Chapter 9: Troubling News
After Lucius got everyone out the door and apperated to the restaurant, and into a private booth, their conversations drifted to the usual family talk: school discussions, the Grangers and work. Of first courses of dinner were filled with these conversations. When the third course of Chocolate brownies came, Severus had an announcement. He grasped everyone's attention by grabbing a butter knife and his champagne glass, with a slight series of clings; he had everyone's undivided attention.
"I don't do well with this type of thing but I would like to thank you all for welcoming me into this family. Now don't get me wrong, I have felt like a member of this family since our days at school but my new engagement to Hermione is not only making it more official, but more real as well." He paused to compose himself; he wasn't used to these emotional confessions. Hermione noticed and in response, she gently laid a comforting hand upon his and encouraged him to continue. "So in return, I would like to welcome Hermione into my family." After that statement, he pulled out a beautiful platinum ring with a good sized emerald surrounded with numerous smaller diamonds.
Hermione smiled as Severus grabbed her left hand and placed it upon her proper finger. After the band's placement, Severus, for the second time that day, he kissed her hand. However, Hermione's reaction was much different. After Severus was reseated, she leaned over and placed a gentle loving kiss on his cheek and she said, "I love it. Thank you."
Everyone smiled and applauded in joy. As the noise diminished, a ministry official came in and looked around. When he spotted Hermione, he made a bee line for her. As he arrived at the table, the party fell silent.
He made no eye contact with anyone but Hermione, not even when he spoke, "Pardon the interruption Mr. Malfoy. I have some news for a Miss Hermione Granger." Lucius nodded but said nothing.
"Miss Granger, may I talk to you for a moment, alone?"
Hermione nodded and stood with the man her uncle had addressed as Bradford. Before she left her party, she asked, "May my fiancé join us, I'm going to tell him everything anyway." Bradford nodded and Severus stood as well and went toward the back of the restaurant to receive whatever news his fiancé was about to given.
"Miss Granger," Oliver began, "I'm afraid that I don't come baring good news." He handed her a folded piece of parchment with the ministry seal and continued, " This should explain everything that you need to know."
He didn't leave so Hermione looked at Severus. Severus saw her look of confusion and he said, "Thank you Bradford, I can take it from here." Oliver nodded and said, "Good evening and take care." And with that, he bowed and exited the quiet corner.
Hermione finally looked at the parchment in her hands and decided that it would be better to look at it before she rejoined the party. She opened it and read it to herself. At first her face started as one of study and then turned to one of confusion and disbelief. She didn't look away from the paper nor did she look at Severus. She just started to run, she knew where she was going; she was going home to see the Grangers.
When she bolted out or the restaurant, Severus called after her, "Hermione, Hermione, Wait!" When she didn't respond before her loud exit he ran to the table and grabbed their cloaks. "Something's wrong, we've got to go after her come on." He didn't have to ask twice, everyone stood got ready and Lucius paid for their dinner, magically of course. Then the party moved to exit the restaurant and ran after their missing party member. They ran down the street calling her name but no luck. Severus turned the corner and stepped on a piece of paper, he looked down and saw Hermione's name neatly written on it. He picked it up and read what had been written.
"She's gone to the Granger's neighborhood."
"How do you know?" Blaise inquired.
Draco noticed the piece of paper in Severus' hand and said, "Are you that thick Blaise? He has Hermione's letter. What does it say?"
He didn't say anything about the letter but instead he said, "We have to apperate there, she might do something drastic."
"But where are we…." Blaise started But Bella interrupted.
"If you are done, my daughter may be in danger." Blaise let it rest and the group apperated to the Granger's.
When they arrived they were shocked at what they saw; A bold bright Dark mark floated above the Granger Home.
"Oh My GOD!" Narcissa and Bella said in unison.
Hermione came running out of nowhere and ran toward her house. She was fast, but Severus was a hair faster, he grabbed her by the arms and she started flailing and screaming.
"NOOO! Let me go, let me go, NOOO!" She kept screaming over and over again.
"Hermione, Hermione Stop!" Severus said with a struggle.
"I…No let me go, I have to help them!" Hermione grunted and then she collapsed.
Severus and the rest gathered around the distraught Gryffindor. Severus was the closest and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.
She wept in both pain and disbelief; the people that had raised her just couldn't be gone, they just couldn't, and yet at that moment, they were and it was all her fault, she should have been there to protect them. As she was pulled closer to the warm protector, she only assumed was Severus, she tried to bury herself even deeper inside of his warmth. It took a while, but she had finally calmed herself enough to talk in a rational fashion.
"Hermione, dear, what happened?" Her mother asked.
Hermione took a deep breath and said, "You should know."
"What are you talking about Hermione?" Her Father inquired.
"WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?!" She said in outrage. "WHO ELSE KNEW THAT MY PARENTS LIVED HERE? WHO? Was it ANYONE here? I don't think so. The letter said that my parents died an hour ago from the killing curse. We were all out at dinner were we not? Unless someone pulled the wool over my eyes and did this."
"My darling baby girl, not one person in this group had anything to do with the Granger's deaths. I swear upon the Black Family grave."
"That's pretty high swearing Mother." For the first time since her outrage started, the anger melted off of her face. "I'm sorry, but I will find out who did this to my parents and they will suffer a pain worse than death. Severus could you take me home please, I just want to be alone." Severus looked up at the family surrounding them and when Bella and Rudolfus nodded, there was a pop and the pair was gone.
"Wow, Bella, if she is anything like you, everyone had better watch out, she'll be on a rampage," Draco stated. In return, he got a glare from both his mother and his aunt.
"Are you referring to the time that when she came after you in third year?" Pansy asked.
"I thought he asked us to never recall that event?" Blaise questioned, This time it was him that received a glare from the Slytherin Golden Boy.
Bella pulled Rudolfus aside and then asked him, "Who would do this? Who would come after our little girl like this?"
"I don't know Bella, I truly don't, but I'm sure there's chatter about somewhere, someone knows something."
After the two returned to the group, everyone apperated back to the Malfoy Manor for the night, it was previously decided that no one was to disturb Hermione; her day had been bad enough.
A/N: OK I rewrote this chapter because after I thought about it, I didn't really like how the news was given, nor did I like how Hermione's reaction, hope you all like this one