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It had only been a few weeks since the end of the war. Maybe it had been more than a month, Hermione wasn't sure. Everything was still chaotic and the wounds were still fresh. She was still afraid of loud noises and was chased by shadows. She never put down her wand for fear that someone might suddenly appear out of nowhere and attack her. A few days ago she almost gouged Harry's eye out because she hadn't heard him enter the room and was started when she suddenly heard him talking behind her. He didn't hold it against her, he was no different, always on guard and always aware of what could be around every corner. That seemed to be how everyone felt at the moment and everyone was aware that it would stay that way for some time.
Hemione and Harry had moved into Grimmauld Place together and spent their days either cleaning or, on bad days, sitting next to each other on the sofa, staring apathetically into space.
Molly and Arthur had offered to live with them in the Burrow but both had declined. The Weasleys mourned the loss of a son, a brother, a twin. They both mourned Fred, of course, he was one of their friends but they still didn't want to be a burden to the family. In addition, Hermione and Harry both preferred to be alone at the moment. With such a large family like the Weasleys, being alone is almost impossible. That's why they decided to stay at Grimmauld.
They weren't completely alone, which probably wouldn't have done them any good, but they could just get out of each other's way if they wanted to.
The Weasleys had accepted this. Sometimes Harry and Hermione visited them. Then they all sat together in the living room, except for George, who never left his and Fred's old bedroom. Most of the time Molly started crying and then Ginny cried too, and they both left the room, followed by Arthur and then by all the other Weasleys. Hermione and Harry stayed behind and eventually went home.
Sometimes Ron came to visit them at Grimmauld Place. Then they sat in the kitchen with tea and talked about the great memories of Hogwarts, until someone said something that brought back bad memories. Then they fell silent until they said their goodbyes after several minutes. Ron went back to the Burrow and Hermione and Harry fled to their rooms.
Their lives were like a house of cards. As soon as a strong gust of wind blew, everything collapsed and a lot of time and effort was spent rebuilding it. Over and over again. Until it got better after a very, very long healing period.
Today was one of the better days. She had breakfast with Harry and then they both started cleaning up the house.
She felt okay, she had slept for more than just a few hours and she didn't feel too jumpy today. So she decided to empty her bag, the one she had taken with her on the hunt. She sat in the living room and stacked everything she pulled into organized piles. Books, potions and ingredients, clothes, the tent.
She was concentrating on her work when Harry entered the room, knocking on the doorframe as he had made it his habit to not startle her again.
"Hey Mione, okay?" he asked as he sat down next to her on the sofa and watched her pull one of his sweaters out of her endless bag. She turned to him, smiled weakly and then nodded. "Okay, and you?"
Harry nodded too and sat back and watched her as she continued to produce item after item.This was part of her routine. Often times, they would reassure each other that the other was okay and then remain silent, drawing comfort from the other's presence.
Hemione placed the book she was holding on the correct pile and then put her arm back in her bag. Her fingers traced along paper and she stretched a little further to grasp the object. She pulled out a piece of parchment and looked at it for a moment, surprised at what she was holding in her hand. She had already forgotten that she had packed it. The Marauders Map. She smiled melancholically and nudged Harry slightly with her elbow, extending the card gently towards him.
He looked at the piece of parchment in surprise for a moment and then he too smiled slightly. "I thought I had lost it."
he murmured, swallowing hard. Hermione immediately felt guilty. She had withheld one of his most valuable possessions from him because she had forgotten that she had it. She put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry Harry, I didn't mean to..." But before she could finish her sentence he interrupted her. Shaking his head, he placed a hand over hers and smiled crookedly.
"Nah, it's OK. I'm glad it's still here. The map was safe with you."
They were silent again and both looked at the map in her hands, then Harry raised his wand, pointed it at the parchment and whispered "I solemnly swear that i am up to no good."
For a moment nothing happened, but then words slowly appeared on the enchanted paper. They looked familiar but there was something different about them. Only letters appeared, not the usual outline of the castle. When no more letters appeared, Hermione read the words in front of her and when her brain realized what was there in front of her, she let out a pained sound and tears ran down her cheeks. Harry seemed to realize a moment later than her what was written on the map. She heard his breath catch and his wand fall from his hand to the floor. She felt him stiffen and then collapse. And then she heard him sob and she sobbed along with him. The paper fell from her hands and sailed to the floor, she wrapped her arms tightly around Harry and pulled him against her, he put his arms around her and held her tightly.
It was as if all the pain was coming crashing down on them again. They lay in each other's arms, crying and sobbing. With pain in her chest and heavy breathing. And when they thought they couldn't breathe or cry properly anymore, they cried some more until they finally fell asleep from exhaustion.
The map was still on the floor and written on it were the words...
"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to have been at your Service.
Mischief Managed."
Later they realized that the map never worked again. No matter how often they tried, the map never showed anything again. It always remained blank. Just a piece of parchment. For a long time they didn't want to believe it, but they had to learn that after the last Marauder, Remus, had died, the Marauders' Map had lost its magic forever.