Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hermione, her parents, or anything else of any concern.

So here's Chapter 2! Please review, because you'll be the first! Anyway, I actually managed to make this long, so that's rare for me! Anyway (again), here it is!

The following morning, Hermione awakened early, as usual, and hurried down for breakfast. Her parents were both getting ready for work, and Mrs. Granger simply handed Hermione a bowl of cereal. "Good morning," she said, in a clear attempt at being patient. "You've got almost an hour before you have to leave, so why don't you get out your new skirt. You never remember in the evenings."

Hermione's school did not have a strict uniform, but required that girls wear respectful shirts and skirts. Hermione had attended the school since Year 1, and owned a great amount of skirts. However, they were all nearly identical, in either grey, navy blue, or a darker black. Hermione had a new, unopened one, in a very pretty navy blue colour, but she never did remember to open it. Now, she nodded. "All right, Mum," she said obediently. "I will."

Hermione finished her cereal and jumped up from the table. She was still wearing her nightgown, and began to imagine a shirt that would go with her new skirt. She really wasn't interested in fashion, however, and she quickly dismissed the thoughts, deciding she'd just find a shirt.

Hermione wore similar things nearly every day. It was like she had her own uniform. In just a few minutes, she was sporting the new skirt, a creme coloured sweater, creme stockings of a similar colour, and was pulling on her shoes. She had just tugged the second one on when there was a loud knock on the front door.

It was a wonder Hermione could hear it at all, through her closed door. She peered out the shades on her window, but, unable to see any sort of car, could not tell who was at the door.

Quietly, she crept down the stairs and to the front door. She was forbidden to open the door when she was at home by herself, but her parents had already left for work. Stealthily, she peered through the peephole.

She was frightened at the sight of a middle-aged woman she was certain she'd never seen before. She looked almost like someone out of a book, and Hermione had read many of those. The woman was wearing the strangest clothes, a kind of floor length coat. Hermione half-giggled, though she was panicked, too. She calmed herself, figuring the woman had gotten the wrong house, and Hermione silently continued to watch through the peephole. She was small enough that she couldn't be seen, but she began to grow tired and worried as several minutes went by and the woman did not leave. Hermione was just about to run and call her mother when the woman calmly put some kind of paper on the ground and walked off. Hermione heard a strange crack from the side of the house as he disappeared from sight.

Hermione didn't have time to stand there. She had to leave for school. She ran upstairs and grabbed her big, then sprinted downstairs and out the door. She snatched up the note, and read:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger,

I have something important to tell you about your daughter. I will be by tonight at 7pm.

Sincerely,

Catherine Abbott

Hermione was positive she had never met this woman, and hoped it was her parent's friend. Or some kind of joke. She had a strange feeling about the woman, and she couldn't quite shake it from herself, even as she set off walking through the chilly air.

Hermione'a school wasn't far from Hermione's house, though the school was closer to actual London. Hermione rather enjoyed the walk, even in the chilly early spring weather. Today, though, all she could think about was the note written definitely to her parents about her from this strange woman. She hoped the woman would not come they night, and her parents would know not to listen.

"Hey, Hermione!" a voice called.

Hermione looked up. Maddie was running at her. Hermione was so surprised, she stopped walking completely and Maddie came right up to her. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for calling you a know-it-all yesterday," Maddie said. Hermione could tell it wasn't a for-real apology, but she was still amazed she'd received any kind of apology.

"That's all right. I'm sorry I tripped you."

Hermione started walking again and Maddie skipped along beside her. It was weird, Maddie acting like she often talked to know-it-all Hermione.

"It was so strange, though," Maddie continued, "how you tripped me. Because you didn't. You weren't standing next to me! How did you do that?"

Hermione shrugged, afraid she wasn't doing well at pretending it was normal to walk with someone like Maddie. "I didn't," she said. "I mean, I don't know. I really don't."

That was the truth, but Maddie looked mystified. "Well, it was weird," she'd said in a concluding tone. "I have to run. But wait, why do you look so-well-distraught?"

Did she look distraught? Hermione managed a shrug. "I'm not," she said quickly. "I don't know why I look that way."

But she did know. There was someone strange coming to her house that night, and they were coming to talk about her.

Did you like it? I hope so!

Please review! I'll have Chapter 3 out soon if you're interested (okay, you probably aren't...)! Anyway, yeah, bye...!

Linley =)