This is a story of love, of friendship, of hope. This is a story of how one finds themselves when they are lost in a world of sorrow. This is a story of how Hermione Granger, the young eleven-year-old soon-to-be-Witch, found her inheritance, and a new life.

Our story starts in the windy confines of a small village by the name of Hanslope, to the south of Milton Keynes, England. Our story starts in a large but humble house on Long Street. Our story starts with a letter. Not just any old letter, however. No, this was an admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This letter meant changed Hermione Granger's life – whether for better or for worse was yet to be seen.

Her mother and father, Jean and Richard Granger, were staring at the owl that had flown through the open window and landed unceremoniously on the kitchen table. It was only seven in the morning and most of the Granger children were still in bed. All apart from one, in fact, who was at that very moment in time sitting on the roof as the wind buffeted her hair around her face. That is a story for a later date, however. Now we were down in the kitchen with Jean and Richard, who were both too amazed and frightened to even consider removing the letter that was tied to the owl's leg.

Richard reached forward hesitantly, but removed his hand almost instantly as if scared he would be bitten. They were both wondering the same thing. They were wondering if the strange appearance of the owl had anything to do with their youngest daughter's abilities. Abilities that couldn't be explained. She could do things without meaning to, smash glass without touching it, and open a window without moving it.

They had three children in total. The eldest, Jack, was considered extremely handsome, with golden eyes like the sun and a dazzling smile at the ready. Their middle child, only two years Jack's junior, Michael, was a tall, lanky footballer, who planned to go pro someday soon. Jack was sixteen while Michael was fourteen, and the Granger parents both wanted a girl.

It was on a blustering morning much like today, when a total strange knocked on the door. He was tall and looked surprisingly old, with a long white beard and flowing white hair. His face was a mass of wrinkles, but he smiled like he was only twenty. In his arms he held a small bundle. Immediately they knew what it was: a baby. To be exact, a small baby girl.

Without being invited in, the old man entered and sat himself at their kitchen table, placing the bundle precariously on his lap. He was dressed strangely, in a long, flowing, lilac robe and a pointed hat, but neither Granger paid that any heed. At this moment in time, their children were six and four respectively, and Jean quickly left to put them to bed before entering the room once again and facing the man.

He introduced himself as Albus Dumbledore and said that he had grave news that must be assessed.

"I come on urgent business," he began quietly, "I know that you know nothing of who I am or why I am here, and I simply do not have time to explain it. This young girl, Hermione, is in grave danger and bringing her to your world is the only way to keep her safe. I must ask you to keep her and raise her as your own. Will you do this and exactly a month before her eleventh birthday, on August 19th, everything will be explained."

The Grangers were too kind to resist and soon Dumbledore had taken his leave and little Hermione was being rocked to sleep by her adoptive mother. In ten years' time – because she was one at that time – they would find out who and what she was, but until then, they were content to wait.

As Jean and Richard stared at the owl, they suddenly remembered that night. Even though they hadn't understood much of what Dumbledore was talking about, they remembered one thing. "On August 19th," he had said. It was August 19th, and a letter had arrived. A letter that most likely had the answer.

Now without hesitation, Richard plucked the note from the owl's leg and opened it. Inside was a letter – no surprises there – on three sheets of parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than August 31
st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

On the second page were the words

HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.


COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

The third sheet of paper was the one the Grangers had been waiting for. It read,

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger,

I believe that on this exact day I promised you an explanation of why I sent Hermione to you on that fateful day. The reason may take a long time to explain, so I implore that you read it carefully.

Hermione's real parents are called Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. There was once an evil Wizard who terrorized the people of the magical community. This man was Lord Voldemort. Lucius and Narcissa made the wrong decision to follow him and become one of his Death Eaters. When Narcissa became pregnant with twins, they wanted to get out so they hid the pregnancy from their Lord. Unfortunately it was still found out, and they were told that their child would follow in his parents' footsteps. Narcissa still had the child, a boy called Draco, but little did Voldemort know that she actually had twins. Her other child is your Hermione. Voldemort was vanquished by Harry Potter when Hermione and Draco were one year old. Narcissa begged me to send Hermione to safety, but it was too late for Draco. Narcissa and Lucius are aware that you have their daughter and they will visit today and one o'clock. I am so sorry to only tell you of this now.

Your sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore,

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Once they'd finished reading, Jean and Richard were in shock. Their darling Hermione was not only a Witch but also the daughter of Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, and soon she would be taken from them.

For a moment neither of them spoke, but then Jean whispered, "We must tell her."

"I want her to keep her innocence for a little while longer," her husband replied, while knowing it was impossible. They would have to tell her as soon as possible.

"We are going to lose her," Jean murmured, still in shock. Her husband moved to her side and rubbed her arms with the flat of his hands before he replied, "We will never truly lose her, you shall see."

XxX

Hermione:

I was sitting on the roof of my house. I knew that mum and dad were already up and in the kitchen, and I could just about hear my two elder siblings getting up, but I wasn't inclined to move just yet. From up there I could see for miles, and it was such a beautiful sight when you could see the sun just touching the horizon, painting the sky a mixture of reds.

Just as I stood to make my way inside, it was beginning to get chilly, I heard mum shout my name. There was a sense of urgency in her voice that shocked me, so I hurried from my place and emerged moments later in the kitchen.

Mum and dad were sitting at the kitchen table, equal expressions of sadness on their faces, and on the table between them was a dog-eared letter. Without saying anything and choking back a sob, mum took the letter. As I began to read, she moved over to the window and began to absently stroke an owl that I hadn't seen before. An owl in the light of day? I shook the thought from my mind and finished the letter hurriedly.

"What does this mean?" I asked quietly, barely able to think that they had lied to me all these years.

"Honey…" mum began, turning back to me, "You must understand, we love you like our own. We really do, but we cannot keep you from your birth parents."

I held back the anger that threatened to overflow. I understood because it was what I would have done in their position. I understood why they didn't tell me all these years, but it still hurt. Nevertheless, I managed to say, "No matter what, you will always be my parents. You raised me as your own; they can never take that place. I may call them mum and dad, but I still love you."

I was pulled into a hug with first mum and then dad before allowed to go upstairs to change into something suitable for the visit of people I had never seen but were supposedly my real parents.

I changed into an aqua-blue, semi-posh dress and wore a silver necklace and shoes.

I heard the doorbell ring and took a deep breath. This was it. The first step into a new future.

My new future.

I hope you like it. This is my first exclusively Hermione fic, but it may change later on depending on who I decide to get her to go out with. I think she is a bit young to fall in love, so I was thinking of making a sequel for them when they are in their sixth year. If you liked this chapter, review and tell me what you think.

Thanks for reading.

Please review.