Chapter 4 – A New Hermione

It was a cold summer morning. Hermione awoke, feeling extremely cold from the chill, and her only cover was a duvet that was as thin as paper. She daren't move, it was so unbearably freezing, the window was frosted up with ice. That's strange she thought, she wondered how it could be so cold in the summer.

'Hoot!' Squeaked an owl. She jumped, turning her head to find Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon, perched on her desk. She sighed in relief. Laid out in front of it was a plain white letter that he must have dropped there. He must be waiting for me to write back, she thought.

She asked herself, what's the most sensible way to get out of bed when it's 0 degrees? She finally decided on poking a toe from under the duvet, the cold immediately hit her, but she couldn't stay in bed forever. As she slowly got a of bed, teeth chattering, she reached for her dressing-gown that was hanging on the door, and wrapped it around herself tightly. Then she attended to Pigwidgeon. She sat down at her desk and picked up the letter in front of her. She opened it and took out the letter. She knew the scrawny writing was Ron's, and she began to read it:

Hermione;

I haven't heard from you at all this week! I'm really sorry, I know it's my fault because you don't have an owl anyway. Anyway, how are you? Harry's here at the moment, he came round after three days of living with the Durseley's, I suppose he now has to put up with Percy. I'm writing to you to see if you can come over Tuesday night, but it's probably Monday by the time you read this, we wrote this quite late. Do you think you can? Sorry it's short notice but I really want to hear from you!

Anyway, please try and reply to this letter as soon as you can.

Ron and Harry J

Folding the letter up, she slides open a drawer next to her and takes out a piece of parchment. She reaches for her ink and quill on her desk and begins writing:

Ron;

That would be great if I could come round tomorrow! My mum and dad are away at some conference meeting in London at the moment anyway, and won't be back until Thursday. Shall I floo to your house? At about 9:30? I don't mind, it's up to you. Can't wait to see you! I was wondering when you were going to write.

Say hi to Harry for me; give your mum my love.

Hermione x

And with that, she folded up the parchment and placed it into an envelope. Pigwidgeon still sat on Hermione's desk, and opened his beak as soon as he realised she had finished writing. She placed the envelope between his beak and he clutched it tightly there. She knew that he probably knew, but she just had to remind him,

'Take it to Ron, Pigwidgeon.' But the owl had already flown off into the distance long after she had said it.

Later that day, Hermione sat in the sitting room, the house still unbearably cold, eating pot noodles. She had had no reply from Ron, probably meaning that flooing to The Burrow wasn't a problem, and hadn't a phone call from her parents. She was wrapped up in 3 layers of jumpers, but still freezing. What's happened to the heating in this place?!, she wondered. Then she decided, if the 'rents weren't going to ring her, she'd do it herself, she could then ask them about the heating. She's put down her pot noodle and switched off the television, 'Loose Women' isn't very interesting when all it is is a few old dears laughing about nothing. She grabbed the hand-held phone from the window-sill and dialled her mum's hotel number (The number was on a business card on the fridge). 'Ring ring' the phone buzzed, but she finally had someone pick up the phone,

'Friar and Johnson Hotel, how may we be of assistance?' Answered a posh accent of a lady.

'Oh – hello, um, it is possible to speak with Mr or Mrs. Granger, please?'

'I'll just check for you, please hold…' and then all Hermione could hear was blank sound, she waited for about twenty seconds when,

'I'm very sorry, but Mr and Mrs. Granger are at a meeting at the moment and won't be back until five 'o' clock. Would you like me to leave them a message?'

'Oh, erm, well could you tell them to ring me when they get back, it's Hermione.'

'Certainly, is that all I can help you with today?'

'Yes, thank you.'

'Good day.' And the lady hung up. This left her quite annoyed, she was sitting in the house alone, eating the unhealthiest diet of pot noodles and other processed ready meals, and she felt that if she moves another muscles she might get frostbite! She sighed, it just wasn't fair.

Meanwhile, at the Weasley's, things were just as crazy. Mr. Weasley was out at work, as usual, Mrs. Weasley had gone to some muggle old peoples all day bingo to do some 'charitable work' there (even though she knew nothing about it), and the rest of the Weasley's, and Harry, were left at home wrecking the place, Percy, despite people hating him, tried to take charge. The place was havoc, Ginny was setting fire to the kitchen with her baking, Ron was hyped up on Smarties, chucking about five into the air at once and trying to catch them in his mouth. Harry was balancing a broom on his chin, seeing how long he could hold it up for. Fred was jumping up and down off the sofa blowing one of those kazoo things you get at kids parties whilst George was singing and dancing to a drunk version of 'Havah Nigilah'. Percy came bustling into the living room, shouting at the top of his voice to the four boys, 'What the hell is going on?!' But they all ignored him, Ron was now so high the he was collapsing onto the floor in laughter. 'Do I smell burning?' Percy muttered to himself as he walked on through to the kitchen, where he received the biggest shock of his life. Pots and pans were scattered everywhere, the oven was smoking and Ginny had just tipped pumpkin mush everywhere. 'Oh my God!' Percy yelled when he saw the mess, 'clear that up now!'

'I'm about to!' She screamed back at him, she was under a lot of stress with this cooking.

'And for God's sake switch that oven off!'

Then a loud outburst of laughter boomed through the living room and through the door of the kitchen. Percy turned on his heel instantly, bustling once again through the living room door.

He was getting a little fed up of this, it was like a toddler nursery. Fred was now hanging upside down from the ceiling fan (God knows how he got up there), spinning around like an idiot. And he was wearing a blindfold. The other boys were playing 'hit the piñata' on him with the sofa cushions, while the radio blared away with the loud music of 'The Weird Sisters'.

'RIGHT!' Percy screeched at he top of his voice, enough was enough. He stormed over to the radio and switched it off immediately, 'YOU'RE ACTING LIKE HOOLIGANS, ALL OF YOU!'

They all stopped, and smirked at Percy, but he refused to give in. 'Look at the place! Mum's going to be furious!' He continued. And he was right, the floor was covered in Smarties and biscuit crumbs. But they all just shrugged it off and continued to hit Fred, who was still continuously spinning around upside down on the ceiling fan. Percy was getting really angry now, he felt like he was going to explode. He was about to give another outburst of fury when suddenly -

'BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!' Went the smoke alarm, and he ran as fast as he could into the kitchen. The oven was on fire! Ginny was panicking as she hopelessly splashed cups of water over it. Percy immediately got his wand out flourished it and a jet spray of water came shooting out and over the oven, until it was completely out.

'WHAT DID MUM TELL YOU ABOUT MUGGLE COOKING?!' His face was really red now, his blood was boiling. Getting through to this family was like bashing his head against a brick wall.

'SORRY!' She shouted back, the pressure was really getting to her.

Percy was getting stressed, he rubbed his forehead with his hand. 'I'm going to have to clear this up...' he said, as he gave another flourish of his wand. The pots and pans levitated over to their cupboards, the burnt oven went back to normal, and the mop automatically began to clean up the scattered ingredient spills.

As he turned once again back into the living room, still seeing Fred hanging upside down being used as a piñata. He switched the fan switch (it was at the wall) off. He then stormed over to Fred and ripped the blindfold off.

'OI!' Fred yelled at him. The others all began to moan, even Harry, but he just liked winding Percy up. They all stared at him in dissaproval.

'I – am this close to losing my temper with all of you!' He showed them by using his finger and thumb as a measurer, 'If you lot don't pack it in I'll tell dad!' But the others all burst into fits of laughter, saying at the same time 'Oooooo' in a sarcastic tone, then George added 'That's a bit harsh, don't you think Percy?'

Percy's lips thinned, 'Fine, you can clear this place up by yourselves. Oh dear, you're all too young to use magic, I suppose you'll have to do it by hand!' And with that, he turned furiously, and ran up the stairs. They all just continued to laugh, but not Harry.

'Erm, how exactly are we going to clear up all this mess?' He asked.

'Oh don't worry,' Said Fred, 'He'll do it in the end, exactly 2 and a half minutes before mum gets home.'

'Yeah, we worked it out,' continued George, 'He has a precise moment when he clears things up.'

'Oh, right.' Harry laughed.

Five 'o' clock was nearing, and Hermione sat waiting impatiently by the phone. She'd been freezing all day. You may think that something as simple as altering the heat in the house would be simple, but she'd tried that, and it didn't appear to work, even if she was extremely clever in the wizarding world. Suddenly, it rang. She grabbed it by the first ring, and said enthusiastically into the speaker,

'Hello?'

But the reply was not what she was hoping for,

'Yes I'd like to reserve a table for five, please?'

'Huh?' She replied, puzzled.

'I said I'd like to reserve a table for five.' The snooty voice of the woman repeated.

'Who is this? What do you mean you want to reserve a table?'

'This is Mary Lulu's Italian Diner, isn't it?'

'No, that's not even in this village!' She retorted down the phone. Mary Lulu's was all the way in Colchester, she knew because she went there for her 12th Birthday. She'll never forget the awful toilet trouble's she had for a week after going there, that's why it's so memorable.

'Oh, well then. Goodbye.' And the snooty lady hung up.

'That's 20 miles away from us!' She muttered to herself as she replaced the phone onto the table. All she'd done today was sit around watching TV, she was so bored. It was so boring without Ron and Harry. And then she remembered the sentence Ron told her the day before they went back, Well, the thing is that it isn't physically possible for you to be fun! And then reality hit. She wasn't fun! All she did all the time was study and study! She never went out and had fun like everyone else. Just like now, sitting in front of the TV, when she could be out! All those times she turned down going to Hogsmeade because she was writing a six page essay, when it only needed to be one! All the times she had a go at them for being immature! She was the one being immature! She never loosened up a little and let her hair down! Enough is enough, it's time for a change! She thought, Hermione Granger it's time for a new you! I'm going to show them that I can be fun! And no one will tell me -

'Ring ring...ring ring' Went the phone. She reached for it a little less aggressively this time, and this time it was her mum.

'Hello?'

'Hi darling! I'm so sorry we couldn't ring earlier but we – '

'I know, you were at a meeting. The lady told me.'

'Good. How are you darling? Have you got enough food? How much money is left? Is the neighbour coming round and keeping an eye on you?'

'Yes, I'm fine mum! Don't worry, I can take care of myself.'

'Sorry sweetheart, it's just been a long day.'

'There's just one thing though, Mum,'

'Yes?'

'It's absolutely freezing in this house! What's wrong with the heating?'

'Oh – about that. Our heating got cut off because we can't afford to pay for it right now. I thought I left you a note on the table telling you to use that electric radiator?'

'No, I don't think so...'

'Oh I'm sorry darling, you must be freezing. But anyway, if you go into the cupboard in our room, there'll be a plug in radiator.'

'A plug in radiator?'

'Yes, it's not on the shelves it's on the floor.'

'So you expect me to use a crummy little radiator to heat the whole house!'

'Well, er...you could put it on the landing on the stairs, the heat will radiate most rooms, it's just we're having a bit of a money crisis, and we need to use it wisely – ' she broke of there, she sounded as if she were going to break down, then Hermione decided to calm herself, it was only making her mother more stressed, instead, she changed the subject,

'Don't worry, I'm going to Ron's tomorrow anyway so I'll be alright.'

'Oh, that's kind of him. He's such a nice boy, I really don't understand why you won't ask him out you know – '

'Mum! Ron and I are just friends!'

'Well, I know. And I don't want to pressure you or anything but why don't you ask more boys out on dates, you've never been on one, girls of your age – '

'MUM!' But then Hermione thought. Of course, it's what normal people of my age do! This is my big chance to show everyone that today, I, Hermione Granger am a different person, and I will shine throughout those who think I can't be normal! Yes, today – today, I will –

'Are you still there?'

'Oh, um,' returning back to Earth, 'Yeah, sorry I just drifted off a bit...'

'What's that Robert? Oh, I see,' Her mother said, obviously there was someone else in the room that she was talking to, 'Darling, I'm sorry but I have to go quickly, there's a technical problem with the laptops back at the office, speak tomorrow! Dad sends his love!'

'But – ' It was too late, her mother had hung up.

In fury, she ran upstairs, didn't bother getting the plug in radiator out of the cupboard, stormed into her room and flung herself onto the bed. She started crying.

This is why I'm so unpopular, this is the reason Ron has only contacted me once, THEY HATE ME! Then, without thinking, she shouted as loud as she could 'I'M A LOSER!'

This was it, no more thinking it over, it was decision time! Nothing on earth was going to change her mind. Starting from today, Hermione Granger was going to be a completely different girl!

A/N – Now, I know that chapter was a little random, and you're all going to be bored with my writing now. I can absolutely promise and guarantee you that the next chapter gets better and that I won't be writing pointless and boring chapters anymore! Soooo pleeease keep reading, thanks peeps!