Author's Note: My second FanFiction! Please review!
Here's my full disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any material, characters, etc. If any material is offensive to others, please accept my full apology. I may have some quotes from Harry Potter, again, I do not own them.
Hermione Granger and the Dragon That Lived
Chapter 1: Heartbreak
Hermione Granger was a strange girl in many ways. First, she really liked reading books and doing homework. Second, she had just fought in a terrible war in which many of her friends died. Third, she was a nineteen year old witch.
She walked around her big, spacious room. There was a mahogany bookshelf on the back wall, crammed full with books. The books had titles like Advanced Defense, Standard Book of Spells, Book 6, and a strange book that was snarling, a belt clamped shut around it. A heavy trunk was next to her bed, everything neat and tidy in it.
The time was 2:00 AM, and her parents were asleep. Her parents… after the Second Wizarding War, Hermione had taken an airplane down to Australia, where she had sent her parents. She finally found her parents in a run-down hotel.
"Hello. You look really familiar. Are you my niece?" Hermione's dad asked.
"No, silly. I'm your daughter." Hermione said smiling, taking out her wand.
Hermione smiled at the memory. She looked over at her dresser. Her friends, Ron, Harry, Luna, and Neville were waving and laughing back at her, through golden frames. However hard she tried, she could not get Ron and Harry to go back to Hogwarts for their seventh and final year. They only wanted to continue on with their lives. George had wanted Ron to help with Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Harry had wanted to continue on with his ambition to become an Auror. After the war, Kingsley Shacklebolt let all those who participated in the war to join the Auror squad without taking any entrance examinations.
Just seeing Ron's face made her swell up with joy. Ron had proposed to her the second the long war was over. Hermione felt euphoric- however, what about her education? What about her ambition?
"Ronald, I don't know what to say. I love you, but I don't want my life to end so soon. Tell you what, Ron. If you truly love me, you would wait one more year. Let me have one more year of freedom, and I promise I'll marry you."
In the end, Ron agreed to let Hermione attend her last year at Hogwarts.
"Just don't hook up with McLaggen or anyone like him," he said with a smile.
Hermione remembered this last conversation with Ron. She felt immensely tired and flopped off on her bed, drifting into a dreamless sleep.
Tap tap. Tap tap. Hermione snapped her eyes open. There was something at her window. Hermione looked closer and discovered that thing was a handsome tawny owl, a letter clamped in its beak.
Hermione grinned. Finally, her letter to Hogwarts arrived. She opened the window and the owl flew in. Her cat, Crookshanks, hissed silently.
"Shh, Crookshanks, it's just an owl."
She slit open the letter, and read it.
Dear Miss Granger,
We have received your request to continue with your Hogwarts tuition for your last year. Please note that seventh years must take the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test. Your new courses and books are included in the envelope.
Term starts September 1st. Enjoy the rest of your holidays!
Sincerely,
Professor McGonagall,
Headmistress of Hogwarts
Hermione noticed that there was a bulge in the envelope. From the envelope, she took out... a Head Girl's Badge! Hermione was shocked. After the whole adventure with Harry and Ron, she didn't even remember that seventh year students got to be Head Boy or Girl!
"Hermione, breakfast!" her mum yelled from downstairs.
Hermione ran down the stairs.
"Mum, would it be okay if you drive me down to the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow? I have some new supplies to buy."
"Sure, honey. What are some of the new books you need?"
"Umm… I need Potion Making for Masters, Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7, Understanding and Fighting the Dark Arts, Advanced Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Grade 7, new pairs of robes, and a new potions kit."
"Are any of your friends going back to Hogwarts, dear?"
Hermione sighed. She thought of Ron, and her heart felt weighed down with lead.
"No. Ron is going to help his brother George with the joke shop. Harry is going into the Auror's Department. Luna and Ginny are staying, though." Luna will be in the same year as me. How strange.
"Oh yeah! Mum, I just received the letter that I was chosen for Head Girl!"
"That's wonderful! But I always known you would do it!"
Hermione beamed. She poured some cereal in her bowl. "Accio milk!" she cried. The carton of milk zoomed towards her.
The cobblestoned street of Diagon Alley stretched in front of Hermione. Diagon Alley was the same as the first time she stepped foot in the place. The street was lined with stores, with names like Ollivander's Wands, Magical Menagerie, and Flourish and Blotts. At the end of the street laid a huge white building, Gringotts. Hermione could still clearly remember the blind dragon soaring out of its domed roof.
Hermione went to get her books first. The manager inside the shop was as kind as ever. He helped Hermione find all the books she needed. Just when she was leaving the store, she accidently bumped into someone. All the books were knocked out of her hands.
"Oh, sorry." The stranger had a strange accent. His voice sounded oddly familiar. The stranger lifted off his hood.
"Her-my-own, is that you?"
"Victor? Is that you?" Suddenly, her heart started beating faster.
"I am here on a business trip. Didn't you hear? I work for Gringotts now. My days as an international Quidditch player are over."
"But- why?"
"I'm tired of not getting any girls. Vot is the point of being an international Quidditch player when all the good-looking girls are taken?"
"What do you mean, taken?"
"Her-my-own, you don't have to lie anymore. I know you love that redhead. But just let me have one more kiss."
Krum pulled Hermione into the shop. Shutting the door, he embraced her and kissed her.
Hermione gasped, and started to cry.
"Oh, Victor. I'm so sorry. But I chose Ron, 2 years ago. Please…"
"I'm sorry too. Sorry that I can never claim you as my own. Good bye, Her-my-own."
Victor Krum pulled his hood back up, and left the shop.
Hermione stood in a daze. Then, holding all of her books, she rushed out of the store, and ran in an alleyway to cry.
Why should I cry? I clearly remember telling him that I love Ron. But why do I feel remorse? How could I just break his heart like that?
Her sobs grew louder. It echoed around the alleyway, finally reaching the narrow street.
Ron Weasley was walking to the Apothecary. George had sent him there to get some new supplies.
He passed by the alleyway Hermione was currently occupying. Someone was crying in there. It sounded a lot like... Hermione?
"Hermione? Is that you?" Ron's voice sounded next to her.
"Go… away!"
"Why are you crying? What happened?"
"Oh, Ron, I just saw Krum!" Hermione gasped between sobs.
Ron immediately understood what had happened. He hugged Hermione.
"Hermione, it's okay. I'll still love you. Everything will be fine."
Ron pulled Hermione towards him, and they started kissing, kissing like there was no tomorrow.
"I'll always love you, Ron. Please, remember that."
Hermione finished her shopping confused and dazed. When she finally got home, she flopped down on her bed and continued sobbing.
Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading this FanFiction! I will continue to update with the second chapter, planning for this story to have 10 chapters. Please review!