A/N: Hi, this is my first fanfic. It's set in the 7th year so disregards books 7 and also book 6. Let me know what you think.
Chapter 1- And so it begins...
Hermione Granger. Daughter of Graham and Jane Granger. Best friend of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prefect from the 5th year. And now Head girl in her 7th and final year.
She was proud of herself. This was what she'd hoped for since her first year. Her parents were ecstatic too, it wasn't often they could understand things that went on at Hogwarts, but being made head girl was something they could.
It was the second week of August and today she was leaving for the Burrow to spend the rest of her holidays with Harry and the Weasleys.
Her parents drove her into London where she was meeting Mr Weasley at the Ministry of Magic. He was going to take her to the Burrow using side-along-apparition because of the wards on the house.
She stood next to the red phone box that was used as the visitor's entrance to the Ministry and prepared to say goodbye to her parents.
"We're so proud of you my darling! You deserve this so much after all your hard work." Her Mother said, she was a little teary as she always was when it came to saying goodbye before her daughter left.
"You show everyone what you're made of!" said her Father. "We love you so much, enjoy your last year at school."
"I will." She told them before hugging them both and stepping towards the phone box. "I love you both."
"Love you too." They both replied as she closed the door.
Hermione had arrived at the Burrow 20 minutes later and was greeted by Harry and Ginny. Ron had gotten a summer job helping Fred and George in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She been pleased to see her friends, the summer holidays always seemed so long when she didn't see the people she was used to seeing everyday at school.
Hermione was now sat in the front room of the Burrow with Harry, Ginny and Fred. Ron and George were still working at Weasleys Wizard Weazes, Fred taking his turn for an evening off. They had been talking for the past couple of hours, catching up on all the goings on in the wizarding world and drinking butterbeer.
The others had moved the conversation on to quidditch. Hermione sat back in her chair, admitting to herself that as dearly as she loved her friends, she'd much rather be curled up reading one of her books than discussing which of the tactical moves Ginny and Fred thought had been the best when they'd recently been to see the Holyhead Harpies play against the Chudley Cannons.
Noticing that all of their mugs of butterbeer were now empty, she decided to make herself of use.
"Does anyone else want more butterbeer?" She asked, they all replied with a fervent yes.
"I'll get it." Said Ginny starting to get to her feet as Hermione made her way towards the kitchen
"It's fine, I've got it." She called back
As Hermione reached into the cupboard and pulled out the large bottle of butterbeer, she heard her phone ringing in the living room.
"Can someone answer my phone please?" Hermione shouted to the others. The mobile had been a present for her 16th birthday last year. The Weasleys were all at a loss to understand it. Mr Weasley in particular had been fascinated of course; she'd spent over an hour last Christmas trying to explain all the different things the phone did to him.
"HELLO!" She heard Ginny shout, obviously still not comfortable with the idea of using a phone. "Yes she's here, I'll just get her." She said before entering the kitchen and handing Hermione the phone.
"It's your aunt." She said
"Oh." Said Hermione wandering what her aunt could possibly want. She figured she wasn't calling for a catch up.
She took the phone and leaned against the kitchen unit holding the butterbeer in her other hand.
"Hello." She answered.
"Hermione." She paused. Hermione noted her serious tone, now she was certain she definitely wasn't calling just for a chat. She stood up properly and moved away from the unit.
"Aunt Elaine, what is it?" She said feeling worry flood over her and settle in the pit of her stomach.
"This isn't easy," Elaine replied. "Hermione, there's been an accident, a car crash." Her voice was shaky as if she was struggling to hold it together.
"Elaine you're scaring me, please just tell me straight. What's happened?" Hermione was panicking now.
"Your parents are dead Hermione." She said gently
Hermione felt as though someone had plunged a hand straight into her chest and gripped it tightly around her heart. There was a loud smash as the bottle slipped through her fingertips and shattered around her feet. Her head was consumed with shock. She could hear the others calling from the other room.
"Hermione, are you ok?" Harry's voice echoed as though she was hearing it through water.
"Hermione?" It was Ginny's voice calling this time; her voice came clearer as Hermione's thoughts started to come back into her mind. She realised she was still holding the phone in her hand, her aunt still on the line.
"I, I have to go." She whispered into the phone, hanging up before her aunt could say anymore. For she could not bear to hear anymore. She didn't want to know any of the details, or what she was supposed to do next. Because hearing any of that would make all this seem real. And this could not be real, because her parents could not be dead. They were her mum and dad and it just wouldn't register in her mind. She wanted to pick up the phone and ring her aunt back so that she could tell her this had all been a dreadful mistake.
"Hermione." Harry was standing in the doorway now, worry etched across his face. Fred and Ginny were standing behind him. "What happened?"
He walked over to her and pulled her away from the shards of broken glass on the floor before putting his hands on her shoulders and looking into her face. She tried to come to her senses.
"Umm, there's been a car crash," She stuttered her voice cracking. "My parents, they're, they're dead."
It had taken all her strength to utter those words and she had nothing left as the reality set in. She became aware of the hot tears falling down her cheeks as Harry pulled her close to his chest and put his arms around her.
"Mi' I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair.
"Oh no. I'm sorry too." Ginny said softly rubbing Hermione's back in sympathy.
Eventually Harry pulled away from Hermione and put his arm around her shoulder, steering her back towards the living room. When they reached the sofa she sank down into it. Her tears had lessened now and she felt strangely numb. There were so many emotions waiting to spill over but her body wouldn't allow it. As if letting herself break down would take her body with it, and she didn't know how she'd ever be able to get back up. She knew that eventually she would have to let all these emotions out, but for now she preferred the numbness.
"Here you go." Ginny said as she placed a glass of water in front of Hermione. She turned her head to look at it but didn't pick it up.
"Thanks." She said as Ginny sat next to her on the other side. George had sat in the armchair opposite. They sat in silence for a while, it felt like hours but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. Harry, Ginny and George were all
in shock too, none of them knowing quite what to say. Hermione was grateful to them just for sitting there with her though.
