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The first time the other students saw her, she was a passing stranger to them—a shadow weaving unnoticed between the crowds at King’s Cross.
She preferred that over being the war heroine who’d taken the last stand against Voldemort after Harry Potter had sacrificed himself in the final battle.
Hermione Granger boarded the Hogwarts Express and slipped into an empty compartment, unseen. Pulling out her wand, she cast Imperturbable and Notice-Me-Not charms on the room before giving in to the overwhelming urges to cry.
Her classmates spotted Hermione for the first time knowingly three months later. They’d heard she was finishing her NEWTs at the castle, but had yet to encounter her.
The eighth years finished their holiday shopping in Hogsmeade and were just heading back to Hogwarts when they heard a commotion down the street.
“Hermione! Hermione Granger!”
The shouts grew louder as a dozen witches and wizards waving Quick-Quotes Quills and cameras converged.
“What have you been doing since the war, Hermione? Why have you been seen at St. Mungo’s? Do you have anything to say about why you’ve been hiding?”
Hermione burst out from the crowd of reporters with an anxious look on her face. She rushed past her classmates, checking over her shoulder before breaking into a run.
A garish woman—Rita Skeeter—broke away from the herd. She held her quill over her head as she shouted, “Hermione! Is it true you blame yourself for Harry’s death?”
With a strangled cry, a light shot out of Hermione’s wand as she Disapparated with a sharp CRACK! The eighth years were stunned back into awareness as the reporter’s quill turned to black smoke, leaving the woman holding nothing and yelping an obscenity.
The next day, owls delivered the Daily Prophet to students over their breakfast in the Great Hall:
RECLUSIVE HEROINE HERMIONE GRANGER SPOTTED IN HOGSMEADE, SEEN FOR FIRST TIME AFTER WAR
Granger attacks reporter as she escapes—is the former Golden Girl losing it? Why has Granger been spending time at St. Mungo’s? More from Rita Skeeter on page 7.
Hermione was seen a third time by a first-year Hufflepuff lost after a late-night trip to the kitchens. The student threw herself behind a tapestry when she heard the Infirmary door opening, breathing hard.
Peeking out, she saw a small woman, wild hair piled on top of her head, held in place by a wand. The woman was speaking in low tones to Madam Pomfrey.
“I don’t know, Hermione,” Madam Pomfrey said. The first-year nearly gasped out loud, realizing the woman was Hermione Granger .
“It’ll work. We just need time, the antidote Draco’s brewing is going to help—I just know it,” Hermione said with conviction.
The student stifled another gasp, recognizing Draco’s name. He was an eighth-year student but everyone knew he was under Ministry orders to finish at Hogwarts before his trial.
“I have faith. I’m just worried the damage is too extensive—that the potion will strain his body even more.”
The voices were moving closer to her hiding place, and the student ducked further behind the tapestry, furrowing her brow. She had no idea who they were talking about.
A few minutes later she poked her head out, finding the coast clear and thinking about the strange conversation.
By the time the Hufflepuff woke up the next morning, she was running late to breakfast and the previous night completely slipped her mind.
The fourth time, it was widely known that Hermione Granger was testifying before the Wizengamot on behalf of Draco Malfoy and the late Severus Snape. She was adamant proper trials be held after months of delays, accurately stating Harry Potter would have wanted this.
The headlines spoke of her passionate defense of the former Potions professor and the details of his work as a double agent. The Prophet expounded Snape's years of subterfuge, convincing the public of his role as a hero.
Later, headlines screamed of Hermione’s breakup with Ronald Weasley, whose photograph revealed a very drunken night out in Wizarding London with women on both arms.
When asked to comment, Ron quoted, “If she cares more for that git than me, so be it.”
Wide speculation pointed to Draco Malfoy as ‘that git’, citing Hermione’s unwavering testimony in favor of Draco as a sure indicator of their presumed relationship.
Those rumors ended when Hermione was last seen entering St. Mungo’s with Minerva McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey with a stack of parchments, and Hermione faded from the headlines once again.
Nearly a year after the war, Hermione smoothed her hands down the dress robes she’d chosen with care that morning, mind racing.
“Granger,” a low voice rasped, distracting her from her thoughts. “Why are you nervous?”
A hand grasped her shoulder as she turned around to meet the dark eyes of Severus Snape.
“I—you’ve been such a secret” she replied, slightly chagrined. “I feel like you’re going to be overwhelmed by attention.”
With a huff, she added, “How is it that I’m the one who’s worried?”
He smirked, squeezing her shoulder as he continued towards the side door of the long-term patient ward.
“Because I’ve been cooped up for 11 months with no one to properly terrorize,” he looked pointedly at her, smirk growing.
Hermione huffed again, rolling her eyes. “Well it’s not my fault you insisted on being such a right git at first. And once you and Draco both got going, someone had to keep you in check!”
With another smirk, he turned towards the door leading to the outside world. “Are you ready?” he asked her before pulling the door open. She nodded.
Hermione was spotted for the fifth time while outside of St. Mungo’s, as planned.
Two years after the war, Hermione Granger no longer counted how many times she was seen in public. That May, a small headline on the second page of the Prophet stated:
War Heroes Elope! Granger-Snape Duo Seen Filing Marriage Records at Ministry, Rumors of Reception to Follow