A/N: I recently finished two stories that I was writing and I missed having a bunch of stories going on at the same time, so here's another one. I'm sure you all are very happy.

Identity

Hermione could not find the courage to walk through the doors that led to the familiar castle. Hogwarts would not be the same this year, not with everything that had happened over the summer. It was a beautiful day outside. Perfect even. It was one of those days where birds sang and flowers bloomed, far from what Hermione was feeling.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Hermione wanted everything to go back to normal. The way it was before ... well, just before.

Hermione, knowing that it was inevitable, walked into the building. Every nerve in her body was yelling at her, telling her to scream and run the other way. And then to hide. She would hide from the world, hide from all the problems, hide from herself.

She lost her chance as she approached the group of flustered first years. All of them were happy and excited, without anything that would make them worried. Hermione envied each one of them.

Just then, the double doors opened and McGonagall led the first years down the long walk way, with Hermione in tow. Whispers went around the room. Who is that? Why is she here? I've never seen her before, have you? Is she a transfer student? There's no way she's a first year. What year is she in? What house will she be in?

Hermione wanted to scream out, but made sure to keep her face composed. She put up a curious and excited front. She was not going to lose her life just because she did not want to smile.

Hermione paid no attention to the sortings of the first years. She vaguely heard the names and the houses. Emma Adan was in Ravenclaw, Caden Bryson was in Gryffindor, Fae Janah was in Hufflepuff, Theron Wrenn was in Slytherin and Leroy Bridger was in Gryffindor.

After the last first year was sorted and Hermione was the only one standing, McGonagall took a slight pause before calling her name.

"Helicia Galen."

Pretending to be nervous, she walked up to the stool and cringed slightly as the hat was placed on her head. The students around the great hall wondered about this new student as a silence echoed about the room. The slowly became uneasy. Why was it taking so long? It had been at least five minutes since the hat was put on this girl and by this time, she should have been sorted.

Hermione barely seemed to notice the uneasiness of the other students. The hat and her were busy arguing over the best placement for her. The sorting hat thought she should be in Gryfindor, it was where she belonged. Hermione disagreed, thinking that she would be better off in a house that was unfamiliar to her, like Ravenclaw.

"Then we might as well put you into Hufflepuff then, or even Slytherin," the hat countered in her mind.

In the end, Hermione won and the hat shouted, "Ravenclaw."

There were slight applause, and the few claps that were heard were uneasy. Mostly, people were too curious about their new house member to bother with clapping. Hermione sat down easily at the end of the table, unsure of who to sit next to.

Dumbledore stood up to make a speech and the whispers about Hermione dwindled down to curious glances.

"It saddens me that we must start this year off in a rather gloomy way. I'm sure many of you have noticed lack of student body." Hermione, startled, looked around and noticed that only a third of the original students were still there. She had not even noticed when she entered, to worried and nervous. Dumbledore continued, "Many families are wanting to be together during this dark time and I commend all of you for bravely returning to the school. But it does not do well to dwell on the negative aspects. We have a fine batch of new first years this year, along with a new transfer student and we will be sure to welcome them with open arms."

Dumbledore then recited the standard speech that Hermione had heard so many times before. Tonight made the seventh time that he warned them of the forbidden forests and reminded them of the list of prohibited items that could be found on Filch's door.

As soon as he finished and the food appeared, the empty seats around Hermione were immediately filled up, each wanting to introduce themselves to the new student. Hermione did her best not to let her sinking feeling show. They did not need to introduce themselves. Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boot, Padma Patil, Lisa Turpin, Mandy Brocklehurst - Hermione knew them.

Hermione kept up the facade of her new identity perfectly all night and by the time she collapsed in bed she was exhausted. Both mentally and physically. Every time she met someone new, they always asked her why she had transfered. And each time Hermione would lie and tell them that her parents wanted her to interact with more kids her own age, so they stopped tutoring her and sent her to Hogwarts. As simple as that.

But that was not anywhere near the truth. None of them knew that this transfer student, Helicia Galen, was really Hermione Granger in disguise. No one had a single idea that they had known the girl they had just introduced themselves to for seven years. They teased her before she got her teeth fixed, studied with her when a test was coming up, got jealous of her when she answered questions right and simply thought of her as the smartest witch they had ever known and best friend of Harrry and Ron.

But this year, she would not get the chance to be part of the golden trio. She would have to pretend that she had never met them before. But how was she supposed to pretend she did not know family?

Hermione shook her head. She would just have to. She would lie and pretend all year, and all because of that stupid summer. It was all Voldemort's fault. If he had not come after her, not made her a primary target, then none of this would have to happen and her parents would still be alive.

A/N: Well...what did everyone think? I know it was not that great and you didn't really learn anything but it was the first chapter, what else was there supposed to be. Don't worry, one of the next few chapters (probably the next chapter) will explain what happened over the summer.

Hope you liked it.

review?