*Sorry its taken so long to get chapter 2 up, but the discovery of a social life, on top of flute/piano/voice, etc etc and lets not forget 4 AS Levels keeps a girl busy!*
These characters are not mine unless stated.
Hermione, shocked to see her three former teachers in her lounge, dropped her bag. For several moments, she stood gaping, not daring to ask what had happened, before curiosity got the better of her.
"P..p...professor Dumbledore? What's happened? Where's Ron?"questioned Hermione, tentatively, dreading the answer, knowing that any response that she was going to receive was not a good one.
"Hermione, perhaps you better sit down?" Professor Minerva McGonagall advised her, taking her by the hand and leading her to the sofa. Albus Dumbledore, clasped his hands together and lowered his head so his long, silvery beard was almost touching the floor. It was only then that Hermione realised, the usual twinkle no longer resided in Dumbledore's eyes behind in half-moon spectacles and he had been crying.
"I'm afraid, my dear girl, that Voledmort has been here...." Dumbledore began. Hermione gasped then broke into hysterical sobs, while McGonagall, who's normally red hair had began to go grey in places, with the stress of the continuing war that flared up every few years, tried to comfort her, but was not entirely successful. Dumbledore paused and then continued. "He came personally, to do what he's planned for a while. To take the best friends of Harry Potter. Of course, only one was here and he had to make do. I'm very sorry, Hermione. Ron is dead." Dumbledore's glasses reflected new tears, running down his cheeks, and McGonagall broke into fresh sobs. Hermione sat, silent and almost terrified for a moment.
"No! He can't be dead. I never apologised for nagging him. We never made up! He can't have died thinking I was mad at him!" Hermione stood up defiantely before passing out in shock.
As she came round, Hermione realised she was no longer at home. In actual fact, she was in a place that was more homely than where she currently lived; 12 Grimmauld Palace, Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, and the house where she had spent her final three years living, in between school terms. She heard crying downstairs, and stood up, shakily, preparing to make her way down. She noted the changes, how much lighter the house was, since she had last been here, and tidier. Also, the picture of Sirius Black's mother had eventually been taken down, one of Sirius's wishes, before his death. Hermione gently pushed the door, and entred into a room full of grief, from the Weasley family, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Harry, and Snape, who even looked depressed at the thought of Ron being dead. As Hermione set her eyes on Harry, she ran forward to embrace him and broke down, once more, as he himself, cried helplessly, at the loss of his best friend. After what seemed eternity, they released each other and Hermione was left to face Molly Weasley, who she had known since she was 11, and thought of as her own mother.
"Molly, I..." Hermione was cut off by Molly's tears and was pulled into a warm, sad hug. In all the grief and feeling of loss, Hermione was glad to be home, and grieve with her family, and closest friends. It was only then that it occured to Hermione, just how strong the Dark Lord's hatred was, and how much danger she was in.
A week later, Hermione's bags were packed, all her most treasure possessions included, as she prepared the make the journey with Albus, Minerva and Severus back to Hogwarts, the safest place for her to be. Exhausted and upset, Hermione just wanted to sleep, and felt as if she couldn't cry anymore, after a week of doing just that. Her chocolate brown curls were lank and greasy, and weight had dropped off her, where she hadn't been eating. She had been relieved when told she was going to Hogwarts, where she would act as secretary to Dumbledore, and was in charge of new supplies for classes such as potions, and arithmancy. Hermione embraced each one of the Weasleys in a tearful farewell. Harry was the last person and Hermione felt her heart breaking as she had to leave him once again. He pulled her into his arms, and slowly stroked her cheek, kissed her on the forehead and told her he loved her. She wiped away her tears, and turned from the Weasleys and Harry, took the arm of Albus Dumbledore, and left 12 Grimmauld palace, not sure of what awaited her in the future.
These characters are not mine unless stated.
Hermione, shocked to see her three former teachers in her lounge, dropped her bag. For several moments, she stood gaping, not daring to ask what had happened, before curiosity got the better of her.
"P..p...professor Dumbledore? What's happened? Where's Ron?"questioned Hermione, tentatively, dreading the answer, knowing that any response that she was going to receive was not a good one.
"Hermione, perhaps you better sit down?" Professor Minerva McGonagall advised her, taking her by the hand and leading her to the sofa. Albus Dumbledore, clasped his hands together and lowered his head so his long, silvery beard was almost touching the floor. It was only then that Hermione realised, the usual twinkle no longer resided in Dumbledore's eyes behind in half-moon spectacles and he had been crying.
"I'm afraid, my dear girl, that Voledmort has been here...." Dumbledore began. Hermione gasped then broke into hysterical sobs, while McGonagall, who's normally red hair had began to go grey in places, with the stress of the continuing war that flared up every few years, tried to comfort her, but was not entirely successful. Dumbledore paused and then continued. "He came personally, to do what he's planned for a while. To take the best friends of Harry Potter. Of course, only one was here and he had to make do. I'm very sorry, Hermione. Ron is dead." Dumbledore's glasses reflected new tears, running down his cheeks, and McGonagall broke into fresh sobs. Hermione sat, silent and almost terrified for a moment.
"No! He can't be dead. I never apologised for nagging him. We never made up! He can't have died thinking I was mad at him!" Hermione stood up defiantely before passing out in shock.
As she came round, Hermione realised she was no longer at home. In actual fact, she was in a place that was more homely than where she currently lived; 12 Grimmauld Palace, Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, and the house where she had spent her final three years living, in between school terms. She heard crying downstairs, and stood up, shakily, preparing to make her way down. She noted the changes, how much lighter the house was, since she had last been here, and tidier. Also, the picture of Sirius Black's mother had eventually been taken down, one of Sirius's wishes, before his death. Hermione gently pushed the door, and entred into a room full of grief, from the Weasley family, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Harry, and Snape, who even looked depressed at the thought of Ron being dead. As Hermione set her eyes on Harry, she ran forward to embrace him and broke down, once more, as he himself, cried helplessly, at the loss of his best friend. After what seemed eternity, they released each other and Hermione was left to face Molly Weasley, who she had known since she was 11, and thought of as her own mother.
"Molly, I..." Hermione was cut off by Molly's tears and was pulled into a warm, sad hug. In all the grief and feeling of loss, Hermione was glad to be home, and grieve with her family, and closest friends. It was only then that it occured to Hermione, just how strong the Dark Lord's hatred was, and how much danger she was in.
A week later, Hermione's bags were packed, all her most treasure possessions included, as she prepared the make the journey with Albus, Minerva and Severus back to Hogwarts, the safest place for her to be. Exhausted and upset, Hermione just wanted to sleep, and felt as if she couldn't cry anymore, after a week of doing just that. Her chocolate brown curls were lank and greasy, and weight had dropped off her, where she hadn't been eating. She had been relieved when told she was going to Hogwarts, where she would act as secretary to Dumbledore, and was in charge of new supplies for classes such as potions, and arithmancy. Hermione embraced each one of the Weasleys in a tearful farewell. Harry was the last person and Hermione felt her heart breaking as she had to leave him once again. He pulled her into his arms, and slowly stroked her cheek, kissed her on the forehead and told her he loved her. She wiped away her tears, and turned from the Weasleys and Harry, took the arm of Albus Dumbledore, and left 12 Grimmauld palace, not sure of what awaited her in the future.