"What is it, Professor?"

"Ah well... I wish this were easier, Hermione. Please, make yourselves more comfortable."

Draco and Hermione exchanged worried looks. Professors don't make late night visits about trivial matters. Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore sat down on the couch facing the two teens and none of them looked very happy.

"Now, Hermione," the Headmaster began, the twinkle absent from his eye. "Were your parents on vacation?"

"Yes, in London, visiting my grandparents. Why?"

"That's very much what I was afraid of. You see, we've just received news from the Ministry about a very serious attack just inside of that area. It seems that the Death Eaters have been developing a sort of wizard bomb… something like a mass Unforgivable Curse that will kill all the muggles within a certain radius. They set it off at a restaurant that was fairly new on the edge of London."

"Well my grandparents live inside the heart of London, so my parents are ok, right?"

There was no reply as the professors exchange glances.

"I'm afraid not. Hermione, your parents... well their names are reported among the victims. I guess they decided to try out this place while they were in the area and they were right next to the bomb when it went off. Their bodies were identified by wizard intelligence to be your parents, and their bodies are in St. Mungo's."

Hermione looked at all of them incredulously.

"No, no they're at home with my grandparents, they're asleep right now. Why would they go out? No, no, they're fine." She shook her head. "They're fine, they have to be."

Professor McGonagall spoke up. "Dear, I know this can't be easy for you, but I'm afraid your parents have passed on. We've come to take you to St. Mungo's, your grandparents are there. You need to be with family and you'll be excused from your classes for the funeral."

"There isn't going to BE a funeral," Hermione cried frantically. "Don't you understand they're ok? They're OK!"

Draco pulled her into his arms. "Hermione, listen, I know you must be hurting right now but don't make this any harder for yourself. They're gone."

"No!" She sobbed. "They can't be, they can't be! I didn't get to say goodbye! No, no, they can't leave me, they can't!" Her body was once again doubling over in sobs. Draco held her trembling body in his strong arms, kissing her head.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. We can floo you to St. Mungo's in my office."

"My parents, my parents," she murmured. "Mom, dad, please come back, come back!"

It broke Draco's heart to hear her cries of desperation.

"Who is going to be there on my graduation? Who is going to walk me down the aisle? Who can I do to for advice about my kids? They'll never get to see me grow up, get to see their grandchildren." She was whispering to herself between the sobs, breaking her own heart and Draco's.

"I'm sorry...Professor you said this involved me, though, and I don't see how."

Snape spoke up. "Draco, you know your father had Death Eater involvement."

He nodded, his stomach sinking like lead.

"Well, he was the one who has been thinking up this device. It seems he's been spending his time in exile concocting this thing. He got it to work, and he planned this attack tonight. He gathered up a few other Death Eaters that were in hiding and talked them into this attack. He just... he lingered too long at the sight. They all did. So the Ministry has them in custody and they're going to be convicted."

"So my dad is in jail."

"I... well I can't lie to you, Draco. You know you are like my own son. I'm afraid your Father got in the crossfire between the Aurors and Death Eaters. He's one of the victims that died tonight."

"Killed by Auror or Death Eater?"

"Auror. Quick to the wand when he showed up on the sight."

"So what you are saying is that Lucius Malfoy essentially killed my parents." Hermione looked at Professor Snape.

"Well... yea. If you look at it like that."

"Oh God," Draco's eyes got wide as he remembered the letter he received from his dad. "Oh God, Hermione... I am so sorry."

"Why?" She looked up at him. "It was your father, not you..." she trailed off as she looked into his eyes. The realization hit her harder than the news about her parents.

"Oh my God, Draco...don't tell me...no, no!" She stood up and fought against his efforts to keep her down. Hermione started sobbing all over again.

"What, what is it?" The professors were all confused over what had just happen.

"Nothing, I'm ready to go."

"Draco, you are welcome to come to St. Mungo's as well. Your mother is probably there."

"Yes." Draco stood, visibly shaken and upset over his father and over what happened.

They went to Dumbledore's office where the two teens flooed to St. Mungo's. Draco's mother was in the waiting room while Hermione's grandparents were in a special muggle area. She turned away from Draco, not muttering a goodbye. He grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Hermione... don't go like this. I'm sorry."

She could only shake his hand away and glare through her tears.

"I've got to go, I've got my parents bodies to identify."

"Hermione... Hermione!"

He helplessly watched as the girl he loved walked away from him.