Hermione approached the room where she heard Sirius and Harry's voices. She paused at the door as she heard what they were discussing, "We've all got both light and dark in us. What matters is the part we choose to act on." Sirius' words rang through her mind until she heard a throat clear from behind her. Hermione whipped her head around to see Remus smiling at her. She'd been caught. She turned back to room and rapped her knuckles on the door panel. She poked her head into the doorway, "Sorry to inturpt. Harry, they need you upstairs." Harry nodded as he and Sirius walked toward the door.
"When all this is over...we'll be a proper family. You'll see." Sirius embraced his godson. As he did, he saw Hermione smile at them. He could see how much she loved Harry and how happy she was for them both.
Harry turned to her, "Did they say what it was, Hermione?" He didn't want to leave Sirius and she could see it.
"Professor Lupin wants to see you. I don't know why; he didn't say."
Harry sighed. "'Mione, he's not..."
"...our professor. I know; I know." She rolled her eyes at hearing someone tell her that again. It was hard for her to simple call him Remus. He had been her most favourite professor and it made it harder to except that he wouldn't be her professor any more.
Harry laughed as he walked toward the stairs. Hermione was about to follow him when her name was called from the man in the room behind her. "Hermione?" she turned to see Sirius smile to her. "Can I have a word with you for a moment?"
Hermione smiled walking into the room. "Of course, Mr. Black."
Sirius laughed throatly as he leaned against the wall. "Hermione, please call me Sirius. It makes me sound so old to be called 'Mr. Black'." He could see Hermione attempt to conceal the smile creeping its way to grace her beautiful face. Sirius found himself smiling at her politness. As he saw Remus appear in the doorway he remembered what it was he was going to speak to Hermione about. "I know Remus would feel much less old and stuff than he is..."
"Sirius..." Remus entered the room with a look of pure torture adorning his scarred face. He shook his gently to signal for his old friend to silence himself.
"Merlin, Remus...what the bloody hell is wrong?" An instant wave of fear and dread dashed Sirius' calm demeanor.
Remus looked down then at Hermione, who at that point was beyond worried. She had been making a list of all of those who were not with them at Grimmuald Place. She could tell by the way Remus was acting that someone had been hurt or...worse.
"Hermione..." Remus began to tell Hermione the news when Mrs. Weasley came bargining.
The matriarch of the Weasley family, wrapped her arms around Hermione. "My dear girl..." she could hardly control her emotions to tell Hermione what had happened.
"Mrs. Weasley, what is it? What's happened?" Hermione was starting to become frantic. She looked around at all the faces that suddenly started to appear all around her. "What's happened?!" she screamed.
Mrs. Weasley pulled away from the poor girl, "Hermione dear, it's...it's your parents." Hermione gasped shakily. "They've been...attacked."
Mrs. Weasley continued to speak but her words were soon fading into the distance as Hermione started to process this devistation. She looked to Remus Lupin who stood in the corner of the room. Since her discovery of his secret condition last year, he had become her rock and greatest confidant. She spent most of her time away from her family over the summer talking with him and learning so many wonderful things from him. He had even begun to see joy in his life with her around. To be in that situation at that moment and to know the pain Hermione was about to undergo was the worst thing he had experience in so long.
All who were present followed her gaze. Mrs. Weasley let go of the girl as she began to walk toward Remus. Hermione was breathing heavily and shakily when she reached him. "Please Remus, tell me it's not true." Her voice was barely above a whisper. When he said nothing she practically screamed her request again as her restraint broke and she began to crumble to the floor. Remus caught the girl who had become like a daughter to him and held her tight to him as she cried for the lose of her parents. "No, no, no, no..." she whispered into his shirt.
Remus looked up to his best friend standing a few feet away with Harry. "This isn't what is supposed to happen...why...why?" Harry ran to her and Remus wrapping his arms around Hermione.
"I know 'Mione," Harry smoothed his hands through her hair.
She looked up at him with tears still streaming down her face. "I'm alone, Harry...I'm all alone now..." Harry shook his head slowly and Remus took her head between his hands.
He made her look into his face, "Hermione Jane Granger...listen to me...you are not alone! You hear me? I will always be right here with you." Hermione nodded slowly. "Look at all the people in this room." She started to scan the room. "All of them are here for you. You will never be alone as long as you have us and you always will." She nodded managing a small smile for him.