A/N: here's a little chapter to tide you over.
Chapter 8: Coming Home
Once Hermione had booked herself into her room in the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione began to make a list of things she would need for the coming school year. As she had yet to receive a letter; maybe Hogwarts hadn't been able to find her either, she was guessing at the textbooks she would need, and ones that she would want.
When she had finished her list, it was nearly dinner time. Throwing a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace, she requested dinner in her room and patiently waited for Tom to bring it to her. After eating dinner, she grabbed a quick shower; and yawning fell into bed.
The next morning Hermione awoke, and decided that she would glamour herself, and wander into Diagon Alley to shop for the necessities for school. While she wanted to be back in England; she still didn't feel ready to run into friends while shopping. Using her wand, she changed her hair colour, her eye colour and then she put on clothing that sweet, bookwormy Hermione Jean Granger would never wear. Downstairs in the inn, she smiled at Tom, and made her way to the entrance to the secret Wizarding World. Several taps of her wand gave her admittance to the alley, and off she went- flitting from store to store, picking out the necessities. Once she entered Flourish and Blotts she was in heaven. She ran her fingers over the spines of the thousands of books she passed, everyone once in awhile, flicking her wand at one she wanted, so that it was ease itself off the shelf and follow her about. After browsing for over an hour, Hermione made her way to the front counter and smiled at the older woman standing behind the counter.
"Hello, did you find everything you needed?" the woman asked.
"Almost, you see- I am to be going to Hogwarts for my 7th year in several weeks, and I do not know which textbooks I will need. Could you point me in the right direction?"
"Oh of course;" the woman said, drawing her wand, and flicking it "just wait one moment, they will come to you".
"Oh" Hermione waited, and soon, there were books floating towards her slowly from a dozen different directions. They piled themselves on the counter and finally the books were stagnant. Hermione placed the books she had gathered herself on the counter beside her text books and with a smile and a flourish she paid for the books, and asked from them to be sent to The Leaky Cauldron.
She then took herself to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, and sitting outside the shop ate her moose tracks ice cream cone. When she was finished, she made her way back to The Leaky Cauldron and after collecting her packages from Tom, made her way up to her room. She spent the night flipping through her new text books. That night, she dreamed about her adoptive parents. She dreamed that they were lonely, depressed, missing her, and above all regretting the way they told her. Her sub-conscious was obviously giving her a message now that she was home, and was not spending her time shopping or having wild sex with Falin. When the sun had begun to rise over the horizon, Hermione got out of bed, showered, bathed and finally dressed. Slipping on her shoes, she made her way down to the inn, and ordered breakfast. She ate Texas toast and eggs over easy, while she drank coffee. Once she was finished she stood, and made her way to the back the inn, and with a thought and a spin of her heel, she landed in her parents' backyard. She made her way around the house, and with a gust of air; she pressed the door bell. "Be right there" she heard through the door. The door opened slowly, and all of a sudden, she heard a squeal. "HERMIONE!" her mother screamed. "Thank GOD you're home; I've been worried sick!" she pulled her daughter into her arms. "Hello" Hermione said awkwardly. "DAVID- come down here… it's Hermione" Jean Granger yelled up the stairs. A second later, there was what sounded like thunder as her father ran down the stairs. "Hermione! It's you!" "Hello" it was awkward being here, after the way she had left, but soon they were sitting in the kitchen, at the table drinking tea and re-establishing her relationship with them. Even though they were not her birth parents, they had, after all raised her from a young age. She left that evening after spending the entire day making her relationship with her adoptive parents. While the relationship was not as it was before she found out about the adoption; it was better than it could be. She returned to The Leaky Cauldron and spent the night reading. The next two weeks Hermione spent practicing spells from her new textbooks, and following instructions in her charms text to create her own spell. Because of her new status, she decided that she would develop a privacy spell. She created in her room at The Leaky Cauldron, and was soon implementing it in the Alley. Unlike other Privacy Spells, Hermione's incorporated a distraction spell as well, so not only were you hidden from view, but people around you had no inclination to come within 10 feet of the place where the caster was. It was August 30th when Hermione was walking around the Alley, when she spotted a new shop down on the corner beside Flourish and Blotts. She wandered towards it, not really knowing why. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of a picture of the most gorgeous dragon she'd ever seen. "Can I help you?" a woman standing behind the counter. "This is gorgeous" Hermione said, mesmerized. "It is; it's a designed by a local artist. Are you interested in it?" "I am. Can I purchase it?" "Of course" the woman said, with a smile, and with a gesture showed Hermione into the shop. September 1st dawned to rainclouds and thunder claps. Hermione quickly dressed, packed her things, and made her way to the front of the tavern. After paying Tom for the 3 week stay, left by way of the front door, and with her wand, conjured an umbrella to follow her about. Within a couple feet of the door, it was apparent that the skies were about to open up and poor. Looking around, she seemed to be one of the few people noticing the skies, and before the haste began, she put out her hand, and was able to catch a taxi. She piled in and she was soon walking through King's Cross Station. She made her way through to Platform 9 ¾, and then onto the train with little fuss. As it was 35 minutes before the train would leave, many students had yet to arrive. She quickly found a compartment and cast her privacy spell. Hours later, they arrived at Hogsmeade Station, Hermione slid open her compartment and made her way off the train and up to the school by way of the threstral pulled carriage. She was tired, and thus did not speak to anyone. She sat quietly at the end of the table and waiting for the hall to fill. Soon Harry, Ron and Ginny were sitting beside her, gabbing wildly. "Herms, where were you… we searched the train for you" Ron said. "Mione, what the hell… you disappeared for the entire summer. I had no idea where you went" Harry practically yelled at her. "Hi Hermione" Ginny said. "Hi Gin" Hermione responded. Harry and Ron sputtered as she ignored their protests, and only a minute later, the Headmistress stood up, and made her way to the podium at the front of the hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts students, we will first sort our new students, then we will introduce you to your Head Girl and Head Boy, please Hagrid, let in the first years" As the terrified first years walked into the Great Hall, Hermione sat watching them, wondering if the same things were running through their heads, as was running through hers' at their age. At 11, she had uprooted her life, and come into a world where she had no friends, and was considered less than dirt by some people. These children were entering a more tolerant world, a world that had been freed by the man-child sitting across from her. These children had no reason to fear the future, while she had spent most of her career at Hogwarts running from 3 headed dogs, from Professors who had something evil to hide, and finally from a madman with a superiority complex. As Hermione's thoughts returned to the present, the first of the students were beginning to filter to their new homes, the homes that would be there in every capacity for the next 7 years. These housemates would become family, friends, and confidents. As the last of the children were sorted, Hermione looked up at the Headmistress. "Now, new students, and returning students… may I introduce you to your Head Boy and Head Girl. This year our Head Boy is… Draco Malfoy of Slytherin and our Head Girl is Hermione Granger of Gryffindor"; the room exploded into applause as both Hermione and Draco stood, and moved to stand beside Professor McGonagall. Dinner was served, and the Headmistress stood once more, and began the typical year opening speech. When it was finished, the Prefects stood, and began to lead the students to their common rooms. "Will the Heads please stay with me?" McGonagall said loudly over the crowds. Hermione and Draco stood beside the Headmistress while the final students filed out of the Hall. When all the students had entered their common rooms, she led the two Heads up through the castle and they soon stood outside of a portrait of a young couple, sitting in a meadow. Hermione waiting for the Headmistress to turn to them; "Please, you must decide amongst yourself the password. Miss Granger; I must speak to you tomorrow morning. Please come to my office at 10:00am" "Of course Professor; Malfoy… what do you want for a password?" she said non-caringly. "Égalité?" "Sure, why not" she said and turning to the couple in the portrait repeated the password, and entered the common room. "Until tomorrow" she directed the comment towards the Professor, and ignoring her roommate, followed the stairway up to her room. A/N: told you Draco would be here this chapter. Hope you like!