Well, here it is, Chapter 2. I hope it was worth the wait for everyone, I am very happy with how this turned out and I hope everyone enjoys the way i ended the chapter. I thought it would be fitting to end it he way I did.
The Girl who lived
Chapter 2
As Hermione sat in the kitchen looking at Minerva, her mind was spinning as she listened to Minerva speaking. When she had finished speaking, Hermione sat, stunned at what she had heard for a few moments before she finally came to her senses and pulled her hands out of Minerva's almost violently. Anger pulsed through Hermione as she looked at one of the people she loved and trusted the most, Minerva had been like a mother to her. Now she had found out that Minerva had been lying to her for the entire time she had known her. Standing suddenly, Hermione found tears of anger running down her cheeks as she finally spoke, the anger flowing through her making her stand suddenly, her chair crashing into the wall behind her.
"Why!? Why didn't you tell me the truth!? Do you think so little of me that you thought I couldn't handle knowing the truth!? I trusted you more than I trusted anyone else, and now I find out you've been lying to me the entire time I've known you!"
Anything else she was going to say was lost as Minerva decided it was time for her to speak up. She too was on her feet, and Hermione couldn't help but think her voice could cut through stone.
"That is enough Hermione! You will sit down and act like the well-mannered girl your father brought you up to be!"
Nodding, Hermione sat back down, tears coming down harder now, not because Minerva had yelled at her, not because she was still angry, but because she thought of her mother's sacrifice, the love her mother had felt for her was so strong she had given her life to save her own. Before Minerva could say anything else, or even sit down, Hermione threw herself at Minerva, wrapping her arms around her waist, her tears staining Minerva's jeans as she felt Minerva's hand placed on her head and slowly running through the wild brunette curls on her head. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled away and sat back down across from Minerva. Minerva pulled her chair closer, and took Hermione's hands in her own once again.
"Hermione, I wanted to tell you the truth before today, but your father insisted that we wait until today to tell you. I respected his wishes because he thought that it would be best for you and I do agree with him to a point. He shouldn't have told you when you were younger, but there was no reason to wait until today. I thought it would've been best to tell you earlier in the year to give you time to adjust to these facts before going to Hogwarts, but your father decided against it."
Hermione smiled, her eyes closing, happy that Minerva didn't think so little of her, but why had her father decided to wait until today? Hermione was going to make sure that she asked before she left for Hogwarts. Opening her eyes Hermione nodded at Minerva telling her that she was okay and, picking up her letter, looked at the list of items she would need for her upcoming year. After quickly reading through them, Hermione looked up at Minerva.
"Is this where you're planning on taking me today, to get all these things?"
"Yes, but before we go, there are some things you need to know. I told you that people think of you as their saviour, because of that, you're rather famous in the magical community because of that. Many people will stop and stare, but then there are those that will hate you, regardless of what happened to you, simply because your parents are what the magical community call, Muggles, which just means they don't have magic. I am telling you this now so it won't be as much of a shock to you when it happens, because as much as I wish it won't it will happen Hermione. People will whisper behind your back and call you…Mudblood…but I don't want you to listen to them. Do you understand Hermione?"
Hermione watched as Minerva shivered as she said the word Mudblood. Shaking her head Hermione smiled at Minerva and nodded as she gently squeezed Minerva's hands and pulled her own away from Minerva's. Standing Hermione quickly hugged Minerva and took the letter from the table before walking to the door, turning her head back to face Minerva.
"Don't worry Minerva, people have called me names before, you know that. You've helped me see that the names people have called me and will call me can hurt but they don't have too."
Minerva smiled as she let the pride she felt, having helped raised the girl in front of her, show on her face, something Hermione knew never happened. Smiling at Minerva, Hermione waited to see if Minerva had anything more to tell her but after a few moments of silence Hermione turned and went back upstairs to grab a bag that Minerva had given her a few years ago, one that she hadn't been seen without ever since getting it. As Hermione walked into her room she walked over to the desk pressed against the wall that she used to do her homework, the bag hanging off of the chair. Walking up to the chair, Hermione's hand rested on the worn leather strap of the bag but didn't take it off the chair, her eyes were glued to the picture that rested on the desktop. That picture had been a source of strength, comfort and helped her to stay determined when she came upon a difficult question in her homework. Pulling the chair out from the desk Hermione sat and took the picture frame into her hands, staring at the picture of her mother holding her, wrapped in blankets, in her arms. Staring at the picture, Hermione felt the tears that she felt down in the kitchen return, her hands starting to shake as the first tears fell on the glass of the frame. Lifting the frame Hermione kissed the picture of her mother and sat it back on the desktop and, as she was about to stand, heard Minerva's voice from the doorway.
"Hermione, is everything okay?"
Turning her head to face Minerva, she was shocked as she saw Minerva standing there with tears of her own on her face. Hermione watched as Minerva walked toward her and, kneeling down bringing her face to face with Hermione, wiped the tears from Hermione's eyes and cheeks. Straightening up Minerva extended her hand to Hermione. Smiling Hermione grabbed the letter that held the list of items she needed, slid them into the bag that was still hanging on the chair she was sitting in, after putting it over her shoulder and took Minerva's hand, letting Minerva lead her out of the house and toward their destination. As Hermione and Minerva walked the two talked about the things that Hermione would need, taking care to speak quietly around any people they passed on the street, Minerva even recommended a few more books to help Hermione start learning how to control her magic before she started school after telling her she wasn't allowed to practice with her wand at home.
Minerva led Hermione to an old run down building and, as Hermione watched people walking past, she noticed that none of them seemed to see it. Just as she was about to ask about it, Minerva gently led Hermione into the building. Upon entering the building, the bartender saw Minerva and walked to the end of the bar to meet her, and bowed to her as Minerva walked toward him. Hermione couldn't help the nerves she felt rising as she saw the respect that Minerva was receiving and couldn't help fidgeting slightly as she waited for Minerva to finish talking with the barman. The barman smiled at Hermione as he finished his conversation with Minerva and Hermione saw his eyes flick to her hair-line and she knew he was looking at the scar that adorned her forehead, before he was able to say anything however, Minerva cleared her throat, getting his attention and gave him a look that sent him running back behind the bar. Smiling to Hermione, Minerva turned toward a door at the back of the run down looking bar and outside to a brick wall with a few trash cans standing in the corners. Hermione put her hand on Minerva's arm as she went to raise it, what Hermione guessed would be her wand in her hand.
"Minerva, why did you look at the barman like that?"
Letting out a sigh, Minerva stood still for a moment, her arm falling to her side before turning around and kneeling in front of her. Minerva's eyes bored into Hermione's, a look that Hermione couldn't read on her face which made Hermione nervous, she had always been good at reading Minerva's emotions when they were on display. After a minute or two had passed, Minerva finally spoke.
"I know you're not going to like this but, like I told you before, people consider you their saviour for what happened to you and your mother. He and others will stare at you and will be unable to refrain from asking you questions that you don't want to or can't answer. I don't blame you if you're in that situation and start feeling sad or uncomfortable."
Nodding at Minerva's statements, Hermione wiped more tears falling down her cheek as she thought about her mother. Minerva squeezed Hermione's shoulder gently and gave her a reassuring smile before standing and turning back to the wall motioning for Hermione to stand next to her so she could see what Minerva was doing.
"You may have to come here without me so it's best that you know how to open the wall, even if you forget I'm sure Tom, the barman, will not mind helping you."
Nodding again to show she understood, Hermione watched as Minerva took her wand and traced its tip from the trash can in front of them, up 3 bricks and across 2, and tapped it with her wand. Hermione's eyes widened as she watched the brick that Minerva had tapped, a small hole appeared where her wand had touched, hoping that her jaw hadn't dropped open Hermione watched as the small hole widened till the brick had disappeared, the bricks next to it slowly dissolving in front of her eyes until a small arch had opened up revealing a street that looked, to Hermione, that it went on forever. Not even having stepped through the arch Hermione still found her eyes flying from shop to shop and her head moving between the stores on either side of her. Minerva watched with a small smile on her face as she spoke.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Hermione."
Chapter 2 in the books, so to speak. I hope you all enjoyed it very much, but I regret to inform you all that i have NO idea when I will be able to get Chapter 3 posted, or even started. I hope this is a Chapter you can all read over and over so it softens the blow of the time between postings. Please don't forget to review, you all seem to be able to make me smile with your reviews.