All the World's a Stage

Ruins; it laid in ruins.

This wasn't supposed to happen, she managed to process the inane thought through her deadened mind.

Of course, she couldn't exactly say how it was supposed to happen; in fact, she couldn't really say anything at all as she stared unblinkingly at the rubble before her.

Shock was the first emotion that she was able to identify. That couldn't be her house that had once stood as a proud haven from all her childhood fears reduced to a smoking heap of rubble, could it?

The next feeling to be known was confusion. How? How could her sturdy brick fortress have crumbled?

And then, finally, came the realization and horror, both of which dawned as soon as she saw the eerie green light reflecting from the skull still hovering over her once happy home.

Cautiously, she tilted her head back, staring emotionlessly at the lidless, taunting glare of the Dark Mark.

And it stared back at her, silently laughing and mocking her pain and grief.

And as that sinister laughter echoed throughout her mind, Hermione Granger returned her wide eyes back down to the smoldering ruins and, in a moment of sudden clear insight, knew that her parents were still there, right where she had left them, in her home.

The only difference was that they were now dead.

She heard several popping sounds around her and knew immediately without looking that she'd either have to face Ministry or Order members.

Honestly, she didn't know which of the two she would have preferred to face at that moment.

"Hermione, child, are you well?" asked the sharp, concerned voice of Albus Dumbledore.

So it was to be Dumbledore and his Phoenixes.

Slowly, as though she possessed all the time in the world, Hermione turned to acknowledge the Headmaster and a few other members of the Order.

But she did not dignify his question with a response.

Instead, she turned her attention back to the rubble, saying aloud as though making a mental note to herself, "They are still in there; they didn't make it out. They're dead. My parents are dead."

"Miss Granger," a quiet but firm voice sliced through her, causing her to flinch by force of habit.

Blinking dazedly, Hermione turned obediently to Professor Snape.

"How many were there?" he demanded in his efficient, brisk teaching tone.

And Hermione could have kissed the slimy git for his seeming indifference because it allowed her to keep her wits about her.

She couldn't fall apart; not yet, at least.

"I don't know. I went to borrow a cup of milk from Mrs. Price down the street," here, she held out the measuring cup filled with milk she belatedly realized she was still holding, as if to prove her statement, "And I stayed to chat with her for a while. She's really old, you see, and she gets so lonely. I was gone all of twenty minutes, and when I came back..." she trailed off, returning her gaze back to her ruined home, unable to find the words to explain what she was now looking at.

"We've scanned the ruins. Two adult Muggles, one male, one female, were found dead," Alastor Moody gruffly informed as he lumbered over to where Hermione still stood, Professor Snape to her left and Albus Dumbledore to her right.

The former treated Mad-Eye to his patented glare of death.

Completely ignoring the three, Hermione felt a sudden jolt of clarity and dropped the glass measuring cup, the pure, white milk spilling out onto the dark, dank earth.

"He can't know; he mustn't find out," she announced, her voice infused with a surprising strength and certainty, as she took out her wand (she had taken to never leaving her house without it) and pointing it at her ruined home.

"Miss Granger," Snape hissed, snatching her wand away mid-flick, "have you lost your senses?"

When she met his eyes he saw that her gaze was startling clear and unhindered by any emotions. She was completely detached from herself.

Which was exactly how she needed to be if she had any hope to carry in succeeding in what she was about to propose.

"No, Professor, I assure you I am well aware of our situation," she calmly relied, as if she were merely speaking about the weather, "Voldemort killed my parents to get to Harry through harming me; ergo, if Harry does not know about today, does not know about my pain, Voldemort will have failed."

Severus Snape stared at her, his thoughts uncharacteristically mirrored on his face.

Did she know exactly what she was proposing? Had he heard her correctly? Could it be that easy? What of the consequences?

Her solution was so simple and yet infinitely complicated at the same time.

"It's brilliant," Alastor proclaimed, his magical eye swiveling down to pin her with an assessing gaze.

"It is sheer insanity," Snape countered, folding his arms forebodingly across his chest.

And Hermione gave a smirk, saying knowingly, "The best ideas usually are insane."

Albus looked down at her, carefully measuring her response, "Hermione, child, do you know exactly what you are suggesting?"

"Yes, Headmaster; I am suggesting that we cover up the deaths of Anthony and Laura Granger, and if we are going to do so, I suggest we hurry before the Ministry Aurors decide to grace us with their presence."

"Is-Is it even possible?"

Hermione started, having not noticed Remus Lupin joining their circle.

"A few repairing spells and a banishing charm for that," Hermione indicated to the slightly fading Dark Mark, "And no one will be the wiser."

"But you will, Hermione. You will have to shoulder this knowledge alone, without the aid of your friends. Can you handle that?" Albus gently pointed out, most likely expecting her to reply in the negative.

And Hermione thought about it. She thought of what would happen if Harry and Ron knew about her suddenly becoming an orphan. She didn't think she could stand the pitying eyes, or the sympathetic whispers from either of them, not to mention the rest of the Wizarding population.

And Harry. She knew exactly what he would think when he found out: Another life ruined because of the famous Harry Potter. Two more deaths on my hands...it's only a matter of time before another one...

Hermione gritted her teeth, steeling herself for what she knew she must do, "I can do it. My parents owned their own dental business and it was no big secret that they always wanted to go on sabbatical in Africa to help those who don't have dental plans. I'll spread the word that they've left and I'll stay the rest of the summer at Ron's."

Dumbledore looked as though he was about to protest, but Hermione swiftly cut him off, saying sharply, "With all due respect, sir, I don't think this is your choice; it's mine, and I've already made it."

"Albus," Snape barked, probably noticing the slight tilt of the Headmaster's head as though his resolve was wavering, "You cannot allow this madness to continue. If you cover this up the Dark Lord will be thwarted for the time being, yes; but his retaliation, Albus. If we think that what he has done to Miss Granger here today is horrific, then think of what he'll do to her when he realizes that she outsmarted him. And you know, Albus, who he will ask to do it," he hissed.

Albus Dumbledore looked at Severus Snape in the eye, the sadness the older man felt echoed in his very words as he responded, "Severus, I would not wish it upon any person to have to cover up the deaths of their parents and act as if they were well and happy even though the world around them has crumbled; but, I fear that the consequences will be far greater if we allow the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Granger to reach the ears of certain individuals. Therefore, I will leave the choice up to Miss Granger, for she is the one that will have to fool her friends and carry this burden."

When four different sets of eyes pinned her with an expecting gaze, Hermione visibly straightened herself up, lifted her chin, and all three could see the newly kindled fire blazing away in her once soft, innocent brown eyes.

And it was all Snape could do not to flinch under her gaze, for it was one he recognized all too well, and he knew that the girl would have to be periodically checked on so as to make sure that the fire would not consume her.

"You should get started, before it's too late," Hermione said as she looked deeply into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

The old wizard gave a slight nod and set off to rebuild the Granger house with Remus and Alastor.

Hermione watched the three take out their wands and mutter the spells that would mend her home, but not her heart.

"This is pure Gryffindor stupidity, Miss Granger," Snape, who still stood rather closely to her left, uttered in defeat.

Mad-Eye Moody pointed his wand into the air, a thin line of blue light streaming out and hitting the Dark Mark. Hermione watched the light in fascination; intently staring at the Dark Mark she knew would come to haunt her dreams, even as it slowly faded away from existence.

"But it is brave," Snape grudgingly conceded, following her gaze to the disappearing Dark Mark, "I respect your drive to do whatever it takes to achieve the desirable results; that is very Slytherin of you."

"Yes, well," Hermione coolly responded, tearing her eyes away from the spot where the Dark Mark had once hovered and taking a few steps towards her home as it finished rebuilding itself, "The sorting hat did insist that I'd make a smashing Slytherin."

With that being said, Hermione Granger entered her beautiful house that once again shined as it had before, leaving her Potions professor staring incredulously at her back.

And, as she had known it would be, for its entire beautiful, newly restored exterior, the house was just as empty inside as she was.

For some reason, she found that to be slightly comforting.