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

So here's Chapter 3! Catherine Abbott is someone I made up, if you wondered, but more about her is revealed her. I don't mean she's secretive, just I did think about it! I'm so sorry this is so short, but I had trouble with the ending and decided to end it then I could!

Though Mrs. Rand praised Hermione continually about her amazing report, and gave her several extra-credit grade points, Hermione did not focus well at school that day. Her mind kept wandering to the note, and the strange woman coming to talk about her.

"Hermione! School is over!" someone hissed as Hermione sat reflecting this that afternoon.

Hermione jumped and spotted Maddie. She wasn't giggling, though, and looked simply surprised. Hermione did her best to ignore her and hurried out of her classroom, pausing only to thank Mrs. Rand. In a matter of seconds, she was running home.

Hermione remembered tucking the note in her bag, and she knew they she had to show it to her mother. Otherwise, the woman would show up and surprise everyone. Besides, Hermione wanted to talk about this with her mother before the woman came.

The Granger house seemed much closer to school then normal. Hermione rushed inside and flung herself into her mother's office. "Mum!"

"My goodness, Hermione!" Mrs. Granger appeared rather startled, and she held up her hand at her overexcited daughter. "What is it?"

Hermione gathered her breath as she extracted the note from her bag. "This woman came to the door this morning. She waited, but if course I didn't answer because you weren't home. Then she left this. What is it?"

Hermione handed the note to her mother. Mrs. Granger looked thoroughly puzzled. "I don't know," she said after a moment. "I've never heard of a Catherine Abbott. But if she's coming to tonight, I suppose we'll find out."

Hermione didn't think this was a particularly good analysis of the situation. A strange woman was coming to their house, and she hadn't even been invited. What found she possibly want to say?

The day took a while to get through. Hermione finished the rest of the homework for the week, and then began reading A Tale of Two Cities. When she heard her father come home, Hermione dropped the book and sprinted down to greet him.

It took both Mrs. Granger and Hermione to explain the note to an over-tired, confused Mr. Granger. All he seemed to understand was that someone was coming by that evening. After this, Hermione gave up.

When it came to be 6:30, Hermione started checking the clock almost every minute. She sat at the table, anxiously reading a nature book she'd located on the top of the bookshelf, covered in dust. It was perfectly interesting.

Well, interesting enough until the doorbell rang. Hermione had just check the clock and saw it said precisely seven when the bell rang. Mrs. Grsnger jumped up to open it and Hermione ran after her, through the office.

The same woman from that morning, wearing the same kind of odd coat, was standing there. "Hello," she said warmly. "I trust you received my note? I'm Catherine Abbot, a volunteer at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I really do think we'd best sit down."

The women was so mesmerising that neither Mrs. or Mr. Granger objected. Hermione was curious about the strange name for the school, and wondered whet she had to do with it. It sounded like a cult or something.

"Well," said Catherine Abbott, once she was seated comfortably in the kitchen. "I am not sure of the right way to explain this, except straight out. Hermione, dear, you are a witch. You see, magic exists, and witches and wizards are kept a secret from the non-magic people of the world. I know this sounds abrupt, but there is really no way to explain it in a way they makes sense."

Yes, it sounded abrupt. Hermione felt her mother's hand cling to hers. Though what this woman was saying sounded ridiculous, something made Hermione believe it. She didn't know why.

"That's-well-" Mrs. Granger could not speak.

Catherine Abbott smiled. "I quite understand. My husband had trouble believing me. But my daughter, Hannah, grew up with magic. So I will ask you this, Hermione. Have you ever done anything you can't explain, but you knew was you?"

Hermione froze. She thought of Maddie, and she nodded. "Yes," she said. "I have."

And Hermione could have sworn that magic was in the room right then.

Did you like it? I hope so!

I know Hogwarts students normally find out about Hogwarts on their 11th birthday, but Hermione's eleventh birthday is almost a year before Hogwarts and I thought that was too much time. Maybe I'll work that into the story. Anyway, bye!

Linley =)