**CHAPTER 1: First Day**
The sun rose over the horizon on the clear morning of September the second. Sunlight crept through the blinds that hung over the windows in the small and neat bedroom. The study desk was clear of the usual pile of books, and the bed was already made, the sheets smooth over the soft mattress. There was a trunk at the foot of the bed, and a freshly ironed set of school robes and a prefect badge lay on the pristine white sheets. Everything seemed normal for the first day of school, except that the student was not her usual excited and happy self.
Hermione Granger sat in the cushy armchair she did her reading in, her face red with tears. In a few hours she would be at platform 9 ¾ , on the red train to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Everything was packed, all her homework was finished, and her parents were getting ready to take her to the station. But for the first time in her life, she wanted nothing more than to forget about school and stay home, curled in a ball, and cry. Her legs were tucked up and she wrapped her arms around them, rocking slowly back and forth on the chair. Her hair was cut short, just below her chin. She had cut it in a tantrum she threw at her father, who she felt was no longer her family. He had inadvertently caused her all this grief, and may have ruined her and another’s lives forever. She gripped a lone piece of tear-stained parchment in her right hand, she had to magically repair it numerous times to prevent it from ripping apart. Because of her father, Harry Potter has disappeared, and no one knew where he was.
She remembered the days of earlier that summer, when she and Harry finally got past the awkwardness of it all and finally exposed their true feelings for each other. Dumbledore needed her to protect him from Voldemort’s occlumency , and became an established Occlumens herself. At first, Harry did not know the mental protection she had over him, but was not too pleased when he found out that Dumbledore and her were secretly guarding his thoughts and emotions from the Dark Lord. It was for the best, because even though she was successful at shielding him from the visions he had in his fifth year, another phenomenon was also discovered that needed both of them to control. Harry had inherited a powerful patronal Charm, a mythical power that Godric Gryffindor passed onto his son, Solidus. She had helped him regain control when it took over, and was a pillar of support during his trial and court case. He was under extreme pressure this past summer, and his moods were as volatile as an active volcano. A mere few days after the trial was over he was put through an ordeal that no one should have to endure: on his sixteenth birthday Ginny and herself were taken hostage, and Harry was challenged to a duel by none other than Bellatrix lestrange. After defeating her and the Hunter in a sword duel, he and Draco Malfoy combined forces and hunted Voldemort down to his island fort and an epic battle ensued, Harry dying right before her eyes. She used the Infinite Revival spell to bring him back from the brink of death, knowing fully well that she would give her own life if it was successful. It was a sacrifice made out of love for him, and she would do it again in an instant if she had to. Her father was distraught when he was informed of what happened, and accused Harry of being a man that would only bring death to his family, banning him from ever seeing Hermione again. She got his last bit of correspondence when she awoke some weeks later, having barely survived that night and was being hospitalized in St Mungo’s under heavy surveillance. It read:
Dearest Hermione
Remember what I said at Cho’s place. I love you. Never forget that.
-Harry
He was gone, and she was broken hearted. Her father’s words had hit directly, and Harry blamed himself for her near death, banishing himself away from everyone. So the rest of the summer she was in a daze, she did not know what to do, her first true love was gone, gave no indication where he was, and more importantly, when he’ll be back. The new school year of Hogwarts was upon her, and she wanted nothing more than to stay home. That was out of the question of course, she had to continue, she couldn’t break down just because of Harry, she had to be strong until she saw him again. Dumbledore had awarded her the Head Girl badge, Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff would be her male counterpart. Her parents were thrilled, but she couldn’t care less. She just wanted to get through this year and the next, she knew Harry would come back. Getting up, she went to the bathroom to shower and get ready for school.
