Hermione yawned, sitting up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a couple of times making her vision clear. "Crookshanks! Crookshanks! Come here! We've got to get ready for school!" The ginger cat came trotting up to Hermione's side. He plopped down on the bed and curled up, falling asleep with a gentle purr that sounded like a soft snore. Hermione patted her beloved cat and got up gently, trying not to wake him.
Hermione sighed. She began packing, still groggy. She put her clothing in first, school things second, then closed her trunk. Then she got Crookshanks's cage, a cardboard box with little holes in it that read on the side, "Cat Carry-All."
"Sorry sweetie, but you've got to come with me!" She frowned at the tired cat and then waved the cardboard box with little holes in it. Crookshanks got up, licked his paws, stretched his hind legs and trotted gracefully into the pet wagon. He didn't like it, but he was used to it by now. After all, he had been coming with Hermione to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry every year since her third year.
"Good boy!" Hermione said with a smile.
She pulled on jeans, a t-shirt, and then tugged her red and gold jumper over her head. Itwas embroidered with Gryffindor's crest but she wasn't worried about anyone being suspicious of the sign, because no Muggle would know what it meant, except of course her mother and sister.
She bumped her heavy trunk down the stairs, dragging her trunk behind her in her left hand, carrying Crookshanks in her right. When she got to the middle of the staircase Crookshanks began to meow agitatedly. He disliked with a passion the up-and-down action walking down the stairs produced.
"Mum, we've got to go!"
"Okay honey, hold on a second!" Hermione's mother rushed into the front hall. She was out of breath, pale, and looked very tired. Hermione walked out of the door and stepped onto the front porch, her mother following her closely with her jacket draped across her arm.
Hermione opened the back left door and threw her trunk in. She then gently placed Crookshanks on the left seat. "You be a good boy!" she cooed at Crookshanks, who meowed agitatedly.
She closed the door and went to the passenger's seat, her mum putting her arms through the arm holes in the jacket and getting into the driver's seat, again out of breath, rummaging through her purse for the keys.
"Ah-ha! I found them!" her mum yelled. Hermione tucked some of her wild hair behind her right ear. She didn't like loud noises, and didn't like her mom yelling. Her mother apologized faintly at the sight of Hermione's flinch. Hermione sank low in her seat.
The newly-painted Muggle car growled as Mrs. Granger turned the key in the ignition. It failed. She turned it again. The engine was smoother, like the sound of a gentle rain Hermione thought. The car went into reverse and was on the street in seconds. Her mom turned left, right, left again, and then left once more until they were at the train station.
The car came to a gentle stop, perfectly aligned within the yellow-lined parking space of the station car park. The apple never falls far from the tree, Hermione thought. She smiled weakly, knowing that was a comment someone like Ron would have made.
"Have a great time at school! Make sure to write to me and I'll write back to you! We'll talk about the Christmas holiday soon. I'm not sure if I want you staying there all year...." Mrs. Granger said as Hermione got out of the front seat.
Hermione went over to the rear right door and pulled out her trunk.
With a loud 'OOMPHFF!' it hit the pavement. Hermione reached in and grabbed Crookshanks' carrier out of the neighbouring seat. She gently pulled the cage out of the rear seat when she heard a sniffle. She looked more closely... her mum was crying. She had never done this before when seeing Hermione off to school.
"What's wrong Mum?" Hermione asked sympathetically, closing the door and peering into the front window.
"Oh, nothing! Just make sure to write to me while you're on the train. And don't use Pig! Ask Harry if you can use his owl, because Pigwidgeon might get lost!" Mrs. Granger replied, a weak smile playing across her lips.
"Okay!" She smiled, still very unsure if everything was all right, and kissed her mum on the cheek through the window. "Are you sure you're okay? Mum, I know you're not!" Hermione raised her eyebrows with a disapproving look on her face.
"I'm fine! I promise! Now, you've got to get to the train. I'd come with you, but I have work to do at the office. Busy schedule, very busy! We're all booked up this week!" Mrs. Granger smiled weakly and looked into Hermione's eyes. Seeing disbelief in her daughter's eyes, Mrs. Granger said, "I'm fine, really! Don't worry about it--You've got to go honey!" She smiled and gently placed her hand on top of Hermione's, tears welling in her eyes.
"Alright Mum! Bye! I'll make sure to write to you soon--on the train! Bye!" She reached in the window and hugged her mother. "Bye!" She smiled weakly and waved goodbye, picking up her luggage and heading toward King's Cross. She waved once again to her mother who was turning out of the parking space. Her mother saw her and waved back. Hermione headed towards Platform 9 ¾, wishing she could be with her mother. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong, and Hermione had to figure out what it was. For some reason she thought, no, she knew that it would change her life forever.