Breathing out a sigh she walked to the headmaster's office. She knew that Dumbledore wanted to talk to her about something. The war was over that summer and Harry won, but unfortunately died with Lord Voldamort. Along with him, all the Weasleys, except for Charlie, died; she didn't stay in contact with him it was too much to bear. All of The Order of the Phoenix, except for Dumbledore, were dead, but most importantly, her parents were killed. It was before school year started and she was feeling depressed. Submerging herself into her work, she was becoming very thin. Her honey eyes lost their spark and now were a dull muddy brown. Once, her unruly locks bounced as she moved; now they hung from her head not moving very much at all.

Something always connected them to her; she had a picture of The Golden Trio, as so many people called them, in a golden locket that she always kept around her neck. Harry and Ron gave it to her before the final battle. On the back it was engraved, We love you Hermione, love Harry and Ron. When ever she looked at it, tears flooded from her eyes. She had a feeling that all of them, were looking down at her from heaven.

Sighing once more, she arrived in the hallway that held the spiral staircase that lead to Dumbledore's office. The hallway still looked the same as it did when she was in first year. The golden arches and multi-colored paintings lining the walls of wizards and witches from the past, and a gargoyle that sat in the head of the hall, grey and gloomy, but standing proudly, protecting what was hidden up those spiral stairs. Walking to the gargoyle she smiled at the memories of her childhood, being a child in war times forced you to grow up quickly. She was supposed to be seventeen but she felt like she was twenty seven. Aging her through all the hardships and stress of fighting for the light and not taking the easy way out, as so many people did. Standing at right in front of the gargoyle, she sighed and looked up at the sculpture.

"Acid Pops," Hermione sighed in a barely audible tone. The gargoyle jumped aside, never the less and revealed the spiral staircase. Stepping onto one of the moving steps, she was moved upward to the top to the circular room that led to Dumbledore's office. As Hermione walked into his room, everything was as she remembered it. Strange gadgets and books were strewn across the room. A man with a long white beard and mischievous, sparking blue eyes sat at the desk near the center of the room. He was wearing dark purple robes with silver crescent moons. Smiling at her, she knew he had something planned, she just didn't know what exactly.

"Hermione, my dear, how are you?" the man with the purple robes on asked her with a wistful smile.

"Not bad Albus and yourself?" Hermione answered Albus. They had been on first name basis since they were the only two left.

"Better then usual," he replied, the twinkle in his eyes shown even brighter.

"What are you planning Albus?" Hermione said wearily knowing that she was right.

"I have made some…arrangements for you Hermione."

"I have a feeling that I'm not going to like this," Dumbledore just smiled and lowered his eyes to look her over.

"My dear, I know that you wish to continue your education and graduate, but sadly here, you would not be able to concentrate."

"What are you talking about? I can concentrate fine. I do my work and get high marks!" She stood up as she was speaking to him.

"Hermione you need to get away from here, that's why I had placed you in another school." The twinkle in his eyes got brighter still and his voice was as calm as if he was discussing the weather.

"Where?"

"Let's just say that you will need a very heavy winter coat."

"You're avoiding the question Albus," her voice rising with each word she spoke, growing more frustrated with his answers.

"Yes, I know that I am avoiding you questions. It will be good for you not to know. Anyway, we will go shopping tomorrow for clothes and everything else you may need. Then you will be on the train the next day for your new school." Hermione groaned and sunk back into her seat. "Now then, go back to the Gryffindor dormitory and get some rest. We will be leaving at nine am sharp. Meet me in the Great Hall. Goodnight Hermione." He smiled as she got up to leave.

"Goodnight Albus," walking out of the room, she sped down the spiral staircase and ran back to the Gryffindor Tower. Passing paintings, they called to her and asked why she was running. Ignoring all of them, she stopped at the portrait of the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady stood in front of the Tower and looked at her nails. Hermione waited patiently but as the seconds passed by, she grew impatient.

"Excuse me Fat Lady but I would like to go inside now." Hermione said as she tapped her foot on the floor.

"Dear, I need the password." The Fat Lady smiled down at Hermione from her golden frame.

"Oh right, Salt and Vinegar crisps," when Hermione made up the password, she was craving those. The portrait swung open and Hermione stepped through the hole behind the portrait. It closed behind her and she laid on one of the red couches next to the fire. It was starting to go out so she cast a charm on it to reheat it. Almost instantly it burst back into a roaring fire. Snuggling into the couch she sighed and brought her knees up to her chest for warmth. Deciding that it was much to cold, she pushed herself up from the couch and up to her room. Trudging up the stairs, she opened her door and went to her bed. She didn't even bother changing, just collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep.

XxX

The next morning her alarm woke her up at six am. Running the sleep away from her eyes, she rolled over and shut off the alarm clock before she threw it at the wall. Stretching her arms over her head and yawning loudly, she rose out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Her joints popping as she walked. Quickly turning on the hot water, she stripped down and went inside. Letting the warm water wake her up she washed her hair and body. Stepping out, Hermione did a quick drying spell and left the bathroom to get dressed. Hermione put on a red plain muggle shirt with the words; I'm to good for you across the chest in black and a plain pair of jeans that were flared at the bottom but hugged her hips at the top, matching it up with a pair of black flat soled sneakers. Her make up was done simply, light brown eyeliner and chapstick. Looking into the mirror it spoke to her.

"You look wonderful Hermione," the mirror said in a voice that sounded way to hyper for this time in the morning. She did look good she would have to admit that, for some reason, the shine started come back into her eyes and her hair bounced a little more. She thanked god that her hair was beginning to straighten out. Before she left, she ran a brush through it and left for the Great Hall.

Breakfast was the same, eggs, toast bacon and pancakes. Hermione grabbed some toast and jam that was on the table. Spreading it over the toasted piece of bread, she placed her knife down and broke off a piece of toast. Chewing, she looked up at the Head Table to see Dumbledore in a pair of jeans with a sweatshirt on. She almost burst out laughing to see him in this way, but she remembered that they would have to go through muggle London before they could get her supplies.

Dumbledore looked down at her and smiled. Professor Jennings sneered at Hermione. The old woman didn't like muggle-borns and didn't think that they should be taught magic. Hermione looked back at her breakfast and wasn't hungry anymore. Pushing back her plate, she sighed and waited for Albus to finish. At eight fifty five, they both stood up and walked to the back of the Great Hall. Albus smiled at Hermione, to him she was the daughter that he never had, and to her she was her father figure.

He grabbed Hermione's hand and disappeared. Hermione felt the similar crushing feeling and that she was going through a very tight space. When her feet reached the ground a few seconds later, she stumbled a bit but quickly regained her balance. Dumbledore looked down at her and released her hand.

"Stay close and follow me," he ordered before walking quickly to another place. Hermione straggled along and somehow managed to keep up. They walked into a building and Dumbledore smiled brightly at the woman at the front desk.

"Hello we are here to see the tailor," the woman nodded and went to the back of the store. A few minutes of waiting, a man in black clothing with long black hair came to greet them in the front.

"Hello Albus, how are you?" The man greeted.

"Quite good Timothy and yourself?"

"I can't complain. Now down to business, what do you need?"

"Come over here to the corner I don't want her arguing that she doesn't need it." Albus said pointing to the back corner of the room. Timothy nodded and walked with Albus to the far side of the room. Once he was sure that she couldn't hear them, he put a silencing charm around them, just in case.

"Now Timothy, I need robes that would be suitable to wear in arctic conditions, a warm coat, sweaters, warm pants and so on. Do you have any that would fit her just right?" Timothy nodded his head and smiled.

"We just got in a shipment of winter clothes this week. I think that they are just what you need. They change to whatever color you feel like wearing and stay at a certain temperature. Perfect right? One of the genius ideas of the wizarding world." The both smiled and nodded their heads. Albus paid while Timothy packed up the garments and placed them in a blue shopping bag. Hermione rushed over to the cash register.

"What are you doing? I can't let you buy all this for me! It's too much" Hermione yelled at the old man that ignored her and finished paying for the items. She turned her back and looked out the front window of the shop. Dumbledore and Timothy shook their heads. Timothy handed Albus the bags and said goodbye to his friend. Hermione followed after him.

They went to Diagon Alley and bought Hermione's supplies for school, even though she kept insisting that she pay, he heard no word or it. He simply said that it was a going away gift and that he wanted to treat her. They went into Hermione's favorite book store, Florish and Bots. Browsing the shelves, she came across a book that saddened her. Picking up the book, she read the title out loud.

"Harry Potter, the boy that saved us all." Sighing, she put the book back on the shelf and strolled to the front where Dumbledore was waiting for her with her school books. He knew the glum look on her face and patted her shoulder lightly. Turning her head up to look at the old man's eyes; she found that gentle smile that could make her feel better. He was like her father, and almost every father had that smile, it always makes you feel better even if it isn't much, it was still there.

Finally when they finished she snuck back up to her room and placed the items in her dark brown trunk. Searching for something, she dug around in the bottom of the trunk until a sack filled with galleons was seen. She pulled it out and wrote a note. Putting the money and the note in her pocket, she went up to the owlery. Finding a dark brown tawny owl, she placed a few of the galleons into another sack she had in her back pocket and attached it to its leg. Placing the letter in its beak, she let it take off.

The bird tapped on the Headmaster's window and he opened it to let the bird in. He pulled off the sack and took the letter. Giving the owl a treat and some water, he opened the letter. It read:

Dear Albus,

I know that you did not want me to pay you back for today, but I felt guilty that you spent so much money on me. I know this won't compare to what you spent on me today, but here is seventeen galleons. I will talk to you in the morning, have a good nights rest.

Fondly,

Hermione J. Granger

Shaking his head, he opened the sack and there were seventeen galleons sitting piled on top of each other in the bottom of the bag. He placed it in the pocket of his robes; he would slip the galleons to her one way or another. Stretching, he looked at his watch that had too many hands. It was eleven o'clock already. Tomorrow she was leaving for a new school, and hopefully happiness.