She saw Harry lying on the floor, his glasses knocked askew and his lightning scar visible through the strands of dark hair. Screaming his name, she raced forward on the sleek black floor, kneeling beside his broken form. A hand gripped her shoulder and she jumped. Turning around, she came face to face with the snakelike red eyes of Lord Voldemort himself . . .
Hermione sat up, breathing hard. The book in her lap fell with a clatter, making her jump again. Looking around, she sighed. She'd fallen asleep on the couch again, reading. Hogwarts, A History lay open on the carpet beside her, and she reached down to get it, groaning at the stiffness in her back. The house was dark. Gazing at the digital clock on the mantle, she saw that it was two o clock in the morning.
She stood up and walked into the kitchen, still wearing the jeans and top she'd had on before she dozed off. There was an assortment of newspapers on the table, including The Daily Prophet. Picking it up, she put some tea in the microwave and flipped absentmindedly through the pages. There were yet more disappearances, more deaths attributed to the Death Eaters. A bridge not far from her home had collapsed without warning. Ironically, the Prophet blamed the Ministry's ignorance as the cause of the accidents, not the murderous skills of You-Know-Who.
At least I'll be at Ron's tomorrow. That should take my mind off things, she thought. Hermione could hear her father's snores echoing down the hallway. Finishing the last of her tea, she rose and made her way to her bedroom.
It was pitch black inside, so she had no warning when suddenly something long and sharp was at her neck. A wand. Her heart began to beat faster as she reached into her pocket for her own.
"Don't even think about it," sneered a familiar voice.
Someone muttered Lumos, and suddenly the room was illuminated. Bellatrix Lestrange stood inches away, the curved claw of her wand ready to inflict pain or death upon anyone who dared challenge her. Behind her lurked two other Death Eaters, unidentifiable due to the strange masks they wore. Thinking quickly, Hermione tried to formulate a plan, but Death Eaters are in my house, Death Eaters are in my house was the only thing echoing through her mind.
Then Bellatrix had ahold of her hair, and she cried out in pain as the other witch forced her to the floor. "You're coming with us, Mudblood," one of the other Death Eaters snarled as he removed his mask with a flick of his wand. With a chill of hatred, Hermione recognized Lucius Malfoy.
"What are you doing here? Get out!" she yelled futilely. All three of You-Know-Who's servants laughed. She tried to twist out of Bellatrix's grasp, but she only yanked harder on her hair.
"My parents!" she protested, struggling harder. "Leave them alone!"
"It's too late for that, precious friend of Harry Potter! They're dead in their beds!" Bellatrix cackled madly.
Hermione's breath stopped. Her mind began racing, refusing to contemplate that she might be telling the truth. "You're lying! What do you want? I'll give it to you! Anything!"
"We want Potter, silly girl, but unfortunately you don't have the power to give him to us. Bloody Dumbledore is keeping him safe."
She was about to say I'd never give him to you anyway, no matter what, but held her tongue.
"The girl still doesn't believe us, Dolohov!" Lucius crooned to the last, still unmasked, Death Eater. "Maybe we should give her proof."
Bellatrix heaved her to her feet and pushed her roughly out the hallway and into her parents' room. Hermione fought her all the way. Lucius flipped on the light carelessly and threw back the blankets covering her parents' forms.
"NOOOOOO!" Hermione screamed. The Grangers were dead, their blank eyes staring into nothing, forever focused on the green flash that had ended their lives.
Bellatrix put a hand over her mouth, and Hermione's tears spilled over it. She couldn't believe it. They were supposed to be safe! They were Muggles, for crying out loud! What could Voldemort possibly gain by killing them? Memories flashed through her mind. Getting her first Hogwarts' letter, seeing the pride on her parents' faces as she boarded the train, and feeling the warmth of their hugs every time she returned. Agony filled her as she longed for them, for every part of them that was now gone, leaving only cold shells behind in the bed.
Her despair quickly turned to bitter anger. Going limp, she sank to the floor, taking Bellatrix by surprise and dragging the other witch with her. Before she could regain her footing, Hermione struck out with a foot, scrambled to her feet, and pulled out her wand, wiping a hand across her eyes to clear her vision.
Petrificus Totalus!
Dolohov collapsed and Hermione sprinted for the door. Before she could make it more than a few feet, though, another set of hands grabbed her. A black leather glove clamped across her mouth and a silky voice came from behind.
"Now, now, you didn't really think we'd allow you to escape that easily?"
Bellatrix leapt, screaming obscenities, to her feet and strode toward Hermione, wand raised. Lucius was quick to intervene. "Stop! The Dark Lord wants her alive!"
The black haired witch wasn't so quick to comply. "Get out of my way! If it wasn't for me, you'd still be in Azkaban!"
Lucius Malfoy gasped in fake horror. "You would defy the Dark Lord's wishes?"
That seemed to stop her in her tracks. Scowling, she strode away, leaving the rest of them to follow. Hermione was still in bad condition, and she twisted her body around as Lucius pushed her out of the room, trying to get a last glimpse at her parents.
Before she could, however, all three Death Eaters Disapparated, taking her with them. They reappeared in front of an imposing black house, into which she was forced, still kicking and screaming through the hand on her mouth. She tried to bite down but couldn't seem to move her mouth very much.
Waiting inside the house were three people. Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and Lord Voldemort himself.