Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters that look remotely familiar to you… so please don't sue me!
A/N: This is my first attempt at a first chapter of my first fanfic ever! That's a lot of firsts! So, please read and review!
Changes
A girl slowly stirred from what seemed like a trance as she turned the page of her potions book. The dorm around her was dark with the exception of her parchment littered desk. The sounds of deep breathing and snores could be heard around her as she sighed and pushed the mahogany chair away from her desk. Standing up and putting g the final touches on the notes she had just been working on, the auburn haired girl gathered all of the papers, notes, and books, snuffed out the candle, and crawled into her bed, quickly falling asleep.
Hermione loved finals not only because she was the brightest witch in her year and she could prove her worth to all of the pig-headed pureblood fanatics, but because it meant that she would be able to go home for the summer. It wasn't that she didn't have friends or a good time at school, it was because she could spend her time with her family7 and her old friends. Home brought her back to a time before Voldemort, pureblood prejudice, and fear for Harry and Ron. They would of course stay in close contact over the summer, and she would probably go to Grimmauld Place halfway through the vacation. This didn't take from the fact that summer brought some removal from everything that was plaguing her mind recently. This escape did wonders for her sanity, as after her summer homework was finished (usually the weekend after her return home) the summer belonged to her parents and her hometown friends alone.
As she lay on hr perfect Hogwarts bed, she stared at the crimson canopy. Her eyes slowly began to get heavier as she drifted off to sleep. The blackness surrounding her made Hermione feel heavy and too warm to move. Suddenly, she felt like she was at home.
Hermione's room surrounded her. The same violent shade of lilac, all of her things, and her bed were exactly as she left them. A large vase of flowers were arranged on her desk with a sticky sporting "WELCOME HOME!" in big pink letters. Her computer had at least ten instant message windows popped up on the screen. Two of them were from Jess, who was her best female friend. One was from her cousin Amy who lived in Salem Massachusetts in the States. She wrote about the very real possibility of an exchange program to England due to Voldemort's (Moldy Voldy's according to Amy) return to power. Because the majority of the witches and wizards in Salem were muggleborns, they had a high risk of being attacked. She stopped reading as she listened to her mother bustling around the cellar. The lawn mower was going outside, and everything seemed perfect. A warm breeze floated lazily through her window to settle around her, yet suddenly a chill ran down her spine. The lawn mower had stopped abruptly, and everything was silent. All of the sudden Hermione heard her mother's scream, and saw a brilliant flash of light.
Hermione shot out of bed. Sweat was dripping off of her nose and slowly down her back. With a loud bang, the dormitory door was shoved open and Hermione looked to the threshold to see Professor McGonagall standing solemnly over her.
"Ms. Granger, will you please come with me?" the professor asked with a hint of sadness and uncertainty in her voice. She didn't phrase her words as a question, rather a tight lipped command to be followed right away and without question. As they reached Dumbledore's office, McGonagall dutifully stated, "I love cockroach clusters." And the stone gargoyle jumped out of the way to reveal the staircase to the headmaster's office. Under any other circumstance, Hermione would have doubled over laughing at her strict head of house proclaiming love for the foul tasting candies, however, the dream held her in a sense of foreboding. Hermione held her breath as she reached the top of the stairs, willing professor Dumbledore to tell her that she had murdered Draco Malfoy in her sleep, or was being held as a suspect to setting a herd of wild hippogriffs free in Honey Dukes candy shop. She willed him to say anything but what she knew that he was going to ultimately tell her. Her thoughts were interrupted as Dumbledore slowly, cautiously spoke those dreaded words to her.
"Ms. Granger, I understand that this may come as a bit of a shock to you, but your parents were attacked this afternoon by a band of death eaters. I'm very sorry for your loss." She stared down at her hands in a state of grief induced distress. The elderly continued. "Your parents along with the Weasley's, were attacked at the same time. Two of the death eaters were found and captured at the scene by none other than our own Mr. Potter. He apparently had a vision as he is known to do at sometimes, and rushed to the aid of your parents. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are now in Azkaban and awaiting their trial for murdering innocent civilians. Young Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley are all waiting for you in the next room. If you would please join them, I will be there in one moment."
Hermione numbly stood up and stumbled through the door to the right of the circular office. The second her foot creaked on the floorboards, two sets of shaking, sobbing arms engulfed her into a rich, warm hug of friendship. As the three friends sat and cried, she looked over Ron's shoulder to see Malfoy with his blond hair messed and ruffled, no longer carrying himself with perfect posture and grace. He stood in a corner of the room, facing the wall with his back hunched in a stony silence. Hermione's mind quickly flicked back to her friends and the tragedy that they faced as Dumbledore strode into the room and faced the saddened students that sat before him.
"The world outside of these walls, due to current events, is too dangerous for you to be sent to your other relatives. You four will therefore be spending your summer within Hogwarts. Harry and Ron, you will go back to your house dormitory. However, you two," he said as he pointed a long finger at Draco and Hermione "will be living in the new prefect quarters. You will find your common room near the transfiguration wing. Come up with your own password, and there are portraits within the common room that lead to your house common rooms. That will be all for now. You'd best be off to bed, I will have some sandwiches be send up to you."
The sullen group of teenagers got up and slowly walked out of the head master's office, their minds heavy with thoughts of families and revenge.