Famous Ms. Hermione Granger, is she the Muggleborn we all Know?
Earlier this month it was discovered that Hermione Granger, daughter of two unknown muggles and friend to the famous Harry Potter, who is soon to be returning for her seventh year at Hogwarts, is not the beloved muggleborn genius we all believed her to be.
"It is true," says current Minister Shacklebolt, when confronted about Hermione's lineage. "While Hermione was applying for a summer internship it was only natural that we dig a little deeper into her history. It was discovered along the way that Ms. Granger is actually from a long line of purebloods."
Minister Shacklebolt and the rest of his staff refused to say anything more about the bright witch's family tree, but it is believed that the muggle family she was raised by were related in some way to an actual parent. Who are her parents? Does she know them? Was she previously aware of the fact she was a pureblood? These are just some of the questions these new findings have brought about.
Hermione threw down her paper and set her tea down next to it. This was insane; how dare they publish this in the Daily Prophet! Just because she was Hermione-bloody-Granger the world thought they had a right to know everything about her personal life.
It was nearly a year after the war, and although Harry was obviously the center of attention she, and even Ron, were constantly being bombarded with questions concerning the goings on of their lives. Many of them were about their relationship.
Thinking about their relationship made Hermione's head hurt. After the war it had been simple, they thought they were meant to be together. So they had tried, and tried… and tried again, but something about the two of them didn't mesh. Hermione wasn't sure what it was, but when Ron had confronted her she had tried to help his pride a little by saying, "I have lived with you for so long now, Ronald, and been around you long enough, that you are like a brother to me. I love you, it's just that I love you like I love Harry, and Ginny, and George. I love you like a friend, a family member… just not like, well, like this." The bad part was that that had just seemed to hurt Ron more, and Hermione wasn't sure what else she could do.
She stood from her chair and crossed the room to her floo. Grabbing a pile of the sandy floo powder, she stepped into the fire and called out the burrow. When she arrived she was greeted by Harry and Ron, the latter looking a little deflated as usual.
"Boys? Is that Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley called out from the kitchen where Hermione assumed she was making Sunday breakfast.
"Yeah, it's me, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied as the round, little woman came around the corner into their sitting room.
"Oh, Hermione, dear, I am so glad you could make it. And I've told you before, call me Molly." Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Mrs. Weasley stopped her with a raised index finger. "I will not argue this with you." She sounded a bit irritated but she softened her words with a smile.
"Okay then..." Hermione started. "You know I wouldn't miss today, Molly." Maybe she couldn't do it. It felt too weird to call this woman, who was like her mother, by her given name. I'll have to discuss it with her later, Hermione concluded. Molly just smiled and the small cluster made their way into the dining room.
"Hermione!" Ginny ran across the room and launched herself at Hermione. Nearly knocked over at the force from the girl's lunge, Hermione stumbled backwards into George who just smiled as she turned around to hug him.
"I heard the good news," she said, turning back to Ginny after exchanging greetings with her brother. "Congratulations. I am so happy for you."
"Thank you. I can't believe it, I never would have thought I would actually make captain." Ginny beamed.
"Well we all believed in you Ginny. We knew you could do it from the day you started quidditch." Harry smiled and kissed her on the cheek. She giggled while Ron's cheeks turned a pale shade of red.
"Hey, uh, how about we all go relax while mum here finishes up the cooking?" Ron turned and began walking towards the door only to be stopped by Hermione tugging on his sleeve.
"Nonsense, Ronald, we should help her," Hermione said with a slight frown.
"She doesn't-" was all Ron could manage before Molly told them to relax and that she was not in need of any assistance. Their small group, George not included as he had decided to go work on more ideas for his store, settled near the fire again.
"So, are you two sure you don't want to go back for your final year?" Hermione asked the boys.
"We are positive, 'Mione. We don't need the extra year to become aurors and this way we can start training early. Besides, if we ever need help we can just come to you." Harry smiled, knowing that the fact they would always be okay to pestering her about simple things bothered her.
"Yes, well maybe I won't always want to help you." She smiled back. She would always be open to helping them out.
"That'll be the day," Ron joked. They all laughed and discussed more about what they would be looking forward to in their next year, until Hermione had to ask the question that was burning in her mind.
"So, did you guys get the Daily Prophet today?" Harry frowned and nodded. Ron just grimaced. "And, did you read it yet?"
"Hey, it doesn't matter. Listen, I know you are worried," Harry continued, seeing her begin to get worked up, "but it's not like anyone is going to think anything less of you. You'll be going back to school in two weeks and Ginny will be there with you and everything will go back to normal."
"But what will people think of me, Harry? I know, and you guys know, that I didn't know I was a pureblood, but they don't know that. What if they think that I was just trying to win sympathy from them? I can't do this Harry, I don't know what to do."
Ginny moved to hug her and Hermione accepted the younger witch's affection. The boys both looked at her like they wanted to help, but both knew they could do nothing for Hermione while she was in this state.
"Listen, just relax. We won't let anything happen to you, nobody will hurt you or anything like that." Ron smiled as he promised to protect her. Hermione couldn't help but giggle at his lopsided, freckled grin.
"Kids," Molly called for them, "breakfast is ready. Hurry, I don't want it getting cold before you have had a chance to eat." Hermione stood and smiled, ready to do something other than fret.