Hermione relaxed outside her tent. Summer was almost over and things had not been bad at all for her. She snuck to the Grangers once for mail. She had been happy to see Gwen. It held a small scolding for coming back, but they hugged and caught up on the roof of the house as everyone slept.

Gwen got adopted. The bonus was they were squibs too. An older couple who's children had already left home on their own. Which meant Gwen and Hermione could stay in communication. Before she left, Gwen told her to go to the owl post so she didn't have to keep coming back for mail. Once Gwen left, there wouldn't be anyone from stopping it all going in the trash.

That had been at the beginning of summer. She found a shop with the tents and found it was much more affordable than she expected. She got one in a pretty blue. A few other items were purchase but most came from a muggle sports store once she figured out Gringott's could turn some of her coins into muggle money.

She hasn't been able to work an agreement with the book store. However he felt bad about it and guided her on setting up a stand to sell at. She was open 4 days out of the week. She used the other 3 to read her school books as well a a few others she was able to purchase. She gave herself an hour everyday to make more companions.

She was right about some of those books she got in the train last year being part of the list for her 2nd year. She needed to only get the books for DADA however after looking through them in the store she decided not to get them. Instead she found an older Year 2 DADA book to go through as well as a few suggested books by the store owner on the subject.

She also bought herself a familiar. She hadn't planned on it. She had closed the stand for lunch when she peaked in to Eeylops Owl Emporium. She got a snake. A ball python she named Pumpkin. She was white with large orange spots that were partially outlined in black. She had written to the school to gain approval for having her as she wasn't on the approved list. She didn't think it was a problem, she'd seen plenty of familiar at school not from the list but she also knew she was picked on so didn't want problems.

At the end of the week, she packed her tent and belongings into her trunk before shrinking it. Her new cloak had a few charmed pockets to place it in as she apparates to Kings Cross with Pumpkin around her neck. Her stand was secured in another pocket. The shop owners around her had wished her luck at school, a few even gifting her each something from their shops. She'd never been more happy and sad at the same time to leave.

The moment the train arrived, she was the first one on, picking a compartment farther in the back. She tucked on, pulling a book out to read for the ride.

'Mistress, I'm excited to see our new home, ' Pumpkin looks out the window as the station started filling up with families.

"Me too. You can come with me to most of my classes and I'll make you a cushioned area in my work room." She smiles at the snake.

'You'll try to make friends, right?' She didn't think she could be scolded by a snake but there it was.

"No promises of success Pumpkin." They left it at that. It wasn't long before the train began to move. No one disrupted them. A Weasley glare once and a few nosy passers but no one opened her door. Besides a few toffees from the trolley, she stuck to her books.

Everyone who shops in Diagon Alley now knew she was the creator of Castleview Companions. So outside the usual attitude towards her, a few people yelled out they couldn't wait to see her latest work.

The Welcome feast was boring. The new DADA Professor Lockhart was as bad as his assigned books. He wore more pastels than the Headmaster. They both also apparently had some glamour or enhancement charms on their eyes. She looked down at her current book. To See Through Physical Enhancement Charms and Other Disguises.

It had been picked as a fun read but it was pretty good. Not only could she see through the 2 men but also she could tell those makeup charms girls used.

"Hello Hermione, " she turns to see Neville Longbottom.

"Hello Neville, how was your summer?" She smiles at him. Despite having a few classes together last year, they usually only greeted each other in passing or just waved from a distance. Maybe this year she really could make some friends.

"It was nice, my gran let me buy a new wand so no more struggling with my magic," he smiled as he shows her.

"That's great Neville! Congratulations!" She gives him a high five.

"Thank you, how was your summer? My gran really likes the owl companion she purchased this summer. That set up you had in Diagon was pretty neat!" He yells her.

"I'm glad she likes it, I'll be back in there during the holidays. Another stand owner taught me a spell to dome it from the snow"

"Nice! Can't wait to see it!" They were now at the dungeon stairs. They said good night and went their separate ways. She follows the rest of the Slytherins to the common room entrance.

'He was nice. Make friends my Mistress. Make friends, ' Hermione giggles as Pumpkin lightly bumps her face with her tongue.

"Nice familiar, what's her name?" She looks towards the voice Samuel and Theo were giving her a strange expression she didn't understand but it wasn't mean either so she smiles as she introduces the snake.

"Gentlemen, this is Pumpkin, Pumpkin this is Samuel and Theo," Pumpkin lifts her head up to look at them and then nod. Samuel grins as he greets the snake.

"Hello Pumpkin, I hope you enjoy being here at Hogwarts. Have a good night Hermione, " the boys smile back at her before heading towards their dorms.

She was glad everyone had their own rooms here as she immediately got to unpacking her trunk upon entering her room with a ward on the door. Pumpkin slid off to explore. Hermione appreciated her coloring as she watched, Pumpkin was still pretty small so seeing her easily reduced her worries of not being able to find her. She'll definitely be placing protective charms on the snake as she gets bigger and decides to go off on her own exploring the castle.

The next morning they got up bright and early to set up the display and stashing her business stand in the room before heading to breakfast. It filled her with happiness seeing a few of her creations at all the tables playing as their owners ate. Penguins, cats, dragons and many other from the Slytherin Table came up to greet her as she filled get plate before heading back to their owners.

It still amazed her how much personality appear in the animals. She loved it.

Professor Snape comes down the table handing out their class schedules. She couldn't help losing her smile a little upon seeing it.

They had 3 classes with the Gryffindors this year. Potions, DADA, and Transfiguration.

Charms and Herbology were with the Hufflepuffs.

History of Magic and Astronomy were with the Ravenclaws.

She didn't understand why so many were with the one house Slytherin fought with the most.

"They couldn't have kept us with the Ravenclaws for potions?" Samuel mutters a little down the war from her.

"I heard Finnigan has a tendency to blow up his cauldron and Weasley never follows instructions. Sent a few lions to the infirmary," Blaise scowls.

"How hard is it to get wrong? Selewyn is right up there demonstrating the potion as we make it. And she answers questions," Draco complains at the stupidity of the red head. She zones them out since after that knowing where the trash was going. Everyone knew the Weasleys father and Draco's father didn't get along.

Their first class of the day was Charms with the puffs. Neville sat with her which made the class quite fun as he practiced many of the spells from first year with his new wand while they waited for class to start. He didn't seem bothered when she corrected any of his pronouncements and was happy to learn a new charm from her that changed an items color like his parchment that was now light blue and his quill was purple.

History of Magic was mind dulling as usual. She didn't bother listening as she pulls a book out her bag on magic history she had found during the summer that showed more than just goblin wars. She looked up periodically in case the ghost asked questions.

Her brain felt a little hazy as she walked to lunch after. Eating the soup available helped clear her mind. As they had a free period next she went to her work room first. Today she was working on bowtruckles and snakes. She made quick work of the pieces, making 6 of each for now. Pumpkin approved of the snakes.

She added them to the 'playpen' as she liked to call it. Checked the charms and wards around them and the display before walking to the library. She had homework to do.

Her routine was slowly forming by the end of the first week. She balanced her free time between work and studying. She worked hard to be at the top of her class, she wasn't about to lose it. She had an apprenticeship starting next year so she wanted to be ready.

Professors McGonagall and Snape had already set her aside to discuss her taking her NEWTS for Transfiguration this year or next year, whenever she felt ready. She was handed a large study scroll for the Newt testing to see what she was in for. After looking at it, she was sure she would be ready at the end of this year. They agreed to talk closer to the end of the year about classes as 3rd year they got to pick electives.