Chapter One: Exciting Beginnings

Hermione POV

Dear Miss Granger ,

I am very pleased to inform you that you have been selected to attain the Head Girl position. It is a title of great responsibility, but I don't doubt you will hold you and your new position well. May many new horizons show in your future.

My sincerest regards,

Albus Dumbledore

I squealed in delight. This is what I have waiting for the past six years, part of what I had been working so hard for. Leave it to Dumbledore to sound like a fortune cookie.

"Mum! Dad! You'll never guess what just came!" I yelled as I bolted out my room and down the stairs to the kitchen to tell them the news of my letter.

I went to my dad who was presently sitting at the breakfast table drinking his coffee and reading the paper, hugging him tightly. "What is it pumpkin?" he asked patiently, waiting for my bouncing to cease.

"Mum! Dad! Im Head Girl!" I said this with such pride, I thought I was sure I was going to burst at the seams. "Well dear, that's wonderful. You should go owl Harry and Ron, I'm sure they'd be pleased to hear the news." my mother said while she stood at the stove, cooking that nights dinner.

"Mhmm." was my only reply.

It felt like we had all fallen out of each others lives. Correction. Like I'D fallen out of their precious lives. Over the summer I'd received all but one bloody stinking letter. And it was from Ginny no less, connected to a PS. Harry and Ron say hello.

Well isn't that spankin' dandy? I feel so absobloodylutely loved. But my summer hadn't been all that bad. During my sixth year my parents had moved from my old childhood house to a newer house in a newer, better neighborhood. It was there I met my new friends.

It had been when I had gotten home after the long train ride from Hogwarts last June- tired, beat and just wanting to sleep.

Flashback

We had arrived in a nice suburb. I had just gotten out of my mom's new Mercedes when two guys and a girl, all on skateboards came to a rolling stop in front of me. My mom had taken my luggage and crookshanks inside, so it was just me standing awkwardly on the sidewalk looking at them in awe.

"Hey. You're the new girl? Im Reid, this is Nick and Rachael." The boy with amazingly green eyes and light blond hair introduced him and his friends. The other boy, slightly shorter than Reid, but by no means less built, buff or just plain hot. Nick had brown hair and blue eyes, the same with Rachael. You could tell her and Nick were related.

"Hey, I'm Hermione." I was practically drooling.

"I didn't think your folks had any kids until your mum told our mum that their daughter was coming home from boarding school." said Nick

So I'd been the expected daughter. Splendid.

" Yeah... Have you guys always lived here?" I asked, to try and make conversation.

"Eh, not really, I've lived here for about five years. Nick and Rach have been here what- three years?"

I heard the agreeing mhmm's of the other two. "Well, we were just wondering if you'd ever want to hang out with us sometime, you know. Get to know the neighborhood?" It was Nick this time. He looked shy, Reid was obviously the talker, the leader.

"I really need a girlfriend. These boys have been my mates for a while, I need some girl input in here." I smiled.

"I know exactly what you're feeling." we shared a grin.

After that it was a piece of cake. We all fit together like pieces in a puzzle.

End Flashback

I snapped out of my stupor and began my way up the stairs to my room, "I think im gonna head over to Reid's- is that okay?" My turning seventeen soon made me want more freedom, but still didn't want my parents to feel that I was being disrespectful.

"Okay honey. Just don't be back too late." I heard my mom yell up the stairs.

I reached my room and picked up the phone, dialing my friends number.

"Hey Mione." he'd answered on the second ring.

"Im coming over soon. Okay? Were going to the mall today right, with Nick and Rach?" I asked.

"Yup. That's still the plan Stan." I could hear the smile in his voice. Gosh, I loved it when he did that. We were kind of in a relationship, but not the official 'boyfriend-girlfriend' thing.

We liked eachother, but we knew neither of us had time when the school year began. So, we kept it small, not too committed, so not a lot of pain later.

"Okay, see you soon. Bye"

"Mmkay bye."

We hung up.

It was 10:30ish. I took a fast shower, stepping out and brushed my teeth, and dried my hair. It had been getting a lot less bushy. I had been able to contain it to loose waves. Not especially to my liking, but one hell of a lot better than the bush it had been when I was younger.

I walked back to my room and put on a bra and panties, looking out the window to see how the weather was. It was surprisingly blue. Only those small puffy wisps floating slowly and silently through the sky.

I chose a pair of dark jeans, and a blue flowy shirt with spaghetti straps and outlines of three birds in the corner. I straightened my hair and put on some light makeup. Stuffing my feet into my flip flops I grabbed my purse and cellphone and headed downstairs.

"Bye Mum. We're off to the mall." I said as I passed through the kitchen and living room to the front door. "Okay honey, have fun and don't be out too late."

I sighed as I closed the door behind me, making my way over to Reid's house I noticed, as always, neither of his parents cars were in the driveway. They were barely ever home. He pretty much lived by himself.

I went up to the door and let myself in, we were like family. "Reid?" I yelled to the house, not knowing where to look for him.

"Yea. Im in my room." I hear him holler from upstairs. I began to walk upstairs when I heard a car park in the driveway. Hmm. Probably Nick and Rachael.

I walk into Reid's room to seem him in a towel, wet, and shaking his blond hair out, spraying me with water droplets. "Jeez Reid. Thanks for that. Really." I began grumbling as I walked to sit on his bed.

He pulled a pair of boxers on under his towel and then let it drop. Damn he's sexy. I became lost in thought as I looked at his toned, sexy abs and pecs. I heard a throat being cleared in the doorway. It was Nick. "We ready to go mate?"

I blushed. He obviously caught me staring at Reid. Humph. Well whatever. I can appreciate eye candy if I bloody well please.

The three of us made our way down the stairs and out the door to the waiting car, where Rachael sat in the front seat, shuffling through the cd case.

Some people think they're always right

Others are quiet and uptight

Others they seem so very nice, nice, nice, nice, nice, nice

Inside they might feel sad and wrong

"Good choice Rach." I said, humming along to the Strokes.

Twenty-nine different attributes

Only seven that you like (uh oh)

Twenty ways to see the world (oh-ho)

Twenty ways to start a fight (oh-ho)

Oh don't, don't, don't get up

I can't see the sunshine

I'll be waiting for you, baby

Cause I'm through

Sit me down

By this time, we were all humming, me and Rachael singing along to the famous song we had all become quite fond of.

Shut me up

I'll calm down

And I'll get along with you

ooooooo-ooooooo-oooooh

Oh, men don't notice what they got

Oh, women think of that a lot...

A thousand ways to please your man (oh-ho)

Not even one requires a plan (I know)

And Countless odd religions, too

It doesn't matter which you choose (oh no)

One stubborn way to turn your back (oh-ho)

This I've tried and now refuse (oh-ho)

Oh don't, don't, don't get up

I can't see the sunshine

Oh, I'll be waiting for you, baby

Cause I'm through

Sit me down

Shut me up

I'll calm down

And I'll get along with you

Alright

Shut me up

Shut me up

And I'll get along with you

In the mean time, Nick began pulling the car into the mall plaza parking lot. We rolled the windows up and headed into the mall.

We went through many of the stores, picking out a few things. I mainly wanted to go to the mall so I could get some clothes for school. Being an upcoming seventh year, I was not required to wear a uniform, just the cloak distinguishing me as Gryffindor Head Girl.

That thought made me giddy, lost in my train of thought, I didn't notice myself walking straight into someone, knocking all my bags out of my hands. "Oh, im terribly sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Don't worry about it." I looked up into a pair of silver eyes, peering at me curiously.