Back inside the pub, Hermione found herself faced with a very agitated Headmistress, who was less than impressed with her disappearance as well as her intoxicated state.
"Miss Granger! You will accompany Professor Snape and I back to Hogwarts immediately!"
Hermione chanced a look up at her Headmistress, and found her face contorted in a jumble of emotions, which in her current state she was unable to read.
"Miss Granger, do I have to repeat myself!" For a brief moment, it seemed to Hermione as if the whole world stood still. She knew she was being met with a fork in the road, and she knew she had a decision to make.
She could stay here and continue getting hammered or she could return to being the faithful academic who never stepped a foot out of line. She was nearly ready to tell Professor McGonagall that while she appreciated her concern that she should, as Ron would put it, bugger off. But something stopped her.
A little voice was taunting her from inside her head, saying something that she couldn't quite hear. She summoned what will she had left and tried to focus "Where better, and more resourceful to formulate a plan than Hogwarts' it said to her. A plan quickly began to form in her head. She would return to Hogwarts. She would use this time to gather any information she needed to help her on her quest.
She could also use this time to apply for a job in the Ministry, after all, where better to learn than in the belly of the monster.
Hermione could feel a new emotion washing over her very suddenly. This one was better than the utter confusion she had just been facing, this was she was sure a more productive emotion, one which would encourage functionality. Revenge.
"Miss Granger", the Headmistresses voice had reached a new level of shrill, before she inhaled and tried again "Hermione, I understand what you must be feeling. To loose ones parents is always difficult, worsened by circumstances such as these. This being said, to leave school grounds, especially in a climate of such unease is dangerous. While your actions today have been understandable in light of the news at hand, I must warn you that they cannot go unnoticed."
This seemed to garner a reaction, as Hermione turned to face the two Professors. "Headmistress, Professor Snape" she began defiantly "I sincerely apologise for all my behaviour today, and though I know an apology won't begin to make amends for my utter lack of disrespect to you Professor and my complete disregard for the rules I would very much like to return to Hogwarts where we can discuss what happens from here".
Hermione was sure she could see a wave of relief sweep over the Headmistress as well as an attempt to hide a stray tear which had made its way into her eye. Professor Snape on the other hand remained impassive, if not more enraged.
He simply stared at her, causing Hermione to break eye contact when she recalled his ability to read minds. Not an extremely useful person to have around when you had just decided to undertake a personal mission of revenge with the main aim of not alerting anyone to your plans.
Of course, Hermione mused, they would have no reason to even suspect such a reality, as far as they all she was still the dutiful Head Girl. One of the instrumental players in the fall of Lord Voldemort. They would allow her to grieve and then assume, being the sensible girl that she was, she would pick herself back up and try to rebuild what was left of her life.
She may not have known exactly where they were, but she was sure of one thing, Alan and Jean Granger were both very much dead. She also knew, that somebody was going to pay.