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Disclaimer: JK Rowlings owns Harry Potter, not me. I get nothing out of this except the sheer joy of writing along her story lines.

CHAPTER ONE

With a Wand, Escape

Hermione had been working hard during the summer. But not on books as many thought she would have. She still did a lot of reading and studying, but not nearly as much as she usually did. This summer, as it was her last before graduating from Hogwarts, Hermione decided to take some time to herself. She worked part time, and with the money she earned decided on buying herself a few things she had denied herself over the years. Being seventeen, her image was one of many things that she decided to change. She started working out, usually with a book nearby. Started eating differently, usually with a book in hand. Started going out dancing, leaving the books at home for once. Dad fixed her front teeth, he was afterall the dentist version of a knight in shining armor. She went to the hairdressers often and the nail salon too. It was a fun time.

Sitting in her room she could hear her parents shuffling around downstairs. For their anniversary Hermione bought them tickets to Phantom of the Opera. Originally she had bought three tickets, but returned one of them so they could have some private time out. Hermione set aside her book as her father knocked on her door.

"Hermione, honey. We're leaving now, we'll be back late okay?" she opened the door and smiled at her father.

"Sure dad, you guys have fun!" she gave that award winning smile, and left the door open. He smiled back and headed downstairs and out to the garage with his wife. Hermione just giggled and started to head back to her book.

'Tap'…'Tap', 'Tap', came from the window. Hermione giggled again, thinking Ron had sent her yet another note whining about not seeing his friends, only to see a dark and rather sinister looking raven with a small box in it's claws tapping on the glass. Hermione took a minute to open the window, it was a bit shocking to see a raven wandering out this late at night. They didn't typically fly after dark.

The bird flew in, dropped the box on her bed and was gone back out the window in one fell swoop of it's heavy wings. Hermione tilted her head in curiousity and checked the box for curses and traps. Nothing, at all. A very muggle box overall.

She let her curiousity get the better, and slid the box lid open. Inside there was a pair of earrings and an origami swan. (Japanese paper folding, for those of you that don't know) The earrings were silver, with an emerald in the middle of a beautiful display of filigree around the emerald's marquis cut. Nothing magical about them. She pulled the swan out and looked it over, and then started to unfold it. Inside was a note.

'Granger, put these in your ears, grab your wand and RUN! D.E. coming! GO!... Signed … DPC'

Hermione didn't think twice, she grabbed the earings shoving them in the holes in her ears and grabbed her cloak and wand. She felt the cold coming up the hallway. Ice started to cover the wall. Hermione went to her window and jumped down to the patio roof, then to the ground. As she landed, her foot caught something on the ground. A large bag of chocolates between her feet. Grabbing it, she ran toward the fence . She could feel them closing in, the wretched screams from the garage letting her know they already got to her mother. Father probably would not scream.

Reaching the fence, she volleyed it. Landing, everything started swimming in her head. A thunderous pounding that wouldn't relent made itself known behind her eyes. She felt herself getting lighter, or at least it seemed. Struggling into her neighbor's yard she headed for the pool, but everything went dark as she looked into the water.

Hushed whispers woke her from her dreadful dream.

'Damnable mudblood, why do I have to deal with it,' one whispered.

'Because your father wants you to prove yourself,' another whispered. 'She's awake.'

'Fine, wait for me outside. If I have to do this, I don't want your prying eyes,' the first voice said. Swishing fabric and the sound of a door unlocking, opening, closing and then locking again let Hermione know she was at least with one less assailant. She didn't dare open her eyes or make a sound yet. She didn't appear to be bound, but her wand was gone. Probably broken or rid of in some way to keep it from her. She felt chilled to the bone. Cold inside and out. Damnit she had let them get too close, she's lucky they didn't "kiss" her!

"Well well well mudblood! Seems I get to have a bit of fun with you before you die. How many ways to make a girl scream.. hmm?" she felt a sharp jab to her ribs making her moan in pain. "Little sensitive aren't you?"

She felt sudden pressure over her torso, the scent of cologne filled her nostrils. The scent was very fitting, it smelled wonderous on whomever her assailant was. Her breath hitched in her chest as she felt hands traveling over her body. Her head was pounding, every limb was tired, she felt dead inside. No panic, just a will for it all to be overwith.

"Now now, can't have you not responding here… that just wouldn't be proper. I'd like a good scream or two out of you, filthy mud blood, dirty whore…" he hissed. "You ever been done proper? Course not, dirty mud blood could never get a good lay," he laughed insidiously. She felt his mouth crash onto hers, forcing hers open. Then the oddest sensation, her mouth filling with chocolate. He pulled back only fractionally, she could feel a large black cloak covering both of their frames. 'Eat the damned chocolate,' he whispered softly. His hands were moving over her body, making motions of things they were not actually doing. She came somewhat more aware to feeling this pressure on her chest, her senses and mind waking up like from a deep cold sleep as she swallowed the very rich chocolate in her mouth.

Her assailants hands were making like they were lifting her dress, but it was staying against her skin she could feel that. He was faking it! He was using his cloak to make it look like he was hurting her! She lay still, eyes turned away and closed tight.

"What? No screams? No motion? Hmm… maybe just a bit of chocolate to bring you around hmm?" she felt her mouth being forced open with a finger. A tiny piece of chocolate placed between her lips. "Eat it bitch."

Hermione did.

"Now let's have a good scream…" she felt him grind against her. "Taste what's coming bitch… "

"NO!" she screamed… "NO DON'T PLEASE!" She pretended her arms were still limp, trying to lift them like they were heavy weights. Why this person was helping her, she didn't know but for now she'd play along. He lowered himself to her ear, and whispered again.

"Oh Yes you filthy slut, Yes…" he lowered himself to her ear again.

'Right pocket, low in cape… wand. Kick me, hard. Do not hold back or they'll know I'm not really hurt… door on left then apparate… got it?' he heard her start to turn her head, to say something… 'Don't unless you want to force one of them to finish this… and you..I'm going to thrust you one more time, pull back… when I do kick me… and run for your mudblood life… no more questions…. ' he said lifting his head, Hermione screamed again begging for this not to happen before she did what she was told. He thrusted, she screamed, he pulled back and she lifted her knee as if a robot following commands and knocked his next generation clean into his gut. 'Good job Swan…' he whispered before letting out another gut wrenching moan.

He groaned hard and rolled over, but not before she retrieved the wand out of his pocket and she ran to the left. Finding the door he was speaking of, she pushed it open and ran through, and apparated out of there, to Ron Weasley's house.

"SHE APPARATED WITHOUT A WAND?" he felt another sharp kick to the ribs. "YOU FAILED BEFORE OUR LORD! HE DOES NOT TOLERATE FAILURE!" Another sharp kick and several cutting whips into his back, he cried out, grasping onto the post he was tied to.

"It will not happen again! It Will Not!" the man screamed, and crumpled to the floor taking his bindings with him, that tore at his skin as he could no longer hold himself up.

Hermione pounded on the Weasley's door, screaming at it as if it could hear her. "PLEASE! Open the Door! PLEASE!" The lights in the house all came to life as the door opened, Arthur Weasley looked down at the crumpled heap of a girl laying on the porch. "Please…."

Slowly he lowered himself and went to touch the smooth haired woman lying on his stairs. As if she felt her aura impeded on, she flinched back before he could touch her and looked up at him with doe fear filled eyes. Arthur gasped looking down upon Hermione Granger, missing now two weeks, and presumed dead. Her dress torn, her body dirty, her hair slicked in grease from not being washed, her body was pale but in her hand a silver wand of the most beautiful quality.

"'Mione? Easy… easy girl.. it's me … Mr. Weasley…. Easy…" seeing his eyes, she ran into the man's arms and immediately sobbed horribly.

"Father?" Ron called from the steps.

"Go back to bed Ron," Arthur called. "Tomorrow."

Ron took the hint and went back upstairs, but he wasn't about to be able to sleep.

Mrs. Weasley helped the girl get herself put together, bathed and into a bed. Arthur stood guard throughout the night. Waking the girl from her hellish nightmares that she wouldn't talk about. When Arthur went to take her wand, she clenched it like it was her lifeline refusing to let it go. Arthur decided it best to leave it alone for now. He'd ask to inspect it after the girl rested. And thus was the end of a horrible summer.

A few simple tests showed she had extended light exposure to dementors. Used to keep her weak or unconscious. Somehow she had escaped, and that she wouldn't talk about either. She just kept shaking her head, saying she kicked him and got away. When asked where she got the wand, she said she found it. It was obvious the girl was lying about the wand, but she was fearfully truthful about the kicking of the man and getting away. She refused vertiserum, and they had no means to make her take it either. The interrogation by the Ministry was almost as bad as the attack itself. And it was the end of a horrible summer.

Finally, Moody took her to her home to collect her belongings to go to Hogwarts. Crookshanks lay dead at the foot of her bed, her items had been tossed about her room. Her bed overturned, her wand snapped in two. She packed the house up, and had most of it put in storage, except what she would need for school. Her parents were found dead. The muggle explanation was accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from the car running in the garage too long. The real explanation was death by "The Kiss" of a Dementor.

The family dentistry practice was sold, so was her house. She just couldn't bring herself to live there ever again. And thus was the end of a horrible summer.

Hermione felt the first jerk of the train as it departed for Hogwarts. Another jerk let her know they were on their way. She didn't speak with Ron and Harry. She just stared out the window, her cloak's hood pulled up to shield her face from passersby in the hallway of the car.

"'Mione?" Ron called to her. Her gaze turned to him slowly. "You can't go on like this. It's not right. I know it was bad, but you can't just stop living 'Mione."

"I know. I just need a little more time," she said softly a tear slipping from her unblinking eye. "I'll be fine Ron. Please just understand."

Harry knew what she was feeling. Now Hermione was in the same boat he was. Orphaned by the Voldemort, and cursed to know that he could come again at any waking moment. It was no wonder that she was uncomfortable on the train. Harry had been attacked on the train a few years back by a dementor.

Hermione slipped another piece of chocolate in her mouth. She kept it on hand now constantly. Slipping a piece now and again. It was more a psychological need now than the actual effect of the dementors but for a long while she had to have almost a constant supply to get her spirits up at all. This now was just the depression of losing your parents and the life you knew. Harry understood this too.

"Let her be Ron, she'll be better once we settle into school, let's give her some time to herself," he said as they made their way out of the compartment.

How long Hermione stared out the window was anyone's guess, including Hermione's. The next thing that snapped her from her daze was a large cloaked figure sliding the door open and sliding in, closing the door and pulling the shade. He didn't turn around to face Hermione at all, he just spoke to the door.

"Heard you made Head Girl Granger," he said. "Congratulations."

"Malfoy?" she stood and put her hands on her hips. "What do you want?"
"Keep your voice down Mudblood! I just came in to tell you who'd you be working with! Damn giddy bitch!" Draco snarled. "Blaise made Head Boy. Figured that would make your whole year. See you later bitch!"

"Your games can't bother me anymore Draco," she said quietly. Turning away from him to look out the window again. "I'm above your name calling."

"Good job wench… just watch your back." he opened the door and was gone.

'Well that went remarkably smoothly, wonder what didn't crawl up his ass this year?' she thought to herself.

She settled into her new dorm, her class schedule was rigorous, but this was her last year to get in as much education as she could. She looked about the common room, and so did Blaise. He seemed pretty easy going about all of this. Hermione had expected at least one low blow or name call, but Blaise kept his mouth shut unless it was cordial. Miss McGonagal must have given him a talking to before he got here. Or maybe that's just the way he was when he was away from Malfoy. She shrugged and plopped down on the couch.

"We don't have classes tomorrow, but we still have to patrol tonight," Blaise said quietly. "I'm going to the dungeon for a while. Should I meet up with you later? Say nine or so?"

"Sure Blaise, see you then," she pulled open a book from her bag.

Blaise walked over and hooked a finger over the book and pulled it down, forcing her to look up at the owner of the disturbing digit. "Gryff, listen, you really shouldn't take all your damned time on books. You are missing a lot of the world out there. See you at nine." And without another word he turned on his heel and walked out of the portrait.

"Gryff?" Guess so? Better than Mudblood I guess... she thought to herself.

She read for about half an hour, her book was borrowed from Mrs. Weasley. Herbal remedies for dragon fevers. At least she didn't have to deal with Snape anymore, but at the cost of losing Dumbledore, now her family too, Hermione just slumped.

There was a knock upon the portrait.

"Miss Liberty, who is at the door?" Hermione asked.

"Dobie" she replied, adjusting her blindfold to look down at the creature then putting it back. Hermione put down her book and opened the portrait. The little house elf bounced in and smiled.

"Elo Miss Ermione!" he said happily. "I gots a gift for you! It be delivered just a minute ago for ye!"

"Well, where is it?" she smiled at his happiness. She didn't want to depress Dobbie or he'd do something stupid like iron his hands. Dobbie snapped his fingers and a large black laquer box appeared on the coffee table.

"There's ye go! I be off!" and he was gone, just like that.

A/N: Many chapters of this are under construction. I am willing to work with ideas, constructive critisism only! Thanks!