Chapter 1: A Broken Puzzle
Hermione woke with a start. In exactly 1 week it would be her first day back at Hogwarts since summer began, and it would start her last year of Hogwarts. She hadn't gone and spent this time with the Weasly's and Harry mainly because she needed time to fix everything up, and to get back in order. It wasn't going to be easy, but she would do it. She was going to go back to Hogwarts with a bit of a change, and gradually change while fading into oblivion, so she could live her life out of the lime-light, and this meant no Harry Potter.
She rolled out of bed, and made for the door, which was a challenge considering she hadn't opened her eyes yet. She was too lazy to do anything except walk. When she finally opened her eyes, after walking into a wall or two, she saw her cat, Crookshanks, staring at her as if she had 3 heads.
She stumbled down the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs. God, she loved her dad's breakfasts. It was the only thing he could cook other than using the grill, but boys, was he good at it. Her mouth was starting to water, and she new that if she didn't eat something soon, there would be a puddle of drool at her feet.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw a plate already made and as she sat down to eat, her dad walked in, a broad smile on his face. "Hermione, did you get any mail yesterday?" he asked. "Because you got some today, and I'm sure you'd love to have a look at it. It's your Hogwarts letter, but here you go, you might want to take a look at it."
Hermione took the letter, knowing full well what had made her fathers face grin so broadly. She also knew that her mother was still asleep and would be waken up to the sounds of his congratulating her. She took one glance at the letter he father had handed her, and knew she was right. "Oh, look Dad, I was made Head Girl. Guess this means I'm in for another hard year."
Of course, she was thinking ~Bloody Hell! Can't they just say you're a good student without having my free time consumed by more work? I need a break! Please don't let this be too hard. Leave me alone you bastards~ But, her lovely fake smile that she had gotten so used to wearing was still plastered faithfully in place. There was no way for her dad to know that this WASN"T what she wanted at all.
"This is so fantastic! I'm so proud of you dear! We must celebrate!" He dad pulled her into a squashing hug, while he congratulated her over and over. Just as she thought, in walked her mother, eyes still filled with sleep.
"What's all the commotion?" she asked while fighting back a yawn.
"Our wonderful baby girl was made Head girl of Hogwarts!" Her father was trying not to yell in his excitement, but was failing miserably.
"Well, isn't that just fantastic. When we go to get your school supplies we will have to get you something special!" Her mother seemed almost perky now, and it was too much for Hermione to take.
If you can't tell, ever since that dreadful night last year Hermione had changed. She was no longer the spunky, optimistic Hermione everyone loved to hate for being too smart. Now she was a different person. She was never excited, never enthusiastic, she had been broken, and no one had cared to tenderly pick up the pieces, and even if they had tried (and few had) they didn't put the pieces back in the right order, and now it was too late to change the damage that had been done. It would take a miracle to get the ld Hermione back, and she knew that, even if no one paid enough attention to see if the situation could be helped.
"If you don't mind, I am planning to go to diagon alley today. Don't worry, I can get there by myself, but what I'll need is some money to change into wizarding money, and judging by this list, I'll need a lot. Oh, and I was hoping that after wards, like tomorrow, I could go to the mall, and pick out a few new outfits." Hermione let the second bit of what she had said seem as if it was an afterthought, even if it really wasn't. She wanted to buy a new outfit or two, just so people weren't thinking she was that awful looking. In truth, over the summer, and last year, she had totally changed. Her frizzy hair was now tamed into a less frizzy straight hairstyle that curled up at the bottom. Not too mention that it went down to the middle of her back. Her honey colored eyes are still as captivating as before, and since her fifth year she had learned how to decently apply make-up, to give her a more adult look. All in all, many people thought she could easily become a model, or even a super model if it was what she wanted to do.
"Ok dear. This should be enough for you're shopping escapades!" He mother had handed her well over $300, and Hermione knew that was her money for both days, but it was also permission to get a few new outfits, and she couldn't have been more pleased for her current state, unless, she was still the old Hermione, then she would have been ecstatic. Her parents rarely gave out money as if it grew on trees. They were too conservative.
Hermione thanked them, and rushed to grab her purse, and ran outside to get her car, a 'Welcome Home' present so to speak. It was a lime green VW Bug convertible, the dream car she'd always wanted. Throwing her purse onto the passenger's side seat, she sped off, feeling great. This would be so fun. This would be a totally new experience for her. Maybe she'd even be good at it. Well, she'd just have to wait and see!
^^^^^^^
Harry and Ron just couldn't understand it! Ever since last year, sometime in May, Hermione had seemed very different. They never really noticed it, until they were sent her owl telling them that she wouldn't be coming to the burrow like she normally did. Instead she gave them a fake story about watching her neighbor's cat for the entire summer, which was a lie, because Hermione's neighbors didn't have a cat. They knew this because Hermione was always complaining about how they hated cats, and couldn't stand Crookshanks! It just didn't add up.
The first thing Harry did once he got to the Burrow was asked if Hermione was there. The Weasleys then told him about her not being able to make it, and being the person he is, he immediately did a Hermione type thing; he started adding everything up in his head. Since when had Hermione not enjoyed the burrow?
He then realized that she had seemed distant for a while now, and when he told this to Ron, he frowned and they began going over the facts, again and again. Now, 4 weeks later, they were preparing to go to Diagon Alley to collect their school things. Both boys were in need of new robes, and they had to get all the new textbooks for their 7th year.
Harry Potter had changed a lot over the last year. He was no longer clumsy, if anything, her was graceful. He held his head high at 6ft 2 in, and people would swear that his ego was the size of a pea. This doesn't mean, however, that he had gotten rid of his ego. It was still there, feeding off of whatever he felt at the moment. He also had a very annoying way of making people feel sorry for him, so he could get what he wanted, and it really worked. When he tried, he could get any girl he wanted in bed with him. This was a skill that he had found come in handy*Wink Wink*
Ron, However, had become a tower, and could have every girl. At his feet in a matter of seconds, he was just so damn blind that he didn't see it. His sexy red hair and tall figure at 6ft 6in had left him the object of many girls' affections. He had taken after Bill when it came to girls; only he kept his hair short, and hadn't bothered with an earring. That was the look stolen by his brother. No, he was more of a Quidditch star styled person. He could always be found with a broom in his hand, and Quidditch robes slung over his shoulder, if he wasn't in class, or wearing them that is. Overall, they were among the top 10 sexiest guys at Hogwarts, and Harry for one loved it, but Ron was totally oblivious, he was so caught up in everything else.
Ron and Harry were both woken up at 9:00am to the yelling of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. Ron groaned, put a pillow over his head, and attempted to go back to sleep. The sound was not blocked out though; he could still hear them perfectly. It sounded like they were arguing about her new outfit she had bought the other day. Ron personally had already gotten into a fight about it, but without any success, she still bought it, and was planning to wear it outside, in public. At the time, he had been too tired from fighting with her about everything else she had gotten, he hadn't put up THAT much of a fight when she had gotten the top.
It was a jean Minnie skirt that came up to mid-thy, and if she bent over, you could see what was under it. The top was basically that of a string bikini that showed way too much of her upper chest with beads hanging down from it to cover her stomach a little bit. It would have made a good Halloween costume, not an outfit you wear on a date.
Just by seeing her outfit, you can tell that Ginny has become the rebel of the family. She had grown up quite a bit since her first year. Now she had wonderful curves in all the right places, and she wasn't afraid to use them to her advantage.
Harry stood up and stretched chuckling at the sounds he heard coming from downstairs. Ginny was at it again. This was the 5th time this week he had woken to them bickering, and it was the fifth day of the week. Ginny was defiantly a teenager and a rebel. "Ron, time to get up, we have to go shopping for school supplies today."
Ron shot Harry and angry glare. "Not now! We can do it tomorrow."
"No, today. Come on, you promised. Don't you want to see what new brooms there are, or how cheap the old ones are?" Harry new this would change Ron's mind.
"Fine, but I'm not going with Mom and Ginny. They'll kill each other, and I don't want to be a witness." Harry agreed it would not be a pleasant outing if the 'women' went along. They were busy getting their things together when they heard a crash, and fighting started up again. "Oh great." Mumbled Ron, in a most facetious way. "Here we go again." As the boys headed down the staircase, they saw a barely dressed Ginny, very red-faced in anger heading up to her room. Probably to either lock herself in it, or to change into something even more revealing. Harry, of course, loved what he saw whenever Ginny walked around in tiny outfits, and personally couldn't see anything wrong with it. (A/N-All Harry Potter Fans: This will change! I'm making him this perverted for a reason. Don't worry; the Harry you all know and love will be back, unless you don't want him to be!)
"Mom, Harry and I were planning on going to Diagon Alley today, to get our school supplies. Please don't make us bring Ginny, any money you give her to get school supplies will probably be used to but more revealing clothes anyway, and I'm not up to a fight today." Ron said as he walked into see his furious mother attempting to carve a chicken for no apparent reason other than to use a knife, and hack at something with it. "Who, mom, calm down, and put that thing down too. You're going to hurt yourself. Why don't you go and make some tea, and try to take a nap, let Bill handle Ginny. He's here and available." Bill shot Ron a glare from across the room.
Bill was currently living at home, until he was able to return to work. He had accidentally been cursed by being in one of the tombs, and Gringnotts had sent him home for a break, before they let him go back in. He was much like Ron, in the sense that he could hardly handle Ginny. However, since he had been home, Fleur stopped by every day to take her English Class, although they were most likely currently working on his French, as in French Kissing. She was the most able person to control Ginny, so Bill would only have to worry on his French lessons, and Fleur her English lessons.
"Yes, yes, that would be wonderful. You boys have a good time, and Bill, please keep a careful eye on Ginny." Mrs. Weasley said as she walked into the living room, and tried to rest.
"Ok mum, we'll go get ourselves situated. Don't worry about Galleons." Since Fred and George's business took off, I have plenty. This was true. Fred and George had insisted on taking care of Ron when it came to money. The had quite a lot of it now. They were even rivalries with Zonko's joke shop.
With those last words, the boys ran up to the fireplace, and flooed out of the house. Reappearing seconds later, in Diagon Alley. They quickly walked from where they were to Gringnotts, and took out all the galleons they would need. Once that was done, they quickly walked to Flourish and Botts.
They entered to see that the place was crowded with students buying their schoolbooks, but one person caught their eyes. She was beautiful. Her long wavy light brown hair that tumbled into curls at the middle of her back. Her sparkling brown eyes were filled with strong emotion as she looked around at the shelves of books. Her curvy body was not covered entirely by the suggestive outfit she wore, but that doesn't mean she was throwing herself out there. Her red v-neck shirt showed only a little cleavage, although it fit quite snuggly, and her mini jean skirt wasn't THAT small. Both guys' mouths were hanging open. One in shock, and one in a throw of male hormones.
"Wow. I know who I want my girlfriend to be this year." Ron said, still ogling at the beauty in front of him. "She's just what I've been waiting for." The girl dropped the book she was holding and 5 guys were reaching down to pick it up for her, however she got it first, looking curiously at all the boys on the floor, as if they were each aliens of some sort. Apparently, she was amazed that anyone would want to pick up her books.
"Ron? What are you thinking? How can you think that about Hermione? And since when was she built like that?" Harry started out strong, but soon his hormones took over.
"That's Hermione?" Hermione looked up after hearing the familiar voices, and she bolted for the door, dropping all her books in her wake.
Hermione woke with a start. In exactly 1 week it would be her first day back at Hogwarts since summer began, and it would start her last year of Hogwarts. She hadn't gone and spent this time with the Weasly's and Harry mainly because she needed time to fix everything up, and to get back in order. It wasn't going to be easy, but she would do it. She was going to go back to Hogwarts with a bit of a change, and gradually change while fading into oblivion, so she could live her life out of the lime-light, and this meant no Harry Potter.
She rolled out of bed, and made for the door, which was a challenge considering she hadn't opened her eyes yet. She was too lazy to do anything except walk. When she finally opened her eyes, after walking into a wall or two, she saw her cat, Crookshanks, staring at her as if she had 3 heads.
She stumbled down the stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs. God, she loved her dad's breakfasts. It was the only thing he could cook other than using the grill, but boys, was he good at it. Her mouth was starting to water, and she new that if she didn't eat something soon, there would be a puddle of drool at her feet.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw a plate already made and as she sat down to eat, her dad walked in, a broad smile on his face. "Hermione, did you get any mail yesterday?" he asked. "Because you got some today, and I'm sure you'd love to have a look at it. It's your Hogwarts letter, but here you go, you might want to take a look at it."
Hermione took the letter, knowing full well what had made her fathers face grin so broadly. She also knew that her mother was still asleep and would be waken up to the sounds of his congratulating her. She took one glance at the letter he father had handed her, and knew she was right. "Oh, look Dad, I was made Head Girl. Guess this means I'm in for another hard year."
Of course, she was thinking ~Bloody Hell! Can't they just say you're a good student without having my free time consumed by more work? I need a break! Please don't let this be too hard. Leave me alone you bastards~ But, her lovely fake smile that she had gotten so used to wearing was still plastered faithfully in place. There was no way for her dad to know that this WASN"T what she wanted at all.
"This is so fantastic! I'm so proud of you dear! We must celebrate!" He dad pulled her into a squashing hug, while he congratulated her over and over. Just as she thought, in walked her mother, eyes still filled with sleep.
"What's all the commotion?" she asked while fighting back a yawn.
"Our wonderful baby girl was made Head girl of Hogwarts!" Her father was trying not to yell in his excitement, but was failing miserably.
"Well, isn't that just fantastic. When we go to get your school supplies we will have to get you something special!" Her mother seemed almost perky now, and it was too much for Hermione to take.
If you can't tell, ever since that dreadful night last year Hermione had changed. She was no longer the spunky, optimistic Hermione everyone loved to hate for being too smart. Now she was a different person. She was never excited, never enthusiastic, she had been broken, and no one had cared to tenderly pick up the pieces, and even if they had tried (and few had) they didn't put the pieces back in the right order, and now it was too late to change the damage that had been done. It would take a miracle to get the ld Hermione back, and she knew that, even if no one paid enough attention to see if the situation could be helped.
"If you don't mind, I am planning to go to diagon alley today. Don't worry, I can get there by myself, but what I'll need is some money to change into wizarding money, and judging by this list, I'll need a lot. Oh, and I was hoping that after wards, like tomorrow, I could go to the mall, and pick out a few new outfits." Hermione let the second bit of what she had said seem as if it was an afterthought, even if it really wasn't. She wanted to buy a new outfit or two, just so people weren't thinking she was that awful looking. In truth, over the summer, and last year, she had totally changed. Her frizzy hair was now tamed into a less frizzy straight hairstyle that curled up at the bottom. Not too mention that it went down to the middle of her back. Her honey colored eyes are still as captivating as before, and since her fifth year she had learned how to decently apply make-up, to give her a more adult look. All in all, many people thought she could easily become a model, or even a super model if it was what she wanted to do.
"Ok dear. This should be enough for you're shopping escapades!" He mother had handed her well over $300, and Hermione knew that was her money for both days, but it was also permission to get a few new outfits, and she couldn't have been more pleased for her current state, unless, she was still the old Hermione, then she would have been ecstatic. Her parents rarely gave out money as if it grew on trees. They were too conservative.
Hermione thanked them, and rushed to grab her purse, and ran outside to get her car, a 'Welcome Home' present so to speak. It was a lime green VW Bug convertible, the dream car she'd always wanted. Throwing her purse onto the passenger's side seat, she sped off, feeling great. This would be so fun. This would be a totally new experience for her. Maybe she'd even be good at it. Well, she'd just have to wait and see!
^^^^^^^
Harry and Ron just couldn't understand it! Ever since last year, sometime in May, Hermione had seemed very different. They never really noticed it, until they were sent her owl telling them that she wouldn't be coming to the burrow like she normally did. Instead she gave them a fake story about watching her neighbor's cat for the entire summer, which was a lie, because Hermione's neighbors didn't have a cat. They knew this because Hermione was always complaining about how they hated cats, and couldn't stand Crookshanks! It just didn't add up.
The first thing Harry did once he got to the Burrow was asked if Hermione was there. The Weasleys then told him about her not being able to make it, and being the person he is, he immediately did a Hermione type thing; he started adding everything up in his head. Since when had Hermione not enjoyed the burrow?
He then realized that she had seemed distant for a while now, and when he told this to Ron, he frowned and they began going over the facts, again and again. Now, 4 weeks later, they were preparing to go to Diagon Alley to collect their school things. Both boys were in need of new robes, and they had to get all the new textbooks for their 7th year.
Harry Potter had changed a lot over the last year. He was no longer clumsy, if anything, her was graceful. He held his head high at 6ft 2 in, and people would swear that his ego was the size of a pea. This doesn't mean, however, that he had gotten rid of his ego. It was still there, feeding off of whatever he felt at the moment. He also had a very annoying way of making people feel sorry for him, so he could get what he wanted, and it really worked. When he tried, he could get any girl he wanted in bed with him. This was a skill that he had found come in handy*Wink Wink*
Ron, However, had become a tower, and could have every girl. At his feet in a matter of seconds, he was just so damn blind that he didn't see it. His sexy red hair and tall figure at 6ft 6in had left him the object of many girls' affections. He had taken after Bill when it came to girls; only he kept his hair short, and hadn't bothered with an earring. That was the look stolen by his brother. No, he was more of a Quidditch star styled person. He could always be found with a broom in his hand, and Quidditch robes slung over his shoulder, if he wasn't in class, or wearing them that is. Overall, they were among the top 10 sexiest guys at Hogwarts, and Harry for one loved it, but Ron was totally oblivious, he was so caught up in everything else.
Ron and Harry were both woken up at 9:00am to the yelling of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. Ron groaned, put a pillow over his head, and attempted to go back to sleep. The sound was not blocked out though; he could still hear them perfectly. It sounded like they were arguing about her new outfit she had bought the other day. Ron personally had already gotten into a fight about it, but without any success, she still bought it, and was planning to wear it outside, in public. At the time, he had been too tired from fighting with her about everything else she had gotten, he hadn't put up THAT much of a fight when she had gotten the top.
It was a jean Minnie skirt that came up to mid-thy, and if she bent over, you could see what was under it. The top was basically that of a string bikini that showed way too much of her upper chest with beads hanging down from it to cover her stomach a little bit. It would have made a good Halloween costume, not an outfit you wear on a date.
Just by seeing her outfit, you can tell that Ginny has become the rebel of the family. She had grown up quite a bit since her first year. Now she had wonderful curves in all the right places, and she wasn't afraid to use them to her advantage.
Harry stood up and stretched chuckling at the sounds he heard coming from downstairs. Ginny was at it again. This was the 5th time this week he had woken to them bickering, and it was the fifth day of the week. Ginny was defiantly a teenager and a rebel. "Ron, time to get up, we have to go shopping for school supplies today."
Ron shot Harry and angry glare. "Not now! We can do it tomorrow."
"No, today. Come on, you promised. Don't you want to see what new brooms there are, or how cheap the old ones are?" Harry new this would change Ron's mind.
"Fine, but I'm not going with Mom and Ginny. They'll kill each other, and I don't want to be a witness." Harry agreed it would not be a pleasant outing if the 'women' went along. They were busy getting their things together when they heard a crash, and fighting started up again. "Oh great." Mumbled Ron, in a most facetious way. "Here we go again." As the boys headed down the staircase, they saw a barely dressed Ginny, very red-faced in anger heading up to her room. Probably to either lock herself in it, or to change into something even more revealing. Harry, of course, loved what he saw whenever Ginny walked around in tiny outfits, and personally couldn't see anything wrong with it. (A/N-All Harry Potter Fans: This will change! I'm making him this perverted for a reason. Don't worry; the Harry you all know and love will be back, unless you don't want him to be!)
"Mom, Harry and I were planning on going to Diagon Alley today, to get our school supplies. Please don't make us bring Ginny, any money you give her to get school supplies will probably be used to but more revealing clothes anyway, and I'm not up to a fight today." Ron said as he walked into see his furious mother attempting to carve a chicken for no apparent reason other than to use a knife, and hack at something with it. "Who, mom, calm down, and put that thing down too. You're going to hurt yourself. Why don't you go and make some tea, and try to take a nap, let Bill handle Ginny. He's here and available." Bill shot Ron a glare from across the room.
Bill was currently living at home, until he was able to return to work. He had accidentally been cursed by being in one of the tombs, and Gringnotts had sent him home for a break, before they let him go back in. He was much like Ron, in the sense that he could hardly handle Ginny. However, since he had been home, Fleur stopped by every day to take her English Class, although they were most likely currently working on his French, as in French Kissing. She was the most able person to control Ginny, so Bill would only have to worry on his French lessons, and Fleur her English lessons.
"Yes, yes, that would be wonderful. You boys have a good time, and Bill, please keep a careful eye on Ginny." Mrs. Weasley said as she walked into the living room, and tried to rest.
"Ok mum, we'll go get ourselves situated. Don't worry about Galleons." Since Fred and George's business took off, I have plenty. This was true. Fred and George had insisted on taking care of Ron when it came to money. The had quite a lot of it now. They were even rivalries with Zonko's joke shop.
With those last words, the boys ran up to the fireplace, and flooed out of the house. Reappearing seconds later, in Diagon Alley. They quickly walked from where they were to Gringnotts, and took out all the galleons they would need. Once that was done, they quickly walked to Flourish and Botts.
They entered to see that the place was crowded with students buying their schoolbooks, but one person caught their eyes. She was beautiful. Her long wavy light brown hair that tumbled into curls at the middle of her back. Her sparkling brown eyes were filled with strong emotion as she looked around at the shelves of books. Her curvy body was not covered entirely by the suggestive outfit she wore, but that doesn't mean she was throwing herself out there. Her red v-neck shirt showed only a little cleavage, although it fit quite snuggly, and her mini jean skirt wasn't THAT small. Both guys' mouths were hanging open. One in shock, and one in a throw of male hormones.
"Wow. I know who I want my girlfriend to be this year." Ron said, still ogling at the beauty in front of him. "She's just what I've been waiting for." The girl dropped the book she was holding and 5 guys were reaching down to pick it up for her, however she got it first, looking curiously at all the boys on the floor, as if they were each aliens of some sort. Apparently, she was amazed that anyone would want to pick up her books.
"Ron? What are you thinking? How can you think that about Hermione? And since when was she built like that?" Harry started out strong, but soon his hormones took over.
"That's Hermione?" Hermione looked up after hearing the familiar voices, and she bolted for the door, dropping all her books in her wake.