Escaping Cinderella
By LadyofScotts
Rating: FR18 to be safe.
Summary: One of the Scoobies make a WISH and you won't believe the fallout. Set at the beginning of year 5 but will be slightly AU before the Department of Mysteries. Post 'Chosen'.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Buffy the Vampire Slayer they belong the J.K. and Joss obviously. The lucky stiffs.
Chapter One: Dreaming
Every year is the same, yet worse than the one before. The empty ache only grows more intense by the day. Overworked and under appreciated by everyone around her she watches as the clock on her wall slowly ticks toward the witching hour. Not a tear is shed. That well ran dry over a decade ago. Her life was a never ending tour of duty. Days laced with empty smiles and conversations, nights of cold beds. There was no one to come home to no open arms to comfort and warm when the world made her weary.
As the clock struck midnight she sighed and briefly made a wish. "I wish my next life could be better." In the back of her mind she knew she shouldn't have said that out loud but her deep depression prevented her from caring. On the breeze she heard those two dreaded words, "Wish granted."
Hogwarts
Hermione woke with a start. Merlin, how she hated that dream! With every year since her eleventh birthday the dream got stronger and more vivid. She could literally taste the woman's despair in her mouth and feel her weary bones, but she could never see her face. She spent many hours in the Hogwarts library researching dreams and visions but nothing seemed to fit. Harry and Ron were never told about the dream, no need to worry them. She and her two best friends had bigger fish to fry.
Hermione quickly shook away her worry there were more pressing thing than a dream to deal with this year. The first DADA class of the year was only hours away and she was anxious to see how the ministry appointed professor, Umbridge, would pan out. Something about the woman just screamed evil. Looking to her night stand Hermione grabbed her wand and with a flick and swish her clothing and supplies for the day were gathered.
"No need to stay here, I'm so not getting back to sleep." Hermione said to her sleeping roommates as she began her day.
Author Note: Okay that plot bunny came out of nowhere. Please read and review. Be gentle this is the first fanfic I've written in years.J