Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, or any of JK Rowling's other characters from her books. I don't own Stephenie Meyers books either, or Carlisle Cullen. He is just making a guest star appearance. I think. Oh well, we'll see. On with the story!

Chapter Two

When I woke up the next morning, I was in extreme pain. I couldn't even move without crying out. I somehow managed to get out of bed and get dressed. I slowly walked out of my room and into the kitchen to make breakfast for my parents. Right as I was flipping a third pancake, my mum bustled in with an aggravated look on her face.

"It is about time you got up! Here it is seven o'clock already, and you just got up! Do you think that just because it is summer that you can just slack off? Well, you can't! Now hurry up with that breakfast! When you are done cooking it, you need to ring some of it up to your father along with a pack of ice. His arm is sore, so you need to tend to him all day and hand feed him. I will have to take my breakfast to go though. I just got a call about an emergency root canal, so I have to go earlier than usual. Why are you looking at me? Your going to burn the pancakes! Can't you do anything right?" She stormed off in a huff. I sighed. She had a good point, why couldn't I do anything right?

I quickly finished the pancakes, placed them on a plate, added syrup, and poured a glass of orange juice, before rushing up the stairs that led to my parents room. As soon as I reached the top of the stairs I had to stop, wincing at the pain my shoulders and back were going through. The pain was so bad, and it was starting to hurt to just walk a few steps. I had a feeling that I was going to have to get my back checked out again by a doctor. After taking a few deep breaths I made my way up to their room with a smile on my face.

"Good morning daddy, did you have a good nights sleep?" I asked as I carefully placed the plate and glass on the 'breakfast in bed' tray, before carefully placing the tray on top of him. As he sat up he began to grumble, "It's about time you got up. I have been waiting for you for about an hour now. Don't you know how to get up in the morning? Damn it girl, you can't do anything right!"

"Yes daddy. Sorry daddy." I gave the mandatory reply.

"You are going to have to feed me because, you killed my arm last night. Well, come on! I'm hungry!" I quickly cut up his pancakes and started to feed the pieces to him. After all of the food and orange juice was gone, I adjusted the ice pack, and turned around to exit the room. Just as I turned around, he patted me on the back roughly, saying "You know Hermione? You're a good kid when you want to be." I bit my lip so I wouldn't cry out in pain. "You can have the rest of the day off, go wherever you want, do whatever you want, just do one thing for me first sweetie, can you go get the mail?" He smiled. I swear to God, he is bipolar.

I smiled and walked down the stairs. I sighed. This is my life. One moment my parents are all evil and attempting to do first degree murder, and the next they are acting like my best friends! Like I said, he must be bipolar or something. I did research on it, and bipolar sounded pretty close to their emotional outbreaks , although, I don't think he is depressed.

I went to the front door and picked up the mail from the floor. Picking it up, I began to walk up the stairs as I looked through it. There was nothing for me as usual. Why would there be? Yesterday was a very unfortunate day, I don't know who sent it or who told them to send it. I shook my head. I should be able to figure this out! Who do I know that has a grudge against me? Amy! I bet it was Amy. I gave a mini growl, I always knew that she had something against me. Grumbling, I walked back into the room, handing dad the mail. I walked around to him, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and said, "Bye daddy, I have decided to go for a nice, long walk." Giving him another kiss, I traipsed out of the room with a slight smile on my face.

As soon as I closed the door, the smile was off of my face and into a scowl. Amy Heflinger was going to get it. I was going to get revenge on her if it was the last thing I did. First things first though. To the hospital! I rushed into my room, not noticing that the pain was long gone. While I was in my room, I grabbed my special materials. The materials I had for my needed visits to the hospital. Basically it included my emergency money, a forged note by my mom, my insurance card, and my social security card.

I walked outside and started walking to the nearest hospital. It wasn't that far, only about three miles. While I was walking there, I started to think of ways to get back at Amy. I was surprised actually. Amy and I used to be friends, best friends. She was the only one I ever told about my situation at home. She accepted me and helped me the best that she could, but one day we had a falling out. I don't even remember what we had argued over, all I know is that she has hated me ever since.

Sighing, I tried to recollect what had caused such hatred to develop between the both of us. I just didn't understand! Like I said, she knew of my home situation, so I couldn't comprehend why she would do such a thing, knowing the punishment I would receive. I always knew that she could be cruel, but this topped the chart.

Walking into the hospital, I heard a familiar voice call out, "Not you again! Can't you stay away from Doctor Cullen for five minutes? I know that he is devilishly handsome, but this is an unhealthy obsession! Oh, who am I kidding? If I didn't see him every day, I would be getting into frequent accidents also." I smiled, Crissi, the receptionist, could be very entertaining sometimes.

"You would, would you? I will have to keep that in mind. Come on Hermione, I can go ahead and give you a check up right now. Crissi will go ahead and fill out your sheet, lord knows that you have been here enough for her to have your info memorized." Shaking his head, he gestured for me to follow him. Quickening my pace, I followed him into Room 739.

Sighing he said, "What is it this time Hermione? What did 'you' do to yourself this time?" He didn't believe me, he never did, and he made it perfectly clear that he knew I was lying about all of my "accidents." I also knew that there was no way I could shrug this off as an accident. You could still see buckle welts on my back.

"It's my shoulders and my back. They have been in intense pain ever since last night. It has been hurting this morning also, but the pain went away after I got a pat on the back by my father." Shaking his head, he ordered for me to turn around and take off my shirt. Doing so, I cringed as the fabric rubbed across my back and shoulders.

Clucking he murmured, "Herms, this is quite serious. I am going to need you to tell me exactly what happened. The truth, ok? No lies about you falling down the stairs, or your usual lies. I need to know."

Sighing, I told him what happened, and the exact amount of times I had been hit. While I was telling him, I noticed his face getting stonier and stonier by the minute.

After I got finished, I was met by an awkward silence. Finally he started to break the silence. After softly clearing his voice, he said in a low, almost dangerous voice, "What exactly prompted your father to do such a thing?" That I couldn't tell him. If I did, he would probably go all psychotic, and start to call child protective services, and that wouldn't be good, not good at all.

"I don't remember." I lied. Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Go ahead and lie on the bed on your stomach. I need to check your vertebrae and such. The pain might have gone away when he patted you on the back because when he did so, he probably pushed one out of place and it is therefore pinching your spinal cord. When your spinal cord is pinched, it causes this numb feeling to go on in the inside of your body below the pinched area. Now where exactly did he pat you?" I told him.

Nodding, he began to poke and prod in that area. After about five minutes of prodding, he said, "Found it. Ok. This may hurt . . . a lot. But I have to do it. A pinched spinal cord is no joke. Are you ready?" Nodding, I urged him on, after all the faster I got this over with, the faster I got out of the hospital. Doctor Cullen, then began to place his fingers on my back, and started to lightly push from the middle of my right side, to the middle of my back. At first I felt nothing, just his cold fingers, then the next thing I know, I am gasping in pain. Then, just as quickly as the pain came, it went away.

"Ok, try to sit up." I did, cringing in pain every time I moved more than the span of a micrometer. "Stop!" He exclaimed. "Lie back down. Obviously it hurts you too much to move." Shaking his head he said, "I will be right back, just, si–, lie tight." He then left the room, leaving me all alone in the room. I sighed, I shouldn't have told him what happened. He was probably out there right now calling the CPS.

Tears started to well up in my eyes as I thought about the consequences of my actions just now. How could have I been so stupid? I make higher grades than everyone in my school! I shouldn't be so stupid. I mean, even though I resent the fact that my parents treat me this way, I still love them! Besides I know that I deserve it. They only do it to teach me. If I could only start to do things correctly and quit being stupid, I wouldn't have to make secret meetings to the hospital. Even though they always find out, when the insurance bill comes, that I go to the hospital, they never really cared because CPS has never rang our doorbell. God, I was going to be in so much trouble. I should have lied. I am smarter than this! Deny, deny, deny! That is what I am supposed to do! I am probably the biggest idiot out there!

Tears then started to escape as I was mentally yelling at myself. Moving my hand, I furiously wiped them away. I was so engrossed in my thoughts and my tears that I didn't notice that Doctor Cullen had entered the room. I felt to hands drop down on my shoulders and a voice full of compassion say, "Oh, Herms, what are the tears for? For some reason, I really doubt they are from the pain. Come on talk to me."

I shook my head and sniffed, "I'm sorry Doctor Cullen, I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand. As much as I really want to tell you. . . I'm sorry, it's to complicated." He looked at me with a look of nothing but caring in those beautiful, topaz eyes of his. He grabbed a chair and sat down in front of m, so he could grab my hands. "You know? I think we have known each other long enough for you to call me Carlisle. Is that ok with you?" I nodded. He gave me a soft smile and said, "Ok, now Herms, I have been on this earth for quite awhile, so I think that I could probably comprehend whatever it is that you have to say. Also, I think I have enough brain cells to understand also." I had to laugh at that. He was making it sound as if I was questioning how smart he was. As if I could do that! He was a widely know doctor, because of the fact that he smart, dedicated to his work, and actually good at the job he did.

"You have been here for about what? Twenty-five years? Nope, sorry, not long enough." Ok, now I was just avoiding the subject. He gave me a disbelieving look. Yup, he was on to me. I gave him a small smile.

Clearing his throat, he said, "Not falling for it Herms. Quit avoiding the subject, or else I will get my son Jasper in here to interrogate you. He has a umm, talent for figuring out people's emotions." He smiled, "Besides you're insulting my intelligence right now. Come on, please tell me. I want to help, how can I do that i f you don't tell me what's wrong?" His thumb started to rub the space between my thumb and my forefinger, and his eyes began to give me a pleading look that I couldn't resist.

Sighing, I began to grumble, "Fine, I'll tell you, but on a few conditions. One, you can't tell anyone. Two, you can't call CPS, and lastly, you have to quit cheating, it really isn't fair at all!" When I mentioned the Child Protective Services, he didn't even bat an eye, but when I mentioned him cheating, his left eyebrow rose and hid underneath his blond hair.

"Cheating?" He asked. "What cheating? I have never cheated in my life! What, pray tell, are you talking about?"

I gave an inward smirk. My plan was working! I guess once you questions someone's honesty they begin to forget to use their brains on their conniving patients. I looked up at the clock and said, "Well, look at the time! I had better get home. If you could just hand me my shirt, I will attempt to sit up and walk home. After paying of course." I smiled, waited for him to hand me my shirt.

He let go of my hands and crossed his arms. "Not falling for it Herms. I almost did for a minute though, but no one is that cheery after looking at clock and having to go home to a place like you do. Sorry, but I have all the time in the world, and I am willing to sit here with you for that long. So spill."

"I can't Doct–" He cut me off with a displeased look. I sighed yet again, saying, "Fine. I can't Carlisle, I just can't tell you."

"Ok, I didn't give you that look because you almost used my sur name. I gave you that look because you said I can't. You can, Herms. You just won't." Taking a deep breath, he said, "I am letting you off the hook today, but if you come in here one more time with an injury that isn't from falling off the swings and a teacher seeing it happen. I will call my sons Jasper and Edward in here to solve this. I'm worried about you Herms. You have in here so many times, I am starting to think of you as a daughter. Does that tell you the amount of times you have been in here? Here i have you're records right here. In the past six months, you have in here exactly twenty-seven times. Of those twenty-seven times, eight of them you were in the ER, three of them you got here by means of an ambulance. That is just to many times, Herms. I know what is going on in you're home and you know what is going on. So why don't you just admit it? If you do then we can get you in safe place away from all of this. You are a beautiful girl Hermione. You are obviously intelligent, you can tell by the way you speak, you have poise and an inner radiance that shines for all to see. You don't deserve this kind of treatment. Nobody does."

I started to cry again, "No, you see, that's where you understand! I love my parents and I don't want to leave them! I deserve every punishment I get, well, except for this last one, but that's not the point! The point is that I don't want to go. They are my life! I would fall apart, if I didn't have them. You only have seen their bad side, but they have a good side too. A good side where they see that I am their daughter, where they only see me with loving eyes. A side that I love." I began to shake my head slowly, "Please don't call CPS, I really don't want to leave again!"

"Again?" He asked me questioningly. I bit my lip, I hadn't meant for that fact to pass through my lips. I shook my head, not wanting to answer. Tears streaming down my face I said, "Please don't do it! I understand that you want to do your duty as a doctor and protect your patient, but please!" I was starting to get a hint of hysteria in my voice. Great! Now he is going to think that I am psychotic also. Might as well be, knowing my life.

He gave me a sympathetic look. Yay! Now I get his sympathy, one of the last things I wanted. "Hermione," He paused to take a deep breath before saying slowly, " Herms, are you sure that this what you want? Not just because you want to please your parents?" Taking my hands again he said lightly, "Please Herms, don't put yourself through this!" He stopped and gave out a dramatic sigh. He then said in an indifferent voice, "Fine, if that is what you really want. I am going to go get you some pain medicine from the dispensary, so that way you will be able to actually stand up and walk around. Here is you shirt, I will return shortly."

With that he walked out of the room with the air of someone who lost thousands of dollars on the stock market. I was making the right choice wasn't I? No, I wasn't. I should go ahead and let him call CPS. That's it. This is my final decision. No backing out.

Carlisle then walked back into the room. I opened my mouth to tell him my choice, but the words just wouldn't come out. I closed my mouth and tried again, but same results! I tried one more time, but all I got was a little frog croak. Maybe it was a sign that I should just stay at home. He looked at me questioningly. I wonder why, the amount of times I opened my mouth only to close it again, I probably looked like a fish out of water!

He gave me a weird look before helping me up off of the bed. I put on my shirt as he said, "Here is your medication, you need take it twice a day after a meal. There is enough in here for two weeks. When you get home, eat a good healthy lunch, and take one of the pills. Are you ready?" I nodded. "Ok, good. I am going to go ahead and give you a ride home, I don't need you walking that far in your state. Come on." He took me by my arm and gently led me out of the room. When we were in the waiting the room, he went to go talk to Crissi.

Forgetting about my back, I began to stretch it. As soon as I moved though, i let out a cry of pain loud enough for half of the waiting room to look at me. Carlisle gave me a quick glance, which showed an internal battle that was raging inside of him. Blushing, I turned away from my audience. He came back to me and was starting to lead me out the back entrance when I heard a voice ring out, "There you are! Hermione Jane Granger, you are in so much trouble young lady!" I turned to my left, not five feet away stood my mother with an angry scowl on her beautiful face.

I gulped. "Your father said that you had gone on a short walk! Wait until your father hears about this!" Yanking on my arm, she began to drag me to the front entrance. "Excuse me, Mrs. Granger, but may I have a word with you and your daughter?" I looked at him with frantic eyes. No, he wouldn't, he couldn't! Please God, tell me that he isn't about to confront my mother, please God, please!

Scowling, she gave a curt nod, and followed the doctor. I was being dragged to my doom. To the end of life, as I now knew it.