Unofficial Portkey Archive

AN: Ack, I've been trying to control myself in writing two fics at once, but I can't help it. I suppose it's really hard to keep calm when you have so many ideas for a fic running about. So yes, *sigh*, I had to write this now. Even though I'm still struggling through with another fic. *gurgle* Oh wells, hope you enjoy. This fic is one of my darker ones I suppose, inspired from a novel called Dreamland. Yet I'm changing the storyline quite a bit. Enjoy~! ^_^

This is an AU fic, meaning people might be in different houses and all that.

Disclaimer: Pitiful, I own nothing of the HP world. Pitiful.

In order to see the rainbow you have to handle the rain.

I hate the feeling of summer ending, and watching the sunset knowing that tomorrow would mean back to school; infact, my first year studying at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardy. Yet I love the feeling of summer ending, watching the sunset and knowing that tomorrow's would be different. Another year, another adventure...another chapter of my life.

I'm Hermione Granger, former student studying at the well-known luxurious Beauxbatons Academy of Magic . I'm also a muggle-born, and I'm not ashamed to say it. Don't get the idea that I'm boasting, but I have been top of my class eversince my magical education begun six years ago. So what's so bad about a little bit of muggle blood in my veins?

Furthermore, I'm just a sixteen year old witch, turning seventeen. No, I don't cackle or turn people into toads and expect people to kiss them. However, I can hex someone and make them not want to see daylight ever again- but I'm not that cruel. I've never been part of the "popular" group, but more reserved...spending time in the library would be my ideal way of spending a Sunday afternoon. I suppose I'm a bookworm. I don't strive to stand out or get the opposite gender to stare goggle-eyed at me. I strive to..suceed? As corny as it does sound, I want to reach my goals, my dreams..and I can- I will.

I'm always in control. You want to pick a fight with me? Mmm, you'll loose. I can be ridiculously stubborn if I must. Hmm..apparently that's one of the reasons that I've only had a couple of friends.

Talking about friends...they'll probably become part of my past now. Good-bye Beauxbatons, enter Hogwarts. I'll miss them, but I know I can't dawdle about on things that can't be changed or argued with. My parents decided to move, after giving birth to my little sister Anthea. I didn't argue. I'm a person full of different traits and opinions. I love books, and I love adventure. Hogwarts will be a whole new experience, and knowing the school's grand reputation, I know I'll get my proper education there.

So here I am, watching the last bit of sun disappear from sight. The sky tainted by crimson streaks and golden flecks- I couldn't wait until tomorrow.

In my hands, I'm holding a copy of Hogwarts: A History ; the 52nd edition. I've read it over and over again from the moment I found out that I would be studying there. The school amazes me, with its extraordinary history and charms that protect it. Beauxbatons has similiar defences, but none as complex.

"Honey? Do you have the letter with you?" My mom's warm voice brought me back to earth.

"Of course, how could I forget?" I dug one hand into the pockets of my new black robes and pulled out a wrinkled piece of parchment. My mom smiled.

"It's just like my Hermione to never forget a thing," She beamed, taking the parchment from my hands. "It says here...platform 9 and three quarters. That's awfully strange..." My dear mother's brow furrowed. Being the muggle that she was, she wasn't use to things out of the ordinary. But I love her just the way she is.

"I think it literally means 9 and three quarters, mum," I went onto my tiptoes trying to catch sight of the platform. Kings Cross Station seemed to be full of people, so I didn't stand out so much in my bellowing black robes. Yet nonetheless, I should've listened to dad about changing into my new school robes on the train instead. I guess I'm just too excited.

My mum didn't seem so sure. "Maybe we should ask..."

"Oh I'm pretty sure I'm right," I answered stubbornly, pushing my cart towards platform 9. My mum followed, her heels clicking. "I don't see it Hermie."

I winced at the nickname and my mum laughed. "Sorry dear, I just couldn't help myself."

"Well...alright," I rolled my eyes but smiled. "You can call me Hermie if you want. But just because I'm leaving and I'll miss you mum."

I noticed she was getting teary-eyed and I couldn't help but to pull her into a hug. "But I'll be back..as a fully trained witch." I whispered into her ear.

"I know Hermione...you'll make us proud. Anthea will look up to you, I'm sure of it." She stepped back and ran an adoring hand through my chestnut curls.

I bit my lip to stop it from quivering. I never realized how much I would miss home and Anthea's drool on me. I sniffled, just as I caught sight of a boy disappearing through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. I blinked.

"Did you see that??" I uttered in shock.

"What?"

I shook my head, my hair bouncing around my shoulders. "Nevermind. I think I know where the platform is now." I turned to look my mum in the eye. "Love you lots mum!" And encircled my arms around her thin frame.

"Me too, don't forget to write!" She called to me for I was already running and pushing my cart towards the wall. I was going awfully fast, right at the bricks, and before I got there my eyes clamped shut.

I stayed that way for a good whole minute before I felt someone tapping my shoulder and chuckling in amusement.

"You got through, no need to keep your eyes closed anymore."

I opened one eye at a time and let out a breath of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought I might've crashed."

"You must be new then? I don't recognize you at all!" The girl standing before me was up to my eyebrows, with stunning red hair that flowed past her shoulders.

"Yes, I'm a transfer student from Beauxbatons." I brought out my hand for her to shake. "Hermione Granger."

She smiled, showing nice white teeth. "Virginia Weasley. But I find that too fancy, so just call me Ginny." She shook my hand. "What year will you be in?"

"Seventh," I replied, and noticed her slightly crestfallen look. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no! It's just that you're a year ahead of me. Oh well...I can still show you around," She offered.

I smiled, "That would be nice."

We started towards the scarlet Hogwarts Express together, with me staring wide-eyed at the many students boarding the train.

"I really do hope you end up in Gryffindor!" She exclaimed as we settled ourselves into an empty compartment. It was rather nice, with maroon carpeting and nice mahogany paneled walls.

With my knowledge about the school from books, I understood what she meant. "What are the houses like anyways?"

"Well Gryffindor's nice..full of people like...me?" Ginny laughed. "Um..Ravenclaw is for the intelligent people, Hufflepuff's are all emotional in my opinion, but they're nice..and Slytherin is plain nasty." She finished with a grimace.

That peeked my curiousity. "What's so 'nasty' about it?"

"People who get sorted into that house...usually end up on the dark side.." Ginny said with a lowered voice. "They're also big bullies!" She exclaimed in a louder voice. "Oh...but I suppose..." I raised an eyebrow as her cheeks slowly flushed.

"Continue?" I nudged.

"Well..." She looked at her feet shyly. "They have the yummiest guys!" She finally squealed.

I guffawed loudly and burst into laughter along with her. "Ginny! And you gave me an impression that you were innocent!"

Ginny stared at me with round blue eyes and battered her long lashes. "Me? Innocent? Of course I'm innocent! Why would you have thought otherwise?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes at the silly girl who was clutching onto her stomach from laughter. "So, you're into evil villian like pretty boys then?"

"Well no! It doesn't mean I like them! Slytherin just happens to contain the hottest guys in Hogwarts.." She trailed off and quickly averted her gaze towards the windows. "Oh look at that, the sky is blue!"

I quirked an eyebrow at her before tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Oh I know what you're trying to do Virginia Weasley! Trying to get off topic now are we? Nuh uh, that doesn't work with me!"

"Ok, fine!" She turned to look me in the eye, her sapphire eyes dancing with mischeif. "Well...there's Draco Malfoy...ooh he's a real baddy." She shuddered. "Sleek blonde hair..piercing blue eyes...and darn mean!" She finished with a jump and laughed softly. "We wouldn't live to see the day of a Gryffindor girl beside him though..or a muggle-born."

"Why?" My brow furrowed. I was a muggle-born.

"He has a thing against muggle-borns." Ginny sighed and crossed her legs. "Slytherins and Gryffindors simply don't mix. It's like some invisible rule you know?"

I bit my lip, watching Ginny carefully. She seemed rather depressed that this was the case. "Well, since it's an invisible rule, it's not exactly there. So it wouldn't mean you were breaking a rule if you were to get acquainted with a Slytherin right?"

Ginny stared at me as if I had just grown another head or something of that sort. "Well that wouldn't happen because no Slytherin would want to talk with Gryffindors!" She huffed. "Oh well, they're good for nothing stuck up people anyways."

"Oh.." I propped my chin on my palm. "So who else?" I didn't normally participate in "girl talk" conversations, I thought of them as rather silly. But I guess with Ginny, it was rather amusing.

"There's also...oooh!" Her eyes lit up. "Harry Potter!"

"The Harry Potter?" I asked with surprise evident in my voice.

Ginny nodded quickly. "I assume you've heard about him then?"

"About how he defeated the dark lord last year, yes. But not about him having good looks." I explained.

"Well that's normal. He's so...mysterious. I bet the Daily Prophet's only been able to get one or two photos of him willingly. He's always...in the shadows." She finished dramatically and giggled. "But that just gives him the whole charm!"

I sat back on the velvet seating. "In the shadows? That doesn't sound pleasant."

"I know, but it makes him all the better!" She blushed and shut her mouth. I laughed and shook my head while she opened her mouth again. "He hangs with Draco I think. At least, I see them together sometimes. Usually he's alone though...and if you're not part of his 'in' group you'll probably never even get to say hi to him."

"That's really strange...why does he do that?" I frowned. Someone with great fame like Harry Potter..mucking about in the shadows? That wasn't how I pictured a wizarding wonder to live life.

"We all don't know. I can't really explain it, he's just got this weird aura around him. But like I've send a bunch of times already, that just makes the girls go even more gaga over him," She rolled her eyes and I giggled.

"Yet you seem to be part of that little fan group too!"

"Hermione! Well, we'll see. You'll probably end up in this little fan group too," She shot back.

I chuckled and fell silent, causing the whole compartment to go silent. I drew in a breath and gazed out the window, noticing that the platform had cleared up. Everyone was probably seated on the train now...and the blowing of the train's whistle confirmed my thoughts.

Me? End up in Harry Potter's little fan group? I couldn't hold in the laughter that escaped my lips. Ginny tilted her head with a questioning look. I simply shook my head and replied, "Just thinking to myself." She nodded in understanding and left me to my own little reverie.

That would be the day...to see me, Hermione Granger going overboard for a person of the opposite gender. That's a strange thought..all these years I've never even dated. Sure, I've had those occasional crushes but nothing big. I haven't really wanted to get involved in something big..I guess I just haven't met the right person yet. But I feel like that's just an excuse..an excuse to myself. Maybe I'm insecure, maybe I'm scared in getting into a relationship. I really don't know.

I'm almost seventeen...puberty and crazy hormones are almost at their end aren't they? I really don't know...sometimes I feel like I've got to do something..that I haven't achieved enough. Almost seventeen...wouldn't that mean I'm almost twenty? And then wouldn't I almost be forty, a middle aged woman? That scares me. Time seems to slip by and then I'm only left to think of what could've been. But no...

I don't have to be like normal teenaged girls right? It's alright if all the people I have considered friends have all been at least in one relationship...I'm different. I can be different. Yes, I can.

I can have control over my own life. I don't have to go with the flow or anything of that sort.

This is my life.

The trip to Hogwarts was fairly pleasant, the scenery never changing all that much from the window of our compartment. I popped a jelly bean into my mouth and instantly made a face. Ginny giggled, "What flavour?"

"I really don't know," I muttered as I looked at the package I had just taken the candy out from. "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans? Oh gross!!" I spat the mushed up bean into my hand and tossed it onto a napkin. "We never had these back in France at Beauxbatons."

"Really? How can you live without these things?!" Ginny stuck her hand into the package and brought out a handful of different coloured beans. "Hmm..I'll attempt eating this one...doesn't look like the colour of anything nasty." She plopped a turquoise blue one into her mouth and smiled. "Toothpaste!"

I smiled and looked out at the darkening sky. "When are we arriving?"

"Oh, right about now I suppose," Ginny replied just as the train seemed to slow down. I laughed and stood up, stretching my cramped up arms and legs.

"I'll introduce you to some more people once we get into the castle," Ginny said while stuffing all the candy wrappers into the pocket of her robes. "Oh! And you can meet my brother too! He's in the same year as you."

I nodded and headed out of the compartment, shortly followed by Ginny. I couldn't really make out anyone's face with the swarming mass of strangers clad in identicle black robes. A booming voice echoed out over our heads, and I noticed it was coming from a rather large looking man with an awfully large curly beard.

"That's Hagrid! I think you should go with him," Ginny led me up to him and I also realized that he was very tall. "Hi Hagrid!"

"'Ello Ginny! How 'ya doin?" He greeted with a wide friendly grin.

Ginny smiled, "Great! This is Hermione, she's a transfer student from Beauxbatons."

"Ah, 'Ermeene?" Hagrid squinted his eyes at me and I felt myself going rather small.

"Actually, it's Her-my-own-knee." I answered softly.

Hargrid patted me on the shoulder and smiled, "'Alright Hermione, come with me. We'll have to go with the first years since you need to be sorted."

I nodded and waved to Ginny who simply gave me a reassuing smile. I turned back to Hagrid who was already walking off towards a lake, though it was rather invisible through the thick fog that hung around the area. I could barely make out the castle as we neared it on the small boats, but I noticed it was definately much larger than Beauxbatons.

"Ok 'irst years! Follow me now, and 'ermione!" Hagrid called over the crowd of awed first years and led us up the staircase and to a grand double door made of oak. There, a stern looking woman with her hair tied back into a tight bun stood in emerald green robes.

"Welcome, to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardy. I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House." She gazed at us all through her square glasses, and I thought for a fleeting moment that she had laid her eyes on me for a slightly longer period of time. "You will all be sorted into houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." Professor McGonagall glanced at us again and turned with a swish of her robes to push the mass double doors open.

I swallowed as bright light met my eyes and the eyes of many students. I glanced up at the enchanted ceiling with curiousity, having read about it in Hogwarts: A History. It was rather fascinating how it really did look like the real sky.

Four long tables were in the room, with four long banners hanging from the ceiling in four different colours. I felt rather old standing amongst a crowd of first years.

"Amanda Hemmings."

A few seconds went by before an old battered hat bellowed, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The line of students slowly shortened and then I found myself walking up the stairs and plopping the old battered sorting hat upon my own head. I couldn't help but feel nervous and gripped the sleeves of my robes tightly.

"Ah..you have a very clever mind...brave...very loyal..ah you like books. History. Everything? You have goals, you have courage...hmm this is rather hard I do say. You have many qualities Hermione Granger. But...I believe you will suceed the most in..." I bit my lip as I felt the hat give a sudden lurch.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

My lips broke out into a wide smile as I joined the clapping table of Gryffindor. I found Ginny sitting beside a boy with identicle red hair. I sat across from them and Ginny beamed. "I'm so glad you're in Gryffindor!" She squealed in delight.

"Same!"

"This is Ron," She gestured towards the boy sitting next to her. He grinned at me widely and stuck out his hand from across the table. "Ron Weasley!"

I shook his hand...he seemed rather energetic. "Hermione Granger.." I answered awkwardly as he finally stopped shaking my hand.

"Splendid for you to join our merry company Hermione!" A voice broke in and I found myself looking at another boy.

"I'm Seamus Finnigan!" He introduced and sighed. "To bad you didn't come here last year! Fred and George would have made a wonderful addition in welcoming you!"

"Fred and George?" I questioned.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "My twin brothers, awfully.."

"Awful," Ron finished. I laughed when suddenly the room silenced and a wise looking man stood up from the front of the room. He must be Albus Dumbledore..

He welcomed everyone to another exciting year at Hogwarts, listing the forbidden areas of the castle. I glanced down at my empty plate, wondering when the food was going to arrive when suddenly pop, it simply appeared.

"Ah!" I jumped up slightly and everyone around me laughed.

"No worries Hermione, the carrots don't bite," A boy named Dean chuckled.

I let out a breath and smiled, "Hopefully not." I stuck my spoon into a bit of mashed potatoes and brought the food to my mouth. The cooking was excellent in my opinion.

"Oooh look, there he is..." A girl named Lavender whispered with a giggle.

Ginny seemed to be already looking off at a distance along with Lavender and I decided to turn my shoulder to see what they were all gaping at.

What I met were a pair of piercing emerald green eyes...belonging to a boy with unruly ebony hair as dark as midnight, his eyes contrasting so greatly with his hair. His skin was rather pale, but not ghostly...and the thing was- he was looking straight at me. I couldn't bring myself to think clearly. Was I hullicinating? Perhaps. But I was almost positive that those eerie eyes were on me.

My eyes felt dry now. I still couldn't blink. Oh Hermione! What is happening to you? It's not like you've never seen a person of the opposite sex! And here I am, gaping like the rest of the female population at the boy sitting at the darkest corner of the Slytherin table.

I finally brought myself to blink, and the same gaze from the same boy was still on me. But this time, his lips opened and I swear he had mouthed "Hello" to me. Or not. I shook my head absent mindedly and quickly turned away from that almost menacing stare.

No, I am simply hullicinating. Because that was Harry Potter. I was pretty sure it was Harry Potter. It fit Ginny's description of him exactly.

And according to her...no one got to say hello to Harry Potter unless you were part of the crowd he hung out with. Now I wasn't so sure I could finish my dinner. Why was my stomach doing incredibly huge summersaults?

It's not a curse that Harry Potter decided to mouth a 'Hello' to me...right?

AN: That was kind of an introductory, just to get everything going ^_^|| Hope you enjoyed it and please review and you'll make me smile =P