Sorry for the wait I had school and then when holidays came I didn't feel like writing. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. I will be updating more frequently as I am now a few chapters ahead of myself like I like to be.

Where she was she had no idea. She certainly wasn't in London. The place was incredibly beautiful. It looked like it was spring for the grass was very green and the flowers were bright and beautiful. Hermione figured she must be somewhere else in the world as it was summer back in London and it most definitely wasn't summer here. She had no idea how she could have got here. Before she had time to consume her surroundings completely she remembered why she had gone through and she looked around for a sign of any of her friends. She wondered who had screamed, it had sounded like a girl's scream but now that she thought about it, it hadn't sounded like Ginny. When she realized that she wished she hadn't been so quick to jump through the mirror as there was no sign of a mirror or any way to get back in sight. She also began to worry about her friends. Where had they landed? Were they far away? Were they alright? What should she do?

Thinking that standing around stressing wasn't going to help Hermione began to walk around. She was in a small forest area but the trees weren't very close together which meant that she would probably be able to find a way out alright. There was no sign of anybody in the area all except a girl who was sitting under a tall tree looking rather distressed. The girl hadn't seen Hermione because she seemed very oblivious to the world. She had her head tilted down and looked like she was crying but even without seeing her face Hermione could tell the girl was no older than eleven. Hermione walked slowly towards her so not to startle her. The girl looked up as Hermione came within a metre of her. Hermione put out her hand and the girl grabbed it and she lifted her off the ground. The girl muttered her thanks and Hermione tore into her usual introduction.

'Hermione Granger,' she said and the girl smiled, 'What's wrong?'

'Lucy Pevensie,' the girl muttered and grinned, she still looked rather nervous though, 'And I'm fine, well no I'm not but I do not wish to trouble you.'

'Don't worry, I'm already troubled, so tell me,' Hermione said and Lucy laughed.

'Well my brothers and my sister and I were playing,' she said and her tone changed to a less calming one instead of her previous friendly tone, 'When we fell through a mirror. It was rather peculiar as Edmund just ran toward it and fell through and Susan couldn't manage to hold herself back. See we were playing chase and Edmund tripped through and Susan couldn't stop and then Peter ran after them trying to help and I followed, naturally. At first I though we had landed in Narnia but this certainly doesn't look like Narnia.'

'What is Narnia?' Hermione asked curiously. She had never heard of such a place and Hermione was brilliant at geography.

'Never mind that, I'll explain later,' Lucy said and although Hermione was a little disappointed she chose not to pursue it just yet. 'We have bigger worries than that. So what is your problem?'

'Mine is much the same as yours. My friends and I were exploring when they thought it would be very fun to walkthrough some strange old mirror. I told them not to but they didn't listen. I was going to go and tell somebody when I heard someone scream. I thought it may have been one of my friends so I rushed in after but it turns out it wasn't. I don't know who screamed.'

'That was me,' Lucy said and she looked rather guilty. Hermione was sure that inside she was blaming herself for Hermione going through which was nice and all but Hermione knew it wasn't her fault. 'I'm sorry.'

'You were scared. That is nothing to be ashamed of,' Hermione reassured her.

'Still-' Lucy started but Hermione cut across her.

'It doesn't matter. Now that I'm here I can always attempt to help my friends out of danger which is what they need, rather than their parents stressing about them.'

'So then, what do we do now?' Lucy said and Hermione bit her lip and began to think.

'Well we should stick together as we have much the same problem on our hands,' Hermione suggested and Lucy nodded in agreement, 'Firstly I suggest we have a good look around. This place looks fairly deserted but there's sure to be someone nearby as the grass is so well nurtured.'

Lucy agreed and together they began to walk through the small forest. It was much different than the Forbidden Forest because the grass was lusher and the ground was easier to walk on as there weren't hundreds of branches and vines to trample over. Hermione couldn't see any civilization in sight but she was convinced that there had to be someone nearby.

There was. Lucy and Hermione continued walking until they came to a dirt road where they met a very short man who was standing above the road on the same side as them and an elderly man who was sitting in a sulky. The man in the sulky was tall and had a long white beard and was wearing what Hermione thought looked a lot like wizard's robes in a pale grey colour. He also wore a rather pointy grey hat and was laughing at the short man. The much shorter one was wearing a green and brown outfit that Hermione thought looked quite nice. He had brown curly hair and was laughing along with the other man. The two men had only just seen Hermione and Lucy and the old man tore into a greeting.

'I am Gandalf and who might you be?' The man said while looking at them with curiousity.

'I'm Hermione and this is Lucy,' Hermione said and tried her best to look polite, 'We're lost. I'm not sure where we are but I would quite like to get back to London, can you tell me the way?'

The shorter man laughed and said, 'What is London?'

Hermione's stomach sank. They didn't know where London was and so her hopes for getting back to the Headquarters had fallen even further. She didn't like the thought at all as she was sure that anybody on Earth would know what London is. That was when she first got the horrifying thought that they may not be on Earth. Lucy had spoken of a land she had never heard of, maybe there was other worlds and maybe she had landed on another one. What if her friends weren't in the same world? What if there was no way to get back? Hermione felt awfully grim and guilty at the same time. How could she have been so stupid to walk through the mirror when she could have gone to get help? Why did she let them go through in the first place?

Lucy began to talk as Hermione became absorbed in her thoughts. 'London is where we come from, it's in Europe. Surely you have heard of Europe?'

'Sorry to disappoint you,' the old man said, 'but there is no land called Europe around here.'

'Well,' Hermione tried to hide her worry, 'What is this place? Where is this place?'

'The shire,' said the little man, 'Home to hobbits.'

'What's?' Asked Lucy.

'Hobbits are little people,' the old man explained.

'Okay…' Hermione said with an unbelieving look on her face. 'Well, have you seen my friends by any chance?'

'Who are your friends?' The old man asked her.

'Two of them have red hair, that's Ron and Ginny and then Harry has black hair and scar on his forehead and-' Hermione said but Lucy interrupted her.

'And then there is my brothers and sister. Susan is tall and has brown, curly hair, Peter is tall and has blonde hair and Edmund is not as tall and has dark brown, short hair. Have you seen them?'

'I'm afraid not,' the man replied, 'I will help you, however. Come, get in. We shall help you find your friends.'

Lucy hopped into the sulky without hesitation but Hermione wasn't too sure. She trusted the men but she didn't think this would be the right way to go about finding her friends.

'We're not going to bite,' the man chuckled and Hermione decided that this was the best hope she had and she might as well take it. So she jumped from the cliff and into the sulky where she sat beside the little man. The sulky was off almost at once. They soon left the small forest area and Hermione found herself gazing at the beautiful scenery on either side of the small dirt round. There was many paddocks full of green grass that was being tended to by more little men. Women were by small houses with round doors. Everyone had curly hair and was very short. Hermione wondered where they could be. If she wasn't so worried about where her friends might be she would have been questioning Gandalf or the hobbit that she discovered was called Frodo about the history of this strange place. She also began to wonder what a tall man like Gandalf was doing in this place of hobbits. The ride in the sulky wasn't very long but it was eventful. Gandalf set off some fireworks for some hobbit children, which made Hermione think he seemed a little like Dumbledore. She tried not to think too much of it as it only made her more worried and upset.

The sulky pulled in at a small house upon a hill. From what Hermione could see the house appeared to be built under the hill with a round, wooden door at the entrance. 'Is this your house?' She asked Frodo.

'I live here with my uncle,' he said and smiled at Hermione. He walked toward the front door with Gandalf. They knocked and entered but both Hermione and Lucy stood back. Hermione wasn't sure about it as she didn't like the idea of entering a stranger's house when she was supposed to be looking for her friends. She told Frodo and Gandalf when they asked her what she was doing that she didn't want to invade their privacy but they insisted on having them come in.

After many greetings Hermione sat down for tea. She didn't want to be rude but she knew that to be polite she would have to take the large plate full of food that had been shoved into her face. Frodo's uncle, it turned out was named Bilbo. He said that he was turning a hundred and eleven very soon but Lucy didn't believe that and said it was impossible while Hermione said that that was rare. She also told him that he didn't look that old which was true as she thought he only looked in his sixties or seventies. Their tea took a long time as there was so much food and because Hermione and Lucy had to tell another person where they had come from. Hermione had to tell of Hogwarts and magic and could barely believe it when Lucy said the year it was back in London when she had left. Hermione concluded that the mirror must bring people into the future or the past, whatever it was. She asked about the world they were in which turned out to be called Middle Earth. Neither Frodo nor Bilbo seemed to believe in other worlds very much although they did try to believe Hermione and Lucy. Bilbo told her that he had many books about the shire and this world and Hermione was delighted and asked if she would be able to borrow them. Gandalf told them that for the time being the best thing to do would be to stay here as wandering around the countryside would not help anyone and Hermione personally agreed but she didn't like feeling so useless. Luckily for them Bilbo offered to let them stay in his house which he said was called Bag End until the right time came to set off. Bilbo also invited them to his birthday party in about a week and a bit's time.

Days passed and the party drew closer. Hermione spent the days reading through Bilbo's books. When she wasn't reading she was asking Frodo about life in the shire, talking to Gandalf about Middle Earth or questioning Bilbo about his journeys to the mountains. She was fascinated to know about a different world. She also met many other hobbits. Sam was the third hobbit she met after Frodo and Bilbo. He was very nice to her and she quite enjoyed his company. Frodo, Sam, Lucy and herself became friends fairly quick. She also met some relatives of Frodo including met Merry and Pippin who reminded her of Fred and George. As Frodo showed Lucy and Hermione the shire, they encountered Merry and Pippin quite a few times. Each and every time they were up to something mischievous and Hermione seemed to be the only one that didn't find them very funny.

Hermione helped out with the preparations for Bilbo's birthday party which she felt was her way of trying to repay Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf for being so generous in letting her stay and helping her out. Although Bilbo was happy to let her stay she did feel a little like she needed to leave. As much as she loved the shire she felt useless staying in Bag End and she didn't want to feel like she was intruding. There had not been one word of her friends nor Lucy's family and both Hermione and Lucy were beginning to feel even grimmer, if that was possible but despite their constant worries neither could fail to be excited about the upcoming party.

The party had come. The area just behind Bag End where the party was to take place was beautiful. Hermione couldn't help gazing in awe at the marvelous decorations. Half the shire had been invited according to Frodo. Although Hermione and Lucy had spent the past week and a half exploring Hobbitton, as they walked down the stone stairs into the party there were many whispers and questions about who they were. Hermione was about to tell them were they had come from but Gandalf beat her to it.

'They are travelers from a distant land, friends of mine,' he said loudly to the shire folk and then he began to walk toward the tents at the back. This didn't stop the whispers, in the fact if anything it probably made them increase. Lucy disappeared off with Frodo and Sam but Hermione followed Gandalf. She was about to ask him why he had lied to them but he answered the question before she was able to ask it, 'You do not know the shire folk as I do. They do not trust outlanders but I'm sure they would trust an outlander before trusting someone who insisted that she knew magic and came from a different world.'

'I don't insist it, it's the truth!' Hermione said and then realized that Gandalf wasn't questioning her because he was smiling.

'I believe you but I would not trust others to do the same,' Gandalf said and smiled yet again, 'Lighten up and enjoy the party.'

'How can I?' Hermione said while looking sad and mortified at Gandalf, 'How can I be happy when my friends could be out there in grave danger!'

'Could, Being the key word there,' Gandalf reminded her, 'Assumption without proof is your greatest foe.' Gandalf then walked away leaving Hermione standing just outside a tent, thinking. Hermione knew what he had meant and she felt a small bit of comfort from his words but she still didn't seem satisfied. She didn't think that was all there was to it.

Trying not to think on the matter anymore, Hermione walked from near the tents to closer toward the action. She soon found Frodo, Sam and Lucy. Frodo was busy insisting on getting Sam to dance with his crush, Rosie. Hermione laughed as Sam was pushed into Rosie and they began to dance.

Frodo stood up and asked Hermione to dance but she declined so he asked Lucy who got up and joined him. Hermione wished she was like Lucy and able to let go of her feelings and not constantly stress about her friends but Hermione didn't realize that she wasn't the only one always worried. Hermione became yet again oblivious to everyone around her and only ducked just in time to avoid being hit by what seemed to be a dragon. It had came so quick that she would not have realized had she not heard Frodo calling out to Bilbo. Only once she had ducked and it had exploded did she realize that it was only a very strangely shaped firework.

Then Bilbo's speech came. It was a very interesting speech, to Hermione at least. The rest of the audience seemed rather bored but she didn't notice because she was to busy taking in each and every word. Toward the end of the speech was when Hermione noticed something very strange. Bilbo had begun to act very weird. He was fidgeting and he looked rather confused, then suddenly he disappeared. Hermione looked round quickly, trying to determine what had happened. She had noticed only seconds before he had disappeared that he had put his hand into his pocket. He must have something in his pocket that could make him invisible, Hermione concluded.

Frodo and Lucy were busy trying to convince the hobbits that they had nothing to do with it. Nobody noticed Gandalf slip out of the party – except Hermione who was out in a flash. She tore up toward Bag End and luckily no one saw her. There was loud arguing to be heard inside. It became quite clear that Gandalf was trying to convince Bilbo against something. Hermione listened outside the door for a few moments before opening the round door and walking inside to find Gandalf and Bilbo in the first room. Gandalf was talking to Bilbo.

'I am not trying to rob you. I am trying to help you,' Gandalf was telling him. Bilbo looked terribly upset when Gandalf noticed Hermione. 'Hermione, Bilbo is leaving.'

'Why?' She asked looking from Gandalf to Bilbo.

'I need to go,' Bilbo told her, 'You will look after Frodo won't you?'

Hermione nodded, 'Of course,' and she smiled.

After being a little reluctant Bilbo dropped a golden ring near the front door and said farewell to Gandalf and Hermione. Hermione said her final farewells and thank yous and then he was off. It was only after Bilbo had left that Frodo and Lucy came through the door.

'Bilbo has left,' Gandalf told Frodo, 'And he has left you all his possessions, along with his ring,' he pointed to the ring lying in the door way. Frodo picked up the ring and stared at it for a few moments.

'Where has he gone?' Frodo asked.

'Oh, just off on another adventure,' Gandalf smiled, and then suddenly he jumped from his chair. 'Well I must be going.'

'You've only just arrived!' Frodo blurted out.

'You don't need to leave now!' Lucy told him. She quite admired Gandalf and both she and Hermione didn't want him to leave because he seemed to be their best hope of finding their friends again.

'I have to go but remember, keep the ring secret, tell no one,' Gandalf told them and Hermione looked ready to butt in and ask about where he might be going but he cut across her, 'I need answers.' Without another word he left and did not turn back when Hermione called his name. They all just looked at each other, completely confused.

Hermione, Lucy and Frodo spent the next few weeks wondering why Gandalf had left the shire and when he would return. They went to the Green Dragon almost every night where they watched Pippin and Merry dance while they had talked with Sam and his father about recent happenings. Sam's 'old gaffer' told them that wolves were in the shire. Hermione didn't like the sound of that. She got the feeling something bad was about to happen.