!

"High; running wild among the stars above,

Sometimes it's hard to believe you remember me."High – James Blunt

Chaos descended on her mind while she stood off to the side, next to the fireplace. Green light flickered every few minutes, as more members flooed into the flat above the shop. Her presence almost entirely ignored excluding the several people who squeezed her shoulder in greeting before they passed on. She stared out at the open concept sitting room, her eyes glazed over. She wasn't seeing them in front of her, merely shadows in the sidelines of her vision.

She felt rather than saw as the world around them slowed. Extended blurs of each movement made. Their tones deafened with the gravity of the circumstance upon them. No one understood what was happening, least of all her. Somehow, someway, she failed. Again. The icy feeling of guilt dropped down into the pit of her stomach as she blinked, hoping to clear her sight but it was all for naught. She was stuck, her entire being and mind stalled.

How did they end up here?

How come she didn't pick up on any signs?

Were there signs?

What had she missed?

She'd spent the better part of her week with him. Wracking her brain, she searched for clues, any semblance of an explanation. Anything that pointed in the direction that he was still alive. She wrung her hands together, coming up blank every single time. None of her memories signalled that there was something off; wrong. Nothing alluded to him being somewhere close or even living.

As if a veil was being lifted, she heard the slow progression of the goings-on around her coming back into focus. Her gaze flicked from person to person. Panic thickening the air around them. A mere point away from becoming suffocating. The aftermath of a war won coming back to reopen freshly healed wounds. Where did this leave them? How did they proceed from here?

A figure clouded her vision and she peered up at them, her eyes taking a moment too long to focus. Harry had his head ducked down, regarding her curiously over the frames of his glasses. She watched his lips move realizing belatedly that he was speaking to her. She continued to stare, at a loss for a response having not heard what was being said. His hand slid over her shoulder and he gave her two light squeezes, catching her full attention.

"You alright?" Her best friend's low tone shattering the sound barrier she'd constructed around herself.

She sucked in on an inhale, the commotion around her in full volume now. She felt her resolve begin to falter, her knees starting to give out underneath her. Harry's dormant seeker skills acute as ever had him notice the change within a second. He slipped an arm around her waist and braced himself to stable her. She unfurled her hands and reached for his shoulders, clamping down tightly as she gaped at him in silent panic.

"Breathe, Hermione," Harry murmured, keeping her steady and standing, "It's ok. You're ok. We're all right here."

She blinked half a dozen times, registering Harry's pacifying words. He was right. Deep down she knew that he was right. Feeling goosebumps run down her arms she took in a ragged breath. Harry kept her eyes locked on his green ones. His calm and steady while hers were blown and frightened. He nodded as she continued to cycle through her breathing, soon a small smile gracing his features.