Disclaimer: Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall all belong to J.K. Rowling. This story is based upon the Harry Potter series. No money is being made from this story, and no infringement is intended. This story was intended for fanfiction.net only.

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT HERMIONE

Part 4

Lilah saw a woman wearing spectacles and a cape pass by the door, then disappear.

Magic! Have they come for Hermione? Lilah opened the door only to see a fully dressed Hermione sneaking into her bedroom.

"Hermione? What on earth is going on?"

Frightened, Hermione jumped back, hiding something behind her back. "Oh, Lilah, it's you. Nothing's going on. I-I couldn't sleep. I thought some warm milk might help me."

Lilah looked at Hermione's arms, concealed behind her back. "Is there something else? You can tell me."

Hermione gulped. "You're not going to believe this, but..."

"Come in and sit down," Lilah invited, turning on the lights in the bedroom.

Hermione plopped down on the bed, sitting on whatever it was she was hiding. "I got something in the mail yesterday, and I didn't know what to make of it."

"Could I look at it? I might be able to--"

"Here it is," said Hermione, pulling a yellowish envelope out from beneath her. "I'm sorry. I lied. I didn't go downstairs for milk. I went downstairs to meet a witch." She looked at Lilah to see Lilah's reaction.

"You did?" Lilah was busy examining the envelope. It was addressed in green ink, and the back had been sealed with purple wax. Lilah touched the wax's design. It was a coat of arms; the H in the middle was surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.

After all these years of waiting! Eagerly, Lilah lifted the flap. Inside, she found three letters. The first, addressed to Hermione, told her that she had been accepted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hermione! You're going to learn magic!" Lilah grinned so widely her cheeks hurt. She hugged Hermione. "You don't know how I've waited for this day!"

"You knew?" Hermione asked.

"Since you were five. Do you remember when the swing in your backyard broke?"

"No, not really."

"Hermione, instead of hitting the ground when it broke, you bounced. I took pictures of you bouncing and went to get them developed. But when I returned for my film, the clerk told me I couldn't have it. He was a wizard, and he told me that one day you would go to a special school to learn magic. He asked me to watch over you until then."

Hermione blinked. "What about the time when I had that nightmare and all the pictures on my wall fell off? Was I using magic?"

"Yes, didn't you hear me tell your mother there must have been a slight quake that had knocked them down?"

Hermione's eyes began to shine. "That's right! Professor McGonagall told me about that."

"She wasn't just in this house, was she?

"Yes, she was. She came to--er--see the end of the second paragraph of the letter you're holding? It says that I could accept my enrollment by leaving a note in my mailbox.

"When I first read that letter, I believed it, but I didn't think I was qualified to study magic at all." Hermione leaned toward Lilah and whispered, "I thought I would flunk out of Hogwarts."

"I wrote a note back to them and put it in the mailbox this afternoon. I told them that I had other plans, that I wouldn't be able to attend Hogwarts.

"Tonight, a scratching at my window woke me up. It was an owl, and he had a message for me. It was from Professor McGonagall. She asked me to reconsider, and said she would visit with me at 12:01 a.m. in the kitchen.

"I went downstairs to see her. Professor McGonagall said that administration at Hogwarts was excited to see that a student of my academic caliber had gained entrance to the school. She asked why I didn't want to come.

"I explained I didn't know the first thing about magic, and I felt that, due to my lack of training in that area, I would not be a competent student."

"And what did Professor McGonagall say?"

Hermione bit back a grin. "She said that didn't matter. Professor McGonagall told me, 'Everyone starts on the same level, but with your talent, you'll soon pull ahead.' Just think, I get to study magic, and she believes I'll do well!"

"Do you want to call your mom in the morning and tell her the news?" Lilah asked.

"Sure," Hermione said with a yawn. "Did you see my school supply list in there? You have to buy those things in a place called Diagon Alley, it's in London, sort of--they put in directions on how to get there. Oh, it's so exciting, Lilah! I don't know how I'll get back to sleep tonight."

"You will." Lilah gently nudged Hermione off the bed. "The sooner you go back to bed, the sooner morning will come."

"Okay," Hermione said reluctantly, walking over to the door. "Do you want me to shut off--what's this?" She bent over and picked up something from the hallway. "Lilah! It's those pictures you took of me when I was bouncing!"

Neither Lilah nor Hermione went back to sleep for some time. They spent a half-hour looking at the pictures, giggling over Hermione's expressions in them.

When Lilah awoke, it was 9:54 a.m.

9:54! Why didn't Hermione wake me--the events of the night came back to her. Hermione is probably still asleep. I'd better wake her up.

Hermione jumped out of bed when Lilah woke her up. "It's ten o'clock! We were up late, weren't we? Do you think I can call Mum now?"

"Why don't we eat first?"

After a breakfast of cornflakes, Hermione asked to call her parents. "Mum left the number, didn't she?"

"It's on the refrigerator."

Hermione snatched the piece of paper off the refrigerator and dashed over to the phone. With a shaking hand, she dialed the numbers.

Brrring...brrring...On the third ring, Hermione's great-grandmother answered. "Hello?"

"Great-grandma? It's Hermione. Is--"

"Oh, Hermione! How are you? Your mum and dad have been taking such good care of me."

"I'm fine, Great-grandma."

"Good, good. Now, I was wondering, when does St. Brigitte's start? I want to see you before you leave."

"Um, August sixth, but I'm not going there."

"What did you say, Hermione? You're not going to St. Brigitte's? Your mother told me yesterday that you were!"

"There's been a change in plans."

"Does your mother know about this?" Hermione could hear her great-grandmother turning away from the telephone and yelling for her grandaughter--"Dearie! You ought to come over here and talk to Hermione! She says she's not going to St. Brigitte's!"

Mrs. Granger came on the line, sounding concerned. "Hermione?"

"I have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mum! I'm going to learn magic!"

"This is for real?" Hermione's mother said faintly.

"Yes! They sent me a letter. Ask Lilah if you don't believe me."

"It's not that we don't believe you, Hermione, it's just..."

"There is magic, Mum. And I have it. Recall the time I had a nightmare, and all the pictures in my room fell down?"

"I always did wonder about that." Mrs. Granger's mind wandered back to when Hermione was thirteen months old, and Lilah had reported Hermione had somehow disappeared from Lilah's arms and reappeared on the couch. "Magic. Well, I'm very proud of you, Hermione, and I'm sure your father will be when I tell him. We will want to look at that letter when we get home, though."

"Of course. You'll be back Sunday evening, right?"

"Actually, there's been a slight change in plans. Grandma's doing better than her doctor expected, so we'll be back tomorrow afternoon."

Hermione was slightly disappointed that Lilah would have to leave so soon. "Mum?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"We're going to have to go to London to get my school supplies. Do you think we could go when you get home, and Lilah could come with us?"

"I don't see why not, Hermione. We could leave Wednesday afternoon and spend the night there."

"Okay. I love you, Mum."

"I love you, too, sweetie. Remember to pack an overnight bag. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Mum."

"Good-bye, Hermione."

Hermione hung up the phone. "Lilah?"

Lilah, who had been washing dishes, had tried not to listen in on Hermione's conversation. "What did your mum have to say?"

"She's proud of me for getting into Hogwarts. She and Dad will be back home tomorrow because Great-grandma's doing well. They're going to take me to London to buy my school supplies tomorrow afternoon--and you can come with, we're planning to stay overnight."

"That sounds fun," Lilah said. I'll get to see Diagon Alley, a part of the magical world! I wonder what it's like...

Part 5 should be up soon. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts on this one. Also, does anyone know if the HP books describe the type of wand Hermione has? Drop me a line at fulvia@flashmail.com if you know.