Hermione slowly opened her bedroom door, a small squeak emitted from it.
She shut her eyes tightly hoping that Rick didn't hear it from down stairs.
She looked both ways down the hallway before she dared to venture out. If
Rick came upon her at anytime she would have no way of escaping, the
bastard made sure of that. She couldn't believe her own stupidity, the way
she came home early for Christmas holiday because her mother ask.
Everything was fine at first like it was back in the beginning. Rick wasn't
there. Her mother said he went to visit some of his family in the opposite
town, like a fool Hermione believed her. The scene replayed in her mind
almost nightly. She couldn't make the images go away, how she wished they
would just disappear.
Flash Back
"Hermione" Anne called as she got out of the cab.
"Mom" Hermione said timidly peering over her shoulder.
"Why so nervous dear" Anne ask a bit of a nervous laugh in her voice.
"Must have been the long train ride home" Hermione said giving a small smile.
"Well dear come in we have so much to talk about now that you are home" Anne said with a bright smile.
"What did you need to tell me?" Hermione ask a hint of question in her voice. "I got the letter, I came as soon as I could"
"Lets talk about it inside dear it's a bit chilly out here don't you think" Anne said as she picked up Hermione's small piece of luggage and carried it inside holding the door open for Hermione to follow. Which Hermione did almost grudgingly. "Sit down Honey make yourself at home, this is your home you know." Anne said with a forced smile.
"Alright Mom" Hermione said as she took a seat and put her hand in the pocket of her robes. She could feel the cool piece of wood slide between her fingers. A feeling of safety washed over her, she knew Rick couldn't hurt her as long as she had her wand.
"Dear why don't you take off your robes? Since you're in a muggle neighborhood now, what if the neighbors were to drop by?" Anne ask worry in her voice.
"Alright mom, I'll just go put my robes up in my room, and come back down." Hermione said as she started to get up.
"No need to do that dear, we will just put it in the closet in the entrance hall, that way you can put it back on again when you go back to school" Anne said with a smile.
"Well" Hermione said almost hesitantly "Okay I'll put it in the entrance hall closet" she said heading toward the hallway.
"No dear let me do that for you, you should relax if I know you you've been working much too hard at school." Anne said reaching out her hand for Hermione's robe.
Hermione thought for a minute hesitating, but Rick isn't here at the moment she decided, I can always get my wand before he gets home. "Alright Mom" Hermione said with a bit of hesitance reaching her the robe.
"That was my worst mistake" Hermione whispered to herself as she inched herself into the hallway. "I should have realized that something was up, but no I trusted her." A silent tear escaped Hermione's eye, as she started to make it slowly toward the stairs that would aid her in her escape for freedom. Flashback
"So mom?" Hermione said with a nervous smile "What was the news you wanted to tell me" She ask
"It's wonderful Hermione simply wonderful" Anne said with a genuine smile.
"What is it" Hermione ask
"I'm going to have a baby" Anne said a wistful smile plastered on her face.
"A-A-A Baby" Hermione said with a shocked expression on her face.
"Yes isn't it wonderful" Anne ask.
"Yeah mum if that is sure that is what you want." Hermione said a bit hesitantly.
"I can't believe it my first real child, not someone else's; I have never been able to get pregnant before. My baby oh it's going to be perfect" Anne said getting caught up in the moment.
"what about Rick" Hermione questioned softly fear for the new baby in her voice.
"Rick won't harm the new baby, he says there is no chance of it being a freak, and that we won't cast it aside like some people" Anne said in a soft apologetic voice.
"I'm not a freak" Hermione said in outrage "And I was not someone's castoff it's not my REAL parents fault that they couldn't keep me" Hermione exclaimed loudly.
"Hermione dear do calm down" A menacing voice said from the door of the hallway. "I'm sure your mother didn't mean that you were a freak, she's just caught up in the moment, and remembered my words. As should you be, you're going to have a brother or a sister." Rick said in a low, cold, voice.
"I feel pity for the child that has to grow up around you, you're a bastard and a monster" Hermione raged as she jumped from her sitting position on the couch.
"Really Hermione, you should be grateful that I allow you to live here with us, and that I don't kick you out on the streets" Rick said with a mock shocked expression.
"I would rather live on the streets than here with you, Thank God I am going back to school" Hermione said glaring at Rick.
"Oh is that so, I don't think so Hermione, We've decided as we are your family, your only family" Rick said stressing the word only " That you are not to return to that awful school, where there are loads of freaks to ruin your mind, that is if you haven't already lost it" Rick said in a cold voice. "Anne would you mind leaving the room, Hermione and I need to talk" Rick said in a sweet voice.
"Sure Honey" Anne said placing one hand on her stomach protectively, as she went to exit the room, Not looking back at Hermione but simply walking out as if everything is fine.
"You can't decide whether or not I go back to Hogwarts." Hermione said in a defiant tone.
"Oh but you see I can, your mother gave me the control to all of her, I mean our funds, that is where the money for your schooling comes from, is it not" Rick said in a matter of fact tone. " Now you have two choices, and I will give you two days to decide you can stay here forget all that rubbish they have been teaching you in that silly school of yours, or you can well lets just say disappear." Rick said in a menacing tone.
"You wouldn't get away with that" Hermione said though her voice was shaking. "My friends would come looking for me, and then you would be sorry."
"Oh but I know you better than you think I do, I know you didn't tell Harry or Ron what has been going on, you knew better than that and those are your closest friends. See I know you didn't tell them because if you did they wouldn't have let you come this holiday, and here you are right in my clutches where you can't escape. I told you, you would never be able to get away from me" Rick said stepping closer to her. Hermione looked around Rick to where the entrance hall stood, if only she could get to her wand. "Don't even think about it Hermione, I have what you are looking for right here" Rick said pulling out Hermione's wand. "You are at my mercy." That night Rick gave Hermione one of the worst beatings of her life, she was sure her right arm was broken, but there was no way to know for sure. Both of her eyes were almost swelled shut, and she had bruises the size of grapefruits on her stomach and back, but no Rick couldn't stop there he never could he had to degrade her even more by taking from her what wasn't freely given. That was two days ago. Rick had also boarded up her window so no owls could go in our out, and she wasn't allowed out of her room unless supervised by her mother or Rick himself. She could have lived with it if it was just for the holidays, but she feared she would never go back to Hogwarts again, she would never see Draco again, or find out who her real parents are. Hermione was afraid; she wouldn't live past this holiday, because she would never give in to Rick, never. Death would be a better alternative right now that is why she was risking everything she had left tonight to send a letter to Draco explaining why she didn't return from Christmas break. What had happened? And that if something did happen to her, to open the letter she was to receive right after the break about her real parents and let them know what happened to her, and to tell Harry and Ron she loved them, and was sorry for not telling them what was going on at school. She didn't want to worst to happen, she feared it, and she would rather face Voldermort without her wand, instead of Rick. At least Voldermort would make it quick, but no she feared her death would be long and painful at the hands of Rick. Draco was now her only hope.
Flash Back
"Hermione" Anne called as she got out of the cab.
"Mom" Hermione said timidly peering over her shoulder.
"Why so nervous dear" Anne ask a bit of a nervous laugh in her voice.
"Must have been the long train ride home" Hermione said giving a small smile.
"Well dear come in we have so much to talk about now that you are home" Anne said with a bright smile.
"What did you need to tell me?" Hermione ask a hint of question in her voice. "I got the letter, I came as soon as I could"
"Lets talk about it inside dear it's a bit chilly out here don't you think" Anne said as she picked up Hermione's small piece of luggage and carried it inside holding the door open for Hermione to follow. Which Hermione did almost grudgingly. "Sit down Honey make yourself at home, this is your home you know." Anne said with a forced smile.
"Alright Mom" Hermione said as she took a seat and put her hand in the pocket of her robes. She could feel the cool piece of wood slide between her fingers. A feeling of safety washed over her, she knew Rick couldn't hurt her as long as she had her wand.
"Dear why don't you take off your robes? Since you're in a muggle neighborhood now, what if the neighbors were to drop by?" Anne ask worry in her voice.
"Alright mom, I'll just go put my robes up in my room, and come back down." Hermione said as she started to get up.
"No need to do that dear, we will just put it in the closet in the entrance hall, that way you can put it back on again when you go back to school" Anne said with a smile.
"Well" Hermione said almost hesitantly "Okay I'll put it in the entrance hall closet" she said heading toward the hallway.
"No dear let me do that for you, you should relax if I know you you've been working much too hard at school." Anne said reaching out her hand for Hermione's robe.
Hermione thought for a minute hesitating, but Rick isn't here at the moment she decided, I can always get my wand before he gets home. "Alright Mom" Hermione said with a bit of hesitance reaching her the robe.
"That was my worst mistake" Hermione whispered to herself as she inched herself into the hallway. "I should have realized that something was up, but no I trusted her." A silent tear escaped Hermione's eye, as she started to make it slowly toward the stairs that would aid her in her escape for freedom. Flashback
"So mom?" Hermione said with a nervous smile "What was the news you wanted to tell me" She ask
"It's wonderful Hermione simply wonderful" Anne said with a genuine smile.
"What is it" Hermione ask
"I'm going to have a baby" Anne said a wistful smile plastered on her face.
"A-A-A Baby" Hermione said with a shocked expression on her face.
"Yes isn't it wonderful" Anne ask.
"Yeah mum if that is sure that is what you want." Hermione said a bit hesitantly.
"I can't believe it my first real child, not someone else's; I have never been able to get pregnant before. My baby oh it's going to be perfect" Anne said getting caught up in the moment.
"what about Rick" Hermione questioned softly fear for the new baby in her voice.
"Rick won't harm the new baby, he says there is no chance of it being a freak, and that we won't cast it aside like some people" Anne said in a soft apologetic voice.
"I'm not a freak" Hermione said in outrage "And I was not someone's castoff it's not my REAL parents fault that they couldn't keep me" Hermione exclaimed loudly.
"Hermione dear do calm down" A menacing voice said from the door of the hallway. "I'm sure your mother didn't mean that you were a freak, she's just caught up in the moment, and remembered my words. As should you be, you're going to have a brother or a sister." Rick said in a low, cold, voice.
"I feel pity for the child that has to grow up around you, you're a bastard and a monster" Hermione raged as she jumped from her sitting position on the couch.
"Really Hermione, you should be grateful that I allow you to live here with us, and that I don't kick you out on the streets" Rick said with a mock shocked expression.
"I would rather live on the streets than here with you, Thank God I am going back to school" Hermione said glaring at Rick.
"Oh is that so, I don't think so Hermione, We've decided as we are your family, your only family" Rick said stressing the word only " That you are not to return to that awful school, where there are loads of freaks to ruin your mind, that is if you haven't already lost it" Rick said in a cold voice. "Anne would you mind leaving the room, Hermione and I need to talk" Rick said in a sweet voice.
"Sure Honey" Anne said placing one hand on her stomach protectively, as she went to exit the room, Not looking back at Hermione but simply walking out as if everything is fine.
"You can't decide whether or not I go back to Hogwarts." Hermione said in a defiant tone.
"Oh but you see I can, your mother gave me the control to all of her, I mean our funds, that is where the money for your schooling comes from, is it not" Rick said in a matter of fact tone. " Now you have two choices, and I will give you two days to decide you can stay here forget all that rubbish they have been teaching you in that silly school of yours, or you can well lets just say disappear." Rick said in a menacing tone.
"You wouldn't get away with that" Hermione said though her voice was shaking. "My friends would come looking for me, and then you would be sorry."
"Oh but I know you better than you think I do, I know you didn't tell Harry or Ron what has been going on, you knew better than that and those are your closest friends. See I know you didn't tell them because if you did they wouldn't have let you come this holiday, and here you are right in my clutches where you can't escape. I told you, you would never be able to get away from me" Rick said stepping closer to her. Hermione looked around Rick to where the entrance hall stood, if only she could get to her wand. "Don't even think about it Hermione, I have what you are looking for right here" Rick said pulling out Hermione's wand. "You are at my mercy." That night Rick gave Hermione one of the worst beatings of her life, she was sure her right arm was broken, but there was no way to know for sure. Both of her eyes were almost swelled shut, and she had bruises the size of grapefruits on her stomach and back, but no Rick couldn't stop there he never could he had to degrade her even more by taking from her what wasn't freely given. That was two days ago. Rick had also boarded up her window so no owls could go in our out, and she wasn't allowed out of her room unless supervised by her mother or Rick himself. She could have lived with it if it was just for the holidays, but she feared she would never go back to Hogwarts again, she would never see Draco again, or find out who her real parents are. Hermione was afraid; she wouldn't live past this holiday, because she would never give in to Rick, never. Death would be a better alternative right now that is why she was risking everything she had left tonight to send a letter to Draco explaining why she didn't return from Christmas break. What had happened? And that if something did happen to her, to open the letter she was to receive right after the break about her real parents and let them know what happened to her, and to tell Harry and Ron she loved them, and was sorry for not telling them what was going on at school. She didn't want to worst to happen, she feared it, and she would rather face Voldermort without her wand, instead of Rick. At least Voldermort would make it quick, but no she feared her death would be long and painful at the hands of Rick. Draco was now her only hope.