Hey everybody, I don't know if I am on the right track with this story or not, so I would really really appreciate some more feedback! Am I going the right way with this? Any comments or suggestions would really be useful!
Nowhere to hide
Hermione heard the door to Dumbledore's office open, and her body reacted before her mind formed the thought – now she could escape. "No, please no, I can't, I can't." She shrank back, away from everyone. Cedric turned to look at her, his anger gave way to sadness.
"Petite bebe, please." He knelt beside her, and moved to take her hand – but even the term of endearment she loved so much wasn't enough. Hermione jerked back, as thought his touch burned her skin, "please, don't hurt me, please. Daddy? I'm sorry, please stop."
"Cedric back off, she's having a flashback." Minerva said right away. Cedric jumped back and looked on. Everyone's hearts were breaking as they watched what was unfolding before their eyes. The strong woman they knew gave way to what resembled a cowering child. They watched her sob and beg, then crawl – almost dragging herself, before she stood up and bolted out the door.
"Stop her!" Dumbledore cried, and the group made for the door. Cedric was the first one out, and stopped in his tracks so suddenly that Arthur Weasley slammed into him. They watched in horror as Hermione fell headfirst down the stairs with led from Dumbledore's office. Cedric rushed down and knelt down, afraid to find her dead. "Cedric don't move her!" Molly cried out as she hurried down the stairs. She knew that moving her would be worse if she injured her neck or spine. Molly sent her patronus to fetch Madame Pomfrey right away, then looked down to see Hermione herself roll over. She was relieved, she must have avoided the injuries she feared.
They group crowded around her, Minerva kneeling down beside her, but it was Cedric that Hermione looked at. Her eyes meeting his, pleading with him – realizing how out of control she was. "Cedric." She coughed out – as blood followed his name, running down the corner of her mouth. The group watched in horror, but Cedric took the hand of his battered beloved, "I'm here" he said, kissing her hand. "Cedric." She said again, looking into his eyes so deeply he felt them reach his very soul. She then lightly sobbed out the words, "Cedric, I….need…help. Please help me, don't leave me." He knew that she meant not to leave her alone at the bottom of the stairs, but Cedric vowed right then and there that he would never leave her as long as he lived. They always knew that they were soulmates, and that meant being there through the good times and bad. "I will never leave you." He said, watching in fear as her eyes rolled back, then shut as she slipped into unconsciousness – a single tear escaping down the side of her face and into her hair.
It was at this moment that Madame Pomfrey was making her way down the hall – when she saw the group at the end, some gathered around on the floor, she quickened her pace into a dead run. "What happened?" she asked breathlessly.
"She fell down the stairs." Dumbledore said, "We will explain everything to you after we get her to the infirmary."
Poppy Pomfrey conjured a stretcher and levitated Hermione onto it. She then levitated the stretcher up to the infirmary – luckily classes were going on so they were able to avoid any students in the hallway. The last thing Hermione needed was gossip and speculation floating through the school. Once they reached the infirmary, Hermione was levitated onto one of the beds. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore closed and locked the doors behind them.
Poppy looked Hermione up and down, "Some of these bruises are old. If I am to adequately help her, I need to know what is going on." She said sternly to the group.
"Her father attacked her over break." Cedric whispered, never taking his eyes off of Hermione. "He locked her in the basement for awhile, then had his friends take turns raping and beating her."
"Oh God." Poppy replied.
"She has been hiding it from everyone since she got back – with glamours, excuses, and hiding away." Cedric continued, "Until we staged an intervention of sorts – we saw what happened in the Pensieve, and when she came in and saw us all, she panicked, fled, and fell down the stairs."
Poppy thought for a moment, looking at the terribly thin, badly injured Hermione Granger. She was one of the students she never thought she would have to see in this state. She was a fighter, but now she was lying there a broken girl. "Alright" Poppy finally said. Gentlemen, please wait behind the curtains, Minerva, Molly, if you could assist me with her clothing. They nodded and ever so carefully removed Hermione's clothing in order to put her in a hospital gown. While they were doing this, Poppy waved her wand over Hermione and diagnostic pages materialized in her hands. She barely began to read when she heard a gasp. She looked up – both Molly and Minerva stopped undressing her and looked at her in shock. She was so thin that her ribs were showing, she was bruised from head to toe, and there were multiple cuts on her in various stages of healing, depending on their depth. "Roll her onto her side please" Poppy requested. When they did, what Poppy saw brought tears to her eyes, making Molly and Minerva look to see what caused such a reaction.
Minerva gasped, and Molly cried, "Oh my sweet girl." As they looked at a dark purple bruise in the perfect shape of a large boot print – from where her father stepped on her back to shove her back down. He used such force that the bruise not only showed the boot print, but the tread it had as well. They rolled her back and just looked at each other in horror. Minerva wiped tears from her eyes before they had a chance to fall, she needed to be strong for her girl right now. She needed to be able to give it to Hermione, who had none of her own. "Ok." Poppy said, as she looked at the diagnostics, she knew they had to get down to business, there would be time to process all of this later. "It says she has a couple of cracked ribs, which I can easily heal. I have salve for the bruising, and a potion to heal the tears they left inside of her." Upon hearing this, Minerva had to look away as her mind involuntarily visualized this – flashing back to the memory of the rape she saw, she had to look away to hide the pain in her eyes. Molly was crying silently as she stroked Hermione's hair. "She is very malnourished, and it looks as though she has a mild concussion, but no brain damage – I have another potion which will take care of it. All in all I think she is rather lucky." As soon as Poppy said this, she realized just how wrong the words came out.
"Lucky? LUCKY?" Molly screeched. "This poor girl was beaten and abused by her father, who should love her unconditionally – then offered up to his friends for their sick and twisted 'fun'. Please Poppy, tell me how the HELL she is 'lucky'. The girl lying on this bed is NOT the girl we knew – she was strong, a fighter who in one fell swoop has destroyed by the man whom she should have trusted the most in her life. Do you know how heartbreaking it is to see the most talented student witch in the school be broken down to the point where she stopped fighting? That's right, she tried to fight, we saw it – but we saw her give up as well, we saw her soul shatter as she resigned herself to her fate. It was the most painful thing I ever witnessed in my life." Molly's anger was not so much directed at what Poppy said, but something that was boiling up since she saw the memory that it finally spilled over and she had to get it out.
"You don't understand what I meant Molly." Poppy said. "I meant that she was lucky because her injuries could have been much worse. Yes she is badly injured – but she could also be dead right now."
Molly understood what Poppy meant and calmed down. "I think she wishes she was though" Molly whispered.
Minerva, regaining her composure, finally turned to face them again. "She didn't give up, Molly." Minerva whispered.
"How can you say that Minerva? You saw the same thing I did, you saw the spark leave her eyes, you saw her stop fighting." Molly said.
"No." Minerva had time to ponder this. "She is still the Hermione Granger that we knew. She isn't shattered, just cracked – and we need to help repair those cracks. Think about Molly", Minerva went on. "She was wandless, up against several very strong, large, inebriated men. You saw how when she struggled and fought the more pain they inflicted upon her. I think somewhere deep inside, on a subconscious level, Hermione knew the lying still and not struggling is what would save her life. If she truly wanted to give up – she would have continued struggling until she was beaten to death. She may not realize this, but I believe that on some level, she knew that without her wand she was no match for these men. Do you really think if she kept struggling she could have fought them off? Though she was victimized, she wasn't letting herself be a victim – she was letting herself be a survivor. Somewhere she knew that's what she had to do to survive – and if THAT isn't fighting, I don't know what is. Poppy is right, yes it was a horrific thing that happened, but Hermione knew it would be worse for her to struggle, she knew she was protecting what she could by letting them have their way and be done with it. I know it sounds crude and strange, but she was in effect – fighting back by not fighting back."
"I still don't like the way that sounds, 'it could have been worse'" Molly replied, "what is worse than rape?"
"Hermione giving in and allowing them to kill her." Minerva said. "No, just because her injuries were not worse than they are does that by any means mean that she will come away undamaged. We have already seen that she is damaged, but she isn't broken Molly, with our love and support we can try to repair her, well – help her repair HERSELF. Think of how much harder that would have been if she had severe physical injuries to overcome as well – like a shattered skull, or brain damage?"
Molly saw where they were going with this.
"She is not the one you should feel anger towards, because you think she gave up." Poppy said.
"It's not her I'm angry with, I am angry that these men did something so horrific to her that could of caused her to give up – that it would be a bunch of drunken muggle "men" who would end Hermione Granger by destroying her fire."
"The fire isn't gone, just hidden – she had enough spark to save herself, to get to safety, to attempt to heal her wounds. We will help her turn that spark back into a flame." Minerva said.
"She has a long road to go," Poppy said "But we need to help her through this unconditionally. We need to convince her that she really DID fight back – by surviving. We need to convince her that she CAN recover from this, and that we are by no means burdened by her – which is what she believes right now otherwise she wouldn't have tried to hide it from everyone."
Poppy finished healing Hermione, and allowed the men back over. Cedric's eyes were red and puffy as he sat down and took the hand of his beloved. He kissed her forehead, and asked "When will she wake up?"
As soon as the words left his lips, Hermione's eyes fluttered open – as though she were Sleeping Beauty and his kiss broke the spell. Her vision was blurred, but when she regained focus and realized where she was, she looked over at Cedric and tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.
"You have nothing to apologize for my petite bebe." Cedric replied.
Upon hearing those words, Hermione smiled for the first time in weeks. "I love you so much, but I'm so ashamed, and so scared…so scared." Hermione said softly, while choking back tears.
Poppy, Minerva, Arthur and Dumbledore went to the other side of the curtains, to give the couple some privacy. They all looked at each other, communicating through their silence. They knew they shouldn't do it, but they didn't retreat further away – they wanted to hear what Hermione had to say now that she was more grounded.
"There is nothing to be scared of anymore, bebe." Cedric whispered back sweetly. "I won't ever leave your side."
"This isn't your burden to bear Cedric, nor anyone elses, that is why I hid." Hermione stated "But…I don't think I can do this alone anymore." She continued, "Cedric, I feel like I've died on the inside."
"You didn't, Hermione" Cedric replied emphatically. "And this is not a burden you should have to bear alone. Look at yourself the past few weeks, you obviously CAN'T bear it alone. But you are NOT alone. That is what being in a relationship means, you lean on me – and there may come a time when I need to lean on you. But for now you need my support – my back is strong, and we will get through this together."
This brought tears to the eyes of the eavesdroppers behind the curtains.
"And you not only have me, but you have the Weasleys, and Dumbledore, McGonnagall, and Harry." Cedric added.
"No" Hermione said, "this is not their problem."
"Why are you so resistant to help, bebe?" Cedric asked. "That is what friends are for, if something like this happened to any of the others, would you go around saying "it's not my problem?" would you not want to be there for them?"
Hermione saw his point, though abandonment is something she secretly feared for herself, it was something she would never do. Her friends were her family, they had already taken her in – knowing they weren't accepting her undamaged. They knew of her family issues, yet they wanted her to be a part of them. Tears finally escaped Hermione's eyes as she looked up to Cedric.
"We are all family, my love." Cedric continued, "And they call it 'family ties' for a reason, it is a bond – it means: if you need me, I'm here, I will clothe you, I will feed you, give you someplace to stay if you need it – and I will never abandon you." And with that, Hermione broke down and reached out for Cedric, who laid down in the bed next to her and held her – not knowing that he just healed one of the many cracks in Hermione. "We will never leave you Hermione. I will never leave you." Cedric said. And he never did.
When Hermione calmed down, they heard Dumbledore clear his throat from the other side of the curtain. "Miss Granger, may we come in?"
"Of course professor" she replied as she and Cedric sat up, wiping her eyes.
Poppy, Minerva, Albus and the Weasleys came around the side of the curtain and they all sat around her after Dumbledore conjured up some chairs.
"I am so sorry for my behavior." Hermione said to everyone, looking down at her hands.
"Hermione, look at me." Albus said.
Hermione's brown eyes met Albus' bright blue ones which bore a stern look. "The last thing I ever want you to do is apologize." He said.
Hermione dropped her gaze back to her hands.
"I asked you to look at me." The headmaster said kindly, but sternly.
Hermione looked up at him with respect. "You have nothing, I repeat, NOTHING to apologize for." He began again. "What happened to you was atrocious, cruel, horrific, and downright sick. No one should EVER have that happen to them, and it breaks my heart that it happened to YOU. You endured something more criminal than any curse that I know, and I'm sorry you had to endure it. But you SURVIVED, Hermione. You found a way to survive."
"I feel dead inside. I gave up professor, I stopped fighting." Hermione said through tears.
"Ah my dear but you didn't." Albus continued, waving his finger at her, "You did what you had to do to keep those monsters from breaking you – from killing you. Yes you will have an emotional road to go down, but we are all going to walk it with you. And when you fall down – which you will, we will be right by your side to pick you up – to carry you if need be. All of us."
Hermione looked at the rest of the people in the room, they all nodded their heads in a deadly serious fashion. They all agreed completely with what Albus said.
"Thank you." Hermione whispered. "I am truly blessed."
"Did you ever think that maybe we are the ones who feel blessed, Hermione?" Minerva spoke up. Hermione looked at her, confused. "Blessed that we are able to you be a part of our lives?" Hermione scanned the room again to see everyone nodding once more. Hermione wasn't able to hold back any longer – she reached out for Minerva who sat on the edge of her bed and enveloped her in a strong hug, while Hermione wept into her shoulder. "Thank you". Hermione kept saying, over and over.
When the atmosphere was calm again, Dumbledore spoke up again, "Miss. Granger, there is a matter we want to speak to you about." He said. "We off course have no plans for you to return to your father's home again, EVER." He looked over at the Weasley's, who picked it up from there.
"Hermione" Molly started, "We want to know if you want to become part of the Weasley family."
Hermione was quiet for a moment, shocked. She leaned back on Cedric – feeling her strength waning. Then she said thoughtfully, "Aren't I sort of already?"
"Of course" Arthur chimed in, "but we want to know if you want to become a Weasley, in every way a Weasley could be."
"Alright, I am lost, I'm sorry – but I have no idea what you are talking about." Hermione said, shaking her head.
"There is a ritual" Dumbledore said as he explained the Blood Rite to Hermione and why they felt it was not just important, but necessary.
"You would be a flesh and blood Weasley, as though you were created by the both of us." Molly said, taking Arthur's hand.
"Nothing would change about you except your DNA. You will still be who you always have been, and will still become who it is your path is choosing you to become – but you will be a Weasley on a physical, molecular level." Dumbledore finished.
Hermione was completely taken aback, she stared at them wide-eyed and open-mouthed for several minutes. This couple WANTED her. They WANTED her to physically be a part of them. They were CHOOSING to bring her in in the most complete form of the word. As the minutes ticked by, the others in the room exchanged glances, wondering what was going through Hermione's mind.
"And you want this?" Hermione asked the Weasleys.
"More than anything." Molly replied. "Will you please be our 8th child?"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears, to be part of their family was something she wanted more than anything herself as well, but she never knew that she could become their flesh and blood.
"Well what do you think, dear?" Molly asked.
Hermione was quiet for a few moments more before saying, "When can we start the ritual?"
There was a collective sigh of relief around the room as everyone began to smile.
"I shall fetch the Minister of Magic right away." Albus said.
As he disappeared from the infirmary, everyone in the room took turns embracing Hermione. When Molly hugged her, she whispered – "we are all going to protect you. I swear we will never let anything so bad happen to you ever again."
If only Molly knew, one shouldn't make promises they can't keep…
Please please please I am BEGGING for opinions and suggestions! I don't know if I'm on the right track, I need to know what you're thinking! If it's going badly, I may not continue with it