A/N: I have never written anything like this before. This is something that has been floating around in my head for a few days. I would appreciate any comments on the story, especially whether people think it is worth continuing.

A/N: I started this story a long time ago, but never finished it. As I have started working on it again it is not HBP or DH complaint.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize in this story is owned by JK Rowling. I unfortunately make no profit from the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

Hidden Pain, Hidden Past

Chapter 1: Anywhere But Here

Why did I come home?

This was the thought that went through Hermione Granger's head for the last month. She was happy she had finished Hogwarts top of her class and Lord Voldemort had finally been defeated. She was not sure what to do with her new found freedom and decided to take a few months off to figure that out. Everyone expected her to have a life path laid out but after seven years of school, fighting death eaters, and copping with her home life she was tired. She planned to rent a room somewhere and spend the summer relaxing. Her plans were not meant to be.

Flash Back

Hogwarts Express

"Hermione isn't that your parents owl?" Harry asked her.

"Yeah," she said quietly, not realizing that she showed fear in her eyes.

She opened the letter and began to read...

Hermione,

You must come home when you get off the train. Mom is very sick and the doctors think that she will not live for much longer. She would like to see you before she dies.

Dad

End Flash Back

Dad she thought to herself, how could someone like that be a father. She remembered how she had been foolish enough to believe him and come home. She loved her mother and wanted to protect her. But, when she got home she was already dead. Her father grabbed her, snapped her wand in half and locked her in the basement. That was a month ago.

The abuse began years ago, she really couldn't remember. But for the last month it got worse and worse. She could not leave the basement, he kept the door locked and would occasionally throw some food down. He came every day and beat her, she often wished that she would die. If she did she would be free of this pain this torture. She wondered what her friends thought, did they think that she didn't want to talk to them, where were they?

Her thoughts returned to her surroundings. She was in pain, worse than ever before. Her father had come home from a bar with some of his buddies. They beat her, rapped her, tortured her to the point that death felt like a relief. She was left broken and bleeding on the floor while they went to get some more to drink. She knew escape was impossible, she could hardly move and she had no wand. She thought back to Hogwarts the only place she ever felt truly safe. As she remembered she heard the door open and footsteps coming down the steps. She thought Hogwarts, Hogwarts, over and over again. She saw her father reach for her and closed her eyes, when she opened them again she was no longer in the basement.

She was not sure where she was. She looked up into the night sky and wondered if she had died. It seemed so peaceful here, no abuse, no fear. But, the pain was still present, so she must still be a live. She turned her head as she heard footsteps and looked deeply into dark eyes. The last thing she remembered hearing was a questioning voice, "Miss Granger?" then everything went black.