Disclaimer : We do not own Harry Potter the great J. K. Rowling does.

A / N : This fic was jointly written with Horcruxhorror and I thank her for putting up with me =-D We have been writing this for a while and have gotten a few chapters written. We will be posting every Wednesday and promise to be on time with our postings. All mistakes are our own, but we have read and re-read every chapter that has already been written. Take care and enjoy!

Chapter One

It was the night before Hermione's 11th birthday and she sat in her bedroom curled up in the corner behind her bed, softly singing happy birthday to herself. She had been awake all night as her father had paid her a visit. She was too hurt to lie down and the only way she could stop the pain, or at least forget about it was to burry herself into a book and into the world of magic that she had made in her mind, this is where she escaped to when she was with her father. She looked up from her floorboards when she heard a soft hoot. A large eagle owl sat on her bed in front of her, a letter tied to its leg. She starred at it before taking the letter and reading it;

Dear Miss Hermione Granger,

A Professor from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry shall be at your place of residence tonight at 8pm to talk to you about your place at the school. Please be ready for their arrival.

Yours sincerely,

Professor M. McGonagall

Hermione was so confused and didn't believe a word of what was written on the thick paper, but a glimmer of hope sat in her heart, perhaps this was her way out of the nightmare she was living. She closed her eyes and let images of what could be run through her mind, leaning her head against the wall, she took a deep breath and before she knew it, she was in dreamland, the letter held to her chest.

The next morning Hermione awoke before her father and making a full English breakfast for him and just some dry toast for herself, which she took to her room and quickly ate, not wanting to give her father something else to be angry at her for. She looked over the letter again and sighed, she knew that she would have to tell her father before the mentioned professor arrived, so that he had time to put his loving father face on.

As the day went on, and her father went to work, Hermione continued to think of her future as she went around the house and did her chores. She crossed everything off of her list as she finished it. An hour before he was due home, she had finished. She went and sat in her room, pulled out a note book and started to write. She had started to write a novel about magic, witches and wizards and the magical creatures of the hidden world the previous year as she needed something to occupy her mind when she had nothing to do as she had finished reading all the books that her father had allowed her to have. She hoped and believed that what she wrote about was really and the letter she received that morning just gave her even more hope, and even gave her hope that she could be a part of that world. She smiled and let her mind wander until she heard the slamming of the front door at five o'clock. She had already set dinner out on the table and knew that she was safe for another hour.

Two hours later and Hermione had cleared up after dinner and was getting ready to face her father. The letter was clutched in her hand as she walked into the living room and stood in front of John Granger.

"Father, may I speak with you?" her voice was shaky and quiet.

"Yes," he growled out, not wanting to spend any time with his daughter.

"I got this letter this morning and it says that I have a place at a school and that a member of staff will be coming at 8 tonight to speak to you and me about it." She didn't dare make eye contact with the man in front of her, scared of what he would do. She handed him the letter and a tear trickled down her cheek as he ripped it up and threw it at her. He obviously didn't believe her.

"To your bedroom, now."

Hermione knew what was about to come and she hoped and prayed that he didn't take long, as in an hour, a professor would be arriving at the door.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she ran, not caring that she had no where to go, only wanting to get away. She vaguely registered pushing past someone as she ran down the street towards the Small Park and garden area. She sunk to the ground when her legs could carry her no further and she sobbed. She could stop and she couldn't stand, even though she felt someone almost running up to her.

She felt a pair of strong arms wrap something heavy around her shoulders as she was dressed only in the thinnest night gown she owned.

After five minutes, Hermione had calmed down and looked at the woman sat next to her, questions shining in her eyes, but she was too frightened to voice any of them.

"I'm Professor Minerva McGonagall ..."

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry."

"Miss Granger, what happened?"

Hermione shook her head, she couldn't tell the woman what had happened, even if she wanted to. Minerva looked at her with kind caring eyes and Hermione burst into tears once more. Minerva gently pulled the girl into her arms and held her. She knew that the girl in her arms had to have been so very scared and upset to run away so she thought quickly of what she could do to help her.

The manor and Albus was the first thing that popped into her mind, so holding the girl tightly, she apperated to the manor, straight into the living room in front of the blazing fire.

To Be Continued ...