Hey people, this is just a little extra chapter, no real significance, or is there? You decide! But I wanted a little filler chapter just to know a little more about Hermione's home life.
The next chapter will follow the original story plot.
I don't own the characters or H.P, all rights to J.K.R
Filler Chapter: Hermione's Christmas.
A few weeks passed and the five students hadn't heard from Charlie yet. Now that the letter had been sent off, Harry and Ron were all free to help in the search for Nicholas Flammel, much to Ron's disappointment. They still hadn't found anything and Christmas was just around the corner. Hermione had written a letter home to inform them that she'd be coming home for the holidays. She spent most of her days before Christmas in the library helping as best she could. It was finally Christmas eve, Hermione, being Hermione, had packed her suitcase days before and was all set for her journey home. She made a quick stop in the Great hall to say farewell to the boys. She found Harry and Ron playing a game of wizard's chess while Andrew sat off to the side staring off into the distance.
"Alright, I'm all packed." She said as she dragged her bag along with her.
"Have a good trip." Harry and Ron replied absentmindedly, as they were too engrossed in their game.
"I'll walk you to the station. It's boring watching this anyway." Andrew said getting up from his seat.
The two friends started on walking out of the castle and out to the grounds.
"So excited to see your mum and dad?" Andrew asked smiling at the brunette girl.
"Yes, it's so long already, and I have so much to tell them." Hermione replied happily.
"About Hagrid and the Dragon, or the fact that we're looking into something that will probably get us expelled, oh, oh, oh, when we fought the mountain troll?" Andrew asked smiling again.
"No, silly! Just how beautiful Hogwarts is, and how interesting the lessons are."
"Well, I'm sure they'd love to hear about all of that, and your friends must also be wondering where you've disappeared to for so long as well."
Hermione looked down sadly at Andrew's clueless assumption, but quickly put on a small smile.
"Yeah, sure." She said softly.
Before they could say anything else Tonks came running up from behind and tackled Andrew to the ground.
"Bloody hell, what was that for!?"
"Just happy to see one of my favourite guys." The now yellow haired fifth year said cheerily.
Andrew glared at her before he noticed her hair and tilted his head slightly.
"Hey Nymmy, I've been meaning to ask you, how is it every time I see you, something's different? Like when we first met, your hair was blue. When we fought that troll, it was red, that day in the Owlery it was green and now today it's yellow."
Tonks helped Andrew off the ground and started explaining it all to him.
"Oh, that's because I'm a metamorphmagus. I can change my appearance at will. It's a generic mutation passed down through my mother's side. Last time there was a metamorph in the family was in the late 1800's. It's been dormant, until I was born that is."
"So, you can change into, anyone?"
"Yep." To prove her point Tonks scrunched her face up and turned into an exact replica of Andrew and shot him his signature grin.
"That's amazing!" Hermione said wide eyed, while Andrew seemed to have frozen.
"Andy? Are you alright?" Tonks asked as she changed back to her original form and poked the boy upside the head.
"What? Oh yeah I'm fine, just… thinking." He replied with a mysterious grin.
"Alright… well we're here; I'll be off then, see you after the holidays, you two!"
"Bye, Nymmy!"
Andrew turned to look at Hermione with smile, but the look in his eyes made her tilt her head curiously.
"Everything okay, Andrew?"
"Yeah, it's fine."
"Alright, well, I'd better head off before I'm missed." Hermione said as she turned to the direction of the train.
"Hey, Mio… I'm gonna, err you know… m-"
"Yes?"
"Err, make sure Harry and Ron help with whole Nicholas Flammel thing." Andrew said looking away from her.
"Oh, right. Well bye." Hermione said waving at Andrew.
"Bye, see you soon." Andrew replied smiling widely.
Hermione made her way to the ruby train, loaded her bags, and went in search for an empty compartment.
Finally finding one, she looked out the window and caught view of Andrew walking back to the castle occasionally looking over his shoulder and shaking his head.
'Bye Andrew, I'll miss you too.'
The train ride wasn't anything special for Hermione, a few noisy students and escaped chocolate frogs, looking up from her book; she had a very pranky thought and quickly went in search for the trolley lady.
With her items safely packed away Hermione closed her book as the train pulled into the station and made her way to the platform. Getting her bags and possessions, Hermione walked through the secret barrier and found herself in Kings Cross station. With a nostalgic sigh, the bushy haired brunette went in search for her dear parents. It didn't take long before her name was being yelled through the station.
"Hermione, Hermione where are you?! Excuse me sir, err, Paul, have you seen my daughter, she's about ye high, wild hair, most probably carrying a book way too advanced for her?" Michael Granger, Hermione's father asked the station conductor in a panicked tone, his hazel eyes were wild and his dark brunette hair sticking out at all angles from constantly pulling at it.
"Err… I'm sorry who might you be?" the conductor known as Paul asked cautiously.
"Michael, calm down, she's right there!" Jane Granger, Hermione's mother scolded pointing at her. Jane was a beautiful woman, with light brunette hair, her cool green eyes glared at her overreacting husband. Her hair was held in a tight bun to conceal the fuzziness.
Hermione looked at her parents and smiled widely at them.
"It's good to be home." She said happily as she walked up to her family.
Her father gave her multiple hugs and checking her arms and neck to make sure 'none of those wizarding boys' had left any type of mark on her. While her mother gave her a fond smile and pulled her into a tight hug.
After getting her bags packed into the car the Grangers made their way back to their cosy home.
"So what have I missed while I was away?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well, we've both missed you immensely. The house certainly isn't the same without you around. Your father's been crying in his sleep again."
"Oh, Hermione it's been dreadful, your mother, she's a demon when you aren't around!" Michael said behind the wheel causing Hermione to giggle at her parents antics.
"Oh shove off, anyway dear, we can't wait to hear all about this Andrew boy from your school." Jane said with a secretive smile.
"Wait, why haven't I heard about this Andrew character? Who is he? When did you meet him? Why wasn't I told?!" Peter asked baffled.
"That's why." Jane replied motioning to Michael's overreaction.
"Oh, wouldn't you rather hear about Hogwarts?" Hermione asked trying to change the subject.
"Dear God, please no." Michael muttered breathlessly. At Hermione's hurt expression, Jane elaborated.
"What he means honey, is that we know more about the castle than we probably should at this point."
"In detail." Michael added quietly, earning him a punch in the arm from his spouse.
The car pulled into the Granger residence and the seemingly childish man helped his daughter unload her bags and place them in her room.
"There we are. Need any help darling?"
"No, I'll be alright. I'll be downstairs in a second." Hermione replied with an innocent smile which caused Michael to raise an eyebrow at her and slowly walk out of the room.
"Time for a little revenge." Hermione said quietly.
After a few minutes the book loving girl made her way into the lounge where she found her father sitting in his favourite arm chair while her mother sat on the setae pouring some tea.
Holding to packages, Hermione stood in front her parents and presented the two gifts to them. Jane got a small pentagon shaped box while Michael got a larger box that resembled a castle.
"Oh, what are these?" Jane asked curiously.
"Oh, just gifts from the magical side." Hermione replied happily. "Mum, open yours first."
With a slight shrug, Jane Granger looked at the box, "Chocolate frog." She muttered with a small smile, fiddling the box for a moment, she finally figured out the secret and pulled the top off, which revealed a small brown frog in the container.
"Aww." She said with a fond smile which quickly disappeared when she saw the little amphibian move, her fond smile instantly changed into a look of complete disgust and horror.
Of course, that wasn't where it ended, the frog leapt out of the box and onto the table, which emitted a scream from Hermione's mum. Michael and Hermione watched the scene with hidden laughter. Deciding she had had enough, Hermione grabbed the frog and held for her mother to see.
"It isn't real mum; it's just charmed to move around. They're actually quite tasty, Hermione said as she broke off one of the frog's legs and eating it.
Jane's face turned slightly green and she looked away. Hermione broke off another leg and held it out to her mother.
"Try it, please?" Hermione begged using her age to her advantage and pouting her lips in a sweet manner.
"F-fine." Jane replied as she used an unsteady hand to take the leg from her daughter. Closing her eyes, Jane quickly put the limb in her mouth and chewed slowly before she snapped her eyes open and looked at her daughter in awe.
"This is delicious!"
"I told you."
Michael sat watching all of this highly amused, he then looked at his and caught her at him. Gulping and putting up a manly façade.
"Frogs don't scare me, missy."
"Oh, that isn't a frog, that's a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans." Hermione said excitedly.
"Every flavour?"
"Every flavour." Hermione replied confidently.
"Hmm, alright, I'll give it a try." Michael said as he reached into the container and pulled out a small pink bean. Slowly raising it to his lips he took a bite and his face instantly lit up.
"Oh, strawberry!"
"See, they aren't that bad."
Jane Granger seemed a little put off by her husband's delicious treat, while she received a squirming chocolate insect. She watched in envy as Michael constantly took another piece and named the delicious food it coincided with.
"Berry, Apple, no way! Roast Beef!" Michael's happiness seemed to ooze from him, until he stuck another piece of candy into his mouth and seemed to scrunched his face into one of disgust.
"Ugh, what the hell?!"
"What is it?" Jane asked getting up and walking to her husband.
"Ugh, it tastes like, oh god, vomit?!"
"Well dad, I did say 'every flavour', didn't I?" Hermione said grinning at her father's reaction.
"You are a twisted female, Hermione!" Michael replied as he headed to the kitchen to wash his mouth out.
The day passed rather interestingly that day, the Granger's enjoyed a nice family dinner, followed by a few bored games.
"So about this Andrew, how old is he?" Hermione's dad asked as he moved his board piece to climb a ladder.
"He's my age dad." Hermione said as she rolled her die.
"Oh Michael, hush! When did you two meet darling?"
"On the first day, he came up and spoke to me." Hermione replied with a small smile.
"That's nice, so are you two… close?" Michael asked suspiciously.
"He's my best friend."
"Well, would you look at the time, we'd better get some sleep, Muriel and Judy will be arriving in the morning for a Christmas brunch." Jane said before she packed the board games and left the dining room.
"…Fun."
"Oh… yay."
Muriel was Jane's sister, she was a single mother but was no stranger to marriage. Muriel had had her fair share of potential husbands but every marriage ended in a messy divorce, and she always ended up taking half the other guy's money. Hermione wasn't a fan of her aunt; she had always found something to insult the bushy haired girl about. Her daughter Judy was a demon child for sure. Being two years older than Hermione she had always bullied the tiny witch. Judy was pure evil, and Hermione's mother was blinded by these actions because she was family, while Michael couldn't stand the pair.
Sharing a defeated sigh, Hermione and her father headed off to their rooms to prepare for the hellish day that lay ahead of them.
The next morning saw Hermione in the living room in a pair of dark jeans, toasty turtle neck and white sneakers. She had been reading her favourite book, Hogwarts: A history, before a knock was heard from the front door. Acting quickly, Hermione ran upstairs and hid all her Hogwarts material, she was in such a hurry, she hadn't seen a pure white owl sitting on her desk, before she jotted downstairs and reappeared before her parents.
"Everyone ready?" Jane asked excitedly.
"Release the lions!" Michael said in a corny Roman accent, which caused Hermione to giggle and Jane to glare at him slightly before opening the door.
"Oh, Muriel, how wonderful to see you!"
"Jane dear, it's been too long! How is everything? Oh, hello Michael." Muriel said in a cold tone as she looked over her brother-in-law.
"Muriel." Michael replied in the same tone.
"And Judy, look how much you've grown! Why, I bet all the boys are all over you!" Jane said as she gave the thirteen year old raven haired girl a wink.
"Hello Aunt Jane, Uncle Michael and little Hermmy!" Judy said shooting the bushy haired girl a toothy grin.
"Well, lunch will be in a few hours, Muriel how about some tea. Oh Hermione why don't you be a dear and take Judy upstairs with you." Jane said cheerfully.
"I'll just go… organise my tools in the shed." Michael said slowly etching his way towards the back door.
"No, dad, why not join mum and Aunt Muriel for some tea? It is Christmas after all." Hermione said with a cheeky grin.
Michael turned to his daughter and gave her a certain look which made Hermione smile and make her way upstairs with her cousin in tow.
"Yes Michael, won't you join us." Muriel said in her icy tone.
'I'll get you for this, Hermione.' Michael thought darkly before forcing a smile and made his back into the kitchen.
Hermione and her cousin had just gotten to her door when Hermione turned to look at her elder cousin.
"Don't touch anything!" she said pointing her feminine finger at her relative.
"Oh shut up and let me inside."
With a sigh Hermione opened the door and was met with a pair of amber eyes glaring at her with such intensity it made her shiver slightly.
"Why's there a bird in your room?" Judy asked snobbishly.
"That isn't a bird! It's an owl and her name is Hedwig!" she replied hotly.
"Hedwig? Stupid name."
The snowy owl's eyes seemed to have doubled in size as she looked at this mysterious girl. As if to say 'Hermione, I swear to Merlin, I'm going to puck her eyes out.'
Hermione made her way over to Hedwig cautiously.
"Hey girl, happy Christmas, I'm sorry, I must have missed you when you came in, got a letter have you? May I?" she asked pointing at the proud owl's leg.
Hedwig stuck her leg out angrily and looked away from the girl. Acting quickly Hermione untied the note and offered the bird some water, but she was rudely ignored as Hedwig flew out the window and made her way back to the castle.
Hermione felt the note being snatched from her hands, turning around, she found Judy quickly unwrapping it.
"Give it back!"
"Sure, right after I've read it!" Judy replied laughing as she pushed Hermione back with one hand and using her size as an advantage, pinning the eleven year old girl to the wall as she finished unwrapping the letter and reading it out loud.
"Dear Hermione
Firstly, Merry Christmas! Hope you and your parents are having an amazing time. Well, it's been quite a drag here without you, Harry and Ron are finally helping me look for the information we were looking for but still haven't found anything. But that isn't all that important, it's Christmas! The snow is fantastic here! The entire grounds are covered in the stuff; we had a blast playing in it, though the Weasley twins sure cheat a lot.
I'm not fantastic at writing letters so you'll have to forgive me. I suppose I'll see you in a few more days! Really it's dreadful here without you, oh yeah Harry and I got a gift from… well it's hard to explain, we'll show you when you come back.
See you soon.
Yours truly,
Andrew"
"Who's Andrew, Hermmy? Your boyfriend?" the older girl taunted.
"No! He's just a friend!"
"Judging by your blush, I'd say you were lying!" Judy laughed.
"Demon child." Hermione muttered.
"And why not just phone you? Why'd he send a bloody owl to deliver a letter? God, you've always been weird, Hermmy and now you've got an even weirder boyfriend, oops I mean 'friend'."
The hours before lunch were pure torture for Hermione and Michael who had actually considered stabbing himself through the hand just to have an excuse to leave the house.
Dinner finally rolled around and everyone sat in the dining room enjoying the lovely meal Jane had created.
"So Hermione, where did you say you attended school?" Muriel asked as she dug into her mash potatoes.
"In Scotland." Hermione replied in a monotone voice.
"She's already got a boyfriend over there named Andrew!" Judy said mockingly.
"I do not; he's just a friend of mine!"
"Oh no need to be shy Hermione, why at your age I had already gotten my first kiss, I doubt you would though, seeing as your teeth are rather unsightly." Muriel said in a snobby tone.
Michael looked up from his plate and glared at his sister in law with such intensity, the atmosphere in the entire room had seemed to have become heavier.
"Well, Hermione hasn't kissed anyone, I suspect it's because she has a lot more class than someone who had kissed at that age." The dark brunette said coolly.
Muriel looked at Michael with a surprised expression before shrugging.
"Well, is he at home for the holidays?"
"No."
"He's probably some wannabe rebel, who hates his parents for no apparent reason at all." Judy stated in her know-it-all tone.
"True, his parents might also be washed up drunks who don't even care where he is especially if they don't care if his home for the holidays." Muriel added.
Hermione's anger boiled over the top, her face was red, her fists clenched tightly. Jane saw this and instantly made a move to try and defuse the bushy haired girl.
"Now Muriel, Judy, that's unfair. For all you know his parents might be busy. Didn't you say in your letter that he had a brother, Hermione?"
The hazel eyed, eleven year old girl nodded stiffly.
"Probably a good for nothing as well." Judy muttered.
"That's enough both of you! You know nothing about these boys and I refuse to sit here and listen to you bad mouth my daughter's friends!" Michael said slamming his fists onto the table.
"Michael for all you know those two boys have taken your daughters virtue, I mean I suppose their parents would've taught them all about that." Muriel said with a hint of laughter in her voice.
That's when Hermione snapped; she stood up from her chair, rounded the table and walked directly up to her Aunt Muriel, what happened next silenced everyone in the room as Hermione's hand connected with Muriel's cheek giving off a loud crack.
"Want to know why they aren't at home? Andrew and Harry's parents are dead! Killed by some maniac when they were just babies! That isn't even the worst of it, Andrew was adopted by Harry's parents before they were done in, and his birth parents were killed by the same bastard! So don't you dare sit here and assume things that you have absolutely no idea about! I do not need to hear or learn anything from a woman who can't keep up a single marriage or has a daughter without having the father around, and you think you have the right to talk about bad parenting?!"
Hermione's rant caused everyone to watch her wide eyed, in both amazement and shock. Hermione was usually quiet and never spoke back, but today she had not only yelled at her aunt but actually stood her ground. Turning to face her parents, Hermione saw her mother gaping in horror while her father had an unreadable expression. Straightening her clothes, Hermione made her way out the kitchen and into her bedroom, shut the door, threw herself on her bed and wept quietly into her pillow.
It was an hour or so before she heard a soft knock and the sound of creaking from the door, Hermione refused to look up from her pillow and simply kept her head buried.
"Hermione, darling?"
"Are you alright?"
Jane and Michael slowly walked into the room and sat on either side of their daughter's bed.
"Where are they?"
"They left." Jane said quietly.
"Good riddance if you ask me." Michael said hotly.
Hermione sat up, crossed her legs underneath her and folded her hands.
"Mum, dad, I'm really sorry for the way that I acted at the table. I shouldn't have reacted that way."
Hermione's father put an arm around her shoulders and held her tightly.
"No honey, it isn't your fault. Muriel and Judy have always been thick heads." Michael said with a warm smile.
"They will not be allowed back into my house until they sincerely apologize to you." Jane said lightly poking Hermione in the ribs causing the little to crack a small smile.
"Now, how about we finish that discussion about your new friends?" Michael said with a warm smile.
The rest of the day was spent by Hermione telling her parents everything they needed to know about her friends at Hogwarts.
Michael and Jane were happy about their daughter's excitement and happiness as she described each one of the boys' personalities. They hadn't seen Hermione this happy in a long time and were happy she was having a great time. The thought of Harry and Andrew's parents being killed did enter the parent's minds, they asked about it but Hermione managed to avoid the question. Deciding she wanted to respect her friend's privacy Michael and Jane pushed all thoughts of the two Potter boys out of their mind.
'Potter, I know I've heard that name somewhere before.' Was the last thought in Michael's mind before he shook it away and concentrated on his daughters Quidditch match story.
