Today was just like all the rest, and yet so different. Hermione folded her uniform neatly into her trunk, remembering doing this only so many months before and yet twenty years in the future. She was as nervous today as she had been her first year at Hogwarts. The same sort of worries assailed her on a whole new level, and new worries as well. How would she get along with everyone? What would classes be like, who would she talk to and spend time with, and how would she cope without her friends. First year had been better than this. Instead of primary school friends, she was missing the two best friends she had ever known. Friends she had been through thick and thin with. Along with everyone else, friends and family. There were no letters to be written, no news to hear. She was alone here.
A quick breath caught in her throat. She really was alone. Even if she did make friends, which she was sure she couldn't really avoid doing, they could never know. She was Ginny Prewett, the half muggle new girl from the west that had never been to a school like this before. She didn't know them and they didn't know her. Were she to have a close friend, she could confide nothing to them. No one must ever know. Hers was a secret for the ages. Quite literally.
Frowning, she forced herself to stop feeling sorry for herself. She could do this. She could blend in and hide. To everyone she met she would become the new girl who left and no one ever heard from again. She could handle that. She could view it as research, and that would make this bearable. In June, she could get the potion that would take her home. No one need ever know. Dumbledore was dead, so he would never tell and Molly and Arthur would never betray her confidence. Arthur would likely not recognize her and the boys certainly wouldn't. Molly would leave well enough alone if Hermione wished her to. If Remus or Snape ever recognized her they hadn't let on, so she was safe with her secret.
"Ginny! Arthur's got the car ready dear." Hermione smiled. Not much had changed.
"I'll be right down!" Shutting her trunk, she closed the closet, which still held many of her summer clothes, and levitated the trunk down the stairs. Molly was in the front seat, Percy on her lap, and Arthur was waiting to load Hermione's trunk into the boot. A chattering Charlie and Bill put her in between them, each insisting on holding her hand and her attention. It was a noisy car that left for London.
Arthur ended up pushing the trolley for her, as both of his sons refused to let her go long enough. They were excited to see the platform they never had, but a little frightened when they realized they would have to walk through a wall. Hermione ended up with Charlie on her hip and Bill clinging to her as she shepherded them through, their eyes tightly shut. On the other side, they forgot all about the brick wall and became enthralled with the shiny red engine.
"Have a good year. We'll see you at Christmas." Molly gave her a tight hug. "The best of luck Ginny."
"Thank you Molly, for everything."
"It was our pleasure. I'll write, if you'd like."
Hermione nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. She turned to the little boys, giving each one a kiss and a hug. "Be good, won't you?"
"Bye Ginny." Bill said.
"I want a story!" Charlie said, sniffling in her arms.
"How about I write one out and send it to you? Would you like that? Then Mum or Daddy can read it to you." He nodded and let her gather up Percy. Percy cooed and giggled, pulling one of her curls. "I'll miss you too Percy. Thank you, Molly and Arthur, so much. I'll see you for Christmas." Giving them one last wave, she stepped up after her trunk and didn't look back.
She wove through the crowd of students, none of them giving her a second glance. Ducking into the first empty compartment she saw, she lifted her trunk onto the luggage rack and pulled out a book to read. It was a muggle book that she'd always loved and it was a classic, so she'd been able to obtain a copy in the village near the Burrow. Settling in for the long ride, she found herself distracted by the passing scenery instead.
It was so familiar, the green hills and flashing landscape, and yet it was so different. Hermione was still trying to wrap her mind around the conundrum she found herself in. Stuck in time for nearly a year, unable to tell anyone her secrets. There was a war raging, and she couldn't even tell them the outcome. That one day, the son of two people, currently teenagers, would overthrow the most evil wizard remembered. Now, though, they still lived in his shadow and the tragic events leading to the fame of her best friend had not yet occurred.
Yells and loud laughter tore her gaze away from her melancholy thoughts and the scenery half an hour into the journey. Threats and screams of outrage echoed down the corridor, preceded by raucous laughter. Hermione barely had time to register four shapes before they were hurtling through her door. It slammed behind them and they crouched on the floor, not noticing her presence as a herd of green boys ran past. Not dressed in green, completely green.
"Ha!" One of the boys, who she returned her attention to, crowed with victory. His tousled hair caught her eye. Oh no. She thought.
The four stood then, laughing together, and one of them, the shortest, sat on the bench across from her. He smiled, surprised to see her. "Hello."
His greeting alerted the other three to her presence. "Hi." She said, acknowledging Peter Pettigrew. His friendly blue eyes seemed a little confused by her short, terse reply. Hermione checked herself. This Peter had not yet betrayed his friends, and as far as anyone knew, he never would.
"Well hello. I remember you." Sirius gave her a full-watt teasing grin. "You were at Madame Malkin's last week. I'm Sirius."
Hermione didn't think she could avoid him this time. "I remember." She said quietly. Peter sat by the window and James spread out on the seat next to him, leaving Sirius on one side of her and Remus the other. Remus smiled kindly and then watched out the window. Sirius didn't seem so likely to leave her alone.
"I'm sorry I don't recognize you. I thought I knew every pretty face fifth year and up, but you've hidden from me."
"I've never attended a school, my father taught me at home. I just talked my mother into letting me come to Hogwarts for my seventh year."
"So you're new." Hermione smiled a little, thinking of Ron. The captain of everything obvious. "Will you tell me your name?"
"Yes." She lifted her book then and took a bite from the apple in her hand. Beside her, she could feel Remus shake with quiet laughter and across the way James snorted loudly. Looking to her left, she saw Remus watching her with amusement. When their eyes met, he looked back to the window. Sirius she tried to ignore. It was easy to forget that he was dead in her time, seeing him here alive, happy, and flirtatious.
After a few moments, Sirius pushed her book away. "So?"
"So what?"
"What's your name?"
"You actually wanted to know?" He grinned at her and she couldn't help but smile a little more. "Ginny Prewett."
"Ginny, what a beautiful name."
"I'm sure you've heard lots of beautiful names." Sirius grinned unrepentantly.
"Some are prettier than others." Hermione snorted and Remus looked at Sirius with a raised eyebrow. Peter was already snoozing and James laughed outright. Sirius shot him a quick glare, before smiling disarmingly at Hermione again, his arm slowly sneaking around her shoulders.
"I've got to go check on Lily." James announced, standing.
Remus rolled his eyes and Sirius gave him 'you're crazy' look. "James," Remus said, "Don't you think she can manage quite well on her own?"
"I'm head boy. I'm supposed to support her, help her. Watch out for her."
Sirius sighed. "She's going to get mad at you again." He turned to Hermione and spoke in a terrible stage whisper. "James is in love with Lily but she can't stand him. He's not man enough for her." James leaned over and hit Sirius on the back of the head on his way out. Hermione giggled, shaking her head as she went back to her book again. Sirius took his cue and leaned his head back, pretending to snooze while surreptitiously moving closer to her. Hermione chose to ignore him.
Most of their journey continued in this manner, with Peter sleeping, Sirius did actually drift off eventually, and Hermione read her book. James came and went and Hermione talked a little with Remus.
"I'm Remus Lupin, by the way."
"Nice to meet you." Hermione looked up from her book and smiled warmly at him.
"James Potter is head boy, by some strange trick of fate, and that lump is Peter Pettigrew. Sirius introduced himself already." Hermione cast a look at the boy slumbering against her other shoulder.
"Yes. He's made quite an impression."
Remus laughed softly. "You've caught his attention I'm afraid. Most girls fall all over themselves for him but you've put him off quite effectively. He's never had to fight for someone's attention."
"He's nice, a little bit full of himself."
He laughed again. "A little bit. But he's a good man, they all are."
"What about you?"
"I'm just here to keep them out of trouble." He said demurely. Hermione was hardly fooled. She had heard from him exactly how hard he tried at that, she also had her suspicions concerning the Marauders' cartographer.
"You four seem to be good friends. Others seem to be green with envy." She raised one eyebrow.
"Oh, you noticed that."
"It was rather… attention grabbing. I've never seen a herd of green men before." She couldn't help but grin at him as he smirked guiltily.
"Yes, well, one of our finer moments I must say. And that is saying something."
"If you don't mind divulging your secrets, why green?"
Remus grinned broadly. "They're so envious, and, of course, they like green." Sirius woke up in time to hear this last bit.
"Who likes green?"
"Your unfortunate victims." Hermione told him. She couldn't help but smile softly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, looking so young and boyish her heart pained.
He grinned devilishly. "Ah yes, them. Hardly unfortunates. Scum of Hogwarts those were."
"Which is why they're jealous of you?" She asked Remus.
"Of course."
"Where's James off to?" Sirius asked.
"Where do you think?"
"She's gonna hex him right and good if he doesn't leave off soon." Sirius shook his head then turned back to Hermione. "Well, we're nearly there. How do you feel about entering the populace of Hogwarts, Ginny?"
"I suppose it'll be alright."
"So, which house do you suppose you'll be in?"
"What house?"
"Well, you have to be sorted."
"Oh, yes, I already have been. I was at the school over the summer." She smoothly delivered the story she and Professor Dumbledore had concocted five weeks earlier.
"You were?" Remus asked in surprise.
"Yes, to make sure I was prepared to enter my seventh year."
Sirius pretended Remus hadn't interrupted and continued his questioning. "And your result is?"
Without missing a beat Hermione replied with: "Slytherin." Sirius retracted the arm that had snaked around her shoulders and stared at her in horror.
"Slytherin?"
"Is that bad?" She asked innocently. A part of her realized, ironically, that she was behaving more like Ginny than herself.
"Well, er,"
Remus stepped in. "There's nothing wrong with Slytherin. All of the houses are equally as good a place as another.
Sirius re-directed his look of horror to his friend. "Nothing wrong?"
"Sirius." He said firmly. Sirius just made a face, but shifted to face the other wall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." His voice was petulant and Hermione started laughing.
"You really don't like them much do you?" She patted Sirius' arm. "I'm sorry, I was having one over on you. That's not true."
Sirius looked at her hopefully. "Really?"
"No, I'm most definitely in Gryffindor." She said it with such finality and conviction they immediately believed her.
Shaking his head and smiling flirtatiously, he put his arm back, making her lean just the slightest away. "That was very funny. Well then, allow me to give you a proper welcome to Hogwarts." Hermione's eyes grew wide as he leaned toward her mouth, puckering up. Squeaking, she scooted away until she connected with Remus behind her. Having no farther to go, she leaned back into his lap. Sirius just grinned and leaned father. Hermione glanced at the forgotten apple in her hand, then back to Sirius. Desperate, she shoved the fruit into his mouth
Sirius took a hold of it and bit a small piece. Licking his lips he turned his hundred watt smile on her again, waggling his eyebrows flirtatiously. "Want some?"
"No thank you!" She scooted until she was almost sitting in Remus' lap. Remus was looking down at the slight girl practically in his lap with raised brows. She didn't even seem to notice him as she tried to get away from Sirius. The girl had seemed comfortable teasing Sirius, but she was quite obviously uncomfortable with this.
Hermione really hadn't noticed Remus until his arm appeared over her shoulder, shoving Sirius away. "Leave off Padfoot." Sirius looked at his friend then gave Hermione a lopsided grin before sitting up and scooting away. Winking at her, he stretched his feet out before him, let his head drop back against the wall and closed his eyes. She was sure he wasn't asleep, but he wasn't bothering her either. Looking up at Remus, she blushed profusely. She was very close to him. Mumbling an apology, she slid off his lap, but didn't move over closer to Sirius. Remus smiled and went back to staring out the window while she picked up her book.
Darkness was falling and James had disappeared again. Hermione shook her head a little when he did, Sirius just rolled his eyes and Peter shrugged, Remus had fallen asleep beside her. Sirius and Peter were playing exploding snap on the floor, Sirius losing miserably and pretending he wasn't. It was the loud shriek that warned them. All three boys looked up at the door at once.
James came hurtling through the door. "Hide me!" He said in a strangled whisper.
When a spitting red-head came in, he was trying to hide in the space between Remus and the window. Hermione's eyebrows were making friends with her hairline as he insistently shoved at Remus and tried to mold himself to the wall. Remus was shoving back and Peter was pulling at James' trouser leg. Sirius had taken up position on the seat farthest from James and was sitting quietly. Which Hermione found odd in the midst of the chaos.
"Potter!" Lily's yell of outrage preceded her. Ah, Harry's parents. Lovely. They obviously hadn't reached the falling in love enough to marry and procreate stage yet.
"He- hello Lily."
"Hello Lily indeed. What the bloody hell is wrong with you, you insufferable twit?"
"I don't know what you mean." James said weakly.
"You acted like a proper prat you useless rag."
"What did he do this time?" Remus asked her. Lily's glare softened just a little as she looked at Remus, the only one she had any patience for.
"He tried to take points from Gerald Harrington."
"Harrington? That pompous prat from Ravenclaw?" It was the first time Sirius had spoken since she'd entered. The glare Lily shot him explained why.
"What do you know, Black? You're almost as great a git as Potter." He shut up and found the floor quite interesting all of a sudden.
"Harrington?" Remus prompted her.
"Yes. He told Harrington he was acting inappropriately and told him to bugger off or he, the head boy, would take points from Ravenclaw." Lily's green eyes were blazing with fury, Hermione noticed they gave off the same sparks Harry's did. Her hands were firmly planted on her slim hips and she stood in a fighting stance, her wand withing easy reach. Red hair that hung past her shoulders and was held back by a white headband served to make her seem very imposing. As she spoke, it swung around, and bits were sticking out at odd angles. Hermione rather thought that this was significant to the temper she was in, as she seemed a very neat and well groomed person.
"Why would he say Harrington was acting inappropriately?" Hermione watched all of this with great amusement. James was still cowering in the little space he had wedged himself into, gazing at the object of his unrequited affections.
"He was throwing himself at her!" James provided. "He was acting like an imbecile and he's a slimeball."
"Throwing himself at me! We were just talking! You pompous, irrepressible, ignorant –"
Hermione started to feel bad for James then, though he had brought it upon himself really. Threatening some boy who was flirting with Lily indeed. Lily was being a bit harsh, though, she thought, so Hermione decided to make herself known.
"So you're Lily Evans." Lily stopped mid rant and looked at the petite brunette smiling up at her. Her face immediately lost all semblances of murderous intentions and lit with a friendly smile.
"And you must be Ginny – uh…" She paused as she tried to remember the last name.
"Prewett." Hermione supplied.
"Yes that's it! Nice to meet you." The two girls shook hands and Lily took a seat next to Hermione, ignoring the boys. "How did you find these louts?"
"They found me actually." Hermione said wryly.
"Yes, they have a habit of forcing themselves on unsuspecting victims." Not one of the four was brave enough to say anything to that. "So, Potter over there tells me you're new."
Said boy was promptly pushed off the seat by Remus and forced to sit between Peter, who was twiddling his thumbs and Sirius, who was acting meek. He did his best to blend in with the bench and avoid reminding Lily how mad she was at him. "Yes, I talked my parents into letting me come here for my seventh year. My mother's a muggle, you see, and wasn't sure Hogwarts was safe. Dad's stories of his days there didn't help much."
"Prewett? I don't suppose you're related to Gideon and Fabian?" Hermione grinned. She had met the twins, Molly's younger brothers, a few times over the last month. Their twin nephews definitely took after them.
"Yes, actually. First cousins. I've been staying with their sister Molly Weasley."
"I remember them, they were five years ahead of us. Quite the, um, adventurers."
"Heroes they were." Sirius said wistfully. Lily shot him a glare that had him quailing and quieting.
"I'll have to learn that trick." Hermione whispered to Lily, as Sirius went back to twiddling his thumbs.
"He bothering you?"
"Not really, he's just… Welcoming."
"I'll bet." Lily said dryly. Peter snorted and Hermione could feel Remus shaking on the other side of her. "So, do you have to be sorted tonight?"
"No! Oh thank Merlin no. I did that over the summer. I was at the school with my parents, so Mother could see it and so Professor Dumbledore was sure I was prepared academically."
"Oh brilliant. So what house are you going to be in?"
"Gryffindor."
Lily squealed. "Oh I'm so excited! You'll be with me then. There'll be five of us now. Me and you of course, then there's Dorcas, Mary, and Emmaline. You'll like them and we'll have so much fun this year. Do you want to sit with us for dinner?"
Hermione gave her a broad smile, hardly daring to believe she'd made fast friends with Lily so quickly. "Yes, that would be nice."
Lily smiled back just as broadly. "Brilliant. I've got to go do rounds, we're nearly there, but I'll save a seat in the carriages for you." Her bright smile turned to a dark scowl as she stood and turned her attention to James. "Let's go Potter." With that, she swept out of the room, James trailing behind her.
Sirius slid down into a slouch after they were gone. "Whew. That woman is crazy."
"She's nice, I like her."
"Of course she's nice to you."
"I never have so much of a problem with her either." Remus said cheekily.
Sirius shot him a dark look. "She's been mad at you too, you know."
Remus winced. "Yeah."
The train pulled into Hogsmeade then and Hermione let the three boys lead her down the platform to the carriages. The thestrals made her shiver, but she pretended she couldn't see them, moving past them as if they didn't affect her. The three boys claimed a carriage, but Hermione saw Lily a few yards ahead, waving madly. She hurried over, smiling at the friendly red head.
"Oh good, you saw me." Hermione laughed, but it was a tall, slim brunette that spoke up.
"You looked like a crazed loon, Lily; no one could have missed that." She rolled her eyes and smiled at Hermione, letting her know the comment was friendly. "I'm Mary McDonald, you must be Ginny Prewett."
"Nice to meet you."
Lily let Hermione climb in first then sat next to her. "This is Dorcas Bennett and Emmaline Vance." She pointed first to a short, creamy complexioned girl with wavy hair and then a slightly taller dark blonde with light blue eyes.
Dorcas smiled warmly. "Welcome to Hogwarts Ginny."
Ooh! Another chapter in less than a week! Aren't you proud of me? Why thank you! Now that I'm done with finals, (Thank every deity ever known to mankind or monkeys), I, being a hard working college student, have eons of time to work on this! I'm already working on the next chapter and I'm loving these girls. They're quite amusing, you know. :) Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I revel in receiving them. Please, if you do read, review! Even if it's just to tell me you liked it, or not, I would appreciate it. Your funny story for the day! I was buying The Tales of Beedle The Bard, I believe I told you about that, but anyway, there was an older woman there who was apparently purchasing it for a niece. She had never, obviously, read Harry Potter. For those of you who haven't seen the book yet, it is the new translation by Hermione Granger with notes by Albus Dumbledore. That's what is says, it's quite clever. But this woman was asking her friend if there was another author working with Jo Rowling! I tried not to laugh out loud when the clerk told her that no, Hermione was a character from Rowling's books, not a new co-author. Yes, it was quite amusing.
And.... Titles!! Okay, I've been thinking about all that the story means. It is, from my point of view, knowing all :), about people that are searching. It just also happens to be a time travel fic in which someone falls in love. But the point, (if you've read the summary), is that she finds answers. Hermione is floundering, yeah?, and that's why she goes to Hogwarts, because she's not sure where she fits, she's not sure who she is to the world. So... I have a couple different titles I'm toying with. I won't change the title until after the story is complete, but I'd thought I'd share what I've got and ask you to give me your opinion!
That Which Defines Us - a personal favorite, my sister came up with it.
Defined By Love - I like it, but I dunno... maybe too cliche?
A Certain Flower - not really up for election. :) Remember how Remus' fave flower is gardenias? This, or something like it, will probably end up being a chapter title later on, when it actually makes sense! Bit of a hint for you though, who liked gardenias first? Ha ha ha! Yeah, I threw this idea out there and my sister gave me a look that said 'Yeah, she's crossed weird and entered "That makes no sense let's put her out of our misery"' So... no.
Well? Let me know what you think. Like I said, it's really the first two I'm playing with. Wow, reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyy lllllooooonnnnnnggggg a/n. Sorry! Please review!
~Shiloh
