Story: Disconnected

Chapter: Two ; Never Enough Words

Pairing: Hermione/Remus

Rating: M (Eventually)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any other characters, places, abilities, plots, etc. that have been seen, heard or read in the Harry Potter series of books, or movies. My polt ideas are my own, and the 'Kartel' family is made from my own mind, and doesn't hope any significance as of yet.


Hermione sighed as she stood just inside the door on the Hogwarts Express; the memories that assaulted her were almost too much to bear. Memories of her first train ride; meeting Neville and the first time she'd ever met Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. She felt the prick of tears at the thought, and quickly pushed them back. None of that would do her any good here, she wasn't their best friend anymore, she wasn't their sister anymore, she wasn't in their life anymore, and she wasn't even Hermione Granger anymore. She was officially and forever would be Hermione Kartel, from a well known yet private neutral family from Italy, which had many relatives unknown to even their own family. It wasn't hard for her to forge all the documents of her 'birth' to a couple that had died a few years ago. And she knew that no one from the family would ever come looking for her either, but that the last name would give her slight recognition with certain crowds in England and at Hogwarts.

She'd decided not to change her looks, because any glamour spells or charms could easily be found out and undone, and she would have no appropriate answers as to why she was wearing them in the first place. It was a slight risk, but she figured that the war had worn on her looks, and she would use daily beauty spells that are not unordinary for teen witches if she became uncomfortable at anytime. But seeing as she will not be born for a few years yet, she's unworried about that; especially since she'd be unaware of the Wizarding World's existence until her 11th birthday.

She looked down at the note in her hand; she was to go to the Head's compartment, which was located at the very front of the train as she already knew. Once there, she was to introduce herself to the Head Boy and Girl, and ask for their help getting to the Great Hall. Hermione chuckled at the thought; she could maneuver her way through Hogwarts with a blindfold. But she had to keep up pretenses, so she slowly wandered her way down the train, smiling as younger kids ran past her.

She got to the front compartment and heard yelling come from inside the door, and a multitude of voices. Her brow furrowed, as far as she knew this was the front of the train and there should only be two people within that compartment. Had she gone the wrong direction on the train? Hermione shook her head she knew she was at the right compartment, and leaned closer to the closed door deciding to try and listen in.

"James Potter, I can't believe you!" a female voice screeched. James. Potter! Harry's dad, she'd forgotten completely about the fact that James Potter and Lily Evans were Head Boy and Head Girl in their 7th year. Hermione's frown deepened but she went back to listening.

"Evans come on sweetheart, they come with the package." James said smoothly.

"Look Lils," Another male voice said, his voice much softer than James, his voice sounded urgent and calming though. As if he was trying to stop someone from committing murder. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle, Harry's parents had a lot of passion she'd give them that, she could almost feel in pulsing between them through the door.

"You are Head Boy James, not the entire group of you loons!" Lily said, her voice was a bit softer than it had been, but still much stricter than was normal between friends, or couples. Hermione figured they'd yet to get together, and remembered vaguely hearing that they'd gotten together in their 7th year at Hogwarts. There was a long silence, and then Lily finally spoke again, her voice soft and tired suddenly, "Fine, you guys can stay."

There was a lot of loud cheering, and what sounded like wrestling. Hermione shook her head at the antics of teenage boys and laughed softly, before taking a deep breath and raising her fist to knock on the door. She knew that the faces behind this door, were dead in her old life, killed viciously by a band of Death Eaters and Voldemort himself. She let out the breath, as her fist came in contact with the door.

She had to stop the gasp from escaping her mouth when she came face to face with a near replica of Harry. The only difference were the eyes, James' had brown whereas Harry's had been the vivid green eyes of his mother. But also the happiness in them, was a breath-taking experience to see, as it had been a very un-seen expression throughout her Hogwarts years. She choked back a sob at that thought, and figured it probably wouldn't make an amazing impression to fall to pieces in front of the very people she's hoping to befriend.

"James Potter at your service, how can I help you dollface?" Hermione resisted the urge to laugh at him, or roll her eyes. She merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have a note; says that I'm supposed to come talk to the Head Boy and Head Girl." Hermione said softly.

"Well you're in luck, you're looking right at one." James's voice was rougher than Harry's but nearly identical also. And he smiled crookedly, a trait Harry had picked up from his father also.

"Lucky me." Hermione said flatly, annoyed at his behavior, and starting to realize Snape's deep hatred for the boy. James dropped the act the second he realized she wasn't buying it, or having it.

"Well come in," He said with a shrug, stepping aside for her to pass through before slamming the door behind her. Hermione jumped slightly and then was hit with a heavy and suffocating onslaught of emotion. Lily who she'd never met was sitting there, smiling at her prettily. Her deep green eyes, soft and curious, she nearly reminded her of Ginny Weasley. Next to her sat a younger Remus Lupin, but most definitely Remus all the same. His tawny hair was longer than she'd seen before, choppy and falling into his amber eyes. He had a book spread across his lap, and his long legs were stretched out in front of him. She felt herself blush as she found her old professor quite attractive. On the other side of the compartment from Remus sat a very bouncy and young Sirius Black. His deep, long lidded eyes were staring back at her when she looked at him quickly. A quick, flirtatious smile crossed his face, and he winked at her. He nearly screamed energy and danger, Hermione gave a hesitant smile, before moving on to Peter Pettigrew, she instantly tensed at thinking about him. And decided to just avoid thinking about him, or else she feared she'd throttle him.

"So Lily Evans, is the Head girl," James said loudly, "And I am James Potter, Head Boy."

"Hello," Lily said softly, smiling at Hermione and then looking back out the window.

"Next to Lily, is Remus Lupin. Over there we have Sirius Black –"

"The good looking one of the group," Sirius added with a smirk. Hermione raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"And then Peter Pettigrew," James finished, before taking a seat between Sirius and Peter.

"Hi," Hermione said softly, still standing just inside the door.

"So what did you need?" James said, leaning back and kicking his feet out in front of him.

"Oh well, I just Transferred this year, and I got a letter from, umm," Hermione made a show of unfolding the note and checking the letter. "Headmaster Dumbledore. It said I should ask the Heads to get me to the Great Hall okay, I have to be, sorted for something." She furrowed her brow, and then looked up at James with curious eyes.

"Oh, well that's easy enough then." James said lazily, before turning and starting a conversation with Sirius. Hermione felt instantly out of place and awkward, just standing there inside the door. She also felt overwhelmed by the amount of emotion that was humming through her body currently. She didn't know what to say, or do, or even feel really. So she decided to just continue to stand there, most likely looking completely awkward.

"James, you are so rude." Remus drawled lowly. James jumped at hearing his name, and then turned to Remus, giving me a calculating look.

"Why is that?" James said with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

"You didn't ask her name. Explain sorting to her. You didn't even offer her a seat!" Remus said, his voice even yet exasperated, as if James' behavior wasn't anything new.

"Well, you ask her then." James said finally, glancing at Hermione and then turning back to Sirius.

"Honestly," Remus said, slamming his book down onto the bench and standing up suddenly. His sudden movements, and flash of anger surprised her, and made her jumped slightly. It must have surprised the over inhabitants of the compartment also, because they stopped what they were doing and looked at Remus oddly. "I'm sorry about James' egotistical tendencies, and stupidity." Remus said warmly, and Hermione smiled at him slowly.

"I don't mind." She said softly.

"Even so, well as you know now, I'm Remus, and you are?"

"Hermione. Hermione Kartel. But I like to go by Mia." She said quickly, not wanting them to nickname her Mione, that would become too painful to bare.

"I like your name," Lily said softly, leaning forward to smiling at Hermione around Remus.

"Oh thank you, it's so uncommon." Hermione said on a laugh, she'd yet to meet anyone with the same name as herself, or even a variant of that name. "My parents were a little off when they picked my name I like to think."

"It happens, at least they didn't have an odd fascination with flowers." Lily said with a smile, her green eyes lighting up slightly. "Lily and Petunia. Really now? Odd if you ask me, even for muggles."

"Oh, you grew up with Muggles?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah I did." Lily said, barriers suddenly up.

"And there is nothing wrong with that at all," Remus said firmly, his eyes narrowed slightly. And Hermione suddenly felt that this younger Remus was much more dangerous and wild than the one she'd known, and she couldn't help the excitement that bubbled through her knowing that.

"Oh. I never meant there was. I grew up the muggle way for part of my life, it's just interesting to meet someone else who has. Seems there aren't many willing to openly admit it, I admire that." Hermione said softly, playing up the shyness.

"Really?" Lily said softly, a small smile gracing her features.

"Well yeah. After my parents died, I choose to live with the guardian of my choosing, since their death was sudden and unexpected, they hadn't left instructions for my care. So I choose to stay with my cousin and Aunt, my Aunt had remarried a muggle man after her first husband left her for another man. They lived in a muggle community, and used magic within parts of their home though. It was a very nice experience, even if it was only for the summer." Hermione explained part of her back story.

"Oh that is wonderful! Me and Remus won't be the only ones that understand the muggle jokes we tell, or references we make that go completely over those three head's. Even if that is quite amusing to witness first hand." Lily said with a laugh, as the three boys across the compartment looked at her sulkily.

"Just because we don't understand your when pies dance phrases, they are always stupid anyways." Sirius said with a pout. Hermione, Remus and Lily shared a look and they burst into laughter together. As the other three boys sat there staring at them in confusion.

"When pies dance!" Remus yelled on a laugh, "I think that's one of the best mess ups yet."

"Possibly so," Lily said after a few minutes, finally getting her laughter under control.

"It's.. When Pigs Fly," Hermione said plainly, looking at the three boys across the compartment.

"Oh," a blushing Sirius stated, "See stupid either way." The three broke into laughter again, and where promptly ignored by the three boys for the rest of the train ride. Lily and Hermione continued to chat about random things, mostly things about school, books, subjects, Hogwarts in general, and sometimes Remus would add his thoughts into the conversation, but most of the time he just sat back and listened to the girlish chattering of their voices.