Her father came into the sitting room, looking immensely tired. He wiped his forehead to rid himself of his sweat and smiled at Hermione. "Hermione, why don't you go outside? It's cooler outside."
Reluctantly, Hermione slowly peeled herself off of the leather couch and stood up. She nodded weakly in agreement and tied her hair up into a messy ponytail and left out the back door.
Well, at least outdoors I might be able to tan somehow, Hermione thought miserably. She walked over to the lawn chair and put a towel over it. She couldn't swim in her pool, considering she didn't have her swimming costume with her, but Hermione still looked longingly at the pale blue water, wishing she could go for a swim.
Suddenly a barn owl swooped down and dropped a letter onto Hermione's lap. Quickly, Hermione tore it open, viewing her O.W.L. results.
O.W.L. Results
~Transfiguration: O
~Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
~Charms: O
~Potions: O
~History of Magic: O
~Herbology: O
~Astronomy: E
~Care of Magical Creatures: O
~Ancient Runes: O
~Arithmancy: O
10 O.W.L.s. Only getting an "E" in Astronomy is understandable, I suppose, considering the scene with Hagrid and McGonagall... Hermione thought. She noticed another piece of parchment behind the one showing the results.
Minerva McGonagall
Hermione frowned slightly, biting her lip. She knew continuing all ten classes probably would not be the best of ideas. She'd stressed for two years over having ten classes—now was the time she could drop a couple. Hermione knew she wanted to drop History of Magic, as it was the dullest subject out of all of them. It might have been mildly interesting if someone other than Professor Binns taught it.
Getting up from the lawn chair, Hermione walked over to her pool, removed her thong sandals, and dipped her feet into the cool, clear water. Within minutes, another owl—Pig—came hurtling toward Hermione excitedly, grasping a letter.
Harry and I were wondering if you'd like to come over to The Burrow for the summer? Seeing as Harry isn't really in the mood to go to Grimmauld Place, he's staying here... anyway, he came just yesterday. We both got our O.W.L. results as well. Harry did pretty well. He failed Divination (and I did too) and History of Magic (as did I), but we were both going to drop those subjects anyway. I failed Astronomy along with the other two subjects, and I don't care, because it was a boring class anyway. It kept me up far too late in the night. But... you'll never believe this! Harry got an E in Potions! I only got an A, but Harry got an E, and McGonagall is forcing Snape to allow him to take N.E.W.T. Potions! Harry wasn't too happy about that. Anyway, send Pig back with your answer. We'll come by on Wednesday if you're coming.
Ron
Typical. After all of that studying Hermione had forced those two to do, they still failed a couple of O.W.L.s. However, Harry had received an excellent mark in Potions, and she was proud of him for it.
Hermione removed her feet from the water and put her sandals back on, standing up. "Stay here, Pig," she said to make sure he didn't take off. She went over to the back door and peered through the glass to see if her parents were nearby. She couldn't see them, so she knocked.
Her mother appeared at the door and opened it. "What is it? You want to come inside already?"
"No, I just received my O.W.L. results, and..." Hermione began.
Her face lighting up, her mother squealed, completely forgetting her dignity, "Ooooh! How did you do?"
Hermione showed the results to her. Mrs. Granger's brows furrowed in a look of confusion. "What are all these O's and E's?" she asked.
"O is the highest grade you can get on an O.W.L. E is the next best," Hermione answered.
"Excellent! You've always been so intelligent," Mrs. Granger said affectionately. "Was there anything else you needed?"
"Yes, I've been invited over to Ron's for the summer. I'm allowed to go, right? He's coming Wednesday to pick me up."
"Of course!" Hermione's mother exclaimed.
"Could you also get me a notebook and a pen? And some string? I have to mail something by owl." Hermione needed materials if she wanted to write back to McGonagall or Ron.
"Sure, sweetie, just a second." Her mum came back with a notebook, string, and a pen. "Here you are." She gave the items to Hermione and closed the door.
I'd love to stay at your home for the summer. I'm very disappointed in you failing two classes, Ron. (Divination does not count as a proper class.) Excellent job passing Potions with good marks, Harry. Have you chosen which ones you're keeping? That question was aimed toward both of you. Let me know on Wednesday. I got all O's, except for Astronomy (I received an E in that one). That's 10 O.W.L.s, which is great, isn't it?
Love,
Hermione
Hermione decided it was best not to scold Harry, what with his current state over the death of his godfather. She ripped that sheet of paper out, folded it up, and put Ron's name and address on it. Pig held out his leg obediently.
"Not yet, Pig, I still have another letter to write." Reluctantly, Pig lowered his leg.
I would like to continue these classes for my sixth year:
Potions
Transfiguration
Charms
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Herbology
Care of Magical Creatures
Arithmancy
Hermione paused, tapping the pen against the paper. There were two subjects she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue—Ancient Runes and Astronomy. Well, Astronomy isn't really that useful in magic, not like the other subjects... Ancient Runes is, but I didn't like that class as much.... Oh, well, I'll just drop Astronomy and keep Ancient Runes, Hermione thought, and continued the letter.
Sincerely,
Hermione Granger
Folding this letter up as well and writing whom it was to be sent to, Hermione tied the letters to Pig's legs, one on each leg, and told him, "Pig, one of these is for Ron, and the other is for Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts. Make sure they get to the right people, okay?" Pig hooted in understanding and took off.
At that moment, Hermione's father came back outside and announced, with his hand over the mouthpiece of their phone, "Hermione, you can come back inside now. You have a phone call."
Hermione sprinted toward the house, eager to get back inside where it was slightly cooler and to receive her phone call.
She grabbed the telephone from her father. "Hello?" she asked.
"Hiya, Hermione, it's Sarah Molohon! Why don’t you call me anymore? We haven’t talked in ages."
Of course it was Hermione’s only correspondent outside of Hogwarts, Sarah. Sarah was a pretty girl, Indian with dark, smooth hair. They had been best friends until Hermione had left for Hogwarts, but now Hermione knew that Sarah only called her when she was bored. "You know perfectly well that I can’t call you from my boarding school; I’m sorry,” Hermione said, laughing.
Long ago Hermione had explained to Sarah that she went to a private, exceptionally selective boarding school. Sarah had accepted this explanation fairly quickly, but still didn’t seem to understand why Hermione never wrote to her.
"I wish we wouldn’t lose touch during the school year,” Sarah said. “I say you drop out."
“But it’s a wonderful school,” Hermione argued. “I learn a lot there!”
"Of course you do. You always loved learning. Shame you have to be there all year...." Sarah broke off.
"I suppose. How're things for you?"
"Everyone's off on holiday," Sarah groaned. "But you know my family doesn't have a whole lot of dosh, so we can't go anywhere. I've just been sitting around all summer, waiting for school to begin again. Which is why I called you. Do you want to come over today? I can pick you up. I turned seventeen last month."
"I’m so sorry! I forgot!” Hermione apologized.
“It’s fine,” Sarah said. “Just tell me if you want to come over.”
“Sure, that'd be great. When are you coming? You do remember my address, right?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can remember it. If I get lost I'll just ring you from my mobile phone. I'll be there in about a half hour."
"All right then. See you," Hermione said.
"Bye." Sarah hung up.
Running upstairs, Hermione took a quick shower and got properly dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a blue tank top. Attempting and failing to make her hair do what she wanted it to, she forced it into another ponytail and groaned because it was still fluffy.
After exactly half an hour, Hermione's doorbell rang and she stepped outside, taking in Sarah's appearance. She had changed a lot since Hermione had last seen her a year ago. Sarah wasn't just pretty, she was gorgeous, and she had her makeup applied perfectly. She was wearing denim shorts like Hermione's and a vivid orange halter top that complimented her skin tone. Her body was perfect, making Hermione, not for the first time, jealous.
Sarah also seemed to be taking in Hermione's appearance. Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "Well, shall we get going, then?" she asked.
"Yeah," Sarah replied. "You never do change."
“I suppose not.”
They walked to Sarah's car (not much to look at, but still a car) and got in. Within fifteen minutes they had arrived at Sarah's house.
"Right, so first things first. I know this is no way to greet someone I haven’t seen in a year, but you're getting a makeover. You look just like you did last year, and the year before, and the year before that, and it's time to change that," Sarah announced.
"Er." Hermione was at loss for words. "Um. Okay, I guess."
"Good. Let's see what I can do."
Her hair had been painfully straightened by means of a straightening iron minutes previously, but now Sarah was working on Hermione's eyebrows.
"Sarah, that hurts..." Hermione whimpered as Sarah tweezed.
"Oh, well." Sarah grinned. "You're looking loads better."
"Gee, thanks."
"You're welcome."
Hermione rolled her eyes, wincing as another hair was pulled.
“You sure school’s going all right? And close your eyes."
Hermione obeyed. "Well, it's pretty nice." Hermione couldn't think of anything else to say about Hogwarts.
"Is that all? What are the teachers like? Are the students all know-it-alls?"
"All of the teachers are very good, although my... erm... chemistry professor is quite loathsome sometimes. And some of the students are completely horrible too, but not many of them are know-it-alls." Quite the opposite, in fact—most of them have no work ethic whatsoever, Hermione thought.
"Huh. They're horrible but they're not know-it-alls? Weird. Do they teach advanced-level courses? They must, if it's so selective."
"Yes, they do," Hermione told Sarah. It wasn't technically a lie, because there were N.E.W.T. level classes there.
"Bet that's fun." There was a pause and Sarah said, "All done. Do you like it?"
Hermione looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She stared. She couldn't take her eyes off herself. She looked... stunning, actually. She'd never known she had any potential of being pretty, but here she was. "Wow... that's amazing," she murmured.
"I know. Thanks." Sarah smiled with satisfaction. "It's not hard to do, either." She proceeded to tell Hermione just how to do every last bit of her makeup.
Finally, after around three minutes, Sarah was finished speaking. "So, what do you want to do now that you look hot?"
Hermione grinned. "Teach me to drive."
Sarah's eyes widened. "I only just got my license. You're only sixteen..."
"Seventeen in September. Please? My parents won't teach me."
"Okay," Sarah gave in. "Have you ever driven before?"
"No."
"Great. Follow me out to the car."
Minutes later, Hermione was trying to drive. "Oh, goodness...this is more difficult than I imagined."
"Well, yes, but... OH, GOD! DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" Sarah shrieked.
Hermione had nearly run over a street sign, but had swerved to avoid it. "Sorry," she mumbled. "As I said, I've never done this before."
"Be more careful. And never look over at me. Keep your eyes focused on the road. Otherwise you'll end up killing us both."
"I know. Sorry."
After what seemed like a lifetime, Sarah told Hermione to turn around and head back to Hermione's own house.
When they arrived, Sarah said, "Hermione, it was nice seeing you again. I could come over for a swim on Wednesday. I'm going to have relatives visiting from tonight up until Tuesday night so I won't be able to come over again until then. How's about it?"
"Uh...er...um..." Hermione stammered. "Actually, that day I'm being picked up to go to another friend's house for the rest of the summer holidays."
"Oh." Sarah looked upset. "Could I stay until they come?"
"I suppose so."
"Great! I'll see you Wednesday, Hermione!" Sarah grinned as Hermione got out of the car and Sarah drove away after switching seats.
Hermione sighed and entered her house.