thanks for being patient! here's the next chapter! enjoy!

-smiles-

boots!


Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor common room, followed closely by Harry and Ron.

"Um…Maybe it's best if I talk to her alone" she said, raising an eyebrow at Harry.

"Why?" He asked somewhat naively.

"Oh! It's you!" the fat lady squealed in delight, "You – a scar of destiny you bare,I – a witch with ginger colored hair! You – a knight in yellow and in red. My soul – a comfy pillow to rest your weary head!"

"What!" Harry was now completely baffled.

"Ron!" Hermione implored.

She entered the common room alone and discovered a very distressed Ginny Weasley.

"Oh Ginny- don't cry! McGonagall took forty points from Slytherin".This news seemed to lift the girl's spirits a bit.

"Thanks Hermione" she whimpered. "So…have you got plans today?"

"Well…I…was planning on doing some work in the library today…you're welcome to come along if you like".

Ginny almost said yes, but then remembering what the postcard note said, she declined the offer. "No…that's alright…I'm sure you'll have much more fun…alone" she giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing…well, I better get to my room. I have a lot to…write about" she sighed, summoning to mind that her diary was in pieces all over the school.

Hermionefound Ginny's reaction quite odd but decided it was probably nothing. Shetoo retreated to her room to gather the necessarysupplies for her "studying". She panicked for only a second trying to remember where she had left the postcard book but was relieved when it was under the pillow where she left it. She patted Crookshanks on the head and shuffled out the door.


Harry stared out a window towards the Quidditch pitch. He could just see the tops of the goal hoops against the graying sky. Ravenclaw's team was practicing today and he craned his neck in an effort to see his favorite player; the seeker, Cho Chang.

"She likes you Harry"

"No…she's still grieving and what not…"

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"Huh?" Harry was lost in his dreams of Cho.

"She likes you…that's why she's so upset!"

"Are you daft? She's upset because of…wait – who are we talking about?"

"Ginny! Who do you think I'm talking about?"

"I'm sorry- what about Ginny?"

"By Merlin – you're more dull-witted than I am!"

"Really – Mr. Weasley, I highly doubt that" the Potions Master hissed from the stairwell.

"Professor Snape…I didn't see you there" Ron screeched.

"Indeed" he now turned his gaunt face towards Harry. "Where is your unbearably unwise friend?"

"Neville?"

"No Potter! That bushy haired little know-it-all that attacked Mr. Malfoy!"

"Hermione was standing up for her friend, which is more than –"

"Miss Granger was doing nothing more than terrorizing one of my –"

"Harry?" Hermione stood at the top of the stairs and stared at what appeared to be a stand off between her best friend and the most hated teacher at Hogwarts.

"Miss Granger, just the student I've been inquiring after. I hope you have not forgotten about your extra detention tonight and I trust you have had considerable time to think about why you are serving this particular detention." His eyes were undeviating and empty as he glared at her.

"Yes professor" she meekly replied.

"Tonight. Seven." he flashed Harry and Ron a wickedly bitter glance and was gone within seconds.

"What was that all about?" Ron gulped.

"Nothing" she said dismissively.

Harry noticed Hermione's bag, jam-packed with books. "Where are you off to then?"

"The library. I have some work to do. I imagine I'm not the only one" she hinted.

"Uggh! Don't remind me! Transfiguration projects are due Thursday and I haven't even started!" groaned Ron, sitting down on the steps.

"Well, then you had better get started" Hermione smugly lifted a 10 pound book on Advanced Transfiguration out of her bag and plopped it onto Ron's lap. "Good luck!" She promptly turned and bounced down the stairs.

Harry watched her go with a sense of unease. What had she done to warrant this extra detention…was it because of the incident this morning? He suddenly realized that he hadn't heard either teacher dole out any detentions. What could Hermione Granger possibly have done to warrant two detentions in a row?

Ron had started to make his way toward the common room. "Harry? Are you coming?"

"Not just now Ron…I…I think I'll head to the library as well. There's a book on charms I wanted to check out." He rushed down the stairs and made for the library.


The wind had picked up again and it was clear a storm was moving in. The castle was quite draughty and no where was this more evident than in the Slytherin dungeons. Draco sat in the common room sulking in front of the fireplace. His pulse was still racing from this morning's confrontation and his father would certainly be hearing about it. "Who does she think she is?" he mumbled, staring into the blaze.

"My thoughts exactly Mr. Malfoy" Professor Snape came out of the darkness as if he were made of it. Draco flinched a little at his sudden presence but relaxed once he realized who it was. "Wait till I tell father about what she did this morning"

"Do you really think it wise to go bellyaching to your father every time you get in a scrap? No doubt, he is a very busy man. Best to tend your own wounds Mr. Malfoy." Draco tried to think of a witty comeback but was stunted by the truth in his professor's words.

"Well…that dirty mudblood just better watch herself now" he huffed.

"Indeed" A look of concern and determination spread across the Potions Master's face and he quickly made for his lab.

Draco sighed and threw his feet up onto the ottoman. He thought about his mother now. She would give him sympathy. Pansy had rubbed his shoulders for nearly an hour after breakfast. She was in fact, a lot like his mother; doting, devoted and entirely oblivious to Draco's spoiled conduct.

"Psst"

"Who's there?" Draco's eyes were wide with fear.

"It's me…Thomas". After a minute or two, the thin dark haired boy appeared from behind a book case.


Hermione reviewed the first three postcards in the book. The first had mentioned a girl named Gretchen. The third postcard revealed the name of one Warrick Raspin, also attending Hogwarts at the same time as her mother. With these names, the young witch was quite confident she could narrow down the years her mother attended as well as her last name. Hermione had just started to browse the Hogwarts reference section when McGonagall apparated before her.

"Miss Granger – your presence is required in the Headmaster's office"

Hermione began to voice a protest but McGonagall insisted with a stern look in her eyes. "I assure you dear, you're not in any trouble".

Hermione nodded, gathered her things and headed for Dumbledore's office. Moments after her leaving, Harry arrived at the library, inspecting the long rows of bookshelves in search of his friend, to no avail. So, he thought, she hadn't gone to the library at all. Another lie? He waited around for another couple of minutes before returning to Gryffindor tower. Where was she?


It had begun to rain and the wind whipped the little drops of water against the sky so fiercely that it was impossible for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team to continue practicing. The dark clouds completely devoured the sunlight and thunder rumbled quietly in the distance.

Martha Granger fidgeted with her hands as she sat across from Dumbledore. Steven Granger stood near the fireplace with one hand resting on the mantle. Nobody spoke. Martha had a raw-boned face and smooth sandy blonde hair that brushed her shoulders. Steven was a relatively average looking man with thinning brown hair, a bulbous nose and thick glasses. These were so clearly not Hermione Granger's real parents. True, Hermione had been a rather funny faced child, with large teeth, bushy hair and a slightly upturned nose; but in recent years she had quite grown into her face and was exceedingly lovelier with each passing season. Her hair, while still absurdly curly had become much more manageably and her full lips were pleasantly accentuated by her wide eyes and clear complexion. Martha and Steven stared at each other as if absorbed in conversation. Dumbledore observed this with a soft smile; they clearly loved the little orphan they had raised.

"She's on her way Albus" McGonagall appeared at his desk.

"Very good Minerva. Thank you. Please…take a seat"

"What are we to tell her?" Martha finally asked.

"The truth I imagine" he chuckled.

"The truth is that we know very little" Steven interjected.

"You may know just enough. Hermione can make quite a lot of a little". The old wizard's eyes twinkled and as the first knock came upon the door he sat down and waited for the storm.