The Lost Lestrange (A Harmony fanfic)

Chapter 1 - The news (pt.1)

Dead.

That's what she was told. That they were dead. The proof was laid out on the coffee table in front of her, on cold, hard and crisp paper, ink flowing through the paper, which's ebony-black colour contrasted with the frost-white paper. 

Yet Hermione refused to believe it. She had promised herself to go to Australia next week to restore their memory of her. So, she could have them return to her. So that she had someone to lean on, someone to emotionally support her.

Her bags were packed, her plane ticket ready. She had been ready. It was definite. Obvious, even.

They couldn't be dead.

The two men from the Ministry sitting opposite her in her rental apartment were lying. The men who were telling her that Jean and Henry Granger are dead are lying. Right?

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. They had explained the reason of their deaths in such a way it would be sealed in her mind forever. Yes, she did erase their memory, but she loved them. They had loved her.

"We understand Ms Granger, how upsetting this information is for you," One of them said, a pitying look on her face. Deep down, the man was disgusted to be sitting in a Muggle apartment. Hermione didn't give a flip. She had barely been listening anyway. She stared at her feet as her sight began to blur and tears stinging her eyelids.

"We have the death certificates already signed by relatives." The other said, in the same irritating, pitying voice. It made her want to scream and put the Cruciatus curse on them. She wished Harry was here. Then he would have managed to calm her down and console her.

Hermione suddenly came back to reality. Relatives? Shouldn't she also have signed the papers then?

"W-what about me? I'm their daughter. I should have signed them too." She tried to speak confidently but the crack in her voice made it sound less steely.

Both men looked at each other, neither wanting to break the news to her. That's when the doorbell rang in the silence. The men winced at the loud ring.

"I think you should answer that." The man on the left mumbled.

Confused, Hermione hesitantly opened the door. She saw someone she never would have expected. Heck, even Dumbledore would be less of a surprise, and he's been dead for the past few years.

Hermione had no words. They both stood silent for a long time. Minutes, days, weeks. She didn't know. Then she broke the silence.

"Professor Snape?"