Harry of Nazarick

The Christmas Party 1992

Hermione's house has always been full of books. A bunch of books were at the living room centre table. Some books are in a small cabinet in the dining room. A couple of books in the kitchen. The small corridors between the rooms had ledges with books on them. And, of course, each bedroom had its own shelves with a stack of books. Even the guest room has its own shelves with books, a book of the younger sibling Hermione never had. Even the bathroom has books.

When Hermione was younger, she decided that she would read all the books in the house. Her parents pranked her as they kept buying books, making the list for Hermione longer and longer.

The self-imposed quest started when she was 6 and ended when she was 9. Even reading the books from her parents' bedroom. Ultimately, she ended up loving the books and treating them as if they were this wise old knowingly person, but above all else, like her only friend.

It was not like she did not have people who spoke with her or were bullied or mistreated, but all contact with anyone else was out of politeness. They talked to her about school but left her alone as soon as the bell rang. She was a walking library, the team member they wanted in their team when it was about a school project, but for anything else, she was a ghost.

Books were her only friends until she went to Hogwarts. Harry had become a good friend, asking nothing in return, helping her for no real reason. Thanks to him, Her family has reconnected with others they did not know existed. Economically, they are better and getting help managing that money, which her parents are grateful for.

Then she became friends with Harry's friends, Draco and Dean. She knew that they talked to her because of him. Especially when Dean said it to her bluntly, 'Harry wanted me to help you out, so you won't be alone'. Draco was more subtle and just helped me, helping me through the whole magic society thing.

She wondered why he did that, and she asked her parents. Her father told her that maybe he saw someone like him, someone new to the magical world, and he did everything to help a compatriot. Her mother had another theory, but Hermione knows she is biased as she loves reading romantic novels. Still, that made her wonder if that was true. That would be one of the sweetest things someone could do to her. Not give her the answers but the tools to find them.

Thanks to her whole situation, Hermione started to try to become friendlier with her housemates. She did not want to let Harry's efforts be in vain. The bubble she created a long time ago exploded, exposing her. Her housemates were friendly with her; even Ron Weasley was not that bad. But it also shows the other side she had ignored, those who spoke badly about her. Some Slytherins like Theodore Nott used any opportunity when they were alone to make hurtful comments.

She has not talked about it with anyone, not Harry or Draco. Some students from Ravenclaw looked at her as if she was their enemy, something she thought was because of some kind of academic competition, but then she realized that it was another thing. Hufflepuffs were friendly, but they were close to her classmates in elementary school, with superficial smiles only to look good.

It was getting on her head all of this. For a moment, she thought the best place to remain was between Gryffindors. Harry and Draco are the only exceptions, and maybe Vincent and Greggory. Then, as if Harry knew what she was thinking, he asked her to be closer to Pansy. The girl who had never hidden her disdain against Hermione, and still Harry, has the idea that they are good friends.

She did try to get closer, even before Harry asked her, but she remained indifferent about everything. It did not matter what she tried because Pansy had a wall that didn't let her get close. Pansy seems to want nothing but Harry on her side, and every time she interacts with her, it seems as if she looked at her down.