Disclaimer: I own nothing that deals with Harry Potter, blah blah blah. Yeah, we all know the drill! However, I do own Hermione's parents, Dan and Rebecca, and her grandmother, Hattie.

A/N: Well, I hope that you guys like this story. This is the one time that I only have one story that I need to work on, so hopefully I can devote more time to this fic, even though I am starting school in a few weeks. And I might be putting up another story soon, so for those of you who are interested, be prepared for a possibly new one.

Oh dear. Today is the day. I have to go to home today and see my grandmother.... and my parents. I wonder how long I'll be home before they start fighting in front of me. Hopefully they can contain themselves long enough for dinner. Otherwise, my grandmother will have a field day and tell my mom how wrong she was for marrying my father, like she always does. Granny Hattie always says that her biggest mistake was to allow my mum to date my dad. Imagine her shock when they got married.

It's a quarter past five in the evening. I should really be going now. As I made my way to the front of the castle, Ron stood there, waiting for me. He has that scared smile on his face. He gulped.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, 'Mione?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, Ronald, I'm afraid I have to," I sighed, lowering my eyes. He gave me a big hug and whispered that he loved me in my ear.

"Be safe," he said. I kissed him lightly on the lips and then walked outside.

Oh, it feels so good out here. The fall is almost here and I could smell the sweet smell of rain that threatened to fall in the wind, and it was a welcome smell. I closed my eyes as a soft wind brushed against my cheek. This feels good, I thought.

"You like this weather, too?" I jumped when I heard Draco's voice. I turned and saw him step out of the shadows and relaxed a little.

"Oh yes, I love the cold weather," I smiled, looking back across the grounds.

"Not me," he shrugged, walking up next to me. "I always loved the hot summer months that we endure over our three month break."

"Always have to be contradicting me, don't you?" I teased. "Even on weather."

"That's my job," he snickered. I giggled and looked at my watch, then frowned.

"Oh, I need to go now," I said. "My mum and dad are expecting me."

"Have fun and tell your parents I said hello," he said.

"By the way I've talked about you in the past, I doubt that they'll be expecting me to say anything but evil things about you," I snickered. "Bye," I said, waving good-bye at him and rushing to the portkey that Professor Dumbledore had so graciously provided for me. The next thing that I knew, I was in front of my house again.

-------------------------------------------------------

I slowly opened the door and walked in.

"Hello?" I called. No one answered, so I just shrugged and closed the door behind me. Perhaps they're in the kitchen, I thought. So I made my way to the kitchen and stopped just outside the swinging door when I heard two voices. Who is that? Oh, it's my mum and dad. This can't be good. Please ell me that they are not fighting.

"What time is it, dear?" asked my father. My mom looked at her watch.

"Nearly five-thirty, honey," she replied. Phew, at least they are not arguing. Then, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that'll be my mother," said my mother worridly. My dad made a small chortle and I quickly replied before anyone could say anything else.

"Mummy, daddy," I smiled, running through the doors.

"Hermione," smiled my mum as she hugged me. She was obviously very surprised to see me. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," I smiled. I ran to my dad and hugged him as well.

"Hello, kid-o," he smiled as he gave me a huge hug. "I'm so glad that you're here." Just then, the doorbell rang once again. I felt the tension as my father looked at my mum, who just ignored him and went quickly to the door. My dad looked at me and smiled.

"Brace yourself for a volcanic explosion," he smiled. I looked at him a chuckled slightly. Although we never actually said it, we both knew that we agreed on almost everything when it came to mum and granny Hattie. I admit that she is watched way too close by granny, but I never said anything. My dad knows that I take his side ojn the matter and always will, but when she asks me, father and I know that I am too always agree with my mother, lest she yell at me and blame my father for the way I turned out like him.

"Oh, dear, you should really think about moving," said Granny Hattie as she and mother entered the kitchen. She looked evily at my father, taking every inch of him in. "Yes, a change of scenery is just the thing that you need." My father tensed and gripped my hand tightly. It was a grip to challange a woman giving birth grip. Ouch!

"And hello to you too, Mother," he said, faking a smile. She pretended to smile too.

"Hattie, dear, Hattie," she said. "Yes, I was just talking about you with my friends."

"That's refreshing, Hattie, you're usually screaming about me," said my father. I saw my mother glare at him from behind my mothers back.

"Can I talk to you in the living room?" she called to him. He nodded and followed my mother.

"So, Hermione, let me look at you properly," Granny Hattie said when we were alone. She signaled for me to turn around and I did. "I daresay that you are a plain little thing, aren't you?" Oh cripe. And people wonder why I've got issues. My low self-esteem didn't start with me, you know. I stopped when I was facing her once again. She sighed. "Well, you're not a completely lost hope. You may have gotten most of your looks from your father, but fortunately you did manage to get your mothers small nose and thin lips. Unfortunately, everything else that you've gotten from your father- your eyes, your hair, and your ears- are so big that they contrast greatly with that nose and mouth."

I clenched my fists tightly throughout that entire monologue of hers and bit my tongue as well. Who does she think that she is? How dare she! Keep your cool, Hermione. It's just for a little while and then I can go back to Howarts and wait another three or four bloody years before I have to see her again.

"You know, dearie, you really should try and smile more often," she said, lifting my chin so she could further study my face. Her face was twisted in concentration. "You're never going to catch a beau if you frown all the time. I used to tell your mother that all the time. She never listened to me, of coarse, and that is why she ended up with-" She stopped and smiled. "Never mind."

"Dinner time," smiled my mother as she came through the door again. My grandmother smiled again and, releasing me, walked out of the kitchen. Is there a law somewhere that forbids me to organize my own adoption? I'll go anywhere, just as long as it is away from my grandmother. In fact, anyone looking for an extra grandmother? I'll pay anyone to take this woman away from me. I'll even be willing to pay you annually for the rest of my life, if you are just willing to take her off my hands. Stab her, shoot her, stick her in the river, ANYTHING!

As I made my way to the dining room, I watched her angrily from behind. Would anyone mind terribly if I just gave her one good swift kick in the rear?

A/N2: I just wanted to say that I hope you liked this chapter. It was most fun to write, and I'm sure the next chapter will be great too because that will be the dinner scene. Ooh, I can't wait. There will be crying, fighting... and running. And then, after that.... well, let's just say that it'll be fun to write! Thanks again for reading. Please review! Always Hopeful