Disclaimer:

All Charaters and places your recognize belong to the most wonderfull J.K. Rowling, I am simply borrowing her brillance, and am receiving no compensation for this work!

This story will take place as if the events from the end of Sixth year did not happen. This is a Hermione/Severus story.

Pressing her forehead against the cool wet glass, Hermione Granger found herself sighing for the hundredth time since she got home. Having asked special permission from Dumbledore, Hermione was spending the first month of summer vacation with her parents. She knew it wasn't the best idea, being at home, and every tense moment looking out into the pouring rain waiting for some dark witch or wizard to walk up her front path was making her regret it even more. She just couldn't spend the entire summer at number 12 Grimmauld place…. Not with him.

Ronald Weasley….. Bane of my existence… she was not interested in the youngest Weasley boy. She just wasn't sure how to let him know, or help him clue in himself that if anything he was more of a brother to her. By the end of her sixth year at Hogwarts, Ron had decided that yes, she was in fact a girl (far too late if you asked her) and it had been awkward to say the least the first time the redhead had kissed her, much to her surprise. She could still remember the proud look on his face as he walked towards the group of Weasley's waiting for him on the train platform. Hermione's biggest worry was not only how Ron would take it, but the rest of the Weasley gang who were at this moment all at order headquarters. They all meant so much to her, being like a second family. Will they still invite me for Christmas? Will Molly still smother me in her own loving way? Not to mention….Harry, he can't handle us fighting right now; he already has enough on his mind with the war. Could she really be that selfish? No! I am just going to have to deal with this carefully.

Having made her decision to let things alone for now, Hermione let her mind wander. She could hear her parents laughing in the kitchen downstairs. If she closed her eyes she could just picture the scene of her parent's contentment perfectly. "Her mother standing by the kitchen sink, elbow deep in soapy dish water. Her father would try and sneak up behind her, but as usual her mother would know long before he reached her. She would swing around soapy hands and all, frightening her father in the process. Grinning like a fool he would grab her, spin her around kissing her crazy, while her Mother's hands would leave wet marks on the front of his shirt. After the moment was passed both would erupt into laughter, love shining in their eyes…God how she wanted what her parents have. Carefree love; the kind that ballads are written after, and the stars spell out in their depth, but didn't she have that from them? She loved her parents with all her being, what would she do without them? A rumble reminded Hermione that she hadn't had lunch yet, so shaking her head to clear it she got up to go downstairs for some lunch. Closing the door behind her, she slowly made her way down the hallway, allowing a little more time to compose herself.

"Hey Mom, what's for lunch?" Hermione asked walking into the kitchen. With one last goofy grin directed at her husband Jane Granger turned to look at her brilliant witch of a daughter. "I thought just some sandwiches would do for this afternoon, I'll be making a big dinner for tonight!" Hermione sent a strange look at her mother, wondering what occasion would merit such a meal. "Do you not know what today is?" asked her mother with a lift of eyebrow that reminded her entirely too much of her snarky potions professor."No mom, I cannot say that I do…." trailing off feeling rather uncomfortable. Hermione Granger not remembering something? You're losing it Granger! Her mother's grin just widened, knowing it wasn't often she stumped the brightest witch of the age. "You got your Hogwarts letter this morning! And if you're going to be head girl…" The Shriek that went through the house after her father handed her the envelope almost had the windows shattering. Hermione had been waiting for that letter every moment of every day since she completed her sixth year. Oh My God, what if I didn't get head girl? What if all that I have worked for my entire Hogwarts career has been for nothing? What will everyone think of me if I walk onto the Hogwarts express on September first without that golden badge pinned to my chest?

Suddenly Hermione could not breathe. All she could do was hold the un-opened letter in her shaking hands, trying not to think about the fact that it seemed far to light to contain the object of her desires. Her Mother sensing her daughter's looming panic attack scooped the envelope from her hands. Herman Granger looked on with knowing eyes. He understood his daughter's distress. She may look like her mother, but she got her brains and aspirations from him, hell didn't he panic just as much when he received his acceptance letter to a private school? "Hermione, you need to calm down! If you don't you are going to pass out from lack of air, and won't be able to open the letter at all! Why don't you go for a walk, get some fresh air, compose yourself, then you can come back and open your letter" Herman said with a compassionate smile, and Hermione couldn't help but agree. Grabbing her shoes from the hallway, and her raincoat from the closet, she made her way to the front door. Her Parents knowing looks were the last thing she saw as she closed the door.

Walking slowly down the garden lined front path she decided her parents were right. She had been far too worked up about something as trivial as a gold badge and title when the entire wizarding world was in danger. Voldemort had returned to terrorize wizards and witches across Britain. The last few years had been so hard on so many of her close friends, especially Harry. At the end of their fourth year, Voldemort returned with the help of his rat like death eater Pettagrew. No one had believed Harry, and the Ministry of Magic had discarded his story as lies. Dumbledore also took a great deal of the brunt of the Ministries stupidity in the Daily profit. Frustrating as it was the only newspaper was comfortably in the hands of the idiot minister Fudge. Their fifth year at Hogwarts had ended no better with the death of Harry's godfather Sirius. The only positive aspect of that year was the bumbling fool Fudge seeing Voldemort with his own two eyes. Hermione could only cringe thinking back on last year. It had started so poorly with Harry being depressed and withdrawn. For two whole months both Ron and herself were barely able to get two words out of him. Thank god for Ginny who had pretty much crawled into Harry's lap and told him to "Kiss her and get over it". The two of them had been inseparable since.

Walking back up the drive, Hermione could not help but notice the front door ajar, and the lights dimmed. Heart racing and palms sweaty she pulled her wand out of her pocket (she had not been without her wand since arriving home for the break). Pleas of Please don't be dead running through her mind, Hermione ran into the house to find a man standing swaddled in long billowing black robes holding her Hogwarts letter. "Congratulations Miss Granger, you are Head Girl".

Note:

This is my first time ever writing fan fiction! I know, not so hard to belive is it? Please review and let me know if there is any intrest... or if I should just go and crawl back into my writers hole!