Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize; I just like to play with other authors toys.

On with the story.

I stood up and left the library as quickly as I had come in, and started walking to Dumbledore's office. I thought it would be best if I got this over quickly, rather than wait for a summons. I stood at the base of the staircase and tried to keep myself from crying. When I reached the top I knocked softly at the door, waiting until I heard the headmaster call out "enter".

Softly I turned the knob and crossed the threshold into the headmaster's office, taking the seat he offered to me. The ministry official looked at me sadly and gave his condolences, and Dumbledore offered me a place to stay for the summer after I had everything sorted out. "I appreciate the offer" was all that I could get out around the lump in my throat, memories of my time with my parents flashing before my eyes. "You can some time off from school and get things sorted out, I will have your teachers send you homework to keep your grades from slipping."

After he dismissed me I walked to Gryffindor tower and started to pack my things, grateful that classes were still in session, giving me the dorm all to myself. I was told to meet the ministry official in the great hall when I was all packed. Putting my favorite book (not Hogwarts, a history) in my bag I caught the smell of my mothers perfume clinging to the pages. Although I didn't get along with my parents, I still loved them, and the smell of my mothers perfume sent me into another crying fit.

I made it down to the great hall about 20 minutes later, ready to end the nightmare that had become my reality. The official, whose name I later learned as Mark Kronk, offered to carry my bag until we got to Hogsmead. I politely declined as we got in the carriage and started the trip to the wizarding village. The trip didn't take more than ten minutes and we apparated soon after.

We landed in a clearing in the trees not far from my old home, and we walked down the street to its charred remains. I caught the smell of the house before I actually saw it, and it brought tears to my eyes to see it in such a shape. My father used to keep the front yard in perfect condition, often commandeering my Saturday mornings in the summer to help him. The whole house was gutted and not a single item remained, and my eyes filled with tears as I walked through the shambles of my childhood. Mark came up behind me and assured me that it was a quick and pain free death, and that my parents hadn't suffered.

"We need to go to the court house for the reading of the will" he said, bringing me out of the stupor I was in. "ok" was all I said as he called a cab and gave the directions. The drive to the court house went by so fast I didn't realize we were there until mark shook me and helped me out of the cab. The reading of the will was a quiet affair, and everything was left to me, what was left anyways. The attorney handed me a packet of letters saying it was from my parents and was to be given to me if anything should have happened to them. I quickly opened the envelope and noticed that there were several documents inside, including my birth certificate. I opened the letter with my mothers handwriting first, hoping to have some comfort in what she wrote.

To our precious Hermione,

We didn't mean to push you away in these last few years, and I wish we would have told you the truth sooner. We love you so very much, and what I am about to write will have a big impact on your life. When Frank and I got married, we tried for years to get pregnant, but after many failed attempts we went to see a doctor. The doctor told us that we could never have children, and it broke our hearts. He then old us about adoption, giving children whose parents couldn't take care of them a better life. Your father and I went home and talked about this, and decided to give it a shot. A year later we were given the biggest miracle, you. We are so sorry we didn't tell you about this, and we pray that you can forgive us. You have no idea how proud we are that you have grown into such a wonderful young woman, and we love you so much.

Enclosed is a copy of your birth certificate and a letter from your biological parents, we hope you find them.

Love,

Mom and dad

I could only stare at the page, hoping beyond hope that this was all a hoax. I was never really a granger. According to my birth certificate I was Hermione Isabel Plum Maňoso, and my parents' names were Ricardo Carlos Maňoso and Stephanie Marie Plum. I didn't have the heart to read the letter they left me in the courthouse, and I asked Mark to take me to the hotel we would be staying at.

Later that night as I was sitting on my bed, I pulled out the letter and started to read. The letter explained how much my parents loved me and how hard it was to give me up, it turns out that they had some powerful people after them and decided that that was no life to give a baby. Enclosed were pictures and an address book with about a thousand numbers in it, I studied the pictures with a careful eye.

Each photo had a description written on the back, and they all look freakishly familiar. The first picture I found was a photo of my mom, she had bright blue eyes and curly brown hair, and she looked just like me, only with different colored eyes. Setting it aside I picked up a picture of a man of Cuban decent, the description on the back informed me that he was my father. He had the same colored eyes as me and I definitely got my mouth from him. Flipping through the rest of the pictures I learned about the people in my family's life, enjoying the descriptions and falling in love with the people I had never met.

I decided to try some phone numbers in the morning and went to get ready for bed, brushing and flossing my teeth like the good girl I was. I pulled on my black sweats and blue tank top, and crawled into bed, saying a quick prayer and turning off the light.