Staring into the mirror, she wished she were someone other than herself. As the tears cascaded down her swollen cheeks, her reflection showed a blurred face. Maybe if she were someone other than the one and only Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire of Hogwarts, things would be different. If only she hadn't gotten that letter so many years ago, her family may have never of fallen apart. Hermione stared blankly at her blurred reflection, gently tracing quivering fingers over her swollen cheeks. She could still remember the day her letter came; it was as vivid as though it had been yesterday.

"Mark, quick come into the kitchen" Jane Granger called to her husband, as she clutched the ink sprawled letter in her shaking hands.

"What is it dear? Is everything alright?" Mark asked in fright; walking quickly over to his wife, who just handed him the piece of parchment. He read through it in disbelief, looking over to his wife, she had a look of amazement on her face.

"I always knew our Hermione was special" she said as she watched her only child, running around in the backyard with Charlie, their golden retriever. Mark looked out the window too before scrunching up the letter and throwing it on to the kitchen table, Jane looked up in surprise.

"This is a crock of bullshit Jane, and you know it!".

"Mark, sweetie, we've both seen these unbelievable things before -" Jane was soon interrupted.

"Someone is obviously playing a hoax or something!" he shouted. 10 year old Hermione stood at the backdoor, her hand frozen in place as she listened to her parent's heated argument.

"Why would someone honestly do that, Mark?" Jane asked, her hands at her hips. "I believe in this letter, and I believe in our daughter. If this is what she wants to do, then I am going to stand behind her decision 100" she said to him calmly, trying to convince him.

"I don't care if the letter was from the Queen herself" Mark said in disgust.

"She could do such good things, mark" Jane pleaded.

"I will not have a freak for a daughter!" Jane looked at her husband of 13 years, wondering where the man she had married had gone.

The backdoor opened slowly, Hermione walking in, unshed tears in her eyes. "Mum. Dad. What's going on?"

That was just over six years ago, and things were a lot different for Hermione now. Despite her Dad's response and attitude towards Hogwarts, she had boarded the Hogwarts Express for the start of her first year on September the 1st. A year later her parents had split up completely. When she would come home for holidays she would stay with her Mum, who was insanely proud of the accomplishments her daughter had made. Her dad didn't want anything to do with her; as far as he was concerned he had no daughter. Her friends never asked about her father, and she never said anything. As far as they knew he was out of the picture. And that's how she wanted it to be, and that's how it was going to stay.

When she got off at Platform 9 & ¾, having just finished her 6th year of Hogwarts, there was no sign of her mother. Which was odd, her mum had always been at the Platform to pick her up. Always. But today was different. As she looked through the crowd of people she couldn't see her mum at all, she checked her wrist watch. Maybe something had happened. Her frantic thoughts were interrupted as someone cleared their throat from besides her. She turned to see her father. But he looked so different from when she had last seen him. His hair was no longer short and curly, it was now pulled back into a lazy ponytail, and his hair was matted and greasy. He no longer wore glasses, and his face wasn't as smooth, it was coarse and hairy.

"D-dad?" she asked in a whisper, he stood there, furiously looking around at the people who passed him by. "What are you doing here?" she said cautiously taking a step forward to her father.

"You're coming with me, so get your things and let's get out of this… place" he spat, looking at her in disgust.

"Where's Mum? Is everything okay?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Just get your fucking things…. Do you understand? He said in a vicious tone.

"Yes – yes sir" she stuttered, disgusted in herself for being afraid. "I'll just go get my things" she said hurriedly, before returning to her friends. Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, Hermione's best friend, had been watching the scene before him in concern. Once Hermione reached the group he took her aside.

"Hermione, who is that man?" Harry asked as he glanced through the crowds towards the man.

"That man is my father" she said, trying to keep her voice in an even tone. Harry had never seen that man, and yet he had spent countless hours over at Hermione's house before.

"But you said he was out of the picture".

"I know I did, but I really really have to go" Hermione said as she glanced over her shoulder, almost in fear at her father.

"Mione, Mione wait" Harry said grabbing her hands to stop her from leaving. "Let me know if you kneed anything okay? Owl me. Call me. Visit me if you need to; just let me know you are safe. Please?" He said with worry, she nodded her head before embracing him tightly. Once she pulled back he placed a delicate kiss on her forehead, she smiled up at him reassuringly and then she had left.