Harry Potter and all related plot events, characters, and minutiae are the property of JK Rowling. I neither profit nor seek financial gain with this text; therefore, it constitutes `fair use'.
A/N: So another idea struck me during my hiatus, and here's the result of that. The seven years of canon, as told through Hermione's eyes, with one slight caveat: things will slowly diverge, though never entirely, from the books. Bearings will also continue.
Growing Up Granger
Then while we live, in love let's so persevere / That when we live no more, we may live ever. -Anne Bradstreet
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…it has no survival value; rather, it is one of those things that give value to survival. -C.S. Lewis
The years teach much that the days never know. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Preface
Sometime During The 21st Century
Some of you think you know the story of my life, but you do not, and the line between reality and fantasy has become quite blurred of late. You see, there are books out there about my life-seven to be precise. And in those books, you have been presented with a fantastical version of a very real series of events.
I do not know why, especially in later books, the events of my life and the lives of my friends were changed so much, but I am here now to correct those wrongs. Apparently, the Ministry of Magic, now under the auspices of Kingsley Shacklebolt, commissioned a relatively unknown Muggle author to write the life story of Harry Potter (at least as it pertained to his-our-years at Hogwarts). The purpose of that venture was to raise funds for the ailing Wizarding government and the idea was to market the books to Muggles as a fantasy story.
Little did they know, however, that the books would become a phenomenon in the Muggle world; by the time the seventh book was published, the name Harry Potter was known in literally every corner of the globe, both magical and Muggle. With the success of the books, the Ministry gave Joanne Rowling, the author of the books, more and more leeway with exactly how the story played out.
The result of that is what you all think you know about me. You see, I am Hermione Jane Potter, formerly known as Hermione Jane Granger; I am not married to Ronald Bilius Weasley, nor do I have children named Rose and Hugo. Harry James Potter, my husband of many years now, is not married to Ginevra Molly Malfoy (formerly Ginevra Molly Weasley), nor does he have three children with her.
Harry suggested several years ago that I write my memoirs, since they are of great personal interest to him and are of course relevant to my occupation-but I haven't told you what I do, have I? I don't think Joanne told all her wonderful readers in that lovely epilogue what I do, either.
I opened a book shop in Diagon Alley several years after the end of the war. It was originally called Studious Serenity, but in the intervening years the name has been changed to Potter and Potter (modeled after Flourish and Blott's, of course). Harry has never wanted for money, so we have both been able to do exactly what we've wanted during the many years since he vanquished that evil git.
But I believe I'm getting ahead of myself. I told you that the later books diverged quite a bit from reality, but I must add that even the first few missed or altered many important details.
Harry has just laid his hand on my shoulder because he knows I am getting angry with how everyone has been mislead all these years, and I know that I need to calm down. I will put my anger into writing these memoirs for all of you, and hopefully everything will eventually make sense.
I'm writing this for our children, Sarah and Ian, as well, because with all of the misinformation, they do not know the true, complete story of their parents. Harry and I feel strongly that information should not be withheld if possible, given the disastrous consequences in the past (yes, Joanne did get some things right).
Before I begin with the events leading up to my first year at Hogwarts, Harry wants me to make sure you all understand something: he hates his fame and he hates what the books have done to his name, but he is glad that they have returned an entire generation to reading.
He hopes, and so do I, that this true story, the complete story of how I became what I am-namely, Hermione Jane Potter, mother of Sarah Lily and Ian James Potter-will show that same generation what kind of man and friend Harry Potter really is as well as what kind of woman and friend Hermione Potter really is.
I believe I have rambled on long enough, so I will leave you with one more thought, as it pertains to you, the reader. I love Harry Potter with my entire being and I like to think he loves me the same (he's saying `Of course I do!' behind me as I type this). This is the real and unfiltered story of how that came to be.
Hermione J Potter 12/23/2013
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