What Happens Next?

A/N-This is different from any style of fanfic I've ever done. Please review and tell me how you like it. Insert standard disclaimer here.

"I hope Snuffles made it to you safely. I can't believe Voldemort is back. Hermione." Hermione said the words to herself as she finished her letter to Professor Lupin. She'd been corresponding with him since he had left at the end of her third year. She had been sending owls to him the last year, just as Harry had been sending them to Sirius. She hoped Sirius had reached him quickly, because the last note she had sent him had only said that Harry had faced Voldemort, she hadn't had time to explain more. She had just gotten a frantic letter (they used slower muggle mail in the summer when Hermione didn't have access to school owls) asking if Harry was okay, and she hoped that by now, he knew.

Hermione addressed an envelope and sealed the letter in it. "I'm walking down to the post office Mum, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay hon. We'll probably be at the Stephens' when you get back. I love you."

"I love you too, mum."

"Love you Herm," came her father's deep baritone voice.

"You too dad." They always went through that when she left her house, Hermione didn't mind though.

It was eight p.m., three days after she'd arrived from Hogwarts. The sun was just setting on a beautiful day, she couldn't believe that everything could be so normal with Voldemort back. As she walked down the street the man on the corner was taking out the garbage, and she saw a woman working in the garden. She couldn't believe everything could go on the same way, she wanted to scream that everyone should be worried, not happy.

It was just starting to get dark when she started walking back home. When she was about half-way there, the sky lit up. She looked up; it was the dark mark. She started to run, no, it can't be, it can't be. She reached her block in minutes. "Hermione! Hermione!" she heard Mrs. Stephens calling her name. She ran to the Stephens' porch.

"Mrs. Stephens, what-" she cut off when she saw the three bodies on the porch, her parents and Mr. Stephens, all with terrified looks on their unmoving faces. She started to stumble back, and Mrs. Stephens grabbed her and embraced her.

The woman sounded hoarse, like she was horrified but trying to sound calm, "Alan said you were a wizard. He was one too, he said he could tell. He used to be a very powerful Auror, he fought Death Eaters. He saw too much, after Voldemort was stopped he wanted out. He's been living normally for the last twelve years, wanted nothing to do with wizards.

"Two men came in black cloaks, I could see it out the bedroom window. One said, 'Did you think Voldemort would let you live? You're too powerful. These two ignorant muggles will die too. Because of you, how does that make you feel?' Then he killed them. I could hear the screams." She collapsed down to the steps, Hermione with her, and they sat crying.

* * *

Minutes later, officials from the Ministry began to appear. Mrs. Stephens spoke to them, but Hermione remained curled up on step. She didn't move until someone put their arm around her and spoke, "Hermione? Dumbledore sent me." It was Professor Lupin. "Your parents are... dead. It was Avada Kedavra. Death Eaters came after Alan Stephens, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm taking you back to your house, okay?" They stood up, Hermione supporting herself on Lupin's shoulder, and walked across the street.

Remus followed Hermione slowly up the stairs in her house. She moved slowly, like she was carrying a heavy burden. They turned into her room, and with a flick of his wand her jeans and forest green t-shirt became pajamas. She climbed into bed, and Remus tucked her in the way he would a small child. He performed a sleeping spell, and descended the stairs.

* * *

At eight o'clock the next morning, Remus sat up on the couch. Hermione was coming down the stairs. She was already dressed, and her hair was damp from having already taken a shower. Remus followed her into the kitchen, he poured cereal, and they both sat down.

"How are you doing?" Remus asked the question gently, knowing she had to talk sometime, but not wanting to hurt her more than she had been in the last twelve hours.

"Not too well, I just can't believe it," she said in a small voice, staring into her cereal bowl.

"Do you have any family?" He needed to know, it greatly affected what happened next.

"My Grandparents are dead, and my parents are both only children."

"The- the funerals' are tomorrow. Your parents' and Alan's. Afterwards I'm going to take you to the Weasley's. You can stay there for a while. I can pack everything here up magically, if you want, and your parents' lawyer is going to take care of everything else."

"Yeah," said Hermione blandly.

"If you need to talk..." Hermione remained silent. She finished her cereal and walked up the stairs. Remus went into the family room. He lit a fire, and spoke to Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, and Sirius. He repeated to each that he'd gotten Hermione, that she was okay, and what the short term plans were.

At two o'clock Hermione came down the stairs. She sat on the couch and stared into space. Even though it was the middle of summer, Remus made them chicken-noodle soup and grilled cheese. Hermione ate without a sound. When she was finished she sat back into the couch.

Everything suddenly came spilling out. She told Remus about her parents, what she would miss about them, and how scared she was. For five hours she sat on the couch, Remus across from her in a chair, and they talked. By seven-thirty Hermione felt like there was nothing left to say, and she was also exhausted. She went upstairs and for the next thirteen hours, slept a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day passed in a blur. She sat next to Lupin at the funeral, saw the Weasley's, Harry with them, and heard speeches by friends of her parents and Mr. Stephens. The next thing she knew, Remus had packed a bag for her, and using floo powder, she was being dropped off at the Weasley's.

Ron had gone to stay in the twins room, she had his room to herself. She stayed in there for six days, Mrs. Weasley bringing her meals up to her. She wanted to work through her feelings on her own before she had to deal with Mrs. Weasley's concerned looks, and Ron's feeble attempts at comforting her. The sixth night, just as Molly was really beginning to worry, she came down.

A/N-Okay, that's the first part. I hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review. I'm going to try and get the next part up in the next day or so, unless I get all bad reviews or no reviews at all. (as in, please review folks!!) Thanks to everyone who's reviewed my other stories.

BTW, my beta-reader thought this might be heading for a Remus/Hermione romance. It is most definitely not. Just wanted to clear that up. I've noticed a couple of those on FF.net recently, and they're good stories, but I'm not writing one, so don't worry.