I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. The site name should be enough I am a fan and this is my fiction!
WARNING: this story is going to have lots of sexual content, violence, and nonconsensual (not in this order) RATED M!
The war was over and they had won. There were a handful of people who came back to complete their seventh year of school. There were many different reason whether it was Hermione there for her prefect NEWTS, Harry to set a good example for the young witches and wizards, Ron for a peaceful last year with his friends before going in to the Auror program with Harry, or Draco Malfoy whom was trying to bring his family name back into the good graces of the Wizarding world. There were more that came and yes they all had their reasons, privet as they may be, but together they were.
Minerva McGonagall was the new headmistress and knew that this year would prove very difficult. Not only did they rebuild many parts of the school, but she would have to also convince many parents, who wanting to teach their children at home due to the risk that it imposed, to sending them to Hogwarts. She knew the students that came back after the war to finish their last year would be damaged, but also knew that in the end they would all band as one and show everyone that they were a whole and would work forever together.
It was the first night back when a less than bushy hair girl walked the empty corridor well past midnight. "… I can't pretend that everything is perfect anymore… No, how about he has hit me… not that either do I love Ron: unequivocal yes. Am I in love with Ron? No ….how could I be in love with someone who would strike me?" Hermione tested out what she was going to tell her friends. She didn't know what she was going to say, but she knew that she could not stay with him any longer! She heard footsteps coming up behind her and instinctually grabbed for her wand. Over the past several months of running for her life gave her reason to be leery of noise in which she heard in the night. Slinking back into the shadows with her wand held at the ready as she watched as two 5th year perfects walking past her. Feeling a little silly she righted herself and walked out not fearing that she would be in trouble, for her and the other seniors, as they were called by the younger students, could not lose house point because they no longer had a house.
She walked back to her common room; shared with the other seniors, to show unity amongst them all. She had her own room which was nice for once since it was a rarity she had only when she was on summer holiday. Another wonderful aspect of this year was that they all had their own restroom with bath/shower included. The bad news was that there were some… ambiguous personal she had to live with. Any Slytherin she had to live with was too many and in their peaceful tower, taller than even Gryffindor, were the snakes in her nest. As she walked in she spotted the segregations in the common area already, though they had to show unity in the halls of the school but here it was everyone and Slytherin. Without so much as a glance at anyone she went straight to her room and spelled the door so that she could think alone. Perhaps a nice steaming bath would help her to relax before tomorrow.
The week passed by in a blur and they already had a pile of homework. Hermione knew this weekend would be when she told Ron and the others of her decision and she knew that after everything they would not be happy, but she hoped that they respected her feelings in the matter. Ron came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her whispering sweet nothings in her ear that she didn't hear anyways because of the blood thundering threw her, at what she was about to do.
"Ron do you think that we could take a walk to the lake there is something that I want to talk to you about."
"Sure 'Mione you seem nervous are you alright? You're not scared to be with me after last time I mean I told you that I was sorry and I meant it." She didn't say anything for fear that her voice would give her away so she just nodded and pulled him toward the heavy wooden doors and out to the grounds refusing to meet his eyes.
With a sigh she finally looked into his eye and though she felt some fear she pushed it aside and grasped for the freedom in which she was about to get. "Ron I don't think this is working for me anymore. It's not that I don't love you its just well… I'm not in love with you the way that I should be. I know that there is someone out there for you and they will make you very happy but I know that I'm not the one."
Ron looked at her without words, but his face said it all. Hermione watched as all of his emotions filtered his face one by one. Understanding. Hurt. Rage, and then something that she hadn't seen in weeks, hate. He grabbed her arm tight and started dragging her to the far outskirts of the lake where nobody would find them. "Ron your hurting me let go." Hermione begged, because she knew what was coming; she knew that history once again was about to repeat itself.
Nearly to the water's edge at just behind the castle he spun around on her and screamed the words she feared he might. "You aren't going anywhere your mine. What came over you? You think you can leave me?" Thought he was asking the questions she knew that he didn't really want an answer to them. "Hermione I'm talking to you! STOP CRYING!"
She knew that he might act like this, but she thought if she told him that she still loved him and was not good enough for him that he might see how things were between them and let her go. "Ron stop shaking me please!" Though I tried to sound strong I just couldn't manage it. I was getting a headache from my head bouncing back and forth. "Ron I told you I'm not good enough I can't love you how you need someone to love you. Let go of me."
Ron's eyes seem to become a darker blue like the sky turning before a storm. "Is there someone else you little tramp is there? I thought there was something going on and this must be it. You will end it with whoever he is and I will forgive you. Do you hear me? LOOK AT ME HERMIONE!"
Hermione had not seen him like this since she told him that she was going to leave him to find her parents in which case he had told her she had her family with him and they needed her to deal with the death of his brother. That was the first time her hit her; though it was not the last it was the worst. "Please Ron just stop and think about what…" SMACK Hermione felt like her eye was going to explode, and she seen little white dots before he felt another blow to her nose. She went to her knees in an almost desperate attempt to save herself. She went up against bloody Voldemort himself and she couldn't for the life of her save herself from one of the people that she loved.
"Hold it there Weasel, I don't think that Granger wants to play rough with you right now." Malfoy step out from behind the castle with his wand trained on his target.
"Back off ferret or I'll…"
"Or you'll what, Weasel King, get all seven of you family members on me? Not bloody likely don't you all share the same wand?"
"I thought after my mum killed your aunt you would see that the Weasley's are nothing to mess with Malfoy this has nothing to do with you besides this is my bride to be and we are just talking. So butt the hell out."
"Oh I see that your fist is having a love chat with her face now I said back off or I will show you just what I learned outside of school." Draco gave his hand a little twitch before Ron let go of Hermione's hair.
"Hermione is this who you are leaving me for? Someone who tried to kill us, kill Dumbledore? I'll win you back from this shit." He said pointing at his enemy before giving her one more lasting look and stomping away.
"And here I was thinking I had it bad, Grange. What happened to all the hugs and rainbows in the Golden Trio and weren't you and he suppose to be the happy couple and make more filthy little red head to cram in the Hole or whatever they call the sticks that the live under."
"Thanks for helping Malfoy now shove off, and for your information it's called the Burrow." Hermione got up and started to turn away. She was holding her robe to her nose that was still bleeding hoping that she could fix the damage that was done without having to see anyone first, other than Malfoy that is. She didn't want anyone to know her secret and yet here was someone that she loathed now knew her horrid relationship. She sighed before plopping down on the wet earth deciding to forgo lunch for the day.
"Here let me just fix…" with a wave of his wand he stopped the bleeding and she didn't feel the pressure in her eye any longer. "Does he do that often to you, I mean he looked like he was going to kill you what did you tell him that you didn't want to share a room with his brothers and sister or something?"
Hermione eyed him before asking, "Why do you even care about a filthy little Mudblood like me Malfoy? I thought you would be happy about something like this happening."
"You don't know a thing about me Granger, and the blood purity bullock is what got us in this mess in the first place. Beside muggle-born or not I don't think any woman should get hit, my mother taught me that at a young age. You don't have to tell me, but how long has this been going on, him hitting you I mean."
She looked nervous but she had to tell someone and since he was the only one who knew at the moment she thought why lie. "It's been going on since after the war, but only a few times when things are… tense. I know that's no excuse but he has been through so much and I know afterwards that he is sorry he just needs time to heal after everything you know. This time was the worst; I was breaking it off with… oh I'm sorry you don't need to know all of my problems I shouldn't have unloaded that on you." She shifted her eyes down just listening to the lakes many strange noises and debating on going in to distract herself with some homework that she knew was due in two days. "Thanks again Malfoy." she got up and started walking to the castle.
Draco sat there a while longer thinking about what he had just seen and realizing that he was not the only one who had to deal with things that he thought to difficult. Though he had loathed the trio since he had laid eyes on them he knew that they had been to hell and back; he also realized that he had to thank them for saving his life twice though he would never go on about that.
Getting up he thought a late lunch would be alright before starting his homework that he didn't want to put off any long, after all he was here to bring the Malfoy name back into the good graces amongst the high society; thanks to his father's cowardly way he was now the man of the house while his father rotted away for the rest of his life held by the cloaked figures that would keep his days forever cold.
Hermione walked into her new home in the tower and sought out her two best friends, Harry and Ginny, who were now inseparable now, and tell them that she and Ron were going to part ways. She hoped they didn't judge her too harshly. Though Ginny wasn't a senior she was in Harry's bedroom which was spelled shut. Hermione waited for the rushed minutes of scrambling on the other side of the door to bust open with a flustered looking Ginny. "Oh "Mione it's you… I thought I was someone else come in." she smiled. "What's going on you look… well bad did something happen with Ron again because I swear."
Though Hermione never told Ginny she still suspected that Ron had laid his hands on her once or twice. "Well I wanted to talk to you both if now is not a good time I can come back." Harry fixed his glasses and then shook his head for her to continue. "Well I just wanted to let you know that this afternoon I broke it off with Ron. I love him I really do but I am not IN love with him. I know that he can do better than me; he can find someone who loves him the way they should. He is one of my best friends I just feel that I should keep it that way you know." Hermione look between the two of them judging their reactions, and waiting for one of them to say something.
Ginny spoke up first. "'Mione I know that there have been problems between the two of you, but are you sure this is what you want to do? I mean you guys have been through so much I know this can't be easy for either one of you."
Hermione didn't need any time to think about what she knew to be true. "Gin I know that we have but this is for the best. I wish I could change the way I feel. Yes I know that this is what is right for the both of us and it will take time but things will go back the way they were before."
Ginny looked over at Harry and seen something that he was trying to hide: understanding? "Hermione you know I have always wanted you as a sister, but if this is what is best for you then I will support you in this. When did you tell Ron? What did he say?"
This is what she wanted to avoid telling them how he had reacted, and furthermore who was there to saved her. "Well he didn't take it that well, but I think he just needs time to understand this is for the best and I know things will get better." She said with determination in her voice.
The door thundered in with such force that I person responsible had just enough to step in before it slammed shut again. All three of the friends sitting down jumped to their feet and held on the thin stick that had saved all of their lives. Ron stood there livid to put it lightly glaring at Hermione. "You left out the part where you're cheating on me with the ferret darling!" he was so mincing.
Hermione let out a sigh, "Ron I told you there is no one else alright, and I didn't want to tell them what you… what happened." She backtracked quickly.
"Oh what I did huh? You leave me and I think that I am going to let you just walk away from me? I don't think so I told you that you ARE mine."
"What do you mean what he did Hermione?" it was the first time Harry had said a word.
"It's nothing okay nothing happened." Hermione stressed hoping things would not escalate any further. Not only did she not want anyone to know but she felt horrible about dragging Harry and Ginny into it. "I think I should go I don't want to make more of a mess of this." She walked past her now ex and opened the door before being slammed into the ground. Ron turned her over and straddled her.
"I told you, you are not leaving me!" Ron looked like a crazy man; something inside him just snapped. She could hear the others yelling at him to get off of her. Was that Neville who was helping out now too? There was yells all around when the weight was literally thrown off of her.
Draco was there with his wand out and pointing at Ron who was now pinned against the wall. "I TOLD YOU WEASEL! Never. Lay. Your. Filthy. Hands. On. Her. Again!" With every word it was as if it were punched into him. There were a few gasps around the room but also a few nods of agreement.
"Enough Malfoy!" yelled Harry who now had his wand trained on him.
"So you just let him hit her then. You must be a real crack job Potter if you think I'm going to sit by and watch this go on any longer."
"What are you talking about Malfoy I said let him down, and this has never happened before." Though Harry said the words he wondered if what he said was true, and why would Malfoy be sticking up for Hermione. Maybe the war did something to his brain and he got some scene knocked into him.
Not letting go of the spell her turned to Hermione who had just got off the ground hold her arms around herself. "You mean to tell me that they don't know? I thought this had happened before Granger!" Anger pumped through him and he lost reason. "I thought you were smart! And you let him do this and say NOTHING!"
Hermione turned her attention to Draco and in a soft voice said, "Look I know you are helping me but I can handle this myself thank you." She turn away ashamed that everyone now knew and feeling sorry for Ron because everyone was going to think badly of him now.
"Like you took care of yourself today? Is that what you are talking about?"
At this Ginny came up to Hermione and whispered in her ear. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought something like this was going on but you never told so I didn't want to accuse him. When did it…"
"Gin can we talk about in privet please?" Hermione looked around and seen everyone looking between her and Ginny, and Draco, Ron and Harry.
"Yeah I think that would be best. Malfoy, do you think you can let him down now?" Ginny looked at her older brother looking indifferent, and turned away before he could reply or act.
"Granger I think we need to talk later about this. I will be in the library waiting for you." With that and a flick of his wand he walked out of the room.
"Hermione what the hell is going on with you and Malfoy, and why is he saying all that stuff, AND why is Ron acting like this?"
"Harry, please just come with me and Ginny and I will tell you everything okay." Hermione felt defeated and wanted to get this over with. She led them to her room leaving Ron on the floor nursing his wounds. "Have a seat. Where do you want to start?"
Harry and Gunny looked at each other for a moment before Ginny decided she was going first. "When did this start? Why didn't you tell us? I mean I thought we were all friends here and how the hell does sodding Draco Malfoy come into this? Oh and why the bloody hell does he know when we DON'T!" By now she had paced the some room and was turning red from yelling.
"Okay first I want to say I'm sorry I didn't tell you I thought it was for the best. I didn't want you to think badly of him or me. It started when I was going to look for my parents. He didn't want me to go; he looked at it as me leaving him. He was depressed about Fred and was worried something would happen to me I'm guessing. As so Malfoy no I am not seeing him I don't know how you could believe something so ridiculous. I don't know why he is being nice and he only found out today because well he seen what happened down by the lake. I don't even know why he help today but he did." Hermione looked down waiting for one of them to make a move or a sound or any indication at all that toward her.
Harry took his turn to say something after a few minutes. "Look 'Mione I'm sorry that you didn't feel comfortable to even tell us about this. I know that Ron has had some… problems adjusting as of late. We could have helped you with him. I think of all of you as my family and I know we can fix it. What I don't know is about Malfoy. I don't know if we can trust him, and I think it would be wise to be careful around him. I know he helped but why did he help is the question." Harry sat there contemplating what motives he would have to come to Hermione's rescue not just once but twice in the same day.
Ginny got up pulling Hermione into a hug. "My brother is a prat for what he did. I'm sorry for what you went through but you still should have told at least me. He won't hurt you again okay I will make sure of that. I always want to thank you for trying to help him." She gave her a smile and grabbed Harry's hand. "Are you ready to go so she can clean up and see what the ferret wants." Saying nothing he nodded and stood, but before leaving giving Hermione a big hug.
Draco walked down the stairs to the library somewhere he knew Granger would feel more at ease. How could everyone stand around like that and just watch. She may be a war hero but she was not fighter: Weasel had her pinned in seconds. He walked to a privet room in the back and waiting for her to come, fuming.
Hermione walked slowly to the unknown. Why had Draco Malfoy helped her not once but twice, and in the same day? She looked around for him in the library before she came to a closed door to one of the privet rooms for studying. She knocked lightly hoping that she was not intruding on a younger student whom went to library to study. She heard a chair scarp on the floor and he opened the door.
"Ah Granger took you long enough. What did you have to hold his hand and make it all better for him?" he sneered.
"No I was talking to Harry and Ginny actually."
"Oh yeah what good friends they are just standing around while he was on top of you like the animal that he is."
Hermione studied he face wondering why he even cared; why was he so angry anyways? "Look I didn't come here for you to insult my friends I came because I wanted to know why you were doing this? I mean you hate me."
Draco's famous smirk crept up on his face though there was no humor in it at all. "I don't hate you, don't you get it I hated what you stood for and I don't think that way anymore. Besides like I said before no woman should ever be hit. I thought you would have known that back in third year when you nearly broke my nose. Now what I want from you is to know why you let him do this again after today I mean. I thought you said that you broke it off with him."
"Ron is having a hard time… letting go. You may not think highly of him right now…" He made a noise in the back of his throat but she went on anyways. "… but he is having a hard time with things at the moment he just needs help. He is my best friend and I know that he doesn't mean what he is doing. He is not in his right state right now." Hermione looked down. She felt she was doing a bad job of explain the situation to an outsider who already had a prejudice against who she was defending.
"I just don't want to see you hurt anymore okay Granger." He got up to but she grabbed his wrist.
"Wait, what do you mean you don't want me to be hurt anymore. I can take care of myself."
"Yeah I saw that today. What where you letting him feel like a man before you threw him the hell off of you?" He was staring down at her. She had the most beautiful shade of brown eyes he had ever looked into and her pink lips looked soft he just wanted to touch them, feel them on his.
"Draco I… thank you again. It seems as if I keep saying that to you today doesn't it?" though the last part was just above a whisper he heard her loud and clear. He had the most enticing eyes she had ever seen: a bluish grey that she got lost in. His lips were plump and prefect, but what was she thinking this was Draco call you mudblood Malfoy.
He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He kept his eyes open to watch her movements. Her breath hitched as she closed her eyes. Inhaling her scent was ecstasy. So sweet like sweet pea and orange blossoms with a hint of something that was her own. He wanted nothing more than this, but he would not get his first kiss from her out of spite for some rodent who hit her. Taking in a deep breath he said, "Come on Granger let's get you back to your room before you regret all of today."
A/N: Welp I hope you liked it! Review Ladies and Gents. College is rough but I will get the next chapter out ASAP! Oh and this is only the beginning. They will not stay in school long so you will get to see a bit more transition of characters!