It's sort of surprising how many people she has fond memories of are no longer among the living. Surprising and depressing. But that's what happens after a war.

"If I'm not able to connect to it, then I'm out of luck," Hermione murmurs, smiling mirthlessly as she carefully tugged her wand free from her sleeve, holding it do that he would be able to examine it, if he wants to. "I focus all of my energy through it, as always, but nothing haas been coming out quite right. Of course, I can still do some magic, and I've heard it theorized that those of us who came through a rift have some sort of direct connection to the Fade anyway, but... all I want to know is how to do my basic offensive and defensive charms. I don't like not having any way of protecting myself, especially considering what things had been like when I'd arrived."