Merlin Help Me

A/N... So yeah this just the first chapter. I'll be leaving some information for you to find out later in the story. [Set in the school year AFTER the war. They return to Hogwarts to finish their school years. The Romione kiss DID happen. The after chapter with their kids never happened. Fred Weasly died, but became the new ghos tof Gryffindor Tower, after nearly headless Nick moved on to finally join the headless hunt.]

CHAPTER ONE. (Hermione's Pov)
Our lips lock and the rush of the war melts away. My heartbeat increases, pulling me further into the kiss. The water soaks us, and I am swept off my feet. I tumble around in the water. Ron's red hair flashes before my eyes and my heart rate rushes with worry. I can't do it, I only just found him! The water swirls around me, blackening my vision. It fills my mouth and I hear his cry 'Hermione!' Before all I see is blackness...
I jumped, staring around me in fear. My breathing was shallow and my hands were clammy. I was in the Gryffindor girls' room, in my bed in a cold sweat. Slowly my breathing grew deeper and less panicked. I shook my head trying to get them memory out of my head. I miss you, Ron... I shut my eyes but could still see the image of the swirling water. It was imprinted in my cranium, along with all those other horrifying memories of the war.

"Hermione." I flinched before realizing it was only Fred.
"I didn't know anyone else was here." My voice came out dull. There was a silence and I could here the soft snores of the other Gryffindor girls. Fred motioned for me to scooch over and joined me on the bed. His ghostly arm wrapped around my shoulders, slightly overlapping with my shoulders. I shivered slightly, having had never gotten used to the feeling of going through a ghost. It felt so strange.

"What brought you here?" I murmured quickly wiping faint tears from my eyes. I was leaning again the wall, with my arms around my knees. She looks so frail and weak..Fred thought.

"I could her you whimpering his name..." Fred admitted quietly. A wave of tears rushed to my eyes, and my breath caught.
"Oh Fred!! I miss him so much and I just- Well... I just hh-had a nightmare." I was fully crying, burying my face in my hands. I sob into my fingers, wishing things had been different.. It was all my fault... I fell asleep, crying about the boy I used to love.

"Mini... Mini! Hermione!!" I was shaken awake by a flustered Ginny. Her soft red hair hung over my nose, and I sneezed.
"Sorry... She said, then pulled me out of my bed. There was worry in her eyes and I wondered if I had huge bags under my eyes. Probably.

"Hermione are you- never mind. Class starts in ten minutes... You've already missed breakfast!" She said, tugging me into the bathroom. I stared at myself. My skin was pallid and pale, contrasting against the deep bags under my eyes. My forehead was creased into many dark stress lines and my eyes looked so empty.

"... So come on we have to- are you even listening to me?" Ginny said, stopping so suddenly that I crashed into her. I looked at her straight hair and green eyes and looked away. I didn't really care what I looked like anymore.

"HERMIONE GENE GRANGER!" she yelled in my face. I pretend that I didn't flinch, and followed her out of the room. She grabbed my books and chucked them into my bag.
"Get ready... Maybe brush your hair or something. I'll meet you in potions, just go onnnn.." And with that she rushed out of the room. I slowly walked to the bathroom, my bag slung over my shoulder. My feet were dragging. Why did I think it would do me good to come back this year? Because you thought it would get your mind off Ron.. A little voice in the back of my mind whispered quietly, and I could feel my eyes start to water again. No Hermione don't think like that.. I told myself and picked up my toothbrush. There wasn't any point of brushing my hair. Nowadays it was too short.

I walked into the hair salon near my house. My parents had no idea I was here, which was kind of the point. I went up the countertop and asked for the shortest haircut I could get. They cut most of it off, leaving it just below my ears. It was good enough. New year new me. I thought bitterly trying to push away an almost emotional breakdown.

I took a deep breath as the memory came to me. I guessed it looked OK, but I didn't really care. The hairdresser lady had said that my slight curls had framed my face, but who cares right? It's not like showing off my 'beautifully sculpted facial features' will bring him back. I sighed and put my toothbrush down, rinsing out my mouth. Oh that's good enough. I left the room, following my feet to potions. On the way I passed Fred. He gave me a huge, reassuring grin but I didn't want to smile. What was the point? I stepped slowly into the potions classroom, absently apologising to Professor Slughorn for being late.
"Oh, it's OK, my dear girl." He assured me and I turned to the empty seat, at the back of the class. My eyes narrowed when I say my potions partner. Oh crap. This day is going to suck.