AN: I own nothing. This isn't a new story, I'm just fixing it. It's not complete either. There are 5 chapters to edit but I may combine them seeing as they are fairly short. I guess I'll find out if the amount I add to them bulks them up enough. If anyone is looking to be a BETA let me know, it would be so helpful to have someone hold me accountable. Please R/R! Please no flames they'll just make me feel sad, constructive criticism welcome though! AU obviously but it was written in 2005.

Hermione grimaced slightly as she pulled herself off of her cold bathroom floor. Her head throbbed and she swayed slightly. Tenderly she held one arm close to her body, blood staining through her sleeve. Her golden eyes watered furiously and though she made no noises her chin trembled slightly as the tears streamed down her face.

'How did I let this happen to me?'

She attempted to wipe her face dry with an awkward movement from her good arm. As she did this her sleeve slipped up and an assortment of bruises in all states of healing were revealed. Along with the bruises she had burn marks in perfect circles, cigarettes or cigars and perhaps both. She quietly opened the bathroom door and silently moved toward her father's bedroom, she had finally caught sight of her wand earlier that evening.

Her father lay on the floor, muttering in his sleep, a bottle of gin lay near his outstretched hand. Quietly Hermione made her way to his open closet door. There on the top shelf lay her beloved wand and her way out of this mess. She first tried shifting to her tiptoes to reach it but with her short stature it was just inches out of her grasp. She sighed quietly and looked around. There were piles of clothes, trash and bottles everywhere. She slid a pile of dirty laundry over closer to the closet. Standing on top of the pile of clothes she was finally able to grab her wand. The relief she felt almost brought her to tears, it was like she could breathe again.

Hermione scampered back into her room and began to quickly pack her trunk. There were two weeks left of summer and even with her wand there was no way that she was staying at home. Pausing for a second she thought back to that first night.

Hermione was curled up in her favorite chair next to the fireplace in the living room and pouring over her new Arithmancy text book. She was very absorbed in her book and before she knew it, it was already 1 o'clock in morning. Yawning she considered setting her book down as she gazed into the fire. There was a sound of keys being fumbled and dropped a couple of times before front door of the house flew open with a crash. In came Hermione's father, drunk again. Hermione let out a surprised little yelp and book fell to the ground with a loud thump. He turned to look at her, glaring. She shrunk backwards into her chair as he stormed toward her.

"How's the perfect little bitch?" Her father said with a look of distain. Hermione winced slightly, her father used to be so kind.

"I'm sorry I was reading my school book and I lost track of time. I'm going to go to bed now Daddy," Hermione said in a shaky voice that betrayed her fear. Her father shook his head slowly and took another step closer to her.

"Oh, you think you just get to go to bed after all you've done to me?" He yelled. He grabbed Hermione's upper arms picking her up and then he threw her against the wall. Hermione's head hit the wall with a sickening thud and her arm took the weight of her fall to the floor. He glared at Hermione like it was her fault and kicked her repeatedly in the stomach before walking into his bedroom. This was the first time that her father had ever hit her, she hoped that it was the last time too, but she knew deep inside that this was far from over. Hermione shook with silent sobs knowing that her mother's death had changed her life forever.

Hermione's mother had died in the car accident that the family had been in after picking up Hermione from the school train. Hermione's father had blamed her for it and began drinking every night. The first time that he hit her had been only a week after the incident. Now with two weeks left of summer Hermione had pretty much gotten used to him coming home every night drunk. The beatings had become crueler each time. She knew that she had to leave but she couldn't at first, he had taken her wand. It was a good thing she had found out where it was, if things had continued the way they were going there was a good chance she would have been killed.

Hermione pulled a lined piece of paper and a pen out of her desk and began to write a letter to her father. It was just for appearances but appearances after all were very important.

Dear father,

It is now time for me to go and visit the Weasley's but I will miss you very much! I will not see you until the school year is over but I promise to write you as often as possible! Sorry I had to run but I was running a bit behind schedule.

Love,
Hermione

Hermione grimaced, the letter was so absurd considering how their relationship had been this summer, but she hoped that he would just be glad that she was gone. Ron had already invited her to spend the whole summer at the Burrow but she had declined, he told her to just show up if she changed her mind and she intended to do just that. Hermione pulled her trunk behind her and headed out of the house. She stood at the curb and put her wand into the air to summon the Knight bus. Out of nowhere the giant bus appeared and allowed her to get on.

"I'm going to the Burrow," Hermione grumbled to the driver and she deposited the correct amount of money into the bucket. He gave her a big smile but she looked down at the floor and headed toward the back of the bus. She slunk down into her seat her head resting against the window and she closed her eyes and thought about how radically her life had changed this summer. In no time at all the bus came to a halt.

"WE ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE BURROW!" Stan yelled so that he would be heard in the back of the bus. Hermione jumped out of her seat and sheltered her head out of habit. She blushed slightly to herself when she realized what she had done. Hurriedly she grabbed her trunk and quickly exited the bus. The bus disappeared with a deafening bang.