This story has mentions of abuse, rape, attempted suicide, depression and alcohol and drug use. Don't like then don't read
It was a cold and frosty morning. The rain was pouring down and was making it impossible to see very far out of the windows at the burrow. The long red hair of Ginny Weasley looked bright against the dull landscape outside the window she was sitting in front of, she looked out the window, face pressed against the glass trying desperately to see the world outside. All of the sudden she looked even harder then ran out of the room screaming.
"Mum, there hear, there finally hear"
In that split moment the quiet house went into a frenzy with everyone rushing out of every room in the house all waiting for the long awaited arrival of Hermione and the order members that where escorting her from her parents place in the muggle world to the burrow, ready to start her next year at Hogwarts the following day.
The door opened and in walked the soaking wet order members and Hermione. As soon as the door closed the hallway was swamped with the red haired weasley clan and of corse Harry. Mrs Weasley ushered the rowdy bunch into the kitchen area.
"Come now everyone sit down and eat. Tonks you had better put more on your plate than that." Everyone was chatting about how there holidays had been and about how excited they were about going back to Hogwarts, everyone except Hermione. She sat quietly, playing with her food, oblivious to the chatter of her friends around her. That was until she felt a jab in her side. She screamed and jumped out of her seat knocking the chair flying. Her face was drained of all colour as she backed up and hit the wall. Her eyes flashed wildly around.
Everyone had stood and where all looking at her. "Hermione dear what is wrong, what's the matter?" the motherly voice of Mrs Weasley carried through the room. She tried to step forward but stoped when Hermione made a whimpering sound, like a scared little puppy. Hermione noticed what she had done, what she had let show and new that she had to cover it up.
"I'm sorry molly, I have just been on edge lately, I think I just need to go and get some sleep" molly nodded much to Hermione's relief. She new that molly didn't fully believe her but that was fine she would be gone tomorrow and would not be able to be questioned further.
"ok dear um you can have the third room on the right, so Ginny cant keep you awake" Hermione nodded and took off to her room shutting her door and locking it with a few spells before collapsing on her bed, her body raked with sobs.
It was still dark outside; the sun would begin to rise in the next hour. The whole house was dead quiet. All of the sudden the silence was broken by a horrifying high pitch scream. Every occupant jumped out of bed, wands at the ready, the screaming continued, in a few split seconds the whole Wesley family, Harry, tonks, lupin, Sirius and Alastor where all standing at Hermione's door.
"Hermione, are you ok, Hermione open the door?" Harry and Ron both yelled out. There question was answer with sobbing and then another horrific scream.
"come on move back she's but a ward on the door" alastor grumbled before moving his wand in complicated patterns and finally the door burst open, revelling a sweat drenched Hermione tangled up in her sheets, screaming and thrashing about. The boys went to go forward but Mr Weasley stoped them allowing Mrs Weasley and tonks to rush into the room.
Tonks shook Hermione who screamed and swung her fist hitting tonks square in the jaw. "Shhhhh Hermione its ok it's only us shhhhh calm down" Mrs Weasley cooed. Hermione's body jerked awake. The normally pleasant bushy haired girl was replaced with a panting sweat drenched, terrified young women, eyes dashing around wildly looking for what ever horrors disturbed her sleep. "Shhhhh its ok honey it was just a dream its ok" Mrs Weasley was now cradling a once again sobbing Hermione.
Alastor cleared his throat, getting the majority of the group's attention. "Come on you lot molly's got her, lets give em some privacy" the group reluctantly started towards there rooms. Lupin grabbed Sirius's elbow to get his attention
"Hey mate you ok?" siris shook his head, his long hair swishing around wildly on his face.
"I'm fine just remembered some bad memories that's all" he grabbed the handle of Hermione's door and shut it quietly and made his way back to his room.
The sun was now rising in the sky indicating that it was around 7:00. Hermione could hear someone busy in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone. She turned and looked out the window, as a tear slipped down her cheek. She whispered to herself. How could I have been so stupid, he's gonna kill me if he ever finds out that I nearly blew everything" she wiped furiously at the tears as she heard footsteps going past her door. She held her breath counting in her head, 1,2,3,4,5,6. The steps reached the creaky floorboards at the tops of the stairs and Hermione breathed. She heard a few voices coming from down stairs, and sighed. She pulled the covers back and stepped out onto the cold floor, she involuntarily shivered as she made her way over to the mirror standing in the far corner of the room. She took a deep intake of breath at her appearance. Her eyes where red and puffy from the continuous crying, her hair was a mess as well as her cloths. She carefully lifted up her top and sighed at what she saw. Her once unblemished porcelain white skin was now rattled with bruises in varying stages. She gently ran her index finger along the scar that ran from just under her right breast to the end of her left rib cage. She shook her head not now Hermione. Not now. You can't think about it. Now stop putting it off, get yourself cleaned up and go and put on a brave face to the rest of the world. She pulled her shirt over her head and slipped into a new one. Took one last deep breath and opened the door. The hallway was deserted and she could hear hush voices coming from the kitchen. She stoped at the top of the stairs, avoiding the creaky floorboards and listened.
"I don't know I'm worried about her Arthur. She cried herself to sleep and wouldn't say a word to me. Something has happened, maybe Ginny can get it out of her" Mrs Weasly's hushed voice floated up the stairs. Followed buy a scrape of a chair and then Sirius's angry voice
"Molly some things are best left alone, you don't want to push her, she could end up in a place where no one would like to see her go"
Hermione could imagine Mrs Weasley putting her hands on her hips and pointing a finger at siris. "And what makes you such and expert. I don't see you caring after any kids, or having any experience with kids and there problems" her voice was rising, but Sirius's voice matched hers.
"No molly I don't have kids, but if you are forgetting I came from a not so wonderful background, and have had to endure much unplesantries performed on me and my cousins. So I think I now a thing or two about what could be going on in that poor child life" Hermione didn't want to hear any more, she couldn't. She stepped over the creaky boards and quickly descended down the stairs, rounding the corner and walked into the kitchen. Everyone stoped and just looked at her. Molly smiled and opened her arms quickly in order to give Hermione a hug, but Hermione withdrew. Siris shook his head, "here Hermione come have a seat and something to eat" Hermione turned her head to look over her shoulder, the rest of the occupants had apparently woken and where standing there watching her. Just breathe, these people are your friends, go and sit down and pretend like there is nothing wrong. She smiled and took a seat at the table near siris. The others all sat down around the table and started to follow Alastas lead by pilling food onto there plates.
"So Hermione what subjects are you taking this year that will put everyone else to shame?" Hermione could tell that siris was trying to get everyone to act normal. She had heard what he had said, how he had come from a bad background. She smiled and gave him a slight nod that only he would pick up before answering. The rest of the morning went quite well, everyone was to busy finding lost items to finish packing there trunks that no one did much talking.
Molly called from the lounge room that everyone had to get there butts into the lounge or they where going to be late. The house was a bustle of activity as person by person everyone flued to platform 9 3/4 . Just as Hermione was about to step into the fire siris called her.
"Hermione I am not prying but trust me staying quiet is not going to help. I know how cruel people can be and so do my cousins. I grew up with it every day of my life" Hermione swallowed hard before she spat back
"You have no idea what you're talking about. An if it's so great to tell then why you didn't?" Sirius's eyes glistened over with long lost memories, his voice was full of emotion.
"I did tell Hermione. It took me a hell of a long time but after I stayed at my uncle's house and heard the screams of my cousins for three nights in a row as he raped them, I got up the courage and told. It was the hardest thing I did in my life but it stoped the violence happening" Hermione nodded her head, she new that he was telling the truth and she new that he was talking about Bellatrix and Narcissa, but she was to afraid, he said that he would kill her and she believed him. Hermione looked into siris pleading eyes once more before she vanished in the green flames.
