Disclaimer: I don't own anything
So, I'm re-reading Harry Potter (again) and thought, I wonder how Hermione found out she was a witch. I doubt that this one shot anything like (the amazingly amazing) JK Rowling planned it, it's not even how I imagined it but ah well :) Hope you like it! :)
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Jean Granger enjoyed a simpler life; she didn't care for the expensive things or the ravish lifestyle, she just enjoyed steadily working through life and being with her family. Hence why she was devastated when she came. Heartbroken. But her daughter wasn't to know that.
"Hermione dear, breakfast!"
Hermione Granger ran down the stairs, her pink dressing gown billowing behind her, and joined her mother and father in the kitchen. She sat down at the table and pulled her bowl of cornflakes towards her.
"How did you sleep, sweetheart?" Mrs Granger asked, spreading her marmalade lightly on her well done toast.
"Very well, thank you mum."
"That's good. Your dad and I were thinking of popping to the city centre today, care to join us?"
Hermione nodded eagerly; perhaps they could visit the range of many bookshops that London had to offer.
"That's settled th-" Mr Granger stopped and looked curiously in the direction of the front door, from which a strong knock could be heard. "Who on earth is that, at this time?" He put down his newspaper and, gathering his dressing gown around him to hide his worn pyjamas, made his way to the front door.
Hermione and her mother glanced at each other and shrugged. They strained to hear what was being said but could hardly hear a thing.
A moment later, the kitchen door swung open and a short, impressive woman in a strange assortment of clothes stood in the doorway, surveying the kitchen. Her little yellow eyes scanned Hermione's face. Mr Granger came running up behind her, puffing slightly.
"She just barged in!" He exclaimed.
The woman narrowed her eyes. "I can assure you that that is completely false information." She turned back to Hermione, holding out her hand. "Madam Rolanda Hooch."
"Hermione Granger." She whispered, nervously shaking Madam Hooch's hand.
"Hang on a minute!" Mrs Granger cried. "Just who are you?"
The woman replied as though Mrs Granger was stupid, "Madam Rolanda Hooch."
"What my mother means," Hermione said slowly and carefully, her mother did not like words being put into her mouth, "From where? And why are you in our kitchen?"
Madam Rolanda Hooch sat down with Mrs Granger and Hermione, gesturing for Mr Granger to do the same. Taken aback, he did just so.
"I am a teacher from Hogwarts, a brilliant school, a school that brilliant young Granger here has a place at."
Mrs Granger looked confused. "But Hermione already has a school; Hope High, she starts in September."
Hooch shook her head. "No. Granger will be going to a better school." She paused, then continued, "A magic school."
Hermione looked excited. "Does it have a better OFSTED than Hope? Will I get better grades?"
"What's OFSTED?" Hooch asked in bemusement.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You don't know what OFSTED is?"
"No I do not, and I would appreciate it if you didn't use your know-it-all attitude with me."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears and Mrs Granger snapped at Hooch, "There's no need for that!"
Hooch shrugged and reached into her faux fur coat, showing the hot pink blouse underneath, and pulled out a small envelope. She passed it to Hermione.
Hermione took it with shaking hands; this envelope was special, exciting. She turned it over in her hands and saw an intriguing coat of arms on the back, one she had never seen before. She split the wax sealant and pulled out the thick parchment letters within.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc,. Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Dear Miss Granger.
We are please to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours Sincerely ,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"What is this?" Mrs Granger scoffed, taking the letter from her daughters hand. "Witchcraft and Wizardry?"
Hooch withdrew and a long wooden stick and, ignoring the Granger's strange looks, waved it around and flicked her wrist, muttering some strange words. Hermione's empty breakfast bowl began to float up to the ceiling. Their mouths fell open and Hooch set the bowl back down with a proud face.
"When do I start?" Hermione immediately asked, taking back her letter and thinking back to things that her logical brain could not explain; the school bullies losing their voices simultaneously, people having the last book that Hermione wanted to buy and miraculously changing their mind and putting it back, the television getting stuck on something that only Hermione wanted to watch.
Hooch grinned. "Some things you should know; Hogwarts is a boarding school, you may come home for Christmas and Easter and we end in the summer, magic must not be used in the holidays, at the risk of expulsion, you will learn to control the powers you have and you must address the teachers as Professor, Sir or Madam. Now let's go get your supplies."
"Supplies from where?" Hermione asked.
"Diagon Alley of course."
Madam Hooch waited impatiently in the living room whilst the Granger's got ready and looked around, seemingly fascinated by all the photographs, ranging from a very young Hermione hugging a large orange cat to the Granger family outside a tent.
As the family arrived back in the living room, Madam Hooch explained about where they were going.
They bundled into the Granger's car and followed Madam Hooch's directions exactly. She constantly turned the radio on and off, finding the action rather amusing.
They began walking down a busy street.
"Stop here." She commanded. She pointed out a small, grubby pub to Hermione whose eyes suddenly focused on it.
"Where now?" Mr Granger asked, looking around him.
"Hold on to your daughter."
Hermione held out her hand and her father took it, Mrs Granger took her other hand. Together, they walked into The Leaky Cauldron.
"Good morning, Rolanda." Tom greeted. "New student?"
Madam Hooch nodded and clicked in front of Mr Granger to stop him staring at a woman, who was producing golden sparks from her wand for the amusement of her baby.
They stepped out of the almost empty pub and Madam Hooch tapped a brick with her wand. The wall melted away into an archway and Hermione watched in awe.
"But that's not possible..." She said slowly.
Madam Hooch replied, "Well obviously it is."
Madam Hooch took them to a huge bank called Gringotts and they exchanged some muggle money for the strange bronze, silver and gold coins, then, consulting the list, she began to take the Granger's to all the shops needed. They spent the most time in Flourish and Blotts, an intriguing book shop which held a plethora of amazing books.
"Granger, we already have your basic books and thirteen others for 'background reading', you do not need any more." Hooch said, finally reaching the end of her tether. "We'll go and get your wand now."
"My wand?" Hermione breathed, placing the book back down and allowing herself to be led out of the shop. Mr Granger tottered behind her, weighed down by the books.
They made their way to Ollivanders, a shop with a dusty purple cushion in the window, a single wand lay on it.
Hermione pushed open the door and took a step inside. The magic atmosphere overwhelmed her and she tingled in anticipation.
She jumped as a soft musical voice spoke.
"Rolanda Hooch, oak and unicorn hair, ten inches, perfect for Apparition."
Madam Hooch nodded at the older man with silver hair.
"This is Hermione Granger." Madam Hooch said, pushing Hermione forward slightly. Hermione glared at her.
"Hmm." Ollivander turned to the shelves behind him and pulled out a long thin box. He took out the wand and passed it to her. "Willow, unicorn hair."
"Ouch!" cried Hermione in pain, dropping the wand as it burned her. Ollivander's eyes widened, full of understanding that Hermione didn't notice. He snatched the wand back off her and passed her a new one.
Several wands later, Ollivander presented a new one to her, "Vine, dragon heartstring, good with most magical divisions."
Hermione copied the motion that Madam Hooch used in her kitchen, Ollivander himself began to float to the ceiling. She screamed and he fell to the floor with a bang.
He clambered to his feet, laughing. "You're going to be a powerful one, Miss Granger, very powerful."
Hermione grinned proudly and paid for the wand.
"Thank you Mr Ollivander."
They left the shop and began to walk back to The Leaky Cauldron.
"This, Granger, is your ticket." Madam Hooch said, handing Hermione a rectangle piece of parchment just bigger than her hand.
"Platform nine and three quarters? There's no such thing." She paused. "Is there?"
"Just run through the wall between platforms nine and ten." Madam Hooch tapped the wall once more and they walked through the archway again. "I trust you can find your way back from here?"
They nodded in assurance and she settled down on a stool at the bar, ordering a late afternoon drink. Taken aback, the Granger's left the pub.
As soon as they got to the car, Hermione picked up the first book she touched. "I'm so excited!" Adding as an afterthought, "I don't think I'll Madam Hooch's lessons though."
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Hope you liked it!
I have an idea for a story, just deciding on the pairing now! Could work with a number of people but I'm leaning to a certain couple :)
To JK Rowling, thank you for giving me such a magical childhood, mischief managed.
I am a girl from the Potter Generation, and I always will be.