Chapter 29: Lonely Soul

Winchester, Hampshire, England

September 19, 1986

Once, what sometimes felt like long ago, and at other times felt like only yesterday, Hermione Jean Granger had been a very lonely soul. She had attempted to make friends of the neighborhood children and each one had for a time been nice to her. All too soon they had turned away from her. Some of them silently shunned her while others viciously mocked her. She didn't know which of them were crueler to her.

She had suffered the same at Kings School, except with the added indignity of kids trying to befriend her so that she might do their homework for them. They would then mock her to their other friends. It was so humiliating and it hurt. She was lonely and miserable. Perhaps she was meant to have no friends of her own. Perhaps she would always be lonely.

Then the two new boys had come to school. Harry Potter and Dudley Black. The two boys were cousins and they were raised together by Dudley's parents Marius and Petunia Black. The two boys were rather cute, she noted. So too did the other girls in the class. Dudley was the older by a month and he had raven black hair and stunning blue eyes. Harry too had black hair but his eyes were a rich emerald green. The other girls in the class often debated which of the cousins, who were practically brothers, was better looking. Hermione thought it a waste of a discussion. Dudley Black and Harry Potter were both impossibly good looking, even at the age of five.

The only empty seats in the classroom were at Hermione's table and so the two boys were directed to sit with her. She had been afraid to speak to them because really, what was the point. They were just going to hear about how strange she was.

Stupid bookworm.

Teacher's Pet.

Freak.

The last one stung more than the others. Hermione didn't know why strange things happened around her. She didn't mean for them to happen. She didn't want them to happen. The few friends who had not minded her being bookish and a bit eager for the teacher's acknowledgement always ran away from her when she accidentally made something freaky happen.

She had been so terribly afraid to attempt becoming friends with Harry and Dudley that she simply hadn't tried to befriend them at all. She knew that they would be seated with one of the other kids the next day of school. She was shocked when they sat beside her again, and again. She heard the other girls and boys invite them to sit with them, how Harry and Dudley didn't have to sit with… "Her."

Dudley had swelled up in anger at the way they had sneered "Her." He had muttered something that she could not understand and Harry had nodded, his emerald eyes hard and unforgiving. "Stay away from us. Hermione is our friend and I protect my friends."

Hermione had been shocked at the phrasing. Friends. Dudley Black had claimed her as a friend and his cousin Harry had nodded his agreement with hard emerald eyes and fists clenched and ready for battle. She didn't know what to do but she knew how she felt. Her heart beat fast, butterflies filled her stomach and she felt as though her soul were soaring.

Friendship.

Dudley and Harry had claimed her in friendship. The two boys had proven themselves for the rest of the school year. They had even had playdates outside of school. Petunia Black and her mother, Helena Granger, had become good friends.

Now it was her birthday and her two dearest friends had been permitted to come to her home for dinner and a sleep over. Her father had not been so sure about having two boys over for a sleep over, but her mother had talked him around by reminding him that they were still quite young and in any case the children would be spending the night in the upstairs family lounge and not all alone in Hermione's bedroom.

Hermione was happy. It was the first birthday that she could really remember in which she was truly happy. She was so thankful that Dudley Black and Harry Potter had come into her life.

She was taken from her thoughts when she heard the doorbell ring. She felt her heart thump with excitement as she raced from the family lounge down the stairs to the front foyer. Her mother gave her a small smile and for once did not admonish Hermione for running down the stairs. She gave Hermione a wink and then she opened the door to see Petunia Black standing on her front step with Dudley and Harry beside her.

"Petunia, Dudley, Harry, welcome," Helena Granger greeted as she moved aside to allow her guests to come into the house.

Petunia Black was not the prettiest lady that Hermione had ever seen, but there was still something about her that fascinated Hermione. Petunia was a strange combination of down-to-earth and old world money. Petunia wore the beautiful clothes, the pearls and diamonds as though she were born to them, and yet Petunia had spoken more than once about how hard her father had to work during her childhood growing up in Cokeworth, an industrial town in the Midlands.

"Happy Birthday Hermione," Harry said to her, taking her attention away from her mother and Petunia Black.

She smiled at Harry and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Harry."

Dudley rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's not as if he hadn't already told you Happy Birthday. He told you this morning at school," Dudley said but he gave Hermione a conspiratorial wink.

"So, it doesn't hurt her to hear it again," Harry protested.

Hermione giggled. "Well, why don't you follow me up to the lounge where you can put away your stuff," she said then, since she noticed that Dudley was carrying a bag with him.

"Thanks," he said. "It's not much. It just has our pajama's, toothbrushes and such."

She nodded her understanding as she led them up the stairs and to the lounge. She smiled when Dudley let out a happy sound at seeing so many pillows thrown about the floor for them. Hermione and her mother had thrown together enough pillows that they would be able to throw two comforters on the floor over them to make a small sort of futon bed. More pillows sat on the comforters for the children to cuddle up to and lay their heads upon.

"This is great, 'Mione," Harry praised.

Dudley nodded. "I call closest to the door," he said as he set his bag down by the spot he claimed as his for sleep time.

At this Hermione and Harry glanced at each other and shared a look of amusement. She knew why Dudley wanted that spot. He was thinking of being the first line of defense if anyone tried to hurt them. She didn't know why Dudley and Harry did things like this, but after being picked on for so many years, she was very appreciative to how protective they were of her.

Harry glanced at the windows that overlooked the back garden. "Right, you take that side and I'll take over here. 'Mione will sleep between us."

She almost bit out a protest at how they were making decisions for her, but then she thought better of it. She didn't want to have a fight with her friends on her birthday and it would not hurt her to sleep in the middle. Boys were strange sometimes.

The children returned downstairs and found their mother's talking amiably in the lounge. Petunia turned her attention to Hermione and smiled at her. "I hope you don't mind, but I bought you a birthday gift Hermione."

Hermione's brown eyes lit up at the prospect. "That is very kind of you Mrs. Black. You really didn't have to do anything for me."

Petunia smiled at that. "Perhaps you'll thank me for this gift one day," she said cryptically. She then drew a box that was wrapped in silver paper with a pretty powder blue bow on the top from her purse. "Please do me the honor of opening it now."

Hermione glanced at her mother. Helena nodded her agreement that Hermione should humor Petunia. With a curious smile, Hermione tore away the wrapping paper to find a prettily carved sandalwood box. She loved the scent and took a deep sniff to let it fill up her nostrils. She slowly opened the box and gasped at what she found inside. It was a beautiful silver bracelet with delicate looking links. There were small gemstones of sapphire, ruby, and diamond in the bracelet.

Hermione glanced up at Petunia with a happy smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Black," she said with a tone full of happiness. "I will treasure this always."

"Come, let me put it on you," Petunia said and Hermione obeyed allowing the older woman to take the bracelet from her and put it on her wrist. "The links are stronger than they look Hermione," Petunia promised her. She then touched the sapphire. "This represents you," she said and then touched the ruby. "This represents Harry," she added and then she touched the diamond. "And this one represents Dudley. Your friendship is important to them and as I have gotten to know you, I have learned that you cherish them as they do you. I thought this would allow you to always be able to reach them."

Hermione gave into impulse then and hugged Petunia tightly. "Thank you so much. I do cherish them, they are my best friends. I promise, I will always be by their sides."

Petunia nodded her head and then released her. Hermione then turned to Helena. "Mom, look," she said happily as she went to her to show her the bracelet. "I'm the sapphire, Harry is the ruby, and Dudley is the diamond."

"Oh my, those look quite real," Helena said.

"They are," was Petunia's reply.

Hermione almost took the bracelet off then and there. Oh, it's not that she had never worn such before. She had some very nice pieces of jewelry. Her parents were dentists and made a good living. Hermione did not wear her good jewelry except for special events. A glance at Harry and Dudley somehow had her removing her hand from the bracelet's clasp. She didn't know why, but they seemed to want her to continue to wear the bracelet.

Well why not? She was at home. Surely nothing bad would happen to it while she was at home. With that decided she walked back over to Harry and Dudley and let them look at the bracelet.

"It's really special, Hermione. Promise you'll remember to put it on every day," Dudley asked of her. His tone was so serious that she found herself nodding, if only to calm him.

"Alright, I promise," she said and she felt both Dudley and Harry relax at that. She smiled at each of the boys then. Apparently, the friendship between them meant just as much to the boys as it did to Hermione. The day she had met Dudley Black and Harry Potter was as though every birthday wish she had ever made had finally come true.

Harry then went over to the bag that Petunia had brought in and pulled out a package wrapped in shiny red wrapping paper. "Here, I got you this," Harry said.

Hermione smiled at Harry as she slowly unwrapped the paper. She then opened the box and found three books inside. She ran her hands over the first book, the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

"I know you said your mum had one, but now you have one of your own and don't have to ask to borrow hers when you want to read the Great Bard anymore," Harry explained with a slight blush.

Hermione giggled at that and hugged the book to her. "Thank you, Harry. It was very sweet of you." She then looked to the next book and smiled. It was a beautifully decorated journal book.

"I thought you could put down ideas or take notes in it. Just whatever struck your fancy really," Harry said.

She nodded her understanding. "It's beautiful, Harry," she said as she ran her hand over the soft leather cover. The outside of the book was a soft lavender leather with beautiful roses etched into the leather. The inside had rose vines as headers and footers for each page. Some of the pages were lined and others were blank, the better for her to draw if she wished. She felt her fingers itching to write about the day's events but she refrained. Instead she looked to the final book and frowned in confusion.

The title read "A Muggleborn's Guide to the Wizarding World." She picked up the book and slowly opened it and looked at the preface of the book. She quietly read over the preface and then smiled. Of course, Harry had chosen to buy her a fantasy novel. She didn't really read fantasy books but since Harry had gone through the trouble of buying the book for her, she thought she would give it a try. "Thank you, Harry. I am sure I will enjoy reading this."

Harry looked a bit relieved then. "Good, I hope you'll talk with Dudley and I once you have read the book."

She nodded. "Sure," she agreed. Perhaps she and the boys could find some common ground on books. Maybe they could have a little book club. She loved to read and while she had noticed that the boys were more active, often playing around her while she read, they did sit with her to read books of their own from time to time.

"Alright, it's my turn," Dudley said. Then he brought the bag over to Hermione. "I didn't really wrap anything because I'm lousy at it."

"And why abuse poor wrapping paper?" Harry piped up.

"Shut it, Harry," Dudley glowered at him.

Hermione giggled as she took the bag from Dudley. "Thank you, Dudley," she said as she pulled out the first gift the boy had bought her. She could not stop the soft "aww" that escaped her lips. The small soft plushie teddy bear was the softest and the cutest she had ever seen.

"I know that you aren't a baby or anything, but that doesn't mean that you have to give up stuffed toys. They can be comforting after dealing with mean kids," Dudley explained to her. "And I thought, you can cuddle with this when Harry and I cannot be there to help make the pain go away."

Hermione stared at him in shock for a moment and slowly began to smile as Dudley looked a bit sheepish. "Dudley, that is so sweet," she said softly. "Thank you."

He simply nodded, too embarrassed to say anything more.

The next gift she pulled from the bag was a beautiful soft throw blanket. It was a beautiful dark red and made of the softest material that Hermione had ever touched. "Oh Dudley, this is wonderful!" she exclaimed.

The boy preened due to her praise. "I thought you would like it," he said with a voice that sounded a bit smug.

Harry laughed at him. "Dudley thought you could curl up on the blanket or under it while you read."

She nodded in complete agreement as she ran her hands over the soft material. It was incredibly soft and she really liked the dark rich red color of the material. It was a very dark scarlet shade that bordered on being maroon but not quite. Hermione had always liked such dark red colors. She liked them far more than pink. Her maternal Grandmother, Lauren Hitchens, always bought Hermione pink dresses and blouses. Hermione always said thank you for them but she always wished that her grandmother would remember that she didn't like pink.

"There's one more gift from Dudley in there," Harry prodded her.

She glanced and Dudley who seemed a bit nervous about this gift in particular and she smiled at him to let him know that she would like it no matter what. She then reached into the bag again and pulled out a large package of multicolored pens and another package of multicolored pencils. "I love them," She said breathlessly as she looked over the many different colors of ink the pen set had.

Dudley seemed relieved then. "I thought you might be able to use the pens and pencils with the journal that Harry bought you, but you can use them however you want really."

Hermione arose and approached Dudley and swiftly pulled the blue-eyed boy into a hug. "Thank you, Dudley, this is just, it's wonderful!"

Dudley hugged her back and then let her go and he smiled at her. "You are welcome Hermione. Anyway, it's the least we could do. You put up with Harry and me."

She laughed at that. She wanted to tell him that it was no real trouble putting up with him and Harry but she didn't get the chance. They were ushered into the dining room where her dad awaited with birthday cake. Hermione blew out the seven candles on her birthday cake and tried not to groan as Harry and Dudley sang Happy Birthday to her in off-key falsetto voices. She laughed along with her parents and Mrs. Black as the boys sang. She wanted to tell Dudley and Harry that when they came into her world they changed her life. She wanted to say that they changed it for the better, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

'I'll show them,' she thought later as the three of them curled up on their makeshift bed ready to sleep. 'I'll stay by their sides for the rest of my life and we'll always be friends, and I'll just show them that they mean everything to me and that they have made my life better, that they have made me better.'

With this decided, Hermione Granger fell asleep protected on her right by her best friend Dudley Black and on her left by her best friend Harry Potter.


I hope everyone enjoyed meeting Hermione. I really wanted her to become friends with Harry sooner than the age of eleven and now she has. Readers who like Hermione will get to see plenty of her in Renewal Marriage Most Convenient since she is Harry and Dudley's best friend. Next Chapter: Leonis, Harry, Dudley, Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Neville begin to learn the arts of combat.