Chapter 1-A Summer of Past Memories

Hermione touched her face as she looked into the mirror opposite her. The final battle which had taken place during that summer before their seventh year had damaged her physically, mentally and emotionally. Many had lost loved ones and close relatives but fortunately for her that had not happened. She didn't know who her parents were; she had been abandoned as a baby and left in the capable care their friends housekeeper, Mrs. Winter's. Hermione had asked many questions concerning her parents but Mrs. Winter's knew nothing of them.

"But Ms. Winter's, surely you knew my parents if they left me in your care! You must know something of their whereabouts." Hermione pestered as she followed the aging housekeeper up the stairs.

Mrs. Winter's hugged Hermione when they reached the top of the stairs. Hermione hugged her back confused by the gesture but touched at the same time. When they pulled back, Mrs. Winter's sighed and looked at Hermione with emotion shining in her eyes.

"Sweetheart, if I knew the slightest detail about your parents or where they were, I would tell you in a heartbeat. Do you know why?"

Hermione shook her head, carefully waiting for the housekeeper to continue.

"Because I believe that your parents should know what fools they are for leaving such a charming girl behind in the care of someone they don't know. But, I don't regret a single second of bringing you up as the sweet and caring girl you are. I love you like my own daughter." She had tears falling down her cheeks, as did Hermione.

Hermione could feel the salty taste of tears in her mouth. She looked back to the mirror once more to find that she had started crying. She inwardly cursed herself for showing such an emotion. She resented people who cried for no reason. It was just a pointless thing to do without a cause for it.

She thought back to her parents and then to Harry and Ron. She had never told them that she was an orphan. She didn't know why but it just seemed too personal to say that she had been abandoned.

Harry is an orphan she thought to herself.

But then, he has an actual reason for having no parents. His were killed by a dark wizard. Her parents just didn't want her. She thought to all the times Harry and Ron had asked her about her parents.

"That's great Ron! So Hermione, what did you do with your parents over the summer?" Harry asked his piercing green eyes shimmering in the candle light.

Hermione was startled slightly by the question and was about to answer that she didn't have any but then she remembered that she hadn't told them.

"We stayed at home this summer. We didn't really feel up to going abroad this year. We just wanted a summer to ourselves without each other wondering where the other third of us was." She lied easily to them. She had never been good at lying but Harry and Ron didn't see anything amiss.

"Sounds like you had fun this summer 'Mione." Harry concluded as he turned back to Ron to talk about Quidditch.

Hermione sighed to herself.

"Yeah, we had a blast." And then she continued eating her dinner, softly humming to herself for the rest of the evening.

Hermione bitterly smiled at the thought of all the lies she had told over the years to her best friends. Once again she looked back at the mirror and almost cowered at the sight she saw; her face. She hated it. During the battle, she had fought a Death Eater named Avery who had wanted to finish her off since fifth Year in the Department of Mysteries. They had fought for half an hour before she slipped up on a corpse, one of many that were draped across the bloody battlefield. He took the chance and sent a spell towards her face. He had using a Permanent Deforming Spell but it had only affected her right side of her face. He then slashed it with a knife before he fell to the floor as she hit him with the Killing Curse.

Before continuing the battle, she had cast a strong Glamour Charm on herself and sped off to help her friends. It wasn't until the next day that she saw the extent of the damage. She knew that she would be shunned by friends and society if they saw her hideous looks. So she went back home and started to mend her open wounds. She wasn't ready to travel back to school yet but here she was, standing in her bathroom, gathering the last essentials she needed before leaving.

She wandered back into her bedroom where she saw Mrs. Winter's waiting for her. She smiled at Hermione and brought her in a tight embrace. She pulled back and looked at Hermione in the eyes.

"Don't be ashamed of the scars you have. They show off the bravery and courage you have within yourself and the service you provided to your kind in the war." So, almost no one knew of her deformed face. Mrs. Winter's always worried about Hermione's well-being during her school year and insisted Hermione showed her any cuts and bruises she might have received during the battle. Hermione couldn't ever say no to her housekeeper; it was impossible to keep anything from her.

"I don't know what I would do without you Mrs. Winter's." Hermione said as she hugged her housekeeper goodbye.

"You would do absolutely fine. You are a delightful, independent woman who knows right from wrong and how to care for those around her. That's what's important. I'll see you soon sweetie." She said wiping a tear from her eye.

"Bye. See you at Christmas!" Hermione waved her goodbye as she disappeared through the fireplace, on her way to Hogwarts for her last year of magical education.

Hermione felt the dizziness begin to set in halfway through her journey to Hogwarts. She flew out of the fire and landed on the other side of the room along with her luggage.

"Ow. I don't remember the floo ever being that rough. Perhaps the floo network isn't working properly." She muttered to herself.

She stood up and brushed herself down before looking around the Headmaster's office. It hadn't changed a bit; gadgets and gizmos scattered across the room and the portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses from years before filling the walls of the office. She wandered around a bit, observing the items around her, not noticing the figure standing behind her.

"Good afternoon Miss. Granger." Hermione yelped and turned around with her wand in the figure's face.

"Professor Dumbledore! I'm so sorry. I didn't realise you were standing behind me!" she explained quickly.

"Quite alright Miss. Granger. I was quite enjoying listening to your humming actually."

Hermione looked startled. She hadn't even realised she was humming anything at all.

"Yes it was very melodic and tuneful." He said and hummed the tune that she had previously been humming herself. Hermione recognised it immediately.

"It's a tune from a film that I watch at home. Its one of my favourite tunes. It's called 'Part of Your World'." She explained to the Headmaster.

"Would you like to sing me the lyrics to this song?" he asked politely. Hermione looked embarrassed.

"With all due respect Professor, I think I will pass on that request. It is very embarrassing." Professor Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Never mind. Now onto why you are here early. I need to sort out some events that I would like to plan now sooner rather than later. And as you are Head Girl I will be needing your assistance." The professor explained everything to Hermione whilst she took notes on the things she needed to do during the course of the school year.

"Any questions?"

"Actually sir, where's the Head Boy? Surely he would be here as well if these events are as important as you say they are." Hermione asked with a quizzical gaze.

"There is not going to be a Head Boy this year." Dumbledore said after a couple of minutes. Hermione was shocked.

"This may be a daft question but why?"

"I decided I simply couldn't decide on a candidate that would be suitable for the position of Head Boy, so instead you will have a teacher assist you with the required tasks."

"And which teacher would this be?" Hermione asked curiously. Before the headmaster could answer, there was a sharp rap on the door.

"Enter."

The door opened and in stepped…

"Remus!"