Chapter 14

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Winston Churchill

After Dumbledore's speech, (which had contained the usual message "Stand united from within"), Hermione and her housemates headed off to the Gryffindor tower. Sleepy from good food, the majority of them, Hermione included, made their way to bed. Hermione could not sleep, she was too worried about tomorrow morning's potions lesson. As she lay there in the pitch black room, the memories of rape and torture crept back into her mind vividly, they flooded back, as did her tears.

" 'Mione?" called a groggy voice,

"Yeah Lavender?" Hermione answered, wiping away the tears (despite the fact she was hidden from Lavender's view by the bed hangings) and trying to make her voice sound normal.

"You ok? Why are you crying?"

"I'm fine, really, go back to sleep"

"No you're not, what's wrong?"

"Something must've happened to make you cry, you're not the type to cry over nothing" said Lavender, crossing the room and drawing back Hermione's bed hangings before perching on the edge of her bed.

"I'm just, just upset about my parents, I mean, so much happened, you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you!" Hermione almost laughed,

"I can't say I understand, but if you need to talk, well, I'm here ok?"

"Thanks Lav, thank you" Hermione whispered.

Lavender gave her a hug before returning to her own bed, and soon Hermione heard her snores.

Four hours later, and Hermione still wasn't asleep, she had tried reading Hogwarts: A History (although she would deny it under oath, that book could put any one to sleep!). However, four hours later here she was, watching the first rays of sunlight breaking through her curtains.

"Shit! It's 6 o'clock! Oh my God, I have lessons in three hours, there's no way I'll get any sleep now!" She thought. Hermione decide she would get up, have a nice hot bath, get dressed and then go to the library to do some research. She got up and grabbed a set of robes as quietly as she could, scribbled a note explaining to the girls where she'd gone and made her way to the prefects' bathroom.

"Pine fresh" she whispered and the door sprung open, she entered and murmured a sealing charm on the door behind her. She filled the bath and quickly undressed.

"Finite incantortem" She said, pointing her wand at herself, removing the concealment charm the Madame Pomfrey had placed on her bruises and scars just over a week ago. She crossed the room, stopping in front of the large, full length ornate mirror. She starred at her reflection. She felt sick. Her wrists and ankles still showed deep welts, that Hermione suspected would always remain, serving to remind her of how she'd been chained. Her back too was covered in shiny silver trails, permanent scars inflicted by the wand of Voldemort. She shivered, partly from cold, but mostly because of memories.

"Injoure Secrete" The scars vanished, the memories did not. She climbed into the deep bath, she slowly began to relax, feeling the tension and the memories dissipating into the warm, sweet smelling water, she was on the verge of sleep...

"Shit!" she gasped, catching sight of her watch- she hurriedly got dried and dressed then headed off towards the great hall. The library could wait, she'd been in the bath two hours, Harry and Ron would be worrying. Hermione was wondering what the house elves would serve for breakfast, she was really rather hungry, when she bumped into-:

"Malfoy?"

"Yes, your point being?"

"err, sorry, I wasn't looking"

"I was" said Malfoy seizing her wrist and helping her to her feet. "You look good Granger, really good" At this, Hermione realised he was still holding her wrist, she tried to pull it free, and in doing so backed herself against the wall. Malfoy stepped forward, his face inches from hers, somehow he had seized her other wrist and both were now firmly pinned against the wall behind her, he moved in even closer.

"No" she whispered "please don't" her vision swimming as tears flooded her eyes, "gods he looks like his father, and smells like his father, and stands like his father," at this moment in time, Draco was his father, to Hermione at least, and she couldn't take it, there were too many memories.

Draco was shocked, he released his grip and stepped backwards. He'd expected a slap, or maybe a jinx, but crying? Not from Granger! Hermione saw her chance and ran.

"What" Draco muttered "was that?", He shrugged, probably just the time of the month or something. Why worry about it any way? It's not as if she's someone who matters! And with that, Draco made his way to the great hall, wondering what slop the little rodents would try feeding them today.

A/N

Hey, thanks as usual to all you lovely reviewers:

lee74, Mai Gamit , creepiness, Katie, Phelpslover (he he he, that's nothing, wait for the real Sirius epiphany!(Darkraven-04 (not yet, but be patient and all will be revealed!), Avestia, kbluesmom, runaway mental patient, Rane2920072 (don't worry, hope that wasn't pansyish, and Harry and Ron will, well, I'll leave that to your imagination, but I'll say it wont be pretty when they find out, muhahahahah!), Emz, acdenerd, queenbeth2 (not yet, but be patient and all will be revealed!), Zaralya (thank you, I'm sorry, I really need to go to a support group, My name's Fiona and I can be slightly sadistic, but I do like happy endings, sometimes, he he ), GabreilsGirl (She's not prenant, the constant torture and sexual abuse were enough protection, it is extremely unlikely that a foetus could survive those kind of conditions- plus I'm not keen on the whole pregnancy story thing lol), acid green quill (with laughter or tears?, thanks anyway!), the lovely hannahslattery and the wonderful(and ridiculously talented) Kyra4.

But now for the bad bit, I just thought I'd warn you that we might not be able to post next Sunday, I know there's no proper excuse for not updating, but here's ours: We both work, and since now there are only 40 shopping days till Xmas, my boss have decided that not only do I have to work Saturdays, but every other Sunday! Not fair! (Jenny's has also decreed something similar). We'd probably cope if it weren't for the fact that this week is "review week" at school, meaning that all the teachers want to have some way of assessing you, so I have 3 essays to do this weekend, plus 4 mocks next week! Again, Not fair. Anyway, I apologise, and I will try my hardest to get a chapter up (but if I do, it'll probably be even shorter then usual- which by my standards is miniscule!) Sorry,

Fiona x x x

(Ps, I only typed these chapters today, so they've not been properly proofed, my spelling is atrocious as is my grammar. SORRY! Hope it doesn't detract from the story too much.)