Author's Notes: I do hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. Readers will notice close similarities between my plot and that of the original, but as mentioned before, there are lots of twists and turns from the original. Most of the story will be predominately from Harry's perspective, but will from time to time take place from Hermione's point of view as well.

As far as Hermione not using the argument that she wouldn't stay away because Voldemort would hunt her down as she is Muggleborn; my argument is twofold: one, I simply overlooked it in response to reason two: my focus is on her relationship with Harry and I think we can all agree that she wouldn't leave Harry alone even if she were a pureblood. None-the-less, it is an argument she would make and I can't fault it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any other property as owned by JK Rowling, whom I and countless adults and children owe the love of reading and writing. This story is for my own enjoyment.

Chapter Two: Dumbledore's Letter

Harry did not sleep that night. The look on Hermione's face when Mrs. Granger opened the cupboard door would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. The three Grangers gasped in horror as their eyes traveled from the old shelves where Harry once stored the few belongings he'd had then to the cot he once slept in. They saw the small sliding vent that had been installed so that Vernon or Petunia could at their ease issue commands or insults without ever laying eyes upon him. The Grangers had seen all they needed and were immediate with their request that Harry return with them to their home where he would be welcome. It took several long minutes for Harry to explain why that wasn't possible and that things had improved substantially regarding his sleeping accommodations since his beginning at Hogwarts. They had insisted to see his current situation which he wanted to protest, but Hermione did not wait for Harry's acquiescence and went up the stairs on her own. Harry would likewise never forget the words that Hermione had uttered at the top of the stairs.

If I ever get to see them again, I'll make them wish they'd never been born!

She had seen the trapdoor that uncle Vernon had fitted the summer after Harry's first return from Hogwarts, the same year the bars on the window were installed. He was sure that Ron had told Hermione about them after their daring rescue in the flying car. Harry hoped Hermione had forgotten. But Hermione rarely forgot anything. She walked to the window, her quivering hand resting on one of the window panes.

This is where they put up the bars, isn't it, Harry? Harry recalled Hermione's parent's reaction to that statement. Mr. Granger had sworn loudly (an occurrence Harry was very confident in believing was uncharacteristic of the man). Mrs. Granger surprisingly embraced Harry. He was keenly aware that it was much like those Mrs. Weasley had also given him; a mother's hug.

Seeing Harry's bedroom reignited the Granger's demand that he return with them. Several more minutes were spent reminding them why he had to be here. He assured them it was the last time he'd be returning to this house. At long last they relented when Hermione agreed that harry was right, but not without expressing her absolute disappointment that Harry had never confided in her about the details of his upbringing. He quickly regretted his answer.

Would you tell anyone?

She about ripped him open. He was thankful she could not perform magic at his relative's house out of the likely case he would be brought up again with false charges of performing underage magic. It was however, the second time that day that he had felt her hand across his face. Before the Grangers left, Hermione informed him that she would apparate back every day until he left the house for good. Fearing another encounter with Hermione's hand, he did not try to convince her otherwise.

And so Harry tossed and turned throughout the night as his mind fought against the constant assault of the day's events: the funeral, Dumbledore's suffering, breaking from Ginny, his failure to convince his friends to remain behind, and last of all the Grangers personal knowledge of Harry Potter's life away from Hogwarts.

Hermione resigned herself to a sleepless night. Upon arriving home her parents insisted on learning more about Harry and were convinced that Hermione knew more than she had been letting on for the past six years. They particularly wanted to know how she knew about the cupboard under the stairs when it was clear to them that harry at least, had never told her. Hermione confessed there had been rumors about Harry's upbringing.

"I never believed them," said Hermione. "They were like the fairytales you used to read me at bed time." She quickly rattled a few of them off as though they were as common as tales like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and Little Red Riding Hood. "I didn't believe them until Ron told me about the bars they had to remove from the windows when they went to fetch him the first summer back from Hogwarts. They caged him like an animal." Her face turned red in anger. Mrs. Granger gently guided Hermione to a seat on the living room sofa beside her.

"Tell us more, Hermione," she said soothingly. "We know things are dangerous in your world right now, and we can tell this boy is in the middle of it. Your headmaster told us this much." Hermione burst into tears.

"Of course he's in the middle of it," she cried. "But I can't tell you much, mother. You'll be in more danger than you are now." Mr. Granger had now come to join them and sat on the other side of Hermione, placing her firmly between her parents.

"Sweetheart," he began, his hands taking a firm hold of his daughter's. "We know enough from what the headmaster said that we can surmise the danger we're already in simply because you are our daughter, and that you are Harry's friend. We understand that there are laws that keep you from sharing certain information and that's alright. Every day is a risk when we walk out our door. We could die in a car crash, be mugged and murdered in an ally, or die of an unsuspected illness. Life can be gone in a moment. We need to know what's happening in our little girl's life."

"Alright, daddy, I'll try."

"That's my little girl," he said with a reassuring smile.

"Where do you want to start?"

"Tell us about Harry," said Mrs. Granger, "the real story."

Hermione recounted everything; the major events as well as the seemingly insignificant ones. She began with Halloween night and the troll as the first story she had never told her parents. How nobody wanted to be her friend, how even Ronald Weasley had unabashedly insulted her. She told them in details that were as clear to her as though they happened yesterday how the brave Harry Potter came to her rescue. She admitted that Ron came too, but knew just as her parents instinctively knew that it had been Harry who rescued their daughter. She then started over to explain why Harry Potter was so important to the wizarding world so that her parents could understand what it meant to her to have Harry arrive as he did to fight a troll. She told them how Voldemort had sought out the Potters (she excluded the prophecy and its importance) and had killed them, before turning to baby Harry. She told them how Harry was the only one known to have ever survived the killing curse. How he became the most famous wizard in the world.

She told them about the Sorcerer's Stone and Voldemort's attempt to regain his former power. How Harry went on alone without her to face him and how he came back victorious. One at a time, she meticulously recounted every event that mattered: the Chamber of Secrets, the escape of Sirius Black and how she and Harry alone had saved him, the truth about the Potter's betrayal, the escape of Peter Pettigrew, how Harry fought to repel the Dementors, the Tri-Wizard tournament and the terrible tasks Harry had to contend with, the return of Voldemort and the death of Cedric Diggory, the Department of Mysteries within the Ministry, Harry's struggles to learn Occlumency, the death of Sirius Black, and finally the Death Eater's infiltration of Hogwarts, the betrayal of Severus Snape and the death of Albus Dumbledore.

She told them about forming Dumbledore's Army during Umbridge's reign of the castle and the Ministry's attempt to smear both Harry and Dumbledore's name. She even shared her favorite memory with them; Harry's comforting arm around her when Ron and Lavender became an item. She recounted the funeral as she watched Harry end his relationship with Ginny to protect her. Lastly she told them about the train ride home.

"He wanted to leave us behind, to protect us," she said exhausted. She had cried all her tears. Her eyes were puffy and red.

"But why does he feel he has to take care of this all on his own," asked Mr. Granger. "You have a ministry that knows the truth now and you have this Order group that seems competent enough. Can't they take care of this?"

"The Ministry is doing what it can now, just like the Order," said Hermione, "but they can't do what Harry has to do." She paused here, weighing her words carefully. She had to make them understand that only Harry could finish Voldemort for good, without telling them anything about the prophecy.

"Explain," said Mr. Granger.

"I can't daddy," she said. "Only four people know why; one was Professor Dumbledore, and he's gone now. It's only us three left and we have to keep it a secret. You just have to understand that only Harry can defeat Voldemort for good."

"That's why he wanted to protect you, all of you," said Mr. Granger. "Because he knows he'll be in V-Voldemort's direct path." Hermione had thought she could cry no more but at her father's words of understanding, she buried herself into his chest and wept. After a few minutes, Mr. Granger pulled his daughter up so he could look her in the eyes.

"I must remember to thank him for protecting my daughter."

"I just wish I could protect him," said Hermione, finally letting the words of her greatest desire escape her lips.

It was then that the Granger's living room burst with blinding crimson light. Perched on their living room table, was Fawkes. Beneath one of his feet was a small packaged box with letter attached. Hermione's parents were quick to react as the made to protect their daughter, but Hermione was faster. She stood quickly with a reassuring glace to her parents and gave Fawkes a quick stroke on his beak.

"Fawkes," said Hermione, "is, well, was Dumbledore's phoenix."

"But what is he doing here," asked her mother.

"I don't know, mum, but I think this will probably answer our questions." She reached for the package. As soon as she grabbed it Fawkes disappeared in the same manner he had appeared, leaving a second momentarily blinding flash of crimson light. The letter was addressed:

Miss. Hermione J. Granger

Hermione instantly recognized the handwriting as belonging to Professor Dumbledore. She grabbed the package and the letter, and with a rushed apology to her parents, ran to her room and shut the door. Setting the package down on her nigh stand, she hastily opened the letter.

Dear Hermione,

I must apologize first and foremost for the nature of the delivery of this letter. I do hope Fawke's arrival did not cause you or your family any discomfort. If so, I humbly apologize for this as well. I must also apologize for the heavy burden I am about to place upon you, and that I did not have the opportunity to do so in person.

Before that, however, I must thank you for all the years you have stood at Harry's side, no matter what storms prevailed against him. We both know he is a strong-willed young man with a courageous heart and is not easily dissuaded from hardships most would happily avoid. It is clear to me however, that you have always been the wind in his sails (forgive me for borrowing such a common muggle phrase). Thank you, Hermione, for being there for him when I myself have failed countless times to do so. I am confident that with you (and yes, Mr. Weasley), that Harry will be able to accomplish the terrible burden I was unable to complete.

I write this letter as I prepare to journey with Harry to a seaside cave near the orphanage where Tom Riddle spent his childhood. I have found evidence that a horcrux resides in that cave but I cannot accomplish retrieving it without Harry's assistance. The ring I found at the remains of Gaunt's house proves this only too painfully. My time is short, and I fear I will not live past this night. Tonight, Harry will face terrible obstacles of which he has never seen. I fear he may even be forced to abandon me to save his own life. I am resolved that he will do so, even if I must force him to do so magically. Once again, I must ask too much of him, and now, too much of you.

Here, Hermione found a few stains on the parchment and knew they had been the headmaster's tears. She read on.

Knowing Harry as I have done, he will feel himself responsible for my death. The truth is that I have been dying for just over a year now. Forgive my lack of modesty but if not for my own prodigious skill, and willpower, this curse upon my hand would have claimed my life already. I had to remain to make sure Harry learned what he needed. But I digress.

Harry will attempt to cut himself off from you, and Mr. Weasley; do not let that happen. He will undoubtedly refuse to tell you the story of what happens tonight; convince him to share it with you. He may have difficulty re-telling it. I have provided you a personal Pensieve for this very reason, much like my own. The package will contain instructions on how to use it. Harry may not be able to tell you, but he may be willing to show you. I told Harry in that broom closet outside the Burrow that he needed his friends; I confess I should have been more direct. While he certainly needs the both of you, he needs you more than anyone.

You might ask, with good reason, why you and not Miss. Weasley? We both know Harry well enough that when he sets out on his task, he will end that relationship. More importantly, I am willing to guess that the relationship will not survive this ordeal. It does not have the foundation of friendship and trust that exists between you and Harry. It was you after all, who remained steadfastly by Harry's side when he had no one else. I am confident you are the one who must handle this burden; the burden to save Harry from himself.

Lastly, I must apologize to you for how Harry has been treated, not only by his relatives, (which has been truly horrible), but by me as well. I know not how much you know of the summers Harry experiences, how he lived in a cupboard beneath the stairs, or the bars on his bedroom window, or the times he was verbally and physically abused. I've often asked myself why I had not taken him in. It was for his protection, Hermione, and his protection alone. I do not expect you to forgive me anymore than I expect Harry to do so. I can only hope you believe me when I say that I love Harry as my own grandson and that I despise my inability to take this burden from him.

Hermione could feel the tears building again; not only at Dumbledore's words, but the sight of significantly more dried tear stains where Dumbledore admitted his love for Harry.

Harry has arrived at the stone gargoyle; so it begins. The road ahead is difficult, and we must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy. I know my trust is well placed in you. I consider it an honor to have known you and am thankful that Harry has you in this difficult journey.

Goodbye, Miss. Granger.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

Hermione clutched the letter to her chest as she fell back onto her bad and wept. She wept for her best friend.

Author's Notes: This was certainly a Hermione chapter. I want to say now that I do not think Hermione is overly emotional; she's as strong willed as any of the other trio members. But to borrow her phrase, she does not have the emotional range of a teaspoon. She cares about Harry and I wanted to explore those emotions and I wanted them to be raw. The addition of bringing Fawkes back has many purposes which you'll read about soon.

Please feel free to review; I promise I have thick skin.