Growing Up Too Soon

Summary – When Hermione's parents die a mysterious, unexplained death, she is faced with the responsibility of any adult – she needs to learn to take care of herself. A boon left by her parents to her through their will, Hermione inherits the large and beautiful Emerald Inn after her graduation from Hogwarts. Not willing to adopt such a large task all by herself, she decides to ask her friends to help her out. But as more and more strange occurrences hit her and the Inn, Hermione begins to wonder. Is the Inn haunted, or is it just a hoax?

Disclaimer: I don't own HP or the book I mentioned… Simple, but clears the point… Who says we can't have it all?


Chapter I – Breathtaking News

Thundering loudly behind Hermione's satin dressed back, her writing was disturbed. Closing the small booklet, she looked down at herself. She was wearing nothing but a satin dress, with a silk bottom, mixed with stripes of purples.

Hermione shivered.

Though it was summer, the air was cold, with ran coming down. Around her were French doors leading inside to the kitchen, and pots with beautifully arranged flowers near the corners. She found herself on the porch, thankfully having a transparent plastic roof with nets around it, from the floor all the way up. Suddenly, a blast of wind came through the nets, dragging mist and droplets of rain along, right through the net.

Yes, Hermione was glad that the pollen, which she was severely allergiced to, was sifting through the net, slipping through the cracks of the wood beams holding together the porch. Hermione tried to protect her body, and curled herself farther into the lawn chair but didn't succeed. Looking down at herself once more, she saw herself rather wet, or damp to say it better. Placing her feet back on the "fake grass carpet" she yelped, quickly bringing them back up. The floor had picked up a whole centimeter-thick layer of water, ice-cold water. Again interrupted by shock, thunder roared through the sky, getting louder and louder.

Deciding to give-up her studying, she instead watched the sky. A stroke of lightening hit miles away from the house, so far, in fact, that it might as well have hit the ocean. Waiting for the thunder to follow, she settled on reading instead, for it pained her to see lightening sometimes. Hitting people, houses, stores. Opening the book Rebecca, she read silently.

Jerking her upwards, thunder hit, which made her realize that the sun was setting. It was the end of summer, and Hermione was prepared for the weather. Climbing through the window, she set away her book and walked up to her parents.

They exchanged glances, before wide grins spread across their faces, looking up at Hermione from their seats. She smiled back, laughing silently. This smile meant something special. They had bought Hermione's present for September 19th, her 18th birthday ahead of time. She was becoming Head-Girl alongside Harry, which didn't surprise her. He had also informed her that he was Quidditch captain.

"Hermione, I think you noticed that we have bought your birthday present, but you will not get to know what it is until winter break," her father stated.

Hermione snickered. She used to love playing a day-or-two-long-game of searching for presents. She might check the house sometime this week before school started, if she felt like it.

"Are you going to tell me what it is, because it certainly seems like a big deal if you're putting it off for that long?" Hermione asked.

"That's a surprise Hermione, and you will get to figure it out later anyway." Hermione frowned, though she realized that Christmas wouldn't be that far away with school and N.E.W.T.s to keep her occupied. Glancing at her watch, she realized that it was later than she had thought it to be. Hugging her parents goodnight, she dressed into her night-gown and slipped into bed.

ONE WEEK LATER…

Hermione turned around in her bed, not willing to get up today. She had gone to bed late last night, and, hence, hadn't gotten much sleep. Deciding to sleep longer, she let her head rest comfortably on the pillow.

"Hermione! Get out of bed, it's 8:00 already!" her mother exclaimed.

Hermione shot up in her bed and ran out of her room. Hastily brushing her teeth, combing her hair, taking a cold shower to awaken her, and finally, dressing, Hermione realized she had spent more than 20 minutes on getting prepared. Sprinting down the stairs with her trunk thumping down along behind her, the lighter bags practically flew through the air. Throwing them in the trunk of her parent's car, they made a final resounding thump.

Grabbing her purse from her mother's hands, she hopped into the back seat.

Hermione, more nervous than ever before about arriving at King's Cross Station late, lifted her mirror and contacts case from her purse. Holding up the mirror to meet her face, she stared back at her reflection in horror. She looked a complete mess, worn out from the lack of sleep.

It didn't help that she had just come to realize, that since the Beginning-of-the-Year-Feast always took very long, and that classes started at 7:00am in the morning, she wouldn't get much sleep this coming night either. As the car started, Hermione struggled to keep her fingers steady as she put in her contacts.

Hermione fumbled in her bags until she found the novel, Rebecca, and began to read. It seemed that right when she had opened the book, they had arrived, but in reality, she had read for over half an hour. Time always passed much too quickly for Hermione whenever she was reading.

Climbing out of the car, she opened the trunk in order to retrieve her luggage. Hauling it out, she nearly tripped on a rock, but nevertheless managed to quickly bring back her balance and walk on.

After her mother found a trolley, they engaged in a lengthy good-bye, and Hermione walked through the brick barrier.

Trotting up the stairs to the train, she stowed away her luggage, and walked to the Head Compartment. There, Harry and Dumbledore sat, talking quietly. Seeing the facial expression on Hermione's face, Harry leaned over to Hermione after she had sat down.

"Um, ah, Hermione, you're late." Harry whispered.

"I know," she growled, while still managing to give Harry a weak smile.

"I see that you have finally arrived Ms. Granger, so please make yourself comfortable. Since you are the Head-Boy and -Girl, you will be sharing a bathroom in your dormitory, but will not need to share bedrooms. You will be planning lots of things this year, so be ready to prepare and plan at a moment's notice. Since you are in such elevated positions, and 7th years, no less, I expect you to be good examples for the younger students. That means no arguments, no fights, and no battles between houses, even though you both are Gryffindors. I expect you to fix those problems rather than start them, or even let them be. I suspect that you know where your dormitory is located?" they nodded briefly. "Wonderful." Dumbledore walked out of the compartment, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

"Uh, Hermione are you okay?" Harry inquired.

"Actually, no. I was almost late, and my day hasn't been the best either." She confessed.

"I'm sorry. Well, at least we'll soon be back at Hogwarts. Don't worry, Hermione." Harry said, trying to comfort her a bit.

Hermione quickly searched through her handbag and pulled out a sandwich. The ride passed in complete silence, and since Hermione was awfully tired, she dozed off into a sweet slumber.

"Hermione, Hermione, wake up, we're almost there!"

Slowly opening her eyes, Hermione realized she had almost slept through the entire ride. Students were already leaving the train, and Hermione felt a knot tighten in her stomach as she realized that she wasn't changed into her school robes yet, but instead was still dressed in her dark jeans, t-shirt, and light jacket. She couldn't enter the feast, as Head-Girl, not wearing her school-robes! Thinking rapidly, she hurried out of the train after Harry and the other students, robes now in her hands.

Instead of following everyone else to the Great Hall directly, she sprinted to the bathroom and changed. After doing so, she practically flew down the corridor to the Great Hall. As she entered, almost everybody's head turned to face Hermione, as she sat down at the Gryffindor table, embarrassed beyond belief.

Trying to ignore the fact that she had just burst into the Great Hall in the middle of the ceremony, she stared down at her plate. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and began to talk.

"Again, another year of Hogwarts has begun, and we shall commence by introducing the Head-Boy and -Girl. Let's have Mr. Harry Potter, and Ms. Hermione Granger please stand up." They stood. "They can take points off of houses and you will have to abide by their judgment and rulings. They are respected members of Hogwarts, so please give them your respect, in turn, as well." Dumbledore gave a stern glance to the Slytherins. "Let the feast begin." He said, and instantly, the plates filled themselves.

Hermione grabbed some spinach with noodles and ate quietly. Ron, sitting in the across from the Harry and Hermione, looked at her.

"Hermione, you-" Ron started.

"I'm fine," she barked, wiping her mouth clean. "I'm finished, so I'll see you two later." She scowled, leaving the table.

Slipping quietly into her bed, she placed the covers gently over her. Tomorrow would be a better day…

"Hermione! Hermione! Hermione, wake up, we have classes!" Ginny told her friend, who had frantically shot up in bed. She saw Ginny in her robes, dressed, hair combed, and ready.

"Ginny, what are you doing in the Head Dorm?" Hermione asked sleepily.

"I had to wake you up. Hermione, 10 more minutes till class starts!" She warned, as she swiftly walked to the door for class herself. She dressed, messily tied her hair up in a bun. On her nightstand she found a note, addressed to her

Hermione,

You left in such a hurry yesterday, that you didn't get your schedule. Dumbledore gave it to me, since we share a dorm. But you fell asleep so quickly I didn't get to tell you.

Your friend,

Harry


Hermione found her schedule neatly place under the note, reading her first class.

"Potions!" She fumed; stuffing the schedule in her bag and quickly taking a look around.

When she had walked in the Head-Girl dorm last night, she didn't notice it's beautiful scenery. Decorated with Chinese fabrics and décor, it was a gorgeous room. The walls were a blunt red color, while the wall right behind her bed was white.

The walls gave off the impression that they were made of fabric, giving the whole room a warm overall feel. There was a fan on the wall with lilacs, botanicals, and pansies drawn on it.

The dresser was a dark brown, with the front doors light blue, with lilacs, cambria pines, and lilies, hanging down from a wine, painted on with a light brush. The bed was a canopy bed different from the regular four-poster beds. The curtains around it were of red chiffon, and the covers were a deep burgundy.

There were various portraits of flowers on the walls, along with a small cabinet to her right, and a trunk at the foot of her bed. It looked old, dirty, and protectively locked. Opening the fragile locks and lid, inside she came upon large, aged blankets, still Chinese style.

Closing the chest, she walked over to the bookshelf next to the bathroom door. Picking up Hogwarts, a History she glanced at her watch. Her ten minutes time were up. Placing the book in her book bag, she hurried off to class.

Slipping in a seat next to Harry, he smiled at her, starting a conversation.

"Hermione, you look so different."

This startled Hermione. What was Harry talking about? To her, she hadn't changed a hair.

"I mean, where to begin?" Harry stuttered. Hermione remembered what she had looked like in first year. Her hair had been so "bushy", the same as in second year, where it had only slightly calmed. Scanning Harry, she realized that he still looked like he had in third year. He really had barely changed. Their conversation was abruptly ended when a very tall, very greasy, very cruel Potions Master entered, robes dragging along behind him.

"Silence… I do not wish to repeat the rules to a N.E.W.T. Level Potions class, so if you do find yourself in trouble, open your Potions book. For now, turn to page ninety-six. We can't waste any time in here." Snape snarled.

Hermione obeyed and flipped open her book.

N.E.W.T.S FOR STARTERS

AND N.E.W.T.S FOR ADVANCED

"None of you will be starting in the advanced level, since I know that none of you are smart enough. Read pages 96 through 100. You have twenty-five minutes. In the case that you do not finish, you can do so after class own time." Snape sneered. Hermione laughed off his unpleasantness. She was too used to it.

Potions passed by quickly, though still with lots of work. Snape had already assigned them 2 essays, which were to be completed a week.

After going through three more N.E.W.T. classes (Charms, History of Magic, and Arithmancy) without Harry or Ron, she was rather glad to go to lunch to see them again.. Loading pancakes onto her plate, she glanced around the table. Nothing else was there for her to eat that at the moment suited her appetite. Eating hastily, she found that her next class was not until 3:00pm, and now it was only noon. She decided to take her time eating instead of rushing, which was what she usually was forced to do. After finishing, she flipped through her schedule once more. Her friends would be with her in her next class. Satisfied, she approached the Head Portrait, a painting of a lioness with thick golden fur.

"LionPowder." She pronounced clearly, and the portrait swung open. Taking her time to get done with Snape's essays and her other homework, she switched on the lamp on the desk next to her bed. Scribbling away, she quickly had used up all her time in that she had only twenty minutes left.

Preparing her hair in the bathroom, she looked around. She stood on white marble floor, a marble toilet in the corner to her right, a marble sink straight ahead of her, and a marble, inset bathtub behind her, two showers to either side.

When she had finished, she was swiftly making her ways down the hall, already looking forward to the end of the day. Herbology was her next class, this time with her friends.

"One thing you need to learn for your N.E.W.T.s in this year will be difficult. So to start, open your books, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. You have one week to study the section on Mandrakes and Bubotubor Puses for your exam. Any questions?" Professor Sprout examined the room. When she saw no hands up, she enlarged her Herbology book for everyone to see. "Turn to page 89."

By the time dinner came around, Hermione was more exhausted than ever. Picking at her food, her eyelids seemed to have become heavier and heavier. Trying to keep herself awake, she realized she wasn't really hungry, so she abandoned the Great Hall to take a shower. When she had finished, Hermione felt how heavy her body felt from pure exhaustion. Her legs, wobbling uncontrollably, surprisingly managed to walk her to her bed, which Hermione fell into, her eyes immediately shutting closed.

When she woke up to the sound of first years rustling about the halls, her eyes widened as she saw the clock on her nightstand. She had slept through two of her classes! Hermione knew that she had no more classes left, so she let herself sleep on, clothes and all, agitation nagging at her.

The next morning she woke up at 6:00am, crisp and clean. Organizing herself for the day ahead, she realized that a dump of homework from her missed classes was awaiting her on her desk. Trying to finish some of it before class, she found herself done early, and promptly arrived at class, therefore.

The rest of the days passed rather uneventfully for herself and her friends, rather quite boring for Hermione, actually. She had studied for all her N.E.W.T.s, read Hogwarts, a History nine times, and finished all her papers for the upcoming month. Smiling to herself, she marked off the first day of December. Time had passed so quickly! Christmas time and Winter Break would come soon, so she would find out what her birthday present was. All ready and prepared, Hermione walked happily to the Great Hall.

Grabbing some cheese and ham omelets, she was about to talk to her friends, when two owls swooped down to Hermione. One she recognized as being from the Daily Prophet, and Hermione took the newspaper from the owl's claws. Fumbling in her pocket for a Knut, she paid the owl the necessary fee. The other owl, pecked at her hands impatiently.

Hermione had an uneasy feeling about this letter, but took it from its beak nonetheless, stroking its feathers. The letter had URGENT written on it in bright red, along with a tight seal.

She was forcing the letter open when an uncomfortable and edgy feeling overcame her. Deciding to open it in her room, she walked away. Harry, who was curious about her letter, followed her out of the hall to their shared dormitory.

Opening the petite letter, she felt her hands trembling. Having read only a few words (which were the only words on the letter) she crumpled it up, balling it in her fist. Her sobbing had turned into crying just as Harry entered.

"Hermione, you okay?" Harry whispered. She couldn't bring herself to speak, she was sobbing so hard.

Walking over to Hermione, Harry sat down next to her on the bed. At once Hermione nestled herself in his arms, and Harry waited patiently. Hermione had a sweet smell… A sweet sense in her, even when she was crying and upset like this. Harry let her be there, he let her be, and he let her cry, until she was quiet. When she had finally calmed, she had fallen asleep in his arms. Asleep like an angel… if only he knew what Hermione was going through… (you, too readers!)