Hello there, again I'm sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes.
I try to update regularly but I can't make any promises because I'm studying to become a teacher.
Fun fact: When I wrote this chapter, I listened to the half-blood prince soundtrack.
_ Chapter 1
Hermione was sure there was no chance to go to the St. Mungos it would be the first place where he would look for her. Neither she could go to the Weasleys because they would never believe what their perfect son did to her. He is a war hero and got a job as an auror so he is highly respected in the society. Everyone will probably think that she was jealous that he is more popular than she ever will ever be and that she would do everything to get more attention. Hermione was sure that Ron would expound it that way. So, there was only one option.
She had to go to Draco Malfoy.
Draco worked with her in the department and through this few after the war years they became friends. Besides he was one of the people who knew about the real Ron.
After one rough night with the red-haired boy, she looked really tear strained and although she used a beauty charm to hide her face. Draco still saw that the girl wasn't feeling well.
At first Hermione refused to tell him anything since she didn't want any more trouble. But after the blond comforted the brunette. She couldn't hold it any longer and she told him everything from the first time to the last beating.
And Draco believed her. He even wanted to bring justice and by that it means bringing him into prison, but Hermione stopped him. He couldn't understand the reason why he shouldn't rot in prison. But the brunette wanted to deal with it on her own. At that time, she was sure the she would find solution.
Fortunately, Ron never realised that she and Draco were friends. God knows what would have happened. He met with him after work, so she could say she was in a late meeting and Ron believed her almost every time.
Draco tried for months to talk Hermione about leaving the Weasley boy. But she always refused to listen. She didn't want to believe him. She literally prayed that Draco was wrong. But deep inside she knew the blond was right but until a few hours ago she believed there was teeny tiny bit good left in the red-haired boy. But she was proven wrong.
And now she has apparated right in front of the Malfoy property at their main iron gate. She couldn't go directly into the manor because there was a spell like in almost every magical household in Britain over the estate. It wasn't possible to go unnoticed into the building or in the garden except you are a family member by blood or marriage.
Then sun started to rise so it must be around 7 o clock in the morning and the brunette could ring the doorbell.
As soon as Hermione landed she tried to walk over to the doorbell. But as she moved one foot forward she screamed in pain. She tried it again, but she only ended up in screaming again.
Deep down the brown-haired girl knew it was almost impossible to move forward even though she didn't really know why she couldn't move. 'Maybe my ankle is sprained, or my leg is broken', she thought but she didn't dare to look down because on the one hand she wouldn't see anything through her jeans and on the other hand she didn't want to see the mess of her own if her jeans would be ripped up.
But she had to go this few meters otherwise nobody would notice her except someone would come back home or would leave through the main entrance, but this was very unlikely. Hermione was almost the only one who comes and goes over this way. The others do it over the floo network. There wasn't much hope for Hermione she just had to make it. The strength to focus on a specific location and to apparate wasn't there anymore. The girl would only splinch herself and that was definitely worse since it would cause extra pain. But maybe there is a little power left.
'I can do it!' she said out loud and she put all her strength together and moved forward. The first few steps were a success. But as she wanted to make her last step she came down with too much force that she didn't intend. The pain ripped through her leg and she sank down.
So, she sat there, starring at the gate, three meters away from her save point that she will probably never reach. With every breathe Hermione got weaker and she had no power left to crawl to the gate. She just has to touch it with her wand and someone would come. She cried out loud. "But that will never happen. What have I done? Was it my fault that he did it again?"
"Was it my own stupidity?" Hermione asked out loud. "Well normally I wouldn't say that you are stupid but sitting here on the cold ground. And it's winter." answered a raspy voice.
"What? Who are you? I don't understand... Am I hearing voices now?" Hermione tried to look around but that wasn't possible for her. She even tried to move around. By now her whole body hurt.
"Well no you are not for talking to yourself, but you are crazy for sitting here around" and with that a person walked up in right in front of her. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. No nowadays it is Bellatrix Black. Hermione just hoped that the former death eater only heard the last part of her saying. Otherwise there would be other questions about her saying. Or not?
Bellatrix was after the war for a few months locked up in Azkaban. And after her third month at the prison she got in a rehab program. Where they lived in a small protected village in Germany. But the brunette knew nothing else about this project. Even though she worked in the auror department the death eater project was not her range of tasks.
Draco told Hermione that his aunt was making progress and that she will soon be back in a normal life. Well at first they had to live with a family or a family member. And Bellatrix chose to live with her sister Narcissa Black. From time to time an auror will visit the Black family to ask about her progress.
"So, are you about to stand up? Or are staying down there" Bellatrix hadn't realised that it wasn't possible for to stand up. But the brunette couldn't show weakness. Not on front of this woman. There wasn't any hate left against the older woman. Over the last two years Hermione forgave Bellatrix for what she did to her back there at the Malfoy Manor. But that didn't mean there was a reason to show Bellatrix that her whole body was hurting like hell. At least the attempt to hide it was left.
To stand up slowly wasn't too hard. But to take steps forward again was too difficult and this time it was impossible. Her legs collapsed. There was a lack of passing out she just couldn't do anything anymore.
Hermione was about to hit the ground. And one millisecond before she would have met the ground strong hands grabbed her.
"Woahh... easy . I got you. Let's make it easier. I will carry you. But what happened to you? You like you was dragged to hell and back." With that being said Hermione got lifted up. She didn't have the time to respond.
Right know Hermione wasn't sure if she could trust Bellatrix even though she went trough rehab. But she was the only person who could help her right now. Not even in her dreams the brunette would have thought that the day will come when Bellatrix Black is carrying her around. In one way it felt good to be carried and not to walk. But on the way the brunette fought against passing out. And the pain was getting stronger as the seconds were ticking by.
Hermione didn't say a word and in the end the walk felt like an eternity to get to the main entrance. But they made it.
Before the black-haired woman could let Hermione down to open the door it got pushed open by a happy Narcissa. She saw them coming through the main entrance and wondered why Bellatrix was carrying Hermione.
Her facial expression changed as soon as she saw the brunette. If she didn't recognize her hair, Narcissa wouldn't know who the woman was next to her sister. Hermione had a black eye, chapped lips, dried blood all over her face and body, ripped clothes. Narcissa could even see that bruises were forming on her stomach.
Narcissa knew Hermione through Draco and she liked the girl. She was kind, elegant, friendly and could never hurt a fly. The blonde couldn't imagine anyone who is capable of doing such cruel things to this wonderful woman.
A moan from the girl brought the blonde back to reality.
"Cissy I need your help. I found Granger outside… don't know what happened" Bellatrix said.
"Oh my god. What happened to her? Bring her inside to one of the guestrooms." Narcissa stepped aside, so that Bellatrix and a now unconscious Hermione could enter.
"Hurry Bella, I will take care of her. First I will fetch Draco, he knows Hermione better than I do."
At the time when Hermione's eyes started to flutter open the sun was coming down.
She looked around everything was so unfamiliar. The Brunette didn't know where she was. `Has he caught me? Has he brought me to an lonely place? Oh no oh no oh no`
She started to get nervous. Slowly anxiety took the girls body over. Her hands began to get sweaty, her heart was racing, her whole body was shaking. With every breath it was more difficult to breathe. She felt dizzy, the room was spinning. A panic attack kicked in.
She didn't register a blonde woman who came into the room to check on the girl.
Until she heard a rather familiar voice, Hermione thought she was alone.
"Oh god Hermione. It' okay. You are safe! I`ve got you"
Narcissa walked over to hug the poor girl from behind. She just hoped this would make her feel better. It broke the blonde's heart to see Hermione like this. Never in all those years, even back than when her ex-husband was a death eater she never saw such cruelty.
The blonde had a few suspicions what might have happened to Hermione. But right now she doesn't know the truth.
Slowly Narcissa scent sunk into Hermione and she could calm down.
She never experienced something like this before. She couldn't explain to herself what happened to her. It was strange. It felt like she was paralyzed for hours but it was only for a few minutes. Now the girl felt just really whacked. And there are two strong arms who hold her from behind. It made her comfortable. Just for a short while she forgot what had happened to her.
But at one go, she realized what she experienced a few minutes ago and why she was lying in an embrace.
Tears were forming in her hazel brown eyes, soon she was sobbing.
Narcissa held her the whole time, never letting go of the girl. The blonde hugged her just harder. Not until the sobs calmed down Narcissa stood up and walked right in front of Hermione to look at her.
But the girl looked away she didn't want to look in the blonde blue eyes. Then she had to talk and probably to answer some questions. Everything was just so embarrassing (in her opinion).
But one delicate hand took her chin and turned her head so the girl had to look at Narcissa. But still Hermione didn't dare to look into those blue eyes.
It took all her courage to lift up her eyes.
As those eyes looked right into Narcissa's, the blonde could only see anxiety nothing less and nothing more.
"You shouldn't feel any pain. I gave you some potions. You should be fully healed" In thoughts Narcissa added 'physically'
And the blonde was right Hermione didn't feel any pain. But there was no way she could concentrate on her physical wellbeing right now.
"I I I' so sorry Narcissa."
The response was full of sorrow "What are you sorry for?"
"I don't know. For coming here and interrupt your routine. I know you are a very busy woman."
After the battle of Hogwarts Narcissa went through a rehab so she could proof to be a worthy member of society. And after that she was a free woman again.
She started to work as a healer and soon after that she opened a doctor's office near the Black Manor. So indeed, she's a busy woman.
"Oh Hermione. I'm mostly busy, yes. But it is my job to help people."
"But you shouldn't help me! I'm not worthy."
"Of course you are. And by the way you are not just anybody you are a friend of the family. So yes you are worthy!"
"But…"
"No I don't want to hear your buts. But what happened to you? We are really worried about you!"
"We?"
"Yes, we! Draco is downstairs and waiting to come in. Even Bellatrix is somehow worried."
"H h h have you t t ttold anyone else that I am here?"
"No, not yet. I wanted to call your boyfriend that Weasley boy. But Draco prevented it."
Hermione sighed with relief. He didn't know where he was!
"… he said that we should wait until you are awake. So will you tell me what happened? I can get Draco if you want? I'm not going to force you to tell me something. Just know it's healthier to get it out of your system."
It followed a really long silence. In that time Hermione had an internal battle with herself if she should tell the blonde the truth or not. Her instincts said yes but her head said no. What should she do? If she tells the truth there is a chance that they do not believe her, or they denounce Ron and then he will find and kill her. 'But what if they are on my side and they'll help me. At least Draco will know that it's true. But what if everybody leaves me? No' Hermione thought 'they will help me. They were always and still are kind to me. They are my friends not Ron's. I just have to be brave enough to tell them everything.'
Narcissa still waited patiently to get a response. As Hermione began to talk the answers got even move the Ice queen to tears.
Hermione told the blonde, about the first time he beat her, about the daily insults, the alcohol and about last night. She told the blue-eyed woman everything. Narcissa was the first person who heard about this, besides Draco.
As Hermione was coming to the end. Tears were streaming down her face again. It was just too much for the girl.
Narcissa hugged the girl again. This movement broke Hermione a second time that day. In the last 3 years she never got a hug from Ron.
Her parents couldn't do it. They were still missing in Australia. So, she was alone for a really long time.
"Hermione I'm going to help you. I don't know how. But I think suing that Weasley boy would be a good…"
"No please! Don't do this! You don't know of what he is capable. Please! It's just.. I can't…" Hermione's answered with a fearful voice.
"Shhh it's okay. I got you. We will figure something out. I don't know why you don't want to sue him… But it's your choice and we'll find a way to help you. Now Draco is really worried about you. Should I fetch him? He wants to know if you are okay."
Hermione just nodded. She didn't trust her voice.
This kindness was the best thing that happened to her in the last hours.
Narcissa didn't know what to think. She was completely shocked. The Weasley and Granger seemed always happy when she saw them in the ministry. But as the blonde woman thought about everything she remembered that the brunette was always tense. She never relaxed, even when she visited Draco.
Why didn't say the girl anything before? 'At least she could have talked to Draco.'
The blonde was walking down to the dining room. Draco was sitting at the table. He tapped his foot nervous up and down. As soon as she walked in he sprang to his feet.
"How is she?"
"Well it depends how you look at her. Physically she is okay but emotionally… She will need a long time to recover."
"Did she tell you what happened?"
"Yes and I am devastated. That Weasley boy. He almost beat her to death and this wasn't the first time… I can only imagine what she has been through."
Narcissa saw his son getting angrier and angrier.
"I knew it. That stupid idiot. If I get him oh I will…"
"Draco, you knew about all this? Why didn't you stopped this before she got hurt like this? I thought I raised you better than that."
"Yes mother. But you must understand. She asked me not to say anything. I had to swear it. And I tried to talk to her about him more than one time. But she swore me that he never did anything again… At least until tonight."
It was not easy to render Narcissa speechless but to come to the knowledge her that son knew what happened did the exact thing.
"I'm extremely disappointed Draco. You know that you can trust me. But this isn't our major concern right now, Hermione is! And she wants to see you. If you'll excuse me. I'm going to brew a few dreamless potions. Hermione will need them."
"Mother I…"
"Go! Hermione needs you."
With this statement the blonde left Draco in the dining room. She wondered why her son didn't tell her about the abuse. She could have helped the girl. She knew what it feels like to be abused and not getting away from a tormentor. Maybe that's why she wants to help the brunette that much?
But she wasn't able to turn the time back to help Hermione. The only thing she could to was to be at her side when the girl needs her.
