Chapter 1: Happy Birthday, Hermione!
Hermione Granger's 17th birthday was not like anything she could have ever imagined...not even in her worst nightmares...and it was a day she hoped she would never relive again...ever! As for the bits and pieces that she remembered...her so-called friends holding her down...being called a uppity, useless, mudblood slut...told to know her place...well they were worse than the actual pain from what was being (and had been) done to her.
That being said, the blinding pain was so horrific that it kept her from trying to remember exactly all that had happened to her. All she knew for certain was that she hurt all over...at something was broken she thought...and that she was covered in blood. Then she fainted and the blessed darkness took over her!
Thorfinn Rowle was feeling rather merry...he and his best mate, Antonin Dolohov, had been in Knockturn Alley that night, guzzling firewhiskey and making out with some willing slags. And now they were on their way back to Malfoy Manor for the night. Too drunk to apparate or to use a portkey, they staggered out to catch the Night Bus. But before they could signal for the bus, they tripped over what they thought had been a rock...then they heard a faint moan. Whatever it was that they had tripped over, it was alive.
Thorfinn fell over on his arse, giggling hysterically, and pulling Antonin down beside him. Antonin, however, was made of sterner stuff...he wanted to know what he tripped over and why it was in his way. Meaning, was it a trap set by the Order to ensnare both he and Thorfinn? Hyper-vigilant, he reached over and pulled a rag away from the broken and bloodied heap...all he saw were bruises, contusions, dirt and grime, and a whole sea of blood.
Summoning his wand, he cleared off some of the blood only to see something totally unexpected...the face of Hermione Granger! And from what he could tell, it was a badly brutalized Hermione Granger...the only question was...who did it? Was it one of their own who got carried away and panicked, thus abandoning her...or was it someone else?
Rational thought being too much for his current state of inebriation, he wrapped up her slight body in his cloak and signaled the Night Bus, asking that they be dropped off at Malfoy Manor. Then dragging Thorfinn up the stairs with one hand while the other kept his bundle nice and secure, he sprawled across a vacant bed and passed out in a drunken haze.