AN: This has been in my head for a while now, it was only last night around midnight that I thought about how to make this in to an actual story. Anyways, this will have nothing to do with Happenstance. Don't expect frequent updates, Happenstance is my main priority; this is just a little side project.

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.

XxX

"Thief! Get back here and face your punishment like a man!"

Laughing, Hermione pulled the three loafs of bread closer to her body as she quickly dived under a broken fence. Holding her breath, she waited as the loud pounding of feet quickly passed from where she had been hiding. When the steps and shouts faded out, she got to her feet and began the long way back home. The sun was already setting for the day.

Hiding the stolen bread in her large coat, she quickly made her way down the dirty back alleyways behind houses and streets. Her bare and dirty feet made hardly a sound as she slipped through small breaks in the walls or fences. This day she had been lucky, usually she was only able to steal one loaf of bread. Today the seller had been distracted so she had been able to take an additional two.

About halfway home, she stopped at a broken mirror, looking in; she took her time to look at herself. Looking back was a thin, dirty looking boy. Raising her hand to her hair, she slowly fingered the short locks. Living the way that she did meant that having long hair was a luxury, and having short hair was better because then bugs couldn't get it.

She looked thin, well she was. Having to steal for your food made it so that she wasn't able to eat as often as others. The clothes she wore were also stolen; they had been taken from a man that had left his window open after leaving the house. It didn't matter to her; they only made it more believable that she was a boy. Men had it better because they were able to get jobs and vote; women hardly made anything and were treated like objects. Her skin was pale, and had scratches and cuts on her arms, her feet were covered in dirt; just like her hands. The only thing that was memorable about her was her eyes. They were a smoldering chocolate brown, which always seemed to have a determined look in them.

Turning from the mirror, she continued on her way. Climbing over a broken wall, she ducked under another wall and was met with the sight of her home. Being an orphan, she didn't have much. Many who lived like she did had nothing either, but it was home to her. It was a run down old shack that was just barely standing. The windows were broken, and the paint had peeled away, and the door was about to fall off, but it was home.

Crawling under the door, being careful about the bread, she was glad to see her friends. Ron and Harry were sitting in front of a feeble fire, each taking turns to add small sticks and leaves to keep it burning, the price for actual firewood was outrageous. The two grinned at her when she made her way inside.

The boys looked the same as she did, stolen clothing and dirty hands and feet. Their hair was cropped close to the head as well. They didn't have any money to buy shoes with, what they were able to steal or earn went to buying food. If there was no money, like now, then they all went out into the town to steal for their dinner.

" 'Mione! You made it!" Harry said, his green eyes flashing.

"Yeah, you'll never guess what we got today!" Ron said, grinning.

"Oh? Well, look at what I got!" She said, pulling the three loafs out from her pockets.

The boys gasped, but then quickly reached into their own pockets. Ron had three full bottles of milk, and Harry had a small ham. Breaking up the food evenly, the three friends settled own to eat their dinner. Tonight it was more like a feast as they usually only had bread, and at that it was only one loaf. Finished, the trio relaxed and huddled around their small fire.

"Any news about anything?" She asked, looking at the flickering flames.

"No, it's still the same. People are being cheated out of their money, and bread is still expensive." Harry sighed.

"It's only going to get worse." Ron said.

"Don't worry, one of these days, we'll get out of here. Leave London and go somewhere. Maybe Paris, you'll see." Hermione said to her friends determinedly, her eyes blazing.

"Yeah, when pigs fly." Ron snorted.

"Oh shut up, Ron. How do you expect for some girl to come along and fall in love with you?" She asked, pulling her tangled mess of blankets over to the corner.

"Come on, 'Mione. You know that one day we will be married." Ron said, gathering his own blankets into a different corner.

"When pigs fly." Harry said, building his own nest of blankets.

"Precisely." Hermione said, settling down to sleep for the night.

"Night" The trio called out to each other.

Hermione had her usual dream of a blonde haired, blue eyed girl. She didn't know who she was, just that she was important. After all, who has a dream about someone repeatedly without that person being important? The girl looked older than Hermione, so she was around eighteen or nineteen. When she spoke, she spoke in French and only said the same thing, over and over.

"Attends un peu, nous serons ensemble bientôt."