Hermione Granger was running round the kitchen in her boyfriend's house. She had moved in with Draco Malfoy a week previously, but only cooked and cleaned, cooked and cleaned. Never a kind word or a 'thank you' out of the man ordering her. She wasn't his girlfriend; she was his slave. She was putting the beef on the plate when the front door slammed.
"Where's the food, woman?" he demanded.
He'd obviously had a bad day at work. She ran out with the beef and roast potatoes on a plate. They ate without a word. He finished his and thumped his hand on the table.
"Clean my plate, god damn it!" he ordered.
She hopped up, even though she had not yet finished her meal. She took the two plates and the glasses and put them in the dishwasher.
The key turned in the lock. He was locking her in again. He normally got drunk when he did this, and he would let her out expecting to get lucky. She was in there a whole hour, when he thumped on the door. He flung it open.
"How dare you?" he screamed at her, bits of spit gathering at the corners of his mouth.
"What?" she said in a timid voice.
"You know what! You left the fork on the floor from breakfast, you stupid mudblood!" he roared.
He raised his hand and brought it down upon her cheek. The tears sprang to her eyes as he kept hitting her with a cold ferocity. When he was finished, he stamped out of the house. She sat on the kitchen floor, sobbing in pain. Slowly, she rose and stumbled to the mirror. There was a cut on the side of her face and her cheeks were swollen. 'It will be better tomorrow.' She thought, and she went to sleep on the bathroom floor.
She slept in late the next morning, and realized Draco has gone to work without his breakfast. She was right, too. 'What will he do to me?' she kept saying to herself all day.
"Woman! Get up, you filthy cow!"
She got up and went out.
"Sleeping all morning! Well, I had to go to work, didn't I? Because you're too lazy to get off your ass, aren't you?" he bellowed.
"Well, I'm sick of it! I'm teaching you a lesson!' he continued in a roar.
He hit her again and again, until she finally dropped to the floor. When he was gone she crawled to the phone and called directory enquires.
"A number for Harry Potter, please?" she asked the operator.
She was breathing hard until she heard Harry on the other end.
"Hello?" her friend said into the muggle devise.
"Harry? Is that you?" he asked, her voice hoarse from the pain.
"Yes, who's this, please?" he inquired.
"It's Hermione. I know you hate me now I went off with Draco and I'm so sorry but I loved him so much and I really need your help, Harry, because Ron won't help me and-" she cried into the phone in one large sob.
"Hermione! Calm down! Of course I'll help you. What's the matter?" Harry questioned in a soothing tone.
"Oh Harry! I thought he was the one, I really did, but he started getting drunk and…and…Oh! It's dreadful! I'm bruised all over and I know he's going to do it again!" she wailed as she began to choke on her sobs.
"You can come and stay with me. Pack your things, I'll come and get you," the famous wizard stated sternly.
"Thank you," she choked.
"Don't mention it. It's the least I can do. If he's slapping you about then you have to get away from him. I'll see you later. Pack your things, and try and rest until I get there. I'll be okay. I promise," he instructed her as he hung up.
"Thank you," she murmured once more, and she hung up as well.
She grabbed a note-pad and scribbled down a note.
I'm leaving. You can't treat me like an animal. Don't expect a second chance. Goodbye.
She left the room and went into her and Draco's bedroom. She packed all her clothes and make-up. Once she had her suitcase packed, she sat on the sofa and nodded off to sleep.
"Hermione? Are you awake?" someone murmured, drawing her from sleep.
She opened her eyes and saw a mass of messy black hair and emerald green eyes.
"Harry!" the wary and beaten girl exclaimed.
"You look terrible. What did he do to you?" Harry queried with a look of worry on his face.
"You don't want to know," answered Hermione weakly.
Harry took the bag she had packed and motioned for her to follow.
"Come on. You must be well shot of him by the time he gets back." said Harry.
Hermione got up and followed him out of the door and into a large silver seven-seater.
"Nice car," she said, getting in and putting on her seatbelt.
"Thanks. I'm glad you called. Well, obviously I'm not glad you are in this situation, but It's nice to see you again," he answered in a loving tone.
"Thank you, Harry. I don't think I could have taken it any longer," she replied.
Harry hands tensed on the steering wheel as he gazed at her in the rear-view mirror.
"Hermione? What did Malfoy do to you?" he demanded.
"Well, he came in from work, and I made dinner, and he locked me in the kitchen and got drunk in the living room, and then he let me out and started hitting me," she answered.
"It was so awful. He did it again this evening, and he went to the pub afterwards, and that's when I rang you." She explained, playing with a strand of hair.
"Have a nap. It's a long drive." said Harry gently, and Hermione nodded. She put her head back and went to sleep.