My story is based upon this song Let her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish. (So look up the lyrics if you want to see the gist of the story. Or if I get enough requests, I'll post it with my next chapter.) Not every aspect of it follows the song, but hearing the song gave me the inspiration for this story. Warning: If you do not like drama/emotion in your stories, then steer clear of this one! J This story will also contain a bit of smut/ explicit scenes, hence the M rating.
(Oh and just a bit of information to know before you read. If you don't already know, a Bounty Hunter is someone who pursues a criminal or fugitive for whom a reward is offered. In my story, bounty hunting is illegal by ministry standards. There are private sects who hire Bounty Hunters and pay them under the table, but it is still illegal in the wizarding world.)
Oh, and italics represent a flashback in this chapter. Just a little FYI.
And now, let the story begin…
Chapter One.
Hermione stared down at her emptying glass, wondering just how many more it would take to erase, or at the very least ease, her immense pain. She planned on getting positively plastered tonight, not even caring if she wound up making a scene. Which she knew she probably would.
Feeling a pair of eyes upon her, she looked up from her glass and saw a man standing beside her at the bar, glancing at her with evident interest. Ignoring him, she drained the glass and set it down, all too ready for her fourth glass of the night. "Mind if I sit here?" The man finally asked, gesturing to the stool next to her.
She sighed. Tonight was definitely not the night to fuck with her. "I was really hoping to spend tonight alone," she snapped, looking down the bar for the bartender.
The man looked taken aback. "Now why would someone like you want to spend an opportune Saturday like tonight alone?"
Hermione laughed bitterly. Oh if only he knew. Then he wouldn't even dare approach her. "I really don't think it's any of your business," she replied coldly, wishing that she could just hex him right then and there to make him go away. But this was a muggle establishment, and there was no need to draw even more unwanted attention toward her.
The man was persistent. "Here, just let me at least buy you a drink," he responded, choosing to ignore her cool attitude toward him.
Couldn't he see? She was a very unhappy, very drunk woman who wanted to be alone, no, needed to be alone. She felt her temper flare and threw her hands up in exasperation. "Just leave me the hell alone," she hissed, jumping off the stool and crossing the crowded pub. On the one night she needed some alone time, she had to deal with this. She had no problems finding a way to be alone any other time, why tonight?
Tears began streaming down her face as she stumbled out of the noisy pub and into the quiet street of the muggle town just outside of Bristol. She shivered slightly, but didn't care that it was an abnormally cold October night, and she was clad in a sleeveless shirt. Oh Merlin, how she wished she could just die right now. Just lie down in the street, curl up, and die. But that would be too simple.
Her mind worked against her own will, bringing back memories of what had happened on this day three years before. The memory that was causing her such a terrible pain, the worst kind of pain a person can deal with in their life. The sort of pain that didn't have a remedy, the kind that stuck around until death struck. It was heartache, plain and simple.
Why did she listen to him? What on earth possessed her to, for the one and only time in her life, consent to his orders? She recalled his frantic orders on that fateful night; she remembered as if it had all happened just yesterday.
Hermione stood, glued to the spot. She'd heard footsteps approaching from around the corner, and knew what that meant. They hadn't much time at all. "Hermione," Ron hissed from behind her.
She looked at him, feeling terrified and brave all at once. This shouldn't have happened. They weren't supposed to be taken, held hostage for the remainder of the war. She felt like stomping her feet and throwing a tantrum, but honestly didn't have the strength to do so. "We have to go," she whispered dumbly.
"Obviously," he replied, looking down at her, his eyes searching hers, trying to make sure that she was alright. "You remember the way out of here?"
She nodded, recalling their plan of escape. Then it dawned on her. "Aren't you coming along?" she asked, feeling hysteria rise within her.
"Yes, but I'm just going to hold them off a bit first. I want you to go ahead. I'll catch up," he said calmly, although not really feeling calm at all inside. She needed to get out of there, and quick.
She felt her eyes fill up with tears. She doubted that even he believed himself when he said 'I'll catch up.' Looking up at him defiantly, she said, "I'm not going anywhere without you."
Instead of starting up an argument for which they had no time, Ron pulled her into a tight hug, then leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. He'd wanted to do that for so long, and now that he had, he wondered why he hadn't worked up the courage to do it before. "I love you," he whispered simply, looking into her eyes, trying to prove the truth in his words.
Hermione let out a quiet sob and said, "I love you too." Why had they both chosen to keep that a secret until it was too late?
Ron choked back his own tears. The footsteps were getting closer. She needed to get out of there. "Listen, I want you to run. And no matter what, don't come back for me. I don't want any heroics from you." He swallowed hard, trying not to let her see him upset. She looked at him with complete trust and love, it was almost too much. "When I get out, I'll come looking for you."
"You promise?" she asked, not caring that his promise would most likely be an empty one. She just needed to hear him say it, needed to have something to hold onto.
"I promise," he answered. "Now go."
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether her decision was the right one. But she trusted Ron completely. So, before he could order her to leave again, she darted out of the room and down the deserted corridor that would lead, hopefully, to her freedom.
Hermione was sobbing loudly now, stumbling down the street in a stupor, not taking notice of anything around her. Sure, she'd gotten her freedom, but for what? Dead parents and the death of the love of her life; her soul mate. For some time after the incident, she struggled with her own feelings and guilt. Some days, she would rejoice because the war was over, and her worry had lessened. But the moment she rejoiced, she felt guilty. Because it was, after all, her fault that Ron was no longer with them. And it was her fault her parents were killed. Why should she deserve any kind of happiness?
For these three years, she wanted so badly to visit the Burrow again. But how could she face the family after such a loss? She'd heard through the aurors she worked with that Harry and Ginny were getting married, and she was so happy for them. Only, if she was honest with herself, she wasn't. How could they have moved on so quickly, while she was alone, biding her time before her life would be over? Did they even care that she could quite possibly be dead? And Ron, what about him? He was Ginny's own brother, for God's sake!
While Harry and Ginny held cozy Ministry jobs, she was a bounty hunter, working her ass off to find the stray Death Eaters that had managed to escape the aurors. Not that she was too bitter or anything. Her bounty hunting was technically illegal in the magical world, so she was paid under the table by a sect of private aurors. She didn't get any public recognition for her services, just the satisfaction that she was making those bastards pay for the pain that was thrust upon her.
Her job kept her from having a permanent home, but she didn't mind. Traveling kept her mind clear, and didn't allow her depression to consume her. She was currently stationed in this village to keep a lookout for a particularly devious death eater, but how could they expect her to function properly on this night? She would worry about her duties in the morning.
Sobs racked her body as she made her way to the Inn that she was staying at. She still had a few more blocks to go. Hermione stopped in her tracks abruptly when she noticed footsteps closely following her own. Turning her head suspiciously to glance behind her, she let out a small gasp of surprise to see the man from the pub directly behind her.
"I didn't think it was safe for you to walk home by yourself in your condition," the man offered, his eyes wandering down her body.
Hermione snorted. "Home? Ha!" She sneered at him and continued, "Bugger off."
"I'm serious, just let me help you back," he pressed, grabbing her upper arm forcefully.
"Get your bloody hands off me!" she shrieked hysterically, trying to yank her arms out of his grasp. She reached in her pocket for her wand, but too late. Before she could wrap her mind around the situation, he had his wand out and pressed against her abdomen. "Wait one bloody second… You're a-"
The man nodded gleefully. "Don't recognize me, little miss bounty hunter?"
She tried to focus on him, kicking herself for having had so much to drink. "Damn." This was exactly the man she was supposed to be looking for.
"The men will be so pleased. We're going to have fun with you." He leered nastily at her, his eyes obviously raking up and down her body hungrily. "But first, I'm going to have a little fun myself."
Hermione didn't put up a fight as he steered her down an alleyway off to the right. She was too drained to try and do anything. And besides, if he wanted to kill her, then let him. Wasn't that exactly what she wanted? She gulped nervously when he cast a silencing charm on the alley. Then she remembered, her wand was still in her back pocket. He must have realized the same thing, because he then muttered, "Accio wand," and her wand went flying into his outstretched hand.
She chided herself for being so intoxicated and said coolly, "Bravo."
Throwing her wand down on the ground, he sauntered toward her, his eyes full of lust. She nearly vomited all over him when he dipped down and whispered, "You are a very beautiful woman, miss bounty hunter."
He forced her up against the wall, moving his hands over her body and working his way up her shirt. She squirmed beneath his touch, trying to break free and wishing that this would all be over soon. His hands found their way to her breasts and he groaned aloud as he felt their fullness. She gagged at his apparent lust for her and pleaded with him. "Just let me go. You can kill me. Just don't do this." She sobbed loudly as he began fumbling with her pants, his erection pressed against her belly. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the moment when he would finally figure out the fastenings of her pants. But, to her confusion and momentary relief, he stopped fumbling after a few moments and tensed.
Opening her eyes, she saw the man peering around the alley suspiciously, his eyes squinting to see through the darkness. "Thought I heard something," he mumbled to himself, before returning his attention to the woman pinned against him. "Where were we?" He began fingering her fastenings again, and her eyes squeezed shut once more, her moment of hope fading. And then she heard it, a definite rustle near them. She only hoped that it wasn't one of his cronies. But, even though she heard the noise, he wasn't paying attention. He was grinning stupidly in triumph as her pants finally came undone.
"Get your fucking hands off her!" Someone bellowed from behind them. Hermione screamed in surprise and crumpled to the ground when the Death Eater released her. She kept her eyes shut as she heard a loud bang followed by a thud as one of the men collapsed to the ground. "You alright?"
Hermione's eyes snapped open. A man was rushing up to her, kneeling beside her, concern evident in his eyes. Her heart stopped. Could it possibly be him? She felt a sudden rush of dizziness but managed to say, "Ron?"
Lovely end to a chapter, don't you think? My chapters will generally be this length. I don't know why, but I can never seem to make them too lengthy. I would love some comments!