Title: Death of a Gossip

Rating: T

Summary: A few weeks before Hermione is to join Harry and the Weasley's at the Quidditch World Cup she finds out something that she never expected and that places her in very grave danger. She's Professor Snape's daughter and it soon becomes clear that things are working against her including the death of a gossip.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters but I do like to play with them.

Chapter 1

Hermione Jean Granger, the resident Know-it-all, Gryffindor student, and best friend to Harry Potter, was in her father's library. It had been a rather exciting third year and next year she hoped was quiet. However nothing could ever be quiet when your friends with Harry Potter. She was doing her Potions essay that Professor Snape wanted; both her parents were gone to work and that left her alone to do her work. A few hours into it she decided to take a break and go into her father's study to chat on the internet.

She sometimes missed the muggle world, with the internet and the chat rooms. When she walked in she booted up the computer and started to check out the sites that she had missed during the year. As she looked she noticed that her father's file was opened. Hermione frowned, he never left his file open. She got up to close it and that's when she noticed something hanging out of one of the files that had her name on it. She pulled the file out and pulled the piece of paper out.

Hermione was shocked that it was a birth parchment. She had read about them but she never expected to see one. She looked at it and almost had a heart attack. The birth parchment was for one Isis Lily Snape. Hermione wondered why her father would have this and then she noticed a form stating that her parents had adopted one Isis Lily Snape and had changed her name to Hermione Jean Granger.

She felt her whole world shatter and she burst into tears. Her parents had lied to her for her entire life. She, the best friend of Harry Potter, was the daughter of Severus Snape the one person that Harry hated. She grabbed them and hurried upstairs forgetting about being on the computer.

It took her hours to finally calm down and once she had she thought about what to do next. She couldn't go to the Quidditch World Cup, she just couldn't. She would have to write to the Weasley's and tell them that she couldn't come after all. She knew that Ron would be upset but she just couldn't face them. She pulled out a sheet of parchment and wrote to the one person that would understand, Professor McGonagall.

When she was finished writing she sent it off. The owl that she used was just one that happened to be around. She hoped that McGonagall would have some advice. When her parents got home Hermione didn't tell her parents what she had discovered. Both of them were excited about something and she didn't want to ruin it. After dinner Hermione headed up to her room and cried again.

"Looking forward to another term, Albus," Professor McGonagall asked.

"Of course," Dumbledore said, "The Triwizard Tournament is coming and this is the first time that I've ever seen it."

"Well I'm sure that things will get exciting around here," McGonagall said, "So any news if Alister Moody will take the job?"

"He wrote to me and accepted," Dumbledore replied.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it, though I'm a little worried about his reputation."

"I know what you're saying and I'll warn him," Dumbledore said, reassuring her that Moody wouldn't go all mad at them.

"Has Severus reported-."

She trailed off as an owl flew into Dumbledore's office and landed next to her, a letter in its beak. She took it and saw that it was from Hermione.

"Who is it from?" Dumbledore asked.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said, sounding surprised.

Dumbledore looked surprised but motioned for her to open it.

McGonagall opened it and started reading, her eyes widening in shock. When she was finished she told Dumbledore what Hermione had written. Dumbledore looked worried and then asked her how Hermione knows of this.

"She said that she found a birth parchment," McGonagall answered.

"I think that we need to pay a visit to the Granger house and see this parchment for ourselves," Dumbledore said. "I don't want this to turn out to be a bad joke."

McGonagall nodded and both Professors left.

They arrived at the Granger house and Dumbledore noticed that no car was in the drive. However he knew that Hermione was there and so he knocked. A few moments later the door opened and they saw Hermione's face.

"I got your letter, Miss Granger," McGonagall said, "Can we come in?"

"Sure," Hermione said and moved aside to let them pass.

Hermione showed them the birth parchment and Dumbledore ran tests on it. When he told Hermione that the parchment was authentic she looked down at the floor.

"How am I suppose to face Harry and Ron," Hermione said, "They hate Professor Snape and so their going to hate me."

"Nonsense," McGonagall said, "I personally don't care that your Professor Snape's daughter. You're still in Gryffindor and the brightest witch that's ever come through those doors. I'm sure that Severus will love to know you."

"But he hates children," Hermione said.

"Nonsense, he just hates the stupid ones," Dumbledore told her. "I'll have to let Severus know about this and when you're ready you can tell Harry and Ron."

"Thanks," Hermione said.

"Are you going to the Quidditch World Cup?" McGonagall asked her.

"No, I'm not ready to face them," Hermione said.

"You'll have to sooner or later," Dumbledore told her.

"I know," Hermione said.

"And if you want to talk about how your feeling then your more then welcome in my office," McGonagall told her.

Hermione nodded and both Professors left.

"I really feel sorry for her," McGonagall told Dumbledore.

"I agree," Dumbledore said, "And with all the strange things happening this might place Hermione in grave danger."

"I know and I'm afraid that Harry and Ron might not warm up to the idea that Hermione is Severus daughter."

"Well they better or I'll personally remind them what's at stake," Dumbledore said.

McGonagall knew that Dumbledore was as good as his word.

Next up: Dumbledore and McGonagall tell Severus the truth.