"Hermione!!"

Oh joy. Mummy dearest is calling for me again. Hermione Granger thought bitterly as she stared out of her bedroom window.

She scowled when her mother repoeated her attempt to contact her.

She forced a sweet voice, "what is it mummy?"

"I 'm ready to go if you are." Her mother replied.

Hermione sighed and her dark expression softened to nervousness and sadness.

Another year about to go through. She thought Only this time I'm not Hermione Granger anymore.

What was she going to tell Harry and Ron? They would never look at her the same way again.

Hermione felt the threat of tears prickling at the back of her eyes.

She mentally slapped herself. No. she thought. I'm still Hermione Granger. Just a new one.

"What happened doesn't effect my future." She told herself but the memories of that awful night and the many different depressing things that had happened kept flooding into her mind.

*********

"Sweetie we have to tell her." Hermione had heard her mothers voice on her way downstairs and stopped to listen.

"I know but how do you think it will effect her?"

"I don't know. But theres only one way to find out."

Hermione wondered breifly if they were talking about her and soon her question was answered.

"Hermiones a fragile girl. I don't think she can cope with this."

"She's stronger than you think Kevin. Give our daughter some more credit."

"I just don't want her to get hurt."

"I know but it will hurt her more to find out from somebody else."

"I know. I wold practically want to commit suicide if I found out that my best friend was missing!!!"

"SHHH!!! Kevin. She's sleeping you don't want to wake her up!!!"

"Sorry."

Hermione gasped inwardly hearing this. Harry or Ron? Gone. Alive?

"Look from all we've heard about fabulous harry potter I'm sure he can cope."

"But can our daughter cope knowing her best friend has a less than 50 % chance of survival?"

thousands of thoughts and emotions rushed into her head and the only thing she could do was run.

She ran fast out the back door and caught the next train to London.

She would stay at the leaky cauldron until she could face her parents.

She walked in and the first face she saw belonged to Lucius Malfoy...

*********

Hermione couldn't bare to remember anymore as she pushed the agonizing thoughts out of her head.

Her mothers voice rang out through the house again.

Swallowing her tears Hermione managed a small "c – coming mummy" and walked slowly down the stairs.