She had done it. She had confessed to Minerva McGonagall that she was in love with her. It was the end of her final year at Hogwarts and they were just getting ready to board the train to return home. Graduation was over and everyone stood on the platform. Hermione stood in front of the woman who held her heart and told her exactly how she felt. A crush, she had said. 4 years of harboring these feelings and fighting, tooth and nail, to keep them secret and it was brushed away as a simple childhood crush.

Hermione cried. For almost 2 months afterward she didn't do anything but sit in her dark house and cry. She didn't go anywhere, didn't see anyone. Until finally she looked at herself in the mirror, she hated what she saw. She was Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio. She had faced down Voldemort himself, the most evil wizard of the time, and come out alive. How could she let herself fall this low simply because someone told her no? No, no she was done being pathetic. She was done feeling sorry for herself. It was time to move on. Glancing around her parents' house, they had decided that while they weren't angry with her for wiping their memories, they were going to stay in Australia; she decided it was time for a change. She couldn't stay here. Minerva had been here and, while she was determined to move on, she couldn't face the memories of seeing the older witch in her house.

She would travel. Her parents sent her money every month until she could find a job. Being dentists down under must be going well because they were sending a rather large amount. She never really used any of it though so it just sat in the bank collecting interest. Tack that on to the huge cash award that had been given to her when she received her Order of Merlin First Class for her efforts during the war she had plenty to live and travel on.

With a wave of her wand all of her belongings began to shrink and vanished into a trunk in the corner. Before she left she would have to see Ginny. She owed, at least her, an explanation. They had been friends for too many years for her to just skip town and not tell her she was leaving. So with all of her things safely stowed in her luggage and shrunk down into her pocket she walked to the door. Turning one last time she looked around at her family home one last time, before closing and locking the door, possibly forever.

"A CRUSH, GIN! SHE WROTE IT ALL OFF AS A CRUSH!" Hermione was finally venting everything that she was feeling to her friend. She had met the girl at a park near her home and the two of them had begun talking. Or well, Hermione had started screaming and Ginny was listening.

"Hermione I'm barely following you, love. How about this? Just let me see the memory and then we will talk ok?" Ginny said.

"Fine." Hermione slumped down on the swing next to Ginny's and closed her eyes. She felt the first touches on her mind and was suddenly dragged back to that day on the platform.

"Professor, may I have a word?" Hermione asked as she walked towards McGonagall.

"Of course Ms. Granger. What can I help you with?" Minerva looked down at the young woman in front of her.

"I really have no idea how to tell you this so I am going to just say it. I am in love with you." Hermione held her gaze. Her pride wouldn't let her turn away.

"Ms. Granger, Hermione, listen to me. It is completely normal for someone your age to develop a crush on-" at that word Hermione cut her off.

"A crush? Minerva this isn't a crush. I love you, as in I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Hermione was hurt at those words.

"I doubt that, my dear. This is no more than a school child attraction. It will pass." McGonagall's hand landed on her shoulder but Hermione slapped it away.

"I can't believe you! 4 years! I have spent FOUR YEARS! Hiding this so you wouldn't get sacked, Keeping it secret to protect you from the ministry, so that they wouldn't think you were blackmailing me. I spent the last FOUR YEARS! Doing my best at everything trying to get you to notice that I exist, four years trying to get you to love me back," Hermione's voice had quieted to almost a whisper and she no longer had the strength to look the professor in the eyes, "Four years of my life spent protecting you from everything I could, from Bellatrix when she demanded and asked about you when she tortured me," Hermione looked back at Minerva, "I spent two days crying in your rooms when you were sent to St. Mungos fifth year. Don't ask how I got in, it's not a story I want to tell. After that I spent months trying to find spells and charms that would keep that from happening again. I dreamed of you every night that we were on the run, dreamed of telling you everything that had happened to us. It was my dreams of you that kept me sane throughout the entire ordeal, especially after the events at Malfoy Manor. After all that, after everything I have tried, you have the nerve to write this off as a school girl crush? How dare you? HOW DARE YOU!?" Hermione turned and ran from the platform, apparating away as she went, leaving a stunned Minerva McGonagall in her wake.

Ginny looked at the, angry, heartbroken girl sitting next to her. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"I am leaving. I am not staying here anymore. It's time to get away for a while. It's time to get over her, and I won't be able to do that here." Hermione answered, she looked at her best friend and the redhead could see in her eyes that there was no point in arguing with her.

"Well, I guess I will see you around then. If you don't write to me I swear I will hunt you down and tear you apart, got it? Oh and you better be at my wedding and there when I have kids, or Dumbledore himself wouldn't be able to save you if he were still around." Ginny stood up and hugged her friend. "When do you leave?"

"As soon as our conversation is over. I'm going to the States first, probably New York City. Do me a favor Gin. Keep an eye on her, don't let her do anything stupid. Keep her safe, for me. I will see you around." With a returned hug, a pained smile, and a loud crack, Hermione was gone.