Hermione despised summer for three reasons. First, summer entailed less time to study. Second, the heat muddled her brain. Third, time away from Hogwarts made her lonely.
Japan was especially time-consuming, especially hot, and especially far from Hogwarts. So when her parents proposed a trip to Japan, Hermione was crushed. Maybe her parents had nice dentist friends there, but Hermione would face isolation.
To preserve her parents' feelings, Hermione agreed to go. But in her head, she wished for the summer of seventh year to speed by.
…
Tezuka Kunimitsu adored summer for three reasons. First, summer entailed more time for tennis. Second, the warm weather was conducive to tennis playing. Third, time away from Seigaku allowed the tennis team to bond outside of school.
In his excitement about summer vacation, Tezuka had arranged for a sojourn in a villa. The villa, which Tezuka had rented from his wealthy friend Atobe, stood atop a mountain. The building was luxurious, nearly a mansion. More importantly, its backyard accommodated top-quality tennis courts.
Tezuka had invited his team to the villa for a week. "There, we can practice tennis extensively" he had explained.
The Seigaku regulars had nodded, resigned to sacrifice their time for relaxation. "Yes, Captain," they had agreed, subdued.
That day, the team had arrived at the villa. They now ran laps around the tennis courts, accustoming their feet to the new surface.
Tezuka urged his team to sprint faster, wishing for the summer of senior year to last forever.
…
Hermione hiked up the mountain. She sweated despite the shade of the pine forest.
Her parents were currently at the air-conditioned Tooth Museum in Tokyo. Yes, Tooth Museum- Hermione had laughed disbelievingly when she heard the name. But the museum truly existed, and her parents were visiting it. Since Hermione lacked interest in dentistry, she had opted for a solitary hike. Now, simply because of the heat, she regretted her decision.
Hermione trudged up a particularly steep slope. She began to fear that she would never reach the peak. Then she heard voices above her. They spoke in Japanese, which sounded like gibberish to Hermione. Curious nonetheless, she strained her ears to listen.
"Twenty more laps," shouted a stern voice. Groans filled the air.
"Stop complaining, or I'll make it thirty," commanded the voice.
Hermione heard emphatic "no"s, then the drumming of feet against ground.
Curious to see the speakers, Hermione resumed her ascent up the slope. A fence came into view. What was the flat green surface beyond it? A tennis court?
As Hermione squinted through the fence bars, her foot caught on a tree root. Hermione's ankle caved inwards, and she toppled over. She shrieked as her body landed on the rocky ground. Her head hit a stone, and everything went black.
…
"Did you just hear a girl scream?" Eiji Kikumaru demanded, skidding to a halt.
The other team members nodded, stopping as well.
Tezuka frowned. "I'll see what's going on," he told everyone.
What a bother, he thought to himself. I wanted them to practice with no interruptions.
Tezuka exited the court, slamming the fence door behind him. He descended the hillside next to it. Several yards down, he caught sight of a girl sprawled on the ground. She appeared to be about his age, European, and utterly unmoving.
Tezuka rushed up to her. He placed his hand on her heart. There was a pulse- she was not dead.
Tezuka shook her shoulders. "Hey, wake up," he yelled.
The girl did not stir. A breeze blew her bushy, brown hair over her face.
Sighing, Tezuka scooped her up in his arms. "What a distraction," he said to himself as he carried her up to the villa.
…
Hermione awoke in a lavish four-poster bed that reminded her of the dormitories at Hogwarts. The sheets felt silky beneath her. A fan cooled the room; pastel curtains fluttered in its wake. Hermione yawned and stretched, smiling contentedly.
"How can you be happy right now?" a voice demanded in Japanese.
Hermione spun toward its source. A teenage Japanese boy sat in an armchair next to the bed. His posture was rigid, his expression stolid. Thick glasses covered his otherwise handsome face.
"S-sorry, but I can't speak Japanese," Hermione spluttered. "I'm from England."
"That's fine," the boy replied in nearly fluent English. "I can communicate in your language, as well."
"Wow," said Hermione. "Where did you learn how?"
"English is one of my favorite subjects at school," the boy explained.
"You actually study?" Hermione gasped. "I've never met a boy who takes school seriously."
The boy cocked an eyebrow. "I take everything seriously. Do you?"
"Oh, yes," Hermione gushed. "I love school. I love every single class. Once, I even used a Time-Turner to attend extra classes."
"Excuse my imperfect English, but what's a Time-Turner?" the boy inquired.
Hermione gulped. Why was she spilling secrets of the Wizarding World to this stranger?
"Er, what's your name, anyways?" she asked to change the subject.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu," he responded, straightening to his full height. "You?"
"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.
She sat up on the bed and extended her hand. Tezuka shook it. Something about his firm grip felt reassuring.