Even in sleep she couldn't escape him.
That once handsome, familiar face twisted and disfigured by his own anger and hatred to something inhuman.
Unknown rage building up inside him until he lashed out at her.
Struck her face.
Kicked her while she was down.
Smashed up their house.

She twisted and turned, becoming entangled deeper and deeper in her sheets, trying to get away.

The bed covers trapping her body were now his arms, restricting her, his hands, wrapped around her throat, choking her, cutting off her air supply.

With a conscious jerk she pulled herself from the dark realms of the nightmare and awoke, covered in a cold sweat and panting as if she really had been fighting to get away from his deadly clutch.

She lay still for a moment, terrified in the dark, listening for his heavy breathing.

Hearing none she sighed in relief. He must still be down at the pub.
Untangling herself she slipped silently out of the large bed and padded over to the bathroom.

Locking the door behind her and flicking on the soft lights she made her way over to the massive mirror that nearly covered an entire wall.
She studied her pale features, noting the hair made damp from sweat and her eyes, still wide and terrified looking.
Chest still heaving she tugged down the silken neck line of her pale pink night dress, seeing the edge of a huge blossoming purple bruise on her collar bone.

Pulling her arms out of the sleeves completely she tugged the sticky nightie off her body and stepped out of it.

Standing in just her underwear she turned so as to see her back in the mirror.
What should have been pale unmarked skin was in actual fact a mess of yellow, purple and black-blue bruises.
Small scabbed cuts were also dotted over her lower back, where she had fallen on smashed glass when he had pushed her over some nights ago.

Turning to face the mirror properly she could also see cuts and older bruises covering her stomach and breasts.
Newer ones were appearing on her right hand side.

Not being able to stand the sight of her battered body any longer, she wrapped herself in a massive, warm fluffy blue towel and sat on the floor.
She began to sob.

How had she let this happen?

A/N: If you've read 'Powerless' then you'll have realized that this starts off the exact same. Hence the name 'Powerless-The Escape',
this story starts off with the first couple of chapters the same as 'Powerless' as i wanted an alternet ending without Draco.
So just bear with me for awhile :)
-HermioneAndDraco4eva