Home to another one (Dramione)

Chapter 1

Looking at herself in the mirror she tried to pull the button up a bit away from her body.
She already tried to stretch it out a couple of times with no real success.

Hermione absolutely hated the fact that the school required uniforms, and despised even more the fact that hers happened to be a short skirt and a button up.
While the size she bought felt too constrictive, the bigger size drowned her and despite the fact that she preferred it that way, her mother didn't.

"Maybe it will give you the motivation to lose those pesky few pounds you gained over break" she had said, her eyes fitting over Hermione's figure in that way that always made her want to tear her skin away from her body for weeks.

And that was that, and now she stood in front of her mirror, the top buttons stetching around her breasts in a way that could have been sexy, if she could even slightly see herself in that way.

it mostly just made her feel like she was bursting at the seams.
She pulled the red jumper over the top. It was September and it was burning hot but she would deal.
Honestly she would do anything to make herself just a little more invisible.
she pulled the skirt down a bit and gathered her bag from the floor, not bothering with another glance in the mirror, it was better she didn't linger too much around her reflection.

Going down the stairs her mum was bustling about in the all-white kitchen, making some healthy breakfast alternative.

Hermione's house was always neat, clean, nothing out of place. Well, except for her, she was definitely out of place.

Once she entered the kitchen, her mum handed her a small jar filled with homemade chia seed pudding.
"better then buying something greasy at the train station" her mother said,
Her crows feet crinkled as she smiled softly as her.
"Thanks mum" Hermione said, placing the small jar in her bag carefully.

Her mum was already at the door, Hermione's comically big trolly in hand.
They both giggled as they struggled with carrying the heavy suitcase down the many steps of their apartment building, and heaved as they finally got the "beast" as they affectionately named the trolly years back to the bottom of the staircase.
"She really put up a fight this time" her mother joked
"There were points along the journey where I really thought she would win!" Hermione exclaimed, a large smile on her face.

A bit more heavy lifting and some not so careful yet tasteful shoving and rearranging and the beast was safe in the trunk.
Well, fairly safe "as long as we don't hit too many speed bumps and avoid that pothole on the 56th there's a high possibility of her actually arriving in one piece" her mum had said as she carefully closed the trunk of her old Camaro.

Later in the car Hermione wondered if the chia seeds were a weight thing or a money thing.
As a single mum her mum worked long shifts as a nurse and was still barely scraping by.
Hermione recalled the relief they both felt when she got the full schollership to Hogwarts.
as much as it scared her to start at a new school she knew it was for the best, her mum wouldn't have to worry about food and education and could cut back a bit on her work and Hermione would get the best schooling she could ask for.

Of course she was nervous about fitting in, she knew the kind of kids that got into Hogwarts - snotty, rich, perfect kids with perfect lives.
And yet, she knew it was for the best, that the relief it would give her mum was unmatched, that it would give Hermione a chance to build a bright future for herself.

She remembered herself on that dreaded first day, aged 14 standing at the platform hugging her mum with tears running down both their faces.

They had a complicated relationship, her and her mum. but she knew she only wanted the best for her. that's why she always nagged her about her weight, her hair, her clothes...everything.
So it wasn't easy but it was all she had, and she loved her mother more than anything, wouldn't have changed her for the world.

When she was younger they would fight a lot more and sometimes in the privecy of her own room she would cry and dream of a mum that accepted and saw her for who she was.
But as she grew older she realised her mum loved and appreciated her, she just wanted to spare her daughter of any difficulties and in the process hadn't realised how many difficulties she herself had piled on her.
She was from a different generation that saw beauty in one very specific way, that saw success and femininity in one light and having realised that made Hermione more forgiving, more understanding in the places her mother couldn't be for her and for herself.

But it didn't make everything perfect, just sometimes more bareable. But it also made her mature way faster, as grownups always liked to point out in aw.
Sometimes she just wanted to be a kid. To be the 17 year old girl that she was.

—-

The drive to the train station was filled with excitement, music playing idly in the background as Hermione excitedly talked about the lessons she had this semester and her mum listening proudly.

"Remember how nervous you were on the first day of school three years ago?"
Her mother said as they neared the station "I knew you would find yourself, that you'll amaze yourself with the things you'll accomplish"
her eyes shined as she looked at her daughter "sometimes I wish you could see yourself the way I see you" she confessed, her eyes swimming with pride "I swear sometimes you're the last person to realise your own strength"
Hermione rolled her eyes "stop it mum" her eyes fogged up "you say that every year"

"Well its the truth" her mother retorted, nudging Hermione's shoulder lovingly "my golden girl" she smiled
"mum! I can't cry right before getting on the train!" Hermione whined
"Okay,  okay lets get you on the platform, we don't want you to be late"

A few hugs, kisses and promises to write as much as she could Hermione was standing on the platform, she thought about what her mum had said, about how scared she was on that first year and how quickly that changed when she sat next to those two boys on the train, and immediately the some of her worries where temporarily replaced with the joyous memory of that first train ride.

Speaking of-
"Mione!!!" The two boys called in unison, running over to where she stood, grinning wildly

Harry was the first to reach her, dropping both his enormous bags and hugging her tightly "missed you" he said, and they both giggled while watching Ron struggle with his bags, which kept swirling around and crushing into each other and into him as he tripped all the way over to them.
"stupid bags!" He muttered as he collapsed into the hug, sending the trio down in a loud crush.

"Ron you dimwit I think I broke my hand" harry whined, gripping his left wrist and standing up as Hermione just giggled, a huge grin stretched across her face.
"Well you could have given me a hand with my bags!" Ron retorted, crossing his arms while sitting on the ground like a grumpy kid
"I also have bags of my own to carry you kno-"
"You still could have given me a hand you selfish asshole"
"Don't call me an asshole you asshat!!'
Hermione's grin widened as she stood watching both her best friends bicker, she was so so lucky to have them.