Chapter 1 Too much to handle
Hermione found herself crying for the third time that week inside Myrtle's bathroom. This time though, the insult thrown to her was so nasty that she couldn't retort something to top it. The worst part of it was that, all of it was right. She couldn't deny it that every word that her arch nemesis, a.k.a. Draco Malfoy just said to her was not true.
Hermione wiped her tears furiously, thinking of the harsh words he just said.
Flashback…"Yeah, but you're a mudblood." He retorted with much disgust and anger.
"Ugh, Malfoy really as if that's new." Hermione rolled her eyes.
He smirked. "A mudblood that doesn't deserve every respect even if she might be a girl." He drawled.
Hermione stared at him, wide eyes.
"And you know why? Because Mudblood, you're nothing but filth. Call yourself a woman? I bet Krum only dated you cause he felt pity. Admit it Granger, you don't know what it's like to be treasured–"
"Stop it!" Hermione closed her eyes.
"Wanted." He continued, his smirk growing deeper.
"Stop it!"
"Lusted after." His triumphant smirk bore into her.
"You're wrong!" she said, unwanted tears fell gently on her cheeks.
"Wrong? Look around Granger! Do you see anyone lusting after you? What's to lust anyway? You're nothing but a mudblood that's hidden beneath stocks of books so people wouldn't see how hideous you really look!" he said.
She whimpered.
"Potter and Weasel are only friends with you because you help them with their assignments! They don't really want you. I bet all the Malfoy fortune that if someone who's better looking than you comes, who happens to be also smart, they'd forget you that easily like you were never actually there." He added with much hatred.
Hermione ran away, every fiber in her hurt, feeling the pain of his words that seared through her whole being.
End of Flashback…
Hermione once again, wiped the tears that trickled nonstop. She couldn't take in the pain. It was too much for her to handle. The fact that every word that Malfoy said was true made a big impact that she felt nothing else but pain.
She hated it even more since the pain wasn't physical. The pain she felt was beyond any physical pain; the pain she felt grew inside of her, a pain that can't be healed by magic or any other ailments.
Hermione hyperventilated and felt her body grow weaker and weaker. Her vision blurred and everything seemed to move and circle around her. The last thing she saw was Malfoy's triumphant smirk that told her that he had won.
"Do you think she'll be alright Albus?" an old voice rang inside Hermione's head.
"Minerva, I believe she will be, depending on herself alone." Dumbledore said to the old witch who was obviously worried.
"Poppy, when do you think she'll wake?" McGonagall said, her eyes darted from the girl to the old nurse.
Just on cue, Hermione groaned in pain. Her eyes squinted and slowly opened, revealing three elderly people fussing over her condition.
"Miss Granger! Thank Merlin you're ok." McGonagall said.
"Professor? What happened?" she said, her head throbbed in pain.
"I was about to ask you that Miss Granger. A fifth year student saw you unconscious in the girl's bathroom, barely breathing." She said, her eyes full of worry.
"I…" Hermione then recalled. Every insult she heard, every pain she felt, everything, she recalled each and every one of it quite vividly. But she didn't want to let her professors know. It was too shameful. "I don't remember…" she lied.
Dumbledore, though, knew better. When Hermione glanced at the headmaster, she saw something in his eyes that knew about what happened. She looked away in shame and waited for someone to speak.
"I believe, Miss Granger needs to rest." Madam Pomfrey announced. Hermione gave a thankful glance at the nurse before lying down. Madam Pomfrey gave let her drink a sleeping potion.
"Sleep Well, Miss Granger." Dumbledore gave one last look before Hermione was finally engulfed in darkness.
The light passed through the curtains of and hit Hermione directly at her eyes. She squinted and opened her eyes slowly. The hospital wing was empty and silent. A very peaceful stillness in fact that it calmed Hermione's nerves and brought tranquility to her every fiber.
She glanced at the nurse's office and saw that the door was shut. By the brightness of the light, she guessed that it must've been nearing noon already. She got up and took her clothes and changed. She left a note to Madam Pomfrey explaining that she needed to see the headmaster and that she thanked her.
Hermione walked quietly toward the Headmaster's office. Everyone be still in his or her classes. She glanced fugitively at her surroundings before continuing once more to the office.
Reaching the stone gargoyle, she muttered the password and went up the spiral staircase. She knocked softly at the door and waited for a response.
"Come in." Dumbledore's elderly voice reached Hermione's ears. She timidly opened the door and peaked in.
"Ah, Miss Granger, sit down…sit down…Lemon drops?" he offered.
"No thanks professor." She sat across the old man and looked at him. "I…er…need to talk to you professor."
"What is it that you need to discuss Miss Granger?" he said, his eyes twinkled more in amusement and curiosity.
"About, why, I fainted." She trailed on and continued her story.
Dumbledore nodded curtly and the twinkle in his eyes never left and in face only grew more.
"I see." He said adjusting his half-moon spectacles. "What do you intend on doing then with the young Malfoy, Miss Granger? Not that I'm opting you to do something, that could hurt someone." He added.
"Well, I had this idea…but I think it's rubbish. But then again it might succeed, but I thought people would know sooner, but some wouldn't but still…" she blabbered.
"Miss Granger. One at a time." He said chuckling at Hermione's blushing face.
"Well, Professor, I thought about, killing Hermione Granger." She said her voice grew serious.
Dumbledore's eyes stopped twinkling and became serious, almost cold. "Go on," he said.
"I…er…I was thinking of…creating, a new person." She said.
Dumbledore looked at Hermione with, unbelievably but true, fear.