Greetings, Muggle! Inspiration struck me at about 2am, and this was born out of my skull. (Athena/Zeus, anyone?) This is the first time I've actually posted anything on FF, so please leave me reviews. If anyone wants to critique it, that would be amazing. I love writing, and the only way I'll get better is if people tell me how to improve.
Disclaimer: I own none of this and am not getting any money for it. I'm just babysitting JK's brainchild. Not kidnapping. I don't have the money for a lawsuit. ;)
Hermione Granger stepped off the train after finishing her fifth year at Hogwarts. She pulled her trunk behind her, before turning to her two best friends, Harry and Ron, and giving them a look that rivaled Professor McGonagall's.
"Now remember, finish your summer coursework early."
"But 'Mione," Ron whined, "you aren't coming to The Burrow until August! How are we supposed to get anything done?"
"Oh honestly, how you've managed to pass school this far is beyond me. This year, though, I was hoping you would finish your schoolwork before school starts."
"Come on, can't we just—"
"It's fine, Ron," Harry said, cutting him off. "If we finish our work before she gets there, she'll check it and fix all our mistakes for us."
Hermione glared at them. "She won't, you know," she said, knowing all the while that her threat was empty.
She opened her mouth to lecture them some more, but the boys' cheeky smiles caused her to relent, and pull them both in for a hug.
"I know this may be a lot to ask, but just be careful. Don't go running off after anything, and don't do anything stupid. I won't be around to look after you."
At her words, Harry's smile dropped. Hermione briefly felt guilty for bringing up a veritable land mine of emotions; embarrassment over being tricked by Voldemort, guilt over dragging everyone to the Ministry, and despair over Sirius's death; but she hoped it would push Harry (and by extension, Ron) into laying low for the summer.
"Don't worry. We'll be careful," Ron said.
She gave them each one last smile, which they returned (though Harry's was considerably weaker) and headed off the platform.
Arriving in the Muggle section of King's Cross was jarring. People rushed around, pushing each other out of the way, and staring strangely at her antiquated Hogwart's trunk. Hermione struggled into an empty corner, scanning around for her parents.
"Hermione! Over here!"
She turned to see her parents, Alan and Jean Granger, waving to her. She smiled and waved back, and subtly adjusted her jumper before walking over to them.
Though the injury she received at the Ministry was healed, the hex Dolohov sent her way was a nasty one, leaving a scar that was red and raised, and almost guaranteed to frighten and anger her parents.
Of course, the Headmaster had informed her parents of what happened, but hearing about it and seeing the aftermath of it were two very different things.
Hermione approached her parents warily, unsure of their reaction. Immediately, Jean grabbed her and hugged her tightly, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes.
"Oh, darling! You certainly gave us a fright."
"Mum, it's ok. I wasn't hurt badly."
"Still, the fact that you were hurt at all worries me! What kind of school is this, where students run off to battle evil wizards in the night?" she asked, her voice getting higher pitched with each word.
"Now, calm down, Jean, it's alright. Hermione is here, and safe," Alan interjected, picking up Hermione's trunk and guiding the two women towards the exit.
He pulled Hermione into a hug, and whispered in her ear, "I may be defending you from your mother now, but don't think this exempts you from the nice, long talk we're going to be having at home."
Hermione was saved from answering by their arrival at the car, where she helped her dad heave her trunk into the boot, and hopped into the driver's seat. She may be a witch at Hogwarts, but during the first half of the summer she was all Muggle, and certainly wasn't going to ask for a ride every time she needed to get to the library.
The drive home was silent, barring the few corrections her dad gave her. Like everything, Hermione approached learning to drive with feverish dedication and the appropriate amount of caution, leaving little to no need for improvement.
Once they stepped into the house, though, the silence became deafening. Hermione awkwardly cleared her throat.
"I'll just, um, put my things upstairs," she said.
"Right," Alan replied, "come down when you're done."
She nodded, taking her time up the stairs. The longer she avoided talking about what happened at the Ministry, the better. Once the trunk was unpacked and everything in it was carefully stowed in its allotted place, Hermione stood, hand on her doorknob, and took a deep breath.
Come on, Hermione. What are you, a Hufflepuff? Go downstairs. What's the worst that could happen?
Almost as soon as the words entered her mind, a scream was heard. Hermione, galvanized into action, grabbed her wand, rushing down the stairs and into the sitting room.
Two men were standing in black robes and skull masks, pointing their wands at Hermione's parents, who were cowering on the floor.
"Stupify!" Hermione shouted. Her sudden appearance caught them off guard and the spell landed its mark, taking one of the Death Eaters down.
The second man pulled off his mask, revealing a head of platinum blond hair. Malfoy. He pointed his wand slash pimp cane at Hermione.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A jet of green light shot out, and Hermione ducked behind the couch.
"Come out, come out wherever you are, mudblood," he said, clearly taunting.
"Conjunctivitus!" she fired from behind the couch. Lucius Malfoy sidestepped it and laughed, believing himself to have the upper hand.
Hermione waited with baited breath. As soon as Malfoy advanced towards her 'hiding spot' she jumped at him.
"Petrificus Totalis!"
He fell backward, on top of his fellow Death Eater, whose identity was still hidden by the mask.
Hermione quickly summoned her Patronus, sending a message to the Order. Several pops sounded, signaling the arrival of help.
The second Death Eater, having woken from being stunned, took a quick look at the Order and wasted no time in Apparating away with Malfoy, narrowly dodging the flurry of spells sent their way.
"Wotcher, Hermione. You haven't been off school for one day yet and already you've got Death Eaters attacking the house!" The familiar voice of Tonks caused Hermione to smile, albeit shakily.
The harsh breathing coming from the other side of the room reminded her of the fact that her two very frightened parents were still in the room. Hermione adopted what she hoped was a pacifying expression.
"Mum, Dad…"
"What WAS that?!" her mother shrieked. Tonks stepped forward.
"Now, Dr. Granger, I know you're probably very upset right now, but it's ok, really. You both still have your lives, and your heads—"
Kingsley cleared his throat, giving Tonks a warning look. She stepped back.
"Remember how I told you about the evil wizard Voldemort's followers?" Hermione asked, "Well…those were two of them. Death Eaters, they're called."
"Are those the people you fought at that…Ministry of yours?" Alan asked. Hermione nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
"I'm sorry, Mum, Dad. It's my fault they came here, if I hadn't gone to the Ministry…if I wasn't a witch at all none of this would have happened, and now you're both scared and have to move…" she trailed off.
Alan stepped up and gave her a comforting hug.
"Don't worry darling. None of this is your fault. Of course, your mother and I would have preferred you not to go fighting evil wizards and we also would have preferred not to get attacked, but none of this is your fault. You can't help that you're a witch, and honestly, we wouldn't want you to be anything different than what you are."
"He's right, Hermione," Jean said, "you are what you are, and we are so proud. You saved us both tonight," she said, before realization struck. "Wait. What do you mean we have to move?"
This time, Kingsley spoke.
"Drs. Granger, unfortunately we cannot allow you to remain in this house. It wouldn't be safe for either of you. We will arrange a Portkey to take you to one of the safehouses we've set up for occasions like this. Don't worry, it will be in a Muggle area, so you should be comfortable."
Jean let out a small sob, but pulled herself together and nodded bravely. Hermione felt a twinge of pride at her mother. Had she been a witch, Hermione knew that Jean would have been a Gryffindor through and through.
"As for Hermione," Kingsley continued, "we will be sure to keep her safe and sound."
At this, both Alan and Jane started.
"We're not leaving without Hermione," Jean protested, "surely she'll be coming to the safehouse with us."
"Mum…" Hermione said, "I can't come with you. I'd put the both of you in too much danger, and I'd be putting myself in danger as well. The Order can protect me, and besides, you can't expect me to stick my head in the sand until the danger is passed."
"That is exactly what we expect you to do," Alan said forcefully, "You will not be involved with a war at the age of 16."
"Actually, Dad, I'll be 17 when school starts. Of age both here and in the Magical world. Though, technically, I'm already 17 thanks to the extra hours I got from the use of the Time Turner my third year. Remember, I told you about that?"
"Don't change the subject," he said, and turned to Kingsley and Tonks, "Surely you people aren't so insane that you're going to allow children to fight in your wars."
"With all due respect, Dr. Granger," Tonks began, "Hermione has been in this since the tender young age of 11, due in no small part to her friendship with a certain Harry Potter."
Both Alan and Jean paled.
"Really, don't worry about Hermione. She'll be perfectly safe with us, and if she hasn't died yet by the hand of the troll, basilisk, or Professor Snape for stealing, she's probably fine."
Strangely enough, these words didn't seem to calm Hermione's parents down. Hermione mentally face-palmed, while simultaneously wondering how Tonks knew about the stealing incident.
"You heard them, Mum. I can't stay with you guys, and I won't leave Harry until Voldemort is defeated. I am helping in this war," she said, raising her chin defiantly, "because it's just as much my war as it is anyone else's."
Jean sighed. "Hermione, dear, we really don't like the idea of you fighting evil wizards at your age, or any age, really, but I know I am correct in assuming that there's not really anything we can do about it, and I don't want to leave on bad terms. So, be extra careful and don't put yourself in any more danger."
"I'll try," Hermione said, tearfully hugging both her parents.
"Well," Kingsley said, "now that that's settled, I would suggest you go up and pack up the things you need to take with you for tonight. We will box everything else up and send it to you soon. You as well, Miss Granger. Alastor Moody is bringing a Portkey for your parents, and escorting you back to Grimmauld Place. Tonks and I are going to get started on the house."
AN: So...what did you think? Were the characters in character? Was my writing boring? Are there grammatical mistakes?
Critique away! (But don't flame. Fire doesn't improve anything, it destroys it.)
