Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: So, this is my first time posting on Portkey. I'm kind of excited, but I'm also rather scared. I want to live up to the high standards Portkey sets...so I'd appreciate reviews/comments/criticisms/flames. Whatever you're in the mood for. This story is already written (except for the last chapter), so it shouldn't take too long to post. Unfortunately, that also means that it'll be hard for me to change. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me. NONE, I tell you.

Summary: Pretty much completely AU (is that even allowed?). Hermione is a reserved girl, until she meets and wants to impress Harry Potter, the most popular guy in school. But before they can get together, there are a few obstacles they have to overcome.

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"C'mon 'Mione, pleeeease? Just this once? I promise, I'll go easy on you; just take your hair down out of that awful bun and wear a shorter skirt. There's no need to be embarrassed - you've got great legs, I know you do."

"For the last time: NO, Lyss! It doesn't matter what clothes I wear. It doesn't make a difference, because I'm ugly!" Hermione snapped at her younger sister Alyssa. The latter had been trying to get Hermione to lighten up her appearance for the last two years.

"How does the little bugger even know so much about fashion, anyway," thought Hermione. "After all, she's only twelve! When I was in seventh grade, I never thought about those things." Hermione's musings were interrupted by a voice shouting:

"Hermione Jane Granger! Get a move on or you'll be late for school!"

"Coming, Mom!" Hermione replied, grabbing her messenger bag, which served as her backpack for school. "Bye, Lyss!" she called over her shoulder as she rushed down the steps. Hermione made her way into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast and was greeted by her father, who was sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning, 'Mione," he yawned.

"Good morning," she replied. "Late night?"

"Yeah. This case is really pushing me to the wall. I mean, all the evidence is pointing towards his guilt, yet he claims he's innocent!" William Granger was a lawyer, and he was currently dealing with a high-profile murder case. Today he was due in court.

"Well, good luck today Dad," Hermione replied. Not that he needed it, of course. Her father's firm Granger & Denley was well-renowned for its excellence. He was one of the best lawyers in the country, and his job made it so that the Granger family could live in East Manhem, a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles.

The town consisted of huge homes, many of which were secluded or waterfront homes. Because of the relatively small size of the town, there were pretty much two options for high school. One was Horizon, the private school, and the other was East Manhem High School, more commonly known as EMHS. Although EMHS was a public school, it was as good as, if not better than, Horizon. The acceptance rate to top universities was higher, although the classes were larger. Only those parents who felt the need to send their children to a private school paid the high rates of Horizon. But William Granger and his wife Marie had agreed that bragging rights weren't as important as college and money in the bank.

Besides, the Grangers needed money to maintain Alyssa's demanding life as "Alyssa Granger: fashion beacon of East Manhem Middle School." Because of the fact that Hermione didn't go to Horizon, which was within walking distance of her house, she also had her own car. It was a silver Mercedes CLK 320, and it was her baby.

With this thought in her head, Hermione hugged her father, pecked her mother on the cheek, and headed outside to the garage. After admiring the way her car (which she had secretly nicknamed Angelina, after a name she had heard at her school and instantly took a liking to) gleamed in the dim lighting of the fluorescent garage lights for a few moments, Hermione tossed her bag in the passenger seat and climbed in. As she started the ignition, she glanced at the clock. Its neon green numbers read 7:47.

"Shit!" Hermione exclaimed. Her school started at 8:00, and it was a 20 minute drive. However, if she drove over the speed limit, she might be able to make it. With this in mind, she pealed out of the driveway and down the street. Her whole car ride to school was at the speed of 55 mph. She didn't want to go too fast, after all. Angelina was new, and Hermione's parents trusted her not to violate any laws.

Even though Hermione sped the whole way to school, she arrived there at 8:01. Teachers would mark students tardy if they arrived after 8:05, so she still had 4 minutes to get to her first class, which was history.

Today was actually a very important class, because they were being assigned partners for their upcoming research papers. Hermione was rather excited about this, as history was her favorite class. Many people believed the teacher, Miss McGonagall, to be very strict, but Hermione was on the teacher's good side, and there were a few benefits to this.

Hermione hurried up the steps to the school, wrenched open the door, and promptly tripped over something rather large that was sitting on the floor directly in front of the door. She muttered an "Oomph" as her butt connected with the floor, and was about to tell the person off for sitting like this in front of the door, but when she looked up, she found herself staring into the most beautiful, captivating green eyes she had ever seen. Wait a minute - she knew those eyes! They belonged to none other than Harry Potter, the most gorgeous, most popular, most sought-after boy in school. Hermione shook her blinked when she realized Harry was talking.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern filling his eyes. "It looked like you took quite a fall there."

"Oh yes. I'm fine, thanks," Hermione murmured, still under the spell his eyes had cast over her. She accepted the hand he offered her, and was surprised to feel a tingle shoot up her arm when she came in contact with it.

Harry, unbeknownst to Hermione, was experiencing the same feelings. At first, he was surprised and a little angry (even though it was his fault) when he felt somebody trip over him, but then he looked at the person. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, what with her silky brown hair and beautiful brown eyes. They were flecked with amber specks, and her hair had highlights of the same color. These two features were the first to capture his attention, but when his eyes were drawn to the rest of her face, he realized that this part of her body was just as beautiful. That nose, that long and slender neck, those full and utterly kissable lips. "Wait a minute," he thought. "Where did that come from?" Harry started when he heard the girl emit a little whimper of pain. This seemed to break him out of the spell.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. When she murmured her assent, he stood up and offered her a hand to do so as well. He was surprised to feel a tingle shoot up his arm when she touched his hand with her own. He watched her stand up, her skirt (GULP) hiking up her long, shapely legs. She put a hand up to smooth back some of the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun. Wait a minute, he thought. I know her! This is…oh, what was her name?...Hermione Granger!

"I know you," he said. "You're Hermione Granger! You're in my history class! You're really smart, too."

"Um...thanks," Hermione laughed nervously. "But you can call me Mione. Most people here do, except of course that horrid bitch Cho Chang. I mean - up -" Hermione blushed furiously and clamped her hand over her mouth, realizing that she had just badmouthed Harry's girlfriend. To her surprise, he chuckled.

"Oh no, that's all right," he said, taking her hand down from her mouth (there went that tingle again, she thought). "We all know that Cho can be quite the little devil when she wants to be. Besides, I like a girl that speaks her mind," he added, flashing Hermione a lopsided smile that made her heart stop for a second. She blushed.

"Why am I acting this way, like some silly school girl?" Hermione berated herself silently. "I'm not usually this squeamish. Sure, Harry's unbelievably gorgeous, but this is still not like me." Out loud she said, "Um, we really should get to history. Miss McGonagall is assigning partners for the big history project."

"Oh yeah," Harry agreed. "We probably should. That project is pretty important." And he offered Hermione his arm, which she blinked at for a second before linking her own arm through it.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that...and sorry the chapters are so short in this story. They just happened that way. As all authors say, please review! I'd really appreciate your feedback.
Love, Kaye.