A/N Hey, I want to thank everyone for their reviews! They're realy appreciated! And I want to thank Kaci for being so cool and posting this on her account, you are so awesome! Also, someone asked if Hermione was British or American, because she sounded American. She is British, and after she said that, I looked over my story and realized the characters do sound more American than Birish. I am American myself, so I just made the dialogue the way I would talk. I want to apolagize for that, but I can't really go back and change 9 chapters can I? Plus I don't know how they word things in Britian anyway, so just bare [or is it bear? I dunno] with me on this!
Also, keep in mind that this is how I think the characters would be if there was no Voldemort, so they are a little more carefree! BUT I am not saying that there is no Voldemort, so you'll just have to keep reading to find out if there is! And once again, thanks to everyone for reading this and I hope you like this chapter!
Recap!
"…Two rivalries will face each other…for centuries and centuries to come…"
"Harry…Harry…HARRY JAMES POTTER!!!"
"…Their hate for each other mounting to an unmistakable high, surcease of all limits and no boundaries…
"Alright, my name is Hermione Granger, and I did lie to you about Hogwarts. And I haven't a clue about anything in the Magic world," Hermione confessed. "And I just wanted to learn some of it myself, so I thought I'd come here and teach it to myself."
"…But hope will rely on the alliance between the two of them when they reach an understanding despite all the opposition they will face from each other and others…"
…and lastly and probably most important…never trust, talk, think, or associate in any way with a Granger…
But this year will be different…
…she promised herself she would be going to Hogwarts this year, there wasn't a doubt about it…
Now, ON WITH THE BLOODY STORY!
Chapter 2 "But They Will Find Out"
Harry walked along the streets of Diagon Alley with Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley. They were suppose to be getting their supplies for the upcoming year, but somehow got off track after visiting Wealsey's Wizard Wheezes, a joke shop ran by Ron's older twin brothers, Fred and George. Now, instead of carrying parcels of items from their school lists, they have bags filled with sweets and joke merchandise, and were heading to Quality Quidditch Supplies. The warm sunlight beating down on the trio as they made their way to their favorite shop.
"…now I have no clue what we are going to do, Draco, with the big bad Head Boy on our asses, our days as criminals just well may be numbered as we know it…," Ron was saying, in a fit of laughter.
"As that old bat might say," Draco began in a scratchy voice that was imitating their old Divination professor, "'Alas, boys, t'was your fate thus thy day thee be born. I swear on my fake tea leaves and styrofoam crystal ball, I saw your fate written in the stars. Three troublesome smartass boys such as yourselves were to end your life in crime at the age of 17, for Harry Potter was to be named Head Boy, and t'is my fate to be rowing down a stream and fall overboard and give a high-pitched scream, much like a banshee. Five days after this tragic accident, I will be found chewing on my knickers, then as I am a complete fraud, I have no money to buy another pair. Ten days forward, I will be eaten by a malicious looking creature, somewhat the shape of a polar bear, and that, my pupils, is how the polar bear will cease to exist in this horrible world."
Returning to this normal voice, Draco added in a singsong voice, "And that's how the polar bear died!" He gave a low bow to the ground and heaving a deep sigh to add drama. The three boys howled with laughter, earning a few looks from passers-by.
When they finally contained their laughing, Harry asked, "Now, when you say 'tragic accident' you mean joyous occasion , right?:" And the boys once again erupted in laughter.
"You got that right."
Draco pretended to look affronted, then said in a mock-scold voice, "Now, Potter, is that anyway to talk about one of your professors? You are Bloody Head Boy after all? Is that the kind of language I taught you? Where did I go wrong?"
Harry sighed, "You're right Draco, I can't believe I said such a thing wrong, let me rephrase that 'Now, when you say 'tragic accident' and you're talking in the same context of that old senile bitch, you do mean thee most joyous occasion of the whole bloody fucking century right?'" Harry said, standing up straight and trying to look like a boy that just stepped out of a Cambridge School, one finger held up in a "eureka" gesture, with the other hand behind his back. They broke out into laughter once again and started down the street, heading towards Quality Quidditch Supplies.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hermione sighed; this was so frustrating.
How could her parents not let her go to Hogwarts? She was sick of always being the model student her parents wanted her to be. She never stepped out of line. But of course, that didn't mean she just sat on the sidelines either. In school, she definitely wasn't popular; she had no friends and focused solely on her studies. No one seemed to like her because she was a "goody-two-shoes" or "Little-Miss-Know-It-All." Of course, those were the rather nice names she had gotten from her peers. There were others, such as "Bushy-Haired-Bookworm" and "No-Life-Granger."
But Hermione wouldn't let their childishness discourage her , because she was a fighter. A fighter for what she believed in. She didn't go way out on the limb and take drastic action like others, but she would stand her ground.
Hermione was no push-over at any rate. She was proud, and despite what her classmates said about her, despite what mental/emotion abuse she had been caused by their constant teasing, she would succeed. She would make it out in the world, whereas, others in her class wouldn't know which way's up when they get out in the cold, cruel world.
She needed a plan, that was all there was to it. Besides, that was what Hermione Granger did, she planned, and then she took action. Her parents were out of the house right now, so she grabbed her notebook and sat down on her bed, bringing her knees up to her chest and opening a fresh page.
Grabbing a pencil from her nightstand, she stared at the blank page, which was mirroring her mind right now…blank. 'Ok, think, Granger, what is your objective? Go to Hogwarts this year. Now what's your motive? Um…well…' She growled in frustration again. Why was it so important to her to go to Hogwarts this year? 'I've always wanted to go.' Yeah, but she never voiced it so strongly, she never asked, never even entertained the idea. Sure, she dreamed about it, after pictures Clarence had shown her after she pestered her about it for an hour. Pictures could never replace the real thing though.
Finally, she came up with a suitable answer, it was short and to the point, she was so sure this was it she even voiced it out loud in a soft whisper, as if she might wake someone up if she spoke any louder, "It's my last chance."
With that thought in mind, she became more confident, and tried once again to come up with a plan. For 35 minutes she considered her options, but still nothing came. Sighing again this time in defeat, she started to doodle on the margins of her paper, drawing random things: a wand, witch's hat and cauldron, and a spell book. Then, as if on its own, her hand began to glide across the page, words pouring out of the lead almost as if it was connected to her heart:
What gives them the right?
How did this power become theirs?
To judge before knowing,
To run things their way.
Why is it me they're against?
How did I get this role to play?
To be the voice unheard,
To mean so little in their world.
How is it my fault?
Why am I to blame?
To be the one they despise,
To be looked upon like dirt.
Why not try to know me?
Why can't I just fit in?
Hermione suddenly stopped when she realized what she had just written. 'Why can't I just fit it?' She stared at the line in horror, why had she written that? She didn't want to fit in. She won't be just another face in the crowd.
She refused, yet she had just written she wanted to 'just fit in.' Writing was her escape. She could be herself and write whatever she was feeling, and she had learned a lot while reading over her poems.
They didn't rhyme, they were just words. They were her most inter-thoughts and feelings. Her parents had always told her she was an excellent writer, as well as all her language arts teachers. They had always been impressed with her writing skills and the effort.
But she didn't' write to impress anyone, she wrote because then she could analyze her thoughts and feelings. Shaking her head, she peered back down to the pencil on the paper and continued:
No one gives them the right,
They are too insecure and scared
To find the truth in people.
They don't have power over me,
They just like to think they do.
They are too stubborn to learn,
So they assume they are all knowledgeable.
I am a Granger, and I am proud,
I am courageous enough to face them.
It isn't my fault, only theirs.
They blame me because
They don't want to see the truth.
They fear change, and like to feel
In control and like they can stop me.
I refuse to fit in, and I will fight back.
I will face all opposition and I will come out victorious.
They don't know me.
They don't know what I'm capable of.
But they will find out…
Hermione grinned as she wrote her last words, and a plan started forming in her mind…
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Back. Slip pass Ron. Twist and shoot. Swish. "That's game!" Harry cried with a huge grin on his face, looking at his two defeated friends. "Want to have another go?"
"No fucking way, you said we could eat after that game!"
"What, Weasley, afraid you might get beat again?"
"Hey shut up, Draco, in case you didn't notice, you just lost the last three games right along with me!" Ron shot back, a smirk on his face.
Draco pretended not to hear him and turned towards Harry, "Are we going to play another game, or listen to your little bitch boy cry and whine all day?" he asked with a fake sigh.
Harry just grinned. "Frankly, I say we clear all this up on the court. Another game of twenty-one, winner, a.k.a. ME, wins 5 galleons from each of the losers, a.k.a. my little bitch boy and yourself." Harry said, bouncing the basketball between his legs and then shooting a three-pointer, banking it in off the backboard.
"Please, Potter," Ron said, coming up guard him, "The only reason you've won is because I'm hungry and I don't function right on an empty stomach!" Ron made a grab for the ball, but Harry turned quickly, swiftly keeping the ball out of his reach. Not swift enough though, because a second later, Draco stole the ball and made a jumper shot.
"Ron, if you only function right when you're not hungry, then sorry to tell ya buddy, but then you doomed for eternity!" Harry shot back, and Ron just scoffed, after rebounding the ball, he threw it hard at Harry's chest. Harry just laughed.
"Shut it, Potter, before I make you!"
"You beat me, Ron, and I will buy you dinner." Harry countered, while passing the ball to Draco to shoot from the foul line.
"You will be taking me out, buddy, and I will order the most expensive thing on the menu, and then a hamburger to go with it."
"You're on, bitch boy."
"Make that two hamburgers."
"Hey, why don't you two sissies shut it before you get your asses whipped."
Draco called, making a beautiful free-throw.
"Stay out of it, punk." Ron called as Harry tipped Draco's next shot, successfully bringing him back to zero. The game went on, each of the boys playing vigorously, and working up a sweat.
Twenty minutes later, Harry made the winning basket. Ron fell to his knees while Draco cursed under his breath. Harry just smirked at his two friends, and said while spinning the basketball in his hands, "Nice game, I'm feeling kinda lucky; do you want to have another, double or nothing?"
"Fuck you, Potter. Here's your stinking money, now let's go get some bloody food, I'm starving." Draco said, leaning over with his hands on his knees. Harry wiped the sweat from his brow, and took in a few slow breaths to get his heart rate back to normal.
"Alright, let's head inside and see what's for dinner."
Ron looked as though he might break out in the Halleluiah Chorus any second, and said, "You know, Potter, that just might be the smartest thing you've said all day; let's eat!" The three boys made their way across the yard to the house, all in a good mood, despite their tiredness.
Harry stepped out of his bathroom and into his room, a towel wrapped around his waist, fresh from the shower. After getting dressed, he headed out his door and made his way through his "Chillin' Room" and down the hall. Going downstairs and entering the kitchen, he got a soda from the refrigerator and sat down at the bar with Ron, the two boys waiting on Draco to get out of the shower, then they was ready to head back upstairs and play video games for the rest of the night.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She had her plan. It had taken a few days for her to come up with it completely, but the main part was that she had some sort of theory on how she would take action. She went over the plan in her head. 'First, Clarence said she would go to Diagon Alley and collect all my supplies I will be needing, and she will fit me for my robes herself, then take my sizes in and get them'
Then she will need to make sure she has everything packed and ready to go by the end of August, which was soon approaching. Clarence had already owled the headmaster, and she had her train ticket tucked safely away in her top drawer. Clarence had already explained about how to get on the platform, and Hermione wasn't too worried about that.
Also, her parents were oblivious to her plan, so she needed to keep everything low-key. She had confided in Clarence about her argument with her parents, and after much persisting, Clarence gave in and agreed to help her, despite being against her parents' will. Hermione was going to leave all her things at Madam Sunddusk's Volumes the night before so it would be easily accessible and so she wouldn't delay by wasting time trying to get her trunk out of the house without her parents knowing so.
September 1st was on a Sunday, so her parents would be at home, but they had to spend a short while at the office the day before for a short convention, so that would buy her enough time to get her trunk out of the house and get all the details sorted out.
But it was only August 21st, and she had something else to worry about….her Apparation test that was going to take place the very next day!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Harry, your father will be going into the Ministry today, are you going or not?"
Harry's mother, Lily Potter, asked him during breakfast. She looked at him expectantly.
"I wasn't planning on it, but if he wants me to, I guess I can," Harry replied, looking over at his father at the head of the table.
"I wouldn't mind a bit of company, but we better get going." his father said, laying down the Daily Prophet and standing up. Harry got up too, stretching and after eating the last of his toast, he and his father apparated out of the Potter House and into the Ministry Of Magic.
Sometimes the Ministry wasn't all that bad, but a lot of the time, Harry didn't fancy going because it was boring. There had been a few incidents, one of which included a man trying to transfigure himself into a toilet in order to escape punishment while running down a corridor, that had been interesting. But that only resulted in a wet and messy floor, and the wizard was caught anyway, so it was pretty stupid really, amusing, yet stupid.
Harry followed his father into the lift, the golden grilles slid closed behind them with a soft crash, and they started to rise upwards. Once they reached Level Five, they headed out and Harry followed his father towards the Department of International Magical Cooperation, where his father was to attend a meeting. Harry wasn't allowed to attend the meeting; of course, it was nothing he found remotely interesting either, so you could say he didn't mind in the least.
"Harry, why don't you hurry along to the Portkey Office and give this to Hugh Donaldson," He handed Harry a scroll of parchment, "and ask him if he can have that portkey to Bulgaria by noon."
Harry nodded and headed back towards the lift and then went to Level Six, where the Portkey Office was found. Four memos flew passed his ear as he made his way down the long corridor. There were plaques that read the name of the offices on the doors as he passed, and he noticed an older looking woman standing with a young brown-haired girl making their way down the corridor in front of him; he caught a few words of their conversation:
"I'm telling you, Hermione, there is no reason to be worried. You will do fine, trust me!" the older woman was saying, but the girl still looked slightly apprehensive. "You've prepared and there is nothing stopping you. We will be apparating back to the library before you know it. This test will be a cinch for you."
Harry grinned slightly; the young girl must be taking her Apparation Test. Harry had passed in easily just a few weeks ago, and he decided to help the old woman out and sped up his pace a little so he was walking next to the young girl. She didn't look familiar, but he was sure if she had gone to Hogwarts, he would've remembered her.
"I know, but I still can't help but be a bit nervous! This all just seems to be happening so fast! Plus...I'm not too sure how they will…well…react, I guess. So I guess that scares me a little bit too. I mean, what if something goes horribly wrong and-"
"Excuse me," Harry said politely, giving her a small smile. Both the girl and older woman looked his way. "I'm sorry, but I kinda overheard you. I am assuming you are about to take your Apparation Test?" He asked, the girl nodded. "Well, I just took it myself a few weeks ago, and I just want to tell you, it isn't as hard as it seems. I mean, it is quite difficult, but by the sound of it, you will pass easily. If you're nervous and uptight about it, it will just make it all the more difficult, trust me. Just relax and it will be over in no time." Harry finished, grinned at her again encouragingly.
She smiled back a shy smile, and replied, "I hope you're right. I'm always like this though, before any type of test. I've never done anything like this before, so I can't seem to keep the butterflies under control."
Harry laughed, and shook his head slightly as they stopped in from of the door that had a plaque saying APPARATION TEST CENTER. "Three main pointers I can give you are: concentrate but be relaxed, otherwise you'll end up getting splinched or worse. But don't get too overly confident, I know a few people that went into the test a little too cocky and had to take it over again because they apparated fifteen miles too far south. Also, don't try things too fast. My friend Ron wasn't listening to the witch instructing him and tried to disappear too fast. He finally just got his license last week. Keep those pointers in mind, and it will be a lot easier. You'll do fine, trust me, and by the way good luck," and with a last smile and wave, they parted.
*********************************
Despite the boy's encouragement and Clarence's assurances, Hermione was still nervous as she waited in line with Clarence. Not only was she filled with nervousness about Apparating, but also, what were they going to say when she told them her name was Hermione Granger?
Well she didn't have to wait too long for her answer. When she told her name to the secretary, the woman stopped suddenly and the whole room went quiet, as if someone had pushed the mute button.
Hermione felt suddenly even more uncomfortable, and shifted under everyone's gaze. Clarence heaved a sigh and said not so subtly, "Excuse me, but we have things that need to get done, so, if you could please, finish up this form and point us towards an instructor." This seemed to shake everyone out of their reverie, but she was still cast uneasy glances and some downright rude stares.
'Oh, this is ridiculous', Hermione thought as she made her way to a secluded room. 'They act as if I carry some sort of deadly disease!' recalling the way everyone seemed to split like the Red Sea when she passed, watching her make her way to this room all by her lonesome. A minute later, a middle-aged woman came in with a clipboard in one hand and her wand in the other. Hermione could tell there was tension, but she tried to ignore it and act as if she had not a care in the world.
Finally, after a few minutes, the woman acknowledged her presence and began speaking in a curt voice about Apparation and how it is done. She spoke of the dangers and consequences of Apparating wrong and getting into trouble.
Hermione listen to every word, even though none of it was new to her, Clarence had gone over it at least a dozen times over the past few weeks, but still, Hermione listened attentively. The woman was brief, and a lot sooner than Hermione had thought, she was demanding her to try and Apparate to a field they used for this specific purpose, some 15 miles away.
Hermione nodded and gave a slight gulp. With that boy's advice in mind and replaying everything Clarence had told her, her last thought was, 'Here goes nothing,' and with a small 'pop' she disappeared.
Ok, so what do you think? Like? Hate? LOVE? LET ME KNOW!!!! I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can! Just review and I will love you forever! So, rock on, peace out, and stay righteous!!!