Authors note:
So this is my first fanfic and I'm a little excited because I've had it brewing in my head for a while! Note that this is an AU of my choosing and therefor the story Line and characters will differ from the books (though I do try and keep the personality intact!) This one is a bit wordy but I'm also trying to lay out the story and how it will come about and give you a real feel for who Hermione is and what she's been through, so forgive me for the lack of dialogue in this one. I promise that once it really gets into there will be a lot of talking! I also would love reviews because I definitely want to know what you think and editing tips, anything really! All of the credit however can be given to J.K. Rowling, whose books are the basis of this story!
~~Enjoy~~
Hermione settled herself into the train's compartment and stowed her bags above her head. The clouds outside were already dark and stormy and the hair was humid, hinting an oncoming storm. Harry and Ron trailed behind her coming into the compartment loudly, laughing at some joke Ron had made about a passing Slytherin. Her stomach brewed with butterflies at the excitement of their final year at Hogwarts. Her head had a thousand questions rolling through it, what would Hogwarts be like without Grindlewald? Who would be their new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Would the school be like itself, repaired from the damaged that was done to it? Would the library have new books for her to immerse herself in all year long?
"Hello Hermione." A soft voiced floated from next to hear, pushing her head out of her many thoughts.
Hermione glanced up to stare into the eyes of Luna Lovegood, she felt herself smile when she saw the silly hat sitting upon her head. A small top hat it seemed, bright purple with stripes and small twirling poppers all around it, it seemed almost obnoxious in design.
"Hello Luna, did you have a lovely summer?" Hermione patted the seat next to her scooting over to let Luna sit beside her.
"Quite lovely really, my father and I were able to catch many Hogswillies, but we spent much of the summer rebuilding the house" She smiled, her face taking on a seemingly dreamy quality to it. "How was your summer?"
Hermione thought before she answered, her parents essentially had no memory of her. She had spent the summer, with Harry and Ron, at the Burrow. She spent most of the summer wishing she could write her parents and tell them she loved them and missed them but she knew better. After this year she would find herself finding her own flat and her own car. Her summer, while indeed filled with many small adventures with Harry and Ron, was simply filled with the planning of the upcoming school year and her fast approaching future.
"It was quite fun actually, I won't lie and tell you I'm not ready for this school year though." Hermione smiled sincerely at Luna's kindly face.
Ginny walked in tailed by Neville Longbottom who managed to distract Luna from replying to Hermione and avoid any further conversation. The new approaching strangers gave Hermione's mind just long enough to wander on her past life which she had been so desperately trying to avoid thinking about all summer. Their sixth year at Hogwarts had been cut short by the appearance of Grindlewald, who had not only killed Harry's parents as a child, but forced Hermione to obliterate any trace of herself from her parent's memory. Grindlewald had somehow been able to infiltrate his followers into Hogwarts after Dumbledore's mysterious disappearance. Soon his followers were controlling the school and the ministry itself. Harry had no choice but to leave, Hermione and Ron respectively following, to help him find a way to stop Grindlewald once and for all.
Nobody knows for certain what happened when Grindlewald and Harry finally met alone in the Ministry of Magic, and Harry still won't say, "Whatever happened in that room, is between Grindlewald and I, not the rest of the wizarding world." Harry would say. All they knew for certain was that Grindlewald was dead and Dumbledore was still missing, presumably dead as well. Professor McGonagall had taken position as Head Master permanently and most teachers stayed in their respective positions, especially the ever changing post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Although, she had heard many speculations, none of which were definitive.
"-You'd reckon the professors might go easy on us since we saved the world and all?" Hermione caught the last sentence of Ron's speech and caught herself smiling at Ron. His red hair was messy on his head and his freckles seemed to have increased tenfold (if possible) since the beginning of the summer.
"Ronald, don't be such a baby. If anything, they'll give us more seeing as how they think you might have learned so much 'saving the world and all'" Ginny mocked him, her hand held tight onto Harry's, as if letting go would mean he would be called off to another battle to save wizarding kind.
"Your sister's right Ron, our professors will be expecting a lot out of us." Hermione chided in, her mind swirling with glee at the thought of actually being challenged this year.
"Downright mad that is, haven't we been through enough that we might get off on a couple scrolls or two." Ron muttered to himself.
Hermione felt herself flinch inwardly at the whiney voice that he acquired, while at a time she felt what she thought she might love Ron, the summer had given them a chance to see it differently. Without the rush and excitement of every day holding the chance of not seeing each other the next day and the realization that there was an entire world out there for them to see, things became more awkward than romantic. There was no actual ending of the relationship, they had simply begun just avoiding each other's company. Ron would walk into a room and Hermione would quickly find an excuse to leave it, and Ron found no reason to ask her to stay. Hermione quite wished nothing had happened between them in the first place, for it left an awkward silence and an aching feeling of a friendship that had no chance at restoration.
Although she and Ron had been together many times this summer, it was only because Harry had wanted them around him at the same time. If Hermione had it her way, she would prefer to elude Ron completely. The trio simply didn't speak as much and their relationship wasn't the same as it was while they were fighting to defeat Grindlewald. Although they did things with each other this summer and traveled a little, it wasn't a magical as it could have been. Many had assumed that it would bring them closer together but that wasn't the case. Being around each other brought memories of those that had died helping the cause, the terrors they had seen fighting, and the thought that not much excitement would lie ahead in their lives. What was dueling with dark wizards compared to taking notes in potions class?
Hermione decided against thinking back at the events and changes the summer had placed in her life and threw herself into the conversation going on in the compartment, which had filled with more people as the train began to make its way towards Hogwarts. Something about trinkets Luna had acquired, Quidditch, and an argument on whether a certain beast existed or not.
Rain and thunder beat the train relentlessly and although it was only three in the afternoon, the sky was black as ever. Many students came by and left, sitting in with their group to speak with them for a while and leaving. Ginny would turn to Hermione and ask her about boys and classes, Parvati and her twin sister Padma entered and spoke with them for a while about things like that but soon Hermione found her mind wandering once again. She couldn't seem to concentrate on her surroundings.
She didn't feel connected to all the conversation going around, and she wasn't quite sure how Harry and Ron had just simply adjusted either. She felt isolated and grown, too grown. She had grown accustomed to spending hours by herself with no one to talk to the previous year. She didn't find an interest in boys anymore, she didn't care about Quidditch or who was dating who anymore. She felt herself above these things. She'd watch the life slowly fade from the eyes of her closest friends and family, she'd watch Harry and Ron come within a footstep of death's door. She'd held her friends in her arms, closing their gaping wounds and washing their blood off her hands. How could everyone just simply forget what had happened so easily?
"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny had released her grip on Harry's hand and was leaned forward, her brown eyes sparked with concern.
"Just, thinking that's all. I guess I've got a lot on my mind," She shrugged and noticed Harry also intently staring at her, as though he could see what she was really thinking, his green eyes scanning hers as though he was reading the words behind them. "Nothing important really."
"You just seem, out of it," Ginny voice took on a considerate note. Her and Harry glanced on a second longer before something someone said caught his attention and Ginny changed the subject. "Have you seen Lavender? She redid her hair and it looks like a travesty."
Hermione turned her eyes and caught sight as she walked by their closed compartment door, Lavenders eyes lingered in their compartment as she walked by. Hermione turned to Ron and saw his eyes twinkle quickly as he grazed Lavender up and down. She felt a twinge of jealousy, a reminder of what used to be, and it went as quickly as it came. Lavenders hair had been cut short, right in the middle of her neck, and straightened. She smiled at Ron, or so she assumed, before continuing on.
"I wonder why she cut her hair, it looked so pretty before." Hermione asked aloud.
"I think it looks alright." Ron answered quietly, allowing a small awkward silence to fill the cabin before Ginny began speaking again.
Hermione however had already lost interest and was staring out the window at the storm, the lake they sped over looked black and inky and it kept Hermione's interest long enough to pass the rest of the train ride while her mind spun the idea of the upcoming school year. If she couldn't even handle conversation with her friends anymore, how would she handle the year?
Slowly the boys and girls split as they began changing into their robes. Hermione ran her hands over her hair at a desperate attempt to flatten the frizz that came with changing clothes.
"Ooh, Ginny. Who you wearing those for?" Padma Patil cooed.
Hermione turned and saw that Ginny wore lacy sheer knickers with a matching garter belt attached to thigh high tights. She felt her face burn slightly at such dangerously sexy clothing.
"Maybe I just want to look fancy Padma, it's nothing big." She turned red, quickly pulling up her skirt to zip it.
"Or maybe you're looking to impress a certain someone tonight in his dorm room, maybe a certain green eyed wizard?" Parvati giggled.
Hermione cracked a smile as Ginny huffed with pride and turned around to button her shirt over the matching bra. Hermione thought to her knickers, she didn't think she owned anything as sheer and sexy as that now that it came to mind.
"At least I have someone to impress, you two would do good to find someone that you could wear this stuff for." Ginny said straightening her collar under her sweater, rolling up her sleeves to her elbows.
"Who says I haven't? I'll have you know Seamus and I have been speaking all summer." Padma puffed up with indignity.
"Since when," Hermione asked, blatantly curious to know when Seamus actually had the courage to speak to a woman at all.
"He was the one who saved me from Dolohov…"Padma trailed off.
"Did he visit you at all during the summer?" Ginny probed, rushing to change directions.
"Just a few times…" She smiled to herself, blushing slightly.
"They snogged the whole time!" Parvati shouted, laughing at Padma's red face.
The girls continued to gossip as they met up with the rest of the boys and climbed aboard their boats heading towards the castle to the carriages. Hermione cast her eyes upon the giant skeletal horses that pulled them. She had no doubt that by now, all but the first years, were seeing these large winged horses for the first time. Her stomach panged at the thought.
~~Dining Hall~~
Hermione seated herself next to Ginny across from Harry and Ron. She looked around, the first years were whispering excitedly and many looked as though they were to vomit. She smiled, thinking back to her first year.
"Who is that?" Ginny breathily whispered to Hermione.
Hermione turned quickly to look and found him within seconds. He was seated next to Hagrid, speaking quietly to Professor Bonnaire. His hair was dark brown and wavy, he had it parted to the side where it lay out of way of his beautiful eyes. From where Hermione sat, they were such a dark brown they almost appeared black. He was handsome, devilishly handsome. Hermione felt herself transfixed by his appearance. He was young, unreasonably young, as though he belonged at the table with the rest of the seventh years. His cheekbones were chiseled, as if Michelangelo himself carved them. His pale skin was shadowed by the candlelight and made it look creamy and alabaster like, which drew Hermione to pay even more attention to the chiseled shoulders and chest she could see above the table.
"He must be the new professor…" Hermione found herself trailing off as he turned his head and smiled at something someone said.
His smile created a dimple in his check, Hermione found herself wanting to kiss it. His smile held a small smirk to it, as if he knew something no one else did. It was handsome…no dreamy….no gorgeous. He was gorgeous, there was no other words to describe him.
"Looks like a bit of bloke to me…" Ron trailed off, his ears growing red as the girls at the table all soon were turned to marvel at his features.
Hermione felt herself gasp when he suddenly turned and caught eyes with her. His dark obsidian eyes blazing into hers, as if he could see right through her, it was as if he was reading her mind. A small smirk played on his lips and Hermione's face flushed as she quickly turned away from his burning glaze.
"Don't be jealous Ron because all the girls are fawning all over you." Ginny snapped at Ron defensively.
"Jealous? Of that old man? I don't think so." Ron mumbled, the red spreading slowly into his face.
"He's hardly old I think." Hermione spoke up proudly.
"So you like him too?" Ron asked turning to look at her.
"He certainly isn't an eyesore." Hermione felt her cheeks flush slightly, Ginny's giggle and smile didn't help.
"You probably like your men older and more mature then?" Ron asked, as though he were jealous.
"I would think the type of man I like is really any of your business Ronald." She replied smartly.
Ron's reply was cut short, 'thank god' Hermione thought, by McGonagall standing up clearing her throat loudly and waving her hand to dim and brighten the lights to receive undivided attention. Her green and black robes swirled and her face looked severe, her hair more gray than usual, war does that to people, Hermione felt her stomach flutter at the thought.
"Welcome back to another magical year at Hogwarts," She smiled slightly, trying to be warm, give affection to the new students as to hide how tired she really felt. "It's good to see so many smiling faces and young bright minds gracing this year."
Hermione found McGonagall's speech rehearsed and tried, as though she had to repeat it to herself to mean it. It was easy to understand why. The previous year had brought many deaths and much damage. It was a lucky thing Hogwarts was even open this year, even Hermione found herself a tad shocked that they had managed to fix everything up so quickly. Damage done by dark magic was something easy to cure. However, her thoughts didn't linger long when she quickly noticed the professor staring intently at her again. Hermione's breath hitched slightly at his piercing gaze.
"Why's he staring over here like that?" Ginny whispered into Hermione's ear.
Hermione couldn't bring herself to answer, his gaze gave her the feeling of not having enough air. How could someone be so dangerously handsome? However, he quickly turned his gaze over when professor Bonnaire whispered something in his ear. Hermione wondered how she was going to survive his class if she could barely live looking at him.