Disclaimer! JK Rowling owns Harry Potter! I own nothing but the plot.

First Step

She opened the letter ravishingly. Like an animal who was catching its prey she quickly got her letter out. Hogwarts was asking students back for their seventh year, to retake the year that was lost to the war. This was the chance she had been waiting for, the chance to get the NEWTs grades she needed for a decent future! Not to mention that she missed studying, and the library. She smiled at the thought of being embedded with knowledge again. At the thought of being back at Hogwarts, without having to worry about a crazy maniac killer and death eaters on the loose.

When she unfolded her parchment a badge fell out onto the kitchen table. Hermione's face light up. Head Girl, she thought to herself, I will be Head Girl!

"Harry, Ron, Ginny!" She shouted up the stairs "Your letters are here!" She couldn't hide the happiness that was exploding within her. She heard rushed steps down the long staircase in the middle of the Burrow. The red headed girl was first to enter the kitchen. There Hermione was standing next to a pile of letters, and one of Hogwarts' majestic owls.

"Lucky they didn't use Errol, or we wouldn't have known about this till next term" The long haired Weasley stated and grabbed her letter.

"…maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing" Ron muttered as he too entered the kitchen, slanting after Harry.

Hermione gave Ron a steady glare before lecturing him "This is our chance to regain our scholastic grades and future. It's a once in a life time opportunity!"

"Hermione is right" Harry cut Ron off before he could even begin to counter claim her words of truth. "This is our only chance to become what we wanted" They all knew Harry wanted to be an Auror, but couldn't due to his lacking NEWTs grades. This was his chance to graduate and apply at the Ministry.

Ron let out a long sigh and let himself slouch into one of the chairs. Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen with a smile on her face. "Guess it's time to break that piggy bank open!"

Hermione gave her an ecstatic smile. If it was something she loved as much as the library, it was buying new books. A list had been added to the letter as to what new books they needed for their classes. Other things, such as herbs and worm tails were also listed. All necessities for starting this new year fully equipped. Surely they would be able to buy some after school start as well, in Hogsmeade, but it didn't have close to the rage in stuff as Diagon Alley does.

Working a summer job at the Gringotts Bank in Diagon Ally, to save up for school supplies, she had manage to gather quite some savings. It would last beyond her school supplies for sure. Even though pushing papers all day was not quite as challenging as fighting death eaters, it still did the job at putting some change in her pocket.

Mrs. Weasley had already put on her cloak and was standing next to the fireplace with an urn in her hands. "Chop chop! No time to waist!" She said loudly and signaled towards the fireplace. "Ron, please wipe that frown off of your face!" Using the Floo Network was by far the easiest way to get to Diagon Ally, especially if you wanted to get there fast. Hermione had used it herself every morning, going to work at Gringotts.

Ginny and Harry went through the fire, letting the flames lick their bodies. "Diagon Ally!" they shouted, and the next second they were gone. Next followed Hermione, and lastly Ron and his mother.

It was sunny in Diagon Ally, as it tended to be. Ironically it being located in Muggle London, it should probably be rather rainy. At least cloudy. Hermione always thought it might be enchanted somehow, only wondering what spell had been used. Something similar to the Hogwarts' ceiling she presumed.

"Where are we heading first?" Ron asked from behind the rest of them, slowly catching up.

"I was thinking the book store, but judging by that frown of yours I have a feeling you don't want to start off there" Hermione said turned to him.

"I would actually like it if I didn't have to step foot in there ever again…" Ron wrinkled his face in annoyed disgust.

Although she knew this, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. His intellect had never exceeded her preference in men. Somehow they still managed to keep their relationship going even after the war ended. It was almost like they were just best friends again, however. It disappointed Hermione greatly. Considering how over the top he and Lavender had been she couldn't help but wonder why it had to be so darn different with her? Was she not as pretty? Hermione shook her head. "You guys can go ahead and go to Quality Quidditch Supplies while I get what we need from Flourish and Blotts" she looked at her bag "Im not sure how much our books will cost, so you can all pay me back once I've gotten them"

Harry smiled at her "Thanks 'Mione".

"I'll find you when Im done so we can go to Madam Malkin's, it being next door and all!" Ginny looked like a sun ray beaming from the sky. Hermione loved her best friend, and even though she wasn't as girly as others she still appreciated fun girl time. She couldn't other than Smile brightly back at her and gave her a nod in approval. And they were off. Mrs. Weasley had already set off to Twilfitt and Tatting's to get her children some new clothes.

She passed by Ollivander's Wand Shop on the way. It was another reminder showing the effects of the war. The sign with peeling gold letters stating it's early starting date, was hanging crookedly by the broken door. On the door another sign, more like a note, with scribbles stating its closure. "CLOSED" Hermione read, mumbling it to her self in sad thought. She had thought someone would take over now that new students were to buy their first wands! People probably still had to use portkeys to get to other countries, that way they could access proper wand shops. She knew, from working at Gringotts, that different stores across the world had set up portkey locations for a smaller sum off money. It was as if the parents were dragging their feet across the marble flooring when they came to take out extra money for their children's new wands. Although the wands tended to be more expensive, people had no other choice but to sign up for a portkey time, and head abroad.

She finally entered Florish and Blotts, and the breeze of new books stroke her face. She closed her eyes momentarily, taking in the wonderful scent.

"Having an orgasm, now are we?" A sleek, raspy voice broke her perfect moment. "I didn't know a book worm like you could even get her stick our her ass far enough to enjoy anything. Figure it would be books that gets you off." The tall blond simply quirked an eye brow and slanted past her out the door with his hands in his pockets.

Hermione was in such shock she managed to say nothing. Standing there, dumb founded, with the most confused look on her face she started to feel more and more annoyed. What had that been all about? She tried to shake it off, and huffed. If she had been Ginny she had probably yelled "what the hell!?" and punched him right in the throat! But now, she wasn't Ginny. She was Hermione. Instead she just took it and tried to shake it off and let the books take over her mind yet again. Draco Malfoy wasn't worth getting frustrated over. She tried to ignore the encounter. Looking at her list she realized she had quite a few books she needed to find. Good thing she had sent her friends off to the Quidditch shop, or else this part of the trip would be extremely frustrating with their annoying "aren't we done yet?", "can we go now?", "can't we go to The Leaky Cauldron already?". She was getting annoyed just thinking about it.

Once she had purchased them all and put them in her expanded purse she headed on out her favorite store. Once outside she saw her friends making their way over to her through the crowd. Perfect timing, she thought! A smile crept up on her face. The years had surely passed since the first time they did this together. At least this time Harry's glasses weren't broken!

"Can we go to the Leaky Cauldron?" Ron's words made Hermione laugh. Had he no idea how predictable he was? "What? Im thirsty!"

"We have only been in one store" Hermione stated and brought out her list. "We have still to visit both Madam Malkin's, Slug and Jiggers Apothecary, Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment and to visit George at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." At the sound of all the places they had to go to a loud sigh came from Ron. "Please, Ron, can't you at least pretend that this is bearable?" She gave him a proper glare. A fake smile, that didn't reach anything else but his mouth showed itself on Ron's face. "Better, I guess". Frustrating man, she thought to herself.

"How about" Harry started to meddle "You and Ginny go do your thing at Madam Malkin's and me and Ron take Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, and we meet up at the Leaky Cauldron in half an hour or so?" He turned to his girlfriend "Would that be okay?"

Ginny smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "That sounds perfect." She gave her boyfriend an extra look before grabbing hold of Hermione's hand. "Common, let's go!"

The new robes fit perfect thanks to Malkin herself and her assistant. Hermione and Ginny took the time to brows the other clothes in her shop when they were anyway at it. Of course they managed to walk out of there with quite some extra pieces of clothing than they had planned. Being teenagers last time they entered the shop their measurements had changed on their womanly spots. Curves had formed where there didn't used to be as much shape. Due to Ginny's quidditch playing and getting more of her fathers tall and skinny genes, her curves didn't have quite the effect Hermione's had.

"How are you 'Mione?" Hermione looked up puzzled. "Really?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my brother and you seem…" She grabbed a blue shirt and held it up against Hermione's chest "…distant."

Hermione met Ginny's eyes for a second before looking down at the shirt, she gave it a nod. It was an answer to Ginny's question as well as the shirt. "I don't know what's happened, but it's just…"

"Awkward?" Ginny finished in her place.

"Yes!" She took the shirt from Ginny's stretched out arm and headed to the dressing room. "It started out good, but I think it was mostly out of convenience. We both needed each other. We had both suffered serious loss and needed that happiness and support from one other"

Ginny, who had been walking behind her, nodded, deep in thought. "You seem like you're just friends" she concluded. "With benefits."

Hermione blush. "No, not even that… We're just really close friends. I can't quite figure out why."

Ginny opened the door to the dressing room and looked at Hermione with a sad look on her face. It was quickly changed into a big smile. "That shirt looks great on you. You simply have to get it."

Hermione smiled back at her. The shirt really did look good on her. The silk maroon halter neck really made her body look amazing. If Ron didn't want her before he'd want her after seeing her in this. The only question remaining was, did she really want him?

Thank you all for reading this first chapter! Nothing much has really happened as it mostly worked as a function in introducing the characters involved and the set up! I hope it wasn't too annoying to read! Im excited to write the next chapter however! Hope you are excited to read it!

Please write/review!

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