A/N Just as a warning, this is another quite violent/graphic chapter.
Chapter 6
On Friday night, Ron did not come home. I stayed up long after midnight waiting for him, but still he did not come. I was concerned, but probably not as much as I ought to have been. This was not the first time he'd done this. He always came back eventually. At least it means you're safe for the night, I thought to myself. I felt guilty, but deep down I knew it was the truth. I had an awful night's sleep. I had terrible nightmares of Ron doing things to me. Then there was one of Ron, lying dead on our kitchen floor. It made me sick to the stomach.
I felt terrible the following morning; thoroughly exhausted. I had a shower to try and help me pull myself together. The hot water helped somewhat. I had to have my wits about me, especially around Ginny and Luna.
Shopping wasn't quite as bad as I'd envisioned it to be. Ginny and Luna seemed quite content with looking at all sorts of baby things. I wasn't forced into one outfit for the whole day, a success in my opinion. However Luna was just as perceptive as usual. Whilst Ginny was trying on some clothes, she took me to one side.
"You are a strong woman Hermione, you would do well to remember that."
"Thanks Luna," I replied, not making eye contact.
"I mean it. You mustn't doubt yourself. You know what is right for you better than anyone else."
I nodded. Somehow I think Luna was wrong – I don't think I really knew what was best. I'd lost all sense of direction; I had no compass to point the right from the wrong anymore. Ginny came out to show us the dress she was thinking of purchasing, breaking me from my revere.
"What do you think?" she asked giving us a twirl.
"Beautiful as always," I said giving her a warm smile. "Although if you keep expanding at your current rate, a fear we'll be having to push you round in a wheelbarrow by the time the baby's due!" I added, and both Ginny and Luna laughed.
"Tell me about it," sighed Ginny, "I was never this big with the boys. I doesn't half do my back in! At least my lovely husband gives good massages." She winked.
"Too much detail there Ginny," said Luna, shaking her head.
"Right, let me go buy this, and then I'm taking you all to get coffee. This woman needs her caffeine ladies, or it won't be a pretty sight!"
When I got back late afternoon, Ron still wasn't there. He'll be fine, I told myself, he's a grown man. I couldn't help but be a little worried. I started chewing my nail absent-mindedly, a vice I did not usually permit myself to. I continued on though as if nothing was wrong. I prepared dinner for the both of us. Come 7 o'clock, he was still not back and my appetite got the better of me, so I had my dinner alone. Should I contact Harry, I thought? I stopped myself. Ron would not want his friend to see him in his weakest hour.
A little after eight Ron breezed into our flat.
"Where's my dinner?" he asked.
I stared at him blankly. This was ridiculous. He'd been missing for the past day, and he was demanding dinner?!
"Are you deaf or something? Where's my dinner?" He sounded angry.
He was angry? This I could not take. I thought back to Luna's advice earlier. I am a strong woman, and as such, I will not let my husband act as if he's done nothing wrong.
"Where were you?" I asked, making eye contact and trying to keep my voice level.
"Hermione, I'm not going to ask you again, where is my dinner?"
"No Ronald, where the fuck were you? You've been missing all day and all night, and you act as though there's nothing wrong. Now tell me where you've been!" I fumed. This man was insulting my very being.
"You DARE speak to me like that?!" he bellowed.
Oh god. Could I really do this? Did I really want to suffer the consequences?
"Yes." I said staring at him with a cold expression in my eyes.
Before I knew what was happening, Ron had pulled me back by my hair, and he'd got his arm around my neck, making it hard to breathe.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" he seethed. "What gives you the right to talk to me like that? Nothing, is the answer, nothing. Do you understand?"
I kept my mouth shut, as I wished I had done earlier. I concentrated on trying to get air into my lungs, it was becoming increasingly difficult.
"ANSWER ME!"
"Yes. Yes understand. I'm sorry Ron. I'm sorry. Please let me go, please," I begged him.
The pressure was relieved from my throat, but I couldn't enjoy that for long. Before I knew it, I was hurtling towards the floor, and I barely had time to put my hands out to soften the blow. The impact jarred my wrists and was incredibly painful. I cried out in pain.
"You're sorry are you?"
I didn't say anything.
"You're sorry?!"
I remained silent. Tears had begun to fall down my face.
"I'm the one that's sorry – sorry for marrying a piece of shit like you."
All of a sudden there was a connection between Ron's foot and my chest.
"Argh!" I cried out in agony.
"Sorry, that I'm stuck here with you!"
Again, he kicked me.
"Sorry, that I feel disgusted whenever I see you."
Another kick. This time I heard something snap. I think it was my rib.
"Sorry that…"
"STOP IT RONALD. STOP IT." I screamed. I was getting black spots in my vision. I knew I wasn't going to be able hold onto my consciousness much longer.
He glared at me. I couldn't read his expression. I was so scared. I pleaded with my eyes although I was finding hard to focus.
He turned on his heel. Moments later I heard the door slam.
Oh god I thought. I needed help. I tried moving but it hurt too much. Everything hurt. I willed myself to get up, but I just couldn't. I felt like I was being stabbed from the inside.
I closed my eyes, everything was fading. Maybe it was better this way I thought to myself. I no longer had to face my demons. I surrendered myself to the oncoming darkness. I was at peace.
A/N Sorry this was quite a short chapter. I was very difficult to write as I'm sure you can understand.
