A/N: Hello again and happy holidays! As promised, here is Chapter 1 of Hermione's second year at Hogwarts! I have an inkling that this will be a slightly shorter book, but fun all the same. I have plans to post chapters at least once a month, but if I start running out of material at any point, I may hold back. If you haven't yet read my version of events during Hermione and the gang's first year, you can begin Hermione Granger's Diary: Year One by clicking the link. As always, please feel free to review, favorite, and follow to your heart's content. If I'm doing something wrong, I'll do my best to fix it and if I'm doing something right, fantastic. JK Rowling owns most of the characters in this story, and this is a tribute to her.

18 June - 24 June 1992

18 June 1992: Thursday

7:15 am

It feels strange, waking up in my pristine Muggle bedroom, not surrounded by scarlet curtains, stone walls, and Lavender's snores. Sometimes I have a thought, something profound or funny about the magical world, and want to share it when Harry or Ron, but I can't. I know we'll see each other again soon-September really isn't that far away. I just wish it were sooner rather than later.

7:19 pm

Samantha has been over every day since I've come home. It's been quite fun–I didn't realise how much I missed her. She sits on my bed, listening to me as I read aloud from my diary about my adventures at Hogwarts. Of course, she's heard all the awful things I wrote about her now, but she seems fine with it.

'I was being a bitch then anyway,' she said. I gasped–I've never known Samantha to swear. Her eyes bulged, as though she suddenly realised what she'd done and quickly said, 'Sorry. My friend Michelle is a little vulgar and I must have picked some of her language up.'

'Er…that's fine,' I replied.

Today I read Harry's first Quidditch match to her. Of course, she already knows all about me setting Snape's robes on fire, but it didn't stop her from shaking her head in awe. 'I still can't believe you did that.'

'Neither can I, really.'

'Still, he was going to kill Harry, so I don't blame you.'

I still haven't told Samantha about what happened at the end of the year. This might sound strange, but I'm saving it for dramatic effect. She's different than Harry and Ron, you know. She's not part of this world, so it will be an even bigger shock when she learns what happened in the third floor corridor.

Mum and Dad have been a little distant with me since coming home. Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall wrote to them about my detention in my last week of classes. 'Hermione Jean Granger!' Mum said as soon as we walked away from the Weasleys at King's Cross. I winced–undoubtedly she'd heard all about our little adventure and I was about to be reprimanded big time.

'How on earth could you possibly get detention?!' she hissed as we wended out way through the crowds and out into the car park. 'And you lied to a poor boy in your year! Don't even think about lying to me about it–Professor McGonagall told us everything!'

So I didn't lie. In fact, I even told them about Hagrid and Norbert. 'A dragon?' Dad asked. 'How could he hide a dragon without the headmaster realising?'

'Well, it was a baby-' I began.

'That's not the important part! How could he ask two first years to get rid of it for him?' Mum was wearing that look on her face that said quite plainly what she thought of Hagrid. My heart sank. The last thing I wanted was for my parents to hate one of my friends.

'Hagrid's a wonderful man, Mum. He was just really attached to Norbert and we kind of had to force it away from him. It was our own fault we got in trouble, really.'

'So you didn't lie to this Neville then?' Dad asked, turning onto our street.

'Of course not! He's one of my friends!'

That put a rest to it. Dad's been pretty good, although he did ground me for being disobedient and not telling a teacher about Hagrid's dangerous hobby. Mum, on the other hand, seems more irritable than usual. I guess she's just disappointed. I've never been punished for anything before and as far as I know neither has she. She'll get over it, I think.

The good news is that I think Professor McGonagall kept silent about Harry, Ron, and I venturing into the third floor corridor and down the trapdoor. I'm not sure why, but I am curious to find out. Perhaps I'll write to her and ask.

23 June 1992: Tuesday

I received my first letter from Ron on Saturday. He sent it with a positively ancient bird who acted like it was on the verge of death as it collapsed on my windowsill. 'You poor thing,' I said, pulling it inside and laying it on top of one of my pillows. I've allowed it to rest for the last two days, but today I'm sending it off with my reply, my first letter to Harry, and a note for Professor McGonagall. I do hope that it survives the journey.

I've decided to write what Ron wrote to me here:

Hermione,

How's your holiday going? Mine's been dull. Percy's acting even more full of himself than usual and avoiding us all. Fred and George reckon that's a good thing…at least now we don't have to hear him talk about his O.W.L. results incessantly.

My little sister Ginny is nervously waiting her Hogwarts letter. I already know she'll be getting in. She already has more talent than I do (I remember one time when we were little and Fred stole her toy and held it out of reach. Out of nowhere, Fred's nose hair started rapidly growing. It was hilarious). I think you'll like Ginny. She's all right.

Hopefully you're having fun with your Muggle friend.

Ron.

Of course, I can't imagine taking my O.W.L.s and not being worried about the result. Poor Percy–he must be worried, but I know he'll have done brilliant. I wrote back:

Dear Ron,

So far my holiday's been very relaxed. Mum and Dad have plans for next weekend to take me to the London Zoo. I know you've never been there, so I'll be sure to describe it as best as I can. I've spent every day with my friend Samantha, reading to her out of my diary about last school year. She's thrilled with our adventures and I think eager to meet you and Harry someday.

Which reminds me, we should schedule to meet at some point this summer. I know there's only two months until we're back at school together, but already I'm becoming stir crazy. I miss you and Harry both, as sentimental as that may sound. I don't have any older brothers or a little sister to spend every waking moment. Just Samantha, and she has to lie to her parents about where she's going every day, because they don't like me. I suppose she intends to introduce me to her friends she made at Muggle school this year, but it's not the same. They'll never know about the wizarding world or understand what I'm going through like you.

Anyway, just be sure to let me know when your family plans to visit Diagon Alley. We can make a day of it (and, perhaps, I'll show you some Muggle shops nearby).

Let me know more next letter.

Hermione.

And, my letter to Harry:

Dear Harry,

Have you heard from Ron? He wrote to me to talk about Fred, George, Percy, and his little sister Ginny. It sounds like he's bored.

Truthfully, I'm rather bored myself. I'm having fun with my friend Samatha, but I miss you and Ron. I can't wait until 1 September. I think I might arrange to meet the Weasleys when they buy their school things in Diagon Alley. Do you think we should try to get your family involved in this too? What is your phone number? Maybe if they're approached in a Muggle fashion, they'll be more willing to let you out for a day?

I do hope they're treating you well. Write to me soon and let me know how your cousin, Aunt, and Uncle are behaving. If you need anything, I'm just an owl away.

Hermione.

And, of course, I did write a letter to Professor McGonagall. I've had so many quiet nights in a row now that my curiosity on why my parents never learned about the Philosopher's Stone has piqued. Here's my brief letter:

Dear Professor McGonagall,

I hope your summer has been going well so far. Mine has been excellent and I'm enjoying the relative peace and quiet of Wandsworth. I am writing, because I have a couple of questions regarding the upcoming term beginning 1 September and thought it would be best to pose them to you.

Firstly, when might I expect a letter detailing course books and equipment? I'm eager to know what to expect next term and to get a head start on reading my books. I'm also hoping to schedule to meet up with my friends in Diagon Alley when I go to buy my equipment, and it would be nice to know which date to plan around.

Secondly, is there any way you can tell me who will be replacing Professor Quirrell as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor? I understand it might be a secret or that a new professor has not been selected and therefore you can't give me an answer. I am merely curious and hopeful that this next teacher is not being manipulated.

And finally, I've noticed that my parents, while well aware that I received a detention, do not seem aware of what happened regarding the Philosopher's Stone. I do not necessarily wish to get in trouble for doing something dangerous, but it just struck me as strange that they were not told. Why did you not write to them about it?

Also, I want you to personally know from me that Harry and I never set out to deceive Neville. This has been weighing heavily on my mind for a while now, because Neville is one of our friends and we all really like him. Unfortunately, he just got mixed up in our adventure. I hope you don't think Harry, Ron, or I would ever intentionally hurt him.

I hope you have a great summer and I'm looking forward to seeing you on 1 September.

Sincerely,

Hermione Granger.

Okay, so perhaps it wasn't all that brief. I'm a little worried about sending this letter with Ron's owl. Maybe I should get an owl, just so I don't have to rely on this one. Hopefully Harry writes soon so I can write longer letters to send with Hedwig.

24 June 1992: Wednesday

9:02 am

Mum and Dad just left for work. I'm excited about my time with Samantha today. I'm going to read about going into the third floor corridor a few weeks ago. I'm eager to finish reading about it, because I want to hear her opinions about Professor Snape and Quirrell. Also, I want to see how she'll react when she hears I faced a troll yet again, talked chess pieces into letting me pass, flew Ron through a sea of keys, dodged the Devil's Snare, and Fluffy all over again. It's by far the most thrilling experience I've ever had.

Of course, I'd rather not repeat it again this year. Since Nicholas Flamel and Dumbledore agreed to destroy the Philosopher's Stone, I doubt there will be anything to guard in the school. I wonder what will happen to Fluffy now that he's not going to be used in the third corridor. And will we start having classes there? Hmm…perhaps I should have put that in my letter to Professor McGonagall.

1:59 pm

'Wait, wait, wait, WAIT!' Samantha begged. She'd become so enthralled with the entire story that she was now pacing up and down my bedroom, her brown eyes wide and her already frizzy black hair made even more unruly from her gripping it tight. 'So, you both just left Ron there? After he'd been bashed in the head by a gigantic stone statue?'

'Well, yes,' I said, biting my lip, 'but we did check to make sure he was breathing first.'

'Remind me to never go on any adventures with you and your friends.' Despite how terrifying it must have sounded to hear we'd walked away from Ron as he'd bled out on the stone floor, she had a crazy sort of grin on her lips. 'Continue,' she ordered.

I did. For the next two hours, I read about Snape's logic puzzle ('Ugh, he would be that infuriating,' she said, tossing a tennis ball I had sitting on my shelf up and down in the air. 'Let me see if I can figure it out before you continue.' I let her, making sure to draw the way the bottles looked on a piece of paper so she could have the same visual aid I'd had. Sure enough, she figured it out), letting Harry go on ('Seriously, how could you guys just leave each other behind like that? Weren't you afraid for Harry?' Yes…yes I was), and my adventures back through the labyrinth under the school ('Crikey, they didn't make it easy, did they?'). Finally, I reached the part I'd been looking forward to all day.

'Standing behind Dumbledore was Snape, his face just as pale as Ron's and his eyes looking suddenly tortured,' I read. Samantha gasped.

'But…but wasn't Snape with Harry? I thought he was after the Philosopher's Stone for Voldemort!' I flinched. Samantha rolled her eyes. 'Why are you even afraid of his name? You weren't even part of this world until a year ago.'

'I guess it comes with the territory. Everyone is afraid of his name and the more you see people react fearfully, the more afraid you become.'

'Harry's not afraid,' she said with a wistful sigh, plopping down on my bed. I scowled–honestly, we're too young to start having crushes, and I'd rather my best Muggle friend not like my best wizard friend just through what she's heard about him.

I chose not to say anything, though, and instead continued. 'I found out three days later from Harry shortly after he reawakened in the hospital wing that it was Professor Quirrell. He was, in the end, the person who had been after the Stone the whole time,' I eventually read.

'Quirrell? The fearful bloke who acted afraid of his shadow?'

'Yes,' I said somberly, closing my diary. 'Apparently he ran into You-Know-Who after leaving Hogwarts and was manipulated by him. I sort of feel sorry for him, actually.'

'How? He was a slippery little weasel, in the end. He tried to kill Harry! Twice!'

I smiled at that. For some reason, Samantha reminds me a lot of Ron. 'He died, Samantha. Yes, he was working for You-Know-Who, but according to Hagrid, he was normal when he was a student at Hogwarts. He was changed by greed and power. It could have happened to anyone. He didn't deserve to die.'

Samantha frowned and retook her seat (which she'd left a while before) and put her arm around my shoulder. 'It wouldn't have happened to you.'

'Well, no. I'm a little more rational than some,' I said, blushing. 'Quirrell was a Ravenclaw, but that doesn't mean he was logical. Just smart. It wasn't enough to save him in the end.'

'And I suppose,' Samantha added, looking up at my ceiling fan with that thoughtful look she wears when she really thinks hard about something, 'he couldn't really say no to You-Know-Who when they first met. He probably would have died right then and there. He was probably doomed from the very start, Hermione. If you really think about it, Professor Quirrell was probably just put out of his misery.'

'That's true.' A heavy weight that I'd barely noticed was there since learning the truth about Professor Quirrell suddenly lifted. From what I know about You-Know-Who, it's clear that Quirrell couldn't have lived forever with him. Even if he had succeeded in procuring the Philosopher's Stone, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wouldn't have kept him around forever.

'I've had enough of reading,' Samantha said. 'We can finish the rest tomorrow. For now, do you want to see if there's any good shows on? Or we can go to library if you like.'

We eventually decided on the library. I found a book quickly (it's about the French Revolution, which I've learned from A History of Magic involved quite a few French wizards and witches), but Samantha is still searching. I suppose I'll start reading as soon as she's back.

Oh…here she comes. Oh goodness…she's carrying a book called European Magic: Do Witches Really Exist? Let's see how funny this turns out to be.