Scars in the Rain

(Hermione)

Ronald Weasley sat at his desk in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He sighed as he stared at Snape who was going on and on as always. He smiled a little as he thought of Hermione. If she were here, she would be all over him for 'fading out'. What was that Snape just said? Oh, it doesn't matter. He just wanted to go see her. It was odd to not be in the same class as her this time, but he supposed she'd had a good reason for not coming.

"You guys go ahead. I'll be along in a bit." She'd said to him and Harry as they had left the common room. Just after Harry left she blew Ron a kiss. Harry had asked why he was so bubbly on the way to see Snape. Ron had just smiled and shrugged.

"I just feel…good." He had said. That had been an hour ago and Defense was almost over. Ron's head snapped too as he noticed Snape was looking at him. "Huh?' he asked. Snape had the usual look of distaste upon his lips as he stared at him.

"I was wandering what you found so delightful about the floor.' Snape said. Ron just shrunk in his seat. The bell sounded his stay of execution. "Three roles of parchment about the effects of bloodwood on magical inflicted gashes and, oh, let's make it an even role about floorboards and why they so infatuate you, Weasley…Harry you will turn one in as well."

"That git." Ron growled as they walked. Harry stayed quiet, his own distaste evident on his face. He hadn't even done anything wrong…Snape was just riding him as always.

"Malfoy wasn't in class…neither were Crabb and Goyle…did you notice?" Harry asked. Ron nodded, but thought nothing of it. Ginny walked passed them from the opposite direction and Ron caught a movement in the corner of his vision. It looked as if his sister had grabbed Harry's hand as she walked by them. Harry looked down and opened his hand to see a folded piece of parchment. He unfolded it, being careful not to let Ron see what was written on it…and he was unashamedly trying to get a look at it. Harry smiled and looked up at Ron. "I gotta go.' He said and turned and started after Ginny. Ron sighed, still not sure if he approved or not. He could object and he was sure Harry would respect his wishes, but also Harry was his friend. Just as long as he didn't do what he had done their sixth year, he'd go along with it. He was curious to find out why Hermione hadn't come to class though.

He went to the common room and frowned as he looked around. She wasn't there. He went to a portrait on the wall of three witches giggling as a boy tried to figure out why they were doing so. Behind it was a small tunnel that led to the girl's dorms. He had found it by accident one night after Hermione had kissed him and said goodnight. He'd simply snooped about until he found it. He crawled up the tunnel and went to Hermione's dorm. The girls were surprisingly exceptive if they saw a boy there, provided the boy was dating a girl. They didn't want or need any single fellas up there prowling about for some cheap love. He knocked and smiled when Luna answered. "Looking for Hermione.' He said to her with a little nervous laugh. Luna gazed at him for a moment, smile on her face as always.

"She's not here I'm afraid. I haven't seen her all day." Ron thought it was odd she was in there, seeing as how she wasn't in their year, but he caught a glimpse of Lavender trying to stay out of sight. Probably getting tutor lessons from Luna. The fast they were from Luna and from a person one year below her was bad news for her socially. He thought it was dumb that she had let the blond answer and he smiled, trying not to laugh. "Thanks." He said and left, going back to the common room and sitting down on the couch and stared down at his shoes. After thinking of several places to check, he got up. He checked the Room of Requirement, the library, and their special place to go out by the forest. He'd been dating Hermione since last year. Seeing how she'd reacted to him and Lavender, he had decided to straighten up. His book from Fred and George on how to treat women just made it better. Only she had this thing about nobody knowing. For all her great aspects she didn't want anyone to think she was loose…and she wasn't. Trying to go too far and earned him a straight week of no physical contact during the summer.

"My purity is very important to me Ronald and if you can't accept that then we just shouldn't touch at all." She told him after a good scolding one late night in his room at the Burrow before she had stomped out. Back at Hogwarts however, Ron had searched for a good hour before giving up. He was worried by this point and Lavender didn't make it any better when he arrived at the common room.

"Ron!" She shrieked in alarm, making Ron jumped and squeal like she just had.

"Blood-bloody hell.' He gasped and looked at her.

"Luna said you'd been looking for her. Hermione's outside. I saw her crying." Ron frowned. Why was she crying? Thinking Lavender's reaction had been over the top a bit, he turned and left. "She's out near the pumpkin patch!" She called as Ron vanished through the portrait hole…

Ron started across the grounds. Why was Hermione crying? Had he done something without realizing it? Now at least he knew why she hadn't been in class. He saw Hagrid's hut and knew he was close to the pumpkin patch. However, he still didn't see Hermione. He stopped walking and heard faint sobs. "Mione?" he asked somewhat loudly and the sobbing stopped. He looked around and saw a small puff of brown hair vanish behind a tree. She was in the midst of three big trees that were growing very close together. He frowned and started over there. "Mione?" he asked as he poked his head in.

"Go away, Ron.' Said a sobbing Hermione, her face hidden beneath her hands, her shoulder shaking with gentle sobs. She looked dirty like she'd bee rolling in the dirt. He noticed her legs were bare and she had no shoes on. He frowned at this as she always wore stalkings, too shy to show her legs…even though he felt she had a perfect right to. She did have legs worth looking at after all. He frowned and sat down beside her.

"Hermione, what's wrong…what happened? Where are your shoes at?' he asked her and Hermione kept her face hidden, but managed to point with a shaky finger to some overgrown grass. Ron frowned and got up. He moved to the grass and looked. He saw her shoes thrown randomly along with her stalkings. The grass looked beaten down as if someone had lain there or something. He frowned and picked up her shoes and stalkings, but dropped her shoes as he noticed her stalkings were ripped in a very peculiar place. He looked back at the spot and saw what looked like a pair of panties. He frowned deeper because they looked torn. He turned quickly to face Hermione. "Mione, tell me right now what happened?' he said and held up her stalkings with a rip in the crotch. Hermione uncovered her face, her nose bloody, lips swollen and split in places. Her cheeks red and one of here eyes black and already beginning to swell.

"They…They…" She started and made a move as if she was going to faint and Ron caught her and held her tightly to him as she sobbed harder, clinging to him as tightly as ever. As if her life depended on it. "They rapped me." She managed to get out, clinging tightly as ever to him…

(This is chapter one: 'Hermione'. I've been away a while, so please review. I love hearing what people think of my stories. More chapters to come, I promise! ;) )