Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its' characters, names, or settings.

Thanks for the review...
Tropic Of Scorpio-
You were my 1st reviewer, thx a lot buddy. I actually thought my story sucked. Yah...I know that there was nothing going on between Ron/Padma & Harry/Ginny in the end of the 5th book, but it's just a fanfic.

Chapter 2- The Owls

As Hermione padded down the hardwood stairs, she suddenly felt grateful to her mother for interrupting her train of thoughts.

'Why should I always feel miserable and sorry for myself? I should just stop the pity and move on. I don't need them anymore. I'm a big girl now.'

As she entered her bright, sun lit kitchen, Mrs. Granger observed her daughter's face.

"Is anything wrong dear?" Anne Granger asked worriedly. "You look kind of distracted."

"Don't worry Mom," Hermione replied reassuringly. "I'm fine. Just thinking about school."

"Well, speaking of school, you received an owl," Anne said. "It's probably from Hogwarts."

As Hermione untied the envelope of parchment from a tawny owl, she thought to herself, 'It's probably just a list of my school supplies.'

But when she turned the envelope over to the front, surprise caught her, for there wasn't the usual Hogwarts crest sealing it shut. Instead, messy writing was written in the front that said: 516th White Oak St. London, England.

The letter was from Ron.

'Oh my God!' Hermione thought happily. 'He's finally written to me!'

Anne, watching her daughter as a large smile spread across her face, said, "Well, don't just stand there staring at the envelope with your mouth open. Open it!"

Hermione, looking confused, asked her mom, "Didn't you just say to close my mouth? Then why do you want me to open it again?"

"I didn't mean your mouth! I meant the letter! Open it!" Anne cried.

"Oh!" Hermione laughed. "Okay then. I'll open it upstairs."

Her heart was beating, and questions were passing through Hermione's mind as she climbed back up the stairs to her bedroom. Questions like, 'Why now?' and 'What's this all about?' She was still staring down at the envelope as she entered her bedroom, but she was surprised to find an owl waiting for her outside her large window. As soon as she opened her window a fraction, the brown owl flew in, dropped a thick envelope on her feet before flying back out again.

'Yup, THIS must be my list of school supplies,' she thought, as she examined the Hogwarts crest on the front.

Hermione, now holding two letters in her hand, settled herself onto her window seat. She always sat on this seat because she felt safe and comforted whenever she looked out of the window. She turned over the 1st envelope and she took out Ron's letter. Unfolding it, she read,

Dear Hermione,

Sorry I couldn't write or reply any of your letters sooner. But thanks a lot, because it gave me something to read while I was bored. Actually, I hardly did feel bored this summer, because I have been extremely busy with the Order. Harry and I are now full members, and we have been working around the clock everyday. Ginny and Padmahave also joined, and they are doing exceptionally well. Harry and I are of course very happy that we chose them to be our girlfriends. They give us a much better reputation than we used to have for the past five years, when we were with some of our old friends. I bet you are wondering why you were not asked to join the Order personally. Well, when they asked us to recommend two people that we knew of that had potential, we recommended Padma and Ginny. We really would've recommended you, honest… hope you don't take it personally. Well, I hope you are enjoying your summer, and we'll see you on September the 1st.


Love, Ron

Hermione could feel her face burn with humiliation, anger and embarrassment. Her hands were slightly shaking as she slowly put the letter down on her lap. She turned her head and she stared out the window.

'Love, Ron... my ass!' she thought angrily. She could feel the blood rushing through her head. 'How dare they! After all I've done for them!'

Hermione was so angry that she couldn't even think straight. So many angry thoughts filled her head, and she couldn't stop the thoughts of horrible things that she wished would happen to them.

"AUGH!" she cried angrily, as she scrunched up the letter in a ball before flinging it across the room at her bedroom door. "I AM SO STUPID! SO STUPID, SO STUPID, SO STUPID! HOW COULD I HAVE EVEN GOTTEN MY STUPID HOPES UP! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE SMARTER THAN THAT! AUGH! I HATE THEM!"

And with that, she grabbed her purse before storming out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

"Mom," she cried. "I'm going out!"

"Okay honey," Anne called back.

But Hermione didn't hear her mother, for she was already out the front door. She was so angry that she forgot all about her second letter, laying on her window seat, waiting to be opened.