Author's Note: After a VERY long hiatus, I'm back! The last couple of years I have read a lot of Dramione fanfiction, namely stories by cleotheo, if you haven't read any of her stories, check her out, she's amazing. This is the first Harry Potter fanfiction story I've ever written so hopefully you guys like it! Voldemort was defeated in fourth year so there is no war and no corrupted Ministry of Magic. Now onto the story!
Hermione Granger was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ginny Weasley and her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
"Are you coming into Hogsmeade with us, Hermione?" Harry asked as he took a swallow of orange juice. Hermione nodded as she fumbled with the straps on her bag.
"Yes I was planning on it. I-Oh!" Hermione broke off mid-sentence as the morning post arrived. Even after six years at Hogwarts, the owls flying in unison never failed to amaze and awe Hermione, even though the only mail she ever got was from her parents. As she watched, a tawny owl stopped in front of her at the same time Hedwig stopped in front of Harry with a letter from his godfather, Sirius Black. She reached to untie the letter and recognized the slanting writing belonging to her cousin. She gave the owl five bronze Knuts before it flew away with the other owls.
"Who's your letter from, Hermione?" Ron asked as he swallowed a bite of toast, watching Hermione closely.
"It's from my cousin Annabel," Hermione answered as she opened the envelope and pulled the parchment out.
Dear Mia,
Hope boarding school is treating you well! I miss seeing you everyday though. Remember all the fun times we had at elementary school? Those sure were the days! I was looking through some of our old pictures the other day and took a long trip down memory lane, but I'm not writing you to talk about that. My cheerleading squad got into the finals! Can you believe it? I fell over when I got the phone call. We're set to compete next weekend during the Easter holidays in Glasgow, but we've run into a slight hiccup. One of the girls got kicked off the team for being nasty to Emily, remember her? It has been building all year long, ever since she made the squad in September, but last night at practice all hell broke loose. Our coach doesn't stand for any sort of bullying or harassment and she told the girl who shall not be named to get out and not come back. Now we're one girl short and we need twelve to compete. I know this is asking a lot and kind of short notice, but could you come to the finals with us next weekend and compete with us? If your teachers will let you come that would be amazing, I know it's getting close to your exams and you probably have tons of studying to do but we're desperate. You were always so good at dance and gymnastics when we were kids. Sorry for rambling, you know how I get when I'm stressed. Please write back as soon as you can. Love you cousin! If I don't see you at Easter, I'll see you in the summer.
Xoxo,
Annabel.
Hermione finished reading and looked up at her three friends who were watching her. Ginny tried to grab the letter but Hermione quickly folded it and stowed it in her bag.
"What did your cousin say?" Harry asked. Hermione stood up from the table and glanced at the head table.
"She wants me to come home next weekend to compete in a cheerleading competition. You guys go on to Hogsmeade, I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall," Hermione said as she started to walk towards the Heads table.
"But you're supposed to be staying here with us for Easter!" Ron protested. Hermione quelled him with a look.
"I realize that Ronald, but we wouldn't be doing anything but sitting around the common room for the holidays and I haven't seen Annabel for months. If Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall will allow it, I'm going to go home for the weekend," she said firmly. Then she turned to Harry and Ginny.
"I'll meet you all in the Three Broomsticks, I wanted to go to the book store anyways," she said before walking away, not realizing that she was being watched by a certain Slytherin.
Draco watched Granger walk away from her friends and towards the head table. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he'd stopped looking down on her, but he knew that he didn't share his father's views on muggleborns and that purebloods were better than everyone else. As he'd moved up the school, Draco had come to realize that blood status didn't matter.
"If you keep staring at her, maybe she'll come over here," his best friend Blaise Zabini teased, breaking Draco out of his reverie. Draco turned to his best friend, who was smirking.
"I wasn't staring at her, I was just . . . watching her closely," Draco argued even as he snuck a peek at Granger, who had reached the head table and was talking animatedly to Dumbledore and McGonagall. The two teachers looked at each other, then stood up and beckoned for her to follow them.
"Draco why don't you just ask her out?" Blaise asked. Draco rolled his eyes at his friend, he knew Blaise was aware of his feelings for the feisty muggleborn witch, Merlin knew he hadn't been all that subtle, but he was hesitant to act on them.
"I've told you before Blaise, I don't think Potter and Weasley would take kindly to me talking to the Gryffindor Princess," Draco retorted as he swung his legs over the bench and stood.
"Well if they aren't open-minded enough to see that there is more to us Slytherins than meets the eye, they're a waste of time anyways. That's what I think," Blaise shrugged as the two boys left the Great Hall.
Meanwhile, Hermione was talking to the two professors in the small chamber off the Great Hall.
"So let me see if I understand this. Your cousin has requested that you go home and compete alongside her in a tournament?" Professor McGonagall checked. Hermione nodded.
"Well, the technical term for it is a competition. Teams come from all over the country to compete and cheerleading is a mixture of dance and gymnastics. My cousin and I did both when we were kids and if I hadn't been invited to come to Hogwarts I would have done cheerleading with her in high school. This is her last year of high school and I know she really wants to win this, finish her high school career with a bang," Hermione explained. While she had been talking Professor Dumbledore had been twiddling his thumbs. He glanced at McGonagall who was studying Hermione.
"Well, I don't have a problem with it. Albus?" McGonagall said, turning to the headmaster. Dumbledore steepled his fingers together and surveyed Hermione over the tops of his half moon glasses.
"I don't have a problem with it, Miss Granger. You're an exceptional student so I'm positive the staff can compile your homework for while you're gone. I do, however, have one condition," Dumbledore said.
"What's that?" Hermione said. She was happy that her professors were letting her go, but at the same time a bit wary of what it was Dumbledore wanted.
"If you will permit it, I would like to cast a spell over you before you leave. It won't show any of your, er, personal moments, but I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to educate your classmates on what goes on in the muggle world. Many of them don't understand what muggle life is like and this could be the key to unifying the four houses," Dumbledore concluded. Hermione nodded thoughtfully. Other than Harry, Dean, and Seamus, she didn't really know anyone who understood the muggle world and she could understand Dumbledore's line of thinking.
"All right, I'll do it. Thank you both for allowing me to go," Hermione said.
"You're very welcome, now, off you go. Enjoy your day in Hogsmeade," Dumbledore said, smiling at Hermione.
After saying goodbye to the two professors, Hermione left the chamber. Instead of heading straight to Hogsmeade however, she made her way up to Gryffindor Tower. Entering the common room, she made her way to one of the tables by the fire and sat down to reply to Annabel.
Dear Anna,
I just spoke to the Headmaster and Headmistress and they've given me permission to come next weekend! I'm so excited to see you and Emily, and to take part in the competition, thanks for thinking of me! We don't have anything like that here at boarding school so I'm quite looking forward to it. What day should I come?
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Mia.
Hermione finished writing her note and slipped it into an envelope. Quickly writing Annabel's address on the envelope, she left the common room and headed up to the Owlery. As she looked around, the same tawny owl who had delivered Annabel's letter fluttered down and held her leg out. Hermione smiled at the owl and stroked its wings as she finished fastening the letter.
"Thank you, I appreciate this," said Hermione as she carried the owl to the window. The owl gave a soft hoot before spreading her wings and flying out the window. Hermione watched until she was out of sight, then turned and walked out of the Owlery. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was 11:15am already. If she hurried, she could still make it to the book store before meeting the boys and Ginny for lunch at 12.
Well, there's the first chapter! I'm looking forward to sharing the rest of this story; the plot bunny for it has been hopping around in my head for quite awhile. Till next time!