Chapter 1 – Under the Impression

Dear Miss Granger,

We are terribly sorry to inform you that at 11:19 pm on Saturday, August 14th your parents Jane Elizabeth Granger and Michael Stuart Granger were found dead in their home in Muggle London. Aurors found large traces of dark magic present. Seeing as both victims were probed for information before their deaths, we have reason to believe that their lives were lost at the hand of the Dark Lord. Therefore, no further investigation shall be conducted.

You can collect the Grangers' personal effects at the Ministry from August 20th through August 30th. If you are unable to do so, they shall be sent to you by owl at a later date.

We are terribly sorry for your loss.

Our Regards,

Tobias Minkins

Hermione laughed as she placed the near-torn page back in its original envelope. She'd read it so many times that it was quite close to turning to ashes before her very eyes. And each time she read it, it seemed to mock her a little bit more. i 'Your parents, Jane Elizabeth and Michael Stuart' they'd used her parents middle names, as if trying to prove that they knew them well enough to make their 'regards' real.'Probed for information', that meant tortured, she wasn't stupid. 'you can collect…through August 30th'it sounded as if she'd one some kind of contest. 'Our Regards, Tobias Minkins'.

"No, my regards, Tobias Minkins, anyone with a name like that must be one miserable fool."

She replaced the letter into her bag and stepped out of the carriage and looked up at Hogwarts. Seeing all the other students happy and catching up, she reached instinctively for the envelopes in her bag: one being the notice of her parents' death, the other being her letter from Dumbledore informing her that she'd been chosen as Head Girl. She convinced herself that the comfort she'd been seeking (in reaching for the envelopes) was in hers from Hogwarts, but inside…she doubted it.

It had only been two weeks, after all. She'd carried that letter around everywhere. In her mind, it was like a piece of her parents, the only thing she had left. She was still hurting, probably always would.

She looked up again at the great oak doors but found no comfort there. And her hands reached for the letters again.

She'd been away when it happened; indulging herself with a weekend with her best mates at the Burrow. They'd had a spectacular weekend. As she was packing on Sunday in order to return home in a few hours, she received an owl, one that was quite official looking. She had the fleeting impression that it was her letter from Hogwarts, come early, because it was obvious that she was Head Girl.

But the seal on the letter didn't look like that of Hogwarts. Opening the letter, we know what she found. With a cry of agony, she crumpled to the floor of Ginny's room.

That's where the twins found her, but by then she was all dried up, and no tears were to be seen. She was sitting there: nose red, eyes puffy, staring blankly at the wall. She wouldn't say a word, not even when prompted by Harry and Ron.

They finally found the letter on the floor some five feet away. They each read it and feigning sad faces passed it to the next person. Ron was last. He looked up with solemn eyes when finished, "Oh, Hermione. I'm s-"

But the look in her eyes, it was pleading for him not to finish. That look broke his heart and he couldn't continue. He just hugged her, Harry joined them.

Some time later an owl flew in and dropped her Hogwarts letter onto the pillow.

And in the first sound she'd made since she'd received the original letter, she laughed at the cruel irony.

Harry and Ron found her rather quickly in the crowd, for she was the only one getting out of a carriage by herself. She barely noticed how they looked at the ground when they talked to her, how they tried to make her parents death not all that bad. She heard Harry mention that they could be there for each other, because his parents were gone too.

They each took one of her hands and led her to the steps and into the Great Hall, decorated splendidly for the commencement of the year. Her mind wandered during the Sorting Hat's song, and even still during the sorting. While other Gryffindors stood and cheered as first years were sorted into the house Hermione remained seated, completely motionless.

"And as a last announcement, this year's Head Boy and Girl are Draco Malfoy," boos erupted all around her, she made no sound, she'd expected him to be selected, "and Hermione Granger." She faked a smile as the other end of the hall exploded in boos, it was the Slytherins naturally.

"Congratulations, Hermione!"

"Yeah. Nice job."

"We always knew you could do it."

"Well, of course she could. She's bloody brilliant."

"That's enough, Ronald." She finally spoke up. He looked at the table again, "Sorry." He mumbled.

She had to be honest; she'd never expected that announcement to go that way. She'd expected to see herself with a big smile, spurting "thank you"s and receiving hugs. But right now, she didn't care. She just wanted to go to bed.

She ate very little during the feast and only spoke when directly addressed by Harry, Ron or Ginny.

"So, Hermione, will you work with me in Potions again this year?" She heard it, but barely. She assumed it was Neville, she didn't respond and eventually he dropped the subject.

She heard Ron say to him, "Don't worry, mate. She's just had a rough summer is all. I'm sure she'd be glad to help you. Right, Hermione?"

"Mmm."

"See, I told you."

From what Hermione understood she was to retrieve Malfoy and visit Dumbledore's office in order to receive information about this year and their responsibilities. She was dreading this most of all; hopefully he wouldn't say anything about her parents in front of the git. Then again, Malfoy probably knew all about her parents' death, his father was part of ol' Voldie's inner circle. She continuously checked the time, doing the math to figure out exactly how many seconds of solitude she had left before she'd have to see the king of the dolts.

Before long the hall started to clear out as prefects took the younger students back to their houses. To her great surprise Malfoy found her first.

"Ready to go, Mudblood?"

There was no witty comeback to his 'greeting' which surprised him a bit. But he let it be as they moved toward the main staircase outside the Great Hall.

She kept reminding herself that the only reason she was here this year was because she was Head Girl.

Author's Note: Let me know what you think. Review please.