Sorry about the uber long wait I've had a whole bunch of school work to do and I just started high school so GO ME! I didn't expect to continue this story at al. It was supposed to be a one-shot and then I got a follow and a message asking for more so here it is.

Shameless self-promotion: read my other stories, there're all getting updated soon so check 'em out.

Disclaimer: shocking news update: I don't own harry potter and I make no money from this story. All I get is the satisfaction of pushing J.K.'s characters through the pathways of my strange and coveted mind.

The silence was deafening. Then she heard Ron's voice from behind her "YOU'RE WHAT?!" she whirled around, behind her stood Ron Harry & half of Hogwarts. Hermione's heart was in her throat making it difficult to speak, not that she knew what to say anyway. She sighed defeated,

"I'm sorry you guys I just didn't know how to tell you… I,I" she stuttered trying to find the words to make it all go away.

"Who are you really?" Harry asked. Being surprisingly level headed. Hermione grimaced she really didn't want to answer this question but she knew she had to.

"Have you ever wondered why McGonagall never takes down her hair?" she paused, watching as faces lit up one by one as people got it.

"Figures, the bookworm would have a teacher for a mother" she sighed, Draco always had something to say didn't he. Wait, when had she started referring to him as Draco?

"And your father?" this from Ron. Uh oh she thought. Hermione had really hoped this could wait till later.

"How about we got talk about this somewhere else and I can explain everything to you." she said gesturing towards the castle and hoping they accept the offer. Then Ron decided to get angry and argumentative

"No! You'll tell us now or our friendship is over. I can't be friends with you if I can't trust you."

He made a surprisingly good point. Hermione thought quickly what should she call Him so that only Harry and her friends would understand. Ah! She knew.

"Just remember that you've known me for 6 years that we've been best friends for 6 years and-"Ron cut her off

"Get on with it!" Mione took a deep breath and Harry started to worry, was he really that bad?

"My-"she chocked on the word father and started again "He is the one the phoenix hunts."

Harry's eyes widened "maybe we should go inside" he said trying to move Ron before he exploded. Too late. First he got pink, then he turned red, then he exploded

"VOLEDEMORT, YOURE THE BLOODY SPAWN OF SATAN, I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN YOU LOATHSOME LITTLE RAT! I CAN'T BELIEVE I TRUSTED YOU, I THOUGHT- NEVERMIND WHAT I THOUGHT JUST LEAVE ME AND MY FAMILY ALONE!" oh crap. He just told everybody. People closest to her had already started backing away. And there was a myriad of reactions from the large group of students, from shock to anger to fainting. She turned to Harry

"I'm sorry, I wanted –"

"How long?" he cut in

"What?"

"How long have you known?"

He stared at her forcefully as she looked down shuffled her feet and muttered something.

"Louder" he demanded. She sighed again, her heart felt heavy.

"McGonagall told me over Christmas break." She said only slightly louder than before.

"5. . . 5 months you lied to my face for 5 months. I can't- I'm sorry but I just can't" with that he turned and walked away with Ron and Ginny hot on his heels. Mione broke down crying. All of the emotional backlash from today was just overwhelming, they were supposed to be her best friends, there for her thick and thin. While all of this was happening the Slytherins were discussing the new revelations and what it meant for the dark side.

"I don't believe it" pansy exclaimed

"But what if she really is? The dark lord would kill us if knew and didn't treat her with respect." Astoria, always the bleeding heart but still practice.

"Draco, you've been awfully quiet about all this" Theo noted, "you know something don't you. Now that I think about it you've not called the girl mudblood for at least two years now. In fact you've been very reluctant to go after her at all. What's going on?" Draco smirked, of course he knew what was going on. He always knew what was going on.

"Well my father and the dark lord did spend an awful lot of time together over the holidays and-"

Blaise interrupted "get on with it mate we don't have all day."

Draco smirked again. "She is so be nice, we want her on our side. If we screw this up he'll kill us." Then Astoria noticed Hermione lying in a crumpled heap on the grass looking like a marionette who had their strings cut. She rushed over and wrapped a comforting arm around Hermione.
"Shh, shh it's ok, you have us, if you want us and they might not hate you forever. Just give them a few days to get used to the idea." 'Mione didn't know why she did it but she turned into the hug pressing her face into Astoria's shoulder, seeking comfort in the embrace. Pansy and Daphne joined them turning it into a group hug. Millicent crouched down next to them and spoke haltingly.

"You- you can stay with us in our dorm tonight… If you want. We have an extra bed." She said it with a strange lilt at the end, like it was a question. 'Mione sniffled and lifted her head from Astoria and looked around. Everyone except the Slytherins was gone and the boys were milling about awkwardly. These were the people who stayed, she thought. Then she remembered all the years of bullying and name calling and turned her face down. Mostly talking to the grass she replied.

"I think I'll stay in my own dorm tonight, let them get used to the idea of me again." Pansy nodded.

"Alright, but the offer still stands if you need it tomorrow or if you change your mind about tonight, the password is clever. If you need it." Hermione was shocked, and from the looks of it so was everyone else. Pansy was the last person she expected the password from If at she looked around she noticed that Draco was nodding along as if it had been his idea the whole time. Smarmy git.

"Thank you" Hermione said quietly and gently started to stand. She stumbled a bit on her way up and Draco caught her elbow, steadying her. She nodded to him awkwardly and said her goodbyes stepping away and towards the castle.