CHAPTER 3: A FIRST FOR HISTORY
A certain sadness filled Hermione. She missed Harry and Ron profusely, would they notice that she was gone? Was the war even going on anymore? Was the future taking place? She pondered over these thoughts while nodding occasionally as the teenagers filled her in on Hogwarts. They had no idea that she knew the corridors like the back of her hand or that she knew where every classroom was. But, she had to keep up appearances.
To be honest, Hermione was a little bit nervous about being resorted. In her first year, Hermione was almost put into Ravenclaw. As much as it hurt to see the Marauders, it was good as well. A constant thought ran through her mind – what if she never returned? What if she never saw Harry and Ron again? The Weasley's? The thought bought tears to her eyes.
"Um… Wow! Look at the time! Dinner and Hermione's sorting are soon. We should probably let you get ready. We will just wait outside, ok? Take as long as you need." She gave Remus the most appreciative glance she could manage.
"Yep, I won't be too long."
Once the group had left, Hermione bought her knees up to her chest and began to cry. She willed the tears to stop but the pain in her heart was too immense. She wanted to encase herself in Harry's arms and have Ron stroke her hair and tell her it was going to be ok. But it wasn't. She might never see them again. They were her brothers, her family. After her parents died in 4th year, they had been there for her, every step of the way. And now? She had only been without them consciously for a few hours and she was already a wreck. She needed to gather herself, just for an hour or so.
She rose from the bed and walked over to the dresser. Her wand, which sat on some robes, was still intact surprisingly. Wait – what was she going to do about money? She would go to Dumbledore after dinner and ask if she could take out a loan in Gringotts.
Once she was dressed and presentable, she exited her room, only to find the Marauders and Lily gone. She would have to escort herself. She would just make up some story about how she wondrously found her way to the Great Hall. Just as she was gathering her things to leave, Lily entered the room.
"Hey, the boys had to go, they are organising a prank I suspect, so I'm going to take you to the Great Hall, we may be a little early." Lily said with a glowing smile. Hermione's stomach clenched what would Harry have given to be here?
"That's fine, Dumbledore said that I should probably get there early because of my sorting," Hermione said as she and Lily left the hospital. I really should have thanked Poppy, she thought, I will send her an owl later.
"So, fill me in on the all the gossip," Hermione said as her and Lily walked.
Lily's eyes twinkled. She much preferred to read than gossip, but she was a girl, and girls need to gossip. She could to Hermione about things she couldn't talk about with boys and granted she didn't have many close girlfriends. She could tell that she and Hermione were going to be great friends.
Hermione had never been one to gossip, but maybe that was because she couldn't with Harry and Ron? Of course, they were her best friends but she couldn't talk to them about everything. She couldn't pass the opportunity up.
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Too soon, they arrived at the Great Hall. The huge tables were dotted with early students and the chatter was quiet. Lily pulled Hermione in for a big hug before whispering in her ear – good luck. She smiled warmly at her new friend and began to walk up to the Staff Table.
"Ahh, Miss Granger, how pleasant it is to see you in good health. I trust that you and Lily Evans have become friends?"
They continued to chat as students filled the tables. Hermione could feel several pairs of eyes on her back and was beginning to get nervous. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly as he prepared himself for his speech. The students knew something was wrong when they walked in and there was no food on the tables. This could only mean of Dumbledore's famous speeches.
"Welcome, students! I trust you have all had a fun filled first week back at Hogwarts." There were a few agreeing murmurs. "The reason I am speaking to you this evening, is because I would like to inform you that a new student will be joining our fellow 7th years. Miss Hermione Granger if you will sit on the seat before you and we shall sort you into a house."
Hermione sat on the firm oak chair, awaiting the beloved sorting hat. Minerva levitated the hat over towards Hermione. She was waiting for the hats weight on her head and its baritone voice to invade her mind but it didn't happen. The hat, while hovering six inches above her head, shouted.
"Gryffindor!"
Her shock was momentary, as was everyone else's. An ear-splitting applaud came from the Gryffindor table, the Marauders and many others standing up in their seats. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were clapping thunderously as well, clearly taken aback by the hats sureness. Some Slytherin's were clapping, some were shocked and some were just sitting there with a bored look on their face. The teachers look positively shocked, this had never happened before. Hermione strode towards where the Marauders were sitting, receiving many handshakes and claps on the back. Sirius swept Hermione into a crushing hug. It felt strangely good to be held in Sirius' muscly arms, it was very comforting. James and Remus followed their hugs equally as strong but Sirius' was the one she remembered. Lily gave Hermione a loving hug and said that she needed to speak to her urgently. Peter didn't touch her, much to Hermione's relief.
"Wow, Hermione! That was fantastic! I don't think that's ever happened before!"
"Thanks Sirius," she said with a smile.
The food appeared moments later and the conversation died down slightly. Hermione found it very hard to keep her eyes of Sirius. He was so handsome. He had successfully caught Hermione's eye and winked at her a few times. She had to remind herself that he was Harry's Godfather. The young witch was pulled from her day-dreaming when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Miss Hermione, this is for you," said a young girl, probably second year.
"Thank you," she said with a warm smile.
Miss Granger,
I understand that you needed to talk to me, which, I have a strong feeling is in regard to your current financial state. I am happy to give you the money you require, and please, do not refuse. Come to my office tomorrow evening with a few people of your choice and I will allow you to go to Hogsmaid and buy the things you need. I am upmost impressed with the sorting, congratulations on making Gryffindor! You class timetable is attached. If there are any problems, do not hesitate to share them.
Yours most sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Hermione folded the letter and slid it into her robes and scanned over her timetable pleased to see that she had everything except Divination.
"Can I see your timetable, please, Hermione?" asked Remus.
"Sure," said Hermione, handing the piece of parchment to him. He scanned the piece and looked positively taken aback.
"Wow, Hermione! Eleven N.E.W.T classes! That's amazing!" exclaimed Remus, extremely impressed.
"Really? I am only taking nine, are you sure that you're going to be able to manage?" Remus nodded, the other boys had tuned in now, wanting to hear Hermione's answer. She let out a little laugh.
"Oh, I'm positive. I remember in my third year, I had to use a time turner to get to all my lessons! Harry and Ron thought I was absolutely insane but it was great," she finished with a smile.
"Hand it over!" James yelled, a wide grin breaking out over his handsome face. Sirius regrettably handed over a sack of what looked like galleons. Hermione shot them a confused look.
"Wow, that's amazing! Who are Harry and Ron?" Lily said, distracting her from questioning James and Sirius.
"Oh, they are my best friends. I met them in first year actually. At first, we absolutely despised each other. They teased me for being a bookworm; I teased them for not knowing what a book was. Then, one night we defeated a fully grown troll together with only wingardium leviosa. We have been best friends ever since," the thought of Harry and Ron bought a smile to her face. But that smile was short lived.
"Hah! Hand them over! That is so clearly badass!" James grumbled but handed over the sack of money.
"What's this?" asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow.
"You see, Hermione, James and I had a bet on whether you were a bookworm or a badass. Taking eleven N.E.W.T classes is definitely bookworm-ish but defeating a fully grown troll in your first year? That is taking badass-ness to whole new heights!"
"You don't know the half of it," mumbled Hermione, wishing she hadn't said anything. Memories of Ron and Harry flooded into her mind and were hard to vanish.
"So where are they then? Harry and Ron?" asked James.
"I – um – their dead," she said, tears welling in her eyes. It was the truth though, wasn't it? Their parents weren't even dating yet and if Snape didn't save her, she would never see them again. "I'm sorry," she rose from the table and strode out of the Great Hall, tears running down her face uncontrollably.
"Oh merlin, Hermione, I'm so sorry," said James into his hands after she had left the Hall.
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When Hermione got back to her common room, she threw up some silencing charms and closed the curtains of her bed. The rooms that Hogwarts had been different compared to one they had in the future. There were two beds, two desks and a fire place, it was quite cosy. She knew she was sharing with Lily due to the stack of books on one of the desks. She curled up into a ball and let the tears run. She had never felt so alone in her life. Her best friends might be dead, and she had no way of finding out. Her tears became too much and she gave her body over to hopeless, desperate sobs and hiccups.
With blood shot eyes, Hermione rose from her bed, taking down the silencing charms and opened the curtains. She saw Lily snuggled in bed, in a peaceful slumber. She grabbed Hogwarts: A History and headed down to the common room. It was completely empty except for one person. Sirius. He was sitting by the fire, hunched over what appeared to be a letter. He was completely oblivious to the young witch looming behind him. She raised her hand timidly and placed it on his shoulder. He snapped out of his trance and turned around sharply.
"Oh, Hermione, it's just you. What are you doing up? It's 2 o'clock in the morning," Hermione was shocked. She didn't think she had cried for that long. "Hey, are you ok?" he asked, noticing her puffy eyes.
"Yes, I'm fine." He eyed her sceptically and motioned for her to sit down next to him. "Who's the letter to?" She asked him, trying to change the topic.
"It's to Mrs Potter, don't try and change the subject. What's wrong?" She sat down next to him, her legs folded as she faced him.
"It's about what happened at dinner," she said, willing back tears.
"James didn't know about them, he wouldn't have bought it up if had known. He's not like that, he felt horrible afterwards and–" Hermione cut him off.
"I know, I haven't got anything against James, I'm going to apologise in the morning, he must have felt horrible." The eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Sirius looked somewhat relieved that Hermione didn't hate James. "It's just for the first time, I realised that I have nobody." Tears escaped and rolled down her pale cheeks. Sirius looked confused.
"Surely you must have family, aunties or uncles? Other friends?" Hermione's tears were streaming, this was going to be harder than she thought. She drew in a shaky breath.
"There's so much you don't know about me," she said, "I have no one."
"You have me, Hermione, and when you are ready to talk, tell me and I will be there in a flash." He said while wiping tears away with his soft but calloused hands.
"Thank you, you have no idea what that means to me," she said with a small smile. He flashed a heartbreaking grin and pulled her into his chest. She nuzzled into his hard, toned torso, feeling safer than she ever had before. He shifted his weight so she had now lying on top of him. Before she could tell herself that it was wrong to be sleeping on her best friend's godfather's chest, one of his arms circled around her and one stroked her hair gently and she drifted in to a peaceful sleep.
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Sirius marvelled at the beautiful girl lying with him. He would have never done this with anyone else, it would have been purely sexual, but with Hermione, it was something different. He didn't want to 'root and boot' her, he wanted to know her, hear her story, talk to her about anything, tell her anything. He had never felt this way before. The feeling was completely foreign to him but he wanted to act on it. He wanted to get to know her. He pondered on these thoughts until sleep overwhelmed him.