Present day.
A loud clap of thunder woke Harry Potter from his hunched over resting position on the arm chair positioned in the corner of Hermiones room. He jerked his head up looking at his surroundings, for a moment he forgot about what happened the night before, how Hermione showed up on his door step, broken. How he had sent Teddy to live with Neville and Luna until he figured out what exactly was going on in his friends life. The only reminder of any of these actions was the mussed up sheets on Hermiones bed. Harry shot out of the chair when the memories of the night before had flooded back into his mind he drew his wand and ran down the stairs, bursting into the kitchen he pointed his wand at Hermione, Shocked she dropped a coffee mug into the sink shattering it. "Merlin Hermione, you scared the day lights out of me." Harry spoke as he lowered his wand. "You can say the same about you, why are you barging into your own kitchen with your wand drawn?" Hermione said picking up the broken shards with her good arm. "Well after you showed up last night I've been a little on edge... I blame the auror training... They make you bloody paranoid..." Harry spoke as he headed towards the muggle coffee maker. "Harry you and I both know we've been paranoid of every little bump in the night since we went on the hunt." Hermione moved slowly over to the waste bin throwing the glass shards away. Harry grabbed the coffee pot, poured himself a mug and sat down at the table. He studied Hermiones slow movements towards the coffee pot. She picked up the coffee pot only slightly before pain shot through her whole body, and she was forced to set it back down. Harry got up moved behind her and reached around her body to grab the coffee pot, the closeness of Harry cause her breath to shorten and it took her a few seconds longer then normal before she held out her mug for him to pour the brew. With her mug now full, Harry replaced the coffee pot into the maker and slowly backed away towards the table. Harry pulled out Hermiones chair and waited patiently as she slowly sat down with her mug wincing in slight pain as she did so. Once Hermione was seated Harry sat in his chair picked up his mug and drew a long sip of its hot contents. He set the mug down, and looked at Hermione, Her face still black and blue from the trauma she received. His deep emerald eyes bore into her honey brown ones for a few seconds before she turned her head in shame. It was at that exact moment that Harry realized, this wasn't the doing of some has been death eater on the run, or even one of their newer recruits he's been encountering through work who doesn't know their wand from a stick. No, she was caught off guard. Whoever did this to her was someone she trusted. Harry then had a sickening realization. He had seen this before in some of his earlier training as an auror, this had every tale tell sign of spousal abuse. His hand now shaking, he took a long swig of the room temperature coffee. "Hermione..." He whispered her name almost questioningly. She picked up her mug a little off the table, bent down and took a big gulp. With a shaky breath Hermione spoke "Ron..."
What Harry feared was just confirmed. But again Harry's aurors training kicked in he knew he had to handle this situation with kid gloves or she might shut down and not tell him anything more. So Harry just sat their looking at his best friend, and if he let his mind stray in the direction it often did, the love of his life, and the soul reason why his relationship with Ginny failed after the war, when one night she left him because she herd him mumble Hermione's name in his sleep. Harry took another swig of his coffee, looking intensely at Hermione. What happened next caught Harry off guard. She began to tell the story of what happened the day before without any further provocation on his part. She told him how she left for school, the accident at the Dartmouth Magical Research Facility and the fallout that followed from it, how she made Ron dinner and waited for hours for him to come home, only to end the night packing a bag and crying herself to sleep. And then she told her account of how Ron woke her up in a drunken violent rage. "you know what makes it worse Harry...I still have no idea... What sparked that rage... I... just... don't... understand..." Hermione finished her story, tears brimming her honey brown blood shot eyes. Harry could barley begin to comprehend what Hermione just told him. His mind felt as clouded and as dark as the storming sky outside. It was again another thunder clap that pulled Harry out of his thoughts. He slowly got up, walked over to Hermione and gently hugged her. This was all it took for Hermione to burst into tears.
After the better half of an hour passed by Hermione spoke again "Thank you Harry, you're always saving me." Harry just smiled down at her and with a final small squeeze let go of their hug. "I'm making breakfast. Why don't you go upstairs and relax for a little bit while I get this ready." and with that Harry was off and gathering supplies from the cabinets and fridge. Hermione slowly and painfully stood, and made her way towards the door that lead upstairs. Slowly she turned around, and looked at the busy Harry. Smiling slightly she knew that as long as she was with Harry she was safe and cared for.
Once Harry had finished making breakfast he arranged it on a serving tray, and conjured up a flower for decoration. He ever so carefully levitated it up the stairs and towards Hermiones bed room. When he reached her door he looked inside to see her perched up in bed reading. Harry instantly recognized the giant tome as 'Hogwarts: A History' one of Hermions go to books when she was feeling down. "Here we go then, we got eggs, bacon, french toast, coffee, pumpkin juice, and the daily prophet, and the quibbler." Harry spoke triumphantly as he lowered the tray onto her lap. But she looked past the food and papers to fixate her gaze on the flower. She searched her memory but could never remember the last time someone just gave her a flower. Not even in all the years she dated Ron had she received one. Finally her voice found her again "thank you Harry, you truly out done yourself." and with that being said she set her book down and began to eat. She finished every last bit of food that was laid before her, she even drank both the coffee and full amount of pumpkin juice. Once she finished eating, Harry stood, picked up the tray and headed to the door. "Wait Harry... Can I keep the flower?" She asked in a small voice. Harry turned around brought the tray back over to her and lowered it down so she could grab the flower. She blushed and with her good arm reached forward to grab the flower "Thank you..." she mumbled in slight embarrassment. "Not a problem" a now very red Harry replied. He stood their looking down upon her for a few awkward seconds when he realized he was staring he quickly turned and rushed out of the room. Harry though to himself as he brought the tray into the kitchen 'Breathe Harry, just breath... She's been through hell and back again... she can't possibly love you like you love her. And even if she did, now is no where near the proper time to open that can of worms'. Harry deposited the dishes into the sink swearing he would return later to clean them. Harry then walked up the stairs and into his office where his still opened potions cabinet sat, grabbing the few bottles for healing that remained he set back off to Hermiones room. When Harry reached the door with the stoppered bottles in his hands what he saw took his breath away. It was Hermione smelling the flower he had given her and smiling. Amidst all the pain and heart break she just experienced she still could find the beauty in the simple things in life. Harry loved that about her. After a minute of watching her he cleared his throat making his presence smiled again and set the flower down on her night stand. "When you can Harry... I'd like a small vase to put it in" Hermione whispered almost sounding embarrassed. "Okay." Harry replied like the sheepish little school boy he was not to many years before. "But first we need to get you better." He offered her the vials of potion he had in his hand, and though Hermione knew that they would only help a little she smiled kindly at his effort. "Thank you dear, I'll help you make any potion you used on me when I arrived. I realize some of them must of been very complex." Harry just waved it off saying blushing slightly at her slip of tongue "Don't you worry one bit 'Mione, a lot of them are given to us at the academy for emergency situations. I'll just get some more when I return next week." "Why next week, don't you have your final practical in two weeks?" Hermione asked in that 'death before expulsion' tone Harry heard her use once before. "I sent an owl last night saying I needed the next week off, and seeing as how I'm quote "the best trainee since Mad-Eye" they really wont mind. Besides all my assignment's are handed in and I have no pending cases to tend to at the moment." Upon hearing Harry's explanation she sighed in resignation. She knew it was pointless to argue with Harry. Once he made up his mind about something he followed through with it. Besides she thought to herself, what better a way to spend more time with Harry then lounging around his home all week, just then it struck her, should would be missing her own studies as well. "Oh no Harry, I haven't notified St. Mungos that I won't be attending classes for the next week or so." Hermione spoke while trying to get up from bed, Harry just put a reassuring palm on her good shoulder. "Don't worry hon, I sent them an owl this morning notifying them you would be missing classes for the next week or so and will notify them more about the situation at a later time" It was Hermiones turn to blush slightly as she caught Harry's slip of tongue, but she instantly relaxed a little at his touch. As a few awkward moments slipped away Hermione scrunched her noise in concern "But what about Teddy... Where is he by the way?" "He's staying with the Longbottoms for the moment. When you arrived last night I didn't know what was going on, what to think, I feared who ever attacked you might be looking to attack us as a group again. So I asked them to care of Teddy while I got to the bottom of things... Don't worry though, they don't know what happened." was Harrys answer. This made Hermione sad a little. She loved seeing Lupin's son when ever she visited Harrys place and was saddened by the fact that he wasn't their. "Well at least we won't have to wake up at all hours of the night to feed and change him." Hermione said with a bit of relief in her voice. Hermione then let out a big yawn "I think I'm gonna take a nap Harry I'm a bit wiped out from all of this." "Of course 'Mione I'll wake you up in a little while" Harry said while leaning in towards Hermione. Her heart pounded a kilometer a second when finally Harry Potters lips met her cheek kissing her goodnight. Without another word and now blushing Harry walked to her door, looked back lovingly at her and a second later left her room closing the door behind him.
Hermione watched as Harry left her room, and after he departed she lowered herself down into a more comfortable position. She only need lay there for a few minutes before the potions she took helped her drift off to sleep.
Hermione stood in a kitchen again. But this time she felt uneasy, like she was an invader in someone else's home. She looked out a large, slightly dirty bay window that was before her. Outside lay an old decaying swing-set in an overgrown yard. Just then she felt a familiar presence approach from behind her, this time however, she felt trapped rather then safe. Spinning around Hermione looked into Rons eyes staring coldly at her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and forcefully brought her to him. With a maniacal laugh he bent his head down and forced her to kiss him. Hermione could only whimper under his crushing grip. Hermione finally broke free of Rons intrusion and began beg "Ron... Please, Stop!"
For the second time in two days Hermione was awoken from her sleep, but this time it was much more gentle. " 'Mione, wake up... Your just having a nightmare." Harry spoke gently resting his hand lightly on her good shoulder. Hermiones eyes fluttered open and her heart suddenly became much lighter. Hermione reached up with her one good arm, grabbed Harry and gave him a bone crushing hug.
"Your safe now Hermione. I wont let anyone hurt you again."