January 2, 2003

Today's the day, Hermione thought. The day I get to go back to Hogwarts.

It had been almost a week and a half since she had returned to her birth world and everything seemed to be routine by now: She would get up in the morning and go running, return for breakfast, help Molly clean, go out and train for a few hours, come in for lunch, research the ancient books that Arthur had dug up, and go down to dinner hours later, and then catch up with everyone. She wondered, would it change come Friday, when all the children returned for school.

"Hermione, where are you? We're ready to go, now!" Hermione heard the shout from Burrow and smiled. She had missed all the times when Ron and she had gotten into those little fights back at school. Maybe it was just the sound of his voice, letting her know that someone really cared for her. And with that thought, she grabbed her bag and started to run towards the crooked house. Maybe she could surprise Ron again, like yesterday when she had run the whole way around to the front of the house where she entered and made her way to the back and told him she was already there. He had such a fit that everyone was waiting for them to have a fight again.

But, she thought as she was coming up to the house, he just smiled at me and gave me a hug and said he was glad to see me. Everyone looked relieved, and soon joined to create a giant bear hug. It was sweet really. Sometimes people would just smile at her, or give her hugs, and just say they were happy she was back. Just the effect of coming back I guess, Hermione mused.

With a quick thought, she decided not to scare Ron and went up to meet him at the back porch. "Good to see you came the right way today." She just smiled, her tongue threatening to peek out of her teeth, something she had picked up from Sari when she was just beginning to get to know her years ago.

As she walked into the living room, she saw that Albus and Minerva were talking quietly by the fireplace, and twinkle in his eyes. "Yes, yes I think that would work out perfectly. But, everyone is here right now, so let us now go!" He clapped his hands and suddenly everyone was wearing a similar phoenix necklace, and as he motioned to grab onto their bags, they were gone.

When Hermione opened her eyes, her breath caught in her throat. Never again did she ever think that she would be coming back to Hogwarts when she was in the other world, but standing here now, it was so beautiful. The warm summer sun gave just the right amount of sunlight to give Hogwarts a look of heavenly grace.

"Hermione, you can gap at the castle later! Right now we want to go get settled in and look for a room for you! Or would you rather sleep in the cold hallways?" Hermione snapped back to the others and gently, or what she thought was gentle since Harry let out a small ouch, hit him on the arm. "Oi, I didn't even hit you that hard you big goof! And it's your fault to!"

Inside the castle, she had to take both Harry and Ron's hand just to keep her from stopping again. It seemed like everything was a dream, only much better. Nothing had really changed, and all the portraits seemed to recognize her and started to spread the word that she was back before they were even halfway to Albus' office. By the time they were done, every creature and whatnot was going to be at the bottom of the stair-case waiting for her.

Soon, without really knowing it, they were up in the headmaster's office and she was sitting in a comfy chair, waiting for Albus to figure out wear she was going to stay. As he went to say something, however, Minerva interrupted. "Perhaps, she could go back to her old Head Girl dorm. Nobody's moved in and all her old things are in there?" She said the last as a question to Hermione, knowing that it was up to her in the end anyways.

Hermione looked shocked, to say the least. She would have expected someone else to take her room and even them to throw all her stuff away years ago, after she went missing. But, maybe it would be nice. That way she knew where everything was in relation to her and she had really missed her old room with a passion. Maybe it would be like being a student again. Except that part of her life was over.

"I guess that would be fine. I do miss my old rooms anyways. And there's some stuff in there I've been dying to hold again!" They all smiled at her, and after a few more minutes and talks about tomorrow, they all left. And just as she expected, many of the castle's residents were waiting for her. She didn't want to be mean, so she talked with them all as she walked to her room. Soon, as she went along, they left her side but promised to come back soon and finish catching up.

She hadn't asked if the password was different, and it had never been brought up so she assumed that it was the same. And when she came to the portrait, she smiled. "I heard you were back, girlie! I would have come to see you sooner, but I'm not aloud to leave unless someone else is here! I'm so happy you back!" The blue-ish green fairy looked at her with big green eyes and a happy smile. Yep, it was Kato alright. The little fairy had been such a close friend when she was in school, and seeing her brought back all the times that she would sit outside and just talk about what was going on in her crazy mind.

"Glad to see you too, Kato. If I'm right, the password is still the same. So, el gato es gordo!" Kato smiled and opened. As she walked in, she heard, "And I love that outfit! Where do you shop?" Hermione laughed and looked around. Nothing had changed, not even any dust covering her stuff. It was just as she had left it on the day of the battle, messy and chaotic.

The living room had her favorite blanket thrown on the back of the couch and the TV she had charmed to play through the magic was sitting there, dying to be played for just a while. So, she set her bag down and grabbed the blanket and sighed as she turned the device on. "Yes." Playing on the TV was old reruns of Doctor Who, the one show she had missed.

Hours later, she turned the TV down and started walking through the little house like dorm and finally got to her bedroom. She couldn't help it. She jumped onto the bed, bouncing up and down for a few seconds! It was like being carefree and fearless again, two things she had missed about life. Looking at the clock, it read 8:29, and, even though it was a bit early, she was tired and tomorrow was going to be a long day. So she changed into her night wear.

The next morning, Hermione figured that she had better miss morning training and get down to the Great Hall. Not all the teachers knew she was back, and it would be another day of story telling. In and out of the shower, she dressed in a dress similar to the one she had worn on Christmas Eve, except it was a dark red color instead of blue, and she pulled her hair into two French braids before heading down stairs.

In the Hall, the ones who knew Hermione was back were getting worried. She had missed dinner last night and she hadn't answered when they tried to call her from the fireplace. And the ones who didn't could tell they were nervous about something, but decided not to push it.

But soon, everyone was satisfied as Hermione came strolling into the Hall, whistling a tune. Harry thought it sounded familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it at that moment.

Hermione came in and sat between Harry and Ron, just like old times, and started to put some fruit on her plate. Harry grinned as he watched the other teachers' gap at her in amazement and how she seemed to not mind anymore. "No good mugs? Well, this should do it then." She waved her hands over an empty spot by her plate and a mug with the same drink that she had everyone morning in it. She started to drink it, but stopped as her eyes caught her Professor Trelawney eyes. She stopped and put the mug down and then cradled her head in her hands. "I thought we were done with this. Yes, I'm back! Can I just eat now?" The professors looked shocked, but Albus' eyes just twinkled all the more.