A/N: I finally got a beta for my story! I will slowly be uploading the updated/ beta'd chapters. :)

All the love for Mrs. Ren. You are undoubtedly an amazing beta and friend. You have encouraged me to keep writing when I wanted to give up! :) If you guys like great stories check out her stories! They are amazing! I've read the Red String of Fate twice...it's that good! :)

Hermione

Hermione paced the hall in front of the Headmistress's office at Hogwarts. She was nervous. Not because it was an interview, but because she was afraid that Professor McGonagall would notice her bruises. She had tried to glamour them and cover them up with clothes, but the professor was not stupid. She may be able to see through it all.

Hermione had left her job at the Ministry yesterday, desperate to get away from Ron and the rest of the Ministry. She was currently living with Harry and Ginny, but she couldn't stay there for long. It was just too small, and while she loved Harry and Ginny, it was so hard knowing Ron could show up any time. Her life had changed so much in just a few short weeks.

***Two weeks prior

Hermione came home from work. As she flooed into the flat she shared with Ron, she saw clothes all over the place. This wasn't normally surprising. Ron was a bit of a slob, but these were women's clothes, in colors that Hermione never wore. Walking through the flat toward the bedroom, she heard noises that were definitely not just Ron wanking. She heard a woman moan in ecstasy. Rounding the corner, Hermione saw the man she had stopped loving almost three years ago shagging none other than Lavender Brown.

"What the fuck are you doing, Ronald Weasley?" Hermione asked, shocked.

Lavender looked up and blushed. Ron looked at Hermione and Hermione realized her mistake almost immediately. How had she missed the signs of Ron's infidelity? Lavender pushed Ron off of her and walked past Hermione.

As she walked past, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I didn't know you were still together." Hermione heard the floo a minute later.

Looking at Ron, who was still naked and angry. So angry that Hermione immediately backed away, knowing the look that was in Ron's eyes. As he drew near her, he said, "You think you can just interrupt the best sex I have had in a long time and not expect me to react?" He pushed her against the wall violently and slapped her over and over. He continued to yell obscenities, and Hermione tried to push him off of her. She was terrified.

He grabbed her hair and pulled her toward the bed, "This is what you want isn't, Hermione? You want me inside of you instead of Lavender. Then take it. Fuck you, Hermione, fuck you." With each word, he tore her skirt, ripped her panties off and started raping her violently.

Hermione tried to push him off of her. He had her arms above her head and with a few thrusts expelled his seed inside of her. She was crying violently. She couldn't reach her wand. When he was finished, he punched her face and let go of her. "There, you whore, it's what you wanted." And he walked to the bathroom to shower.

Hermione had grabbed her wand from where it had rolled to the floor when Ron had ripped her skirt. She repaired her knickers and skirt. She grabbed her purse that had the undetectable extension charm on it, accio'd all her clothes and books. Looking around she accio'd the photos of her parents that she had, and apparated to Harry and Ginny's flat. She knocked on the door and waited hoping no one would notice her. Harry answered the door.

"Please don't tell Ron I'm here," she said and fainted into Harry's arms.

"What the fuck?" Ginny asked, looking at her husband as he carried Hermione to the living room.

"I don't know," Harry said as he looked at his best friend's wounds all over her face. Her wrists were bruised and there was blood coming from her scalp.

"Should we take her to St. Mungo's?" Ginny asked quietly. She was scared for her friend.

"No, we have some dittany and I know a few spells she taught me to help with concussions. I think that is why she fainted. She may be in shock." Ginny nodded and ran to get the dittany, and Harry started saying spells under his breathe over Hermione's body. Hermione started awake with a scream.

"Hermione, what happened?" Harry said quietly.

"Harry, I'm sorry. I thought he would get better, but he has just gotten worse. I walked in on Ron and Lavender having sex. Well, when Lavender left, he turned on me. He…he raped me. Then he punched me. I can't go back to him. I'm terrified of him." Hermione cried.

"Oh, Hermione, how long has this been happening?" Harry asked, holding his best friend close to his chest as she cried.

"This was the first time he raped me. But he has been increasingly violent for three years. Do you remember when he got turned down to play for the Cannons? That was the first time he had hit me. I thought he was just angry about being rejected by the team. But it never stopped. About once a week, he would come in drunk and use me as his punching bag. I tried to get away, but everyone expects us to work. Everyone expects us to make it, but I can't do it anymore. Harry, I can't do it anymore." Hermione grabbed Harry's shirt and cried.

Harry was seething. Ron did this to Hermione? It had been going on for so long. Harry was aware of his short temper and his outbursts at work, but not this, never this.

"Hermione, look at me," Harry said quietly and waited for Hermione to wipe her eyes and look at him,

"You never have to see Ron again. He is not welcome here. You are safe here. Don't worry. I will get a restraining order put on him so he can't bother you at work either. We will set upwards on your office against him. Hell, I will set upwards here so he can't come here. You will be safe here. I'm so sorry that this happened." Looking into his best friend's eyes, he realized that he should have realized something was wrong when Hermione had stopped being the "know it all" and allowed Ron to talk over her all the time. There were so many tells that something was going on, but he didn't realize it at the time.

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said quietly.

"Do you want to report this, and go to St. Mungo's to get checked over?" Harry asked.

"No, you know and since you are head of the Aurors now, you can help keep this quiet. I would rather it was "Leaked" that Ron and I are broken up, but nothing else. I can't handle anything else. And no to St. Mungo's. There is no way I can go in and not be questioned by everyone. I will be ok. Thank you, Harry, for being my friend."

****Outside McGonagall's Office

She had only seen Ron once while at work the previous week, he had headed toward her, but she had set upwards all over her floor to alert her to his presence. Thankfully, Harry was also on the floor at the time. Harry ushered her into her office and had stopped Ron from getting close. Ron pulled his wand on Harry and started throwing hexes at him, but Harry was much quicker, even against his best friend, who was quickly stupefied and arrested. Hermione quickly went home after that, resolving to quit. Harry came home that night and told her about an opening at Hogwarts for Charms teacher and Muggle Studies. She jumped at the chance and immediately used Harry's owl, Penny, to send a letter to Headmistress McGonagall. Harry assured her that Ron would not be welcomed anywhere near his home and that their friendship was over. Hermione could read her best friend well, he felt guilty for not noticing the signs earlier. The guilt that Harry and Ginny felt was overwhelming and Hermione couldn't take it anymore.

Hermione had received an owl back at dawn telling her that her interview was today at 10 am. She immediately got dressed and picked up her beaded purse that still had the extension charm on it. All of her belongings were inside the purse. She hugged Ginny goodbye and Apparated to Hogsmeade. Walking to Hogwarts brought back so many memories, good and bad. She didn't want to think of Ron right now. She was focused on getting this job so she could be safe at Hogwarts.

When the Griffin started rising, she knew it was time for her interview, she stepped onto the stairs and allowed it to take her to the headmistress's office.