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Hermione paced back and forth in front of her oak writing desk, her mind was racing and she couldn't bring herself to sit down. There was a small gold box setting on the desk, the box that was the cause of her current unrest. Damn it all! She thought to herself as she realized that she was once again chewing on her already nub like fingernails.

It was her 17th birthday today, it was supposed to be a good day. She had planned on flooing to the Burrow that afternoon to visit with Ron and Harry and have a small party. Those plans had been dashed however when an owl had flown in through the window during breakfast. Naturally Hermione had risen to receive the parchment that was attached to the majestic birds leg, but when she reached for it she was promptly pecked on the hand in a rather harsh manner. Scowling she watched the bird hop across the table to land directly in front of her mother. She noticed the color from her mothers face start to slowly drain as her trembling fingers reached for the letter. As soon as the letter was detached the owl spread it's wings and took off out the window. It wasn't until her mother had opened the letter and was steadily growing more pale as she read that Hermione realized she had been holding her breath.

"What's it say mom?" Hermione asked letting out the air that she had been holding in. Her mother looked up at her and for the first time Hermione noticed the pools that were gathering in the older woman's eyes and a single tear run down her cheek. Her mother didn't answer Hermione's question but instead turned to her husband who was now looking slightly panicked, and handed him the letter. As he read his face became solemn and withdrawn. He looked up to Hermione with a look that made her heart sink. "Daddy, what's wrong?" Her mind immediately flew to Harry and Ron. Did something happen to them? Was there an attack on the Burrow? She could feel a panic attack coming on. In these times you never new what to expect. Looking at her father with pleading eyes she asked again. "What's happened?"

Her father seemed to shake himself from his own thoughts and simply said; "Hermione your mother and I need to tell you something. We haven't been entirely honest with you."

After her father had read the letter he called a family meeting in the den. As she sat and listened to her parents explanation her heart ached in disbelief. Her mother told her how for years after they were married they had been trying to conceive a child with no results and they didn't have the money to adopt. They had all but given up hope when a baby in a basket appeared on their front porch one night. There were two letters in the basket with the child one addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Granger and the other simply said For Her.

Inside the first envelope was a letter explaining that the child in the basket was up to them to name. It also said that she was very loved and because she was so loved they had to find her a safe loving home. The letter asked the Grangers to take her in and raise her as her own. There were also instructions that the second letter was to be opened upon the child's 17th birthday by the child herself. Her parents had tried multiple times over the years to open the second letter but to no avail. After they found out that Hermione was a witch they figured out that the envelope most have been magically sealed, after that point the letter went into a box that had been hidden in the back of her parents closet, and forgotten. It wasn't until they had received a letter from the ministry of magic stating that their adopted daughters biological family had requested to meet with her, that they had remembered the small gold box that they had carefully hidden.

Her parents said they had debated for a long time whether or not to tell Hermione that she was adopted. Her mother feared that Hermione would not love her as much if she knew the truth. It was a silly fear, she knew, but in her heart she couldn't risk telling her precious baby the truth.

After the explanation her mother tearfully handed Hermione a small jewelry box. Hermione looked into her mothers eyes and let out a sob of her own. Flinging her arms around the woman who had given her such an amazing life. No one could replace her mother. This was her mother no matter what those damned letters said. As the ended their embrace Hermione looked up to her father who had not said a word since leaving the kitchen. He was sitting in his favorite chair gazing at his little girl. Realizing for the first time that she had turned into a beautiful young woman. Hermione ran to him and threw her arms around his neck he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She heard a shudder escape him and pulled back. It made her cry even harder, because a tear had silently slid down his cheek. She had never seen her father cry, it turned her into a blubbering mess and held him even closer.

"You will always be my baby girl, forever and ever." He whispered in her ear.

"Forever and ever Daddy." She replied as she pulled out of the embrace. She used the back of her sleeve to wipe away the tears and tried to give her parents a weak smile. Her mother then stood up from the couch and taking her husbands hand said, "We will leave you alone so that you may read your letter in private, just remember how much we love you." They then left the room and went outside to sit in the sun and console each other. Hermione picked up the box slowly from the side table that it had been set on and proceeded to her room. Slowly shutting the door behind her.

So her she was pacing in her room eyes never leaving the box that rested on her writing desk. Finally she took a deep breath grabbed the box and sat down on her bed. As her slender fingers slowly lifted to the lid a sudden feeling of dread and curiosity filled her. In the box was 2 letters. The one that had been addressed to her parents and the unopened letter simply addressed To Her. She briefly looked over the letter to her parents merely skimming as her mother already told her what it contained. The handwriting looked oddly familiar to her and it wasn't until she saw the signature that she realized that Dumbledore had been the one to write the letter. She smiled to herself, why wasn't she surprised? It seemed Dumbledore had his hand in just about everything that happened in the magical world. Smiling fondly to herself she carefully folded up the slightly yellowing parchment and slid it back into the envelope and then the box.

She then reached for the second letter this one was slightly heavier as if there was something other than a letter in the envelope. She slid her finger under the flap and carefully and surprisingly easily opened the letter. As she tipped it upside down A thin gold chain slid out. The necklace had a small coat of arms with the letter "P" resting atop the crest that was encrusted with emeralds and diamonds. It was absolutely beatiful. Hermione carefully laid it to the side and with shaky fingers she picked up the letter.

My darling daughter,

I don't have much time to write and for that I truly apologize. I cannot at this time tell you who I am. But I want you to know that I love you more than anything in this world, and it pains me that I have to send you away. I have been watching the couple that you will be sent to for a while. I have full confidence that they will raise you with all the love that I wish I could have. If I had any other choice I would keep you with me. Your mother died just hours after you were born. But the look in her eyes when she saw you for the first time showed me how much she loved you. I wish that you could have met her.

There are a few things I need to tell you. This letter is charmed to be opened by only your hands once you have reached majority. There are several reasons for this, the most important being that if this letter fell into the wrong hands it could endanger not only my life but yours as well. Also, once we came to the decision that I would leave you with the Grangers, I preformed a charm of my own design to change your appearance, this spell can only be removed by myself. This is once again an attempt to keep you safe, however it will also protect you from myself. I can't allow myself to recognize you if we were to ever to cross paths. I simply could not risk the Dark Lord finding you through me or anyone else. You also have an older brother. I hope with all my heart that you two will one day meet. The last thing I want to tell you. If I should live through this war, then after your 17th birthday I will request a meeting with you. If you decide to comply it would make me incredibly happy to see you wear the necklace that I have enclosed. It was my great-grandmothers. She gave it to your mother on our wedding day. I have to leave you now. I pray to all the gods that I may live to see you one day. If my time should come before that. I want to leave you with this.

You are loved. You are cherished. I will keep you close to my heart everyday until I can once again hold you in arms. Whether or not you choose to meet me in the future I will never hold it against you. You are my little princess.

Love, Your Father

Hermione read the letter 3 times trying comprehend it's contents. Was her father a member of the order? She tried to run through all the faces of the men she had seen in Grimmauld place through her mind. To see if she felt any special pull to any of them, however none really popped out. It was then that it hit her. She had a brother! She had grown up as an only child and had constantly begged her parents for siblings. She now knew why they gave her such sad looks when she asked about it. But now, she was no longer an only child. A smile graced her lips as she thought about it. Sure she loved Ron and Harry like brothers, but to have an actual flesh and blood sibling excited her.

Suddenly she began to feel an overwhelming guilt in the pit of her stomach. She felt guilty about being excited about the letter. Her parents had given her a life better than most and had loved her unconditionally. How dare she consider forsaking them by going to meet this other family? Would her parents think that she loved them any less? She shut her eyes and laid her head in her hands. She wanted to cry but she seemed to be out of tears.

A knock on her door interrupted her reverie. She took three deep breaths and looked up saying "Come in." She carefully folded up the letter as her door opened and her father stepped queitly into her room. He softly tread across the floor to sit next to Hermione. She turned into him and buried her face into his shoulder as he reached his arm around hers and her close to him. They sat there like that for what felt like an eternity. Each lost in their own thoughts and seeking out comfort in each others embrace.

"So how do you feel darling?" Her father broke the silence, pulling back enough to see her face. Hermione just shrugged fingering the gold chain that she now had in fingers. He father followed her gaze to the chain and pedant. "Is that from them?" He asked. Hermione nodded "It was his grandmothers." Her voice was barely a whisper as her eyes stayed transfixed to the charm as she rubbed it softly as she rubbed it between her fingers. They both stayed silent for a few minutes both gazing at the necklace.

"I think you should meet them." Hermione blinked and looked up into the older mans eyes as if not believing what he had just said. "Your mother and I love you very much, more than anything else in the world. But we are not the only ones who love you this much, and who are we to deny you that love? We know you love us and we know that that will never change. So go, we will support you 100%." The tears once again began to flow from her eyes as she flung her arms around her father. Crying into the crook of his neck. How did she ever get this lucky? To have parents who loved her this much? Her father detangled from her embrace and carefully took the necklace from her. He undid the clasp and gestured for Hermione to turn around. Hermione did and pulled her hair to the side as her father put the necklace in placed andclasped it together again. It was just a moment before this that her mother had silently slid into the room and now with tears in her eyes she joined them on the bed and they tightly embraced one another. Hermione had never felt as loved in her memory as she felt right now.