Disclaimer: Love the ideas J.K. Rowling had developed in the stories, but never created it myself. Just an admirer exploring another outlook on a beloved tale :)

Author's Note: Hey all! This fic is going to use Harry Potter as a guideline, but for the most part I want to change things up a bit. Don't worry, the Golden Trio will still exist. I just want Hermione to be closer with some of the other HP female characters, and as a result, become closer with her inner feminist then she was in the books. All with the help of her mother ofc ;)

Monet Granger walked into the kitchen with a little skip to her step, a smile teasing at the edge of her mouth. She hummed the lyrics of the song she's held dear in her heart for years now, since it played when she had first met her husband.

Quand il me prend dans ses bras

Il me parle tout bas

Je vois la vie en rose

She approached the island with a slight sway in her hips and began to prepare a little snack for sa chérie, sa petite battante. Her little girl.

Hermione, she thought with pride. Her daughter had just started primary school the previous week, and teachers were already saying the most complementary things about her.

"Your daughter," one had said, "she seemed to already know the alphabet. The class for her was just a review."

"Her eyes are as sharp as a fox, and she speaks so eloquently."

"And she isn't even four yet?"

Of course, Monet had always known that her daughter was going to be special. When she had come out of the womb her eyes were wide open, as if she had been so eager to get to know the world around her that she had only gotten to hear before. She had cried of course, just like all babies did. But only for a moment. Once she had heard her mother's voice, she had quieted instantly. The baby girl had smiled a toothless smile, so small and fragile on a baby's face, as if to say hello at last.

When her little girl had smiled at her, Monet could instantly feel her heart melt. She could have sworn the room crackled with the magic of the moment.

The nurses told her later that they had never seen a baby be so calm after birth, that it usually took them ages to tire out from their crying and grow quiet once more. It was then that Monet knew that her baby would grow to do extraordinary things, and continue to defy all expectations.

Ever since then Hermione seemed to surprise everyone she met. There had been a time when Monet and her husband had taken her to their daughter to their neighbor's house to be welcomed to the neighborhood. The hostess had been looking for her bracelet that she had lost during the day, in the market across town. She had just begun to mention it to the Granger's when Hermione crawled from wherever she had been with her rumpled, emerald dress.

She crawled onto the hostess' lap and dropped the bracelet into her lap, granting her the brightest smile with her crooked, barely there teeth.

Another time the Grangers had walked past the pet store with their daughter in Monet's arms, and Hermione managed to catch sight of a cat in the display window.

"Kitty!" she had cried. "Kitty!"

Monet's husband hushed her, and Monet hugged a little closer to stop her eager cries.

Later that day, Monet came home from the store to find her husband attempting to fend off the herd of cats that mysteriously showed up at their back door. One cat, a kitten actually, had managed to run through the door and and settle on the ground right next to Hermione, who petted it with care. Upon seeing her mother, Hermione brightened.

"Maman, kitty!"

Monet dropped her bags, an intense feeling of exasperation coursing through her. Despite this, she couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight her daughter and the kitten made.

Some people claimed that such intelligence in a toddler wasn't natural, that it had to be the product of something unholy. But Monet knew the child was simply special, blessed by something out there that knew, just as she did, that Hermione was meant for more than this world that she was born into. She would continue to break the barriers of these expectations that were pre-made, and along the way make her proud.

As Monet Granger put some crackers and tuna on the counter. Hermione ran through the door, seemingly in a rush. Her head was lowered to the ground so Monet couldn't see her face.

Monet's smile brightened upon seeing her daughter. "Hermione! Comment était l'école?

Hermione sniffled and Monet's heart froze. Her daughter looked up at her, tears streaming down her face as it flushed with...shame?

"Hermione…" Monet began cautiously. But before she could say more her daughter up the stairs and out of sight.

Monet dropped her snacks and set off after her, worry beginning to creep onto her. Her daughter was usually so put together, stronger than most little kids she had ever met. It takes a lot for her daughter to cry.

She approached Hermione's room door and heard a loud, broken sob. Monet's frown deepened.

She knocked on the door. "Hermione? Qu'est le problème?"

She heard the muffled sound of her daughter trying to speak, but understood nothing."Quoi? Je n'entends pas."

Hermione opened the door, so Monet stepped in. The sight that met her eyes caused Monet great pain. Her daughter was lying curled up in a ball on her bed, shaking with the sobs that wrecked her body.

"Maman, je ne veux pas aller à l'école encore," her petite battante said.

"Pourquoi?" Monet asked. She laid herself on the bed parallel to her daughter, and brushed a hand across her face, wiping her tears away. "I thought you loved school."

"The other kids don't like me. They don't let me play with them, and they make fun of me."

Monet frowned to herself. "Why are they acting like this?"

"I don't know, Maman. On the first day of school they were so nice. But by the end of the day, they refused to talk to me!"

Monet began to see what was going on. "When, exactement, did they begin their behavior?"

"After the first class. I don't understand, Maman."

But Monet did.

Monet began to smile. "Ma chérie, those kids aren't worth your time."

"But, Maman, what I wanted most at school were friends."

Hermione's mother stroked her hair. "From what you told me, those kids simply didn't like you because of your beautiful little brain. You showed them what you were made of, and they grew a little afraid, non?

Hermione frowned, which looked adorable on her little face. "Does that mean I need to change?"

Monet shook her head furiously. "Non! Oh Dieu non!"

She cupped her daughter's face. "Never change."

Hermione frowned. "But-"

"No," Monet said resolutely. "You should never bend to other's when it comes to who you are. It's either they take it or they don't. And if they don't…"

Monet nudged her daughter's chin up to meet her eyes. "That's their loss. You're a brilliant child, ma petite fille. You just need to find your people."

Hermione's eyes shimmered gold from the tears in her eyes. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes they were clear and determined.

Monet smiled. "La voilà! Ma petite battante!"

Assured that her daughter was okay, she got up to from the bed and moved to the door. "Now come, snacks are waiting downstairs."

Before she reached the door, Hermione called out to her hesitantly. "Maman...there is something else."

She turned around to find her daughter looking anxious. "When those kids were throwing things a me, I blinked and...I ended up in the school. But I was on the playground a second ago."

She turned her bright eyes toward her mother. "I don't know what's happening to me."

Monet knew these incidents were happening more and more frequently with her daughter. To be honest, it frightened her a little what her baby was capable of. But, she also knew her daughter, and knew what she could be capable of.

Monet had learned in the past year that what will be will be. It's best to just go with what came at you. "Que sera sera, ma chérie. One step at a time."

Hermione still looked unsure, but Monet felt confident that things would work themselves out. With someone as good and bright as Hermione, whatever power she may hold within her will end up being for the better. She just knew it. Now if only her daughter would believe her.

She smiled brightly at Hermione and held out her arms. "The snacks are waiting."

Hermione gave a toothy grin and jumped into her Mom's arms, clutching onto her neck, and together left the room.


"It's Leviosa, not Leviosa." Ron mocked as she walked from behind them. "Merlin, not wonder nobody can stand her. She's such a know-it-all."

Hermione wanted to cry, because God it's been such a terrible week.

When she got her Hogwarts letter, she thought things would be different. Finally she would be surrounded by her people. Little did she know things would get worse.

In the Muggle world, people hated her because of her brain. But here, not only do people hate her for her brain, they hate her for her heritage.

Just when she thought she might break down, and run away in tears, she remembered what her mother said to her, all those years ago. "You should never bend to other's when it comes to who you are. It's either they take it or they don't."

And so Hermione steeled herself and stood a little taller. She stormed right up to Ronald Weasley and faced him. His eyes widened and he stumbled back in shock, causing Hermione to feel slightly vindicated.

"One would think after showing kindness to a fellow housemate they would be grateful, but no. Not the great Ronald Weasley, who can't even tell the difference between a real spell and a fake one."

She leaned closer to his face, and met his blue eyes, ensuring that he was still paying attention to her. "You need all the help you can get..but don't worry. You'll no longer be getting it from me."

With that, she turned around and marched away, chin raised high and feeling her confidence at a high.

As she turned the corner to the Great Hall, she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around abruptly and met the sheepish gaze of her roommate, Parvati Patil. Hermione blinked in surprise.

Parvati tugged on her sleeve and cleared her throat shyly. "Ron was an arse for doing that to you."

Not knowing quite how to respond, Hermione remained silent. Parvati continued. "You were just trying to help him, and he insulted you."

Hermione shrugged and smiled dryly. "I'm used to it. Most people can't stand a 'know-it-all."

"I'msoryytoto."

Okay, definitely didn't catch that, Hermione thought to herself, bewildered. "What did you-?"

"I'm sorry, too." Parvati spoke again, significantly slower. "Lavender's been an jerk to you and I just...stood there and let you take it."

Hermione frowned, a little befuddled. Why should Parvati carry the guilt of something that wasn't even her fault? "It's not your fault Lavender doesn't like me, and it's not your responsibility to fight my battles. I assure you, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I know that." Parvati said. "But you shouldn't have to do it by yourself."

Again, not knowing how to respond, Hermione remained quiet. She wasn't used to someone speaking so passionately in her defence. Or at all really, with the exception of her parents.

"Besides, you intrigue me, Hermione Granger." Hermione raised an eyebrow as Parvati linked their arms together. "You're constantly beating everyone else in class, even though you've only been introduced to magic a month ago. And somehow, while puzzling all us commoners, you manage to pull that crazy hair off."

Hermione let a smile blossom onto her face as Parvati continued talking. "It's amazing, girl. Really. I'd like to get to know you...and I could use some help with that Levitation Charm."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as they started towards the Great Hall, wondering if she had finally found a friend.

Translations:

Sa petite battante- her little fighter

Comment était l'école?- How was school?

Qu'est le problème?- What is the problem?

Quoi? Je n'entends pas.- What? I can't hear.

Maman, je ne veux pas aller à l'école encore- Mom, I don't want to go to school again.

Non! Oh Dieu non- No, Oh God no.

ma petite fille- my little girl

Ma chérie- my dear

La voilà- There she is

Que sera sera- What will be, will be.

A/N: I knowwwww, we don't know shit about Parvati as a character. But I'm thinking if any of the Gryffindor girls would try to be nice to Hermione first, it would be Parvati, who potentially has a Muggle parent and who is a woman of color (just like our girl could be).

Thanks for reading and please review!

P.S. I could really use a Beta if anyone is interested. Plus if you understand french and can correct my grammar.