Well this is my first story so I hope its good. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Ok here it goes…

Digging Deep

CH.1 Broken Silence

Tap… Tap… Tap…

Hermione Granger lay quietly napping on her bed until the incessant tapping awakened her. Opening her eyes, she slowly sat up and looked towards her window. Pigwidgeon was fluttering wildly outside, clearly eager to deliver what mail it had.

Sighing, Hermione let the energetic owl inside. She quickly grabbed the letter tied to one of its legs, ripped it open and read;

Hermione,

Mom and Dad told me that they are going to pick you up on Monday, so pack your stuff and be ready. Well… Harry seems to be doing ok… won't talk much… Mom says that he just needs some space to himself. There hasn't been a lot to do around here, very boring. Fred and George have invented a couple new things that you really don't want to eat. Anyways, I really miss you 'Mione, can't wait to see you!

-Ron

Hermione sighed deeply again, breaking the silence in the room. She glanced at the letter again before crumbling it up and tossing into the trash. She really didn't want that letter to ever come.

The first two weeks of summer holidays were spent as they usually were, at home. But due to the recent death of Sirius Black, her usual happiness and glee were absent. For probably the first time in her life she, Hermione Granger the brains of the operation, was depressed and didn't know a damned thing to fix it. Unfortunately, she had already finished all her summer homework the first week of vacation just trying to keep herself occupied so she wouldn't fall apart. This second week however, was spent sleeping and moping around the house, looking for anything to do.

Her parents were of course baffled by this attitude change in their daughter, mostly because they had no idea of her actions in the wizarding world. Hermione decided in her first year at Hogwarts not to tell her parents about the situation with the Dark Lord. Over the years, so many things had happened and even trying to give a vague explanation would take far to long. This decision caused a rift to form between she and her parents, which couldn't be repaired due to the amount of time she spends at school. So when her parents asked her what was wrong she shrugged and kept to herself.

To be quite honest she had been dreading her return to the wizarding world ever since she left. Just the thought of standing at the doorstep of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place made her sick to her stomach. Granted she wasn't incredibly close to Sirius she felt partially responsible for his departure. In her mind she knew it wasn't her fault, but it sure felt like it.

All she wanted at the moment was to be left alone, but the second she walks through the door at Grimmauld Place that simple want will be shattered. Ron will be as irritating as always, pressuring her into talking to Harry and asking him what's wrong. Not to mention his lack of understanding emotions, especially his crush of Hermione. Fred and George will be as noisy as always, causing loud bangs and crashes, not to mention bursting their mother's bubble. And well who could forget Harry, he will do only two things. One, lash out at anyone who speaks to him because of his raging emotions, and two not talk at all.

Pretty much the only person Hermione will be remotely interested in seeing is Ginny, and even that is a very small percentage. Still, the redhead's chatter will be oddly comforting, just letting Hermione know that there is still one part of the world that has remained the same and unaltered.

After a couple minutes of contemplating not even replying to the letter, Hermione finally grabbed a quill, ink, and some parchment and began to write.

Ron,

I'll be ready for your parent's arrival. See you when I get there.

Hermione

She then waited for Pigwidgeon to stop flying madly around her room so she could give him the note. Moments later he settled down and stuck out his leg so she could tie it on. Opening the window again, she let the owl fly out to deliver it's mail rather enthusiastically.

' This is going to be a very long summer,' she thought while watching the owl's form fade into the horizon. Shaking her head, she went and laid back down in bed, falling into a restless slumber.