A/N: Thank you so much for all of the favs and follows, it means so much to me and I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you also to my beta Feyre Archeon.

Memories

Hermione as always awoke the first light. It was safer that way. It was all she really knew. As she rolled out of her sleeping bag and looked at the park around her, she noticed allot had changed since she first started her new life. The once pretty play park was decrepit, the slide scratched and graffiti-covered its base. The roundabout's paint was chipped and it was tilting at a disturbing angle, and many of the swings were missing or simply chains that swung ominously in the wind. Nobody came here now, let alone letting their children anywhere near the place. It had simply like the rest of the town, been left to rot. She thought not only in the how beaten and run-down park that was once the pride and joy of the town but also how she had changed. She knew everything there was to survive on the streets. Who to go to if you needed help, well if you could pay the price. Who to avoid at all cost, mainly any form of authority, which seemed to have it in for any kind of street kid. And how to thrive, this was really simple, you had to be the best, the best at finding food, the best at stealing, and the best at surviving. Her tenacious nature had really served her well and kept her alive.

Today Hermione thought to herself should have been a special day, but as usual, she picked herself off, dusted herself down and went towards the public library. Today was her birthday. This, as Hermione said over and over in her head, was nothing important, without it she would still be at home with a happy family. So no, it was nothing special just another day. In fact, it was less than that, she shouldn't even acknowledge it. Especially since this wasn't even her real birthday. When she left her old life behind she changed everything including her birthday to the anniversary of her escape. Maybe it was Hermione thought a better birthday anyway. It was when she chose to become somebody different.

On route she stopped as she passed the farmers markets setting up, some of the vendors spotted her and grunted in recognition others blindly ignored her. This in a way was better as those who ignored her where allot less likely to notice when some of their wares suddenly vanished without a trace. She was an expert at that; opting to practice her craft in the middle of a crowd and never being noticed. She could have done it easier, stolen the money and then paid. Money was more easily pickpocketed and easily earned but what was the fun, the challenge with that. This way was much more exciting. Her target today was the lovely French patisserie stand and as she walked passed discretely and knocked off two amazing looking croissants, into her pocket and carried on walking. So easy she said to herself.

Savouring the last of her improvised breakfast she rounded the corner to the paradise. The public library, read the old and battered sign, similar to the rest of the town it too was falling into disrepair without anyone actually noticing. Soon Hermione mused there would be nothing left at all. Just a crumbling mess of buildings a few dishevelled residents and a sign that was so graphitised you couldn't even make out where you were. Yes, that is the fate for a town such as this.

The library was always Hermione's refuge, not only against the cold bitter winter but also providing intellectual stimulation that was lacking due to the inability of going to school. School, was for normal perfect children Hermione thought; she'd see them come in just as she was leaving with their tight family unit. All whiny and whinging, I want this, I want that. She often wondered if they knew how well they had it. As she pushed open the heavy door, the familiar waft of old mildews paper and cracking leather engulfed her, this Hermione thought was nearly home. The librarian gave her a small nod the only indication Hermione got but still a significant one all the same. It had taken three years to get a smile and another year before the nod.

Hermione slunk between the towering nonfiction shelves, full to the brim with the knowledge she craved. She scoured the shelves for several minutes stopping now and then to add another treasure or title to her pile. Once enough was enough Hermione slipped into her chair. There was no doubt in Hermione mind that she was the only person to have sat in the chair in the last decade, let alone since she left it last. It, was a worn-out armchair, with scruffy arms and the discolouring made the whole piece look as if sitting in it would give you the foulest diseases. It had used to be a rich emerald green but now was a kind of grey, with brown and green stains. But that didn't bother Hermione; she was happily leafing through a book on the legal system of Britain. This specific avenue of research had been used more times that she could count and was certainly a useful skill. After all who in the legal system would expect to be outmanoeuvred by an eleven-year-old? Certainly not the countless police officers she had encountered through her years. It was funny watching them as she cited laws at them, which meant they had to scurry off to find a reference book.

Just a few years ago they had spotted her pickpocketing a gentleman in the middle of town, he was wealthy and could afford the loss of a few notes, but the police didn't see it that way. They took her in for questioning. As she was sat in front of a desk, with two intimating police officers staring her down, she was quietly confident. She decided to make the first move; it was to her advantage anyway

"I'm eight years old, you haven't got my guardian and therefore you are holding me unlawfully."

The two police officers looked at each other in shock,

"What do you mean, unlawfully?" the younger one asked hesitantly.

"You see as I am underage, and you shouldn't have arrested me let alone put me in an interrogation room, without informing my parents, and as they are not here, and there is not a lawyer present I know for a fact that you didn't do that."

Hermione looked smug at the two men, didn't they ever learn.

"So, before I decide to press charges, and sue you and this force for every penny shall we just leave this and call it quits"

Oh sweet, sweet justice Hermione though.

After sifting through the many laws, she wanted clarification on, she branched into lighter topics, some simple anatomy and a bit of organic chemistry both topics she'd made good use of in the past. None of the books surrounding her was fiction. Hermione did not see the point in fiction books, what was there use. You couldn't learn anything from them; they didn't contain snippets of useful information within them that could help you beat the law. They had no practical applications that she could take away. The librarian when asked looked at her and went off on a long-winded explanation about getting lost in books and finding somewhere to escape to. Hermione really didn't see this. Why, when most people concentrated on making their lives as perfect as possible would you want to escape from it? It just didn't make sense to her. she had, of course, read some of the classics, but that was more for academic purposes rather than pleasure.

Time was passing as she got lost deeper and deeper in her tomes, the piles becoming smaller as waded through them methodically. The librarian as always came to the end of the row and let out a small cough to signal that the library was now closing. With a sigh and a resigned look on her face, Hermione re-shelved all of her unused book making a mental checklist for tomorrow and started to walk out of her paradise.

As she stepped outside it was not the sun that blinded her but the strange clothes of a rather peculiar man. He had a long white twisting beard and a strange pointed hat that matched his garish clothes. These consisted of an almost florescent yellow robe, with bright green, purple and pink stars stitched haphazardly all over. He had a rather crooked nose, which housed a pair of half-moon spectacles. The man's eyes also seemed to twinkle; surely Hermione thought that is not normal.

The figure was so noticeable Hermione almost didn't notice the slight woman stood with him. She was a sharp looking woman with a server but almost friendly look on her face. Her robes were much more refined with a deep sapphire colour. She too had glasses but these were balanced at the end of her nose, meaning she was looking over then rather than through them. The lady's hair was tied in a tight knot on the top of her head, just adding the severity of her face. The lady Hermione noticed was also wearing a big pointed crooked hat. That's odd; Hermione thought to herself, they look like respectable people, professionals in all ways but one. They were stood tall, with a commanding presence that oozed confidence, their faces held expressions of professionalism, not craziness, and they didn't look in any way threatening. The only concealed item Hermione thought she spotted was a twig in each of their right sleeves, but why would they carry sticks in their sleeves. Yes, Hermione though decisively there is something very wrong here.

Despite her initial interpretation of professionalism, something felt off, maybe it was the clothes and hat she could not see past or maybe it the nagging feeling about the stick in their sleeves but either way, Hermione was on her guard and maybe in that situation that wasn't a bad thing.

She waited for them to make the first move, in these situations the first move made by a person was awfully revealing. They continued to look each other up and down for a few more seconds, before the fluorescent shaded man we the first to speak.

"Hello, are you, Hermione Jean Granger," he asked politely, but with an air of condescension.

"Who would like to know" she replied apprehensively, drawing out her words slowly as if they were treacle.

"I am professor Dumbledore and this is professor Mcgonnagle, and we have many things we need to discuss my dear."

Well, then this explained the whole air of professionalism. But the names didn't seem real, no she thought they were probably aliases. She also didn't like his use of the word dear, what was he implying with that. Going on her gut instinct, that said proceed with caution she continued,

"Please, it's just Hermione."

"Right then" the woman who had stood silent, replied "is there anywhere a bit more private we could go," she said looking around her as if for the first time noticing there were quite a few people staring at the group.

Taking that as a sign of things were getting shady and that they were up to something Hermione was not having any of it

"No, if you don't mind I would like to stay here" her eyes narrowing in response

"That's absolutely fine" the man spoke while scowling at the woman.

"We have come to offer you a place at our school"

Hermione's eyebrows skyrocketed school, she could learn things real lesson, her heart fluttered in hope before plummeting at the man's next words

"Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry"

Hermione couldn't help herself and started to laugh out loud

"You have to be kidding me, although your outfits are certainly making a lot more sense now, the pointed hat, well done you certainly got into character. "

The man and woman looked slightly put out but not angry as such, it was the woman who continued,

"This is no joke, Miss Granger."

"Hermione please."

"Well then, Hermione, as I was saying, this is no joke, as you seem to think if we could just go to see your parents we could get this all sorted out." She said looking around her once more.

Hermione's whole body froze for the briefest of time, before relaxing both adults didn't even notice before she replied coolly and detached

"Sorry I'm afraid I must be going"

As she tried to walk past them, the man then grabbed onto her arm as if trying to stop her and replied with.

"We only need to take a quick trip to your parents and this will all be sorted out"

Hermione screamed to attract attention and shouted at the top of her voice

"Help, I don't know these people and they are trying to grab me help, help"

The librarian rushed out to see Hermione being held by the arm and then she walked back into the library thinking she was forgetting something important. Was it those books that needed reshelving, yes that must have been it?

Hermione screamed as she saw the librarian walk back inside, she looked around in panic surely someone must have heard her, but everyone was walking straight past as is they could see or hear her!

"What the hell did you do to her?"

"Oh, nothing my dear let's go," the man said casually as he put the stick back inside his pocket

Hermione was furious this was not happening, so she saw only one option she reached deep into herself and wished and wished for these people to leave her alone and to forget all about her.

She opened her eyes again to find the man letting go of her arm, he looked a bit dazed at first just stood there as if he had completely forgotten what he was doing. He looked down at her, then started walking away with a blank look in his eye.

That was a close call, who were those people; they seemed far too interested in her and almost shady in nature. She hoped she didn't meet them again.

Hermione briskly walked away from the library hoping to put some distance between her and it. She was tired from all the concentrating she had done and was feeling quite hungry. Looking at the town clock she found it was past 2 in the afternoon and with her early breakfast decided it was definitely time she went to find some lunch.

She went to an unusual hunting ground today, leaving the small markets and stalls behind and walked to her nearest supermarket. She knew she couldn't go into the building without being spotted by the two burly security guards, but that didn't stop her stealing the food if it had already been paid for by someone. Looking around there weren't that many people leaving the store so Hermione slunk into the shadows and waited. It was, however, Hermione luck as soon a perfect target approached. The woman had long blond hair, tall and wealthy. She also had a gaggle of small children 3 in total that all looked under four, and she was trying to carry the bags as well. Perfect, Hermione simply walked past the lady and slipped her hand into the nearby shopping bag grabbing whatever she could. Then swiftly walking away, the lady seemed none the wiser and Hermione had ended up with a box of cereals. Perfect she thought as she opened the packet and started eating. They tasted dry and tasteless but, in this case, beggars couldn't be choosers, it was food after all.

Finishing her improvised meal Hermione once again set off through the town, she was running quite low on solid cash funds and in emergencies, they were rather useful. But it also presented a risk. Stealing food was a lot less noticeable than money; people often forgave you for the food but not often for the money. Never the less, she could really do with a little financial security, even if it only meant she could buy her dinner tonight.

She wandered the pavements looking for an easy take but her luck must have been up as none presented itself. Everyone that walked by seemed either as poor as her or rich enough not to need cash, credit cards were of little use to her.

Leaving this part of town behind she headed to where the real deals were done, this was no place for the faint-hearted. The air became thick and smoky, the streets filled with grime and rubbish. Tucked away from the public eye, places like this always attracted a certain crowd, and it was that crowd she was looking for today. Hermione was no stranger to this, she too had a reputation, who didn't around here, everyone knew where each other stood on the rank and Hermione had earned her place with the rest of them.

However, before she could find the group she had come here to find she found herself pinned against a brick wall. Her arms were held above her head with one strong hand. The rest of her petite body held with the person's body weight pressing against her. Hermione looked at her attacker, a man in his mid-forties, bellow middle class if she had to take a guess by the suit he was wearing. He smelled of tobacco and cheap aftershave, the tell-tale signs Hermione thought. The man was trying unsuccessfully to grope under her top, but with the reach of alcohol on his breath, she doubted he'd get very far.

She swiftly brought her knee up to his groin and to her satisfaction, he yelped in surprise and fell to the ground. She then unsheathed the knife she kept in her left boot and held it up to the man's throat.

She looked him in the eye and said

"If you ever do that to a girl again I promise I will find you and soon enough you won't ever be able to threaten anyone again" she kept the knife drawn as she searched his pockets and to her glee found a few crumpled notes. She waved them in his face as if for a dare. Then withdrew the knife and walked backwards out of the alley disappearing onto the main street. Confrontations like that happened fairly regularly Hermione had found, most of them followed the same pattern. Drunken lonely middle age man thought because he looked bigger and stronger and with the courage of alcohol under his belt thought it was a good idea to try and take advantage of girls like her. However, she was not any girl. She knew her way around this area for a reason, being as tough as most of the men around here and certainly capable with fighting. She had earned her reputation by being strong independent and by beating anyone who challenged her with a knife. She had a reputation not to be crossed.

She started walking away from that part of the city, she had had enough excitement for one night and having acquired some money was heading back towards her territory. Darkness was beginning to fall and the streetlights flickered into life emitting a synthetic yellow glow, it was slightly comforting Hermione noted. She walked on her way to the park through the centre of town, passing an inviting looking fish and chip shop. Unable to resist the temptation she used some of her new money to buy a small cone of chips. Walking back to the park her spirits were high and her stomach full. Was there ever a better way to end the day.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading, please review if you liked it or have constructive criticism. Either way it is really appreciated.