Author's Note: I wasn't going to post this today, but I just couldn't help myself. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter One:
"Hogwarts"
She jumped, her sudden movement forcing her back to harsh reality. Her reaction much like that of someone who had just woken from a dream in which they were falling to an untimely demise. She'd been dreaming, yes--but not of falling. She stretched, trying to recall just what it was she'd been doing before exhaustion claimed her. Waking up slightly more, she noticed the papers covered in notes smothering her desk and the computer screen whose pages were filled of random letters meant to be a novel.
As her eyes adjusted to the new state of consciousness, they locked on a picture of the very image that haunted her dreams. She was smiling, though she was sad, her hair was a mess and was sticking to her face. Every so often, the twelve year old Hermione in the picture would look up to the now twenty-three year old reflection of herself and give a fleeting smile, just to then duck her head down and kiss the head of the bundle in her arms. The bundle that pained her to see.
Seeing the picture made her eyes fill with tears. It had pained her to loose that bundle that meant all the world to her. So many nights, she lied awake in bed sobbing over the loss of the infant. And so many nights, her mother would rush in and say it was ok, that she had made the right choice and that time would heal the wound.
Now she wondered if her mother was right. Would time heal the wound? No, of course not. Nothing in world could possibly heal this type of hurt. Regretfully, she thought back to why she'd had to give up the child in the first place. Most obviously, she was so young. She was just barely old enough to become a mother, and yet she had. Time would never heal the pain a mother felt when she was forced to loose her offspring. Time would only soften the blow and turn it into an arrogant scar.
Hermione stood and clutched the picture in her hands, allowing a single tear to fall on the picture. As she watched the tear fall, she shook her head in defiance. She would not loose herself to events that happened eleven years prior, despite how much they hurt. Taking the picture in it's frame with her to the bedroom, she wrapped it in the latest of Rita Skeeter's lies. After which, she carefully placed it into her luggage and returned to the desk and the computer to exit out of whatever damage her dreams had done to her work. Looking around her, making sure she had not forgotten anything, she apparated to a vacated spot not far from King's Cross Station, to which she walked. Not allowing herself to be seen, she walked straight through Platforms Nine and Ten and entered the magical world where she could find her escape.
***
As the Hogwart's Express rolled into the Hogsmeade station, a bright-eyed, flaming red head barged her way into Hermione's compartment
"Hermione Jean Granger! Wake up! We're here and I doubt McGonagall would like you being late to your first day on the job," Ginny Weasley said with great annoyance.
Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She'd been dreaming of her again. She knew it was dangerous and hurtful, but it was the only time Hermione could see her without looking at the one picture she had of her. Scanning the compartment, she saw Ginny watching her intently. She looked as if she was about to burst if she did not say something soon. Hermione rolled her eyes in farce annoyance, a sure signal to Ginny to just get to the point already.
Ginny sighed and seemed almost hesitant to go on, "Hermione, I know you miss her. But you know, maybe she'll be here tonight. After all, the timing is right and--"
"You don't think I haven't thought about that! Every night I lay awake hoping I'll get a chance to see her, to see if she even looks like me. But I've learned something: Wishing is worthless, if your wishes are not to come true," Hermione cut her off.
Ginny sighed once again and crinkled her nose. Hermione could definitely be stubborn, "Well, it could happen," she winced, almost waiting for Hermione to lash out at her again. When she didn't, she continued, "Either way, we should get going. We don't want to miss the Sorting."
Hermione nodded and followed her fellow witch off the train, through Hogsmeade and up into the Castle. In silence to two made their way into the Great Hall and sat at the Professor's Table. Not long after their belated entrance, Headmistress McGonagall entered with all the terrified first years and lead them all the way to the front where Filch had just placed a three-legged stool and the Sorting Hat. Hermione watched the children's eyes bug out in amazement when the hat began to sing it's song:
"Oh, you may think I'm dodgy
I'm sure a sight to see.
Though go ahead, I dare you
find a better hat than me.
Many a witch and wizard
have passed through these doors.
And many a treasure, I have seen
tumble 'cross the floor.
And every year, year after year
I sing my annual song.
Try me on and I shall sort
and never have I been wrong.
Shall you belong in Gryffindor,
where dwells the strong and brave?
Or perhaps in Hufflepuff,
where dwells the well behaved?
Should you be in Ravenclaw
where dwells those with intellect?
Or lastly, perchance in Slytherin
whose morals we shan't forget?
But my song serves a warning
to those of you with yearning,
for this year at Hogwarts
there will be more than learning.
I sense a change in the air.
For two witches, I'm concerned;
for come June, they shall know
something they've never learned.
With my warning said,
my song comes to an end.
But fear not, young ones,
let the sorting now begin."
Smiling to herself, she remembered standing in that very spot listening intently to what the hat had to say. She also remembered, informing everyone that would listen that the ceiling of the Great Hall was just bewitched to look like the night sky, how she'd told everyone that pretended to be listening that she'd read so in Hogwarts: a History. She laughed to herself, containing her excitement over the memory, for it was one of the few that did not pain her. The memory that haunted her dreams so frequently, had yet to occur and she was still just the young muggle-born witch named Hermione that wanted nothing more than to prove her name.
Deciding that it might be wise to take note of the names of her future students, she began to listen. One girl, near the front with wavy, long brown hair, though, caught her attention. The child looked so familiar, that it yanked at Hermione's heart. Suddenly, McGonagall's voice rang out a name:
"Courtinger, Lauran"
Hermione watched as the brown-haired girl cautiously walked up to the front. The poor thing was so nervous that the first time she tried to sit on the stool she missed and toppled to the floor. The entire Hall broke out in laughter and Hermione herself chuckled a bit, but there was something about that girl that mesmerized her. That gave her a sense of peace. Hermione was so caught up in her own thoughts that she almost missed the Sorting Hat call out her House.
"Slytherin!"
Hermione could not stop her jaw from dropping slightly. She was utterly astonished. She'd been almost sure that-- There was her problem: getting caught up in wishing and hoping again. How many times must she tell herself that wishing was worthless.
To distract herself from her deceiving thoughts, she continued to watch the Sorting. When all the children were sorted into their houses and all the meal consumed, Headmistress McGonagall signaled for the attention of all in attendance, which she was quickly granted.
"A new year, a new opportunity to make new friends and learn new things. And a perfect time for new professors. I would like you all to give a warm welcome to Professor Granger, your new Charms professor, and Professor Weasley, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I expect great things from these two," she announced slightly turning her head back to look at the two women whom she knew had gone through enough in their lives.
"Now, it is time for bed. Prefects, if you could please lead your houses to your Common Rooms?"
Within moments, the Great Hall cleared except for the professors who stayed back upon the Headmistress' request. She informed them all that tomorrow was the first day of classes, "Which you all should have already known," and requested they all sleep well as they had a long year ahead of them.
***
After a night's rest Hermione woke to dress and ready herself for the day ahead. When all was in tip-top shape she headed out of her private quarters and into her classroom to ready that as well. Within the hour, her first class of first year students carefully made their way into the room. She was already seated at her desk and once everyone was in their assigned seats, she rose to her feet.
"Good morning class. I am Professor Granger and I'll be your Charms professor for the next year," she began, mentally kicking herself for how cheesy it all sounded, "Now if you'll take out your notebooks, today we will take notes on classroom etiquette and maybe if we have time, we will begin tomorrow's lesson."
Quickly, every student obeyed…except for one…
"Lauran Courtinger. Why have you not taken out your notebook?"
The child merely smirked and shrugged her shoulders. Hermione sighed, it was only the first day and she really didn't want to take points from Houses just yet, but this girl was already plucking her nerves; which to be honest, perplexed Hermione because of her thoughts of the girl the night before.
"Lauran, please take out your notebook."
The smirk on her face grew, "Whose going to make me? You? I'd like to see you try."
Hermione glared, "That's it young lady! I won't have you disrespecting me in my classroom. I don't care if it is the first day or not, you are not immune to work so you can just wipe that attitude away right now. Ten points from Slytherin and you have detention with me tonight at five o'clock."
Lauran gapped at her professor as if she believed her to not have to guts to do such an act. Finally, after being threatened that if she kept making that face, it would be stuck as such, she shrunk down into her seat and remained quiet for the rest of the class, attempting to ignore the snickers from her classmates. At the end of the lesson on etiquette, there was not enough time to begin the next day's lesson, so the class just settled on open discussion.
One curious Ravenclaw student, that Hermione could not help but notice had vivid red hair that stood out more so than even the Weasleys' themselves, partly due to the fact that when it was braided, as she had it, it almost reached the floor even when flung over the back of her chair, asked, "What year did Hogwarts open?"
Another cunning, but slightly confused muggle-born student replied, "Google it!"
Hermione simply laughed and said, "Screw Google…I've got something better!"
After having said so, Hermione lifted a big heavy volume off of the bookshelf in one corner of the room and handed it to the student who was curious. The title read: An Encyclopedia of Important Wizarding Dates.
The class howled out their laughter at their professor's obvious weak points and Hermione was flushed a little with embarrassment, but was otherwise pleased that they appeared to like her. Well, most of the class anyway.
Author's Note: As an interesting piece of information, the above quote: One curious Ravenclaw student, that Hermione could not help but notice had vivid red hair that stood out more so than even the Weasleys' themselves, partly due to the fact that when it was braided, as she had it, it almost reached the floor even when flung over the back of her chair, asked, "What year did Hogwarts open?" was written by a friend. My original piece had been: One curious student asked, "What year did Hogwars open?" She decided that this wasn't descriptive enough and stole the computer and keyboard from me, after being told that the character was to be modeled after herself.
She also changed the next quote: Another cunning, but slightly confused muggle-born student replied, "Google it!" I believe this originally read: Another student replied, "Google it!" Again, it wasn't descriptive enough. I decided to keep the changes because I felt that they added more to the story; also, one will prove a tad important in a future chapter.
And finally, the last interesting piece of information: The "Google it!"/"Screw Google...I've got something better!" conversation actually occured in real life, ironically enough between the friend who made changes and myself. I was the one who said, "Google it!" And she said, "Screw Google...I've got something better!" I can't remember what precisely the conversation was about, but I do know that it was Harry Potter related. After the conversation, she requested that I put it in my story, so there it is!
And so concludes the really long author's note...
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