Death by Granger [rewritten version]

1

Hermione Granger glanced around her room once more. It was that time of the year again, when she ought to be getting ready to return to Hogwarts. Most likely, for the last time. It had taken a tremendous amount of effort to convince Harry and Ron that they ought to return. It was a tad easier to persuade Ginny, who was determined to skip school and head straight into professional Quidditch playing. After all, Ginny still had to redo her Sixth Year, not to mention complete her Seventh.

Competent as he may have been a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Severus Snape had been an astoundingly substandard headmaster. With help from the Carrows, he'd successfully driven the 1997 and 1998 school year further down than even the Black Lake went.

Harry and Ron were under the assumption that they'd get into the Auror office based off their name and their war efforts. If had been a hard knock to their pride to learn that they really did need to complete their NEWTs.

Hermione, though determined to make sure everyone returned to complete their education, had almost elected to stay behind. She had no idea what would become of her if she did not complete her education but a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her it would be for the best if she stayed away. A nagging voice that she was inclined to believe.

She might have gone through with her decision if not for the personal letter she received from her professor. Nearly a week ago, the letter had arrived alongside her official, default invitation to return to Hogwarts on the leg of a Hogwarts owl that has tapped incessantly at the window until Hermione removed the letter.

The weight of the letter felt heavy in Hermione's back pocket.

Dear Miss Granger

I do not know what you plan to do, but it would be unwise to refuse to return to Hogwarts. While I cannot speak for the student body, I can assure you that not one staff member holds your actions against you. However, if my words have fallen on deaf ears, I urge you to take these next ones to heart. Know that you will always have a home at Hogwarts. With us and with me. You will always be welcome with open arms.

You are a brave and strong warrior, Hermione, but you need not be no more than that. Remember that you are more than the things you do.

I look forward to seeing you in my classes.

Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hermione had mulled over the letter for nearly four days before confirming that she would return to Hog arts after all. Once she had sent that letter off with the Hogwarts owl, she sat down to write a response to the Weasley family, informing them that she'd be delighted to spend the last week of summer at the Burrow and that she would leave Hampstead that Friday.

She looked around the empty room just once more. It was completely empty and stripped bare. Hermione had no plans to return. Once she was done with Hogwarts, she'd vanish without a trace. There was no need for the house to stay in her name — or her parents' names.

She hefted a small backpack onto her shoulders and grabbed the handle of her trunk. She whispered a final goodbye to the home she'd grown up in and with a crack, she and her bags vanished.

•=•=•=•=•

Draco Malfoy remembered very few details. He remembered vague events and he had blurry memories. But he remembered her like he had last seen her a moment ago. She was special. She played on his mind like a never-ending loop. He remembered every detail he ever noticed about her.

He remembered the frizz in her hair the day he'd last seen her. He remembered the cut above her eyebrow that she'd yet to notice. He remembered the dirt marks on her pink jacket and the tiny little fraying rip in her gray shirt. He remembered the gleam of unshed tears in her eyes as she'd pleaded with him.

He would never be able to forget her, no matter how hard he tried and no matter how much she begged. She had to know that.

She had to know that every memory of her was burned into his mind like a searing brand on his skin. She had to know that the mere mention of her name involuntarily brought forth all his memories of her. She had to know that he hated it. The feeling of no control whenever she was involved. He hated the feeling of no control flooding him whenever he thought about what she had asked of him, every time he realised that he would never be able to do what she had asked. He would never even be able to ignore or turn a blind eye on her, let alone forget her.

He had last seen her in May, a good four months ago. That should have been enough time for memories to grow hazy, but he could still remember with stark clarity what her eyes looked like.

He wondered how the others fared. Had they been able to lose focus on what she was to them? Surely not. Whatever spells she had over him, she had over them as well. Part of him wondered if they would all merely play along with forgetting her, if only to avoid invoking her fury.

It wasn't entirely unfathomable. She was certainly a force to be reckoned with — even without her unnatural power boost. Knowing what they knew about her, they knew it would be wise not to cross her.

It was just one simple little thing. 

"Forget me," she'd begged. "Forget everything. Forget everything we've done and everything we shared. Forget all of it."

Sometimes, Draco wondered if she had been trying to cast a spell on them. He recalled feeling hazy and numb as she'd fled the battle scene, but once she was far enough that they could only just make out her figure, everything was clearer than before.

He glanced down at the generic Hogwarts invitation he had received to complete his studies. Had she received the same thing? Or was hers riddled with reassurances and promises of protection?

Would she even return? For a dreadful moment, Draco thought she might have asked them to forget her because she had no plans to ever be seen again.

But he knew her and he knew she would never run from anything, even if it put her in danger. She'd had the chance to run once before and she'd ran straight into the fire for the sake of everyone else. No, he would certainly see her at Hogwarts come September, and he would have to contend with deciding whether or not he would pretend to have pushed aside everything about her.

He didn't think he could.

After all, Hermione Granger was the person he owed his life to — more than once.