Summary: After a lie to her parents and a lie to Ron, who's to say she wouldn't tell one more? (Takes place during OotP).

Author's Notes: This will only be a one-shot. I'm just in an angst-filled mood. I'll probably write something funny soon after this if I can't get myself to go read Uncle Tom's Cabin. You know…if I ever read that, that would make a great Harry Potter fanfic…

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Too poor. I need a job. Does unprofessional writer on fan ff.net pay well?

~*~

Hermione Granger was known as the most sensible in her school. Nothing made her get scared or nervous. That's how the whole of Hogwarts knew her though. Perfect Prefect Granger often got emotional and couldn't even figure how to add two and two. She never let anyone know. She was the rock upon which everyone leaned against when they were upset. But who was the rock supposed to lean against when the world gets too heavy?

Some kids were given lots of love when they returned home from school, even public school. Some kids were showered with gifts. If this was what Hermione had to get for a gift, she never wanted another birthday again.

Slowly, Hermione lifted her head from her knees and looked at her parents. Her mother was yelling something to her father and her face was red like Ron's was when he was angry. She ducked her head again, hugging her knees to her chest even closer as she thought about Ron. She had no idea what was happening to him. One moment she was waiting for him and Harry to get breakfast, the next Professor McGonagall said they were having a family emergency and they had left early. She told Hermione to go get breakfast, but she was too upset to eat. What happened that it made Harry go with and not Hermione? Wasn't she their best friend, too?

"Sometimes it doesn't feel like it." Hermione muttered to herself. It seemed Ron and her were always fighting about something trivial. Hermione knew Harry wasn't as close to her as he was to Ron. Their fourth year made that obvious. She liked actually spending time with them though. It made her feel like she belonged in their group. She knew she had to do the right thing by getting them to be friends again though. It seemed impossible at the time and it was. They had to do it themselves.

It had only been a few hours since Hermione got off the Hogwarts Express. It was the worst trip ever. In her first year, yes, she rode the train alone. It wasn't like she was scared. That year, though, she got to say goodbye to Harry and Ron. This year it seemed like no one cared. She was going to find Ginny to say goodbye, but if it was a family problem, she would have to be involved, too. The Gryffindor tower seemed so small when she left.

Her parents were all smiles when they found her waiting. Everything seemed fine as they drove towards their cabin. Then her mother started nitpicking on her father's sense of direction. She sighed and pulled out one of her O. W. L. preparation books and began to read, trying to block out their fight.

They argued the whole trip. They stopped momentarily to get their key at the front desk, but soon fought over if Hermione should get her own key or not. Personally, Hermione didn't want her own key. She didn't want to go skiing either. She'd rather try snowboarding or tobogganing. That would surprise everyone back at Hogwarts. Everyone thought she was so prim and proper. Ron didn't. Ron always seemed to know what she was thinking. He even knew she'd be horrible at skiing. She hated how he always knew everything.

"Stupid Ron. Stupid parents. Stupid so-called-friends who tell me absolutely nothing!" Hermione shouted the last part so loud, her parents stopped fighting for a moment and looked over at her. She glanced at them and glared, "I'm leaving. Have fun fighting." In a moment's rage, Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at her backpack, "Portus!" She looked up at her parents for a moment, "Happy Christmas." She grabbed her backpack, not thinking about where she was going, not thinking that she did magic away from Hogwarts, not caring about a thing.

~*~

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked her when he saw Hermione. He always had to best greetings. Sorry I interrupted your get-together, Harry. Please, oh please, forgive me. She rolled her eyes, not caring if Harry saw or not.

Hermione hesitated for a moment, but went on her lying rants that she was getting quite good at, "Well, to tell the truth, skiing's not really my thing. So I've come for Christmas. But don't tell Ron that, I told him it's really good because he kept laughing so much." Hermione was wrong. She thought Ron knew everything. She thought he would see past her lie. Maybe he did a little, but he didn't get the picture she wanted to show him. She wouldn't tell anyone why she really left though. They didn't deserve to know. They were the ones who left her out of everything. Even Ginny did! Some friends, "Anyways, Mum and Dad are a bit disappointed, but I've told them that everyone who's serious about the exams is staying at Hogwarts to study." Well, they might have assumed that after she left. She didn't care either way, though, "They want me to do well, they'll understand." Great. Now change the subject, "Anyway, let's going up to your bedroom, Ron's mum lit a fire in there and she's sent up sandwiches."

~*~

Author's Notes: Shucks. I just read a bit more on and found out that Dumbledore told her and she rode the Knight Bus. Oh well. This is now…

Alternate Universe!!!!!!!!

Ahem. Yeah. I feel better.