Disclaimer: Okay, yes, I am the fab JKR, here to write a Hermione fanfic for nothing but personal enjoyment and a few reviews, and definitely not some anonymous amateur writer.
Just kidding!
Don't sue me!
Okay, okay . . .
Disclaimer: Please ignore the last disclaimer. I am so not her. I own nothing but a pair of super cool Calvin Klein jeans that are all ripped up and awesome.
Now, then, on with the story!
OoOoO
Chapter Six
I really can't believe that was her. It was like she had no reservations, like she was a Muggle, not a witch, someone who didn't have her entire life to hide. I hate it that when I'm around Muggles I have to be so guarded, but that was a sacrifice I made the day I started at Hogwarts and chose the wizard's life. Not that I really had a choice. I know that everyone else that I am close to has to go through the same thing. But not being alone doesn't make lying any easier.
The next couple of days were a blur.
I woke up on the floor of that same music room, a hangover raging at my temples. The blinds were all drawn, so the sunlight didn't exactly knock me on my arse. Sleeping forms of the other partiers were spread about the room, as if a bomb had dropped on the place and sent bodies flying. One kid by the door of the kitchen had discovered a gigantic teddy bear, and was apparently using it as a blanket. He kicked like a sleeping dog as I passed him to walk home.
My new school things had been bought while I was in the hospital. Seven new books (One for each Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy) lay dog-eared and memorized inside my trunk. Beside them lay my wand, robes, prefect badge, quills, parchment, scheduling book, and a peculiar tiny leather purse.
Filled with illegal substances, of course.
More to restrain myself from breaking into my own stores than anything, I didn't spend much time in the house in those last two days. I finished packing, yes, but then would spend my days lounging by our development's pool or playing soccer (with tackling,thank you very much) with the other various teenagers living on the street. Most of the other girls just sat on park benches, watching me and all of those blokes make fun of each other and act like the idiots we are.
September first arrived, hot like an Indian Summer. Casey had come to see me off, as well as another friend who lived on our street, Michelle. It was one of the more touching things they'd ever done, getting up at dawn on a Tuesday in order to say goodbye to a girl who never even called to say hello during the school year. Not that I could call either of them, but still.
I climbed into my father's mini just as the sun peeked over the edge of our fence.
A few hours later, I found myself sliding through the barrier onto platform 9 3/4, yawning in an attempt to look inconspicuous. It didn't help that a few of the more nosy Muggles just kept staring at me. I mean seriously, folks, take a picture!
The steaming red form of the Hogwarts Express did lift my spirits, though. It was strange how every year, no matter how old I got, the sight of that train always made me feel like an eager first year. Taking a deep breath, I pulled my things onto the train.
Most of the compartments were empty, and I checked my watch to confirm the reason. Ah, yes. Fifteen minutes early. I was quite proud of myself for not being late, like I was in second year. That time when the boys took the flying car. Honestly, I stayed back waiting for them, almost got myself into trouble for holding up the train . . . I shuddered at the memory. Then, realizing how silly I was being, I laughed. Of course, Hermione, I thought, you can perform illegal magic while drunk and it's no problem, but the second you try to hold up a train for your best friends for five minutes, you're in trouble, Missy!
I swear, I make no sense sometimes.
I plopped down onto one of the plush, leather-covered seats and cracked open a book,Finding Your Familiars, and prepared to settle in.
"Hullo, Hermione!"
"Hello, Neville," I replied, looking up at my fellow Gryffindor sixth year. He was a bit leaner than he had been at the end of term, and slightly more tanned. Not nearly tan enough for after summer holiday, though. "How was your holiday?"
"Alright, I suppose," he replied, taking a seat across from me. "I spent most of it traveling around, giving a couple of interviews."
"Really?"
Neville seemed a lot more assured as he continued, something very uncharacteristic. "Yeah, after what happened in the Ministry, and now that . . . well, now that the news about my parents is common knowledge again – " I was astonished that he actually said something about them, "a whole bunch of reporters want interviews. I did one, but I don't think that I would be able to take another person asking me all of those questions," he said, a conspiratorial grin growing on his face. "I heard that you had a good holiday, though."
"What?" I asked, curious.
"Well–,"
"Hey, Hermione. Mind if we stay in here?"
It was Ginny. Trailing in after her was the same old dreamy Luna, blond hair pulled into a bun on the side of her head. "No, you can stay," I offered, smiling. "How are you?"
To my surprise, it was Luna who answered, "It has been a nice break. Father and I went searching for Heliopaths in Siberia, and very nearly caught one when we had to return. I have photographs of it, though . . ."
Silence.
Ginny coughed.
"That sounds nice," I said delicately. The truth was, I got reasonably angry whenever this girl brought up somthing stupid and make-believe, when the real world was just so interesting. However, she was still a nice girl, so I tried to be supportive.
"Yeah, she came over to the Burrow as soon as she was finished, to visit and get some supplies," Ginny said helpfully. "It was so busy at home this summer. After the service, everyone just kind of stayed there, except for you and Harry." Everyone stilled slightly at the mention of Sirius's funeral service, the last time that I had seen all of the people present. And apparently, the last time anyone had seen Harry.
Wow, I observed offhand. Two awkward silences inside of a minute.
Looking back up at me from her lap, Ginny put on an evil grin. "I heard that the rest of your summer was alright, though," she said, her eyes sparkling with the love of gossip.
Alright, this is getting a bit strange. "What exactly did you hear?" I asked, catching the eye of Neville, who was grinning at me again.
"Hermione!"
I tried not to groan, I really did. Ron bounded into the compartment, giving me a quick hug and stepping to the side to stow his things as Harry came forwards.
Harry's expression was one of mild embarassment, as if he knew that we had been talking about him moments earlier. I smiled at him, a tiny one.
"Hello Harry," I said, gauging his reactions. "How have you been?" The question was loaded with double meanings, more than either of us could probably grasp at the moment.
Harry shrugged, hands in his pockets. "Alright, I suppose." As he smiled at me, I realized that Harry had become a very good actor over the summer. Trying to pull one over on me, eh? I raised an eyebrow at him.
Then hugged him.
A big hug.
Because the twat needed it.
When I released him, Harry sat down by the window, next to Ron, while I sat in between Ginny and Neville. Luna started playing with her necklace absently. Ginny leaned her back against the compartment door, braiding her hair into pigtails. "So how was your summer, Ron? Harry?"
Ron smiled, seemingly jittery. "Good, I guess. There were a bunch of people around, all summer. There were enough for a Quidditch game almost every day. Even Percy came back, only for a few days, though," he added.
"Percy came home?" I asked curiously.
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, probably just to save face in the media," she speculated, not meanly.
"I reckon he's working for Fudge still, as a sort of ambassador to the school now that Umbridge is in Saint Mungo's." Ron looked delighted.
"And you like that Percy's come back?" I asked, an incredulous tone in my voice.
"No," he said shortly. "I like that he's come back on his hands and knees."
Everyone laughed at that.
"He was pompous and everything, as usual," Ginny said. "But it was so funny because he was trying not to be."
"There was one time when Mundungus Fletcher came over, swindling dragon scales, and he almost blew up with trying not to act superior," Ron reported.
"So you all had a nice summer."
"Yeah," Ron said, a glint in his eyes. "I heard that yours was alright, too –,"
"Bloody fucking piece of wanking shit! WHAT ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT!"
Shocked silence.
More silence. My friends were looking at me as if I'd suddenly told them that I was a forty-year-old man in drag. Yeah, that surprised.
Someone slid the door open, a fifth year Ravenclaw. "Prefects are –,"
"Bugger off!"
"Wha– well, I –!" she slid the door closed and stomped off. My eyes were already searching each of my compartment-mates' faces.
Harry tilted his head at me. "I don't think I've ever heard you curse," he said, his tone not at all disapproving.
Ron smiled, turning towards Harry but keeping his eyes on me. "Mate, this is not the same Hermione that left us at the end of term," he said proudly. "This is the . . . er, new Hermione."
I looked down at myself jokingly. Yes, same baggy robes, same bushy hair, same worn trainers. "And what, exactly, is new?" I challenged.
"We've heard some interesting things about you," Ginny said. "From our parents. And Seamus, turns out." She laughed.
"Beg pardon?"
Harry smiled. "Hermione, you have to remember this," Ginny said, almost desperately.
"I think in this situation, she should not remember anything," Luna put in distractedly.
"What the bloody fuck are you all talking about?" I demanded.
"Going to a Muggle party and shooting out magic without a wand is the last thing we expected from you," Harry said with a smile.
"That is, until we heard that you'd gone to another one," Neville joked.
"And now cursing? Tut, tut," Luna said, staring off.
I sighed into my hands, going over what would happen when the rest of the student body assaulted me. I mean, really, if my best friends were this difficult, what would everyone else do? Gods, what would Slytherin do? What would the teachers do? "Mnu tull yun," I muttered.
"What?" Neville asked.
"Who told you?" I asked.
Ginny inhaled for dramatic effect. "Well, Mum told us about you in the Ministry –,"
"Did she leave out her egg conquest?"
"What?" Ginny stopped at my interjection. "Egg conquest?"
"Never mind. Go on," I prompted.
"Yes, anyway, Mum told us about the whole incident at that Muggle's house and the wandless magic and all of that, but Seamus Finnigan told us about the other party, about two days ago," Ginny inhaled, "WHERE YOU SNOGGED HIM!"
I sputtered. "Seamus? What?" Two days ago, two days ago . . . Erin's house, there was a party, I played beer Pong and danced. My stomach sank as I remembered that I met some random person, whose identity I didn't remember the next morning.
Well. I suppose I snogged Seamus, then.
"Oh," I said.
Harry smiled at me, an understated gesture hidden in Ginny's raucous giggles, Luna's dreamy grin, and Neville's laughing at Ron's look of utter disgust and disbelief. "So I take it you don't remember, exactly," Harry surmised.
"No," I responded. "That's generally the way that I can tell that it was a good night –,"
Ginny laughed. I fixed her with a shy grin, trying not tofeel embarassed abouthow careless I sounded.
"Seamus!" Ron demanded.
My eyebrows wiggled as I bit back a nervous laugh. "I guess so," I said. Ron made a choking sound at me, and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, honestly," I muttered. The glass door slid open again.
"What the bloody –"
I stopped myself, realizing that the person I had tried to tell off was just the one who I wanted to see. A certain so-called 'Secret Admirer.'
"Hello, Malfoy," I said, trying not to let a smile creep onto my face. Come on Gleans, do your worst!
OoOoO
a/n: Ah, yes. They meet.
I know that I am being impossibly slow, but realism is the key here. And for my twisted, twisted plot, I must set up some framework. Not that I'm not open to suggestions! Oh no! I may even take them a bit too seriously, if it's a really good idea.
Yar.
Whoa, okay, I am the weirdness. Anyway, if you guys have got suggestions, questions, corrections, or just want a friendly chat, please press the button. Go on! Remember: Cami looooves you all! She also looooves to write about herself in third person!
Again, the weirdness.
Yes, I know that's not a word.
Weirdness, I mean. Weirdness isn't a word. Is it? >cough
ALERT: these people are awesome!
Special thanks to: kriCket xO (I'm feeling loads better, thanks! I hope you liked the chapter!), MissDitzy (wow, chica, if you're like Mya . . . we BOTH need to slow down! Hehe!), littlemissy616 (4.5! Hermione would be so proud! As for me, yeah, a little too much personal experience here), and ProfessionalToiletFlusher (god, I'd love to hear the story behind that name! And thanks so much, yeah, Mya's awesome)
Love and carrots ('cause I'm on a diet),
Cameo
