THC - Slytherin - HoH - Drabble
Prompt - [Object] Backpack
Word Count - 701
Beta's - Fires of Eden Red Rose Aurora, flickmadhatter, CupCakeyyy
Packing
Hermione Jean Granger felt excitement like nothing she had ever had before. She was going to a school for the gifted! Not just the gifted, the magically gifted! Her whole life suddenly made sense.
It had been incredibly difficult for her to fit in with her peers; she was strange, weird, an outsider. But now she knew it was because she was meant for something more, something different, something great!
Her parents had taken her shopping last week, and she'd already read three of the main books and some of the chapters of the other books; there was so much to learn! It was very exciting.
Additionally, they had done their normal back-to-school shopping yesterday, and Hermione was happily packing everything into her new backpack. It was mainly lilac with black edging and sturdy reinforcements along the bottom and sides. This way she could carry as many of the Hogwarts books as she wanted without breaking it.
Her bags didn't always survive long.
"Hogwarts: A History, yes, you definitely need to go in the bag," she muttered to herself as she placed it in carefully. All of the books she chose would go into the biggest compartment in the bag. Then anything she might need for the train journey - Professor McGonagall had warned her it might be a few hours - would go in the next biggest pocket. And any other little things, such as a few hairbands, gloves, MP3 players, and spare headphones. Things she might need.
Hermione glanced at her door as it opened and smiled at her father.
"How's it going?"
"Great! I've chosen three books to take in the bag, the rest are in the trunk you bought me. And only one of the books I've read! I've already packed a spare jumper and my Hogwarts robes in the backpack, too!"
Her father smiled and sat down on her bed as he looked over the bag. "I hope you've left room for your packed lunch."
Hermione pursed her lips in thought and pulled out the jumper. "I'll be on a train, I'll pack this in my trunk instead."
"Good idea, Hermione."
She re-rolled her tie, not wanting it to get creased; after all, she wanted to make a good first impression. "What will my lunch be?"
"Your mother is making you a cheese and mayonnaise roll right now. And you'll have some homemade cookies, a small pasta salad, lots of fruit, and some raisins to snack on."
"A bread roll and pasta salad?"
Her father nodded. "We want to make sure that you have everything you need, sweetheart."
Hermione nodded along with him, her forehead wrinkled as she thought about his words. He patted her on the shoulder before walking out, leaving her to her thoughts. Her mother only made her pasta salad on special days. But never with a roll. And cookies too?
The realisation hit Hermione that she wouldn't be able to run home and tell her parents everything she learnt every day. It would be months before she actually saw them.
In her excitement about starting at a new school where she could make friends and learn about a whole new world, she hadn't actually considered what it would be like to not see her parents every day.
Her eyes focused on the packed backpack. One by one, she took every single item out and laid it out on her bed.
Her uniform freshly folded, her books in a neat pile, her gloves and small items on the end.
Hermione took a breath, went to the top of the stairs, and called down, "Mum! Dad! Could one of you help me pack my backpack? I can't work it out."
Within seconds both of her parents appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Are you sure, sweetheart? You had it under control."
"My uniform was getting creased. And I don't know if I needed extra socks."
The smile on her parents' faces was contagious and they both came up the stairs to help her. While it wasn't much, knowing that this backpack would have been packed by her parents made her feel better. It was like she could take part of them with her.