Bold writing is flashbacks and as always italic writing is thoughts.


Madam Pomfrey bustled round her infirmary, sorting and resorting her potions cabinet, her desk and anything else that got in her way. All while relaying the poor girls diagnostic to her flustered colleagues.

"Severe blood loss, her previous broken ribs rebroken, her left thigh bone mangled beyond repair, hair line fracture on the left side of her skull, missing right arm from elbow downwards caused by splinching too late to reattach it and internal bleeding in her abdomen". And unlikely to walk properly again never mind using her wand Poppy silently led off.

Marching up to the bedside of her patient, fussing about with the girls sheets. "I don't have time for your melodrama, you two are to leave the wing at once. My patient is safe and as she is in a magical induced coma, it is ridiculous having you in my way hovering" commanding both the spluttering adults out of the infirmary.

Pomfrey sighed, rolling her eyes at her friends antics, Severus was expected but Minerva. Shaking her head of her thoughts she returned to her office, leaving her young ward to rest.

Tiptoeing down the stairs to the empty common room, Hermione spied Harry sitting by the cold heath alone, surprised to see him awake this early, she made her way to his line of sight.

"Harry can I talk to you please?". Unable to stop the pleading tone escaping.

The look on Harry's face spoke volumes, punching a hole though her chest.

"Go to hell. You traitor". Standing up, striding towards his fellow Gryffindor thrusting his palm into her shoulder hard, sneering at her.

"I'm innocent Harry. You know I wouldn't betray you. You are my best friend, my first friend". Tears splashing on her white shirt, her heart pounding so viciously, threatening to abandon her as well.

Placing pressure on her shoulder, her back colliding painfully into sharp corner of the fireplace. Harry's green eyes glittering with unshed furious tears. "I thought... No I know you used me. Ron and the headmaster are right, you would do anything to prove yourself" his voice cracking full of emotion. "The day I met you was the biggest regret of my life" he spat at her, turning away from his friend.

The tears wouldn't stop falling, Hermiones dry throat constricted her breathing, gulping for precious air. Her chest tightening at her friends disgusted sneer. Collapsing to her knees, hands reaching out to Harry.

"Please, please don't leave me. Please Harry you are my only friend without you I have no one. Please...please..please.." her broken sobs following her friend out of the common room entrance. Not once looking back.

Peeking her head out her office door, Poppy took note of her ward whimpering in her sleep. Knowing the girl was dreaming she returned back to her desk.

"Relashio".

Hermione's bag split open, the contents spilling out over the cold stone floor. Droppng down in front of her tormentors, her hand shaking trying to pick up her wet parchments and unreadable homework, her crystal inkwells smashed creating colourful glass stones, her ink covering her ruined belongings and the cold floor. Cold laughter and taunting reached the distressed witch's hearing. No one was defending her, no one was coming to her rescue. Her pale thin lips trembling.

"Little death eater on her knees where she should be" one boy leered with cheers following.

"Come on love, pleasure me". Grubby hands groping her back.

Shivering with fright, her head hanging, hiding her terrified face.

"Bet she does it for her lord". More cheering erupted.

"Maybe if she pleasured Potter, he would of kept her around" the mocking voice far to close for her liking.

Hot tears prickling at her eye lids, splashing on the ink stained floor. Hermione yelped feeling a sharp scrap on her scalp, someone was pulling her hair, lips attaching themselves to her bare neck. Screaming at the unfairness of her betrayal, she threw her head back connecting to the bastard's nose grimly smiling at hearing the satisfying crunch.

Madam Pomfrey stood over her charge, soothing the poor witch. "Hush now dear. It is just a bad dream". Automatically wanting to kick herself for saying such tripe, the moment she said it, after what the girls been through. Sighing she watched the young woman for a few moments longer, before shuffling off back to her own bed.

Hermione stared at herself in the girl's toilet mirror, she looked awful; shallow skin, once bright cinnamon now dull murky eyes staring back sunken in to her face, her lips thin and cracked. She couldn't take anymore abuse. Swiping the tears away with the back of her robe sleeve, she exited the bathroom.

Hurrying through the deserted halls, relief at the library doors just beyond she was thrown back landing awkwardly on the ground.

Looking up, an apology ready on her tongue Hermione met the glare of Ronald Weasley, swallowing hard at his outstretched hand.

"Afraid Mione". Pulling her up, he grabbed the front of her robes forcing her up against the rough stone wall.

"Just us now. Always thought you were better than me didn't ya. miss know it all with no mates. Frigid as they come".

His clammy hands roaming her robe cladded form. His vile breath assaulting her nostrils making her queasy, turning her head away from him .

The sudden sharp pain blossoming from her collarbone, Hermione pulled her hands between their bodies and shoved with all her might.

Realising what his witch was trying to do, Ron spitefully brought his knee up in to her stomach toring the scream from her throat. He laughed as the tears fell, leaning over her shaking body, he licked the salty mess away. His hands forcing her thighs apart, grinding his reaction to her petrified state in her bruised stomach.

The searing pain tore the scream out of her lips. The bastard was licking her, enjoying her fright but when she felt his erection her mind went in to overdrive.

"Stop please just stop. I will leave Hogwarts and never return just don't do this please" begging him not to continue his assault.

Time wasn't on the redheads side. "We will just have to finish this another time". Releasing her, he stepped back whipping out his crooked wand. "Stupefy" smirking as the little witch slumped over.

The last thing Hermione saw was his revolting smirk before he knocked her out. I want to go home. I want my mom and dad the young witch cried as darkness stripped her from consciousness.

The infirmary alarms were blaring out forcing the matron from her sleep. Throwing on her gown, she stumbled in to the ward going to her only patients bed.

The witch was seizuring up. Her eyes rolling around her head. Her body sweating, drenching the sheets beneath her. Her bushy hair hung limp over her pillow and pale face. Her limbs stiff and shaking. Blood slowly seeping out her mouth and nose. Her bones grinding in protest at the unnatural positions they were being force in to. Her heart beating intensely bruising her rib cage.

Poppy stood frozen at the heart wrenching site before her. Unconsciously she pulled her wand out casting her patronus bear sending off for help.

The bear galloped through the halls searching for its target. Halting its steps at seeing the stern witch.

"Minerva come quick. Granger taken turn for worse". The bear dissolving at the end of its message.

Smoothly transforming in to her tabby form. Minerva sprang off towards the hospital wing as quick as her cat legs could take her. Leaping past Narcissa who was red in the face, the younger Slytherin decided to follow the frantic cat.

Transforming back in to her human form, both witches entered the wing. The witches took off to Hermiones bed, their hearts painfully stopping at the young witches seizure.

Minerva strode up to Poppy, slapping the matron across the cheek. "Snap out of it. You are no help if you remain frozen" barking at the stunned mediwitch.

The sting brought her back, nodding her head of gratitude to her long time friend. The three women descended on the girl still thrashing on the unstable bed. "Its been ten mintues since the alarm alerted me. Floo call St Mungo's we need more help" snapping her orders at the two women. Both now getting in her way.

"Come on Granger. Fuck!". Yanking her red hand away from the girl's scorching forehead. Conjuring up a bowl of ice water and a handtowel, she placed it on the burning skin hoping to bring her temperature down. No such luck.

"I'm telling ya Harry she tried it on with me. Thought I would sleep with her so you would believe her over Dumbledore" Ron loudly explained to Harry. Manipulating the whole attack as Hermione's fault. She could see by the bespectacled boys eyes, he was eating up every word.

Angry green met dull brown as Harry marched his way towards her. Bulking up his height, making her feel even smaller, his finger stabbing her in the chest.

"Whore. Thought you could use my best friend against me. Is that why you betrayed me? Whoring yourself out to voldemort and his death eaters. Lets face it what else are you good for". His high pitched voice raising over the common room, every occupant watching as their boy who lived lashed out at the girl who betrayed him. All of them clapping at Harry's spiteful, cruel words.

Each nasty word punching a home in her heart. Leaving Hermione hollow. The boy who lived to hurt backed away as his red haired friend took over the attack.

The smirk plastered on his freckled face widened as Hermione shrunk away from his intruding form.

"You are right Harry. She's only good for one thing. A whore. Time to teach the whore a lesson!". Grinning at his own words, pouncing on Hermione gripping his strong hands aroung her slim neck. Getting off on the fear, Ron started squeezing, thrusting his hardness into her. "My whore" he whispered in to her ear, licking her ear lope.

She couldn't breath. Her vision was blurring, her hearing dimming and body weakening. All this because of his lies. Please anyone. Save me. Please. Im not a traitor. I just wanted friends..pleasseee.. Her mind shutting down as her brain started to be starved of its much needed oxygen.

"Stupefy" a very familiar feminine voice shouted out, the weight lost from her throat was the last thing Hermione remembered.


Waiting was not one of Ginnys strong points. The news of Hermiones rescue hasn't yet reached the ears of the order. Ginny had of course sent an owl to her mother explaining she was at Hogwarts but heard nothing back and that was two days ago.

Sitting in the great hall at the end of her house table, far enough away from the Slytherin death eaters but close enough to hear their hushed tones. Ginny sighed, pushing her food around the plate, her stomach rolling at the thought of swallowing.

The bench creaked under the weight of another presence, glaring up at the intruder, Ginny was met with the youngest Malfoy, nervously shifting his weight around, causing the bench to screech in protest, irratating the youngest Weasley further.

Getting to her feet, she felt his hand gripping her sleeve.

"Listen Weaslette, I just want to talk to you" his throat clearing trying to hide his discomfort.

Slamming back down on the bench, the red haired witch huffed, seething, whipped her wand on the school bully. "We have nothing to speak about. I don't dally with death eaters. Whatever you did to Hermione, you should go crawl back in your hole". Resisting the urge to punch the snake in his handsome pureblooded face.

Draco shrank back from the fiery haired witch his hands held up in surrender. Gulping at the well known Weasley temper, he rushed to explain. "I did believe in purebloods being better than mudbloods, I was taught not to lower myself with filth". Knowing his words caused the hurtful look on the Weasleys face. "Please just let me finish. I'm a pureblood and a Malfoy, all my childhood I believed it meant I was superior. I was royalty. But..but I'm wrong. Hermione Granger showed me that. She's brilliant, intelligent, loyal to a fault, braver than any Gryffindor, a mudblood she maybe but better than any pureblood Slytherin. I am wrong, I want to prove I'm changing" he finished intensely watching the girls reaction.

Ginny sat listening to the blonde ferrets speech, everyone in the great hall was listening unbeknownst to Draco. He seems genuine but could be an act Ginny thought. Her wand disappearing up her sleeve. "I can see you are changing maybe but what about your parents? The same people with you know whos mark adorned on their arms. Who hurt Hermione?". Her scathing words carrying across the room echoing off the walls.

"My son can't answer for us Miss Weasley. I have no such mark but it doesn't make me any less guilty. I will not apologise for standing by my family. All my life I was told a Black is meant for great things. The best of the best. My father was a follower of the Dark Lord and as he had no son, it was expected of us, his three daughters to marry one of his brethren. Bellatrix raved in the insanity, Andromeda ran off marrying a mudblood and I followed my oldest sister's path marrying Lucius. I believed being a pureblood trophy wife of a death eater would make my father proud but it never did. The only regret I have is my son becoming something he hates. Something I hate. As the years went on and Lucius played death eater, it made me ill. I became ashamed and digusted with him and myself. I knew I could never love a man who could do such vile things. Watching those muggles and muggleborns tortured as their blood soaked the flooring... It was just as red as ours, not dirty". Narcissa sat sideways on the bench facing the brave witch, loudly revealing her inner demons. Clearing her throat as it started constricting. Refusing to meet her husbands burning stare at the unraveling of her well kept hidden truths.

Unable to see the hurt flash over her husband's features, unaware at the escaped tear running down his cheek at revealing she couldn't love him. Her head bent downwards hiding her own tear stained face. Unable to see her only son crumble at her words.

Ginny's green eyes scanned the three Malfoys crumbling in front of her. Once upon a time she would of relished in seeing their pain but now, now she felt awful. They really are human after all. Surprising herself as she pulled the Slytherin boy in a much needed comforting hug.

His blank mask slipping back into place, Lucius spoke up, his voice cold and harsh. "Miss Granger has proven she's not useless, but it doesn't change my opinion on all mudbloods. When the wars over Narcissa, you are free to go". Staggering up from the table, grabbing his cane, the eldest Malfoy left the hall without a backwards glance. Not wanting his wife or son to see his pain, he fled out the castles entrance and disapparated away unaware of his wife's broken sobs.

Narcissa left shortly after her husband's abrupt departure.


Unaware of the choas in the infirmary. Ginny and Draco sat together on the plush green sofas in the dungeon common rooms sipping from their ill retrieved butter beer.

Both watching the other. The penetrating silence wearing on Ginnys nerves decided to speak. "Why come a death eater?". Noticing the flinch from her blonde sofa companion.

Draco shifted uncomfortably at the intrusive question, clearing his throat "I never had the choice. Become a death eater or watch while my mother is tortured and given to greyback. It was punishment for my fathers failure at retrieving that damn prophecy". Rubbing his arm containing the mark unconsciously. "I got it during this summer, he said if I didn't obey Hermione would suffer alongside mother. I couldn't do that to either of them. I hardly could seek help from your order after the betrayal Hermione suffered at their hands" he growled the last part.

Ginny felt the shame hitting her full force. "You are stronger than any of us Draco. I betrayed my friend all because of the word of Albus Dumbledore. My house was the worst at Hermiones abuse, especially my brother Ronald... He was strangling her while the rest looked on. Some looked frightful and sick at what he was doing but none intervened. When I arrived I knocked him out but I thought I was too late, she nearly died". Warm tears fell down her cheeks as a heavy sob escaped.

Draco carefully wiped the tears away with his thumb, his face a blank mask, waiting to see if she would continue.

"I intervened as much as I could without anyone noticing. I will not betray what I believe in Draco. I will not switch sides just because of all this but I will never blindly follow them again. I want to win this war with both bastards dead". Rising from the couch, the witch took to pacing refusing to meet the wizards grey eyes.

Draco sat watching the pacing witch. "I don't believe you will betray them just like Hermione wouldn't of done. We can win this war with both of them dead but we need to get Potter to understand the truth. I will only help if my mother and Severus is protected and free of any crimes once the war is over. Hermione is left out of this, she shouldnt be made to play nice with her abusers". With his commands made, Draco left the Gryffindor alone.


Walking up to the hospital wing left Draco running through his thoughts. I can betray everything I was made to believe in along as mother and Severus are safe. Snapping out his thoughts when he saw his mother and professor McGonagall pacing outside the wings entrance way. No please no.

Striding with false confidence up to his mother. "What's going on? Can I go in and see Hermione?" Draco asked.

Minerva stopped mid pace at the young man's questions. Seeing that Narcissa wasn't going to answer. "Hermione.. She's being seen by St Mungo's specialists. Her.. Her condition has deteriorated". Seeing the young mans pain, Minerva pulled the shaking boy in to a bone crushing embrace.

The infirmary doors opened, Poppy stepped out and spoke to the group. "Hermione has been stabilised. They have transferred her to Mungo's effective immediately". Seeing the concern, poppy held up a hand to stop any questions. "She has a brain bleed, they are concerned that without proper equipment we will lose her. You may see her tomorrow morning as long as Severus is with you". Waiting for no response the matron disappeared back in to her ward.

Not much else to say, the three separated to their own rooms to think about Hermione.

Draco returned to the Slytherin common rooms crashing to the couch forgetting a certain Weasley was still there. Closing his over tired eyes before he could slip off to sleep, he heard Ginevras comment before she left.

"Sometimes we must become what we hate, in order to protect the ones we love".

That comment kept twirling around Draco's mind all night. Leaving him in no doubt of his betrayal to his father.