Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing with her world
Chapter 10: The Foreshadowing Dream
"So what are you going to do when we go back to school?" Ginny asked.
"Oh gods, Ginny what am I going to do. I don't think I can take going back to school." Hermione was shaking and shaking.
Ginny couldn't believe it. Her best friend, the one who was always in control, who always knew everything, was breaking down. Hermione was having a mini-nervous breakdown and there was nothing really that Ginny could do except hold her and tell her it would all turn out OK. Somehow it would all turn out OK, Ginny would make sure of it.
The hours past and Hermione cried out her frustrations, pain, and want. Ginny just held her the entire time, listening to her and whispering comforting words in her ear. Finally the call for dinner came and Hermione put herself together enough to stand up and look in the mirror. When she did look in the mirror she couldn't help but laugh at the state she was in. Ginny joined in and soon the girls were rolling on Ginny's bed laughing. Knowing that Hermione needed to wash up, Ginny stuck her head out the door, and rushed Hermione to the bathroom. Hermione was pushed in there with Ginny and they splashed cold water on there face and put on a little make-up to try and cover up faces that were screaming 'I've been crying for the past 5 hours. STAY AWAY FROM ME!'
"Girls would you please hurry up!" Ron was yelling through the door, whining like a little 5-year-old. "We are all starving and Mum won't let us eat without you."
Laughing, Hermione called back to him. "We're coming Ron. We wouldn't want you to starve to death." The girls opened the door and gasped in fake horror, as Ron's eyes grew wide as saucers.
"Oh no, Herm!" Ginny was dramatically swooning. "He is just wasting away right in front of our very eyes."
Hermione swung her hand to her forehead and pretended to faint, oh so dramatically. "Oh my gods, you're right! We need to get him down to dinner before he just dissolves away in front of us!"
The whole time Ron was standing there with a look frustration mixed with badly hidden laughter, just trying to get the girls to hurry up. The rest of the house had heard the commotion and were watching from the kitchen. Fred and George were snickering, Mrs. Weasley had a smile that went from ear to ear, and even Harry had a small grin on his face.
Hermione and Ginny shoved Ron into the kitchen, forced him to sit down, and fed him food until he pushed them away and made them sit down in their own seats.
The dinner conversation was light and airy, but the topic of Harry and Hermione still put some people at edge, when they thought of the earlier incident. After dinner, Ginny was about to drag Hermione back up to her room, to get more details out of the more controlled girl but Harry immediately grabbed Hermione by the waist. He stood by the fire and said that they were going back for their luggage and would be back the next day. He flooed them back to Grimauld, while Hermione's last look to Ginny was one of early pain and being afraid. Ginny knew that her friend was in a lot of 'trouble' when they reached home.
When Hermione fell through the fireplace she didn't have time to react to the new surroundings, as Harry drug her up to his rooms. He warded the door and made sure it was locked.
As she entered the room, Hermione was spun around, as Harry slapped her, leaving perfect little finger marks. "How dare you disrespect and embarrass me in front of the Weasleys like that!" He screamed out, his face getting red. "I had told you to stay with me. Didn't I?"
Hermione was shaking with fear. "I…I'm sorry Harry. I di…didn't think. I hadn't seen Ginny in s…so long, she…she's my best friend." Hermione stuttered out, trying to sink back into a corner.
"That is no excuse. You belong to me, and you obey what I tell. Am I understood, my love?" His voice had gone into a lower octave and was just above a whisper.
Hermione still sunk into the corner nodded her head and looked up at him. "Yes, Harry, I understand."
He came up to her, pulled her gently to her feet. He smiled eerily at her and hugged her and kissed her and the cheek.
"Come on, go to bed, I need to stay up for a little while." He spun Hermione to him and kissed her roughly and viciously on the mouth. "Goodnight love."
Hermione sadly said goodnight and silently ascended the stairs. Walking into her room, she clicked the door shut as the tears were forming in her beautiful eyes. But a second later she wiped her eyes clean. "No, no, not this time. Remember what Sirius said, be happy and I'll forget him. Be happy and I'll forget him." She repeated that while she climbed into bed and fell asleep to a fitful night of terrible dreams.
She was walking through the Forbidden Forest, as the sun was rising. It was bitter cold; she could see her breath as she heard the crunching of frozen twigs and leaves under her bare feet. The sun poured through the trees, giving everything a nice yellow-green tinge to it. The ice and snow were melting off the trees and dripping to the ground. A loud screech floated through the trees as fast footfalls were hitting the ground. Hermione just stood there paralyzed with fear. Her feet slowly sank into the ground just enough to keep her in the spot. The creature, unlike any that she had seen before, ran faster and faster, leaping and bounding towards her. It leapt one last time and sunk its enormous claws straight through her heart. The pain was indescribable; this pain was like nothing she had ever experienced. The creature fell on top of her, just digging its claws deeper and deeper, till she was sure it had gone entirely through her. All this time she didn't cry out, she kept quiet but her face was distorted in pain and agony. The creature pulled one paw away from her and licked its claws clean of her blood, giving her an evil smirk that said 'I'm going to destroy you and there's nothing you or anybody else can do about it.' It swiftly lower its head and finished her off, sinking giant teeth in the soft flesh of her tender, white neck. The end of her was the only time she cried out.
Hermione woke up clutching her forehead. Sweat dripped down her face and was polling at the top of her shirt. She was gasping for air as she felt around her neck for any punctures as it still stung from the vivid dream. Hermione walked over to her bathroom, took a shower, and readied herself for the day.
All day Hermione thought of that dream. Unusually it just became clearer and clearer the more she tried to remember it, so clear that she could almost tell what kind of animal it was. But she could never quite see it, the creature was too blurry. It was neither muggle nor wizarding, but still both. The day flew as Harry and her went back to the Burrow with their luggage, and settled in. Hermione had a far off look to her face and when any one was talking to her they had to keep reminding her to pay attention, which got her quite a few beatings from Harry that night.
Even over at the Weasley's the beatings continued, seemingly growing worse and worse every time he would raise a hand to her. Those times when the beatings went on for what felt like hours at a time, she sought refuge in her memories.
Soon, everyone in the Weasley household, with the exception of Ginny, was aware of what Harry was doing to Hermione. But because he was Harry Potter, saver-of-the-Wizarding-World and defeater-of-the-Dark-Lord, no one wanted to believe that he had flaws or that he could do something so terrible. No one ever said anything about it, they just knew it was there but opted to ignore it. They even justified their beliefs with the fact that they could not see any physical damage done to her the morning after her "beatings". But really it was make-up and a little magic hiding the truth from them, she was sometimes seen limping or close to tears, but it was ignored.
As the school year was coming ever closer, Hermione didn't even know if Harry loved her anymore. He said he did, each time he broke her and had her crumpled on the floor cowering in the corner he would say "Hermione, I love you more than anything in this world, why do you make me do this to you, huh? Why?" He would tear up, but leave her on the ground to go up to his rooms to do what, she didn't want to know. The one thing that she knew was that she had grown to hate Harry, but also to love him in a sick sort of way. She would hate him and curse his name, but whenever he was near she was his obedient little girlfriend doing anything he wished. That line between love and hate was a very fine line she crossed often.
The school year was fast approaching and it was soon time to get her school books for her seventh and almost thankfully her last year.
"Alright, alright, come on lets go get your books before school actually starts!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, as Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione all ran off in different direction in Diagon Alley, all looking for their own special item. But as Hermione was cautiously turning to back to Flourish and Botts her eyes caught a familiar black flash, she twirled to see what it had been but saw nothing. She looked over to Ginny to see if she had seen anything but her friend just shock her head and continued looking. Hermione rubbed her eyes glanced around again and upon seeing nothing deemed herself crazy. But the black flash again infiltrated her vision as they were walking to the Three Broomsticks after getting all of their supplies.
"Ok Ginny, I really think I'm going crazy." Hermione sighed out as she felt the familiar hand sneak around to her waist and grasp at her tightly.
Ginny took and a drink of her Butterbeer. "Why?"
"I keep seeing something out of the corner or my eye, and whenever I turn to look there's nothing there." Hermione sighed.
Ginny eyed her suspiciously. "Wow, you really are going crazy." She said this in a straight face with her eyes very large and slowly backed away from her friend, looking ready to run.
Hermione saw this and shouted out with laughter in her voice. "Shut up, HOR!" As she screamed this out, the entirety of the tavern went quiet. This made all of them laugh for a few minutes, relieving some of the tension of the day.
After the much needed laugh, Mrs. Weasley stood up. "Come on, children. Back home, we've got to get you packed for Saturday! Almost time for school to start once more." The four of them groaned with the prospect of school, one with far different reasons then the others, and downed the rest of their drinks and headed out the door.
The packing went smoothly enough as Hermione finished hers and went over to see Harry, as she was instructed to do.
"Hi Harry." She called out meekly from the doorway.
""Hey Babe! You finished quickly." Harry exclaimed as he folded a shirt and put it in his trunk. He didn't notice her shyness and nervousness as she stood there, and decided to engage her in conversation. "Are you ready for school? To go back for our last year to learn all we can?"
And opening up to Harry for the first time since they had started dating, she stepped into the room talking happily of the new year. But her walls flew back up as Harry mentioned how happy he was that it would be their last year of Potions with that "old, greasy bat". Hermione flinched at his name and tensed up, talking less, and lowering her head. Harry noticed this change and decided to store this moment away in his memory for a later "discussion".
The next day past, as Hermione flooed to her parents, well really her mom, and said good-bye, but for the most part her, Harry, Ron, and Ginny just sat around all day, soaking up the sun and enjoying their last real day of summer.
"Let's go, let's go! Come on kids we are already late and you are going to miss the train." Mrs. Weasley shrieked at the top of her voice. The four of them ran from the house to the car, then from the car to the station. Knocking a few people over, they burst through the platform with one minute to spare. Quickly they threw their bags on the train and ran to find a compartment.
"Wow" Ron stated still trying to catch his breath, "that was a chaotic last five minutes!"
The others nodded their heads in agreement, smiling a bit as looked out the window. The conversation was light the entire way until the snack cart came. Upon seeing it, Ron pulled out what little money he had to buy Ginny and himself some food. Soon it was time for the girls to go and get changed to school roves.
"So, mate you and Hermione seem to be going well."
"Yeah, we are so happy together." Harry sighed proudly. "She is so wonderful, and surprisingly obedient, just like the perfect girlfriend should be."
Ron was beaming at his friend, and was about to open his mouth to say a 'congratulations' when the phase 'obedient just like the perfect girlfriend should be' repeated itself in his head. Ron looked at him confused. "Wait, obedient what do mean. This is Hermione we are talking about. Bossy, head-strong, know-it-all. We are talking about the same person right?"
Harry laughed, nodded his head and turned away from Ron, signaling the end of that conversation for now.
Hermione and Ginny left the compartment and walked back to change. The entire way back, Hermione kept rubbing her upper arm, not speaking at all.
"Hermione…hey Hermione!" Ginny called to her trying to get her friend's attention. So Ginny grabbed Hermione and pulled up the sleeve to where she had been rubbing. A deep purple bruise in the shape of fingers showed up terribly on the tanned arm.
"Oh, my gods, Hermione what happened to you?" Ginny cause a few people to stick their heads out of their own compartments.
But as soon as Ginny had asked the question, Hermione ripped her arm away from her and covered it back up. "Nothing, it was nothing. I hit my arm while we were packing."
"Hermione." Ginny said desperately as she pulled her into a changing area. "These are finger marks. I may be young but I'm not stupid." Ginny added carefully pulling up the sleeve once more. "Honey, what happened?"
Hermione looked around outside to see if anyone was listening. "Look, its OK! I screwed up and Harry gave me what I deserved." Hermione admitted in a very defensive tone. But don't tell anybody about this, please."
Ginny nodded her head and they silently changed. She needed to talk to Ron about this as soon as she could. Unknown to her, Ron was thinking the exact same thing.
A little while later the two girls went back to their compartment, and the rest of the train ride to school passed much to slowly for everyone's tastes.
The train soon reached its destination, and the four of them, walked up into a carriage that would take them to the castle. They finally arrive at the Great Hall and Hermione was so nervous that her hands were shaking; she was constantly looking up at the Head Table searching for that black figure. But he was absent from his normal seat and Hermione couldn't help but tear up and think about that summer. The first years were sorted, and Headmaster Dumbledore gave his opening speech. The food soon appeared on the tables and the sounds of silverware hitting the plates along with talks of summer filled the hall. After the meal had been cleared away, the perfects were announced with an apology that they hadn't been informed during the summer. The younger children were taken to their new houses, but Hermione and Draco were held back.
"Miss. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I trust your summers have gone well." He pointedly looked at Hermione but said nothing and expecting no answer. "Wonderful! Over the summer we were very busy and could not get a many things done." His cryptic tone obviously talking of Voldemort. "And one of the things that was failed to do was the passing out of Head Boy and Head Girl titles." He smiled at them and gave each of them a badge and shock their hands. "Congratulations you two and I do suppose it was quite predictable that you would be Head Boy and Girl but oh well." The Headmaster said more to himself in a reflective tone." Oh well, have a great year."
AN: Hey there all my readers and reviewers. I hope you had a great holiday season, see not just Christmas I'm politically correct be proud of me lol. I hope you like this new chapter and review lots, they make me happy.
And YAY, Harry Potter coming out 7/16/05, not too bad, ill just have to survive.
Also if you haven't seen it yet, go see Phantom of the Opera, I love it, it's great. I don't like Christine's choice in the end, never have, but hey that's what fanfiction is for. BYE!