Oh, everyone wants to know what's going on with Ginny. I dunno! We just don't like her that much! *grin* anyhow, let's go for another chapter of rubbish!

AND REVIEW!

Chapter 7: Cruel times

Hermoine's eyes shifted from the right to the left, so she was possitively sure that no one was able to see her this way. Everything hurted, and this wasn't even the full spell. Her cheeks showed trails from tears and her bones, her skin, her mind and her heart, they all felt like being messed up. She felt anger, but somewhere also understanding. But she WAS going to tell Harry. Someday.

Just as she entered the Gryffindor common room, Ron caught up to her.

"What happened to you?" he asked, while looking at her with concern. He saw her bruised arms, legs and neck, her open wounds and dark lines around her eyes.

She looked at him, afraid and lost for an answer.

"You can tell me,... " he started and she sighed.

Oh, how was she able to keep this from him too? It was a hard struggle to avoid Harry, but Ron, he always was so simple she could cry.

"... you musn't tell Harry,... promise!" she warned him and Ron nodded his head. They sank into the couch and Hermione began talking.

"I have detention,... with Snape,... " and Ron pulled the most disgusting face she ever saw.

She sighed. "I know something about him and if I go and tell you or Harry, or anyone else, he would take care of it. Or me."

Ron's look became disturbed with concern "What did he do to you?!"

"One of the illegal curses ... " she was on the edge of tears and Ron almost screamed of pain "CRUCIO!?"

Harry came walking in, with a vague expression on his face 'What? What crucio?' he asked. Hermione looked warning at Ron and Ron sighed "No, there wasn't a thing to do about that Crucio attack he did in that chapter." He quickly looked in one of the books that lay on the table in front of them.

Harry looked at him, strangely, and faced Hermione a short time.

"You can face me all you like, Harry, but that doesn't mean it makes it all alright." She said brisk and gave him a very impatient stare "Are you going to stay all day?"

Harry got angry, but then noticed the bruises and the cuts. "What,... what happened!?" he gasped.

Hermione looked away.

Ron gave Harry a look as 'I-don't-think-she-really-wants-to-tell-you-now' and Harry walked passed them.

"Thanks Ron,... I owe you,... " Hermione said.

Ron looked at her as if she made a joke "Don't say that! You don't owe me nothing! HE owes you an APOLOGY! But I'll take care of that. He will apologise."

Hermione raised both her eyebrows "Oh,... well, you really seem to want to make a lot of work out of it? I don't see why you should."

Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall together. Harry was already there, sitting beside Ginny. Harry stared completely annoyed at the pair and he leaned to the side, so it looked like he was sitting closer to Ginny.

Ron grinned and Hermione's face was just blank. As they sat down, Ron gave Harry a you-owe-an-apology-to-her look. Harry crossed his arms and stared back with 'I don't care'.

Ginny smiled and put her head on Harry's shoulder. "We already had diner, come let's go" she said. Harry nodded and they walked away.

"Sometimes I can't stand that guy. And that girl. Dunno what's gotten into her lately." Ron said.

Hermione sighed. 'I don't care, you know? I have a bigger problem tonight,... SNAPE"

Ron raised his eyebrows "Snape? Oh, detention!!" he gave her a look of concern and shivered "Snape,... "

"Well,... let's eat. Hey, isn't that Luna over there?" Hermione pointed at a girl who was wearing a very strange robe with all kinds of flowers and other drawings on it. She spotted them and waved.

Ron almost choked in one of his potatoes "L-luna??"

Luna came walking towards them 'Hey, Hermione,... Ronald,... I can't sit down at my own table. They are throwing eggs at me." She seemed to be slightly nervous.

"You can sit down, Luna, I'm sure Ron doesn't mind either" Hermione smiled wickedly.

Ron gave her a serious look of what-the-hell-are-you-doing? And tried to smile a bit.

"Where's Potter?" Luna said while sitting down next to Ron (who had a very hopeless expression on his face)

"He's,... gone, with Ginny" Hermione said rather brisk.

Luna began to laugh "Ginny's Ron's sister!"

"Uhm ...well ...yeah,... " Ron said frowning and quickly took a zip of Pumpkin juice.

"What's it with him?" Luna asked and Hermione raised her shoulders while looking very shocked after seeing the time. She stood up. "I need to go, detention."

Just as she wanted to walk into the corridor that lead to the dungeons, Draco caught her by the arm.

"Where are you heading, Granger?" he demanded.

"Why don't you go search for ferrets, MALFOY" she snapped.

Draco redrew his arm "I was just interested, that's all,... POTTY seems to have a little of a fight with you" he grinned.

Hermione gave him a warning look 'Leave your ferrety little nose out of my bussiness!'

Draco just laughed. 'Walk on, go and fetch Potty!' Hermione threw her hair over her shoulder and walked passed him.

"Miss Granger,... you're LATE!" Snape said while letting her enter the dungeon.

"It's not my fault,...' Hermione tried but Snape waved her apologies away.

"Forget it, you'll learn to be in time from now on"

Hermione swallowed her fear and sat down in front of his desk. "What do I have to do?" she asked in a tiny voice.

Snape raised his eyebrows. "I believe we have a misunderstanding here, don't we? YOU don't have to do anything. I am going to do something. I am going to practise ... " He drew his wand at her " ... My black magic."

Hermione swallowed and gathered her courage. "That's illegal!"

"So? No one will know of it." Snape said casually.

"But, they do record black magic! You can't use it! The ministry of ma-"

"The ministry isn't recording anything at Hogwarts. Not as long Voldemort's still out there." He cut her off, seemingly proud of himself.

"So, now you know what I'm going to do. And it's your OWN fault" Snape said, while raising his wand.

'But,... but! Crucio is illegal! What if I go to Dumbledore?' she warned him.

Hermione pressed her lips tightly together. She wasn't going to scream, she wouldn't let him have fun of torturing her.

But the pain was too intense. It felt as if her whole body was being ripped apart, as if something was pushing and pulling at the same time. It was too much and she passed out.

She awoke a few moments after Snape had stopped the curse. She was lying on the floor, feeling numb and miserable.

"Get up. Leave." Snape demanded.

Hermione was trembling with fear as she pushed herself from the floor. Standing on her two feet made her feel like the world was spinning hundred times faster as usual.

Hermione walked towards the exit and looked around, to be sure no one would see her, but it didn't matter; Harry came walking her way.

"What've you been doing there!?" he asked surprised.

Hermione looked the other way, wiping her tears away "Uh,... I uh ... needed some information on our essay" she lied.

"WHAT essay, we don't have an essay on potions!" Harry said briskly, not noticing the bruises and cuts.

"Why do you care ANYWAY!? Where's Ginny? Go see her and bother her with your useless ramblings!" she threw her head up in the air, pretending like he wasn't there.

"GINNY AND ME IS A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC!!" he screamed furious.

"A WHOLE TOPIC??? Well go and see if you can FINISH it!" She threw at him and walked away.