Disclaimer: Same as last time, still not J. K. Rowling.
AN: I got a beta, you should read her story her pen name is DrAcO'sblackrose. She has helped me out on the other chapter and I hope that it's well worth it. As I said before this is before HBP so again I'm not really sorry if it doesn't fit the time line.
Hermione got to the train station early as usual, not wanting to ever be late. Her father got her trunk out of the car and placed it on the ground next to her.
"I'll miss you honey, remember I still love you, I love you twice as much now that your mother isn't here anymore and as long as I am around nothing bad is ever going to happen to you." John Granger said as he kissed his daughter's head. "Take care of yourself honey and remember I always love you." John gave his daughter a hug and kissed her again, then turned to leave her alone to wait for Harry and Ron.
She sat down on the bench near platform nine and ten, pulled out her Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven and started reading the already loved book, which no longer looked new.
Ten minutes later Ron and Harry showed up looking much older and more handsome than last year. Harry was now about a foot taller than Hermione who stood at 5 feet 4 inches. Ron had grown a mustache and it looked really good on him.
"Hermione!" Harry yelled from across the platform, "How has your summer been?" Hermione got up and made her way to the other side of the platform, jumping up and down when she saw the two.
"It has been okay, I lost mum in late June" Hermione said as Harry came in to give her a hug, "I just finished reading some of the course material and this year is going to be so much fun."
Ron shook his head, "'Mione you're the only one I know that would think school is fun."
"Be quiet Ronald I happen to enjoy learning different things about the Wizarding World, you should too." Hermione said "And don't call me 'Mione, my name is Hermione, damn your worse than Krum." Ron swore under his breath, "Let's get on the train I want to tell you guys what I did this summer." Hermione said as she grabbed her trunk and Crookshank's cage.
Harry and Ron nodded in response and grabbed their trunks, then kissed Mrs. Weasley goodbye.
"Can you believe this is our last time going on the train to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked as she got some Bertie's Botts from the Ms. Toadstool and sat down.
"I'm glad this is the last time. I don't think I could stand another year with that Snarky Bastard!" Ron murmured as he shoved several Chocolate Frogs into his mouth, "He is going to be really horrible this year; you know it 'Mione."
Hermione gave Ron a deathly stare. "RONALD WEASLEY its HEMIONE NOT 'MIONE, OR HERM' OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT! GET IT RIGHT ALREADY!" Hermione yelled as she threw Bettie's Botts at him.
Ron picked them up and stuck them in his mouth, "Yuck, earwax!" Ron said as he stuck his tongue out at her and shook his head. "How can you eat those Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Well I know which ones are the horrible ones, like I knew that the ones I threw at you were going to be earwax." Hermione gave a smirk that would have made Snape proud.
The rest of the ride was in silence, "I think we should change into our robes." Hermione said as she broke the silence to change into her "Head Girl" robes. Harry and Ron nodded and grabbed their robes and headed off to the loo to change into their uniforms.
Hermione came out to find the boys struggling with their ties. "Men, can never do these things right, hold still you two and let me fix them." Hermione mothered the two until they both were ready for a grand entrance, "I have to leave you two now I have to get off first because I need to get the first years ready to be sorted." With that she walked off with her trunk in toe, glancing over her shoulder to Harry she yelled, "Harry would you grab Crookshanks for me please." Harry nodded, and waved her off.
Hermione looked around the Great Hall with tears in her eyes; she remembered when she herself was getting ready to be sorted into her house. That had been seven years ago, not know what house she was going to be sorted into finding out later she was glad it was Gryffindor. Hermione let out the breath she didn't know she was holding "This is going to be a difficult year." she whispered to herself. Professor Snape came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder,
"You should really stop talking to your self, and people are going to think you have gone off your rocker." Snape said when Hermione screamed when she realized someone else was there.
"What are you doing here, Professor?" Hermione asked as she turned around to face him.
"Well Professor McGonagall has had the flu for the last week and Madam Pompfrey told her another day in bed would be the best and she conned me into doing the Sorting Ceremony this year with the Head Boy and Girl." Snape glanced around "Speaking of the Head Boy, has Mr. Malfoy shown up yet?"
"You mean to tell me that Malfoy made Head Boy this year, that's just fucking wonderful!" Hermione yelled then covered her mouth with her hand, "I meant that's just freaking wonderful."
Professor Snape looked pleased; he didn't know that the Little-Miss-Know-It-All had a mouth that would get her into trouble. "That was very interesting, but I don't think you want to lose any points before there were any to be given out, Miss Granger." Snape snared and looked around once more for Malfoy.
All the new first years had now shown up and started to get antsy. "Professor, maybe we should start this. I know Malfoy isn't here but we can't keep everyone else waiting can we?" Hermione whispered into Snape's ear. Snape nodded his head as he stepped forward to say his speech he had prepared for this moment.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, if any of you have older siblings you know who I am, and those who don't, I am Professor Snape and I teach Potions, you're best way to do good in this school is to fear me." Snape spat out." Now follow me, so Miss. Granger can get you sorted."
Snape turned around and his cloak bellowed with him, "Follow me, everyone." Hermione said with a smile as she made her way behind Snape into the Great Hall to where everyone else was already sitting down and waiting for the Sorting to begin. Snape went around the Staff table and sat down smirking down at Hermione. 'If she's going to be the next McGonagall she needs to learn how to do the Sorting Ceremony. Snape thought to himself receiving a knowing look from Dumbledore. What the hell is he twinkling about, stupid meddling fool.
Hermione looked around at everyone in the Great Hall, taking a deep breath she started to speak, "When I call your name come up to the front and I will put the Sorting Hat on your head and it will say what house you will be in." Hermione said, pleased with herself. She unrolled the parchment that Snape had so kindly given to her, "Lola Applegate." A little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl stepped forward holding on to her pet guinea pig. She looked at Hermione with wide eyes.
"Will you hold Snickers for me please?" she asked Hermione with a crack in her voice, "I don't want her to get dropped or something bad to happen to her." Hermione nodded and stuck her hands out for the little girl to put her "Snickers" into her hands.
After Lola sat on the stool and Hermione put the sorting hat on her head the hat started talking to Lola very quietly. "RAVENCLAW!" it yelled, and Lola jumped down, "That's good right?" She whispered to Hermione and Snickers was placed back into her arms.
"Yes, that is a very good house" Hermione answered as Lola gave her a hug. "Daniel Bones." A boy with dark brown hair and eyes stepped forward and sat down on the stool. "GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat yelled.
Ron poked Harry in the arm as they watched the sorting, "Harry I need to ask you something important."
Harry turned around to look at Ron, "Yeah Ron, what is it?"
Ron took a deep breath, "After this year is over I want to ask Hermione to marry me, do you think she will say yes?" Ron stuttered.
"Why wait until the end of the year, you can always ask her tonight and that will give you guys a whole year to plan for the wedding and you can have it in August like Hermione has always wanted." Harry suggested looking up at the Sorting.
There wasn't that many First years this year, and he was sure that had to do with The War. Not a lot of families wanted their kids to go to a school that had The Boy Who Lived was currently attending where their child was in constant danger. Harry sighed; it was going to be a difficult year, it had to be.
"So you think she will say 'yes' then?" Ron asked looking slightly pale.
"You two have been together for a while now I don't see why she wouldn't" Harry said as he looked at Hermione once more, "She is doing a fantastic job isn't she, I can see her doing this every year after she goes to the University."
Ron didn't look pleased with that statement, "I don't think she needs a job, I just want her home with me when I get home and when our kids need her she will be there."
Harry sighed, 'Maybe this won't work out between the two of them. She is going to want to work and he doesn't want her too. Oh well, I don't think you can change either one of their minds.' He thought while he and Ron went back to the Sorting.
"Melinda Snape." the crowd grew quiet at the name, a little girl with long black hair and a big nose stepped forward and sat on the stool; she looked up at Hermione with the bluest eyes.
"Please don't let it be Slytherin." she whispered when Hermione put the hat onto her head. "HUFFLEPUFF!" it yelled a couple of moments later.
Melinda smiled and got down, "Thank you," she whispered to Hermione and left to find her seat at the Hufflepuff table.
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she got down to the last name on the list, "Logan Zimmerman" she said, Logan was tall for his age and didn't seem to want to ask people to get out of his way, he just pushed his way though the rest of the kids that hadn't gotten to their table yet.
"Let's get on with this, lady." he yelled at Hermione. She put the hat onto his head and as soon as she let go it yelled "SLYTHERIN." Looking pleased he hopped down from the stool and walked over to the Slytherin table sitting next to Crabbe and Goyle.
Hermione looked over at Dumbledore and gave a nod letting him know that it was alright to go on with his speech.
Hermione placed the parchment down in front of Professor Snape and walked down to her table, "So how did I do?" she asked Harry.
"Wonderful Hermione, better than McGonagall herself." Harry said "Are you going to do it when you're a teacher here?"
Hermione looked around 'Maybe I can come back and be a teacher if I don't die during the war. That would be nice.' She thought.
Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat, "First I would like to thank Miss. Granger for her help with the Sorting and I would also like to let you know that she is the new Head Girl and Draco Malfoy is Head Boy." Draco stood up at the Slytherin table and gave a bow. "Secondly I want you all to meet your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Kat Zagaruyka."
Kat stood up, she had shoulder length Auburn hair, hazel eyes that showed more green than brown, and stood at five foot five inches and she wore deep purple robes. "Hello," Kat said to the students. She quickly sat down and looked slightly embarrassed.
"And lastly, I always love Sweet Tarts lets eat."
After dinner Hermione lead the new Gryffindors to the picture of the Fat Lady. "Redemption." Hermione spoke to her. The picture opened and Hermione lead the students in.
"This is the Gryffindor common room, here is where you can find help if you need it Ron will show you to your room boys, and Lavender will show you to you dorm girls." Hermione said as she left them to find her own room.
The picture of the first Head Girl looked down at her. "You need to set a password." Serenity said looking pleased.
"I think I'll use Masquerade." Hermione said looking at Serenity.
"Can I ask you why you choose that?" Serenity asked looking down at Hermione.
"Because you never know what people are like until you look behind the mask they wear, anyone you trust can turn on you without thinking about it." Hermione said as she walked though the door behind the picture.
"That is how I feel." When she made it into her room she opened Crookshank's cage and let him look around the room while she unpacked. After getting into her pajama's she placed the picture of her mother on the side table next to her bed.
"Night Mom, I hope that you can see me from where you are." Hermione whispered to the picture and turned the lights out. Unaware that there was someone else in her room
. The Masked Man walked over and looked at her and sighed from his spot in the dark. Moving so, he was next to her; The Masked Man gagged her mouth before tying her hands up to the bedposts.
Hermione woke up with a start and tried to scream, but the gag stopped her. In the dark, she could feel the material from his robes. She remembered how they felt. 'Why me?' was her last thought, before she faded into the darkness.