Hermione was perched on the edge of her stool, looking out over the lawn of her house. It was so peaceful at dawn. She was excited. Her trunk was in the boot of her father's car. Her spells and potion books were in her bag. She couldn't wait to get back and see Ron and Harry. She also couldn't wait to find the book in the library that Madam Pince had told her she would get. She grinned happily and continued darning a set of socks – Muggle way. Soon the sun rose and she made sure her flat-faced cat, Crookshanks was in his wicker basket, and off they went in the bumpy family car.
"Well then, if you go to Honeydukes, only buy Toothflossing Stringmints or whatever they are. Don't ruin your teeth!" her father said. Hermione smiled to herself. She wasn't going to buy sweets, but she was saving up for a very special item in Flourish and Blotts – The Full Compendium of Magical Spells and Potions, voted No. 1 by Witches and Wizards Worldwide. She was pleased when they pulled up at the train station. Kissing her parents goodbye, she flounced up the steps onto the train. She found Harry and told him that she had been revising heavily for the past two weeks. He grinned and stepped past her. She watched the countryside pass her and she felt happy she could revise further at the school library.
She smiled happily and was in a dream until they arrived and a mouth-watering feast placed in front of her. Afterwards she climbed the spiral staircase from the common-room to the girls' bedroom. Much similar to the boys, a colourful rug was in the middle. She dumped her stuff and, nearly running, shot off to the library. She found the corresponding aisle and pulled out a thick, black leather bound book with the title in gold letters - The Full Compendium of Herbs and Spices for Potions. She read until her brain ached. Secretly she was worried she'd fail her exams and be expelled, but she also knew that wouldn't happen.
When she went to the Gryffindor Common room, she saw Ron and Harry fumbling over their Divination charts, Fred and George were playing with Fred's pet salamander who sat on the fire often, and there was a empty space where Crookshanks was sat. She pulled her bag onto it after moving him, and carefully spread all her Ancient Rune work over it. She set to work. 1 hour... 2 hours... 3 hours... She lost track of the time she was there for and practically fell asleep into her Rune translation. She had to hurry to get to her next lesson, Potions. She was pulled out of it by Professor McGonagall who took her up to her office, talking as she went. They sat down and Professor McGonagall said "Miss Granger, I am very pleased with you and I think you are ready to attempt NEWTs, although you should be doing them in two years time. I will begin to train you. Now, when you want to change a goblet into a pecan nut you do this..." Hermione was feeling quite odd by now. "Miss Granger, are you all right?" Hermione's head fell onto the desk and she fainted.
Hermione awoke hearing strange, disjointed voices drifting over to her.
"Good gracious, she's been overworked, that's all!"
"Of course. She does at least seventeen different subjects, I was surprised she could cope."
"Oh, fine Potter you can see her!"
The curtain swung open and Harry rushed in.
"Hermione, I've got so much to tell you! The exams are in two weeks and..."
Hermione lost most of what he said and fell back to sleep.
It was going to be a long, long recovery...