Hermione sat on the train going back to Hogwarts, in a compartment all alone. She just stared out the window watching families bid their good-byes as her fellow students loaded the train. Her family use to do that. Her family use to be right there and she would be the very last on the train, just about missing it so she could say good-bye over and over again to her loved ones. She was close to her family. She loved them dearly and although she loved Hogwarts she always had a hard time leaving them behind. Now, though, everything was different.

She became distant from Harry and Ron after the accident. She no longer wanted to associate with many people, and they seemed to not be bothered by this.

The train started to move slightly and she watched the last of the boarders jump onto the train and they waved to their beloved families. Hermione had no one to wave to this year. No one that would shout, "We love you Hermione! Owl us when you get settled in!" and have her leaving wishing that they were coming along.

Hermione had spent the previous year just like she planned to spend this year. Alone, and just trying to get through school so she could do something else, anything else, alone. She really wanted to be alone...who needs distractions? Who needs the drama that all of these people come with? She thought to herself. She continued to stare out the window, when suddenly

The compartment door flew open and Hermione jumped. It was Harry and Ron.

"Oh, sorry, we didn't know anyone was in here. Everywhere else is full so do you mind if we just stayed in here?" Ron questioned and sat down not really waiting for an answer.

Hermione just shrugged and continued looking out the window. Harry and Ron kept talking and Hermione just gazed out the window as if in a daze and they thought that she could not here. She seemed unresponsive.

"Maybe we should just go and stand in another compartment, Ron. This is just awkward."

"Maybe your right, Harry. I think she's gone mental. She has not even moved for the last 20minutes."

"I can hear you both!" Hermione said without even moving.

The two got up and just left with aren't-we-ass-holes looks.

Hermione then remembered something...

"Hermione what's wrong?" Ron, one of her two very best friends.

"My parents, Ron. My parents..." was all Hermione could manage to say.

"Hermione, we are always here for you whenever you need us," Harry assured.

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"All she EVER talks about is her bloody parents and that accident that happened! It gets rather old after a while don't you think?" Could that be Ron? Her dear friend?

"She does nothing but cry and complain about how her life is so bad. I'm sick of hearing about her parents! I don't have mine either!" and Harry? Her other DEAREST friend! Were they really saying these things to people? Did they honestly think she wouldn't find out!

"Oh thanks, guys!" Hermione yelled and she ran from the room crying.

She awoken from her day dream when the compartment door opened yet again.

"Anything from the trolley dear?"

"No thank-you"

She gazed back out of her window.

"Mum? Dad? I'm home! I had the best time in the Burrow with Harry and Ron. Mrs. Weasley made us..." but we will never know what Mrs. Weasley made them do because Hermione gave out a loud, shrill shriek.

She walked into the living room to find her parents' bodies lying on the floor, lifeless. Blood was seeping from their pores. There was a note...

Granger

I see you have come home to a bit of a shock. You knew this would happen, though, am I correct? You should of never got involved with a plan to defeat me. In the end all of those who try to defeat me, end a few lives or even their own in penance.

I do hope you had a nice summer.

Of course it was not signed. Hermione knew, though, that it was a Death Eater who had killed her parents. The note must have been from Voldemorte. It had to do with the time just the school year before that Harry, Ron, and she had tried to defeat him. They did not even come close, sadly.

Hermione took a deep breath and watched her breath fog the window. She took her finger and traced it through the rigid circle shape of fog. She was thinking about so many things at once, now, but yet she was thinking of nothing at all. If she was thinking of nothing at all then why was this single tear drop falling down her cheek?

"Ok, Hermione, this is a lovely home. The Repugnant family is very respected in this community. I think you'll be happy," Hermione's social worker seemed to be trying to make herself believe Hermione would be happy.

"Repugnant? That's their last name? You think anyone with a last name like that could be pleasant?" Hermione had never heard of such a thing.

Instead of answering the social worker said, "oh here we are!" and she rang the door bell.

"WHAT! Who is it! We don't want to donate money!" A man's voice came from behind the door and inside the house.

"Baby, It's probably that girl we adopted. Remember? We get that check each month from now on." Now a woman's voice.

"Oh yeah..well she better not get in my way!" and then there was a door slammed shut it sounded like. Then silence.

The social worker rang the bell again and then knocked twice. The door was opened and a woman who was short, obscenely thin, had dark circles under her eyes, and blonde hair was wearing a short red mini skirt and a shirt that could not of possibly been a shirt at all and she had a cigarette in her right hand and had her right hip slumped to the side.

"So you're the brat that's going to bring us some more money?" the woman was perfectly vile-looking and vile-sounding. Certainly her social worker would not leave her here?

Hermione gulped.

"Ok, um, yes this is Hermione," the social worker exclaimed, "and now I must be off."

"Wait! You can't just.." but Hermione was cut off.

"You'll be fine, Hermione! I'm sure they don't bite!" at that the social worker was gone.

"What she meant was..we don't bite...hard." she laughed and walked inside.

"So typical..." Hermione muttered under her breath disgusted and un-amused by the woman's little joke.

Hermione yawned. The train should be arriving at Hogwarts soon. She decided to go ahead and dress into her robes. As she began to change into uniform, she winced and realized it was ok to heal the bruises, now. She was allowed to use magic on the train, just not at home.

"Your stupid, Hermione! You can't do anything right! Go to your room!" her new adoptive father was drunk as usual. Hermione did not even know his un-drunken self. Hermione went to her room as she was told. Adoptive father of the year was soon there to follow. Adoptive mother of the year was high and sitting on the couch just staring at the ceiling.

The man Hermione hated went to her and slapped her across the face. "Why are you always doing the wrong things? Your just a pain!" He slapped her again, this time being harder and she fell to the ground. Her imbalance made him more angry and he kicked her a several times.

"Please I'm sorry!" Hermione cried.

""Shut up!" He kept yelling at her and cutting her down. Then, he grabbed her by her hair and he sat on her bed. He brought her down to her knees in front of him. He unzipped his pants. Hermione was crying but she didn't dare speak. "You know what to do, you filthy bitch." and she did just like the other times his wife was too stoned to move. She lost count in just the last month.

Hermione sat back down on the seat and stared out the window once more, tears in her eyes more fully now. She was glad this was her last year at Hogwarts. She would be turning 17 and could start her life on her own. She would never have to return to that home.

The door flew open yet again. "Miss me this summer, Mudblood?" Of course Draco Malfoy always managed to make her feel worse when she thought she could not feel any worse. Hermione just glared at him then went back to looking out the window. "Answer me, Granger!" Hermione still did not answer. She just wanted him to go away and thought he would if she just ignored him. How stupid could she be to think that of Draco Malfoy?

Malfoy moved near her and repeated, "Answer me, now!" he was getting more annoyed by the second. Hermione turned her head slightly to face him but she didn't look at him. "Well!" he demanded.

Hermione looked out the window again and from the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy raise his hand as he said, "You filthy, little, Mudblood!"

Hermione screamed, "No Malfoy, please, don't!" and she flung her arms above her head trying to shield herself. Draco gave a puzzled look.

"Afraid of me are you, Granger?"

"Draco, please, just leave me alone, please." Hermione was now sobbing.

"Well since you asked so nicely, NO!"

He sat down in front of Hermione and just stared at her the rest of the way to Hogwarts with his evil smirk that would have even Voldemorte questioning his own power.

Hermione just tried to pretend he was not there, even though she could feel Draco's smirk even if she could not see it whilst she looked out the window.

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AN: ok first fan fic...I hope the first chapter was ok. Please review..I want constructive criticism! Or praise.. Either is good to me! It might be another week before I update..with school and all..its just easier to concentrate on the weekends. Thanks in advance for the reviews..