Something dumb I wrote when I was bored. Just read it, review if you'd like.

Chapter 1 – Not What I Seem

The truth is torture. This I know. My life has been a constant whirlwind of hurt, intensified when I started school. Harry, Ron. My friends. I can't stand them anymore. This isn't how I planned my life. I remember, when I was 7 years old, I drew a timeline for my life. It involved getting married and being the smartest person ever. But now, I'm stuck, between 2 worlds. Which should I choose? Can I really go back to the Muggle world, knowing another, better, is just below the surface? This just makes the pain greater. I don't know how to make it stop…

Hermione Granger opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was her ceiling, a periwinkle blue. Her father had painted it for her 7 years ago, while she was at school.

Hermione rolled over and buried her head in her pillow, wiping the tears off her cheeks, breathing in the scent of her pillow that had soaked up tears, laughter, life. It probably knew more about her than her best friends.

Hermione sighed and got out of bed, the over-sized t-shirt she had used as a nightshirt draping to her knees. Leaving behind her unmade bed, she made her way into her private bathroom. She picked up a brush, dropped it and walked into the shower. She turned it on, feeling the cold seep through her skin, comforting her.

Shit… she thought vaguely, realizing she still wore the nightshirt on. She left it on anyway. She closed her eyes, feeling her feelings of sleep intensify.

"HERMIONE!" her mother called from downstairs. "HURRY UP! WE NEED TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSE BY EIGHT!" Hermione ignored her, but got out of the shower anyway. She wrung out her wet hair, and changed into a short pleated skirt, gray, and a cream colored long-sleeved t-shirt reading in gray letters: "Leave me alone."

Exactly how she felt. Her trunk having been packed the night before, she dragged it downstairs into the front hall, sniffing the air at the scent of her favorite breakfast, blackberry pancakes.

"Eat them quickly." her mother told her quickly, washing the dishes in the sink.

Hermione didn't have to be told twice. She quickly devoured the flat pastry.

Shoving her dishes in the sink, she pulled her trunk out to the car, and pushed it into the back seat. She took her own seat next to her mother's driver seat. Waiting, not necessarily excited, she examined the pleats on her skirt.

Her mother finally arrived, flushed and out-of-breath.

"Let's go." Hermione said flatly. Her mother gave her a look that said, don't mess with me and took off. Her mother was a dangerous driver, but they got there with 20 minutes to spare. Hermione pulled the trunk out of the car and walked into the station, ignoring her mothers shouts of goodbye. She walked through the barrier, gave her trunk to the attendants, and got onto the train, choosing an empty compartment, took out a Muggle book called 'Tomorrow's Sphinx' and began to read. She read until the whistle rang, announcing the train's departure. She was all alone. She could hear the voices of others on either side of her, but she ignored them, reading her book and waiting for when her 'friends' would come.

Just as she knew it would, the door swung open, and in bounded Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.

"Hi. How was your summer?" she asked them, smiling warmly, but behind the smile she felt anger simmer in the pits of her stomach.

"Good." Harry said, plopping beside her and pushing his sweaty bangs away from his face with a hand.

"Me too." Ron replied, sitting across from them. "Hey, Hermione, why did you decline my offer to come over to the burrow this summer?" Surprised, Hermione looked up, her golden eyes meeting his. Hastily she hid them behind her book again.

"I wanted to spend time with my parents." she murmured softly.

"Oh." The rest of the train ride was full of chattering, but Hermione wasn't involved.

I know it wasn't that great, but it'll get better. I hope. :grin: This chapter is pretty dark because I wasn't feeling very happy when I wrote it. Ah, well. See you at the next chapter!