Hermione Granger's fifth year is about to start, but Harry said Voldemort has returned.

Hermione didn't truly believe him until she saw Barty Jr.'s, Dark Mark for herself. The raw skin covered in ink, still pink with pain. Voldemort's call. It was real. She knew she should've believed Harry, but who wants to believe the devil is here?

Will this change everything, she kept wondering. I mean Dumbledore resurrected the Order of the Phoenix! It has plans to attack. Followers and enemies. Believers and disbelievers. She thought, this is real whether I like it or not, but how much will it affect the Wizarding World? The Muggle World. Me.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," the young girl grumbled as she got off her bed.

Hermione had started out the summer at home, but when the Order of the Phoenix assembled everyone went to Grimmauld Place. Sirius' place. The answer was clear.

Everything is so different now. Real secrets are being kept, and she sees Snape regularly. What's gonna happen to late night snacks and sleeping in the library? Will the Golden Trio stay together? Everything is going to change, and she doesn't know how to deal with it.

We're at war right now, and her Grandpa once told war does funny things to people.

She didn't want that, she wanted everything to be normal. These were the most important people to her, she couldn't lose them over a fight.

She often wondered how drastically her life would change if someone died. Perhaps it would be for the better...? No! You can't think that!

Hermione shuffled off her bed, feeling suffocated by her surroundings and thoughts. She carefully walked out, avoiding the chess pieces on the ground from last night's match, only to see Harry, Ron, Ginny, George, and Fred barely toppling over the stair fence once she was out.

Annoyed, she shouted, "What are you guys doing!?"

They all turned around to find her and appeared petrified at their discovery.

"Mione! You're here! Yay, but can you please be quiet?" Ron said, in a tone full of fear and disappointment.

"I've been in this house for two weeks now so you can drop the act," she said sweetly, dropping common knowledge they so obviously needed, "and it's ironic that you're yelling at me to be quiet. So unless you tell me what's going on, I will scream that you guys are having a secret meeting."

The unapologetic student heard one Hermione, two Mione's, and two Granger's in pleading tones. That satisfaction felt nice. They all gathered together without me. That hurt. Any revenge would feel good right now. Even if it was just a petty threat.

They all went quiet, heads down, waiting for my response but I didn't say a thing, and then,"It's nothing, Granger. If you seriously need to know, we're planning your surprise birthday party for when we're at Hogwarts. That's it, honestly, you glad you ruined your birthday? Smh," Surprisingly, it was George who said this.

She could kinda believe it, her birthday is in four weeks, but why not meet somewhere else? Hermione refused to let this go.

Walking towards George, she felt powerful. To have this external dominance and go up to his face. It felt refreshing, her fear and anxiety wasn't always displayed but that didn't mean she wasn't afraid. It was a mask to make her feel some form of strength. Even if she had to stoop low to get it. Even if it didn't last long. Hermione has had her mask on for a long time.

If they're really planning my birthday then they would certainly know my birthday. A simple question wouldn't hurt them. Hermione stared into George's eyes, but saw Fred & that single sweat drop. He's a better victim.

Hermione step to her right and began, "Freddie, when's my birthday? I mean you would obviously know the date of my birth if you all were planning a surprise party." The questioner glared smugly at him yet innocently. He doesn't know my birthday.

Everyone was on tenterhooks. The group, excluding Fred, refused to face her and had their heads down. "Come on, Fred. I don't have all day, I got a cleaning shift in 30."

"Your birthday," he started slowly, "is in September."

Then added, "September 16." The confidence in his voice trying to reassure himself isn't working.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny groaned as her smirk grew. "Nope! You're wrong. September 19, Freddie!" Being right is a nice feeling. "Anyway, the thing? Are you going to tell me or should I scream?"

Fred jumps at her and covered her mouth while George picks her up and ran to the nearest room. Fred also covered Hermione's eyes, but she could tell the everyone was coming by their steps. When George sat her down, Fred finally uncovered her eyes.

The bathroom. Wow.

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