"Hermione, are you ready to go?" called Mrs. Granger from the bottom of the stairs, "We need to get going if we want to be early."
"Just a second Mum, I just got an owl from school," Hermione answered, walking down the stairs.
"Well, what does it say?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"Dear Ms. Granger," Hermione read out loud to her mother, "we are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen as this year's Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed are a few letters of congratulations from my fellow faculty and staff. Your hard work at Hogwarts is recognized with this honor. Congratulation Hermione, you deserved this. Signed, Professor McGonagall,"
Hermione exclaimed in one long breath, thoroughly excited. "And look Mum, there are letters from Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, Professor Sprout, Professor Dumbledore, even Professor Snape!"
"Hermione," her mother whispered with tears in her eyes, "I'm so proud of you."
And with that, she enveloped Hermione in a hug that lasted for a long time, both mother and daughter overcome with the news. They were finally interrupted by Mr. Granger.
"Come along you two, at this rate we'll only make it just in time to the station," he chuckled good-naturedly, "wait, what's all this? Is that tears I see?"
"Everything's fine Dad. I made Head Girl!" explained Hermione, "I just got my letter by owl."
"My little girl, Head Girl? Who else would they choose? You deserve it Hermione, " her father said with pride shining in his eyes.
"Oh my," Hermione's mother declared, "look at the time! We'll talk about this in the car."
With that, the three hurried out to the car already packed with Hermione's school trunk and book bag. Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, was getting too old to go to school, and so as they pulled out of the driveway, Hermione waved fondly at her beloved cat, which sat sunning itself in the living room.
About thirty minutes later the Grangers pulled into the station and unloaded Hermione's trunk onto a trolley. They walked as inconspicuously as possible through the barrier onto Platform 9 and 3/4 where they were greeted by a melee of students scrambling to get their trunks aboard the train, say good-bye to their parents, and locate their friends. Hermione and her parents were artfully dodging a group of third years busily gossiping about their summer holidays when Hermione heard her name called from somewhere over her left shoulder. She turned immediately and encountered her best friends Ron Weasely and Harry Potter waving enthusiastically from their usual compartment on the train. She stared at the two boys for a moment, who, by her estimation, had each grown about three inches since the last time she had seen them.
"I'll be there in a second," called Hermione.
She turned to her parents, who were both smiling conspiratorially at their daughter, after sliding her trunk into the loading zone.
"What are you two up to?" asked the girl, recognizing those looks as the ones big surprises and presents were attached to.
"Well," her mother began after first looking at her husband to see if she should go first or not, "we have a few things for you, and a couple more waiting for you at the castle."
"You see Hermione," her father put in, "please don't be mad at us, but we knew you were going to be Head Girl, " and seeing Hermione's hurt look he continued, "Minerva informed us at the beginning of the break. She asked us not to say anything to you because they hadn't yet decided on a Head Boy. Anyway, your mother will give you the first four things and I will tell you about the rest in a moment."
"First we want you to know how proud we are of you. You are everything we ever could have wished for in a daughter. The first thing we have for you is a key to your own Gringott's vault. Number 322. It currently has 1000 galleons in it and every time it runs out; we will replace it with a 1000 more. This will continue until your 25th birthday. This is for expenses for your last year at Hogwarts and for your first six years on you own."
She handed a dumbstruck Hermione a tiny golden key that she held in her open hand wonderingly before she closed her fist around it. Her mother smiled and continued.
"The second gift is something called a Revealer. It is shaped like a compact mirror, but whoever looks into it will be shown in their true form. You father and I who are regular people would show up as an exact reflection of ourselves while you, even dressed as you are now, would show up at a witch with your robes and wand. Someone masquerading as a human or a normal witch would show up in their true form, and even Death Eaters would be shown with their Dark Marks clearly visible on their exposed arms."
She handed Hermione the compact from her purse who in turn placed it carefully in her pocket.
"Don't worry dear," her mother reassured her, "the glass is unbreakable by normal means. Anyway, my last two gifts to you are both keys. The first key goes to something we know you have wanted for a long time. Your new BMW racing bike is waiting for you at school to be used in your free time. A few magical adjustments have been made to it courtesy of Sirus Black who made them to his own. It is the fastest bike BMW has ever made and there are only 200 of them in the world. It is black with silver trim, just like you always wanted and since we decided you were old enough to have one, we wanted to buy your first bike."
She attempted to hand Hermione the next key, but instead was swept into an enormous hug by her daughter who was overwhelmed by her dream finally coming true. Mrs. Granger beamed and handed the key over only to pull out another one from her pocket.
"This last key is a joint present with Ron and Harry. Ron's parents and Sirus should have told them today and I'm sure that's what they want to talk to you about. We bought you three a flat in London for next year, in Diagon Alley to be exact. It's spacious enough to hold the three of you and one other roommate and has a culinary kitchen at your disposal. It has many other features, but I put the specs and pictures in your book bag to look at one the train with the boys."
She handed the stunned Hermione her last and final key and stepped aside so her husband could have his turn with the gift giving.
"Now it's finally my turn," her father joked, "your first gift is another something waiting for you at the castle. It's for something you thought you were going to have to give up. We know how much running help clears your mind, but that there was no where to do it at school. With Flitwick's help we bought a treadmill and he magiked it so that it will work on campus. The second gift is also at the school and it is your entire set of cooking supplies plus a few additions."
Seeing Hermione's puzzlement at the second gift and the opening of her mouth as to speak, Mr. Granger quickly hurried on.
"No, we will not tell you why you have your cooking supplies, only that we thought they might be useful for school this year. My third gift is a ticket for Christmas Break. It is to the Bahamas, Ron and Harry have tickets as well, where we have rented a boat with a crew to take you anywhere you want for two and a half weeks. There is an extra ticket in case there is another person you want to take."
He handed Hermione her ticket and she gave him an appreciative smile and a quick thank you.
"For my last gift I want you to know that we, your mother, Albus, and I, have searched the better part of 5 years for. We have found the stones of Hades and Albus will present them to you when you arrive at school. There are four stones and all must be used in order for them to work. Choose the people with whom you unite the stones because this spell lasts until all four of you are dead for a hundred years. How they work is the four of you put on your respective necklaces and hold hands. Together you must recite, "Amicos eternus." And that will seal the spell. Then, if you want to check on another person, you make the necklace visible, take it off, and hold it in your closed fist. Say the name of the person you want to know about and then open your fist. Your stone will then glow with the emotion that the person you asked about is feeling at that very moment until you close your fist again. The necklace at all other times will be invisible or will show your emotions. The stone can turn 8 colors. Red is anger, yellow is contented, pink is in love, green is in mortal danger, purple is regretful, orange is annoyed, blue is sad or depressed and black is dead. Now it's almost time for you to go. Make us even prouder this year, if that is possible."
And with that, Hermione flew at her parents with the intenseness that had appeared in Hermione over the last few years that she devoted to everything, instead of just schoolwork.
"I can't even begin to thank you both," she exclaimed breathlessly, "how will I ever deserve all that?"
"You deserve all of it and more," her mother said, voice full of emotion, "now off with your dear before we both ruin our make-up again today!"
"Thank you for everything," was all that Hermione could get out as her mother and father ushered her onto the train.
She turned as they closed the door and the whistle sounded for the departure of the Hogwarts Express. She looked through the glass at her parents who were waving furiously at their only daughter. She waved back with a look on her face that conveyed the gratitude she wasn't able to in words. They looked into her eyes and understood how much she appreciated all they had done for her, and how perfect a daughter they had raised. Together they turned and walked hand in hand toward the exit to the world that their daughter would never be a real part of again.
I have chapters 2 ready, but I'll need 10 reviews before I post it. Thank everyone!