New Blood.

The characters (except Jeremiah and Charlie the dragon) are own by J.K. Rowling herself.


An Unexpected Favor.

The Sun was shining in her eyes when she woke up. She grabbed her pillow, and she stuck it on her face. Hermione Granger's mornings were always so hard. Half an hour later she finally stood up from her bed, and she dressed up. Her black school-robes were a bit dirty, but this was the last day she spent here, in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Because our girl here was a 15 years old witch, wo spent her 5th year here, in her school. Beeing a witch wasn't an easy thing, but for her, it was fun. She spent her most beautiful years here with her two best friends, the red-haired Ron Weasley, and the "famous" Harry Potter. She giggled. Yeah, her time here was really "interesting". But her little laughter faded away, when she thought of the event whitch happened lately. Sirius Black, her friend, and the godfather of Harry Potter was killed in the Ministry of Magic, when he fought with Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard of their time, and his loyal servitors, the Death-Eaters. Though everyone survived with not more than scratches, Sirius died. Harry fell in a bad melancoly after this, and he didn't fully recovered from it.

She took a deep, sad breath, and she went down the stairs to the common room. The room was empty, no one were there. Maybe they are on the ceremony. Just as she thought this, the portrait hole opened, and the head of Professor Minerva McGonagall appeared.

"Miss Granger, the Headmaster is waiting for you in his office." She said in a harsh voice, and she left. Hermione was shocked for a moment, but she recovered fastly, and she went through the portrait hole herself. Hermione walked slowly to the stone griffin, which guarded Dumbledore's office. 'What does he want from me?' She was a bit confused about things. She didn't do anything wrong. Did she?

"Ehmmm..." she said when she reached the statue "I don't really know the password." It looked like the griff didn't need any of that thing, because it just sprung out of the way, and a door opened, with a moving stairway behind it. She stepped on it, and it moved her to a big door, the entrance of the Headmaster's Office. After a loud "Come in!" she moved in the room. The portraits of the past Headmasters were still sleeping. Dumbledore was, as always, sitting behind his big table, reading somekind of parchment. He didn't looked up, until the door closed behing Hermione, making a loud noise. He raised he's blue eyes on her face and finally spoken out: "Please sit down." She did.

"Miss Granger, I know how surprised you can be now, on the last day of the school. But there is a serious reason I've called you here."
"I'm listening Sir." she said with respect. Oh, my God what have I done? She was really scared.
"Well then." his eyes were shining secretly. "I have a request for you. It's more like a favor, but this is the biggest thing I have ever asked from a student. Or even an adult. I need you to do something for me on the summer."
She stroke her bushy hair. Her brown eyes were fixed on Dumbledore. "I will do it if I can Headmaster." she said.
"Don't be so harsh with words Miss Granger." he laughed. "It will only take for a month or two. I've already owled your parents about it. They aggred in helping me." he stopped speaking. He stroke his silvery beard, and placed his half-moon glasses on his crooked nose. Hermione was really afraid now. She was confused. Dumbledore involved her parents in a Hogwarts business? But her parents are Muggles! This is getting really weird now.

"Miss Granger I need you to take care of someone."
"What?" she broke out. It wasn't a polite question, and she realised it. She whispered a silent sorry, but she was too interested to think about excuses.
"You heard it clear." Dumbledore seemed a bit tired and troubled. "His name is Jeremiah Dawn. He's a fifthteen years old boy, who lives in the Goldmourn Orphenage."
"Orphenage?" She asked, but she realised fastly, that she was really rude. "Yes sir." she said.
"As I was saying..." continued Dumbledore "That boy is one of us. I was able to watch him through the years, but now, as Voldemort had risen again, I barely have time to live myself..." he laughed silently, and he continued fastly. From this view, Hermione saw the Professor really old, and tired. "The truth is: I need your help Miss Granger. Mr. Dawn is really talented in the Arts, and he's as intelligent as you are" Hermione blushed "he isn't really a social person. I need your understanding and patience. The Orphenage he lives in will close in July. As far as I know he doesn't have any relatives or friends to go to, and I can't be with him, so I thought about you." This was the least thing Hermione was thinking about. She has to take a boy in? This...this is very suprising. I would never...never thought about this. She sat there, before Dumbledore, shocked. "Well Sir, I... I don't really know what to say. I'm honored, about you thinking of me in the first place, but..." She ran out of words.

"I know this wasn't expected Miss Granger. It's your choice after all. But think this out wisely please. That's all I've ask of you now."
The portraits were starting to wake up, greeting the Professor, and Hermione as well. She didn't heard them. She was thinkingh hardly. This was really, as Dumbledore had just said "unexpected" but she knew, that the Headmaster is counting on her to agree. And her parents said yes anyway...
"I will help Professor." she said in a strong voice. "I will do wathever I can."
Dumbledore stood up, laughing "I knew I can count on you! Thank you Miss Granger!" he really looked like a happy kid right now. Hermione smiled. Dumbledore walked a few circles in his room, and sat down again.
"Than I will tell you the details." he started "I think the Orphenage will close on the 21th of July, though it's not sure. You need to be there for him on the 20th of July. He knows you will come, I dared to say it to him..." he smiled "To be honest, I never thought you will say: no. So he will stay with you from that day, and he will start his 6th year with you. That is all. Let's go to the ceremony now. I think we're already late..."

They stood up, and walked down the stairs. Hermione saw the griffin statue to jump back at it's place, when they left. The corridors were empty. Nearly every one in this school were downstairs.
"Can I ask something Professor?" she said.
"Of course."
"If he's one of us, why didn't I ever see him here, in Hogwarts?"
"Because he wasn't here with you." came the simple answer.
"But...why?"
"Let's say, that he needed a more... lonely education." he said in a strong voice. The chat ended with this last sentance. They hurried down the marvel stairs, and opened the great doors lead to the students and teachers of the school, sitting at their long tables, speaking loudly. As their entered the large place everyone silenced. Hermione sat down bethween the curious Ron and the shocked Harry, as Dumbledore walked to the teacher's table, and started his end-term speech.
"What happend Hermione?" asked Ron silently. "We thought you will miss the ceremony."
"Yeah, we were worried" whispered Harry. "Where were you?"
She began the story with her meeting McGonagall in the portrait hole, to the end of Dumbledore's speech. Her friends heard her out, shocked.

"How could he ask this from you?" started Ron with a little anger in his voice. Hermione whispered something, not very friendly. It was a fact, that Ron had a crush on her, and now he was jelous. Well quite understandable, because she will be in a house with a boy at the same age as she is. Harry grinned as he thought the same thing. He thought it was really funny, so he packed a little more anger on his friend.
"So you will have a little adventure in the summer Hermione?" he said with an evil smile on his face. "Maybe he will be really nice."
Hermione looked at him, first suprised, but then she understood what he ment to do."Yeah, he can be. I hope he will..." It was lucky, that the end-term feast began, so Ron could eat his anger. Harry nearly fell off the chair, he laughed so hard. Hermione instead was calm. What if Harry will be right? To be honest... I'm the only girl in our class, who never ever had a real boyfriend. I feel a little lonely. I know I have Harry and Ron, but they are more like brothers to me. Well... there's Ron... but I don't love him. And I'm not sure I could...

She ate quietly, thinking of her summer. The time now began to ran really fast. First time she was eating her meal, than she was in her room, packing, and than she was waiting for the Hogwarts Express to arrive to Hogsmade Station with Ron and Harry. Ron became very melancolic after she told him Dumbledore's favor. He was 100% jelous. Harry was laughing on his behavior. "I always new you guys will end up together." he said always, when he saw his two friends arguing. Hermione gave him her most evil look to shut him up, but Harry never stopped laughing. Well... Hermione thought, when their train arrived at the atation I'm happy he's happy. After Sirius' death this is a good start!

She was happy for Harry, but Ron was nearly unbearable. He was asking her nearly every minute "Can I invite you to the Burrow instead?" and she answered every time "No Ronald. Dumbledore's counting on me." but he never stopped. Once he asked again, Hermione shouted on her "Stop it! Now! I don't want to be with you on the summer!" With this simple sentance she hurt Ron to the bones. He stood there, on the corridor of the train, than he walked, and sat down in their compartment. Hermione went to the toilet, and stayed there along the trip. As the train stopped, she ran for her trunk, said goodbye to Harry, and hurried out of the Express. She passed the magical barrier bethween the muggle London and the 9 and 3quarters train-stop. She saw her parents at King's Cross, waiting for her.

"Mum! Dad! I'm here!" Jane and William Granger saw their daughter running towards them, pulling her trunk behind her. Mr Granger hurried to her to help. Hermione fastly kissed her father on his cheek, than she went to her mother, and kissed her the same way. They didn't speak, until they all sat in the car. Mr. Granger put his keys into the keyhole, and the car engines started their work. As they were driving home, Mrs. Granger looked at Hermione. She was staring outside the window, with a gloomy expression on her face.

"What's the matter dear?" Jane asked.
"You know it Mum." her answer was short and cold.
"Is he a problem?" asked Mr Granger more openly.
"Not with him. With... others." she took a deep breath, and she started speaking. "My friend, Ron, who has a crush on me, is jelous, and on the train I shouted on him."

Mr and Mrs Granger now looked on each other for a moment. "And do you like him? I mean Ronald."
Hermione answered with a strong voice. "As a brother, yes. But nothng more."
The parents looked at each other again, and they shook their heads. "Yough." they said when they had to stop at a red lamp. Hermione grimaced. She thought of Dumbledore. She knew him, and she knew how he can care about his students. But what he asked now... An Unexpected Favor...