A/N: Hey! So I've been reading fanfics for like years now...and I've just suddenly had the urge to write one...hopefully i'll be able to finish this in a timely manner and get loads of feedback from you guys, so dont forget to review and comment!! :] I'd really appreciate the feedback on this story :]] Thanks!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but perhaps the plot of this story. J. K. Rowling owns anything disputable.

A/N: I updated this chapter. I have an editor (basically) and he let me know what was wrong with my work here. So from now on, there are only going to be final drafts of the chapters so no new updating.

The night was young. She didn't feel like being herself tonight, yet she couldn't remember the last time she felt exactly like what she used to be. She didn't want to be remembered as part of the Golden Trio, the bookworm, the nerd, the goodie two shoes, and she was definitely determined to change that.

"So, what'll it be?"

"Just the norm, you know I don't like the fancy stuff."

"How much, chica?"

"Just a gram."

"All right, then, 3 sickles."

She paid the man, got the goods, and started walking towards the street. She didn't exactly know why, but she just loved smoking. Maybe, it was the sense of freedom, the all-around good feeling, or perhaps it was the careless attitude she's been dying to have around 24/7. All that she did know was that she was getting high, tonight, and couldn't be happier.

"Hey, Granger, wait up!"

Hermione turned back around to see Blaise Zabini jogging up the alley way to catch back up with her.

"You weren't just going to leave me there, where you?"

"No, Blaise, but could we please not do this in alleys anymore? They creep me out."

"Yeah, I know. I just gives me a sense of risk, ya know?"

Oh, Blaise. That little Slytherin wanted anything that had to do with a thrill. Though, in the wizard world there were far things more mind altering than marijuana, Zabini still wanted to have secrecy and pretend it was more like America.

"Grow up, Blaise. Let's go to your place and roll up a blunt."

"Sorry, girl, but if you want this to stay a secret, we can't. Draco's coming over in like 10 minutes to watch… I mean.. do some guy things." He added a promiscuous smirk. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, fine. I guess I'll see you around."

"Of course. Bye, hun."

"See ya."

And with that, they parted. Each going down the street and turning their directions, leading them home. Hermione felt it was odd that the Zabinis lived in a muggle neighborhood, but understood that his family moved there after the war for his uncle's sake. His uncle recently married a muggle, which would have shunned him from the "pureblooded expectations", so Blaise and his folks moved closer to his new aunts place to stay in touch and keep an eye out for his uncle. It turned out that their major concern (the Malfoy clan) were actually very accepting of this marriage and didn't mind. Not that it would've mattered to Lucius and Narcissa anyhow. Both of the elder Malfoys were locked away after the defeat of Voldemort. Their son was spared, due to Severus Snape's death. It was Snape's will that all blame was to be laid upon his late self, and no will in the wizard world can be ignored.

So that left Hermione with Blaise as a neighborhood neighbor, and source of herbal freedom. Because of this new bond, Hermione and Blaise are basically secret best friends. Though, no one could know because of the subject of the friendship. Hermione isn't ashamed of her new found habit, but just doesn't want to lose friends or start feuds from disapproving minds. So, thus, it was Blaise and her secret.

Hermione arrived home just five minutes later to find her stepfather watching television in the living room. He wasn't a nasty soul, just a little too overprotective. He just sat on the green, tacky, broken-in recliner with his feet up, wearing nothing but a white tank and some blue and black checkered boxers, which were so short that his junk was almost hanging out. Keyword: almost. Hermione locked the door, took off her shoes, and hung up her jacket. She was almost on her way up to her room, when he spoke to her.

"Hey, Herms. Get in here."

Oh, great. Not this again. She thought to herself. She walked into the room and stood completely on the opposite side of the room.

"I didn't get to see you today. Be a good girl, and do a twirl," he gawked.

She spun around slowly, allowing him to see what she was wearing. She was wearing her black-as-night skinny-legged jeans, with a bright lime green tee with slashes horizontally over the front. Underneath, she wore a hot pink cami, and on top of it all she had a simulated paint-splattered jacket. To finish off the ensemble, she sported a beret hat of some sort of the off white color.

"Well, aren't you just the taste of the rainbow?" he observed.

"I believe you are referring to Skittles, Keith."

"Well, one of these days, I'll just have to try some of your Skittles."

"That's fucking disgusting. Like I'd ever let you," she mumbled.

"What was that? You sayin' something about it?"

"Oh no, Keith. Just trying to remember a song." She knew better than to say that out loud to his face. He would severely put actions to his words.

"Well, get to your room. Your mother will be coming down soon, and we wouldn't want to make her jealous, now, would we?"

"Okay, leaving." And with that, she hurried to her room.

She walked in, and stood in front of her closet door. See, it was basically one giant mirror, so she was able to see her reflection in it. She looked in the mirror and stared at herself, taking in what others saw her as. She had to admit that she wasn't a child anymore. She's grown up in the past few years and definitely developed fully. Now, she knew why exactly her stepfather has been trying to seduce her for the past year. She now fit perfectly into a B cup bra, and wore a size 3 pants. She naturally had soft, wavy hair that liked to frizz in humidity, but fall into soft ringlets in accommodating weather. Though, her hair was a naturally a deep brown shade, she had dyed the under layers an almost platinum blonde. Her face was free of acne, and she had two studs on both ears, not to mention the one on her nose. She didn't look like a hard ass, but had an attitude towards her look. It was more of a sophisticated one, ironically. She wasn't as pale as she used to be, either, but she wasn't necessarily tanned. She had a nice cream appeal and was quite content with it. Hermione looked at her entire image in the mirror. She didn't look buff, but not flabby either, just sort of in between. She couldn't help it but think she looked hot, in her own particular way. Maybe that's why guys always tried to sleep with her. She never minded the attention, but it just got annoying when some of her previous boyfriends went too far.

Hermione walked to her desk and sat down. She was just about to start painting her nails a beautiful shade of vibrant yellow when a tapping noise came from the window. She looked over and saw a familiar barn owl waiting just outside on the roof. Hermione walked over and left the poor bird in, after all, it had begun to rain just after she made it home. It flew in the window and landed on her footboard on her bed, just after dropping a thick envelope on her desk. Hermione crossed the room back to her desk and started opening the letter. The owl flew back over to the desk, this time landing on some empty surface space. It hooted gently until Hermione dug some owl treats out of her drawer. She, then, opened the letter fully and began to read over the contents:

Dear Miss Granger,

We are pleased to announce that your seventh year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry will be salvaged. This year, because of the war, has been extended to your class year as a reward for aiding in the defeat of the Dark Lord. Any student who attended school last year, will repeat the same year this year. Those students are expected to learn at the same rate as their peers to be fair to all students. The only exception to this are the new coming first years. These first years will go through school as normal, with the exception that their class will be joined by last year's new coming first years. Classes will be continued as planned two years ago.

All seventh years will be models to the school, so all previous rules will apply. There will be no bullying, no dueling, no fist fighting, no cheating, no staying out past curfew, and no personal enhancements to any building, artifact, ghosts, tree, creature, furniture, or person of any kind on school and Hogsmeade property. Student will be allowed the original pet of cat, toad, owl, or rat, along with a new addition to school policy of a dog, fish, lizard, or hamster. Any pet that is not listed in this letter will be sent home upon arriving at school.

All students must meet at King's Cross Platform 9¾ at 9:00 am on August 31st, as school will begin on September 1st. Classes will not begin until September 3rd. Please make sure you bring the proper equipment and clothing, as this year will be allowed to wear muggle clothes under school robes.

All seventh year students shall purchase and bring the following items to school:

Books:

Hogwarts: A History

Twiddle's Key to Magical Creatures

Stars to Centuries by Lewis Cretin

Jump into Gardening: A Magical Thrill by Agnes Greans

Muggles and Their World by Julia Winter

Potion Brewing for Intermediates and Beyond by the Brewing Company

Spells for the Witty by Joana Charmin

Advancing from Tea Cozy to Lizard by Ursula Manfith

Defending the Sane by Hector Vilda

The Future Within the Signs by Robert Tatum

Scripting and Unscripting the Ruins by Arthur O'Dell

One is not the Loneliest Number by John Doe

Also:

Basic supply of potion ingredients

Standard size 2 cauldron (pewter, copper, or brass)

Wand

2 school robes

Dress robes

Pet (optional; limited to the selection listed above)

Broom (optional; not permitted to first years)

On behalf of the rest of the faculty, we hope to see you soon at school.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hermione could not believe what she was reading. Hogwarts? Telling her that she was able to finish schooling? Telling her she didn't need to go off to a muggle college? Telling her that she didn't have to spend another year or two living with her perverted stepfather? Hermione was ecstatic. She didn't have to go through the charade of college, because she was only forced to since she wasn't able to finish wizarding school. Keith was forcing, because he said something about she couldn't finish wizarding school because she wasn't wanted there. Oh, silly Keith. Wait till he hears this!

Hermione, then, noticed another piece of paper and switched to read what it said. As she did this, she noticed a lump still in the envelope. She decided to read the next page first.

Congratulations, Miss Granger!

As headmistress of Hogwarts, I have appointed you as Head Girl this year. You have greatly earned this title and I know you will exceed all expectations.

As Head Girl, you will not be living in the Gryffindor dormitories, but instead, you will be sharing a private dormitory with the Head Boy. Your first assignment this year will be to meet with the Head Boy and assign corridors for patrols throughout the school year to the prefects. Meet in the prefects' cabin to assign the patrol at 9:30 am. You will, then, be confined to the Heads' quarters on the train until 1:00 pm for the traditional run down of jobs and responsibilities and to bond with the Head Boy.

Congratulations again and see you at Hogwarts.

Best Regards,

Minerva McGonagall

Head Girl too?! Hermione was just full of excitement after she read this. She remembered about the bulge in the envelope and decided to see what it was. She overturned it onto her hand and out plopped a shiny new badge. It was silver and said "Head Girl" in script. There was a dark purple background behind the letters. Hermione must have examined it for a good 10-15 minutes before a knock was heard on her door. Before she could register that someone was going to come in within the next few seconds, Keith came strutting in with a huge grin on his face. He stopped half way and noticed an owl escaping out the window. He looked at Hermione and then noticed the letters she was hunched over. Luckily, Hermione had closed her hand instinctively when he walked in, so the badge wasn't in sight.

"What's going on? I was just coming in to let you know your mother is watching a chic flick, so we had a bit to 'get to know each other', but I can see someone else is getting your time?" Keith was such a jack ass sometimes.

"Oh this?" Hermione gestured towards the letters with her free hand, "this is nothing. Nothing, but the escape from you and your idea of imprisonment in college."

"What are you talking about, girl?"

"This letter states that there was an exception to this year's attendance at my school. They are accepting back all of last year's students, who weren't able to finish or continue schooling. Looks like I'm free of you and your pathetic attempts for sex."

"That is preposterous! They can't do that! I'm not allowing you to leave this house for the next year!"

"Really? What are you going to do about it? I'm eighteen. I'm legally not yours."

"Like hell you ain't! You are going to obey my every word! I am your father now. You better listen to me, you filthy whore!"

That was the last straw. Hermione didn't take lightly to name calling, only when she was doing the calling. She stood up, grabbed her wand, and pointed it directly at Keith's face.

"Call me that again, and I'll gladly explain to my mother why you turned into a tea cozy."

"You wouldn't dare touch me with that, girl. It just a stick. You're faking the entire 'magic' thing anyway."

With that, Hermione shot a spell at him. It didn't do much, just changed the color of his hair from his original dirty blonde to a vibrant purple. It was enough to make him rethink his last statement, and he saw the change immediately because he was basically standing in front of her mirror door to her closet.

Keith looked terrified, yet, amazed at the same time. He didn't know what to say, what to do, what to think. He just stared, as if Hermione actually petrified him. Then, all at once, he started to think again. He went from shocked, to confused, to furious within three seconds.

"How dare you touch me with your…your…your voodoo!"

Keith was starting to raise his voice. He was more that furious. This is usually when Hermione became afraid.

"Change my hair back! Change it now! CHANGE IT, SLUT!" Keith was yelling now, and he was ready to strike. He had already closed whatever distance that stood in his way to her. Hermione was now holding her wand in front of her. It was the only thing between a her and a very pissed off stepfather.

"Don't make another move, old man. I swear I won't hesitate to turn you into a pink floral tea cozy," threatened Hermione, her voice dripping with venom.

Just then, Keith did an unbelievable performance. He did not heed her warning and slapped her hard across the face.

"That should do you some good. A nice bitch slap for a stupid hoe."

Hermione was in utter shock. Had she not just proved her ability to basically immobilize his life with a flick of a twig? Did he not understand the magnitude of his actions? Hermione had had enough of his ridiculous ways of trying to control her like she was three, and then trying to get her in bed. The nerve of that guy was finally going to end. Hermione and her mother has had enough for one lifetime.

Slowly, Hermione turned to face him, adding more drama to the scene taking place. She raised her wand slowly. Keith saw this and became an instant wimp. His face screamed 'fear'.

"You shouldn't have done that, Keith. You are going to wish I killed you instead."

She flicked her wrist and said a spell. Keith's clothes fell into a heap where he was standing not even a second before. Hermione put her wand in her pocket, kneeled down, and dug threw the clothes to pick up a lovely porcelain tea cup. It was white all over, but had light pink floral detail and a lovely purple rim. Hmm…exactly as she had promised him. She stood up with the cup in her left hand and her badge still in her right hand. She decided to take both to her mother and share.

A/N: So whatcha think? Review! :]] Love ya all.