"Hermione Granger and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Chapter One

Hermione Granger always felt as if there was something odd about her. She didn't look abnormal, unless one counted bushy hair and a pair of rather large front teeth. Maybe it was the lack of interaction with children her age? Instead of playing with the students at recess, Hermione would often plead with the teacher in order to stay indoors and work on homework.

If it wasn't her lack of social skills maybe it was her thirst for knowledge? Hermione loved to read, she enjoyed settling in with a good book whether it involved sailing on a ship filled with a raucous band of pirates or learning more about a particular tribe of Indians who inhabited the states long before the Pilgrims arrived. She liked to learn about faraway places, kings and queens, ancient artifacts, even how to cook an amazing soufflé. But it never seemed to be enough, there seemed to be something that nagged at the back of Hermione's mind. Sometimes it felt as if there was more to learn, logically Hermione understood that she hadn't learned everything, but there seemed to be a particular subject that she felt was desperately needed for what awaited her later in life. Maybe it was that feeling, a feeling of something missing that seemed odd, what eleven year old girl thought these things?

In the morning, at the breakfast table, Hermione picked at the food that her mother placed on a plate in front of her.

"What's wrong dear?" Hermione's mother asked as she worked on fixing a plate for her husband.

"Nothing, just didn't sleep well last night," Hermione muttered.

"Why didn't you sleep well Sugar Plum?" Mr. Granger asked as he came into the kitchen, attempting to fix his tie.

Hermione merely shrugged her shoulders in response. She knew that eventually her parents would forget the questions they asked and begin talking about what patients they would be working on that day. Hermione's parents were dentists and though they loved their daughter very much, the work they put into each day often consumed their minds.

"Oh, Hermione, I nearly forgot, I received a call from your teacher Mrs. Kennedy yesterday. She said that you slammed a book on a girl's fingers. What happened?" Mrs. Granger asked, turning around to kiss her husband.

"It was an accident," Hermione stated. Though that was her answer for her parent's question, the real answer was that she didn't know what happened. One moment she heard the most popular girl in school, Penelope, talk about how weird Hermione was and how she didn't have any friends. It seemed as if Hermione was invisible to the other girl because Penny was standing right in front of her desk. Somehow Penny leaned back on Hermione's desk and the opened book slammed shut on Penny's fingers. Of course, Penny howled in pain and vehemently blamed the weird Granger girl. There was no logical explanation for what happened except that at the time Hermione was extremely upset and angry. She didn't mean for anybody to get hurt, it just seemed that strange things sometimes happened around Hermione.

"I'm sure it was Sugar Plum," Mr. Granger replied absentmindedly as he kissed his only daughter on the top of her head. Hermione shook her head exasperatedly, she loved her parents dearly but she could not believe how absentminded they were.

Hermione set her fork down and pushed her chair away from the table. "I'm going to check the mail. Grandma Rose was supposed to send me a letter about her stay in the States."

"Oh, that sounds nice dear," Mrs. Granger nodded as she perused the new dental book she bought from the book store.

Walking the hall to the front door, Hermione looked at the pictures that lined the walls. Though the family didn't often have a lot of time to spend with each other, they did take time for vacations and holidays. Hermione loved to look at the pictures and remember the times in which she had her parent's sole attention and she couldn't wait until the next holiday.

A pile of letters lay on the floor just in front of the door. Just as she was about to pick up the pile, a stray letter floated through the mail slot. Opening the door, Hermione was about to say hello to Bob the mailman but instead of a man she encountered a pitch black owl sitting on the porch railing. Narrowing her eyes quizzically, Hermione looked to the neighbors, wondering if anyone had lost a pet owl. Glancing back at the magnificent creature she gently shut the door, slightly unnerved with the stare the owl was giving her.

Picking up the pile of letters, she placed the owl in the back of her mind when she stared at the letter that just came through the slot. The letter felt thick and heavy, it seemed to be made of paper that was slightly yellowed with ink written in brilliant emerald. Hermione found it strange that there was no stamp and no return address. "How could it possibly have arrived?" The girl thought back to the odd owl and shook her head exasperatedly, owls can't deliver mail. Hermione finally turned her attention to who the letter was addressed to. Stopping in her tracks, the girl nearly dropped the letter because her fingers were trembling.

Miss Hermione Granger

The bedroom at the top of the Stairs

23 Crescent Drive

Ramsgate

Kent

"How do they know which bedroom I sleep in?" Hermione whispered as she turned the letter over. It was there she saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms featuring a lion, eagle, snake, and what could be a badger surrounding a large letter H. Tearing through the envelope she pulled out the letter, unfolding it delicately as if it were a precious prize.

HOGWARTS SCHOOLS

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards.)

Dear Miss Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Impossible was the first word that came to Hermione's mind, quickly followed by prank. Who would write something like this, fabricate such an intricate lie? Looking to the attached page she saw the page that listed uniform, book, and equipment requirements. In a daze, Hermione walked into the kitchen continuing to read the letter in her hand.

"What do you have there Sugar Plum?" her father asked from the kitchen table.

"Yes how's Grandma Rose doing?" Hermione's mother echoed.

"It's not from Grandma," Hermione murmured.

"Oh?" Mrs. Granger replied.

"Apparently," Hermione said slowly, "I'm a witch."

I always connected with Hermione throughout the series and have always wondered what was going through her head in certain situations and what she did while Harry was off doing something heroic or stupid. This is what I think happened. Let me know what you think!