Chapter 4

Hermione was helping Ginny with her Astrology homework, while the two were studying in the library. Madame Pince didn't allow students that late at night, but knowing Hermione she let the two stay for a little longer.

'Hermione?' Ginny said. Hermione looked up from her book.

'Yes?'

'The other night when you had that nightmare,' Hermione's eyes now shifted uncomfortably, 'what were you dreaming about?' Hermione sat in silence not knowing what to say. Why is she just randomly bringing this up?

'Why do you want to know?'

'Well, Harry told me earlier, that Ron told him that you had a nightmare while sleeping in the common room. So I'm just curious,' Ginny explained.

(F)(L)(A)(S)(H)(B)(A)(C)(K)

Hermione was sitting on the bed reading one of her favorite muggle novels, by Phillip Pullman. She shifted on the bed, but then screeched out in pain and clutched her arm. The burn from her father pressing her arm against the hot cooker (stove) was still there even after 9 years. Hermione raised the sleeve of her top and started to rub the big red burn that looked like a patch. All this abuse that she was going through everyday was killing her physically and emotionally everyday. But she couldn't tell Harry or Ron because they just wouldn't want to be her friends anymore.

Tap, Tap, Tap…

Hermione looked over at her window, where she saw a tiny barn owl skipping and hooting happily outside her window, holding a letter with him. It was Ron's owl; Pigwidgeon. Hermione's father had warned her not to intercept any owls, or else she'd suffer the consequences. Her father David Granger despises everything to do with the wizarding world. When Hermione had gotten her acceptance letter 6 years ago, he was livid. He tried to prevent her from going, but the owls kept coming and coming with the same letter. And he finally gave up; David didn't even care if she was at home or not. Then on the other hand there's Jacqline Granger, who was the complete opposite of David. She was a gifted and kind women, as any mother would be. She had a way of seeing the beauty in others, even, and, perhaps, most especially when that person could not see it in themselves. Jacqline had always tried to protect Hermione, but she would also get beatings from David herself. She would always promise her that one day they'll get away from him and go live freely by themselves. Hermione would always try to believe it, but as the days, weeks, months and years went by, she started to wonder they'd ever get away.

Hermione quickly leaped to her feet and opened the window to retrieve the letter. Pig just wouldn't stop screeching, she heard foot steps walking up the stairs. Oh, no, she thought.

Bang, Bang, Bang…

'HERMIONE! OPEN UP!

She recognized immediately that it was her father. Hermione desperately wished her mother was home from work, David kept banging on the door. She had no choice but to open, it because she couldn't just send Pig away with the same letter. Hermione unlocked the door. Her father swung it open almost hitting her in the face.

'I told you to never intercept any of those ruddy owls in this house!' David grabbed a handful of Hermione's dirt-blondish hair, which made her flinch out in pain, she tried so hard not to cry, because she knew if she did it would only make things worse. Her father slugged her right in the stomach, and then started talking rubbish as she laid on the bedroom floor clutching her stomach.

'Hermione?' Hermione shook her head out of the horrible flashback and looked back at Ginny.

'Oh, sorry, look…I just don't want to talk about it right now, Gin' she began to rapidly pack up her books into her book bag, not being able to think straight, 'I'm going to bed.' But she didn't get far when Ginny grabbed her arm.

'Mione, please, I can see this is bothering you a lot,' she said, desperately, 'besides, we're like sisters; you know you can tell me anything.'

Hermione couldn't hold her secret in any longer, every time she thought about it or someone brought it up she would always start to or want to cry. She gave a really sad sigh and said,

'O-Ok, fine, I'll tell you. Everything,' Ginny moved closer to her and wrapped one arm around her, 'but you have to promise me you won't tell Harry and Ron. Especially Ron, because he's been and always has been very protective of me, and if he finds out…he-he'll just jump to conclusions.' Ginny nodded her head,

'I promise, Hermione.' Hermione softly smiled, and began her story. She through all the details she could possibly think of to give, such as the beatings, how she almost got raped by her drunken father, and also about her mother going through the same thing, only Hermione worse. At the end she couldn't bare it any longer, she started to bawl on Ginny's shoulder, and thinking about what her father used and still does do to her. Ginny also wanted to cry about what Hermione had to go through all those years.

'Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry.'

'I'm 17 now, and I'm still terrified of my father, I shouldn't be like this!' she sobbed 'I should be focusing on my grades, my future, you, Harry and Ron.'

'Hermione why have you kept this bottled up inside you…for all these years?' Ginny asked, concerned.

'I-I was afraid that you guys wouldn't want to be my friend anymore,' she said, like a little 5 year old, 'that's why I had no friends in my first year.'

'Mione, you know I'll always be you friend, and I'm sure Harry and my brother will too,' Ginny softly said, 'speaking of the two boys, I really think you should tell them. Ron especially, you know he'd want to know.' Hermione let a couple of more tears drop at Ron's name.

'I know, I know. You don't know how badly I've wanted to tell your brother,' Hermione cried, 'you wouldn't believe how nice and comforting he's been recently.' She now softly smiled wiping her face, '…we get along so great now. We haven't had one single fall-out all year.' Ginny at first didn't really believe all this "nice", talk about her big brother, seeing as she has more experience with him at home, but she knows that Ron really loved and cared for Hermione, but just wouldn't bloody admit it already.

'Well, you know Ron will find out eventually, and when he does he'll be furious. And if he found out that I knew, he'll kill me.' Hermione nodded, understanding,

'I know. I will tell him. But…when I'm ready.' Ginny nodded with agreement.

'Fair enough,' she gave Hermione one last hug, 'come on lets head back to the common room.' The girls gathered up their things and made headed back to the common room. The said the password and went in.

Ron and Harry were relaxing by the fire place playing some wizard's chess, by the look on Ron's face; he was definitely winning, as usual. Hermione and Ginny went over to them.

'Hello, boys,' Ginny said, giving Harry a kiss and sitting down next to him.

'Were you guys up here the whole time?' asked Hermione.

'No, went down to the kitchens,' Ron said, looking up at her, 'Dobby was nice enough to make us some blueberry trifles. Hermione rolled her eyes, but laughed.

'Anyways, I'm going to bed, I'm a bit knackered. Goodnight.' Harry and Ginny both bided her goodnight, while Ron just stared after her, then he looked back at the two.

'Um…I'll just be back.' Harry snorted and shook his head at Ron's sudden attempt. Ron jogged up to Hermione; she turned around to face him, and smiled.

'Hi,' she said. Ron grinned.

'Hey.' Ron blushed as he said this, not wanting his ears to turn red in front of her. 'I…I just wanted to say goodnight, and thanks again for the haircut.' He ran a hair through that ginger hair of his, 'mum will be a bit surprised, but she'll love it as much as I do.' Hermione giggled and nodded her head, releasing her hair from the clips.

God, she's so beautiful. I wish we were together, Ron thought to himself.

'No problem, Ron. What are friends for, right?' he smiled again, stuffing his hands in his pockets, not knowing what to say. 'Anyways, see you in the morning.'

'Yeah, right, in the morning.' Ron moved towards her, spreading out his arms for another hug from her but she had already turned around. He looked disappointed, but Hermione just happened to see his arms and quickly turned around once again.

'Oh,' she said, giggling. She stepped forwards and hugged him, Ron felt better and more relaxed. He then quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny brown sac.

'I almost forgot, I saved you a packet of blue droobles,' Hermione thankfully took it, saying "cheers", she pecked him on the cheek, before going up the girls' staircase and off to bed. Ron stood there blankly smiling after her, with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He went back over to the settee to sit with his sister and Harry, who were cozying up together and laughing. 'Will you two knock it off?'

'You're just jealous, Ron,' Harry said, wrapping an arm around Ginny's shoulder. 'Why don't you just tell Hermione how you feel about her?' Ron blushed, and turned bright crimson almost matching his hair.

'I-I…I want to, but…I never get the right chance to tell her,' he muttered.

'How bout when you two were in the dorm together?' Harry asked, 'You lost your nerve didn't you?' Ron nodded glumly, which made Harry chuckle. Typical, he thought.

'Ron, Hogsmeade weekend is coming up and Parvati told me that they're opening a new fashioned restaurant,' said Ginny, 'why don't you ask Mione out?' Harry looked from her to Ron and nodded agreeing. Ron shrugged his shoulder as if he were unsure at the moment.

Yeah, maybe I will. Tomorrow, he thought. He yawned rubbing his face tiredly.

'I'm going to bed, too. Goodnight.' Ron started walking towards the boys' staircase, but then stopped in his tracks and turned back around.

'Hey, Gin, did Hermione tell you something about that she wanted to tell me earlier?' he asked, curiously.

'No,' she answered, as casually as she could. Ron nodded a bit disappointed, because he was still curious and desperate to know what it was Hermione wanted to tell him earlier, because she was crying when she started to say it.

In the girls' dormitory, Hermione was tossing and turning terribly. Balls of cold sweat was running down her forehead, she was grasping her comforter tightly has her she groaned in displeasure.

'No…no,' she moaned, 'I-I'm sorry, Daddy, I didn't mean to.' Tears were now forming out of her closed eyes. Unluckily, Ginny was still down stairs with Harry and Lavender and Parvati were out somewhere, probably with Seamus and Dean.

David had Hermione on the settee pinned down with his strength of the whole body. She had accidentally broken the vase that was on the nearby table, while rolling her ball around. Hermione was never allowed to play with it outside, so that's the only way she thought she could have fun without being yelled at.

There was a little stream of blood running down her forehead, because that's where her father had knocked with his hand.

'YOU IGGNORENT, CHILD! YOU NEVER LEARN DON'T YOU!'

'Stop it, Daddy! Stop it!' Hermione yelled, crying for mercy. At that, David and gave her a blow to the stomach, causing her to pass out from the pain.

'NO!' Hermione woke up sweating, breathing heavily, and looking around squinting as if she didn't know where she was. She threw back the covers, quickly got up, opened the door and ran out, not knowing where she was going.

While running with her brown bear her mother had given her when she was little, Hermione bumped into someone.

'Oof!' Hermione wasn't at the right state right now and immediately started to get scared at the person.

'Bloody hell,' he said, 'Hermione, wha—?'

'No, no, don't hurt me, please, I didn't mean too!' she was trying to get out of the person's grasp but he wouldn't let go.

'Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you!' he then grabbed her face his both his hands. 'Hermione look at me, it's me, Ron!' Hermione was struggling to regain her focus, but then looked upon the face of an angel.

'R-Ron?' She let more and more tears run as she threw her hands around Ron's neck. Ron held her close, not wanting to let go.

'It's me,' he said, nodding, 'I was just on my way to bed when you bumped into me, are you alright?' He wiped the sweat from her face. Hermione didn't answer but just said,

'Ron…can you stay with me tonight?'

I'd have to be the most stupidest bloke in the world to say "no". Especially at this point, he thought to himself.

'Yeah, of course I'll stay with you, Mione.'

'T-Thank you, Ron. You probably want an explanation-..?' she croaked out.

'Shhh, no, no, you don't have to tell me now,' Ron said, 'you can tell me when you feel ready.'

So Ron went quickly into his dorm and got his pajamas, not caring about what the boys will think when they got back, and went back to settle in with Hermione, changing his clothes in the loo, of course. He wrapped an arm around Hermione, holding her as if he were to let go, she would disappear.

'I'm right here, ok?' he whispered, into her ear.

'Ok,' she sleepily said.

A/N- 4th chappie up! Seems like Hermione's going crazy and into a deep depression, doesn't it. Hey, what do I know? I'm only 13. LoL, R/R- dandin