Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hermione, her parents, or anything else of any concern (or not).

This is a new chapter story I'm starting, but I hope to finish it and update regularly! It's like about Hermione before Hogwarts, and when she gets her letter and goes shopping and everything. I'm making it Draco/Hermione, because I so plan on having them be friends and everything, but that might be a little bit later in and Hermione's only eleven, so yeah.

Here it is!

Hermione Granger shut the front door and tossed her bag on the floor of the entryway. "Mum! I'm home!" she shouted, running into her mother's office. Mrs. Granger often worked in here on school afternoons so she was home when Hermione got home from school.

"Hello, dear," she said warmly. "There's some tea and sandwiches in the kitchen if you're hungry. Then you may start your homework."

Hermione nodded and didn't protest. Unlike the other children in her Year 5 class at school, she was bright and eager to learn. Truthfully, she found Mrs. Rand's book on planets fascinating.

After gathering up a cup of tea and a few sandwiches on a plate, Hermione settled herself in the armchair in the office. "Mrs. Rand brought a big model of the planets to class today," Hermione said, breaking the slightly peaceful and slightly nervous silence. "Pluto is ever so small, though. I don't even know why people make such a fuss over it."

Mrs. Granger looked up from her papers. She looked flustered. "I don't know, Hermione, but I'm sure there's a reason for it. Ask Mrs. Rand. Planets aren't just anything. There's a reason they're considered that."

Hermione pondered this for a minute, staring out the window at the chilly March weather. "I know, Mum," she said, only half-paying attention. "I'm going to start my homework now."

Mrs. Granger smiled and picked up her daughter's plate. "Very well. Oh, by the way, your orthodontist called the office today and set the date. You'll get your braces on the twenty-first."

Hermione grabbed her bag and hurried up the stairs. She didn't see why she had to have braces. The girls in her class already tormented her enough, though she didn't care much about that. The straight As and the gold star on her Year 4 report card had been enough to please her. She only thought it was dumb to get braces when she still had so many baby teeth and she'd have to go through them again later.

Hermione'a bedroom was very cozy. Hermione liked it to be that way, charming and comfortable. Her bed was tucked in the corner, next to the bookshelves, and in the front, by the window, was her desk. This was her favourite thing. Still, she knew her mum thought it was silly for her to devote so much time sitting at the desk and not playing with dolls or talking to friends on the telephone.

Friends. Hermione opened her workbook to planets but reflected deeply on this. It wasn't that she didn't want friends, and most certainly thought that sounded nice, but she couldn't think of a single girl in her class that would suffice.

Hermione bit her lip as she thought of that afternoon, when Maddie had called her a know-it-all for saying she'd already read all the books on the spring reading list. Was she supposed to befriend that kind of girl?

Hermione worked away at her homework for hours. Not only did she fill out the simple worksheet in the curriculum book, but she wrote a report about Pluto's ridiculous size. Maybe Mrs. Rand would agree.

"Hermione! We'd like to talk to you!"

Hermione was startled when she heard the voices of her parents calling to her from downstairs. She straightened her grey skirt, which she had cleverly matched with her blue tee that morning, and skipped down the stairs to them.

Mr. Granger was tall and already balding, with a kind look in his eyes. Hermione ran and hugged him, then settled down on the sofa in the sitting room. "What is it?" she asked. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Mr. Granger held up a piece of paper, looking grave. Hermione, concerned, jumped up to read it, but he held it away from her grasp.

"Hermione, Mrs. Rand just dropped off a note for us about your behaviour in the classroom today," Mrs. Granger said in a tone that indicated she was upset with Hermione. "Do you have an explanation?"

Hermione thought back to that afternoon, but couldn't think of anything. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I didn't do anything."

"You didn't trip Maddie DeLea?"

Hermione froze. She had forgotten about that. "I didn't do that," she said quickly. "I mean, I don't know how it happened. I wasn't even close to her."

"Mrs. Rand said that Maddie called you a name and then you tripped her because you were angry. What did she call you, and what happened?" Mr. Granger sat down, looking stressed.

Hermione couldn't look at him. She thought back to the horrible words, "know it all," and to the incident that had happened afterwards. She really COULDN'T explain it. Maddie had spoken and then, in an instant, she'd toppled over. Hermione swore she hasn't done anything.

Really. But somehow, it had felt strange. So she'd apologised to Maddie and Mrs. Rand had asked her if it was her fault and she'd said yes. She couldn't help but say so. She always followed rules.

"Hermione, I'm ashamed," Mr. Granger said, not waiting for an answer.

This was enough for a perfect little girl like Hermione. "I'm sorry," she repeated, heading for the stairs. "I didn't really do it."

Did you like it? I hope so! Please review!

I plan to update soon! I know that chapter was kind of interesting, but it's not just Hermione and her parents, I promise. I want to have this be before Book one, and then kind of fade into it, and I'll end it there. That's a ways off though!

Linley =)