Hermione Granger and the Discovery

Chapter 1

"Hermione, it's time for dinner!" called my mother.

I sighed and closed my book, my mother was always interrupting my studies. "Coming!" I said, before leaving my bedroom.

"So what did you do today? How was school?" asked my father.

"Fine, dull, really. Nothing interesting ever happens at school" I replied monotonously. It was true, the course work was easy beyond belief and there weren't any fights, either.

"Now honey, there had to have been something. What did you learn?" my mother asked.

"I believe I have responded to this question many times already. I didn't learn anything. It's so basic I doubt anyone actually learns anything there."

My parents sighed, as always, and looked disappointed. This was what they usually did. It was a wonder they kept asking me such pointless questions and then getting upset about it from the answer they knew they would get. Such strange people, I thought.

"We know you're very intelligent Hermione, but there's no need for you to flaunt it like that. You're never going to make any friends doing that, you know? I just don't understand why you work so hard to be anti-social!"

Ohh, that was a new one, "Flaunt, really?" I said, exasperated, "you think I'm flaunting? Wow, I think that's a new low." A sardonic grin had spread across my face, making my parents cringe.

"I didn't mean it like that," my mother replied, "But this is just it! You think you're the best there is, how do you think it makes others feel? It's not very nice or becoming of you!"

"Why would I care how it makes others feel? It's no business of mine, if my intelligence insults them, then so be it! That's not my issue."

"But don't you want some friends?" my mother asked.

"Why would I want idiots as friends?" I replied, "And even if I were to have a friend, they certainly wouldn't be like you, they would be a real friend. And, you know, someone who actually has something in common with me."

My mother looked shocked and my father was red in the face. 

"Go to your room!" her father shouted.

"No, that's exactly what she wants," my mother said with a stony look in her eyes, "Haven't you noticed? Once we started sending her to her room she's been doing this more and more. No, Hermione, you are going to stay here and have a conversation with us for dinner. There's no more getting out of it! And if you continue to act up, you will find yourself doing chores from the minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep."

"I bet you feel good now. You finally figured it out! It only took you a couple of years" I replied sarcastically.

"I'm serious Hermione, you'd better stop that or you will not be enjoying yourself."

My mother's tone was grave, I decided that she must be serious. This would be difficult to get out of, though they seemed to be desperate, so negotiation should still be on the table.

"Alright, I'll cooperate." I began, "But if that's the case, I would like something in return."

"No!" she shouted, "It's just human decency to have a conversation with your parents at dinner, so this is the end of it unless you want to be doing chores!"

"Uhuh," I said slowly, "But how exactly are you planning to make me do those chores?" I smirked slightly, knowing I had their attention. "Look, I know what you want. You want a nice, polite daughter. So, to get that, your going to have to do something for me."