Hermione Granger: Year One: It All Began

by lightning-in-darkness

Hermione comes from an abusive backround and is unhappy with her life. That is until she recieves her Hogwarts letter and is swept off into a new world of adventure and mystery. But is something worse adrift?

Disclaimer: I do not own any part, person, setting, event, or anything like that of Harry Potter, so please don't sue. If you recognize it, chances are, I don't own it.

Authors Note: This is my story and it won't be like you picture, so if you read across something that is totally off the map, please don't comment on it. I KNOW it's off the map. So, without any further comments, I present to you:

Hermione Granger: Year One: It All Began

CHAPTER ONE: SURPRISE OF HER LIFE

Hermione slowly walked down a pitch black hallway that was narrow and made of concrete. Something, she knew, was hiding in the dark. Blood pounded in her ears, and she trembled with terror. Her breath was harsh; she could scarcely breathe. The wind that rushed past her was icy and the stench of mold and mildew was in her nose. Upon touching the wall, she quickly snatched her hand away when she discovered slime smeared along the smooth surface. Suddenly, a figure jumped out in front of her. She had no time to think and quickly turned and sped as quickly as she could away from him or her or it; whatever it was. Her legs were heavy and not carrying her away fast enough, but soon it did not matter; for she tripped, and slid a few painful feet on her hands and knees, scraping them up. Whoever was behind her gave a cruel laugh and Hermione screamed, struggling to get up and run.

"There's nowhere to go . . ." said the taunting inhuman voice behind her. "There's nowhere to run . . ." Then there was laughter and Hermione screamed a shrill bloodcurdling scream, and screamed, and screamed . . .

She bolted upright in her bed, immediately throwing the covers and her pillow off the bed. Sweat was pooling in her bra and around her collar bone. She was covered in it. Her eyes darted around the room, searching in the dark for any creature that might be hiding. Her hands and knees burned and felt sticky.

'But it was a dream . . .' she thought, confused. Yet, it had seemed so real. But here she was, safe and sound. Well . . . almost anyway. Her hands and knees were clearly hurt, and her heart was pounding madly.

Hermione got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. She didn't hesitate to turn on the dim light; she had gotten used to it over time and it wasn't even bright to her anymore. After going to the bathroom, she took the glass she always kept next to the sink and filled it with water, careful not to make much noise. As she drank it, she looked dully at the mirror.

Her dark, silky hair, which was almost waist length and normally held some type of shine, was now limp and damp. Her skin was white from little exposure to the sunlight, and her huge dark eyes held knowledge beyond her eleven years. She had a small frame and was too thin, though she knew she possessed more curves than most eleven year-olds. One would think they could scare her away with a clap of their hands. She scoffed.

All of the sudden, her glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

"Bloody hell!" Hermione practically yelled. Then she clamped her hands over her mouth and her eyes filled with fear, like a dear caught in headlights. 'I hope I didn't wake her up.' She started to exit the bathroom, but before she could, she saw the hallway light come on. Shit. No such luck.

Hermione's mom stormed into the bathroom. As soon as she saw the mess, a string of curse words came from her mouth. "You fucking bitch!" She shoved Hermione backward onto the broken glass, making Hermione gasp with pain as bolts of it traveled up and down her frail body.

"No mom, don't!" Hermione screamed in vain. She quickly prepared herself for the blows she knew were coming by curling herself into a ball so the majority of the blows would hit her back. Sure enough, a string of kicks and punches began to beat her over and over again. Hermione gasped with pain as the blows pushed the broken glass into her back even farther. Her mom was panting like a mad woman while she beat her only child with a rage that could only come from damning the very day Hermione was born. Tears streamed down Hermione's cheeks and she sobbed from both physical and emotional pain, waiting for it to be over.

Soon, the blows ceased and Hermione's mom retreated to her room, after saying with disgust, "Clean this shit up, you filthy little rat!"

Hermione cowered in the corner, in too much pain to move. Her eyes were blurred with tears; she hurt everywhere. After what seemed like an eternity – it could have been seconds, it could have been hours – she slowly and agonizingly got up from the floor and began to clean up the mess she'd made.

Her mom had gotten pregnant with Hermione at fifteen years old. After Hermione's father disowned her mom, who had been thrown out her own house, Hermione's mom had raised her on the streets. Hermione learned to defend, protect, and survive at an early age. After Hermione's mom finally made enough money prostituting to rent an apartment, they moved in. Now, due to lack of money shortages, Hermione's mom now bought hardly anything besides beer and drugs. She had always been abusive towards Hermione, which Hermione liked to blame on the beer and drugs. No way would a sober mother treat her child this way.

Hermione would have ran away, but where to? She'd rather have this hardly-a-step-up-from-the-streets home, her shelter, than no home at all. Besides, half the time her mom was passed out from drinking anyway.

Going to school wasn't much of a challenge because there was a school right down the street and another two blocks away. Some of the teachers noticed Hermione's bruises and scars, but Hermione always brushed them off with an endless line of excuses. "I fell off my bike." "I tripped over my back pack." "I fell down the stairs." "I got bit by the dog next door." Whatever came to mind, Hermione said. This was her life, and while she knew it wasn't the best, she also knew it could be a lot worse. So she accepted it.

After cleaning up the mess, Hermione tried to get as much of the glass out of her back and shoulders as possible. She ignored the welts and bruises that were already there, and grabbed a wash cloth to clean up the blood from the cuts made by the glass.

When she'd gotten as much of the glass out as she thought possible, Hermione walked slowly back into her bedroom, turning off the light to the bathroom. She slowly bent over and picked up her covers and pillow, putting them back on the bed. Then, Hermione Granger eased herself under the covers, and tried to get some sleep.

When Hermione woke at 8:30 on Saturday morning, the first thing she felt was many dull aches from her back, reminding her of the night before. Tears stung Hermione's eyes, but she brushed them away, irritably. Today, there was work to be done.

After dressing and putting her hair into a loose braid, Hermione walked into the kitchen, making no efforts to be quiet. She knew mom would be passed out from drinking too much. There was nothing to eat in the fridge except ketchup, mustard, and beer, so Hermione went to her secret stash of money.

This was a stash in her room she'd been collecting her whole life. From past experience she knew it was best to be prepared with emergency money so she'd always had emergency money. Her stash would build up faster though, if she didn't need to grab three pounds to eat every day. She had about twenty-seven hundred pounds (fifty-one hundred US dollars) saved up. The money came from working a part time job at a restaurant down the street for less pay than the teenagers working there. Hermione had been working there before and after school, but since it was now summer, she works there everyday from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon. It was where she was headed right now.

Before going out the door, however, Hermione brought the mail in from the day before. Most of it was just junk, but there was one letter that caught her eye:

Ms. H. Granger

Apt. # 176

Langly Drive

Surrey

'What in the world?' Hermione wondered. 'I never get mail. Who could this be from? I don't even have any friends.' She tore open the letter and was astounded to read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please owl us saying you

accept, and we will send you more information and a list of necessary books

and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no

later the July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

The letter fell from Hermione's hand and fluttered to the ground. She felt dizzy. 'I think I need to sit down.' She thought, shakily. Luckily, a chair was behind her and plopped down into it.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God . . . Oh, my God! Oh, my God!! Oh, my God!!!" before she knew it, she was jumping up and down with exhilaration. Laughing, she realized that Oh, my God didn't even sound like a phrase anymore.

"OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD! Okay, Okay, think Hermione, think." She said to herself. "What do they mean 'Witchcraft'? Am I a witch? Am not!" she argued with herself. 'But that would explain why it rains every time you start to cry.' A little voice said inside her head. 'That would explain the time that mugger tried to rob you, but fell to the ground for no reason before he could. That would explain the time you got so angry, you broke all the windows in the house. That would explain the time . . .' "Okay, okay." She snapped.

For a while she thought about how to send a letter saying she accepted. She didn't have much time; it was already July seventeenth. She didn't have an owl. So she took a piece of paper, wrote her acceptance letter, which also included how confused she was, and left on the window sill, hoping that an owl would come by and pick it up. Sure enough, after she came home from working that day, the letter was gone. Hermione looked below the window sill, in the kitchen, everywhere the letter could have blown, but it wasn't there. She doubted her mother would have stolen it, so she accepted the fact that an owl had come and taken it.

Hermione wasn't happy about needing to go to her secret stash to be able to buy the materials, so she made up a plan to sneak into her mom's room the day she was supposed to leave, and steal some money out of her mother's wallet. Hermione refused to pay for her own school materials. Any money she would need to use would be money she spent on herself, not some school materials.

For now, she was clueless, so she waited for the letter which would explain all of this to her. The next three weeks past without incident, as far as the letter was concerned. The same nightmare continued and Hermione was getting less and less sleep.

As far as the arguments, they seemed to be getting worse and worse. In one argument, Hermione mom shoved her head under the water Hermione had just taken a bath in, and held it there, until Hermione thought she was going to die. In another, her mom banged Hermione's head into the ground until she passed out. Still, these were the same old things that had been happening all Hermione's life, so she wasn't at all surprised. She just remembered each of these things to justify the money she was going to steal and each time one of these events happened, Hermione felt more and more entitled to the money. She also felt more and more anxious to go to Hogwarts.

Finally, the letter came, and explained everything:

Dear Ms. Granger,

In order to buy school supplies, you will need to go to the Leaky Cauldron in London. It's a small shack you will have to look closely for. You can stay over night in it, if you like. Muggles (non-magic folk) can not see it, so best find it yourself, without asking where it is. Go to the back and you will find a room made of bricks. At the wall behind the garbage can, three bricks up from the garbage, two to the right of that, will be a brick you will need to tap three times. Be prepared for the archway that will open up. Beyond will be Diagon Alley, which will have all the necessary stores you need. In Diagon Alley, you can ask for help if you need it so don't be shy.

Take all the money you have to Gringotts and they will transfer it into Galleons and give you a vault to keep most of it in, so whenever you need money, all you'll need to do is owl them.

Make sure your name is on the trunk so it can be returned if you loose it. On September first, go to King's Cross Train Station. Follow the signs to platforms nine and ten. You'll need to walk into the barrier to get onto platform 9 ¾, where The Hogwarts Express will be waiting. The train leaves at exactly eleven o'clock in the morning, so do not be late, or you will be left behind.

Enclosed is a list of school supplies you will need, and your train ticket.

Good Luck,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

P.S. Do not worry about leaving this letter out in the open. It is written in a special ink so that only the person it's sent to is able to read it.

Hermione looked at the list of school supplies. Most of them baffled her:

HOGWARTS SCOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Wow," Hermione breathed. This was a lot to take in. Questions were running through Hermione's head like wild fire. She supposed she should start buying the supplies as soon as possible, but she wanted to wait until everyone who was going to Hogwarts started buying their own, which would probably be at the last minute, if they hadn't bought them already.

She made a plan to buy the supplies the day before September first. That way she could use the money she was going to steal from her mom and her mom wouldn't even know it was gone. She'd already thought about using money from her own stash and stealing money from her mom the day of school to "pay her back", but Hermione thought it would be best if she got rid of the stolen money as quickly as possible. It was probably a guilt thing.

Hermione also made a plan to stay at the Leaky Cauldron overnight. It didn't sound like much more than a shack, but it was better than spending an extra night in the Granger house. Then on September 1st, she'd go to Kings Cross train station and leave for what she hoped would be her new home.

Until August 31st, Hermione went about her daily business as usual. She gave her two weeks notice at work on August 15th, and prepared to leave her crummy excuse for a house. She debated at first whether or not to tell her mom that she was leaving for the school year, and then decided that it was probably a good idea to, but only in a letter, and only the day she was leaving. The last thing Hermione wanted was to be denied going to Hogwarts. She thought about phoning the school and telling them she wouldn't be attending next year, but decided against it. First off, she didn't know if anyone would be at the school, and second, she knew people wouldn't miss a quiet nobody like her. Under normal circumstances, this would have bothered her, but nothing could ruin her good mood. Not when something like Hogwarts stood clear and bright in her future.

After resolving all of this, Hermione went up to her room and looked around for things she wanted to take with her to Hogwarts. There wasn't much, because she had never had very much, and for the most part her room was bare, but the few items she wanted to take with her were personally very valuable. These were things such as her diary, which was very thick like a big book and bound in red leather. She had been writing in it since she was six years old and it was something she would risk her life for.

Another item she wanted to bring was a photo of her and her mom, smiling at the park. Hermione remembered that day. A man in the park had come up to them and offered to take their picture. It was one of those cameras where the picture came out right away, so naturally, they accepted.

The last item she wanted to bring, which was actually two, was her sketch book and her crayons/pencils. She'd had the sketch book for a few years, and sometimes spent hours creating and bringing color to her drawings, which expressed her feelings and thoughts through pictures.

Hermione set these things aside. After peering into her closet, she realized she didn't have many clothes to wear under her robes. Not that people would be seeing whatever clothes she wore under her robes, but she needed to have a variety, and what about night clothes? She needed to go shopping. Hermione didn't know if there would be any clothing stores Diagon Alley, but if there weren't, she'd just go to the local mall. No problem.

On August 31st, Hermione woke up at 5:30 in the morning. She dressed in a T-shirt, put a large sweatshirt over that, and put on her baggy jeans. Next, Hermione put her hair in two braids and put on some make-up, ignoring her split lip and bruise on her cheek from yesterday's quarrel. Then she got ready to sneak into her mom's room. When she opened the door just a crack, she was relieved to see that, as usual, her mom was passed out from drinking or doing drugs. Quietly, she ran over to her purse, and looked around in it for a wallet.

"Gross!" Hermione whispered, as she came across condoms. After more searching, she found what she was looking for. Reaching inside, she found it empty. Hermione's heart sunk. This was great. Her mom had probably just gotten through blowing her money on drugs. What a waste.

She was just about to put it back when she realized it still felt heavy and it had nothing in it besides two credit cards. Then, she saw a black piece of fabric that looked like it didn't belong. Her mom stirred in bed.

A string of curse words came into Hermione head as she ducked low. Before her mom could wake up anymore, Hermione quickly tore away the piece of fabric and found a secret pocket filled with at least twenty-hundred pounds! Hermione stared at it in disbelief for a moment, then snatched five hundred pounds and crawled as fast as she dared out of the room.

When she was free, Hermione vaguely wondered why she hadn't bothered to take all of the money. 'Well,' she thought to herself, 'She's still my mother; I can't just leave her broke.'

Then, for what she was prepared to be the last time – anything could happen while she was away; the house could burn down – Hermione looked around her room and said an imaginary goodbye. 'Maybe I'll never even have to return here again,' she thought.

Before leaving, Hermione left her mom a note, though she doubted her mom would get it. It explained how she was going away for the school year to a boarding school she'd been accepted into. (Hey, imagine telling your parents you're a witch or wizard). It also explained how despite everything that had been happening how Hermione still loved her, and how she knew her mom had made some bad choices, but that didn't make her a bad person.

With that final thought in her head, Hermione gathered together her now thirty-three hundred pounds –one hundred had come from working this past month- (sixty-one hundred US dollars), and her personal items she had put aside, putting them in her purse (which was more like a bag). Then she called and took a taxi to the Leaky Cauldron, which they almost went past. Hermione gave the money to the taxi driver and got out. She noticed everyone just walking by the Leaky Cauldron as if they couldn't see it at all and realized that at least that part of the letter must have been true.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione slowly opened the door to the Leaky Cauldron and stepped inside. The first thing she noticed was that it was so dim she could hardly see anything. Then she noticed the people in black robes, and people she just knew to be witches and wizards by looking at them.

She must have looked frightened, overwhelmed, or just lost, because the bartender asked, "May I help you, dear?" Hermione could barley see over the counter. "Yes, where is the room of-", he stopped her in mid-sentence. "Bricks? Another Hogwarts student, eh? It's over there, dear." He pointed to the back.

"Thank you very much, sir." She said graciously, and hurried to where he pointed. When Hermione was in the room of bricks, she almost panicked for a minute, because she forgot what to do, but then she remembered she had the letter in her pocket and pulled it out.

"At the wall behind the garbage can, three bricks up from the garbage, two to the right of that, will be a brick you will need to tap three times. Be prepared for the archway that will open up. Beyond will be Diagon Alley, which will have all the necessary stores you need."

Hermione followed the instructions, though she had to jump to reach the last three bricks, and the archway opened up, surprising Hermione (she should have been prepared) and revealing Diagon Alley. For a few minutes, she just stood there with her mouth open in shock. Then, reality kicked in and she realized the opening was closing. She hurriedly stepped through it and walked along the street of Diagon Alley.

Stores of everything a Witch or Wizard could possibly need greeted her eyes. There were stores for things like broomsticks, robes, hats, wands, cauldrons, potions, quills, parchment, ink, scrolls, books, and owls, cats, bats and toads. Hair cuts, posters, natural items like clocks, and dishes. Not only that, but everything was bewitched! Diagon Alley even had a little ice cream store. But as stunned as Hermione was by these things, none of them were what she was looking for.

"Excuses me." Hermione asked a girl about her own age. "Excuse me, but where is Gringotts?"

"It's over there." The girl pointed to a huge building Hermione didn't know how she missed. "Hey, are you okay? You know you look like you've been beat up."

"Thank you, very much," said Hermione, ignoring the second comment, and started to go towards the building, but the girl grabbed her arm.

"Hey, are you alone? Because if you're alone, I think I better come with you. You don't look like you've ever been here before. Come on, I'll show you." She began to lead the way.

"Thank you," said Hermione.

"No problem," said the girl. "I'm Parvarti, by the way. Parvarti Patil." She held out her hand.

"I'm Hermione Granger", said Hermione, shaking hands with Parvarti. "And you're right about me never being here before. This is my first time in Diagon Alley."

"Knew it!" exclaimed Parvarti. They began to walk toward Gringotts. "The reason I wanted to walk you through Gringotts is because I think you'll find the . . . creatures who own it a bit frightening." They had reached the door. It read:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

"We're not even inside and I feel like I want to turn around," said Hermione.

"They make you feel that way on purpose," said Parvarti.

Hermione didn't fully quite get the meaning of the word creatures until she and Parvarti stepped inside Gringotts. She gasped when she saw the goblins, by the dozens, counting money and weighting it on scales.

"Don't be scared," said Parvarti. "They won't harm us. Not unless we show any intention of harming them."

Hermione and Parvarti walked towards the counter.

When they got there, Parvarti whispered, "Tell him what you want."

Hermione gulped. "Sir, I would like to exchange my money - pounds for Galleons and create an account, for Hermione Granger, and make a deposit, please."

He looked up from his work, seemingly irritated at being disturbed. After a minute or two, he got out a piece of paper and began asking Hermione questions about where she lived, her age, her deposit amount, school, and more. After she had answered all of her questions, he told her her vault would be vault 983 and gave her key. Then he asked them to follow him and led them into a car. The car was different from the regular cars, because it had a lot of storage room on the back. Then, he entered the car and it took the three of them down many twisting passages, until they finally slowed to a stop outside an exchange booth.

"Money, please," said the Goblin. Hermione handed over thirty hundred pounds, as she wanted to keep three hundred pounds for clothing shopping in London, and watched as he put it into a machine, and pressed a button that said 'Galleons'. The Goblin then took an extra large bucket and put it under the machine and soon, Galleons were pouring into the bucket. But because there were going to be thirty hundred Galleons, the Goblin had to hit 'pause' for a moment, so he could replace the bucket now filled with Galleons with another empty bucket. He motioned for Hermione and Parvarti to load the filled buckets onto the car.

This was not easy work, and by the time they had loaded what turned out to be ten bucket onto the car, Hermione and Parvarti were both exhausted.

"You know," Parvarti said, they were speeding towards vault 983, "it's a good thing you didn't tell me you were planning on depositing this much money, because I probably wouldn't have bothered to help you."

"Sorry," said Hermione, shrugging her shoulders.

"Hey, it's okay," said Parvarti. "You can just by me ice cream after this." Hermione laughed.

When they arrived at vault 983, the Goblin opened the vault and all of them transferred the money from the car into Hermione's new vault. Before closing the vault, the Goblin asked how much Hermione wanted to keep for now. She estimated her school materials to be about five hundred galleons (that's also how much she stole from her mom), and decided she wanted at least two hundred galleons to spend on whatever she wanted during the year, so she asked the Goblin for seven hundred galleons. She knew that she could always owl Gringotts for some more money, if she wanted it, but she wasn't quite sure she trusted that if she did owl them, the owl wouldn't be intercepted and the money stolen.

"There's a witch by the door of we first came through who can put a lightening spell on your purse, so it won't be so heavy," said Parvarti, grinning at how Hermione was struggling to even hold the purse now filled with Galleons.

"Cool," said Hermione through her gritted teeth. They got back on the car and sped away, back to the main building of Gringotts.

After getting out of the car, having the witch put a lightening spell on Hermione's purse, and leaving Gringotts, Hermione and Parvarti began to walk towards the ice cream store.

"Are you having fun?" asked Parvarti, as they entered the ice cream store.

"Yeah," said Hermione, smiling. "This is the most fun I've had in-" Suddenly, a boy pushed past them, knocking them onto the ground. He had slicked back blond hair and wore a sneer on his face.

"Watch where you're going, you stupid Witches!" he smirked. "Or don't you belong on the ground? Isn't it your own level?"

"Shove off, Malfoy!" Parvarti snapped, but the boy just scoffed, turned on his heel, and was out of sight.

"Don't mind him," said Parvarti, as they picked themselves up off of the ground. "He just thinks he's all that because his father is an important follower of You-Know-Who."

"Who's You-Know-Who?" asked Hermione, thinking it was a funny sounding question.

"You were born from a muggle family, huh? He's the most evil Wizard in the world. There's a big story about him." She shivered. "But let's not talk about that. It'll ruin our day. Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Oh, yes, getting some ice cream." They went over to the counter. "What flavor do you want?"

But Hermione was once again speechless, as she starred over the counter at what must have been at least one hundred flavors of ice cream. Butterscotch, ketchup, salmon, lime, watermelon, licorice, black licorice, cinnamon, Hawaiian punch, grape, grapefruit, apple, orange, banana, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint, starburst, milky way, cheese (Hermione grimaced), cake, sausage, mustard, and chicken, just to name a few.

'How does anyone ever choose?' Hermione thought. "I think I'll have chocolate," she said to Parvarti.

Parvarti said to the cashier, "One large chocolate and one large cinnamon, please." As he prepared them, Hermione and Parvarti talked about Hogwarts. Parvarti was actually going to Hogwarts for the first time this year, too, and the only reason she'd been to Diagon Alley before is because she had a brother who'd been enrolled at Hogwarts for the past three years.

"Four Galleons, please," said the cashier. Hermione gave him the galleons, and she and Parvarti ate the ice cream outside in the sun. When they were done eating, Parvarti said, "Well, I'd better be getting back. My parents will be wondering what happened to me. It was nice meeting you, Hermione. I guess I'll see you at Hogwarts." She waved goodbye.

"Bye, Parvarti." Hermione said cheerfully. After Parvarti left, Hermione started to feel sad because of Parvarti's mention of her parents. 'I wish I had caring parents.' She thought, glumly. She got up from the table and decided it was time to start shopping for her school supplies. This was not to be a sad day. She was going to buy her school supplies, and she was going to do it in high spirits.

Walking, now with a little bounce in her step, Hermione pulled out her 'required equipment' list, and looked around.

'Robes' said a store close to Hermione. "There we go," she muttered, going inside. A friendly looking witch greeted her.

"Hello, dear. Shopping for robes for school? Let me help you." After Hermione had gotten her three sets of work robes, a black pointed hat, dragon hide gloves, and a winter clock, she set off to find a book store holding three packages that contained what she'd just bought. Pretty soon, for Diagon Alley wasn't that big, she found a store that read, 'Students Course Bookstore,' and went inside to find her books. Hermione wasn't prepared, however, for the growling of books as she walked into the store, and jumped back in surprise. In cage on display, books appeared to be tearing each other to bits. Hermione supposed she should have been more than just a little surprised, but after what she'd been through today, she figured nothing could shock her.

After much searching through weird titles such as How to Capture the most Annoying Ghosts, Spells and Hexes to put on your Closest Friends, All About Muggles: How do they Survive Without Magic?, and Beauty with a Flick of your Wrist!, Hermione had found all of her school books and was off to find a wand.

By now, she had many packages in hand, and they were beginning to feel quite heavy, so she stopped and rested for a moment next to a store that didn't have a name, but didn't need one. For inside the display window were kittens of all kinds, wrestling with each other. Behind them were older cats that stood tall with importance, and seemed to be watching the younger kittens. Inside the window was a sign: KITTENS THAT NEVER GROW OLD, THANKS TO A NEW SPELL! Hermione fell in love with one kitten. It was pawing at the window, obviously wanting out, looking at her with big dark eyes. It was white, with black stripes. It resembled a white tiger only, of course, smaller.

'I wish I could take you, little guy,' Hermione thought. 'But I'm going away to school, and they don't allow-' Suddenly, Hermione remembered what the letter had said: Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad. This was perfect!

She hurriedly walked into the store, the weight of her bags forgotten, and went strait to the desk clerk.

"Excuse me, sir, but how much does one kitten in the window cost?" The man looked up from his work and squinted at her. "I don't think you have the money, missy. Maybe you better just do the watching and leave the buying to people who can actually afford it." Hermione's nostrils flared at this and she asked again, this time more snappily. "How much?"

He looked her strait in the eye. "Seven hundred Galleons, young missy." Hermione's heart fell. But after looking one more time at the display window, she got up her courage and said, "I'll take the white one."

This time, he looked at her with something that resembled respect. "I'll get him for you, miss." He went over the display window and took out a key that unlocked that display. The white kitten hurried over to Hermione, before the clerk could grab him, and jumped into her arms.

"Wait, before you go running off, now, you need to know some things about this here kitten and pay for him," said the clerk, hurrying back behind the counter. "This kitten is one of a kind. There aren't many like him anymore. He is a snowy kitten; he loves the snow. You don't have to feed him, because if you don't, his stomach will automatically fill up, but he does love to eat. He does need to drink, but that should be no problem. He'll never grow up, and he'll never die. Not of old age, anyway. If something happens to him, like he's run over by a carriage, heaven forbid, he will die. But as long as you take care of him, he won't. Got it?" Hermione nodded. "You don't need to give him his shots, or anything, because he's all ready to go, but listen to me carefully. You take care of this kitten. I don't think you understand how rare he is. He's very special."

Hermione nodded again, "I understand," she said. "Just a minute, little guy," she said to the kitten, who was purring on her shoulder. "I need you to stay here with the nice man for one minute, while I go get the money to pay for you."

After what ended up being ten minutes, Hermione returned to the store and bought the kitten.

"Thank you," she said to the sales clerk, her eyes full of tears as she took the kitten. "I think I'll name him Snowy."

"Oh, no," he said, grinning slyly as she walked out of the store. "No, thank you."

Hermione was pooped. She was so tired; she thought she could lie down in the middle of Diagon Alley and take a nap. What time was it anyway? She looked at her thrift-store watch and was surprised to note that it was almost two o'clock. She still had supplies to buy, but it seemed to be getting late. Still, Hermione refused to walk away from Diagon Alley without buying all her school supplies.

With a newfound determination, Hermione pulled the school supply list from her pocket, and looked at it again. 'Wands,' she thought to herself. 'Where in the world am I going to find a wand?'

Looking around, she noticed a store that said 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

Going in, Snowy sitting atop her shoulder, purring and all, her eyes met a rather strange sight. Shelves and shelves of hundreds of tiny boxes was all that was in the store. 'How am I supposed to find a wand in all this?' thought Hermione. 'Go through each box, one by one I suppose. No, no, this won't do at all. I guess I'll have to find another store.' Before she could leave, however, a funny looking man came from the back of the store and looked at her with some sort of recognition.

"Hermione Granger," he said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes sir," said Hermione. "Excuse me, but do I know you?"

"No, no, no," he said, mumbling as he went to the back of the store again. "But I know you, Hermione. I've been waiting for you." He came back with a box, before speaking to her again.

"I see you are looking for a wand. For you, I think this one might do. Give it a flick, and we'll know right away." He gave her the box, which she opened, and took out a wand.

As soon as she flicked it, the whole right shelf of boxes came crashing down.

"Ah," he said, snatching the wand from her before she could do any more damage, "Maybe we should choose our selections more carefully, so I still have some boxes on the shelves by the time we're done, hmmmmm?"

Hermione, however, was standing in with her mouth hanging open and immediately went to clean up the boxes. "I'm sorry! I-" but before she could finish her sentence, or clean up the boxes, they flew back onto the shelf. Hermione whipped around. She saw that he had gotten out his wand, and used it.

After trying out many other wands, he brought out a box and muttered, "This one. Both a unicorn hair and a dragon heart string, eleven inches, yen, very strong. Good for spells." He seemed to be talking to himself, and then looked up at her and gave a sharp nod, handing her the box.

Hermione opened it, like she had all the others, and took out the wand. She gave it a wave towards a dead flower, dead from her other attempts to find a wand, and the flower instantly sprouted up from the vase. But it didn't stop there; it went all the way to the ceiling, presenting to Hermione the longest flower she had ever seen.

"That ought to do it," he said, pleased. "Seven Galleons, please."

After Hermione had gotten her cauldron, crystal phials, telescope, new trunk, and brass scales, she headed back to the leaky cauldron with her five or so combined packages now on a cart including her trunk, Snowy on her shoulder. After going back through the brick wall, she went up to the person who looked like they took care of renting out rooms, and asked them if she could stay the night.

"Sure dear," said the woman. "Someone will take your cart up to your room for you."

"Thank you," said Hermione.

Hermione took Snowy up to her room personally, and went shopping for new clothes, after leaving the Leaky Cauldron. She got many outfits for all occasions: a simple black dress, for formal occasions, and two new pairs pajamas, one pair for cold nights (long pants and shirt) and one pair for hot nights (shorts and a tank top). She also bought seven pairs of jeans and shirts, to wear under her robes, a bathing suit, which she was sure she wouldn't be wearing along with some of her other clothes due all of her scars and bruises, and of course, the necessary things she didn't have such as towels, shampoo, soap, and a few other toiletries. She bought black boots, tennis shoes, high heels, slippers, and sandals. Hermione bought Snowy some cat nip, tuna, and a toy. Rejoicing in the fact that her mother could no longer control her, she bought some candy and books (she loved to read) for the road. She also bought a watch so she wouldn't be late for the train. Besides, Hermione thought to herself with a smile, they might not even have clock at a school of witchcraft and wizardry.

Upon leaving the store, having spent all of her money, Hermione wondered how on earth she was going to fit everything she had bought onto her cart, never mind into her trunk. She wouldn't worry about the now, though.

The cart was there when she got back to her room. She calculated how much money she had left and figured she'd spent around five hundred Galleons on school supplies, seven hundred Galleons on Snowy, and had spent three hundred Galleons (three hundred pounds) on clothing, so she now had eighteen hundred Galleons left. Only sixteen hundred of that was in the vault at Gringotts because she had wanted two hundred Galleons to spend at Hogwarts, or on anything she wanted during the year. Of course that wasn't the exact amount, and she had some change, but it was enough to buy her breakfast for tomorrow morning, so she didn't count that.

"I now have a total of eighteen hundred Galleons and enough change to buy me breakfast tomorrow morning," she said, aloud. Just under half of her life savings were gone! It was enough to make Hermione nauseous, and she had to sit down.

Snowy came up onto her lap. Hermione's eyes brightened.

"Look what I got you, Snowy," she said, reaching for the bag of cat nip. "Some cat nip. The lady at the store told me cats like this stuff." She sprinkled it on the floor. Snowy immediately jumped down and started to roll in it, obviously happy, making Hermione smile.

She decided at the end of the day that despite all the money she'd lost, she had that 'feel wonderful after receiving a whole bunch of new things like at Christmas' feeling. So she set her alarm clock for 8:30 the next morning and slept soundly for the first time in years, Snowy purring by her side.

Please Review . . . make contribution to the box . . . comment . . . compliment . . . criticize . . . say something . . anything . . . please. I will not make any promises about when I update due to homework overload, but I will continue the story. Love y'all, thanx.