Darkshadow-lord:: I dunno. You tell me!
sexyoutlaw:: Good point.
imperfectionisunderrated:: I have an explanation for that, that will be provided in a few chapters.
Jordan:: I CAN'T! ERGH. And thank you so much!
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Hermione stopped going to classes. She didn't even get out of bed anymore. She just lay beneath the covers, wishing she could take back the events from that night. Though she was glad she had stood up for herself, she couldn't stand the thought of never seeing Bellatrix again. She didn't even know why. And that was probably the worst part of it. That she didn't know why she couldn't bear not to see Bellatrix again, she didn't know why it hurt so badly.
But it did.
Knowing she would never see Bellatrix again was tearing her apart. It felt like her soul was being ripped to shreds, and there was nothing she could do about it. She had also stopped eating. Her body had begun to wither. Her cheeks were hollow, her eyes had very dark circles under them. She had stopped caring. She was so skinny, she could easily feel all her ribs.
And there was something else.
Thinking she would never be able to ease the pain inside, she had taken to hurting herself outside. Now she had begun to crave the feel of the blood rushing from her, making her head spin and her mind foggy, the clean slice of the knife into her skin, drained of all color. She had scars all on her wrists and thighs from cutting herself.
Naturally, her grades slipped. Her friends tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't listen. The only way she was still alive after two months of intense depression was the food Ginny forced on her daily. Every day, it was the same routine: Waking up, attempting to ease the pain, Ginny forcing her to eat, and then staying up all night, remembering, until she fell into a restless sleep just for it to start over again the next day.
Finally, on the 63rd day of her self-destruction, Ginny couldn't take it anymore. She and Luna Lovegood didn't go to their classes that day. When everyone had left the dorm, Ginny let Luna in and they opened the curtains to Hermione's bed.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked, her voice empty and shallow.
"We're not letting you do this to yourself anymore," Ginny said. "You don't have to go back to your classes today, but you're eating with us in the Great Hall and socializing with your friends."
"Go away," Hermione murmured simply.
"Hermione," Luna said softly, sitting on the bed and taking Hermione's bony hand in hers. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. Please."
Hermione shook her head and refused to meet Luna's or Ginny's eyes.
"Hermione Granger!" Luna exclaimed.
Hermione slowly looked up and into her eyes.
"Stop it! You're killing yourself!" Luna continued, tears in her eyes. "I swear, I will drag you out of this bed!"
"Luna," Hermione whispered brokenly. "Please."
"Mione," Ginny said softly. "Please, let us help you."
"What if I don't want to be helped?" Hermione snapped. "What if I'm better off this way, so no one else can hurt me?"
"Hermione." Luna squeezed her hand. "I felt the same way after my mum died. But you just have to let us help you, and you'll feel much better. I promise."
Hermione looked from Luna to Ginny, to Luna to Ginny, and finally nodded.
The first thing they did was wrap their arms around her and give her a much needed, long awaited, hug. Hermione hugged them back a bit numbly, not really able to process anything but pain.
They pampered her, washing her hair and doing her makeup and nails, before they made her go down. They waited for Harry and Ron in the common room.
It felt strange. Being dressed, made up, and downstairs in the common room. But no matter how strange it felt, it wasn't a bad feeling. If not for the ever-present ache in her chest, it would almost seem like a normal day at Hogwarts. When finally Harry and Ron walked in, Harry dropped his jaw, and Ron dropped his books. He ran to Hermione and engulfed her in his arms.
When he finally released her, he opened his mouth and Hermione flinched, knowing her was about to bombard her with questions. However, after a sharp glance from both Ginny and Luna, he quickly shut his mouth and knew not to ask. But he did say, "Mione!"
Hermione smiled weakly. "Ron," she said softly. "Harry." She went over and hugged him as well.
Ginny and Luna gave Harry the same look and he didn't dare say anything. After a moment of semi-awkward silence, Ginny said, "Let's go to dinner," and grabbed Hermione's hand.
Hermione nodded faintly and followed them out. Everything was going well until they encountered Draco in the corridor.
"Hey, Granger!" he called, a sort of glee in his voice, as if he knew of the pain Hermione was in. He quickened his pace and Hermione forced herself to stop and face him. Ginny held her hand tightly. "I see you're not fucking my dear Auntie Bella anymore."
Hermione's chest tightened at her name, an all too familiar lump forming in her throat.
"Shove off, Malfoy," Ginny growled, tugging at Hermione's hand.
"No," Hermione said quietly. "How do you know that?"'
Draco smirked. "Went home on a long weekend. Her cries could be heard throughout the entire house."
"Her cries.." Hermione echoed faintly in a whisper. She blinked a few times, swallowed the lump in her throat, and finally said in a choked voice, "Yes. Your aunt and I are no longer.." She had to pause, looking up and blinking rapidly. "No longer in that sort of situation."
Draco snickered. "Tell me something I don't know," he said as he turned toward the Great Hall.
Rage suddenly boiled up inside Hermione. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. She couldn't stop the words from falling from her lips. "Your mother's a desperate whore!" she called after him. Everyone in the corridor stopped and stared. Draco stopped dead in his tracks, but did not turn around. "Because your father can't satisfy her! I seduced her! Me! And then she, very eagerly, spread her legs for her own sister!" she continued, Ginny's hold on her tightening with each word, as if she might pounce on Draco at any moment. "That's something you didn't know," she finished calmly.
Draco's fists clenched at his sides, but he did nothing. He didn't even respond. He simply walked off, back toward the Slytherin common room.
"Mione," Ron gasped. "That was bloody brilliant."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Hey so I know this is another short chapter, and I'm sorry, but you know how much I love cliffhangers! This was supposed to be a "dramatic" ending, but I just had to add Ron's line cuz he would just be like o.O lol and I hate saying this, but I've begun to lose confidence in my writing, and I've kinda fallen into a pit of self-loathing, so reviews are MUCH appreciated.
XOXO iLuvJohnny