Hey all, yet another new story, I've been absent from the fanfiction world for quite some time due to rather horrendous medical issues that are in the process of being resolved.
This story deals with some pretty heavy stuff. Basically deals with stress, and what can happen to some young people with put through some crazy emotional pressure.
Also, this story deals with anorexia nervosa. If you are recovering, I don't want this material to be triggering to anyone. Please read with caution.
Oh yeah...and no duh, I don't own Harry Potter or anything like that.
Hello: I'm your Daughter.
The ride to London was nearly an hour. For Molly Granger, it was far too long. She glanced over to her husband Todd, and saw his pale face drawn tight over his worried eyes.
Eight Months Earlier:
Todd and Molly Granger were very excited. Today was the day they got to pick up their daughter, after not having seen her for nearly four long months.
Standing near platforms nine and ten, they tried to focus on the large solid barrier between the two platforms. Unfortunatly they just couldn't seem to focus on that platform. Todd kept scratching his eye, and every time he opened it, yet another family he knew to be magical, was leaving the station. Molly kept glancing at the clock and the other patrons of the station, and Just like Todd, each time she looked back, the station had gained one more magical family.
"Mum, Dad!" They heard an excited squeal from their left.
Molly swung around to meet the excited face of her Daughter as her trunk trolly skidded to a halt and Todd gathered her in a big hug. She let go of her father and Molly hugged her too, kissing the top of her brown, and still bushy hair.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw the smiling faces of the red-headed family she knew to be Hermione's good friends.
The youngest, a girl, with long red hair smiled, and hugged Hermione, a worried look in her eyes as she whispered something in her ear.
Hermione smiled reasuringly, "It'll be fine Ginny, you'll see." Todd heard her whisper back. He wondered briefly what was wrong with the little red head before his attention was garnered by a gruff growl from a little bit away.
"Come on Boy, we haven't got all day." The angry voice said as a beefy man grabbed a small arm and drug the attached glum looking black haired child away from the station.
Hermione, the little girl 'Ginny' and a lanky, tall, freckle-faced boy looked worriedly after the sight.
"Owl me?" The lanky boy asked, still looking desterbed by the boy's plight.
"Of course, see you later!" Hermione said, waving a final goodbye to the Weasleys.
Todd drug the heavy trunk through the parking lot, popping the boot and manuvering the heavy box into the almost-too-small space.
Hearing the sharp intake of breath from his daughter besides him, he followed her alarmed gaze to a scene three rows over.
The same small boy was lugging an impossibly large trunk for his size across the bumpy lot. The large man still having a tight grasp on the child's forearm
The man released the boy from his grip, and Todd noticed the way the boy rubbed at the spot the large man had been clutching. The boy then bent to pick up the luggage and heaved it into the back of car. He then went to shut the back up, when the man pointed at the large metal cage that housed the child's white owl. The boy stood defiantly, and seemed to be arguing with the walrus. The oaf of a man swung at the child, which Todd was both impressed and saddened at the skill the boy used in dodging. The boy slowly picked up the birdcage and loaded it in the back of the car as well, with a sad glance down, he slammed the boot and got in the car, again dodging another would be cuff to the back of the head.
He and Molly exchanged a look over Hermione's almost-too-tall head. They looked at the saddened and transfixed stare their daughter gave to who they could only assume to be her friend.
"Hermione?" Molly asked softly. "We should go." She prompted. It was only then that Hermione noticed that her things had been already loaded into the car.
She nodded and got into the backseat, a much more subdued teen than when they had first met on the platform.
Todd kept glancing in the back to his daughter, who still seemed to be disturbed by the scene she had witnessed in the parking lot. He didn't blame her, his thoughts were also with the black haired boy.
"Hermione?" he asked, "Who was that boy?"
Hermione snapped her eyes to the mirror where her father was looking at her as they drove down a nearly empty highway.
"That was one of my best friends, Harry." She said softly.
Molly and Todd both recognised the name instantly from Hermione's many letters and visits home. Todd knew she was referring to the orphan boy who lived with his aunt and uncle.
"Does Harry talk about them often?" Her mother asked, Hermione could hear the concern behind her curious tone.
"No. He hates talking about them. But Ron told me all about how they had to rescue him the summer before second year." She bit, with more force than she had intended.
Todd was morbidly curious at this. "Rescue?" He asked, his eyebrows knitting together.
Hermione nodded, "Yes, Ron and his older twin brothers flew a car to Surrey and pried the bars off his window. They had to unpick the lock on his room, where he was locked from the outside in, and get his stuff from some mouldy broom cupboard under the stairway."
Molly and Todd both looked at each other. The seriousness of the child's situation totally obscuring the part about flying cars... But Hermione wasn't finished yet.
"Fred told Ron and George that when he went downstairs to grab Harry's things that his Aunt and Uncle had locked away from him, they found a mattress and some drawers and a small sign on the back wall that said, Harry's Room written in crayon. When Ron asked Harry about it, he told him that it was his bedroom until he went to Hogwarts. What kind of relatives makes a kid live in a closet?"
Molly was furious. "Has he told any teachers about it?" She asked quickly.
Hermione shook her head. "I doubt it. Harry doesn't tell anyone about anything. He's got a bit of an aversion to talking with adults."
Todd almost snorted. No surprise there.
"Do you think maybe he could stay with us for a little while? I know he always goes to the Weasley's at some point in the summer, but maybe he could stay with us just for a little bit too?" She asked hopefully.
"Absolutely." Molly replied without hesitation. She knew Todd was thinking the same thing anyways. Who could not want to help a friend of their daughter's, especially when he sounded like he could use all the help he could get.
The conversation soon drifted to lighter topics, and Hermione was once again animated and cheerful.
"So Gabby has learnt a new trick." Todd said bemusedly.
Hermione grinned, "And what is it this time?" She asked.
"She has leaned how to heard the neighbour's horses." He said wryly.
Hermione put her hand up to her mouth. "Oh god. How does Mr. Paulus take that?" She asked.
Molly laughed. "He doesn't seem too bothered by it, she doesn't chase them, just merely annoys them."
"She's lucky she hasn't been kicked yet." Todd muttered. "At least then maybe she'd stop" He amended with a thoughtful frown.
"Dad!" Hermione scolded. "Well, I hope she and Crookshanks get along better this summer. It was rather pathetic watching Gabby sulk all day." Hermione laughed, giving the wicker basked besides her an affectionate tap. The yowl from within was anything but affectionate.
Molly looked at the basket with apprehension, Hermione's cat looked a bit like an angry tiger, and she had never been good with cats.
"Are you still wanting to do the summer dace programme?" She asked Hermione.
Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes, I haven't gotten to dance in so long, it's one of the things I miss most." She said quickly.
"Apart from you of course Dad." She amended with an eye roll at the playful sigh he emitted.
"Well, Dancing starts up I believe on Wednesday at 10." Molly said, glancing in the back to make sure her daughter had heard her.
Hermione nodded in understanding, her face becoming more and more animated as they got closer to home.
She smiled as they crossed the familiar bridge, the waters of the Thames below glinting in the afternoon sun. They arrived not long after, in the little sleepy village of Long Whittenham.
The first thing Hermione noticed was the red and yellow tulips in the flower beds in the front garden. They had never had yellow tulips before. The whole garden was awash with colors and vibrence that only the spring could bring. She was saddened to remember the times that she and her family had spent planting the flowers together each year.
Todd gathered Hermione's trunk from the car and muscled it up the narrow stairs of their older home. Opening the door to the room that had been empty for a while, it was a nice sight to see, his daughter looking out her window.
"Welcome home, it's good to have you back." He said happily. The sound of scrambling nails on steps made him smile as he heard a shill squeal "Gabby!" from Hermione's room. He and Molly weren't the only ones who had missed Hermione's presence in the home. It was very good indeed to have his daughter back.
Hermione Granger was a perfectly normal girl. Minus a few small details, which of course, Hermione being who she was, would never overlooked such small in-discrepancies in anything she did. First off, she loved to read more than any fourteen year old girl should. She knew just about everything about, just about everything, and when she didn't know something it annoyed her to no end. Hence the reason at two o'clock in the morning she wasn't fast asleep as the rest of the occupants of the small quiet house were. No, Hermione was huddled on her bed, her light still on as she paged through a thoroughly boring looking tome. This was how her Father found her, not ten minuets later. Hermione being both exhausted and frustrated neither herd the toilet flush nor her door swing open.
"Hermione? What are you doing still up? It's nearly three in the morning?" Her Father's scratchy voice implored.
Hermione winced as she finally bit the lip she had been chewing between her teeth in surprise. "Oh, sorry Dad, did I wake you?" She snapped the book shut, minding to keep the quill in the place less she lose her page.
"No, your light was on...I was going to turn it off. Save your homework till daylight, get some sleep." He said as he reached for her light switch.
Hermione smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I just..." "Had to know...Yes, I believe I've heard that excuse from you since you could read." Her father chuckled. "But seriously, get some rest. You're not going to do your body any favours by being exhausted." He said, slipping into a more concerned tone as he glanced at his little girl.
She was growing again, pretty soon she'd be taller than her mother, he noticed with a soft smile. He wished that he had more time with her. He always missed so much when she was away at school, and letters only gave you so much. When she had left, he had been able to throw her over his shoulder and have her laugh, now, it seemed, even a small hug brought the pink shade of embarrassment to her cheeks. Yes, his daughter had become a fully fledged teenager, without him even being able to notice.
Now, he hated that his baby went to boarding school in another country, but what else was he supposed to do! It wasn't like there were many schooling options for a girl of her... talents... You see, that was one of the other small details that made Hermione Granger "special". She also happened to be a witch.
" I know Dad, I'll go to bed soon." She replied, having difficulty forming the words around a stifled yawn.
"You'll go to bed now?" He replied.
Hermione knew it wasn't really a question, and also knew better than to disobey. She barely kept from rolling her eyes.
"I'll go to bed now" She sighed, she really was tired after all.
Her annoyance with her father melted away at his warm smile. "Goodnight princess." He said as he flicked out the lights
This time Hermione really did roll her eyes. "Good night Dad." She said, letting a little of the annoyance slip through her tone.
Though the lights were off, her father imagined the eye roll that he had, unfortunately, gotten used to in the past encounters with his daughter. Walking back to his room, he had to admit that a part of him was greatly saddened that his baby girl no longer found joy in the affectionate nickname they had shared from her very early childhood. He slipped between the sheets, careful not to wake his sleeping wife and settled into sleep, hoping that his daughter was doing the same.
Hermione was in fact drifting into sleep. She had been up very early packing for the Hogwarts Express and had left soon after breakfast.
Todd Granger was up at six in the morning. On Sunday. Whatever had awoken him, he'd probably never know, and then he heard the whine and scratch once more.
Blinking the sleep out of his eyes he willed his protesting legs off the bed and slipped on his house shoes.
He walked down the stairs and whistled softly, knowing full well the hearing on Gabby.
He was greeted with the sound of scratching nails on tile and a small streak of black and white bounced happily in front of him.
"Come on Gabby, out you go." He opened the front door and the bullet fast dog leaped out like anxious Thoroughbred from a starting gate. The small village of Long Whittenham was covered in dense fog that had yet to lift, and the air was damp and cool as the sun had yet to warm the sleeping valley. He rolled his eyes as he saw the hyper canine leap the low stone wall and rooted around among the neighbour's cows. She was going to come in smelling something awful.
He was about to shut the door when he saw a flash of pink out of the corner of his eye jogging down the road. His daughter's lanky frame coming into sharper focus as she bounced into view.
"Hermione?" He asked, as she slowed to a walk and turned down the red gravel drive.
"Morning Dad." She panted, a smile lighting her pink face.
"You're up early." He said rubbing the remaining sleep from the back of his neck.
Hermione laughed, "Yeah, at school you learn to get up really early..." She pulled off her muddy trainers and left them on the porch as she slipped into the dryer warmth of the kitchen.
Todd Granger fiddled with the coffee machine, resorting to a gentle, or not so gentle punch that made the feeble flickering red light finally stay bright.
"Why is that?" He asked, wishing the red numbers would count down faster somehow.
"I live in a dormitory with a lot of teenage girls... bathroom time is at a premium."
Hermione looked around almost as though analysing something in her head. "Speaking of which, I'm off to take a shower," With that, Todd saw the bouncing ponytail that was his daughter disappear through the door frame.
He poured his coffee and opened the door to the impatiently scratching Gabby. Settling down on the sofa he clicked on the telly to catch a bit of the news.
Molly Granger squinted as the unrelenting May morning forced it's way into her bedroom window. Swinging her legs over the bed she frowned to hear the shower running already. She quickly dressed and pulled her hair out of her face before slipping on her house shoes and going downstairs for some breakfast. She smiled as she saw Todd laying on the sofa, Gabby the boarder collie sprawled out on her back, right along side him.
"Todd, what is the dog doing on the leather sofa?" She asked in what would be an innocent voice. The dog scrambled to the ground and sat, wide brown eyes looking innocently up at Molly, tail making a rythmic swish as it glided across the hardwood floor.
"What do you mean?" He replied, eyes shining in amusement, "She's right here on the floor."
Molly rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to start the kettle for some tea.
"I noticed Hermione is up already." She commented, digging through the fridge for anything remotely edible.
"Yes, she was out for a walk when I let the dog out this morning." He replied, attention still on the morning news.
The both looked up where they heard Hermione enter not a minuet later.
"Morning Mum." She said brightly as she grabbed her book off the counter in the kitchen.
"Morning Hermione. You hungry?" She asked, grabbing a plate for her toast.
"No thanks, I ate ages ago." She laughed, "I'm going to have to get used to the whole vacation timeline again..." She took her book and retreated back upstairs.
"I feel like the back of her head is all I'm seeing of her nowadays." Her mother mumbled, lowering herself to a chair.
"Yes, I know what you mean, but that's teenagers for you." Todd said bemusidly.
Molly sighed. "Huh, we have a teenager now, don't we...when did that happen?" She laughed.
"Between September and May." Todd answered sadly.
Molly's shoulders dropped. She knew it was very hard on Todd to have Hermione at school all year long. Not that it was easy for her either. Having gone to boarding school for most of her life too, she knew that it was an experiance of a lifetime, but at the same time, so was being a mother. A part of her wished she had the chance to be a mother for a little bit longer though. It was so hard to have her daughter so very far away.
So, tell me all what you think of this story, and if I shall continue.