Author's Note: Hi everyone! So...I've decided to give writing a try after only reading fanfics for a few years. PLEASE be gentle with your reviews. This is my first dramione fanfic ever. I haven't decided if I will continue this just yet. Anywho, enjoy! Thoughts and suggestions are encouraged. :)

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns it all. I only own this plot.

Chapter 1: Making Her Way

2:00 p.m., Friday, July 28, 2000, Wizarding University of Paris, Paris, France

It was hard to believe that two years had passed since the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione could still remember the day as if it were yesterday. She could vividly recount all of the chaos, the struggles, the anger, the fear and the final emotional high at the realization that the Dark Lord or Voldemort was finally gone forever. Now that it was all over, she could honestly say that she had no idea if Harry would have been as successful as he had been. For a few months, while they wandered the wilderness without Ron at their side, doubt had regretfully entered her when she would see Harry look so lost. She had tried so hard to help him figure out the next move so they could be a step ahead but he would just give her this look that seemed to say, "I don't know what to do next".Thankfully, they were able to figure it all out and the turn of events ended up being triumphant for the Order and for all of wizarding kind. She hated to think what would have happened if the latter had progressed. If Voldemort still lived, then she wouldn't have been able to-

" 'Ermione Granger? Iz there a Miss 'Ermione Granger 'ere?"

Hermione snapped her head up. She hadn't realized that the secretary had been calling her name for the last three minutes. She had gotten so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed her appointment with the headmaster at the Wizarding University of Paris. Ever since she had returned to Hogwart's to complete her seventh year after the war, Hermione had opted to go to college afterwards. Needless to say, both Harry and Ron had argued with her extensively on her negating her opportunity to work for the ministry straightaway when she decided to return to Hogwart's. They argued even more so when she decided to go back for more schooling. Eventually, Harry had come around and accepted her decision. Ron, however, was not very happy about it:

"I don't understand any of this!" Ron had argued. "Why are you so stubborn to go back to school? We are war heroes! The golden trio! AND you have now graduated from Hogwart's when you didn't have to. Surely,that means you don't have to go to school ever again. I mean, bloody hell, we helped defeat the darkest wizard of our time!"

"Yes, of course you wouldn't understand!" she had yelled back. "You can't see or know what this means to me! I don't want a ministry job to be handed to me! I want to EARN it! And I like to learn! So with or without your support, I am going back to school!"

"But what about us? Are you going to keep putting our relationship in the backburner while you go off to school again?"

Sadly, that argument had led to many more and despite everything they had gone through, it caused Ron and Hermione's relationship to strain and eventually caused it to end. It had now been three months since she and Ron had broken up and true to her word, she proceeded to apply for college. Without his support.

Before the secretary could call out her name a third time, she quickly made her way to the headmaster's office with a quick thank you and took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of the dark mahogany desk of the school's headmaster, Gaspard Dubois. The headmaster didn't even look up while Hermione walked in. He seemed to be too preoccupied in revising her transcripts and recommendation letter as Hermione settled herself. Another two minutes passed in silence and Hermione began to fidget in her chair and chewed on her lower lip. This interview was the last step she had to go through to see if she was eligible for their school and it was the most nerve-wracking experience by far. Finally, after another few minutes of silence, she cleared her throat softly in order to get the headmaster's attention. He finally looked up.

"Ah! Good morning, Miss Granger," he said.

"Good morning, sir," she responded.

"I apologize if I seem a bit distracted," he offered. "I am just in shock by your transcripts. According to this, you have exceeded all of the NEWTs you took last summer with Outstandings as well as written a thesis over the benefits on marketing to the public the Wolfsbaine potion"

"Sir?" she asked softly.

"Furthermore, according to this recommendation from Headmistress McGonagall, you had been offered a position within the Ministry of Magic in England and yet you have refused to take it. May I ask the reason why?"

"Oh. Well, you see sir, I actually have no interest in working for the ministry at the moment. At first, my plans were to work for the Magical Law Enforcement department in order to enforce the proper care and well-being of magical creatures. However…"

In all honesty, Hermione didn't have a real reason for negating her chance at the ministry. Everyone had assumed that she would have taken the position once she graduated Hogwart's but she had decided to prove everyone wrong by taking an unexpected route.

"However…" the headmaster repeated.

"However, I felt that my education was more important and I would like to earn the necessary credentials before I take the next step. I would like to earn my way."

"But Miss Granger, I think you have more than earned your way and you are more than qualified. As I've stated, you have passed your NEWTs with Outstandings, helped defeat the darkest wizard the wizarding world has ever known and even wrote this thesis," he said while motioning a hand towards the transcripts.

Throughout his speech, Hermione remained quiet.

"So please, help me understand why you are willing to put your future ministry career in pause. In all honesty, this is a bit bewildering," he confessed.

With an internal sigh, she began to tell him what she had not planned to say.

"With all due respect, headmaster, I just want to get away from England for a bit. Going to school seemed to be the best way to do so without being idle. Not to mention, it will help train me for a position I don't feel like I am qualified to take just yet. And the reason I keep saying that I want to earn my way is because I really do want to earn my way. If I were to take that position being offered by the ministry, I want it to be because I applied like any other candidate would have done so. I want to be certified and not have the backlash of getting the position just because I am wartime heroine…I don't know if that makes any sense to you, sir, but those are my motives."

She took a deep breath and waited for his response.

The headmaster gave her a pensive look for a few more minutes before saying, "Yes, Miss Granger. That does make sense."

Another few more moments passed by and then the headmaster finally cleared his throat and began the official interview process.

"So…Miss Granger…why are you interested in attending the Wizarding University of Paris specifically?"

After about an hour, Hermione finally exited the headmaster's office with a smile on her face. Despite her knowing that the process itself would be grueling, the headmaster seemed to really have taken a liking to her answers and seemed to almost smile himself when he saw how excited she was to be attending further schooling and speaking about her other future aspirations. Though he had told her that she would get a response via owl in a week with his decision, he had gone ahead welcomed her to the school.

Needless to say, Hermione was on cloud nine as she walked out of the building and towards the Apparition point back to England. She couldn't wait to tell her parents, the Weasleys and Harry. She somewhat knew that the interview was going to be successful but she still didn't want be presumptuous about it. But now that it was done and over with, she couldn't help the giddiness within her. She was just so excited! Finally, here was her chance to start anew. Somewhere where no one really knew her. Of course, they would have read about her but they didn't know her. That prospect made her smile even bigger.

As she turned the corner in such a rush, she collided with someone that nearly knocked her down on her bum just as other person "oofed!" outloud. Luckily, the other person grabbed ahold of her waist and righted her before she could fall.

"Oh! I am terribly sorry! I-Malfoy?!"

A/N: Please review :)