She heard Ginny gasp softy next to her.
"Hermione, darling?" her father asked.
"Pureblood? Like, pureblood witch? That's not true."
"Why don't you think it's true?" asked her mother.
"Because I've grown up as a muggle. You guys have never used magic before!"
"That's because. . . we're squibs."
Hermione thought for a moment. That did make sense. And she didn't think that her parents would lie about something like that.
"Prove it. That you're from the magical world after all."
Her parents shrugged. Her mother stood up and left the room for a minute.
Hermione was lost in her own thoughts by now. It wasn't so ridiculous. She thought back to when she first found out she was a witch. They didn't seem too surprised when she had received her letter. They seemed to know how to get onto Platform 9 3/4. They just didn't act as surprised as muggles should have been.
Her mother came back into the room with a bunch of picture frames in her arms. She set them down on the coffee table in front of Hermione. Pictures. She wanted to show her pictures. 'Well,' thought Hermione, 'I suppose they could prove something.'
She picked up a picture and examined it. It was a picture of her eleven-year-old father hugging his mother and flashing around a letter and looking very proud of himself.
"Is that a Hogwart's letter?" she asked her father.
"Yes, but look closer."
She studied it. It was just a regular, normal, moving, wizard picture
"It's moving." She had forgotten about that. "But that only proves that you're magic. Not that you're purebloods. And I thought that squibs didn't get Hogwarts letters."
"I had powers. But I lost them in a horrible accident when I was only fifteen. I was allowed to continue school, but I couldn't actually use magic anymore, so I could only learn the theory. As for the pureblood matter..." he picked up the two largest picture frames and handed them to Hermione.
They were like human pedigrees, certifying that her parents were, indeed, purebloods, making her a pureblood as well.
"So, why didn't you tell me. Before I got my letter?" She felt betrayed.
Her mother answered this question. "We were worried that you were going to be a squib too. We didn't want to get your hopes up and have you be disappointed."
She felt slightly better. "It's okay. I'm just glad you told me at all, instead of just letting me live the rest of my life in a lie."
About an hour later found Hermione and Ginny snuggled up in a ton of blankets on the couch eating ice cream in their pajamas and watching a scary muggle movie, although, they weren't paying much attention to the movie. Her parents had going to bed, so they had to be quiet.
"So, Your Purebloodedness. How does it feel, being better than us?" Ginny joked.
"You're a pureblood too, dumbass." Hermione flicked a spoonful of ice cream at her and hit her squarely in the nose.
"I'm sorry, I'm just having fun with this."
"Yes, well, I'm still a muggle at heart, so I don't see what a stupid blood status has to do with anything. Besides, everyone already believes me to be muggle-born, and I'm just fine with that. I really think I'm only going to tell you, Ron, and Harry. Really, it doesn't matter to me."
"I guess, if your opinion won't change, that's what matters. I'm just glad that it won't turn you into a big-headed prat. Like Malfoy."
"'You dare talk to me, Weasley. My father will hear about this!'" They laughed at each other.
"I suppose we should get some sleep. We leave in eight hours," Ginny said, looking at the clock on the wall.
"Yeah."
Hermione pulled out the couch bed. Ginny stared in amazement.
"I love muggle houses!"
And with that, they laid down and went to sleep.
oOoOo
It was morning and the girls found themselves in the car, on the way to Platform 9 3/4.
Both of Hermione's parents came, so they were in the back seat. Pretty soon, they reached the train station, and Hermione's parents offered to take the girls trunk.
"You don't have to," Hermione said.
"Nonsense, it's your last year, and we want to start it off with a small gesture of kindness. And this will have to do," said her dad. She could tell he was joking, but let him carry it anyways.
They crossed the invisible barrier into Platform 9 3/4. Almost immediately, she heard a high pitched squeal and was swooped up into a hug. Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom had apparently been waiting for them by the barrier.
"Neville, Luna! It's so good to see you both!" Hermione said.
They had already moved on and embraced the young red-head that came in through the wall behind her.
"Neville," Ginny began.
"I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is no," he interrupted.
"You knew that I was going to ask if you got Head Boy?" Ginny asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I did. I'm sorry, but even if I did get it, I wouldn't have wanted it."
That's when Hemione noticed he and Luna were holding hands.
"Aww! When did this happen?" Hermione said, gesturing to their hands.
Neville blushed and grinned, while Luna just looked at her with her signature dreamy expression. It was Luna that answered.
"Why, after the battle, of course! It was only a couple of hours after we won. It was very romantic."
Ginny cleared her throat. "Shall we go find a compartment?"
"Oh, we already found a compartment."
"And I've got to go to the prefect's compartment and meet everyone, and instruct the new prefects of their duties."
"And, find out who got Head Boy." Ginny winked.
Hermione kissed her parents goodbye, and they went to drop their things off on the train. Luna and Neville had already put their things away. Hermione sat down with the three teenagers.
"Hermione, aren't you supposed to be in the Head's compartment?" asked Ginny.
"Yes, but we don't technically have to be there for ten minutes after the train's departure," she said as she felt the great scarlett steam engine lurch forward. "But I suppose, it wouldn't do to be late." She stood up and walked over to the door. She turned around and looked over the compartment. "And anyways. I'm dying to know who Head Boy is. Hopefully it's someone I'll be able to stand, as I have to share living quarters with them. I hope it isn't some snobby, stuck up, big-headed pureblood."
"Thanks, Granger," said a familiar voice.
Startled, she turned around to see one Draco Malfoy. And on his chest, gleamed a proud, shiny, Head Boy badge.