AN – I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with Harry Potter including the characters in this story. I wish I did, but I don't. I hope you enjoy!

You Can't Go Home Again

The dreams started in mid winter, 6 months after the war had officially ended. The time in between was spent in a whirlwind of parties, celebrations of victory, congratulations and mourning for the dead. Everybody wanted a piece of the Golden Trio, the people who had brought the peace and quiet to the wizarding world. Everyone wanted to shake their hands, give their thanks and even just to touch a part of them.

Hermione had found the attention too hard to bear and after almost half a year of being paraded and showed off she was tired. Sick of never having the peace she craved so much, she moved to the small Devonshire village in which she had grown up. Far away from prying wizard eyes and populated (as far as she knew) solely by muggle families, it was a safe haven for her. The village was set in a quiet valley, a wind trap often raining and with a small pebble beach, but to Hermione it was the most perfect place in the world. No eyes constantly following her. No questions. No requests for retelling of events that she would give anything to forget. She refused to use magic anymore, scared of the abilities she had discovered when fighting in the last few weeks of the war. Scared of the power she seemed to have gained from nowhere.

Harry and Ron had been somewhat surprised when she had announced several months earlier that she was leaving London. Much to her consternation both of her best friends had been delighted with the attention (Ron more so than Harry she thought) that they had received from the wizarding world after the defeat of Voldemort. Only that morning she had opened her copy of The Daily Prophet to see Ron's face smiling and winking winningly off the front page, followed by an in depth interview including questions about his love life. When the journalist had come to the questions regarding Ron's upcoming nuptials Hermione had stopped dead and not read anymore. Hermione had always known that her and Ron were a bad fit, but it still stung to realise he was over her and in love with someone else.

It was to be expected really. With the masses of attention and wealth showered on Ron, Harry and Hermione after the war, hundreds of suitors from all over the world poured into London seeking attention from one of the three. Harry had spurned all of them and immediately started seeing Ginny again. Ron was getting married and Hermione felt more alone than ever. Sometimes she wondered if she had left London to get some peace, or to get away from the constant reminder that she didn't have what she most wanted, someone to share her life with. Her life had always been filled with family and then the friends that she had made at Hogwarts. But now they were all paired off, her parents no longer around and no real confidante.

That is when the nightmares had started. At first they were simply nondescript dark shadows, surrounding her and whispering unintelligible things. But as time went on they became more sinister. They took the form of Death Eaters long dead surrounding and torturing her, her ears filled with their hateful words. The image of her parents murder replayed over and over night after night until she finally gave in and used magic to create a Sleeping Draught. The nightmares stopped, but her waking life was still haunted.

Several weeks after she had moved back home Hermione had started to notice a stranger walking around in the village with a black dog. It being such a small place he immediately looked out of place and 'different'. At first she had assumed that it was just another tourist or local, a man she hadn't seen before but nothing to be concerned about. But as the days went on she became more and more sure that he was following her. Everywhere in the village she went, him and the dog seemed to be there. He never got close enough for her to see his face but something about the figure reminded her of someone she knew. Keen to discover his identity she asked around the villagers, who frequently spent their days gossiping about anything and everything they could, especially outsiders. She had no luck. He hadn't visited any of the shops, the pub, the village hall or anywhere. No-one knew where he was staying or where he had come from. Finally, she decided to confront him. Taking a short and deliberately slow walk down to the beach, she made sure he was following her until she finally got to the pebbled shore. Her hair whipped around her wildly in the wind and she turned around sharply to see an all too familiar face.

Severus Snape. She stared dumbfounded for a moment and then called above the noise of the wind.

"Animagus?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Black Labrador" he replied, and she was certain that for the briefest moment he had smiled.

"I'm sorry you wasted the journey" Hermione said turning her back to Severus Snape and gazing out at the steely grey sea. Waves crashed violently on the pebbled beach and the wind whistled so loudly that she didn't hear him moving behind her. She turned around and jumped at his sudden closeness.

"I can't come back"

"Why?"

"I'm happy here, I just want to start my life over. Surely you of all people can understand that"

He scowled at the reference to his former dark life.

"You're needed" he shouted above the roar of the ocean "It's a case of duty, nothing more. If you won't do it for me, do it for the memory of Dumbledore, do it for your friends"

"What's going on? What's gone so wrong that you need me back?" she shouted, concern and worry for her friends taking over her desire to stay alone.

"Come with me and I'll show you" His dark eyes penetrated hers with such intensity she found it nearly impossible to look away.

Finally, blushing she turned away. She set off down the beach, not uttering another word and trying her hardest not to look back.

Next Chapter coming soon...

Please R&R