Disclaimer: The fantastic characters that you are about to read about in my story solely belong to the magnificent and almighty J.K. Rowling. I just like to take the characters and twist them to my wills. Oh, if I owned them the things I would do (smirks)! The only thing of value I do own is a Pentium one laptop which the monitor doesn't even work so I have to hook it up to another one. The one I hook it up to turns blue at random and I have to beat it with my fist to turn it back to normal...

Well now enjoy the story and on with the show!

Raises Curtain

Chapter One: The Day My World Came Crashing Down

I closed my eyes as all my thoughts came crashing to a drastic halt, as did life as I knew it. Professor McGonagall had to be wrong just for once, just this once for the sake of my sanity. "No… This can't be happening… You're lying… Please tell me you're lying! " I pleaded as I opened my tear filled eyes and looked at the crest fallen Headmistress in front of me.

The elderly woman shook her head and looked down at her desk as she clasped her hands. "I'm very sorry for your loss Miss Granger. I wish it wasn't so but your mother is dead."

At that moment I would've sworn that someone just stabbed me straight in the chest because I could feel the pain searing my heart. For what could have been a few moments, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years, I remained stolid with my mouth agape. I then decided to put up my Gryffindor fortitude, keep face until I found out the facts, and then escape from her office. The Hermione way of doing things.

When I found my voice again I spoke quietly, "How did… it happen?" I sat up straight preparing myself for the worst but nothing could prepare me for what Professor McGonagall was about to say.

"This morning, a little more than an hour ago, three Death Eaters broke into your house and attacked Mrs. Granger. The three Death Eaters were caught luckily and were identified as Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Theadore Nott, Senior. After about forty to forty five minutes your mother was given the Avada Kedavra by Lucius Malfoy," her voice was softer than ever before as she tried to gently lye down the facts for me. "Someone in a house near by called the Muggle police when they saw the Dark Mark cast into the sky and Aurors showed up within minutes of the call. There are only two good things that have came out of this unfortunate mishap if you can call them that. Those two things are, three Death Eaters have been captured and your father was not at home when the attack was deployed otherwise he would have met the same fate."

I covered my face in my hands as Professor McGonagall continued her life altering speech. "Your father has decided that the funeral will be held on Saturday so you can attend with out missing school. He knows how much you enjoy class so it will be in three days. In your mother's will she requested that you sing at the funeral. Will you be able to do that?"

I just nodded my head with out moving an inch otherwise and she saw it as a sign to continue. "Your father will be sending you and owl shortly with more details of the ceremony and so forth. If you wish I can write you out a pass to be excused from your classes or to excuse you to go home. Would you request I do that, Miss Granger?"

"Yes but just for today," I looked up at her and removed my hands from my face. "I want to go, otherwise. I'm Head Girl after all and I think it might help me clear my mind," I said in the smallest voice I had ever heard myself use. She simply looked at me with sorrow filled eyes and merely nodded in understanding.

"If you don't have any questions, you may go if you like." I sat for a moment and let a question pop into mind. It was the one I wanted to know most but the one I feared the most as well.

"What all did they do to my mother?" I asked, as I could no longer hold back a few tears that spilled down my cheeks. "Even if you don't think it's you place to tell me, just give me the truth."

"They gave her a few cuts and scrapes but that's all we can identify at the present time," she said with a sad frown. "Anything else? Anything?"

I shook my head as grief began to settle inside my body and soul. "I'm very sorry about your mother, Hermione." Professor McGonagall actually used my first name for the first time. "If there's anything you need do not hesitate to come and see me."

With that, I quickly stood from my seat and turned to look at her one last time before I left the office. "Thank you," I said then fled as fast as I could.

XXXXXXXXX

"Hermione! Where have you been?" Harry inquired as Ron, Ginny, and himself jumped out of their seats as I entered the Gryffindor common room. It was completely deserted save for Ron, Harry, and Ginny and it made me realize how late it must really be. I knew I had to look like hell after hours of crying down by the lake shore and it was now past dark. I looked into the reflection of the mirror on the wall and saw that my skin was pale as a ghost and my eyes were red, bloodshot, and swollen.

"What's wrong? Why weren't you at lunch or dinner?" Ginny asked softly looking at me with concerned blue eyes.

"We were so worried!" Ron said as the worry line in his forehead deepened. I blinked as tears began to stream down my cheeks again.

"I… I…" I tried to speak but all that came out was a few hoarse sounds due too all the sobbing and crying out. I took a large gulp of air and looked at their faces. "I was taken to Professor McGonagall's office where I was informed that my mother was attacked and murdered by three Death Eaters." I was surprised how quickly it came out and how cold and hollow my voice sounded.

Immediately Harry, Ginny, and Ron wrapped their arms around me as I began to sob uncontrollably again. They tightened their arms around me until my sobs died down and my tears wouldn't flow anymore. I looked up into their faces to see all of them crying for my loss and me. Suddenly I felt sick, I didn't want their sorrow and it was making me sick to think people were already giving me sympathy. I pulled away and looked down at my feet with uncertainty.

"I'm going to go to bed. You all can walk me to the Head Dormitory if you want but it's fine if you don't," I mumbled, my voice void of any emotion.

"We'll all go, won't we?" Ginny offered as she looked from Ron to Harry who nodded repeatedly. "Come on Hermione." Ginny laced her arm with mine as we walked out of the portrait hole and into the hallway.

I walked silently as they tried to bring me into a conversation but it was mostly one sided on their part. My mind was trying to clear me of my memories and for a second it did, until I reached the portrait hole to the Head Dorms. "Goodnight Hermione," Harry said wrapping me in an embrace.

"I'm really sorry, 'Mione," Ron said as he hugged me next. "Get some rest." He let go gently and raked his gaze over to me as if deciding it was safe to leave me.

Ginny approached me then wrapped me in a bone crushing which I returned half-heartily. "If you need anything, anything at all, you can always come to me. If you wake up and don't want to be alone, come to my dorm, alright?" I pulled away and nodded my head slowly.

"Goodnight," I said quietly. They slowly retreated after sad looks and once they were out of my vision I turned to the portrait hole.

"Turmoil," I said quietly to the picture of the small girl sitting under a willow tree with a little boy. It swung open to reveal the dark common room that was decorated in red, gold, silver, and green. The normally roaring fire was now just glowing embers left to die away. I leaned against the wall and slid down it helplessly as I buried my face in my arms as they rested on my knees. I began to sob quietly and attempted to stop but to no avail. I hated showing weakness, even if only to myself. I didn't like crying because it got others and myself no where.

"Granger?" I jerked my head up so fast that my neck cracked but I ignored it as I turned my eyes to the face that was lit up by a newly glowing candle. A very groggy looking Head Boy, Draco Malfoy, sat up from the couch. It seemed he must have fallen asleep there but I wondered, 'Why was he up? Was he waiting for me?'

I instantly wiped the tears from my face and stood up quickly. "What do you want Malfoy?" I asked as I picked my bag up from the floor. He stood up and came closer still holding the candle in his hand.

"Where were you? What happened?" he asked as he inspected my features a little more closely. I scoffed, 'Oh great, he's probably going to make fun of me!'

"Sod off, Malfoy! I'm not in the mood for you to take the mickey out of me," I said wishing my voice didn't sound so brittle and weak. "Besides why are you even down here?"

To my utmost surprise he didn't seem offended but just stood in front of me, his face emotionless. "I was doing homework and I fell asleep. Is that a crime, Mubblood?"

"You evil, insensitive, prick! Well the insult was an improvement, wasn't it?" I said snappishly praying he'd leave me to grieve alone. He just shook his head and met my eyes again with anger glowing dimly in them, like his candle.

"Oh, I think I hit a nerve," he said in mock concern. "What's wrong little Mudblood? Are you upset because the Weasel found that Potter was a better shag than you? Maybe I should learn to be more sensitive towards you, but what would my father say?" He snickered at his own words as my anger reached a new level.

I winced as he brought up his father and remembered what McGonagall said, '… your mother was given the Avada Kedavra by Lucius Malfoy,' I felt the floor begin to spin underneath as the offspring of the man that murdered my mother stood in front of me. His ghastly father murdered my mother and was now sitting in Azkaban while we were standing here and talking.

"You think so bloody high of your father, don't you? Do you want to know what your father did today and why I'm so upset?" I screamed, as my voice became stronger. Before he could even open his mouth I continued my rant. "Your bastard father murdered my mother! He killed her for no reason, just so he could suck up to Voldemort! I hate him now more than I hate you!" Tears began to stream down my cheeks as Draco's features set into a look of horror and disbelief.

He paused for a moment and his cool demeanor slipped off his face. Then almost as if it was on accident he said,"I'm… I'm sorry."

"No you're not!" I yelled, using him for a target to direct my anger to and just get it out. "Anything your precious father does you adore him for it! Of course you're too much of a coward."

"Fine, Granger. Think what you want to think. I really don't care. I try to be nice to you and all you do is shove it back in my face!" He said dangerously.

At that point I couldn't bear the conversation anymore or how painful it was getting. "Good night, Malfoy." I turned and began to walk up the staircase to my room.

"Now look whose a coward!" he blurted out as he followed me up the stairs. "Are you afraid of a change of pace? I was just trying to fix things a little." This conversation was REALLY becoming too much and I had to escape.

"My heart is broken, Malfoy. You can not fix what doesn't belong to you," I whispered with a broken voice. "I have nothing else to say to you. Goodnight Malfoy." I turned, entered my room and shut the door with a hard snap.

I slowly slid down my door, completely overwhelmed by everything. I flicked my wand at the door to put up a silencing charm and began to cry. My shoulders soon shook with sobs and my cries echoed through the room. I felt like everything was spinning out of control and everything was slipping out of my reach.

I was never going to see my mother ever again. I was never going to walk through the front door and hear her welcome me from the kitchen. I never get another hug from her. I'd never hear her warm and comforting voice. She was no longer living, she was now a memory. She was gone. Murdered. Dead. There was no way to bring a person back from that fate. Not even wizards could do anything of the sort.

I felt the like the room began to spin around and my head became very heavy. I stood up and tried to make it to the bed when my vision split into double. I could feel myself falling forward but could do nothing to stop it. I fell into my dresser, knocking off a vase with red roses in it. The vase smashed as I hit the floor, sending glass everywhere. It sent a gash on my cheek and left a piece in my wrist as I dropped into blackness.

Chapter One: The Day My World Came Crashing Down

(A/N): Thanks for reading the first chapter! I really hope you enjoyed it because it came from the heart. I don't know when I'll update next but it'll be with in the next month! Please read and review! Also to those of you who didn't like it, no one is making you read it. Thanks to everyone again!

Quinn