Chapter 1 Summary: Harry and Ron leave to fight Voldemort. Hermione goes to Hogwarts to help out during the war with a few friends.
Disclaimer: I own nothing… very sad, I know…
Chapter 1: Leaving"I'll be alright Ginny, I promise." Harry was telling the redhead. Ron and Hermione stood nearby. Hermione grinned inwardly. They might not be together, but Ginny and Harry were definitely in love.
Hermione looked over at her former boyfriend. She and Ron had broken up just after the school year had finished. They had agreed mutually just to be friends. "You were always like a sister to me," Ron had told her. "I had just thought that maybe we were supposed to be together."
Their bickering was the thing that finally ended their relationship. Hermione could be Ron's friend or sister, but girlfriend and romantic interest was just a role that she would never be able to fill. She couldn't get along with him long enough.
Ron glanced over at Hermione giving her a half-smile in an attempt of reassuring her, but only accomplished looking rather worried and sick.
"I want to come with you. I won't let you go without me." Ginny said.
"No!" Harry and Ron both responded simultaneously. Ginny looked angrily between the two. She was about to say something when Hermione spoke up.
"Gin, I don't think that's a good idea. It's just too dangerous for them. We would be too much of a distraction. If we went, they could end up getting hurt." Or killed. Her brain reminded her. "Besides, we have to help out with the Order. I know this is hard Ginny, but we have to stay here."
Ginny looked resigned. Ron and Harry shot Hermione grateful and relieved looks.
The boys said quick goodbyes, trying to make their departure as painless as possible. The girls were still crying when Harry and Ron walked out the door of 12 Grimmauld Place at midnight.
The girls had little time to worry over Harry and Ron. They had chores to do, and they had extra that day. At seven o'clock, there was to be a meeting for the Order of the Phoenix and rooms needed to be prepared.
After Dumbledore's death, it was quickly decided that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny should be admitted into the Order. The four of them also convinced the members to accept Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.
The two had been visiting with family for the past two weeks and would be coming back that night. The Order had put the Grangers in hiding. Hermione hadn't seen them all summer.
Around six-thirty, Luna and Neville and Neville arrived accompanied by Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody. Other members, including some Hogwarts teachers, trickled in until they all sat around the table in the kitchen at seven O'clock.
After making sure everyone was well fed, Molly Weasley took role. Professor McGonagall then stood to address the Order.
"It has been decided that Hogwarts shall not hold classes this year. However, we will use it as a hospital, a storehouse, and a training center. It will be our stronghold in this war, though this will still be our private headquarters. We need to begin preparing the castle. I would like your help." She looked specifically at the corner that Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Fred, George, and Charlie occupied.
"Of course, Professor." Hermione responded.
"Whatever we can do." Ginny added. The others nodded their heads in agreement.
"Very good. I will give you all your quarters when we arrive at the castle. I will give you your assignments there as well. We will leave in the morning so that we can arrive at the castle before sundown."
"Is Hogwarts safe?" Luna asked.
"The castle itself is safe. The grounds have protection charms up as well, but they are not nearly as strong as the ones on the castle. I would not suggest that you go outside after dark unless absolutely necessary." McGonagall responded.
"Are we going to Hogwarts on the train?" Charlie asked.
"Yes. I am a bit wary of the floo system. All but one of the fireplaces has been disconnected." McGonagall explained. "The train will leave at six tomorrow morning, so I'm afraid that you will all have to get up rather early."
"That being said, I think you all had better get to bed." Mrs. Weasley responded.
Upstairs, George, Fred, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Neville decided to go and pack their things before meeting in the twins' room.
Hermione and Ginny went into their shared room on the second floor and started shoving clean clothes, books, quills, letters, and any other possessions they had into their trunks. They set their dirty clothes to cleaning themselves. (With Voldemort being back, the Ministry of Magic wasn't quite so concerned about underage magic.)
After the clothes were finished, Hermione preformed a quick drying spell and with a flick of her wand, the washtub disappeared. The girls threw the last of their things into their trunks and slammed the lids shut. The two changed into their pajamas.
"Do you think anyone else is up there yet?" Ginny asked, referring to the twins' room.
"Of course they're all up there. No one else would wash their clothes first." Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"Do you think the house elves will still be at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know. But if they aren't, the boys will have a fit when I make them go learn a cleaning spell for themselves." Hermione grinned.
"Come on. Let's go." Ginny said pulling on a robe while nodding in agreement.
Hermione had been right, they were the last to arrive. Fred was lying down face-up on his bed. George had made himself comfortable on the old armchair next to the wardrobe. Luna stared out the window and Neville sat near the door on an old wooden chair.
"What do you think they'll have us do?" Neville was asking.
Fred shrugged. "Well, I know we aren't going to be guarding the castle. Mom already told George and I that they didn't want us on the schedule. Told us that they have other plans for us."
"We'll probably have chores mostly. Sweeping, cleaning, making food. . . other things like that. Most other jobs would be too dangerous." Ginny guessed.
"I bet they put Hermione on some research project." George grinned.
"Maybe they will." Hermione smiled. "I wouldn't mind that at all."
"Course you wouldn't." Fred replied. "So why are you going to do something you like while the rest of us are forced to scrub toilets?"
"You don't know for sure that you'll have to clean, or that I'll be doing research. Anyway, you can find a toilet cleaning charm in the library I'm sure." Hermione responded.
Mrs. Weasley stuck her head in the room. "What are you all still doing up? Get to bed. There will be time to talk in the morning."
Hermione and Ginny were up by 4:30 the next morning. They went down for breakfast and found the tired faces of many Order members. Fred smiled sleepily at them and mumbled a good morning. Next to him, George was asleep with the top of his head resting in his bowl of oatmeal.
Thirty minutes later, fifteen people with trunks in hand exited 12 Grimmauld Place and started walking down the street. They walked for ten minutes until they came across a ratty shoe in the middle of a field. "Everyone grab hold." McGonagall told them.
Touching the portkey, they were all transported to an alleyway, just a block from Kings Cross Station.
The twins both seemed quite awake now. Hermione could her Fred commenting that Professor McGonagall looked completely unnatural in muggle clothing. Hermione had to agree.
Luna was discussing the Quibbler with Neville, who seemed rather interested in the subject. Hagrid, who had come after Hermione had gone to bed, was asking Charlie about some of the dragons he had cared for in Romania.
Everyone quickly broke off into separate quiet conversations. Hermione still walked next to a humming Ginny with McGonagall a bit ahead of them.
Ginny stopped humming and turned to Hermione. "Where do you think we are going to sleep? Are we going to our houses? Are there even any people other than Gryffindors?"
"You aren't going to your houses, Miss Weasley. We are reserving those dorms as hospital wings and other such things. You'll see your quarters when we get there." McGonagall said ahead of them.
Arriving at the station, the group casually walked into the wall between platforms 9 and 10 in groups of two or three.
Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Neville took a compartment in the middle of the train, as most other compartments were filled with supplies.
They sat comfortably most of the ride telling jokes, talking about the past, wondering what Harry and Ron were doing, and guessing what the year would bring.
They would soon find that all of their guesses would be wrong.