The owl arrived early on a Saturday morning, before any of them were even awake.
Hermione woke around seven, the infant inside her having woken her up. She walked slowly downstairs and was the first to see the letter lying on the counter. It was addressed to both her and Ron, so she decided to wait until he woke to open it.
An hour later, Ron wandered into the kitchen with their daughter in his arms. Hermione, who had already ate breakfast, told him about the letter and he agreed they should open it together.
She ripped open the letter and read the carefully swirled writing while Ron read over her shoulder. As they got farther down the page, Hermione felt her heart jump to her throat as she collapsed to her knees onto the floor:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,
It is my deepest regret to be the bearer of such terrible news. This morning, at approximately 4:30 am, the bodies of Harry and Ginevra Potter were found in an abandoned alley on the outskirts of London. The bodies showed no sign of any kind of muggle form of killing (stabbed, shot, etc.) therefore, we detect they were killed magically, but the bodies are currently being further examined.
It pains me the most to report these deaths to you because I know how utterly close you were to Mr. and Mrs. Potter. There is no doubt in my mind that they both will be sorely missed by the entire wizarding world.
Regarding their children, they have named the both of you godparents, as you already know. The Ministry requires your attendance in the Auror Department at two o' clock today to discuss further plans.
Again, my greatest remorse goes out to your family.
With infinite sympathy,
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister for Magic
The parchment was crumpled by the time the two were done reading; Hermione's hands were shaking so badly that the letter was in danger of tearing. She sat on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably while Ron, who clutched Rose as well as his wife, cried with his arms around her, his tears leaking into her hair. Rose was only two, but she seemed to sense something was wrong. She stared at her parents with tearless eyes, but she looked scared rather than upset.
Incomprehensible thoughts surged through Hermione's head, leaving her confused and unable to understand anything. How had this happened? Who on earth would go after Harry and Ginny, especially after Harry's triumph over Voldemort? Who would be stupid enough to take on the Boy Who Lived?
These awful thoughts lead to angry thoughts: rage toward Harry and Ginny. The nerve of the two for being so careless! What were they doing out in the outskirts of London in the middle of the night? Did they have no common sense at all?
Hermione's moods were switching like colors in a kaleidoscope. She suddenly felt a rush of sadness and pity for her best friends' children. James, Al, and Lily must be heartbroken, even more so than she was. And now, she and Ron would have to raise them, along with Rose, and the unborn child growing inside her at the very moment…
Hermione didn't remember the rest of the day very well, she only vaguely recalled walking into the Auror Department with Ron and Rose, as if floating, and seeing the rest of the Weasley family already sitting around a huge table, sharing a mixture of emotions that matched hers exactly: distressed, hysterical, solemn, and utterly grave.