Chapter 2: A Better Life
Hermione went down stairs to eat breakfast the next morning, but Carol wasn't there. In Carol's usual spot, on the table, there lay a bottle that was opened. It held pills. Hermione leaned over careful just in case Carol came down. She read the label on the bottle:
CRACK
Hermione nearly fell off her chair! Carol was on crack! That explained everything. The beating, her mood swings and everything. Hermione was so busy examining the crack, that she didn't hear Carol glide down the stairs. When she entered the room, she ran over to Hermione and slapped her hand. She grabbed the bottle and put it in her house- coat pocket. She started to go red, while breathing like a rhinoceros ready to charge. Hermione feared what was coming next. Before she had to run away, she felt the same stinging sensation on her cheek. She whimpered slightly and fell to her knees.
"You know better than to go through my stuff!" screamed Carol, "You know the consequences!" She began hitting, kicking, slapping Hermione on every imaginable part of her body.
"STOP! PLEASE, CAROL, PLEASE!" Hermione yelled on the verge of tears. Carol began to slow down, and fell to the ground balling her eyes out. Hermione couldn't help feeling sorry for her, but she was still mad as hell! She began to charge up the stairs but bumped into her new father, Jason. His arms opened and grabbed her. She tried to look away because tears were storming down her beautiful cheeks. He gently shifted her face so their eyes met. He was worried.
"Hermione, what happened? Why are you crying?" Jason questioned.
"I.Carol.she.crack.hurt.you." was all she managed to say through her sobs. Jason ran downstairs and Hermione ran to her room. She didn't know what happened next down there, because the same thoughts kept running through her overflowing mind. "Why me? Why Carol? Isn't there a better life?" She flung herself onto her bed, and began to gaze into the morning through her white-framed window. She was thinking of Harry and Ron, and what they might be doing. She wanted to know why they weren't writing to her. She hadn't thought about this for a very long time.
Just then, an owl flew in front of her window, and began tapping a gentle rhythm against the shiny glass. She immediately came out of her trance, and leaped with joy across her room to the window. She undid the lock on her window, and let the owl fly in. She looked in her Hogwarts suitcase for some owl treats, and found Crookshanks sleeping there. She hadn't been paying attention to Crookshanks because of the drastic lifestyle change for her. She gave him a quick pet, found the treats and lured the owl to her. It dropped the parcel in her lap. She gave it a few treats before it flew off. Crookshanks leapt into her lap and began to purr. She ignored him because she was preoccupied with the parcel. She recognized the messy printing, and knew immediately that it was from Ron. Her heart skipped a beat.
Dear Hermione,
I am so sorry I haven't been writing! I have been going to the Order with my family a lot, and they say it isn't safe to send letters. I just got home, so I'm sending you a quick one.
Harry, I think, is still at the Dursley's because of that whole love, fifth year thing. I haven't heard from him in a while. I got all of your letters her at home, and I'm really sorry about your parents. They were really nice and I'm sure it's extremely hard for you to get used to the orphanage. (Hermione sighed)
I'm sorry, but I've got to go now. I'll see you on September 1st!
Ron
Hermione finished reading this letter, and was grateful that at least someone actually thought about her. Harry on the other hand, was a different story.
A swooping noise came from the open window, and Hedwig flew in.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione whispered.
She gave Hedwig a few treats, but she stayed, probably waiting for a response. Hermione tore the letter open, and began to read it.
Dear Hermione,
How are you? I'm sorry about your summer holidays and everything. I know how you feel, except I never knew my parents. Sirius made up for it though.
I wanted to make sure that you knew I didn't forget about you. The Dursley's wouldn't let Hedwig leave her cage, but she began to make so much noise, that they gave up. YYYAAAAYYYY!!!! Anyways, how's your new orphanage? I hope everyone is treating you right. Gee, that sound like something Hagrid would tell me! (Hermione giggled quietly). I'm going to be going to Diagon Alley in 2 days. Any chance I might see you? I don't know if your muggles will understand and stuff, but let me know anyway.
Miss you lots!
Harry
Hermione let the letter slip through her hands, but went right back down to get it. Before she could, however, a sharp pain snapped her back up! She was so beat up, that even bending over hurt her all over her body. She had to slowly lower herself in order to have a pain free move. She put Harry's letter on top of Ron's. As she did, she wondered how Harry could leave for Diagon Alley, if they hadn't received their Hogwarts lists. Maybe it took longer for her, because she was in a new location, and she lived a little further away than Harry did. That must have been it. Hermione decided to go downstairs to arrange her means of transportation for getting to Diagon Alley, when she remembered why she was upstairs in the first place. As she opened her door, she heard nothing but the gentle footsteps of people in the rooms beside her. She didn't want to be caught in the middle of the boys, so she went downstairs. If Carol were waiting to beat her again, at least Jason would be there to protect her to the best of his ability. She turned the corner and poked her head into the kitchen. The tap was running. Carol was washing her hands.
Hermione went down stairs to eat breakfast the next morning, but Carol wasn't there. In Carol's usual spot, on the table, there lay a bottle that was opened. It held pills. Hermione leaned over careful just in case Carol came down. She read the label on the bottle:
CRACK
Hermione nearly fell off her chair! Carol was on crack! That explained everything. The beating, her mood swings and everything. Hermione was so busy examining the crack, that she didn't hear Carol glide down the stairs. When she entered the room, she ran over to Hermione and slapped her hand. She grabbed the bottle and put it in her house- coat pocket. She started to go red, while breathing like a rhinoceros ready to charge. Hermione feared what was coming next. Before she had to run away, she felt the same stinging sensation on her cheek. She whimpered slightly and fell to her knees.
"You know better than to go through my stuff!" screamed Carol, "You know the consequences!" She began hitting, kicking, slapping Hermione on every imaginable part of her body.
"STOP! PLEASE, CAROL, PLEASE!" Hermione yelled on the verge of tears. Carol began to slow down, and fell to the ground balling her eyes out. Hermione couldn't help feeling sorry for her, but she was still mad as hell! She began to charge up the stairs but bumped into her new father, Jason. His arms opened and grabbed her. She tried to look away because tears were storming down her beautiful cheeks. He gently shifted her face so their eyes met. He was worried.
"Hermione, what happened? Why are you crying?" Jason questioned.
"I.Carol.she.crack.hurt.you." was all she managed to say through her sobs. Jason ran downstairs and Hermione ran to her room. She didn't know what happened next down there, because the same thoughts kept running through her overflowing mind. "Why me? Why Carol? Isn't there a better life?" She flung herself onto her bed, and began to gaze into the morning through her white-framed window. She was thinking of Harry and Ron, and what they might be doing. She wanted to know why they weren't writing to her. She hadn't thought about this for a very long time.
Just then, an owl flew in front of her window, and began tapping a gentle rhythm against the shiny glass. She immediately came out of her trance, and leaped with joy across her room to the window. She undid the lock on her window, and let the owl fly in. She looked in her Hogwarts suitcase for some owl treats, and found Crookshanks sleeping there. She hadn't been paying attention to Crookshanks because of the drastic lifestyle change for her. She gave him a quick pet, found the treats and lured the owl to her. It dropped the parcel in her lap. She gave it a few treats before it flew off. Crookshanks leapt into her lap and began to purr. She ignored him because she was preoccupied with the parcel. She recognized the messy printing, and knew immediately that it was from Ron. Her heart skipped a beat.
Dear Hermione,
I am so sorry I haven't been writing! I have been going to the Order with my family a lot, and they say it isn't safe to send letters. I just got home, so I'm sending you a quick one.
Harry, I think, is still at the Dursley's because of that whole love, fifth year thing. I haven't heard from him in a while. I got all of your letters her at home, and I'm really sorry about your parents. They were really nice and I'm sure it's extremely hard for you to get used to the orphanage. (Hermione sighed)
I'm sorry, but I've got to go now. I'll see you on September 1st!
Ron
Hermione finished reading this letter, and was grateful that at least someone actually thought about her. Harry on the other hand, was a different story.
A swooping noise came from the open window, and Hedwig flew in.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione whispered.
She gave Hedwig a few treats, but she stayed, probably waiting for a response. Hermione tore the letter open, and began to read it.
Dear Hermione,
How are you? I'm sorry about your summer holidays and everything. I know how you feel, except I never knew my parents. Sirius made up for it though.
I wanted to make sure that you knew I didn't forget about you. The Dursley's wouldn't let Hedwig leave her cage, but she began to make so much noise, that they gave up. YYYAAAAYYYY!!!! Anyways, how's your new orphanage? I hope everyone is treating you right. Gee, that sound like something Hagrid would tell me! (Hermione giggled quietly). I'm going to be going to Diagon Alley in 2 days. Any chance I might see you? I don't know if your muggles will understand and stuff, but let me know anyway.
Miss you lots!
Harry
Hermione let the letter slip through her hands, but went right back down to get it. Before she could, however, a sharp pain snapped her back up! She was so beat up, that even bending over hurt her all over her body. She had to slowly lower herself in order to have a pain free move. She put Harry's letter on top of Ron's. As she did, she wondered how Harry could leave for Diagon Alley, if they hadn't received their Hogwarts lists. Maybe it took longer for her, because she was in a new location, and she lived a little further away than Harry did. That must have been it. Hermione decided to go downstairs to arrange her means of transportation for getting to Diagon Alley, when she remembered why she was upstairs in the first place. As she opened her door, she heard nothing but the gentle footsteps of people in the rooms beside her. She didn't want to be caught in the middle of the boys, so she went downstairs. If Carol were waiting to beat her again, at least Jason would be there to protect her to the best of his ability. She turned the corner and poked her head into the kitchen. The tap was running. Carol was washing her hands.