A/N: Please note, this is not going to be one of those fics that has a huge over arching theme or villain. This is very much a... walk through life with these characters who are doing life things. I doubt we will ever have a definite "ending" per say, though I suppose there will be natural stopping points if you don't want to continue.

This is also my first fanfiction... so have some mercy in the critical reviews.

I can't guarantee when I will be updating. Right now I have four chapters completely written and beta'd. I will do my best to update regularly, but I'm a stay at home mom with five children. Life happens, and I don't apologize for that. Please note though, this fic will never be abandoned without notice. I will always continue to update, just sometimes it might be slower than you expect.

This fic was highly inspired by Starlight Massacre's Rise of the Drackens. It's slash Harry/Multiples and I adored it, but I spent the entire time reading it being like "What would happen if Hermione was a dracken?" So I decided to write it!

Thank you to my wonderful beta AlaskanAppaloosa! You have been an invaluable resource when writing this, and gave me the confidence to not only continue writing, but to post this as well. Thank you so much.

Don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling and all her peeps do. I'm just playing with her toys!

Hermione rose from her bed with a groan, peering around in the dull morning light. A sigh escaped her as she realized her dream of Hogwarts had been just that. A dream. Instead, the dreary walls of St. Catherines home for young girls greeted her.

It wasn't that Hermione didn't appreciate having a place to call home while she wasn't at Hogwarts. She did, really. But the orphanage she had grown up in after her parents had died in a car accident, was in a word? Dull. When compared to Hogwarts, it could even be called depressing.

When Hermione had gotten her letter from Hogwarts, her head mistress had been unsurprised, and let Hermione know there were several other girls in the home who had gotten letters in previous years. Try as Hermione might though, none of them had been particularly interested in friendship. It was hard, coming home here and knowing that there were other magicals, yet she still didn't fit in. She missed Harry and Ron. She missed classes. She missed the library. Her community library just couldn't compare to Hogwarts' shelves and shelves of magical books.

With another deep sigh, Hermione hauled herself out of bed. She had always been an early riser, and it was a benefit when one was competing with 30 other girls for hot water in the morning shower. She grabbed her toiletries bag and headed into the shower room, humming a little tune to herself as she passed the other beds in her dormitory. One particularly surly girl threw a pillow at the interruption of her sleep, but in the haze of sleepiness, hit only her bed post. A quick giggle was all Hermione allowed herself before she left the room.

At 16, Hermione was just barely under the age the orphanage still allowed. At 17 all girls were turned out or chose to leave on their own. Hermione was only a few weeks from her birthday, and today, her sizable brain was taken up once again with the problem of what she would do after she no longer had a home to come home to.

'I suppose to could ask Harry if I could stay with him at Grimmauld.. Or maybe Mrs. Weasley would let me stay at the Burrow.."As soon as Hermione had that thought, however, she shook her head. No. The Burrow was a lovely place, but close proximity to Ron 24/7 did not sound like a fun prospect. Early last year, Ron had decided that they should date, and took it upon himself at every opportunity to ask Hermione to be his future wife. But somehow being told "I don't know... it just seems right. You're ... Hermione." Just didn't sit well with her as a good enough reason to commit to someone she had nothing in common with. Unfortunately, Ron didn't see it this way, and persisted in dogging her every step with his puppy dog eyes and "C'mon 'Mione"'s. It was infuriating.

Harry on the other hand... A quiet smile came to her face as she thought of her bespectacled friend. When Harry had moved in with Sirius earlier that year, Hermione had been delighted. The defeat of Voldemort by Dumbledore had left Sirius free to come out of hiding and claim his god son properly. Hmmm... No. Grimmauld wasn't really an option either. Harry and Sirius were just relearning how to be a family. The last thing they needed was her intruding on them long term. Already she had a week booked to stay at Grimmauld with Harry, starting tomorow. Hermione knew her friend would happily open his home to her for a longer period of time, but she refused to be a bother to him.

Putting the issue from her mind for the moment, Hermione turned to getting her unruly hair clean. If only I was allowed potions here, this would be so much easier..."

Her shower went quickly, and before Hermione knew it, she was back in her dorm, dressed and ready to go. The other girls were just starting to wake, groaning and stretching in bed.

"Good morning everyone! Better get moving, Haversham is going to be making her rounds soon." More groans met Hermiones announcement, but most of the girls got moving a little faster. The headmistress, Mrs. Haversham, was a hard woman, and strict on rising early and being productive with your entire day. Summer break from school was no exception.

Hermione occupied herself with brushing her mane of hair while watching the others get ready. She wasn't particularly close with the other girls in her home. Those who were magical were older, and those her own age thought she was snooty for getting a scholarship to go to a 'fancy boarding school'. So mostly Hermione kept to herself.

It didn't take long for the girls to get their dorm into proper shape for Havershams inspection, and at 7:00 on the dot, the Headmistress herself opened the door to the dorm. Looking around with a grim face that gave her the appearance of a general inspecting her troops, Haversham pulled out the clipboard that never left her side and started to bark out assignments for the day.

Most were chores assignments, but one was different today.

"Granger, you are to meet with the board at 11:00 today. Don't be late, and dress nicely."

A puzzled look crossed Hermiones face before she shook it away. There was no use worrying about it, whatever the board had to say to her, fretting about it wouldn't change a thing.

The next hours were spent doing basic chores, breakfast, straightening the kitchen, and in Hermiones case, hiding under the stairwell reading a book. The chiming of the old antique clock told her it was 10:30 and time to get read for her meeting. Slipping a long navy maxi skirt over her cut off shorts, Hermione walked to the board room and knocked on the heavy oak doors.

Mrs. Haversham opened them to let her in, and Hermione could barely contain her curiosity. Never before had she seen inside this particular room. It was one of the few that was absolutely off limits to the girls who occupied the house. She was very disappointed to find that the room that had occupied her 10 year old imagination so often, contained only one long wooden table, and 15 chairs around it, all occupied by people significantly older than herself.

With a smile one of the elderly ladies indicated her to sit and make herself comfortable in the chair at the end of the table. What followed was generally what Hermione had been expecting. Questions about her plans after leaving the home ("I'm not sure yet Sir."), questions about how she found her experience there ("I'm very grateful that I have a home Ma'am. There are many who do not."), and the board giving her general information about help they could provide for her after she left. None of this was surprising. It all seemed perfectly routine, practiced even. But then... something changed.

The tone of the conversation grew heavy. "Ms. Granger. As I'm sure you're aware, your birthday is swiftly approaching." Well of course it is. Isn't that why we've been having this conversation? Rather than give the snarky remark, Hermione nodded, smiling softly. "Yes Sir."

The old man at the end of the table peered down at her, seeming to size her up before saying in a low wheezy voice "We require all girls to be here at the house on the night of their 17th birthday. So we can give them a proper... send off. You understand, of course, that this will mean coming home for the day."

Hermione nodded, having already known this for many years. All girls got a sending off party the night before they were turned out into the world. "Yes Sir. I will be back."

"Very good. You may leave, Ms. Granger." Hermione gave her thanks and walked out, ready to face the rest of the day. Shaking her head, Hermione set about filling her day with packing, the last of her chores, and of course, more reading. Soon it was time for lights out, and Hermione was asleep before her head hit the pillow, consumed with dreams of the knight bus, Grimmauld place, and Hogwarts.

The next morning bloomed bright and clear, and Hermione bounded out of bed. Throwing her hair back into a simple braid, and changing into a pair of cut off jean shorts and a pink t-shirt was all she needed to be ready for her 7:00 appointment on the knight bus. Her suitcase was already packed, including all her school things, and her precious wand. Hermione had been expressly forbidden from carrying it around at school, but it was in the front pocket of the hand me down brown suitcase she carried with her, ready to be grabbed as soon as she finally got back to the wizarding world.

With a quick goodbye to Mrs. Haversham, who solemnly reminded her to be sure to be back on her birthday, Hermione was off. The knight bus stopped briefly in front of the home before whizzing off into the streets, bound for Grimmauld place.

As soon as her feet touched the ground outside of Grimmauld, Harry was there giving her a hug. The feeling of safety that always accompanied his presence was comforting and felt like coming home. "Hello Harry, how has your summer been?"

With a grin, Harry pulled away and inspected her at arms length. "My summer was fine. You're to skinny again. We need to get more food into you."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. Ever since Harry had put on a couple of feet worth of height, and gained a couple stone worth of weight, he had all sorts of comments about how skinny Hermione was. "You know me Harry. Eat like a bird and all that jazz."

He grumbled at her before giving her another hug."We'll see about that 'Mione. How was your summer?"

"Boring as always, I couldn't wait to come see you! I missed the wizarding world."

Harry nodded knowingly, having very much missed it as well when he was forced to go back to his aunt and uncles every summer. "You know you're always welcome here..."

Hermione automatically nodded to her friends assertion, even as she rejected it. "I could never do that to you Harry. You've just moved in with Sirius, I already feel I am a bother being here for the week!" Harry made obvious sounds of disagreement as they pulled open the door to Grimmauld, and seemed set to argue, but was cut off by his god father swooping in to give Hermione a hug.

"Hello Kitten! Welcome back!"

Hermione smiled brightly at Sirius, giggling a bit at his effusive happiness. "Hi Sirius, how has your summer been?"

"Oh, pretty interesting. I moved in with this new roommate. He kinda smells, but he's a right good cook when he wants to be!" A mischievous look flashed in Sirius' eyes as Harry protested that he did not smell, "thank you very much!" Hermione laughed and played along, happily teasing Harry, falling into an old routine with Sirius.

The evening continued with stories of Harry and Sirius' adventures learning to live together. Hermiones sides hurt from laughing so much, and for the first time all summer, she felt truly at home.

It was late in the night before they finally retired, and sleep came quickly to the exhausted young woman.

She woke at her normal early hour by a thin sliver of light peeking through the closed curtains of her room. But when Hermione opened her eyes fully... she was puzzled. The world was.. sharper. She could see every speck of dust in the air. Every miniscule crack in the old hardwood floor. The wealth of detail was overwhelming.

Certain it was just an aberration from her being back in the magical world, Hermione walked to her mirror... And screamed.