"Wait…repeat that again."
"You're part centaur, Mrs. Granger."
The words crashed down on Hermione like a burning spaceship, falling to earth. But she hadn't felt the impact yet, it was like that split second after you get a cut that you realize that have gotten scraped, and the pain isn't apparent yet. She just stood there, soaking it all in. The messenger quickly said, "I'm sorry, we just got the blood test back yesterday, we were just as surprised as you were…" he gave a half-hearted smile. "Mhmm…" she said, and she suddenly turned nauseous. "Sir, I think I need a moment alone." She said. "Yes, Mrs. Granger." he said, and Hermione ran off to the nearest closet. She locked the door, and sank down into a crouched ball. Her whole life had been flipped upside down just that very moment. What was she going to do? Scream? She couldn't do that; someone would come running in to check on her. Instead, she just sat there and took a deep breath, and considered her options. She made a list in her head of what to do, and number one on it was scream. Number two was to go out there and ask the poor messenger some logical questions. The third was to run away and try and find her real family. The fourth was to just continue on with her life, as if nothing had happened.
She reconsidered these options, scenes playing out in her head as she thought about the news over and over again. She played that skit with the messenger again, trying to remember if he had said anything else. No, she thought, he had only said that I was part centaur and asked me if I wanted a minute alone, nothing else. She gulped and stooped down even lower if that was possible. "A centaur" she breathed. "So what does that explain?" she closed her eyes briefly, then fluttered them open again. Well, it explains why I'm so smart, she thought. But it doesn't explain how I failed divination, since centaurs are supposed to be excellent in that area. Her mind then flashed back to when Harry and Ron, who were still taking divination at that time, told her about Firenze and how his teaching style was different from Trelawney. She made a conclusion that if she was in Firenze's class, she would excel. But what else does that explain? She interrogated herself. It explains the excessive amount of hair on your legs, she joked, then glanced down at her feet and smiled a bit, stifling a giggle. It made her feel lighter about the issue, and began to joke about how much hair she really had. She was interrupted when someone opened the door and bonked her on the head.
"Terribly sorry, Mrs. Granger. Are you alright?" asked a fellow colleague, John Mince. "Yes, I'm perfectly okay, John." said Hermione, straitening herself up and brushing dirt off her robes. "Are you sure? You look as though you've been crying." Asked John suspiciously. Until then, Hermione had not realized that she'd been crying when she was in there. "No, no, I'm fine, John, just go on with your day," Hermione said, blushing as she tried to wipe away any traces of tears. She raced back over to her cubicle, and swiftly sat down. She sank lower in her chair, as a note on her desk said,
"Dear Hermione,
Just wanted to wish you a very happy day for work, and don't get caught up in too many messes! Remember that no matter what, I always love you.
-Ron"
She smiled as she read the note. Ron sent her one every day for the past two years they'd been working together. It wasn't unusual for her to get one. But this one suddenly meant more than anything to her right now. Centaur or not, she would always be Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley forevermore.
She smiled and got back to work.