Everything and everyone in the world, at one moment in their life feels cold. Fifty percent of the time, someone will enjoy it, and fifty percent of the time someone won't. At precisely midnight, on the eve of September the first, Hermione Granger experienced cold, and all the Gods above knew that she hated it and liked it, fifty fifty. This is where it begins.
A/N: That was the prologue. I hope you like it. This is going to be a lot different from the other FF I'm writing, Dramione. Continue…
Disclaimer: I, Kaitlyn Childs, do not own Harry Potter. The end.
Cold
By: xKtynx
Hermione Granger woke up with a start, fingering the silver chain around her neck. Every since her Aunt Melinda had presented it to her at her pre-birthday party, it had served as some sort of comfort. Every time she was feeling nervous, uncomfortable, or scared, she touched the necklace, and everything seemed to lessen its power. The chain was beautiful, along with the silver pendant that hung off of it. It was a snake with emerald stones serving as the eyes. At first she had been slightly reluctant to wear it, it was, after all, the Slytherin symbol, but her Aunt's watchful eyes on her as she examined it for the first time, told her that she would wear it no matter what. But as she ran her thumb along the smooth belly of the charm, she realized that she had no idea what had woken her. She thought back to the instant she had awoken, and remembered feeling pleasured, yet uncomfortable. She frowned and turned on her bedside lamp, illuminating her wall clock.
It read 12:02 a.m., which meant it was somewhere around midnight when she had woken up.
Stretching slightly she slid out of bed and walked across her bedroom to her closet. Sliding the door open, she pulled out her fluffy white robe and slipped into it. It instantly warmed her chilly arms, and feebly pushed her comfort level up one tiny notch. She smiled and slid back into bed, and flipped off her light. By 12:08 a.m., she had quickly slipped back into her deep slumber.
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At 8:32 a.m. Hermione's alarm clock started blasting classical music. Though at any other time she would have relaxed to the sound of violins and a single piano, she was too tired to even comprehend where she was. She stumbled out of bed and steadied herself, rubbing her eyes.
When she had scrubbed all the sleep out of her eyes, she yawned and slid off her robe and trudged out into the hall and into the bathroom.
She stretched fully and shivered. This wasn't her idea of the first day of her seventh year; she had imagined herself fully awake and thriving. Obviously she wasn't.
Turning on the shower as hot as she could stand, she started thinking about her new found position as Head Girl. She had received the letter confirming it just last week. She smiled and slipped into the shower.
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When she was finished getting ready, she pulled on her favorite most warn in denim jeans and a new red t-shirt. She then pulled on her favorite black petty coat and she was on her way downstairs.
As she walked into the kitchen, her mother wrapped her in a huge bear hug. Hermione smiled, she couldn't imagine life without her parents.
"Good morning, mum." She said, hugging her back tightly.
Eventually releasing herself from the hug, she sat down at the table across from her father. He looked at her over the morning paper and smiled warmly at her.
"Morning Hermione, today's your big day! How are you feeling?" He asked, taking a sip from his coffee.
Hermione smiled at him and poured herself some orange juice and took a bite of her bagel.
"I'm feeling fine, a little tired. Last night I had a little trouble sleeping." She took a drink of her orange juice and then quickly finished her bagel.
"Ah…" Her father said distractedly, flipping over to the news in the paper.
Hermione turned to her mother. "So, which one of you're taking me to the Platform this morning?" she asked. After her first year, her ride to Platform 9 ¾ alternated yearly.
Her mother turned away from the stove and took her seat next to her. She took her time setting her plate down and sighed.
"Hermione dear, promise me that you won't get mad, but neither of us are taking you this year. I know that it is your last year, but your father and I have been summoned to an urgent meeting that we can't miss. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
Although she was thoroughly disappointed, Hermione wasn't going to let one little mistake ruin her seventh year. She put on a smile.
"Don't worry, no problem… Um, how am I getting to the Platform, then?"
With that her mother smiled and her dad returned to the paper, everything was ok again.
"Would you mind taking a cab, honey? And I promise you, we tried desperately to reschedule the meeting, but it just wasn't caving. I'm sorry." Her mother repeated.
"Sure, a cab would be fine." Hermione answered, standing up from the table. She was about to walk into the living room to squeeze in some time with the telly before returning to Hogwarts, when her mum called her back over to the table. Her dad took over.
"Ok, now… Let's see, now that this is erm, well settled, we really need to be off." He paused and looked up at her pleadingly.
Not trusting herself to actually speak properly, she nodded and said, "Ok," and trudged up the stairs.
She entered her room and cuddled up in her bed, starting to re-read Hogwarts: A History.
Several minutes later she heard her parents pull out of the garage, and take off down the street.
-
At 10:45 a.m. Hermione's emergency alarm clock went off, signaling that she needed to call a cab for a ride to Platform 9 ¾.
She climbed out of bed and went downstairs to fetch the phone. She quickly called the cab company and they said that they would arrive in approximately seven minutes.
After hanging up the phone, she hurried upstairs to shrink her trunk, and gather Crookshanks into his "dreaded" carrier cage, and to freshen up slightly.
It took five minutes to stuff Crookshanks into his cage, and by the time everything was together the cab was honking from the curb. She rushed downstairs and hurriedly locked the front door.
She walked past the cab driver and stuffed Crookshank's cage into the cab, and slid in next to him.
As the cab driver got into the front of the cab and started the engine, Hermione put a hand up to her neck and froze. The necklace wasn't there.
She gasped and yelled at the driver. "STOP! I've forgotten something!" She shouted at him.
He smacked down on the steering wheel and turned to look at her. "Hurry up, or I'm leaving!"
She was momentarily tempted to say, "Go ahead!" but she couldn't bear missing the train, so she just nodded and got out of the car.
After she had opened the front door she ran up the stairs and into the bathroom. She quickly scanned the sink's counter. She was immensely relieved when she spotted it sitting on a washrag. She slipped it around her neck and smiled.
She glanced at her watch and ran back down the stairs, and then re-locked the door.
As she shut the door to the cab, the driver didn't even have to be told to drive.
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A/N: Read and review! Thanks! Last updated: January 25, 2005