A/N- I would just like to state that this is just a short introduction- all the rest of the chapters will be MUCH, MUCH longer. I hope that you'll enjoy this fic, and I'll post choices for what happens in the next chapter later on in the story. Shades of Gray will be much different from my other fanfiction; Embrace the Darkness. Check it out! Also read New Worlds, New Views by lana_la_banana!

Disclaimer----I do not own Harry Potter or any characters, objects, or ANYTHING affiliated with it.  It all belongs to JK Rowling, except the plot.

Bio—As Hermione's world comes crashing down around her, and Draco finds himself having a chance to choose the rest of his life, the war is at its peak. When the two students are thrown together, how will they cope with their lives changing around them? They'll soon discover that not everything is black and white, and their lives have many shades of gray.

Shades of Gray

Chapter One- Uncovering Despair

Hermione walked up the cement sidewalk, the sun beating down upon her smooth brown hair. Her new shopping discoveries, books of course, bounced jauntily in her hands as she practically skipped down her avenue. She turned the corner onto her street and froze as her eyes darted to a terrifying symbol floating above her house. One shaking foot stepped slowly forward, her package clattering to the ground. One more inch forward, as the lazy wind blew against her face, contrasting with her racing mind. Willing herself to wake up from this living nightmare, to return to reality, she took another step, and another, faster and faster.

          Her feet pounded the ground, her hair flinging behind her as she ran to the door, her screams ripping from her throat. Sobs and cries of pain and defiance echoed through the entrance hall, and the door swung back and forth, disregarded. Hermione sprinted up the stairs, screaming.

          "Mom! Dad! Where are you! Answer me! Dear Merlin, please answer me!" Her desperate cries reverberated in her ears, and the silence seemed deafening.

          "Where are you!" Flinging open the heavy mahogany door of her parents room, she threw herself, panicked, through the doorway. Her eyes fell upon two figures, crumpled on the ground. Backing to the wall, Hermione shook her head back and forth, refusing to face the harsh reality that was laid before her.

          "No. No. NO!" Hermione fell to her knees, ignoring the harsh scrape of the carpet. Crawling forward, her chest heaving, the broken girl drew herself closer to her parents' bodies. Hot, bitter tears cascaded down her face, dripping off of her chin and splattering silently on the floor. Her hands clenched the carpet and she succumbed to the despair that overtook her.

          Professor McGonagol hurtled through the halls of Hogwarts, racing towards the office of Professor Dumbledore. She skidded around a corner, her messy bun flopping on her back. The dignified teacher sprinted, very unlike her normal self, the rest of the way to a stone statue.

"Fizzing Whizbees," she whispered as she panted for breath erratically. Running quickly through the doorway, time seemed to slow as the headmaster turned around to face his Transfiguration professor with his normal vibrant smile spread across his face. The grin slipped with a crash as his eyes took in the sad and almost panicked look plastered onto her face.

"Whatever is wrong, Minerva?" Inhaling shakily, she slumped into the nearest chair.

"It's the Grangers, Albus."

"Has something happened?" A puzzled frown appeared on Dumbledore's face as he contemplated what could possibly have happened to the most intelligent student at Hogwarts and her family. Only silence greeted his question as Mcgonagol's head dropped slowly to her chest.

"Minerva?" Dumbledore questioned in an increasingly worried voice. She slowly raised her head to face him, with tears glinting in her eyes.

"Hermione's parents were murdered. By Deatheaters."

~~end of chapter~~~

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