Disclaimer: I still Rhiann and Tay, nothing more.

A/N: Well, last chapter didn't have much drama, but this chapter does. And just be warned, there's some SI in here (it's implied, I'm not going to go through describing what was used and how.) This is why I have moved the rating to T. So if the thought of cutting offends you, just skip this chapter.

Chapter 9 – Secret Scars

The early morning sunshine filtered into Rhiann's room, blanketing the walls and Rhiann's sleeping form with light. She stirred in her sleep, not wanting to wake up from her peaceful, coma like sleep. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at her clock; 7:05 am. Damn, I'm up early. Rhiann looked around and noticed she was wrapped tightly in a warm, blanket cocoon. Pulling the blankets off and flinging them on the bed, she stood up and walked to the bathroom. Just as she was about to go in, Tay, wearing a tight tank top and short shorts and looking dead tired, emerged from her room and walked over to Rhiann.

"What are you doing up so early?" She asked, slightly confused

"Oh, the light woke me up." Rhiann said and walked into the bathroom, washing her hands and splashing water on her face. Tay stood in the doorway.

"Stupid light woke me up too," She brought a hand to cover her yawn "Well, that and my alarm clock."

Rhiann was just about to say something when she did a double take in the mirror. Tay was yawning again, her hand and wrist exposed to Rhiann. There was a small dark red slash diagonally on Tay's wrist. From the way Tay had her arm, she could see it perfectly. She gasp loudly, causing Tay's previously closed eyes to open.

"What?' She asked

Rhiann couldn't even speak. Tay gave her a bewildered look, wondering what had caused her cousin to completely freeze.

"Rhiann, are you okay?" Tay asked slowly.

"T-Tay, wh-whats on your a-arm?" Rhiann stuttered. She looked at Tay, slightly shocked and then noticed the other scars she had. Like the faded ones on the other side of her arm and the three on the skin where her arm bent. And the five on her stomach and leg. It was then that Tay realized what Rhiann was talking about.

"Oh…um…I" she started to explain but Rhiann cut her off.

"Tay, why didn't you tell me?" Rhiann asked, now facing her cousin.

There was a few seconds of silence before Tay said quietly: "I didn't know how you would react."

Rhiann just continued to stare, confusion and anger and sadness filling her and making her face unreadable to Tay. What Rhiann couldn't believe was that she and her cousin thought alike. Slowly Rhiann pulled up her sleeve, exposing her arm to Tay. Rhiann too, had scars.

"Is this seat taken?"

Hermione was pulled back to reality as someone sat down next to her. She was sitting near the Black Lake, Hogwarts A History lying open on her lap. She hadn't even been able to read more than a page before her thoughts wondered elsewhere. It seemed like she couldn't focus on anything lately, since school started. Rhiann was gone. No one knew where she was and the last Hermione had spoken to her, it had been when she told Rhiann about Ron. Ron, she thought angrily, turning to look at the person who had interrupted her thoughts.

"What do you want, Ron" her voice dripping with obvious annoyance.

Ron's expression fell a little at her harsh tone. Even though Hermione and Ginny had told Ron that their friendship with him was still in tact, it didn't mean they were just going to forget about the whole mess he made. It was even worse now that Rhiann was M.I.A. and was probably the reason Hermione was annoyed.

"Look Hermione, I'm sorry for what I did. You have to believe me. It felt like I was under some sort of spell." Ron shook his head and looked down at the ground. "I hated himself for cheating on Rhiann," He didn't know when his feelings for hers started exactly, but now he couldn't get them to go away. "I still like her and hope she can forgive me. The stupid kiss with that French chick meant nothing to me and I didn't even realize what was going on until it was too late."

"Oh really, do you actually think I'm going to believe that?" She asked a little less aggravated. After she and Ginny caught him with the girl, he did seem kind of in a daze.

Ron looked at her. "Yes really! I'm not lying, that freaky French chick with the violet eyes had to put some sort of spell on me!"

"Oh honestly Ro—," Hermione stopped mid sentence, eyes growing slightly bigger "wait a minute, Ron, you may be right!" Hermione slammed her book closed and stood up quickly. She ran towards the castle calling over her shoulder to Ron "Meet me in the common room in an hour" leaving him sitting on the ground looking more confused than ever.

Hermione flipped through page after page after page. She sat at a table in the library, a huge thick book open in front of her. Harry, who was also in the library, but Hermione was too absorbed to notice, sat down next to her causing her to jump a little and face him.

"Well Hermione, I know you like books and everything, but this" he asked, nodding toward the book on the table "is not what I would call light reading."

Hermione smiled a little. "Yes, well, I'm looking for something, something that might help with why Ron cheated on Rhiann."

This caught Harry's attention. He looked at the book and noticed it had different spells and information on them.

"Found anything yet?"

Hermione shock her head no. There were just so many different spells that she figured it would take her a while to find the right one.

"How do you know there is such a spell?" Harry questioned.

"I've read this book before. About a few months ago I was skimming through this for help on my Transfiguration homework. I came across a very unique spell and from what Ron told me, it sounded very similar to one I read about. Also, the girl had violet eyes, which is one of the effects on the witch or wizard who uses the spell. It turns the eyes some sort of shade purple. If I can find the spell in here, it will prove Ron was telling the truth."

Harry nodded, taking everything in. If Ron was under a spell, then he didn't really cheat. Well, it was forced. Then, once Hermione found the spell, they could ask Ron some questions and find the person who did it to him. Wait, but that girl was in France. How are we going to find her? Harry was about to ask Hermione this but was cut off when Hermione suddenly spoke.

"I found it."

A/N: yes, I know the ending is lame. Chapter 10 will be up by next week, for those people who actually like/read my story. Will start to get more graphic with the cutting, so if you don't like that, then don't read it.

Tay didn't go to school that day. She called in sick and she and Rhiann had a long talk.