Author Note: This is my first Harry Potter story on here, so please don't hate. I'd like to thank my Beta-Reader. Without her you all would see a lot more mstakes. This is a true story with real events, so please respect this fact.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and characters (yet) although I am stealing them (and altering them a little) for the purpose of this story only.
I like to dedicate this to my friend...
For letting me use her story and share it with the world...
"Miss Granger!" Snape sneered; the Slytherins snickered at her as she was being scowled.
Hermione looked up shocked and slightly flinched. She almost spilled her potion onto the floor. She gulped, "Sorry Professor."
"Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape had seen her slight flinch, but ignored it for now, for he thought that she just surprised at what she had almost done.
Hermione sighed and cursed herself mentally. Why had she let herself get distracted so easily? Concentrate Hermione and don't let that distract you...he can't get you here...
Hermione tried to go back to concentrating on her potion, though she still found it rather difficult to do so. Instead of blowing up the potion she stopped and sighed gently.
"Miss Granger!" Hermione flinched slightly and looked up. "Why have you stopped? I have not instructed anyone to stop." Snape sneered.
Hermione looked at him with some fear in her eyes. She saw his face, the face of her tormentor.
Snape immediately saw the fear in her eyes and narrowed his eyes, "Ten more points from Gryffindor and see me after class."
Hermione nodded silently. She pushed her potion away from her and cleaned up her area. Opening her potions book she dreaded each second as it ticked by toward the end of the class.
Her mind quickly was dragged away to another subject as she traced the scars under her left sleeve waiting for the end of class and remembering the previous summer. Sure summer wasn't always the best, but this past one was the worst.
He, her stepfather, had finally hit her mother. Hermione witnessed enough to see what was going on.
Sure he had not been civil to her at all. He had been verbally abused her from square one. She had not thought of it until a year ago, her 5th year. She denied this though, not wanting to believe this was all true. Almost everything brought back flashbacks; Snape, Malfoy, and a bunch of little things.
She felt someone watching her and she looked up, it was Snape. Looking around she realized that everyone had left and she mentally kicked herself for her letting herself get caught up in her thoughts.
Snape stood in front of her desk and looked at her, "Let's just get right to the point here Miss Granger. What's wrong?"
Hermione looked at him sort of surprised, does he really care? No, he is the Potions Master and Greasy git, he wouldn't care.
But something in his eyes told her that he did, at least slightly anyway. She looked away, she knew better than let him look into her eyes, he is a skilled Legilimens.
His face roughened as he continued to look at her. He could see her hands begin to fumble around shakily and caressing her left arm. It's a sign…a sign that there is something...He would here her breathes deepen and saw the tears weld up into her eyes.
How she wanted to cry right there and then, but she couldn't, she'd be looked upon as weak. She wouldn't, she couldn't show that she was weak, at all costs.
Snape watched her, she was avoiding answering as long as she could, he knew this.
"I can not help you Miss Granger if you don't tell."
Hermione shook her head and trembled, "No."
"No what Miss Granger?" he was getting somewhere, he got her to talk.
Hermione closed her eyes holding the tears in. She moved her hands under the desk and onto her lap, her nails digging into her palm trying to seal out the pain creating crescent moons.
"Just no," all the time she begged for help and now that is was sitting right in front of her and she couldn't do it. Was it to protect him or was she a coward like he said she was.
Snape furrowed his eyebrows and lifted her chin so she was looking at him. She slightly flinched from the sudden contact.
"Hermione, tell me. I know something is wrong," there was a hint of concern in voice but she ignored it.
Hermione blinked stupidly at her Professor. He had just used her first name and in a half concerned tone. She looked into his black eyes and shook her head.\par
"There is nothing wrong," she looked at him scared afraid to reveal the dark secret she has kept for so long, locked inside of her that was yearning to come out.
Standing up she dashed out of the Potions room. She left Snape pondering and even more curious.
Hermione ran and cried. Finally she stop somewhere along the dungeon hall. She sank against a wall crying. She took out her knife, rolled up her sleeve, and left a few new marks on her arm. She buried her head in her knees, which were pulled up against her. Gathering herself up, she wiped her tears and stood slowly.
She walked to the Great Hall where she was to meet Harry, Ron, and Ginny for lunch.
She walked in and saw them immediately. The red heads gave away their precise location.
She put on one of her fake smiles and sat down next to Ginny and across from Harry and Ron.
"What did the Git want?" Ron automatically asked.\par
Oh! Nothing...He was just concerned. He asked what was wrong with me ...ya right...she thought dryly.
"Nothing much, Ron, just the usual. Talking to me about dozing off in class." the three stared at her stunned.
"Hermione Granger, doze off in class? I don't think so. Ok so what have you done with the real Hermione?" Ginny said astonished.
Hermione smiled a fake smile, "It was a long night."
They all shrugged it off unsure. Harry started the talking about Quidditch tryouts. Soon enough Ron and Ginny dived into the conversations and she was left out.
Looking at her food she sighed. I can't eat...I eat I get fat, I get any fatter than I am now, he'll have another excuse to pick on me.
Feeling someone sweep past her she turned around and saw it was Snape. Her face paled slightly and quickly turned her gaze toward something else.
Picking up her fork she put something on it and she ate it. Not tasting it at all or even bothering to notice what is was.
After two more bites she pushed the plate away and thought about what had happened today.
Why couldn't I keep my mask on while talking to him? What I didn't I to pay attention...
Snape watched her from the table, trying not to be too noticeable, and saw how off she looked. He found it odd she was not eating. First not concentrating on her work and now barley eating. He knew he had to get to the bottom of this and soon.
Hermione dismissed herself from the table and walked from the Great Hall tears in her eyes wanting to be released again. She let them flow as she took the long way up to the Gryffindor Common room. Oh, how she could not wait to fall in to a peaceful sleep. Though she knew that was not going to happen.
Mumbling the password to the Fat Lady she slipped inside and up the stairs toward the girls' dormitories.
Changing and laying down on her bed she closed her eyes leaving her tears to dry on her cheeks.
Author Note: Thank you. If you or anyone you know is being abused in anyway (physical, verbal, ect.) I urge you to tell someone you trust. A teacher, a friend, a parent (thats not the one abusing you), or a counselor at your school, they are there to help you. Abuse happens, but only you can stop it.