Misfit

CHAPTER IV

28.04.1999

It's been a couple of days since the Weasley twins showed up on her doorstep, smiling and grinning from ear to ear. Hermione hadn't seen them since then, she heard them moving into the flat upstairs, as well as setting up the new shop on the two levels beneath her. She knew it was bound to happen that she ran into some of their family sooner or later so she kept even more to herself, only leaving her flat when it was absolute necessary.

Yesterday she had received an owl from Professor McGonagall, new headmistress of Hogwarts, herself, inviting her to the ceremony held at the Hogwarts grounds to honor the fallen witches and wizards and to celebrate the victory over the Dark Lord. She had received the official invitation from Kingsley, new minister of magic, but simply ignored it. So her old Professor took it upon herself to write her a personal letter, making Hermione rethink her choice of not wanting to go. Its not all about the letter but also about the bumping into certain Weasleys over the last week. As much as Hermione didn't want to go and face everyone and everything she had been avoiding she also thought about that McGonagall had a point. She might find closure with whatever is holding her back.

Trying not to think too much about the upcoming Sunday she steps into her fireplace, ready to head to a meeting with Kingsley in his office, which must be rather important and her attendance not negotiable, since he sent her three letters yesterday, Hermione having a faint idea of what this is about and she is hopes that for once she is wrong about something.

Stepping out on the other end Hermione is greeted by a grim looking Kingsley.

"Hermione", he says with a firm nod, offering her a seat opposite his table.

"How are y-", Kingsley tries to ask her cautiously after she took a seat, but she cuts him short.

"With all due respect, Minister, but this seemed to be rather important. What is the meaning behind this? I don't think you asked me here for small talk?"

Kingsley looks taken aback for a second before sadness shimmers in his eyes.

"No need to call me Minister, we are friends afterall", he smiles at her and Hermione has trouble holding back a scoff that was building up in her throat.

"After the war you had informed me about you removing your parents memories of you. Ever since i had two of my most trusted aurors on the case of finding them."

Hermione knew what was coming. She knew it. She could tell from the look on his face, the way his voice sounded with every word he spoke.

"I am sorry, Hermione. They found your parents, but they were too late. Someone found them first and -"

"I would like to ask for a portkey to the house of my parents, to collect a few personal things", Hermione cuts him off again, blending out the feeling of guilt, pain, hurt and anger piling up in her stomach.

"Of course. I can send Avero with you, he is the one-"

"I will go alone."

"Hermione. You are not alone, you know this? There are people willing to help you, to be there for you if you need them", the Minister tries to get through to her, but with no such luck.

"I expect that this will be handled discretely?", Hermione asks him, ignoring his previous statement, reaching out her hand for the portkey on the table.

"Of course. And Hermione?"

She looks up before touching the necklace that would bring her to the house her parents lived in before they were murdered.

"I hope to see you on Sunday."

She doesn't respond to this, only touches the bit of jewellery and is gone within mere seconds.

Ignoring the pain in her chest, forbidding herself to feel or grieve, she skims through the house that looks so similar to the one she grew up in, grabs only a few things that once belonged to her parents, some of her mothers jewellery, her fathers books, his pocket watch and a picture of them that was taken on their wedding day. Not glancing back once she apparates to Hogsmeade, hugging the cardboard box close to her chest, slowly letting the feelings she was withholding creeping back up, consuming the little bit that was left of her heart, her mind going blank.

Somehow she finds herself on the stairs to her flat, when a flash of red hair brings her back to her surrounding, morphing a blank expression on her face.

"Hermione, fancy -"

"Not now Fred", she says trying to walk past him, but he must have sensed that something is off, probably because she isnt shouting at him.
He stops her with a hand on her elbow and when her gaze is fixed on the empty hall ahead of her his eyes travel down to the box she is holding, glancing at the picture of Hermiones parents. He had only met them once but he would recognise them, cause Hermione looks just like them.

Fred briefly looks at the other things in the box, matching it with Hermiones expression and realisation dawns on him. But before he can say another word she walks past, freeing herself from his hand, hurrying down the hallway and into her flat.

Once inside she falls back against the door, box on her lap and hugging it close, while silent tears stream down her face.

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I promise it wont stay all dark and depressing like that !

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