AN: This story was inspired by a real event in my life but really only went on four the first four chapters. This is an updated version of the first chapter, and I had fixed a few grammar mistakes. Also, Hermione's outfit. I hadn't actual worked on this story for over a year or two, but I was recently inspired to finish it.
Disclaimer: Everything is owned by the amazing J.K.. Only the plot is mine.
Chapter 1: The Beginning
I sat on my bed buried six feet deep in a pile of blankets and quilts, just the way I liked it. My lights were off, and my laptop was balancing dangerously atop my knees. With the speed of lightning, my fingers danced across the keyboard, forming yet another e-mail to my pen pal, Anna.
I had been ecstatic when along with the list of textbooks for Hogwarts was a note announcing that muggle devices would be allowed into the school this year. Headmistress McGonagall believed it would make us more attuned to what was happening outside of Hogwarts and around the world in both the muggle and wizard worlds. As soon as I got the letter info, I had e-mailed Anna telling her that we would be able to chat, even though I had previously believed otherwise. Without another thought I packed my iPod, laptop, and brand new Kindle Fire. I was ready to have at least a little bit of a social life at school instead of being a total loner, like normal, with the exception of Harry, Ron, and the occasional Ginny. I didn't mind the solitude much though. It gave me more time to study and think about things.
Anna and I had been emailing each other back and forth every day for the last month. I loved it. It was great to get to know someone else who lived so far away like she did. She lived in India. Which was fine with me regardless of the annoyance caused by the six hourish time difference between us. I was fascinated with the country of India. They had such a different culture than me, the British witch and notorious bookworm.
Tonight my curiosity got the best of me. I just had to know more about her culture. I absolutely loved learning new things. The different cultures around the world trilled me. There was so much to learn about them. I would spend hours in Hogwarts' library reading book upon book about cultural diversity. I enjoyed the knowledge even though it caused my wizard friends to find me quite amusing, weird, and slightly boring. I didn't care. Knowledge was a weapon that not everyone could have. I just so happened to acquire it. And build on it I did. I gained new knowledge whenever I could. Now was just another great chance to.
I quickly sent an email to Anna asking her to tell me about her culture. I closed my laptop, knowing she wouldn't answer for another four or five hours because of the time change. After much time chatting with Anna, I had gotten better at estimating what time it was there. Thus, I didn't spend all my time awake anymore, but instead set an alarm for midnight every night. This way I could talk to her while she was getting ready for school.
I set the alarm on my muggle phone and laid back down. Pushing my earplugs in and pulling the covers around me more tightly. The warmth of the thick blankets and soft sound of the music playing lightly in the background helped me fell asleep instantly.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I sat up with a jolt. The alarm managed to scare me every time, even after using it for this long. I rubbed my eyes and quietly picked the laptop up off my desk that was clutter with thick volumes about various magical subjects. I lifted the screen, momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness, and typed in the password. After a few seconds of loading my regular backdrop, a picture of Harry, Ron, and I from a couple summers ago, met my eyes. I clicked on the internet icon, which was loading much faster now. I went straight to my favorites and clicked on my email.
I scrolled down and was excited to see that Anna had in fact replied. I click the read button and sat back, reading the long email that told me about her Indian culture. I soaked in every bit of information, eating it up and feeding it to my eager brain.
Harry and Ron had never understood my strange desire to learn. They only thought about Quidditch, chess, and food. Ugh! I honestly didn't see the appeal that Quidditch held for everyone unless it was a really intense game. Personal, I found it to be a waste of time. I had better thing to do than watching sweaty people fly around on brooms attempting to throw a ball threw a hoop. Like studying. Still, they were my best friends, and I loved them dearly. They just didn't quite comprehend my love to learn at every given opportunity.
I reread the message again, making sure to take note on everything she mention. I might mention it to my Muggle Studies teacher tomorrow.
Hullo Hermione,
I don't mind you asking me about my culture. Um. . . about my culture, as they say there is two sides to the coin. Some Indian cultures are really good ideas, for example, the joint family tradition. Where you live with your grandparents, your father's brother, and his kids. I live in such a family. Even though it can mean many adjustments the love, the care, and fun we can have together is worth it. Some things are really backward though, but those are receding, like child marriage. You see, girls of about twelve and thirteen are married to men twice their age for money or just to get married early. This has stopped in all states except a couple of them. In all, Indian Culture now-a-days is really influenced by the western one. Gone are the times when something brought from the US would be a novelty because maximum things are available here. Besides that, once girlfriends and boyfriends were uncommon in in India, but now in metro cities, even in small towns, it's common. And, malls, western clothes, multiplexes, and stuff are common now-a-days. Well, that's it. If you wanna ask me anything feel free to.
Bye
That was great. I excitedly emailed her back, asking her permission to show it to my Muggle Studies teacher. She too was a Muggle-born wizard. She emailed me back a few minutes later telling me to go right ahead. I sent her a thank you message and told her I need to go to sleep before the earlier risers in my dorm began to wake up. I was surprised they never awoke in the middle of the night due to the loud clatter of my fingers on the keyboard. She sent me back a short goodnight reply. I once again closed the laptop and set it on my desk. I snuggled into the blankets and fell back asleep after much too long of time for my liking.
"Hermione, wake up." The loud voice shouted in my ear.
"In a few more minutes." I groaned, pulling the covers tighter around me. Hogwarts was very chilly in the mornings.
"Not in a few more minutes. Classes start in half an hour. You need to eat breakfast." Ginny advised.
At the mention of classes starting, I jumped out of bed. There was no away in Merlin that I would miss a single class. I haven't yet: I wasn't about to start. I quickly pulled on a white button up, a black sweater. I hopped around the dorm trying to find my shoes as I pulled on my stockings and skirt. Ginny chuckled as she watched me run around the room in my haste to not be late. I was exhausted from my late night chats and was stumbling and tripping constantly in my sleepy haze. These chats with Anna were really starting to take their toll on me. In five minutes I was presentable and ready to grab a quick breakfast with Ginny.
"Ready now?" asked an impatient redhead.
"Yup,"
"What is doing this to you, Hermione? You are always tired." Ginny asked, real concern for her best friend coated her words.
"Nothing. Just staying up too late studying I guess." I lied, shrugging my shoulders.
I hadn't told anyone about Anna yet. For some reason I didn't feel like sharing the one person that truly understood my love to learn with my other Quidditch-loving friends. Anna was always there to listen and was on the same intellectual level that I was. I could talk to her for hours on end about any magical or non-magical subject I wanted. She got that I was a nerdy bookworm that lived in the fantasy world of books and knowledge. She was the same. We matched.
"You have bags under your eyes. It must be from the strange new creatures lurking around the castle. I have managed to keep them away with my strawberry necklace. Would you wish me to make you one?" Luna's dreamlike voice floated to me as I sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Um...no thank you, Luna. I'll be fine." I awkwardly declined.
"That's fine. Tell me if you change your mind." Luna said, rising from the bench after one last lick of her spoon and heading towards the Great Hall exit.
I finished my last piece of toast and downed it with a full glass of Pumpkin Juice. I bid everyone a quick goodbye and dashed out of the Great Hall to my first class, Muggle Studies. When I walked into the classroom I went to the teacher's desk. Professor Burbage continued to scratch something down on a piece of parchment before looking up at me.
"Good morning, Miss. Granger. What can I do for you today?" she asked, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"I have an email from my Muggle-born pen pal from India about her culture. I was wondering if you wanted to read it to the class since we are studying cultures." I asked shyly.
I was always like this. Shy. Around everyone but a few really close friends. Well, maybe not even shy, but nervous. I didn't know how I was even sorted into Gryffindor. How is a shy, studious person like me supposed to be brave? It just didn't add up. Nevertheless, I was a Gryffindor.
"Yes, Miss Granger. That would be great. Do you have the email with you?" Professor Burbage asked eagerly.
My shyness vanished immediately. "Of course," I answered, "it's on my laptop."
"Great. You get it ready while I start class." she answered.
Starting class usually took her awhile seeing as this class was quite big. Only a few students were taking Muggle Studies so we were all mashed into one big class. During the Second War we had lost more students than anyone could have expected. At least twenty from each house that wasn't green and silver in color. With all the missing students the classes had been united closer together. All houses could be put in one classroom. This was Headmistress McGonagall's way of uniting us, well, this and the allowance of Muggle devices. We needed to heal. She believed that with all of us in the same classes we would have a greater chance of being with the ones essential to our mourning stage. My process was bury myself so far into my studying that I couldn't feel the pain, or the pain of others around me. It worked,. . . sort of.
I took my sit next to Hogwarts biggest and most popular prankster. Fred Weasley. It was such an inconvenience for me to get him as my partner. For one reason he was a year older and was flirting on the group of girls ahead of us constantly. It didn't bother me that he was flirting with the girls. That was Fred. What bothered me was their insane giggling and disruptive chatter that came from the unruly girls. Not to mention the fact that Fred hardly ever sat still. It was perpetually getting in my way of studying and paying attention to every word the teacher had to say.
I ignored the group of teens as I pulled my laptop out of my bag. I went to my email instantly and opened the message from Anna. Professor Burbage was ready to start now, and the class had quieted down to the point that she could be somewhat heard over their chatter. She motioned me to the front of the class. I give her my laptop and sit back down at my desk. Now people were starting to watch me. Luckily, my long, curly brown hair falls in my face, obscuring my expression. Yet allowing me to see the others around me without them having a clue.
"Good morning class. Hermione has brought us an e-mail from her Muggle-born friend that lives in India. Could anyone tell me what an e-mail is?" Professor Burbage questioned.
The hand of a Ravenclaw girl shot up into the air from the other side of the room. Professor Burbage nodded her head, urging the girl to answer.
"An e-mail is like a letter from an owl, but it is much quicker, and delivered on a computer. Which we learned about last week, during the beginning of the school year." a familiar voice says.
"That is correct, Miss. Lovegood. As a matter of fact, we did learn about the Muggle device called a computer just last week. Way to pay attention."
Now don't get me wrong, I love all my teacher and respect them, but Professor Burbage treated us like first years. It could get quite annoying. I knew she only did it to encourage the more challenged students, but she would forget to talk like an adult with us more advanced pupils.
"Now, our Hermione has taken the liberty to ask her pen pal if she could tell us about her culture. I will now read it to you. It mentions some interesting topics that you might find educational about the strange customs in some parts of the Muggle word."
"You have a pen pal?" came a voice as soon as Professor Burbage started to read.
"Yes, I do." I answered, turning to see that Fred was watching me.
"Is she hot? What would you rate her on a scale of one to ten? Is she below or above a rating of five? Can I get her digits? I could text her on my new Muggle phone or whatever it's called." he asked with a smirk.
I silently laughed at his attempts to hit on a girl whose name he didn't even know, but was slightly disgusted. After a moment of thought I decide to answer at least one of his questions. I had to admit it. I was boring and studious, but that didn't mean I didn't have a sense of humor. I just hid it from others. I don't know why I did this, I just did.
"She is very pretty, Weasley. She is over a five rating." I teased, his questions so petty and ho-hum.
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Quite down class. I know the thought of thirteen year old even being married is a terrible, but there is nothing we can do about it. It is their culture. The upside is, is that they are laying off those old ways." Professor Burbage informed the corrupted class.
"That is sick that they can marry off little girls to men twice their age. That's just asking for them to be raped." Fred exclaimed.
Professor Burbage told him to use more class appropriate words. Some students just giggled, or sat silently, not bothered by his usage of words.
It made me sort of happy to know that Fred thought that. I would think that most boys his age, especially him, would be think that it was a good way to 'get some.' That thought made me sick. Their culture was their culture, and I respected that, but this I didn't agree on. It's good that the Indian culture was receding from that type of marriage.
"That was a nice discussion. Thank you, Miss. Granger, for bringing in your friend's e-mail." Professor Burbage thanked me.
"You're welcome. I'm sure she would answer any questions you have." I said, a polite smile playing on my lips.
"That sounds great. Class is dismissed." she said as the bell rang across the school grounds.
I strolled out of the class room smiling. Today had put me in a good mood, playful almost. I couldn't differentiate whether it was from the learning environment, or the fact that Fred's questions had been quite amusing. I might just have to tell Anna about them. In fact I would. Wouldn't that be funny to tell Fred that everything he had said I had pasted on to Anna? With that thought I rushed back up to my dorm to email Anna. I had decide it would be entertaining to do something out of the ordinary, at least out of the ordinary for me, the quiet bookworm. I was going to prank Fred. The most popular boy in school and all-time greatest prankster. Life was about to get interesting.