Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to the wonderful JKR…. Plot is mine:-)
AN: written after HBP, but doesn't include EVERYTHING from the books! Also, I am American, although I will try to use the little British I know… :-)
Chapter One: Introduction
"Hermione! Hermione Anne Granger, I am talking to you!" her mum snapped. "You need to snap out of your daydreams and finish your homework!" For a muggle, her mum was very concerned with her daughter's magical education.
Hermione was rudely interrupted in her thoughts of a certain red haired boy.
"Oy, Mum! I will finish soon. Besides, I am already six inches over what Professor Binns asked for. And, I still have a whole month until term starts again," she replied. "Not that he really will check…" she murmured under her breath.
"Well, young lady, make sure you finish the essays from the rest of your professors," Mrs. Granger said as she left the room.
"Yes, mum." Hermione dutifully responded. What her mum didn't know was that she had finished her essays a full two weeks into summer break. She had been writing an owl to Ron when she got off track and started daydreaming about him. She had hid the letter slightly under an old parchment in case her mum might walk in her room. Fortunately, it was tucked away when she did come in. Her mum would not have been too happy to see Hermione writing another letter to Ron instead of studying.
It was extremely important for Hermione to study because she was about to enter her seventh year at Hogwarts. Not only were NEWTS at the end of the year, but she had a good chance of getting Head Girl. Ron said she was guaranteed to get it, "because who in their right mind would pass up the smartest witch of their age?" Or so he said in a recent letter.
Speaking of Ron, wow did her mind drift to him a lot… She was looking forward to seeing him and Harry. It has only been a few weeks, but she missed them already. She was especially ready to see Ron again. They'd only been dating since about halfway through sixth year- after he dumped that twit, Lavender. But anyway, writing letters weekly just wasn't like seeing him in person.
Luckily, they were planning to reunite at the Burrow in the last two weeks before term started on 1 September. The trio had enjoyed that tradition since before fourth year when they went to see the Quidditch World Cup.
Another plus to going back to the Burrow was being surrounded with magical things again. Hermione had access to all of her schoolbooks and paraphernalia, mainly since her dad was just like Mr. Weasley, except to the magical world. But, it wasn't like being completely immersed in the magical community. Hermione also got to see her best girl friend, Ginny, while she's at the Burrow. Even though Ginny was a year younger, the age difference hadn't stopped them from becoming best friends.
After Harry kissed Ginny in the middle of the common room after the Quidditch match, they were together all the time. Harry tried to spare Ginny the "pain of being his girlfriend," but she used the infamous Weasley temper and got him to back down off of his harebrained ideas. Her words- not his. Hermione had figured out that Harry liked Ginny way before he did… it was almost too late, seeing as Ginny had just about given up on him. The two girls had to wait for a while. Ginny and Harry's "situation" had taken the Weasley brothers a short while to get used to, as she was their youngest and only sister. Hermione remembered Ginny saying that Fred and George had acted angry and overly protective, but that they had faked most of it to torment Harry. Ginny's brothers knew that she could take care of herself without their help.
Also, the war with Voldemort (which she now realized that it was easier to say his name) had been raging ever since the night in the Department of Mysteries, and intensified when Dumbledore was murdered. As most of the students were not able to leave school, seeing as their parents believed them safer at Hogwarts, there had not been many casualties within the student body. Of course, some of the older and recently graduated students had joined the Order following Dumbledore's death, but most of them were waiting for the final battle.
Another sad thing for Hogwarts, or maybe only Lavender and Parvati, thought Hermione, was that Professor Trelawney had left the safety of Hogwarts to go to Hogsmeade. She was taken captive by Death Eaters, and once they figured out that she was not a genuine Seer, they murdered her with Avada Kevadra. Aurors found her body outside the Hogwarts gates with the Dark Mark hovering above her.
Many of the present students had plans to work for the ministry or becoming Aurors. Hermione herself was not so sure what she wanted to do after graduation. She had several options, obviously- due to her outstanding grades. She was interested in either teaching, Healing, or possibly even working at the Ministry. Hermione knew Ron and Harry were thinking of being Aurors, but the boys were not one hundred percent sure about that either.
It was rumored that Hogwarts would be undergoing some changes in the upcoming school year. Hermione had heard (from Harry) that McGonagall convinced Slughorn to stay on as the Potions teacher for at least one more year. Lupin was rumored to return as the DADA professor, and Nymphadora Tonks was supposed to be filling in as the Transfiguration professor, seeing as McGonagall would be running the school. Tonks would only be sticking around for one year, on leave from the Aurors because she was needed at Hogwarts. All of these were considered rumors since the general public hadn't been told yet. However, seeing as Harry had been writing Lupin all summer, he knew before most anyone and passed the news on to Ron and Hermione.
Hermione forced herself to stop dwelling on the past and the future and returned to her letter to Ron.
Dear Ron,
I miss you and can't wait to see you. Have you finished your essays yet? I bet you haven't. I have half a mind to send you a Howler, but I'm sure your mum could yell at you for me. I might have to drop her a note in the mail. I'm looking forward to getting to spend some time with you, Ginny, and Harry at the Burrow. It seems like such a long time since I've been their last, but it was only Easter hols since I was there.
You know, I am even looking forward to seeing the twins and Charlie- he will be home then, right? How is he? Speaking of your brothers… how are the plans coming for Bill and Fleur's wedding in a month? Are they excited? How is your mum handling all the stress? And how are the twins… remind me, who is dating whom? Is it Fred and Angelina, and George and Katie? Or is it the other way around? Let me know, Ronald.
And how is your mum doing, since I mentioned her… is she planning on taking us to Diagon Alley, or do we finally get to go by ourselves? We should visit the twins shop for sure, no matter who we go with. We should also make a day of it- have lunch there and shop. I think I need to pick up some new books- there is now a brand new edition of Hogwarts, a History!!! Isn't that exciting? Maybe you will finally read it, instead of always asking me questions. I think that we should go the day after Harry and I get there! That way we will get our shopping out of the way and have the rest of the time to relax.
Oh, Ron, I miss you so much! I keep our picture on my desk- you know, the one of us sitting by the lake. We look so happy. I also have one of you, me, and Harry. I need a new one of Ginny and Harry, though. In the last one, you can see Harry stealing glances at Ginny and Ginny is trying not to notice. It is rather funny, actually. My dad keeps trying to "borrow" them. He says he wants to know how they work- he's convinced that they are like the telly. I keep telling him that it's just magic, but he's like your dad in that sense- never satisfied. They are just like peas in a pod. And I'm not so sure that he likes the picture of just you and me. We are of age, of course, but he doesn't want his little girl to grow up. It makes me think about the differences in my two worlds- magical and Muggle.
Well, I'm sure you have better things to do than to read my ramblings! I can't wait to see you- just two more weeks!!!
Love,
Hermione
Knowing that her mum would probably be stopping by her room again, any minute, Hermione softly whistled to her owl, Mya. She tied the letter on her leg and sent her on her way. The owl was a new present from her parents. They knew how much Hermione hated having to wait for either the boys to write her or wait until they ventured into wizarding London to send an owl.
She double checked her window, making sure that it was locked after she sent Mya on her way, and headed downstairs. It was almost dinner time, and Hermione figured she could help her mum set the table.
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AN: So I'm not sure if I want to finish this… let me know what you think! And keep in mind this is my first fanfic. So, if anyone wants to beta, leave me a review!
