Blah………Blah……Blah……….not mine, Blah…….Blah……..Blah…….. J.K.R's
Hermione looked up as Harry and Ron entered the Gryffindor common room still indignant over the comments Professor Snape had made over dinner. "What's wrong? You never look this upset unless…, Malfoy isn't here is he?" she knew she just couldn't deal with him this summer. She would do something she would, well not regret exactly but still, something she should regret.
"No just that greasy bastard Snape." Ron spat "you'd think he'd lay off us. It is summer after all but no. He gave us a message for you Mione."
After watching Ron pace and mutter incoherently for a few minutes Hermione decided to break in "well?" she asked impatiently
Ron stopped and turned to her, "well what?" he asked
"You said Professor Snape had a message for me?" Hermione looked expectantly at him
"Yeah, that greasy, slimy…" Ron's voice trailed back into semi-understandable mutterings once again as he resumed his incessant pacing.
Hermione had had enough. "Well what was the message?"
"Basically he commanded your presence in the great hall at mealtimes" Harry answered when it became clear that Ron wasn't going to
"And that set Ron off?" Hermione looked quizzically at Harry, "it usually takes a little more than that."
"It was the way he said it, 'inform her this isn't a resort' he made it sound like you were here for fun." Ron interjected indignantly
"He knows I'm not, and have you ever known to be anything other than rude and sarcastic to us? Let's talk about something different… what do think the chances are for the team this year?" Hermione asked knowing that that would successfully distract the boys and as long she nodded in the appropriate spaces leave her free to think about what to do about her situation.
After Harry and Ron went to bed Hermione wandered up to her dorm and curled up on the window ledge thinking about her options. Her first option was to stay and face what she knew was coming, the time when her friends found out she had lied to them. The pity and disgust they would feel, her teachers striving to pretend nothing was wrong when they all knew it would never be right or option two. Leaving Hogwarts and going where no one knew who she was or what had happened to her. Although she knew that leaving would be hard as she had little money and no one would hire her in the wizarding world with out a diploma. Also in the muggle world she had even less skills that could gain her employment she still felt that it seemed to be her best option. She finally decided that leaving was her best option and that tonight would be the best time to do it. She knew she couldn't leave without saying goodbye to her friends but that she couldn't face them either. She walked to her trunk and withdrew a piece of parchment and a quill, sat at her desk and started her farewell.
Dear Harry and Ron,
I'm not really sure what to say. I know you guys will have noticed I'm gone and will probably want to come after me. Please don't. I need to be away from this place and as much as I love you guys, you as well. I didn't tell you the truth earlier when you asked me what had happened. There were no death eaters, it was my dad, he killed my mother and tried to kill me. He did bad things to me and I let him, I let him for a long time. I never meant for anyone to find out after all after this year was over I wouldn't have had to go back there again. But now everyone know about me and I can't bear you knowing what happened to me. I guess Malfoy was right with his mudblood comment; he was the only one who saw how dirty I was. Please know that I do love you and I hope life is everything you dreamed it would be.
Love,
Hermione Granger
Hermione carefully folded her missive into thirds and sealed it with a bit of wax from a candle. She wrote the boy's names on the front and placed it to the side for later. She grabbed her book bag from her trunk and began filling it with her muggle clothing, jeans and sweaters, anything warm she owned. She left all her belongings that were from the magical world even her wand, hard as it was to let it go. She slung her bag on her shoulders grabbed the letter and left the room refusing a last look around. In the common room she left the letter on the mantle above the fireplace, opened the portrait and left. Sneaking to the front door was easier that she had imagined it would be, Filch wasn't patrolling the corridors like he did when school was in session. She opened the door and left unnoticed. Once outside she paused unsure which way to go. If she went though Hogsmeade she would be noticed and probably hauled back. It was ironic that the safest option for her was also the most dangerous. But she squared her shoulders and summoned up some of the Gryffindor bravery and headed into the forbidden forest. She knew enough to avoid the spider territory and wandered far until her exhaustion caught up with her in a shaded glen. It was peaceful and had an aura of safety that she had seldom felt. Sighing she sunk to the soft grass and curling under her coat, her bag as a pillow fell asleep.
A N: I know again short and hopefully sweet. All I have to say for myself is that real life has been interrupting me more than normally recently. Hopefully though all the huzzah has died down and I will be able to update more often. Wish me luck and please r&r.