Disclaimer: I do not own anything besides the plot (chapter rewritten July '06).
Important: Written pre-OotP.
Chapter 1
The weather was exactly how Hermione liked it; warm but with just the right breeze to play off the heat, as she sat upon her front porch. This day was also her favorite besides tomorrow.
You see, today was August 31st. Tomorrow was September 1st.
Hermione's anticipation for school was something many lacked and August 31th was always everyone's most dreaded twenty-four hours of the year except for her, but she was never like everyone else, now was she? That difference is what mattered to her. And yes, she had been scowled and spit upon by the 'pure bloods' for it but it was her strength that kept her together and even more so, her best friends; her best friends who she had barely heard from this summer...
She still hadn't received a letter from Ron, not even a scribbled 'How are you? I'm doing quite fine. I'll fill you in later or at school,' which was the biggest disappointment of the summer but she did get her weekly letters from Harry. That made up for the lack of news from Ron but only slightly. Hermione also received the occasional few from Ginny or Lavender asking the usual, how she was, what she was up too, etc., but neither of them mentioned Ron. Quickly, Hermione found herself frequently doubting her friendship with him. What else was she to do if he didn't want to talk?
And it was this rip in her security blanket that made her question this upcoming year. Never had she worried about her attendance at Hogwarts but this summer, before seventh year, hadn't helped to cease these troubles. Could they be foreshadowing an even more destructive disaster?
She hoped not.
'I'm strong,' she told herself, 'I'm strong...' But if she was then why repeat it?
Hermione still had her spunk and a slight spring in her step, don't get that wrong. As most young women do, she had finally grown into her body but she was still not the beauty some of the girls her age were. For the most part, her hair had lost it's crazy friz but it still fell in a bundle of messy curls if left untamed, and she had received much praise for her beautiful, auburn eyes over the past three months.
Oh, and let's not forget her acceptance as Head Girl. Quite an accomplishment for her and her parents who held a small celebration the night she heard the news.
And the compliments ended there.
Hermione bowed her head and tried to forget everything that was bothering her. That was impossible so she rose from her porch and ascended the stairs to her bedroom.
'Tomorrow is a big day,' she thought, 'I might as well get to bed...'
There wasn't anything else to do anyways.
It was five in the morning when Hermione rolled out of bed, well, fell out of bed in a bundle of sheets and messy hair.
"Oww," she groaned as she rolled on to her back, "Bloody hell. I shouldn't be awake at this hour."
But as she was ready to curl back into a ball and restart her slumber upon the floor she remembered the date and jumped to her feet so rapidly, you would think she had just been bitten in the ass.
And by the way she had begun to rummage through her remaining clothes, you'd think that she only had a day left to live but as her mind slowed and her eyes refocused, she spotted the clothes she had laid out the night before.
Hermione was a mess but with a shower, breakfast and one last stroll down her street before she departed, she was ready to go.
You could say she was happy to leave for Hogwarts but horrified of what disappointments might lay beyond the gate separating her old, muggle world with her new reality.
"Bye mum. Bye dad," Hermione whispered. With one last kiss and loving embrace she was ready to go and with only a few steps she was no longer a muggle but a wizard.
"Oh, Merlin help me," she cursed loudly as she arrived in front of the Hogwarts Express, "Oh, why must the first thing I notice be that blonde haired monster?" It was only by remembering that punch she had thrown him back in third year, Hermione calmed down and found her usual compartment on the train.
And then, two minutes before the departure of the train, she heard the familiar voices of Harry and Ron.
"I told you we were going to make it Harry," Ron shouted jubilantly with a discreet snigger that implied he knew he was right.
"Yeah, right," Harry grumbled, "We only made it in time because your dad is quick on his feet. If you weren't such a drag queen and left the house without checking your hair twenty times in every mirror before we left, then we could have made it here early."
"Yeah, well, if I'm such a drag queen then why don't I have any makeup on?" Ron questioned snidely, as if this was going to make him win the argument.
"Because Ginny wouldn't let you touch her stash."
"Oh, you're just full of knee slappers today, aren't you?"
"I guess so. That might explain the rip in your pants," Harry muttered with a grin.
"What rip?"
"Made you loooooook," Harry teased.
"Yeah, you're just so bloody hilarious. Now are you going to tell me that my hair's red because I was lit on fire as a baby," Ron began as he pushed open the door. Hermione lifted her eyes from her nails to a flabbergasted Ron.
"Woah," He gasped, "Hermione, is that you?"
"No. You're talking to a wall that just looks like me," she replied smoothly.
Ron grinned and rolled his eyes, "What is with everyone picking on me today?"
And almost right on cue, Harry yells from behind him, "What the bloody hell is taking so long for you to get into the compartment? Unless you just stumbled upon a million Galleons I suggest you enter before I do something dangerous."
Ron groaned and pushed his way through the door. That is, all six feet of him. "My apologies, darling, I was just trying to make the room slightly more comfortable so you won't get a sore ass on the way there," Ron teased.
Harry punched his arm as he entered causing Ron to just give up and fall down into the seat next to Hermione who laughed.
"I've missed this, you know," Hermione squealed with a grin. Harry looked over with a smile and before she knew it, he had ripped her up from the seat and given her a great, big hug. This ensued with loads of giggles on her part and much hair ruffling on Harry's who had also grown over six feet.
Both boys had also gotten devilishly handsome but then again, they always had been.
"Oh Hermione," Ron began after the embraces at ceased, "Sorry for the lack of the letters. My dad was being an arse and insisted on my help at the Ministry."
"Your dad is not an arse," Hermione exclaimed with a grin, "But it's fine, you know. I understand."
"Haa, told you Harry," Ron pointed out, "I told you she wouldn't hate me. Told youuuuu. I was right once more."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Harry said with a laugh, "I guess today's just your day."
"What day isn't?"
"Would you like me to start naming a few because I have loads of evidence," Harry exclaimed.
"How about we just catch up," Hermione said between giggles, "I want to know what you've been up to."
And for two hours, the golden trio conversed about their summers as well as drowning each other in compliments. Hermione was so grateful to see her friends that she could even kiss Draco Malfoy. Well, maybe not that happy as she shook her head in disgust at herself for thinking something like that.
'Maybe I just need some fresh air,' she thought, 'Being this ecstatic is doing weird things to my judgement...'
"Um, I'm going to go to the Bathroom and change into my robes," Hermione explained as she gathered the bundle of clothes in her hands, "And then I'll probably see if there are any Head Girl duties that I have to attend to. Oh! Are either of you Head Boy?"
"No, sorry," Harry and Ron said while shaking their heads and eating their chocolate frogs.
"Alright. I'll just have to ask Professor McGonagall then. Hopefully it's no one I despise."
"Like an icky Slytherin," Ron shouted and twisted his body in disgust. This caused Harry and Hermione to laugh.
"Ha, well, I think I'll be leaving now. I don't want to see where this one goes," Hermione announced as Harry began to tease Ron about it.
Briskly, she walked past each compartment, hoping to see a familiar face, but she could not recognize one so she decided to forget the bathroom and just visit Professor McGonagall.
But with every step there was an eerie presence of another.
"Is anyone here?" She questioned.
There was no reply.
Hermione, now getting slightly fidgety, heightened her pace and as she turned the corner slammed into an extremely hard object which then preceded to fall upon her.
"So much," she grunted beneath the extreme weight pressing against her, "For a good day."
"Don't get your hopes up," it replied, "A mudblood like you doesn't deserve a day of happiness."
And it was with that Hermione opened her eyes.
"Oh, Hell, swallow me now."
"Quit your bickering," Malfoy demanded as he lifted himself up. With a scowl he brushed his robes off. He acted as if a rabid animal had just clawed them to pieces. Hermione then stood up with no help from him.
"Thanks for that little wake up call," she growled.
"Bloody hell, mudblood, quit it."
Hermione glared and pushed past him.
"Where do you think you're going," he asked while still brushing off his robes.
"To see Professor McGonagall," she replied annoyed.
"You might as well follow me then."
"Why? So your next attempt on rendering me unconscious will be successful?"
"No, because I was supposed to get you for McGonagall. Now she's going to be angry. You know how much she loathes tardiness. I just wish she'd hate mudbloods too, then we would be able to solve this problem completely."
Hermione let out a sarcastic breath. "Just show me the way."
Only a few steps later did they arrive at the Head Girl and Boy compartment with Professor McGonagall as it's only occupant.
"Well it is quite apparent that you both won the vote for Head Girl and Boy," she began as Hermione and Draco seated themselves across from her, "Once we arrive at the school, you will have special duties to attend to, such as checking the corridors for students who deem it appropriate to wander out of bed past curfew, break rules and sneak into restricted areas. You will also have your own privileges like your own private rooms but you must share a bathroom and common room. Oh, and the prefect's bathroom will always be open to you too. Also, you are to wear your badges at all times when wearing your robes. Any questions?" Neither replied, "I will leave you two now and Ms. Granger, please change."
"I will," Hermione replied sheepishly. Once the Professor had exited Draco turned to face her.
"Alright, Granger," He said with distaste, "Here are some rules you are required to follow. Don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't ask for my help, don't get in my way. We will only converse if forced."
"I agree." Hermione replied with disgust, "I'm going now to change."
"Don't care," Draco shouted. Hermione slammed the door as she left.
Draco glared as she walked out. "Fucking mudblood. They're good for nothing," he muttered as he slouched down upon the seat and fell asleep.
A.N. (July 3,2006) The original chapter to this story was written three years ago when my writing was quite weak. I am in the process of rewriting each chapter. The plot is still exactly the same but the description is different. Chapters that have been rewritten will say 'Rewritten (date)' so you know.
Please bare with me.
Thank you.