Chapter 1

Disclaimer:I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.

A/N: I haven't written in a very long time, so I'm starting a fresh story, and I may go back and add on to other stories later on.

Tears of joy ran down Hermione's face as she looked down at the newborn child in her arms. After several hours of intensive labor, she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl who looked exactly like her. As time passed, her joy turned to worry as she began to wonder if her husband was going to come to the hospital or not. She had made an attempt to send a message out to him as her parents were taking her to the hospital, but she wasn't entirely sure if her message ever got to him or not. He left that morning seemingly fine, but it wasn't like him to not take part in something so special as the birth of a child. With their first child, he was there for every part of the pregnancy and labor. This was now their second child, and he had been there for everything as well until now.

She was lost in thought that evening at the hospital rocking her newborn baby girl to sleep when someone came into her room and startled her. A nurse walked over to her and handed her a roll of parchment stating it had just been dropped off for her and needed to get to her immediately. Hermione's initial thought was her husband had sent her a note explaining why he hadn't been able to make it yet and that he would be there as soon as he could. She scrambled to open the parchment up. She began to read handwriting all too familiar to her.

Hermione,

I am so sorry to have to write you this, but Severus got

murdered today. I am leading the investigation into

what happened. As soon as I find out the details, I will

let you know. Congrats on your baby girl, and again, I

am so terribly sorry to have to bring such terrible news.

H.P.

The parchment fell from her hand as she got up to go put the baby in her bed and tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't see, she felt like she couldn't breathe. She couldn't understand how her day had started out so wonderful and ended with a tragedy such as this. Her parents came back in the room and panicked at the sight of the state Hermione was in. When asked what happened, the most she could do was point at the parchment on the ground. Her dad grabbed it and read it. After finishing it, he passed it to his wife.

"Oh, Hermione, I am so sorry," Hermione's mother stated and pulled Hermione into a hug, "This is terrible news."

"Honey, we're going to help you get through this," Hermione's dad told her, "We'll help you wherever you need us. You're not alone."

"Thank you, Mom and Dad," was all Hermione managed to get out before she felt like she couldn't breathe again.

Her Mom helped her get to bed so she could hopefully try and relax enough to try and get some sleep while her Dad went to his newborn granddaughter and watched her while she slept peacefully. As the night began to wound down, nobody knew how the tables would turn after the day's end.