Hermione

"Good Hermione, again." Sirius demanded. I nodded, wiping sweat off my forehead.

"Stupefy!' I yelled, shooting a stunning spell at Sirius.

He rolled across the floor, dodging the attack. "Confringo!" He countered.

"Protego." I put a shield up instantly. "Expelliarmus!" I grinned triumphantly when his wand flew out of his hand.

"All right, that is enough for today." Sirius announced as he picked up his wand. "Very good job. After supper we will continue with your other training."

"Okay." I replied, putting my wand back into it's holster, Sirius bought me one a couple weeks ago.

Sirius nodded and left the training room, that used to be the back yard. Magic really was incredible. It's been three weeks since my training started. School resumed in less than a week, McGonagall said I was ready to join sixth year with Harry. The only thing I really needed more help in was Defense, but Harry could teach me more at school. The other thing I was learning, was how to become an animagus. I was intrigued by Sirius becoming a black dog that I wanted to learn how to do it. We had to keep it a secret from everyone though, and I convinced Harry to do it with me.

It was still a little tough adjusting to the crowded house, I spent most of my evenings in the library away from everybody. Only people that gave me company in there were the house elves, Minny and Kreacher. Harry was excited to show me off to his friends, finally excited to have his sister in his life. Sirius told me how Dumbledore thought it was safer for us to be separated at birth, no one was really sure about the reason; but I was determined to find out.

Even though I was doing really well, and was now caught up with the other students that are going into sixth year, I still asked Snape to tutor me in potions. He was reluctant at first, and I pretty much had to beg, personally, I think he enjoyed our sessions.

"You ready for school Hermione?" Harry asked, bumping into my shoulder.

"Yeah, of course. I can not wait to see Hogwarts."

Harry smiled at me, "I just hope you are in my house."

"Why wouldn't be?" I asked, panic. The other houses all sounded amazing, but being in a room full of strangers I didn't know, sounded terrifying. At least in Gryffindor I'd know Harry was close by.

"Well, I think you would be good in any house, Hermione. You kind of have the traits of all four houses." I stared at him in horror. "But don't worry, the hat will take your choice into consideration." He winked at me.

"Your awful, Harry." I shoved him.

"You made any head way with Ron or Ginny yet?" Harry asked, abruptly changing the subject.

I shrugged. Since moving in here, the youngest Weasley's have been very hard to get a long with. Ginny seemed to be jealous of all the time I spent with Harry and Ron just seemed furious at everything I did. "No, not really. I don't understand their problem with me."

Harry gave me a small smile. "I'm sure things will be different at school."

"I suppose I'll have to get used to the carrots being around, since they are friends with you." I grumbled.

Harry chuckled, throwing his arm around my shoulders. "I am sure you will make friends in no time Hermione. Then you don't have to hang out with your average brother."

I grinned. "Yeah, I got all the good genetics in the family."

"Hey!" Harry protested. "I'm great at Quidditch." He defended.

I raised my eyebrow. "Not a very good career goal there Harry. I mean what, your Quidditch career would be ten years long, maybe a little more?"

"Not if I stay the best." He puffed his chest out proudly.

I rolled my eyes, "You could always become an auror. Your great in Defence. I even heard that's your best subject."

He winced slightly. "Don't know if I want to be fighting dark wizards all my life."

"I see your point. I am sure you will think of something besides just Quidditch Harry." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"Maybe." He shrugged. "I pretty much suck at everything else." He laughed loudly. "Maybe I could become a professor."

I laughed with him, "Oh yeah, Snape would love that. He would probably quit."

"That's what I'm hoping." He winked at me.

We heard a loud pop and looked down to see Minny grinning at us. "Dinner is ready."

"Thanks Minny." We replied, making our way to the kitchen.

"How was training?" Mrs. Weasley asked as soon as we walked in.

"Good." I answered, taking my usual spot next to Harry.

"Hermione is a natural." Harry bragged, making my cheeks tinge pink.

"Like always." Ginny huffed angrily.

"Ginny." Molly warned. "Eat up dears. Soon you will be off to school, won't that be exciting."

No one had a chance to reply because Snape swooped into the room like a bat, making all heads turn his way. "Evening." He sneered.

"Professor, what are you doing here? Do we have a lesson today?" I asked.

"I won't be available for the next few days, so I thought you would like one more lesson before school starts."

I grinned and nodded. "Sure. I will meet you down there once I am done eating." He nodded stiffly, heading towards the basement.

"You two sure seem to be spending a lot of time together." Ginny stated, sending me a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"Of course, he wants to make sure I can keep up in his class."

Ginny glared at me. "No one else can keep up with his class, so what makes you so special?" She sneered.

I shrugged, pushing my plate away from me, no longer hungry. "I don't know Ginny. Maybe that is something to ask him."

"Hermione..." Harry began.

"No, it's fine. Please tell Sirius I'll see him in a few hours." He nodded and I went downstairs, almost bumping into Snape on my way down.

"Sorry." He whispered, grabbing my arm so I wouldn't fall down the stairs.

I blushed, glad the nights weren't turned on yet. "It's fine. Were you eaves dropping?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He glared at me a moment and made his way down the stairs, me following behind me.

"What are we doing today?"

"Well, if you like, you can help me make wolfsbane."

"For Lupin?" I asked.

"How did you… no stupid question." He chuckled nervously.

"Are you okay Snape?"

He cleared his throat. "Perfectly fine." He turned around quickly, gathering ingredients for the potion. "Let's begin."

Three hours later we finished the first step of the potion, Snape said he would come back in a month to finish it. After we said our goodbyes, he left and I went to go find Sirius. I found him with Harry in his room, joining them I sat down.

"How was your lesson?" Sirius asked grumpily.

"It was good. I helped him prepare wolfsbane for Moony."

"I forgot that bastard is the only one who knows how to make it so it works." Sirius sighed. "Shall we get on with the lesson then? I won't be able to teach you while your at school."

"How much more do we need to know?" Harry asked.

"Have you figured out the animal you turn into yet?" We both shook our head. "Well, after that, it's quite simple. All you do is meditate in order to change. Once you mastered that, you will be able to change at will."

"How exactly do you find your inner animal?" I asked, I've been trying for weeks to find it and I couldn't seem to grasp the concept.

"Well that's always the trickiest, but we discovered our patronus was our inner animal. Makes sense, if you think about it."

"So if I can do a partonus spell, I'll be able to figure it out?"

"Of course."

"Does that mean mine is a stag, just like dads?" Harry asked, excitedly.

Sirius shrugged. "I suppose so."

Harry threw his arms up in exasperation. "So I could have been trying to change this whole time?" Sirius grinned at him. "Wish you would have told me sooner."

"Just make sure you watch where you try and change. I want you two to stay unregistered for as long as possible." Sirius gave Harry a pointed look.

"We'll try." Harry promised.

"Good. Keep practicing your patronus Hermione, I'm sure you will get it soon. Time for bed." He herded us out the door, shutting it behind us.

Harry and I shared a look, before shrugging. "You know, I read somewhere that twins have this physic bond." Harry blurted.

"Have you been reading those muggle magazines again?"

He nodded sheepishly. "It's quite amazing what muggle science has done. Anyway, do you think it's true?"

"I don't know Harry. It's possible, I suppose. We didn't exactly grow up together though, I didn't even know I had a brother, let alone a twin."

"But you do now, so maybe we have it."

I rolled my eyes at his enthusiasm. "Maybe."

"We'll have to work on it at school." He pecked me quickly on the cheek. "Night Hermione."

I smiled. "Night."

I wandered back to my room where Kreacher was waiting with my evening tea. "Miss." He greeted.

"Hullo Kreacher. Everything okay? Minny usually delivers my tea."

"Everything is fine. Kreacher just wanted to deliver it tonight. Miss is going to school soon, Kreacher going to miss you."

"I promise I will call you if I am ever in need of you." I smiled at the house elf. "Or you could come and see me whenever you want."

"Really?"

"Of course Kreacher. You and Minny are my friends, I would miss you too much if I didn't get to see you." Kreacher gave me a lopsided grin. "Thank you for my tea. I think I will have it with my bath tonight. Good night Kreacher."

He nodded, setting the tray down. "Night Miss."

The day was the first of September. It was finally time for me to join the school I have been hearing about all summer. I felt so nervous I thought I would throw up, if it wasn't for Harry, I probably would. Sirius came to see us off, walking ahead of us with the Weasley clan. Seriously, once the Weasley kids started having children, they would have enough team members to make a rugby team. Sighing, I grabbed Harry's hand, feeling him give my hand a light squeeze reassured me I wasn't alone. Harry was the only guy I would let touch me or hug me. Well he was the only person I let hug me besides McGonagall. Harry has been trying to convince me that not all guys were horrible, how he figured out what happened, I wasn't sure. He still doesn't know it was because of Dudley.

"You ready?" Harry asked, leaning in close.

I nodded. "As I'll ever be."

He grinned, as he waved good bye and dragged me onto the train with him. The Hogwarts' Express was a very big, luxurious train that no muggle has ever seen. How it's possible that no one has seen it on the way to Hogwarts is a mystery. Probably some spell to cover it or something. We had to go through this wall in the muggle world to get here. Harry said this entrance was for muggleborns, but he thought I would enjoy the experience of going through a wall. I punched him in the arm after I calmed my beating heart down. Harry found us an empty compartment and we made ourselves comfortable. He also mentioned that Ron and Ginny would probably be riding with us, as well as his other friends. I groaned when said redheads walked into our compartment.

"Can't wait to get back to school." Ron yelled excitedly.

"Why? Aren't you like mediocre in school?" I asked sweetly.

Ron glared at me. "I'm a little above average."

"I see." I answered, not really believing him.

Ron was about to reply when the compartment door opened again, and in walked two more people. One was a female with long blonde hair and a spacey look on her face. The other was a young man, with short hair and puffy cheeks, but was quite handsome.

"Neville, Luna!" Harry greeted happily. "Guys, this is my sister Hermione. Hermione they are Luna and Neville. The ones I told you about."

I gave them a warm smile. "It's nice to meet you. Harry has talked a lot about you too. He said you were the one to talk to if I was having trouble in Herbology."

"O… of course." Neville stuttered. "I'd love to help."

"You are very pretty. You look nothing like Harry." Luna observed, her voice as dreamy as her face.

"Thank you.. I think." I muttered, looking over at Harry, who just shrugged.

For the rest of train ride I talked with Neville and Luna, completely forgetting about the redheads. Many people came and went to the compartment during the course of the ride. I forgot many of the people Harry introduced me too. Harry then explained we were getting close and had to put our robes on, he showed me to the loo and I got dressed. We pulled up to the station fifteen minutes later, I held Harry's hand so we wouldn't be separated by the many students running off the train.

"How do we get to Hogwarts?" I asked him.

"The first years always go by boat, I am sure you can go with them and get the whole experience or you can come with me. The rest of the years take carriages that are pulled by thestrals."

"What are those?" I asked, as I followed him to said carriages.

"Um, they are kind of like bony skeletal black horses."

I looked to the front of the carriage, my eyesbrows furrowing when I didn't see anything attached to the carriage. I looked up when I heard a giggle and seen Luna staring at me. "You can only see them if you have seen death."

"That sucks." I muttered, climbing in and sitting beside her.

"It does. They are very gentle creatures."

"Can you see them?" She nodded. "How come?"

She gave me a sad smile. "It's a long story."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." The carriages started moving up towards this giant castle. I stared at it wide eyed, it was magnificent, pictures did not do the place justice.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Harry grinned.

Twenty minutes later, I followed Harry through the huge doors leading into the castle. Harry was explaining different areas, I was only half listening. My attention on the many moving paintings that adorned the walls. We stopped in front of a massive doorway, harry told me this was the Great Hall. He explained that sorting was done before we ate, so I had to stand with the first years. I reluctantly let go of his hand and made my way up to the front. I was very aware of every eye in the room on me.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. First years I hope you have a splendid, excitable year. And as always the Forbidden Forest is off limits to students. We also have a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, please welcome Professor Lupin back." There was loud cheering from Harry's table. "On with the sorting."

"First we will have Miss. Hermione Potter." After my name was called, there was instant whispering.

I swallowed nervously, and made my way up to McGonagall who gave me a reassuring smile. I sat on the little stood and flinched slightly when the hat was place on my head. What I wasn't really expecting was for the hat to start talking inside my head.

"Another Potter." I hat whispered. "Interesting, very intelligent, nothing like your brother. Cunning, brave. You could be put in any house you want."

"Gryffindor please."

The chuckled. "Are you sure? You say Gryffindor, but your head is saying something else." I blushed slightly. "I think you will do great things Miss. Potter. Better be:

Slythrin!" The hat shouted out loud and my mouth fell open in shock. The whole room was quiet, you could hear a pin drop. I stared at McGonagall in horror and she just shrugged. I slid off the stool and made my way to the far table, guessing it was the right one, since all I seen was glares. What has that stupid hat just done? I am going to die.

A/N: Hey, so here is chapter seven. Oo, bet you didn't see that coming. I was going to put her into Gryffindor but then I figured my story wouldn't be all that exciting if it was predictable. Still haven't completely figured out who I want the love interest to be for Hermione. I would love to hear what you all are hoping for. Might make my decision a little bit easier. Read and Review. I always love to hear from my fans. Until next time…

xoxstorii-gurrlxox