I do not own the world or any of the characters, all rights belong to JK Rowling, I am merely a fan who enjoys writing.

"I'm going to ask you again Miss Granger" came Minerva's calm voice. "would you please explain to me what you were doing?"

"I… um… my letter opener" came the timid reply. She knew it was dumb, but for some reason that's the first thing that popped into her head.

"What about your letter opener Miss Granger?"

"I was… I was using it and i-it slipped..."

"Miss Granger that lie does make sense on any level." Minerva replied rather harshly "Firstly, a letter opener is not sharp enough to cause this kind of damage even if you were about fifty pounds heavier and had the kind of strength required to make that cut. Secondly, there was no letter opener found in your room. We did however find your razor blade"

Hermione sat fidgeting with the sheets and trying her best to keep back the tears. She didn't know how to answer. What did they want her to say? Yes. Yes I was trying to kill myself thank you professor. But she couldn't say that. It didn't matter, they'd caught her and she was going to wrapped in bubble for the remainder of the school year. Then she would go home and everything would be normal again. Normal…

flashback:

she'd been ten. She was at school and some of the older boys were teasing her about her hair and her freckles, getting close to her on the playground, pushing her and scaring her with various threats of what they were going to do to her. They had her cornered when suddenly the boys were thrown backwards onto the ground. They told the teachers that Hermione had done it, but given that she was so small none of them believed a word of it.

her parents had been called anyway because she had been too upset to continue classes for the day. As soon as they got in the door her father had blown up

"What did you do to those boys?! Did you hex them?! Curse them?! Are they going to live?!"

please daddy… I-I didn't mean to. They scared me..."

"they scared YOU? Really Hermione, don't lie to me you little freak! We know what you did. But I'll sure teach you not to do it again"

the last thing she saw before Minerva's voice broke her out of her trance was her father walking towards her taking off his belt. The thought made her shiver.

"Look at me, dear" Minerva said much more softly. Hermione managed to bring her eyes up to Minerva's.

"Y-yes professor?"

"Miss Gr- Hermione… tell me what happened. Please, I want to help you"

"You can't"

"What ?"

"You can't help me. No one can" came Hermione's curt reply

Minerva looked at her sadly. How had she not noticed how hopeless the poor child was? How long had she been like this? Poppy had run diagnostics on her while she'd been asleep, Minerva knew she had been abused, she assumed by her parents. She knew she couldn't let her go back, but how could she help her if she wouldn't open up to her?

"Hermione, if you will let me help you, I promise you I will never send you back to the people who hurt you"

"What are you talking about? I'm just fine" Hermione played innocent

"Hermione don't lie to me. Your right wrist and several of your ribs are healed wrong and your entire body is covered in bruises."

Hermione dropped her gaze and bit her lip to hold back the tears. "you'd really help me?" she asked timidly "you're not just saying that?"

"yes. I would help you. If you'd let me, I'd like to file as your guardian and immediately start proceedings to have your parents tried for their actions."

the only response she got was the girl throwing her arms around her neck and bursting into sobs. "there, there, everything is going to be okay now" she said as she gently rubbed the child's back and tried to calm her down.

Hermione had never felt so safe as she did there in Minerva's arms, never felt so loved. For the first time she actually believed that maybe things could get better. Maybe she could be loved, maybe she could have a chance.

Please review! working on proceeding. Tiny writer's block