Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.
Author's Notes: Will be at the bottom of the page. Please read.
He was coming down the hallway. She could hear him and she wanted nothing more than to scream or to hide or to run away, but it was all pointless. She had no where to go and she wouldn't shove a burden this enormous on someone else's' shoulders. It mattered little that it was eating away inside and that she was no longer sure who she was anymore.
The door to her bedroom crept open and she tried to huddle herself beneath the covers more though she knew it was a losing battle. A rough hand grabbed her, dragging her out, throwing her to the floor. Leather connected with skin, and a familiar burning pain laced through her back. More scars to add to the new and not even healed yet, though she couldn't even work up the will to care. A boot kicked her side hard, causing her to bite her tongue to keep from screaming. She would never give him the satisfaction of knowing how deeply she hurt. Though in a way she should be happy he was only beating her today and not the other thing, something cold and dead slithered its way through her at the thought, she ignored the urge to vomit, telling herself that she could do so later, but not while he was here.
The seventh year of Hogwarts would be starting tomorrow, and she thanked god that she wouldn't have to come back to this hell hole. He gave her one more sharp kick to her abdomen and left her in a heap on the floor. She knew he was going to pass out on the coach and probably wouldn't even awaken before she left. How she longed to go to oblivion's arms where the pain and sadness couldn't reach, but she knew that was not an option, oblivion would not welcome her tonight. So she settled herself with cleaning her wounds, double checking her packing, and reading, one of the few things that allowed her to forget the truth, if only for a little while, sleep didn't even do that for her.
But the truth cannot be held at bay for long, and when she deemed the sky light enough, she silently made her way down the stairs, with her possessions in her trunk, knowing she wouldn't be coming back here again. Taking some money from her father's wallet on the floor, where he had thrown it before he passed out on the coach, she called a cab to come pick her up and take her to the train station. The ride was uneventful and the cabbie helped her unload her trunk when they arrived. Quickly she crossed the barrier through 9 and ¾ , glad to see the scarlet steam engine. Scanning the crowd, she couldn't help but envy all the happy families. She noticed a mother giving a particularly tearful goodbye to her daughter and Hermione couldn't help but feel a sharp pang, and she quickly fought down a lump and turned away from the sight.
It wasn't long until she spotted the heads of the two people she had been looking for. Hurrying over she was just about to give jubilant greetings when she noticed their sober mood. Ginny stood between them and Hermione didn't miss the aura of depression that clung to her. She looked at Harry and Ron, with a question in her eyes. Harry was the one that took her over to a relatively private corner to fill her in.
"Mione, Ginny was attached over the summer. Some of the last rogue death eaters decided to try and get some type of revenge on me and decided to do it through her," his voice was sad and filled with self-blame. She wanted to hug him and tell him that it wasn't his fault, but she knew that there was more to this story. He swallowed, preparing himself to speak, "they also raped her."
Hermione heard what he said, but time seemed to go still as she was somewhere else, experiencing a nightmare. Quickly she slammed the door on the memories that single word brought back. "Is she okay?"
"She is about as fine as can be expected. The aurors tracked down the monsters that did this but they refused to come peacefully and were killed in the battle. Hermione I have to ask you something." He ran a hand through his hair, a sure sign that he was nervous. "Ginny doesn't want to sit around anyone else right now, I know we normally sit together but…" He trailed off, not sure how to finish.
Suddenly she felt like an outsider. She wanted to say that she knew how Ginny felt, that she could relate, and help her. But she knew it was pointless. "Its fine Harry, the Heads get their own compartment anyway. You and Ron take care of her and I'll see you when we get there." She smiled at him to reassure him, until he turned to leave. Carefully she kept her face blank and proceeded to the compartment on the train. Once there she carefully lowered herself down, wincing at the tenderness of her injuries. 'They didn't even say hello, or ask how my summer was. Oh well. I'll have to heal what I can when I can get some privacy at Hogwarts.'
Hermione sat quietly, staring at nothing and trying to ignore the voice of her father, which had started echoing harsh words he said, that she was beginning to fear were true. 'No one would want you, you aren't good enough.' She tried to push it away but it didn't seem to want to leave, after all if it wasn't true why didn't Harry and Ron hug her? Why did she always feel as if she didn't belong with them, but was simply there? She would have to disappear eventually she guessed, keep pushing onward till then, because that was what her mother would want her to do, but she questioned whether, in the end, she would have it in her to do so.
Suddenly she became aware of another presence in the compartment and turned her eyes in the direction. Startling blue eyes were gazing intently at her.
"I would have announced my arrival, but you seemed to be so lost in thought I didn't think it right to disturb you. My name is Blaise Zambini and we'll be working together as heads through the year." He gave a little charming quirk of the lips at the end of this, which though it wasn't quite a smile, it did something funny to Hermione emotions.
"Yes, you're from slytherin right? I guess Dumbledore was trying to promote a better relationship between out two houses and saw fit that the heads should make an example of good partnership, so to speak," she said in a logical voice.
"Well it does mistake. You being one of the golden trio in gryffindor and me being a prince of slytherin, neither of us the controlling force of our house, but both of us having a certain amount of respect and sway though. Perfect candidates to be offered up in sacrifice for the better of our houses," his voice was dripping with sarcasm when he finished.
"Your right of course. He needs to promote a good relationship, especially with Voldermort out of power and what better way than to make a Gryffindor and Slytherin Heads. It also helps that the Slytherin was known to be neutral and the Gryffindor a fighter for the light. But I'm willing to give it a shot if you are?" At this she stuck out her hand, offering a truce and a comradeship for both.
"Alright Gryff, I'm willing to do it," with that said he shook her hand while a smile grew on his lips. "So what was so sad that you were thinking about before?"
"Nothing really. I didn't sleep well the night before, so I hope you won't be offended if I take a nape?"
"No go right ahead. I'll read up on some of my school books, though I'm sure you have them memorized already," he said in a teasing tone.
She smiled in response as she put her head down and drifted off into a restless sleep. It seemed she would never truly be rid of her tormentor, and in her dreams she was given the pleasure of reliving the nightmare of her life. Some of her classmates she knew had dreams of the war but she wasn't one of them, sometimes she wished that it was all it was for her. Suddenly she bolted up, awake again, breathing heavy and shaking uncontrollably.
"Nightmares about the war?" a smooth voice inquired.
She shook her head no, "its just about something I am afraid of. Nothing major."
"It doesn't look like something minor," knowing that she wanted to change the subject he decided to oblige, "we're almost there by the way." Hermione was grateful that he dropped the subject and glad that they had agreed to put their differences behind them. And maybe having to share the head dormitories with him wouldn't be so bad after all.
Author's Notes:
Yep, I am writing two stories at once, but I got a bit of a block on the other one. I promise I'm going to keep writing it and am not giving it up. Its just that I needed a way to get unstuck and now that I am I'll be writing and posting the next chapter soon, hopefully. Well, I hope that everyone enjoyed this story. Please continue to read and tell me what you think. Thanks.