Amelia Eckert of number 13, Cherry Hills Park, was proud to say, that she was not an ordinary person.
Her husband was a good looking, well paid, plastic surgeon, who doted on and adored her. She herself was an occasional model – with her husband's income she now no longer needed full time work- and a stay at home mum. Her daughter Primrose, whilst admittedly not the smartest person at her school, had inherited her mother's good looks and as such, was one of the most popular girls at school. She, along with her precious daughter Primrose and well-respected husband, lived in a posh neighbourhood, well-known for housing those of a reasonably wealthy nature. Their house was a modern, very elegant two story home, with a well-kept garden lined with gorgeous flowers, and her group of friends consisted of other well-known and respected members of the community.
Amelia Eckert did not consider herself an ordinary person, rather an elite socialite. Anything that was contrary to this belief, was shunned and ignored.
As such was the case, with Amelia's niece, Hermione Granger.
Hermione Granger, with her dull muddy eyes, bushy hair and lightning bolt shaped scar on her forehead, did not fit into Amelia's fantasy of the perfect life. In fact, Amelia would have preferred that her niece was not in her life at all. However, after one fateful Halloween, Amelia had opened her door to find a small bundle lying at her feet. With a gasp, and a glance around the neighbourhood to ensure no one else had notice the bundle on her doorstep – after all, what would people say? – she quickly picked up the child and the note that accompanied her, slammed the door closed, completely forgetting about the paper and mail she was meant to be collecting.
The news of her estranged sister's death, whilst not exactly making her feel happy, certainly did not make her feel sad either. So it was with a grudging acceptance that she allowed the daughter of that late spoiled, to her anyway, woman into her home.
However, that did not mean she had to like her.
Hermione Granger woke early in the morning, the sunlight streaming in through the window opposite her bed illuminated her bedroom, causing the young girl to groan.
Guest room, she mentally corrected herself, amused. At first glance, one would assume that the room was too bland, to clean to be in use – especially of someone her age. The only thing inside the room which looked like it was in any use at all was the bookshelf.
After burying herself under the covers, Hermione attempted to fall back asleep. She groaned again when she realised this was unlikely. Pushing herself into a seating position, Hermione wiped the sleep from her eyes. Sitting on her bed, she allowed her gaze to sweep over the room whilst her mind awoke. The familiar white walls and dark brown carpet greeted her, the same faded white desk, wardrobe and bookshelf, which was currently overflowing with books, located at the opposite end of her bedroom. This room had been Hermione's safe haven for more than ten years now.
With a yawn, Hermione glanced at the clock sitting on her bedside cabinet. Finding it just a little after seven in the morning, she deemed it safe enough for her to make herself a quick breakfast before her family woke up. Shrugging off the covers, Hermione placed her feet in the once fluffy white slippers. Being cast-offs from her cousin, the slippers had surely seen better days, despite this however they got the job done. Padding her way towards her door, Hermione grabbed the plum coloured dressing gown from the hook on the back of her door, the gown was another cast of from her cousin, as was the same with all her things.
After a quick stop at the toilet, Hermione made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, whipping up herself a hearty breakfast of sausages, bacon and eggs. She always made herself a rather large breakfast to get through the day, as she was never sure when her aunt would let her have a proper meal. As her aunt was a model, most of the meals prepared in the house were healthy bland imitations of real food. Hermione's nose was already wrinkled in disgust at the mere thought.
After she finished cooking her breakfast, Hermione dished up the hot food onto a plate, which she carried through to the dining room. Placing the plate on one of the slate tablemats sitting on top of the mahogany dining table, she perched on the wooden chair with the plush red cushions for comfort. Whilst scoffing down her food, Hermione wondered about what they were doing today - she was pretty sure her aunt had a photoshoot today at ten, but she'd have to check her planner to be sure. Catching a glance at the clock that hung on the living room wall through the glass doors, Hermione quickly finished the last of her breakfast before she hurried back into the kitchen with her dirty dishes. Filling up the basin with hot water, Hermione placed the dishes in the sink just as she heard the click of the pre-set coffee machine coming on.
Just as she finished putting away the now clean and dry dishes, she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Looking towards the kitchen door, Hermione watched as Christian Eckert came through the door in his usual black suit. With a strong chiselled jaw, a mop of curly black hair and the most startling blue eyes Hermione had ever seen, Hermione knew he was one of the most talked about doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, a fact that made Amelia very smug as she was the one to catch him. Making a bee line for the coffee machine, Christian didn't even spare a glance at Hermione as he filled his travel mug full of the black liquid that was a stable part of any doctor's diet. Filling the mug to the brim, Christian turned and walked back out the kitchen.
Pausing at the base of the stairs to gather his things, Hermione heard him shouting to his wife and daughter as he left, "I'm away girls, have a good day! Love you both!"
Hermione rolled her eyes as he blatantly ignored her existence. She was used to it however, so instead turned her attention to making breakfast for her aunt and cousin. Leaving the oats to cook for 15 minutes, Hermione went to the fridge to get some fruit, cutting up the strawberries and bananas she placed them into small serving dishes before putting them on the dining room table. Returning to the kitchen, she poured some nuts from the cupboard into another and placed that with the fruit, along with some milk and honey. After stirring the oats for a few minutes Hermione poured it evenly into two bowels. Turning off the cooker, she carried the two bowls carefully to the table. Just as she was getting her aunt's coffee and her cousin's orange juice ready, she heard them coming down the stairs. Quickly returning the juice carton to the fridge, Hermione hurriedly placed their drink on the slate coasters just as her family sat down for breakfast.
Stepping to the side, Hermione tightened the dressing gown around her self-consciously. Her aunt and cousin were, as always, immaculately dressed in rather stylish clothes, making Hermione more keenly aware of the fact all she was wearing was a second hand gown over the plain white t-shirt and ratty grey sweats she had worn to bed.
Her cousin Primrose was daintily eating her breakfast, her fake pink nails clicking against the glass as she raised it to her lips. Her curled blonde hair brushed against her arm as she returned the glass of juice to the table before bringing her arm up again to wipe the excess of her lips, careful to avoid smudging the pale pink lip gloss on her lips. Rubbing her fingers together, Primrose glanced briefly at them before smoothing down the white summer dress she wore and returning to her breakfast.
Her Aunt Amelia's straight dark brown hair flowed over her shoulders subtly turning into caramel brown curls at the bottom. Her outfit consisted of a dark green blouse and a pencil skirt which showed off her slim figure nicely, her long legs clad in tan tights with small black heels completing the look. She wore minimal jewellery, small peals in her ears which matched the pear necklace around her neck, and the flashy diamond engagement ring and wedding ring she wore on her ring finger. Her makeup was perfectly done, her lipstick not even being smudged as she drank the coffee.
Placing the mug back on its coaster, her blue eyes swivelled to Hermione, "So, what are we doing today?"
The tone of the question was not a loving aunt asking her niece what she wanted to spend the day doing, but rather that of a haughty celebrity questioning her personal assistant.
"I'm not sure," Hermione relied. "I think you have a photoshoot today at ten, but I'd need to check my planner to be sure."
Her aunt sighed, exasperated. "Well, go on then."
Hermione could tell that her aunt was less than pleased that she hadn't been prepared, and quickly scurried out the room without a backward glance.
Pushing open her door, Hermione crossed her room quickly to the desk situated underneath her window. Sitting down in the seat, Hermione leafed through the pages until she came to today's date. She was correct of course; her aunt did have a photoshoot at ten for the local zoo. Turning in her chair, Hermione looked at the clock. Rushing back downstairs, Hermione confirmed the photoshoot with her aunt before returned to her room to get ready.
Opening the creaky doors of the wardrobe mainly full of her cousin's hand-me-downs, Hermione retrieved a plum skater dress with lace three quarter length sleeves, and pair of tan tights from the drawers. Her aunt always preferred the girls to wear dresses when in public, Hermione thought it was because her aunt thought it made them seem more ladylike.
Stepping in front of the full length mirror beside her wardrobe, Hermione smoothed down the dress, and tightened the thin black belt across her waist. Her eyes travelled to the mass of curls that was her hair, and a frown settled over her features. Her aunt had spent days, and quite a bit of money, on finding a hair care routine that would tame the bushy hair she once had into soft curls. With a gasp of realisation, Hermione dashed to her beside cabinet, opening the small drawer and pulling out a silver necklace, placing it into her palm. The small silver raven with the beady black onyx eye stared up at her from her palm. This was the only thing Hermione had left of her parents, aside from the lightning bolt shaped scar on her forehead that Hermione made sure to always cover with her hair at the insistence of her aunt. Placing it around her neck, Hermione clasped it and returned to the mirror.
After attempting to fluff up her curls into something more unruly, Hermione sighed disappointed before giving up. Shoving her feet into the slightly too small old flats from her cousin, Hermione grabbed her planner from the desk before heading back downstairs to the dining room, sure that neither her aunt nor cousin would have tidied up after themselves before they retreated back to their rooms to finish getting ready. Finding she was right, Hermione placed the planner on the table as she set to clearing everything away. Noticing that she didn't have enough time to wash the dishes, Hermione left them by the sink to clean later. Hermione grabbed her planner before doubling back through the kitchen, and to the bottom of the stairs.
"We have to go now, if you don't want to be late Aunt Amelia!" Hermione yelled up the stairs.
Leaning back against the door to the small toilet in between the stairs and front door, Hermione heard the tell-tale sounds of her family scurrying about upstairs. Five minutes later her aunt and cousin appeared before her, as always ignoring her existence as they walked towards the front door with an air of arrogance surrounding them both. Watching the white of her cousin's summer dress flowing around her knees, Hermione made a mental note to add a black sock in with today's white washing.
After lock the door behind her, Hermione just managed to make it into her aunt's care, planner clutched in her hands, before the car sped away.