And the Fat Lady sings…
He couldn't believe it. Why. Why would she do it? Why would she fraternise with the enemy? Why would she kiss her rapist? Why would she tell him she loved him? Why would he say he loved her? Why would he rape her…and then fall in love with her? It didn't work out.
The rape didn't fit in to the story.
But that was preposterous. It had to fit in. This whole charade started with the rape. There must've been a spell involved.
Exactly! That was it! He hadn't been thinking clearly when he saw them earlier – of course there was a spell! Malfoy probably put a body bind on Hermione the night he maliciously raped her, and now he had slipped her some sort of Love Potion. It was all part of his sadistic Master Plan.
"Ron?" Ron looked up, startled by the voice.
"Oh, Harry. Hey. What are you doing here?"
"Uh…we're right outside the common room…you ok mate?" Harry asked.
Should I tell him?
"Yeah," probably better not to, until I know the details. "Yeah, course I am."
"Oh. Ok. You just look a bit…confused or something."
"I was just thinking."
"Ah, that explains it."
"Watch it."
Harry grinned. "So," he said, looking side-to-side. "Where's Hermione?"
Ron felt his stomach drop. "I…uh…I'm not sure actually."
Harry feigned shock. "What? You mean you let her out of your sight for longer than a thirty second period?"
Ron glared at his exaggerating friend. Harry laughed. "Look, don't worry. The Malfoy thing scared us all. But he won't come near her again. And anyway, Hermione's strong. She's coped amazingly."
Ron froze. She's coped amazingly…
"Harry…do you think it's normal for someone to cope that well? I mean, it's hardly been anytime and she's acting like it didn't happen."
"Well…" Harry fixed his glasses. "I suppose you're right. But Hermione doesn't let things get on top of her…she carries on with life."
"Yeah but – rape! Rape is a huge thing, Harry. How could she possibly be over it in such a short time?"
He shrugged. "Who can understand the mysterious workings of Ms. Granger's strange and beautiful mind? No one can predict what goes through her head."
"Harry…do you remember that night?"
Harry looked startled. "What night? You started fantasising about me again, Ronald?"
"Shut up Harry, I'm serious."
Harry looked taken aback. "Yeah…I remember the night she was…attacked. Of course I do."
"What happened?"
"What happened? Hermione was ra-"
"I know that, you arsehole. I mean, what happened from when we came in?"
"Eh…ok. Well, we were coming from the library 'cos we were looking for Hermione – we had to do that Potions Essay. Oh! Did I tell you what Snape gave me for that -" He caught Ron's glare. "Never mind. So, we were looking for 'Mione to help us, and we heard screaming in this corridor. So we ran round and when we finally got here, Malfoy was the only one in sight. We said some stuff to him and he…no actually, he didn't say anything. He just looked at us and walked off. That's kind of weird…you would've thought he'd be bragging about it, wouldn't you?"
Please don't ask me that Ron silently prayed.
"Anyway, so we gave the password and went inside, Dean told us she was in her room – ooh that was when his cards exploded! God that was hilarious, remember he had no eyebrows and Lavender had to draw them on for him? Anyway…we went upstairs and…and she said she'd been raped. And that's about it."
Harry looked down at his shoes. It was still sinking in.
"She said that, didn't she?" Ron asked, attempting to suppress the hope in his voice. "She said 'Malfoy raped me', didn't she?"
"Yeah."
Ron tried to hide a smile. "Definitely?"
"Yes." Ron nodded in satisfaction. "More or less."
His stomach tightened.
"More or less?"
"Yeah…you asked her if Malfoy raped her, and she nodded."
"So she didn't actually say…"
"Well, no. Why does it matter?"
"Because I think -" but something stopped him from finishing. He couldn't rubbish Hermione. Not until he knew for sure.
"You think what?"
A large snore erupted from beside them. Both boys jumped and looked around for the source. Another snore came.
"What the -" Ron spun round until his eyes found the culprit. "Crap! For a portrait she can snore bloody loudly." Harry smiled.
"Oh!" he said, looking like he'd just woken up. "That night. One other thing, she was crying."
"Who?" Ron looked confused. "Hermione?"
"No. Well, yes." He nodded at the portrait. "I mean her."
"Her has a name, thank you." They looked around. She appeared to have woken.
"You do?" Harry asked.
She glared.
"You're awake."
She glared at Ron this time. "And this is the next generation of wizards. Merlin save us all."
"Oh, ok." Harry answered. She rolled her eyes. Her painted eyes.
"What were you talking about me for?"
"Oh I was just saying," Harry said casually. "About how when you were crying."
"You can talk." Ron said in awe, not listening to Harry.
"Well I can see why you're not in Ravenclaw!" She mocked Ron. Harry sniggered. She turned to face him.
"What do you mean, when I was crying?"
"That time when…" Harry couldn't say it so relaxed. He looked at his shoes again. "That time when Malfoy and Hermione were here."
"Malfoy? Is that that nice Slytherin boy?" Harry felt his mouth drop.
"Nice Slytherin boy?"
"Yes. He was so sweet to that girl, Hermione."
"You're being sarcastic, aren't you?"
She furrowed her brow. "No. Why would I be? He was the perfect gent."
"Then why did you cry?" Inspector Potter asked.
"Well so would you!" she exclaimed. "If you'd seen what I had."
That brought Ron back to earth with a thud.
"You saw it?"
"Of course I did! I was given eyes for a reason, you know."
Ron was enraged. "Why didn't you stop him?"
"Why would I stop him?" she was completely shocked by his sudden antagonistic attitude.
"Because! Well, did you not think to tell anyone afterwards?"
"I'm not a gossip monger, young man! It was their business." Harry watched the scene unfold with anticipation. It was very strange. His best friend was arguing with a painting. He would never get used to the Wizarding world.
"I'm not saying you are! But how could you not tell anyone you saw something as sick and evil as that!"
"Sick and evil? It was romantic!"
"Romantic? It was fucking rape!"
"Rape? What are you on about? What rape?"
Ron clenched his teeth. "Malfoy raped Hermione right here."
She let out a laugh. "That's preposterous. Why would he rape her when they'd just said they loved each other?"
Ron saw Harry turn around in amazement. He felt the colour drain from his own face. So apparently this wasn't a new revelation then.
"What?" he whispered.
"And then she went very strange and accused him of not loving her and how they were too different. It was most upsetting! And that, young man," she glared at Harry. "Is why I was crying."
"And there was no rape?" Ron choked.
"Of course there wasn't, whatever gave you that idea?" He decided not to answer that one.
"But…" Harry ventured, obviously confused. "But why would Hermione cry?"
"Oh, she got quite hysterical." The Fat Lady nodded sympathetically. She smiled as she looked down the corridor. "Hmm, she looks happier now though."
Ron and Harry followed her gaze. Ron's eyes narrowed. She was smiling dreamily and had a glazed look in her eyes, lazily twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. She caught sight of Harry and Ron and her smile widened.
"Hi! I've been looking for you for ages!"
She finally reached them. Her eyes darted between the confusion on Harry's face and the determination on Ron's.
"Like hell you've been." Ron said through clenched teeth.
"What?" she looked shocked but the smile never left her face. "Oh, by the way, I was thinking we could all work on that Transfiguration assignment tonight, I thought -"
"You bitch." Hermione's eyes widened. Her lip started to quiver.
"Ron…" Ron didn't wait for her to act confused. Before he could think about it, his hand reached up and slapped her across the face. Her hand flew to her cheek.
"Stay away from me." He seethed, walking past her and disappearing from sight as he rounded the corner.
*~*~*~*~*
Don't be fooled by this chapter title – it's not over!!!!! I just did that to trick you all. Hehe! Anyways;
Femme Fatale sorry! L I haven't promised anything though…I might do some actually…he he the cogs in my brain start turning…
Innocent rambler – yeah, she didn't suit being a bitch lol. But yes definitely, more obstacle *evil laugh*
Tigerbrat88 – hell yes Sean rocks! And you're very right about Mr. Felton as well J yeah…when you put it like that, she doesn't exactly have great friends lol.
TriGemini – ok so he didn't ruin that moment anyway! Was it too confusing? I kind of wrote it on a roll and it sort of moved fast…I dint want to put to much description in it to break the flow and interrupt the urgency. Thanks for your review!
Ally – thank you so much! Wow you're so lucky...MB20…wow!!!!
Sinead – hehe God you're really one for vocabulary neada! I know!! I'll call you soon – I hardly got to talk to you last week!!!
Louise – lol no…she needs to come off the drugs and stop living in her own little world!
Oliverwoodsgirl – yes Hermione is a little OOC…she should be a bit ballsier but I'm hoping that will come across and into force in later chapters. Thanks for your consistent reviews!
Draco's chick – thank you! Well…for the mean time they are anyway!
LostAngel – yea fluff!! Lol I'm kind of getting used to it now! Ooh have fun in your play – tell me how your hair-dying goes lol. I'm auditioning for a part in Calamity Jane next week…haha should be, um, interesting! Thanks for the reviews!
Emi – thanks! Please keep reading and tell me what you think!
Draco's Angel – thanks! Yeah you're on the list now, happy reading!
AngelEyes101 – hell yes!
FiliaTheRyuuzoku – thank you so much! Yeah most the paragraphs aren't long because I don't want to spend too long on descriptive pieces and make it boring. But then again, direct speech is pretty boring too…ah it's hard! Hehe thanks for your review; I hope you liked this chapter too!
Thanks to all my reviewers – more reviews inspire me!!!!! And come on people – 46 until we reach 300! This is my target point!! And you're so close!!! Leave your email address if you'd like an email when I update.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter material used throughout and in chapter 22; "Lose Yourself" belongs to Eminem. And funnily enough, that's not me.
And by the way…I haven't finished this fic yet but I have ideas…would you like those ideas to make this one big fic or a sequel? Or are sequels over rated? Or is it indifferent? At the minute I'm thinking one big fic…ideas please!
mystical xx