I decided to go on and post the last chapter I had. Enjoy!


Chapter Eight: Normality

Hermione was lying beside me in my bed. I had asked her to sleep with me tonight. I didn't tell her why and she didn't ask, so this was unspoken of. We lay there just talking. Talking about the past and not the present because we knew if we did, it would only bring tension, fear, and sadness to the atmosphere.

"Hermione, do you want to know what happened to me out there? What really happened?" She stiffened.

"Only if you want me to know."

"Yes, I want you to."

"Okay."

"I think Healer Mickey already knows, but didn't want to tell anyone because she knows it'll hurt me – us. She helped me escape. Did you know that?"

"No."

I felt her heart beating against the covers and the waves vibrated to my flesh which felt it. I looked at her and started to talk, "She did, really. Well, Anywho… I was under the Imperius curse by Lucius Malfoy. No, no. No interrupting me Hermione. And then they, as in the Malfoys and company, tortured me. They tried to get some info out of me about Harry. NO INTERRUPTIONS HERMIONE! Gosh. Where was I? Oh, yes… did they honestly think I knew anything about Harry? Lousy death eaters if you ask me. They should've asked you if they… but, that's not the point. The adults left and it was only Draco and I left."

"Draco was there?!?!"

"Hermione!"

"Sorry."

I looked at her and then blinked. I continued, "Anywho, after they left, Draco started to torture me again. He tried to beat me you know and threw all sorts of spells flying at me also. I think that's how I got that scar on my back. Well, he had me bounded, eventually, and he… Hermione… he raped me." I heard my best friend gasp and I felt my heart quicken. I got it out…well sort of. I still hadn't told her the whole story.

"Ginny, oh my goodness! We have to go tell what that bastard did! Right now and I mean it. Oh if Harry finds out or worse…your brothers! There will be hell to pay. You will get revenge."

"Hermione, shut up." I said in a quiet voice.

"What?"

"Don't tell anyone what I just told you."

"Why?"

"Because… Just promise me. I've been through too much pain and honestly… I haven't given you the whole story to tell, so just… just don't tell anyone. Pinky promise? Hermione, pinky promise me."

"Ginny I don't agree with this…"

"I know you don't. But, if you cared about me and what I've been through… you'll promise."

"Okay Gin, I promise."

"Thanks."

"Ginny?"

"Yes?"

"How can you just say it like that? You know what? Never mind. You're so brave Ginny. I admire you. I really do. I hope you know that."

"Thanks Hermione thanks." And we fell asleep with that.

-

Hermione's P.O.V.

It was about three o'clock in the morning when I crept cautiously out of the room Ginny and I shared. I had to tell someone what Ginny told me. I silently knocked on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door until it opened. It finally did.

I was crying by now. As I told the last part with Draco and Ginny and how Ginny said she still didn't tell me all of what happened, I was crying. I couldn't help but tell. I hope Ginny understands this. Of course won't; she wouldn't be Ginny without understanding. I feel sorry for doing this. I see Mrs. Weasley crying in shock and I feel even sorrier. I am so, so sorry. I now understand why Ginny didn't want her family to know. I've seen their reactions and the pain. Pain for them and for her, I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry.

-

Ginny's P.O.V.

I had heard every word Hermione confessed to my family. I was distraught, mad, sad… but mainly mad than anything. How dare she? She pinky promised… she promised. I felt more anger, frustration bubble up inside of me. I felt so betrayed…duped. I was tricked. I started coming down here early to help mother with breakfast and such. I've regretted coming down here now – no, I do regret it now, using the present tense that is.

I stomped from my hiding place and landed with a loud thump on the floor. I glared at my so called best friend. She jumped up immediately, fear in her puffy eyes. I could tell her heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. I glared at her and she looked down shyly. Hatred was pouring down on her from me. I felt like I abhorred her because she told. Betrayal – betrayal made me do this.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny. I had to tell. You can't go around letting this go unknown. Someone has to pay for it. Please, please be reasonable." I heard her say.

-

Hermione's P.O.V.

I felt myself start to sweat. I didn't like the look Ginny was giving me. It was a glare that could kill; I'm terrified. I asked her to be reasonable, she's not listening. She's edging closer to where I stand. Again, I'm terrified.

-

Ginny's P.O.V.

My sense, my common sense was gone. I felt my body taking charge of my mind. My body, my outer shield edged closer to Hermione. I was ready to pounce on her, to hurt her. Then, it happened. My body took full control over my brain and grabbed her. I heard her shriek in astonishment, but I didn't care about her fright. I held her by her arms and threw her against the wall. I heard glass shattering and a yell of no. I didn't respond to their callings of my name. I closed my eyes and tears poured out pain. They were piercing my skin.

-

"Ginny! Ginny! Open up. We just wanna talk to you sis. Come on. We're here for you." Ron yelled through the bathroom door.

"Or kill the bastards that hurt you. One or the two."

My lips twitched upward while Fred said that. I continued to examine myself in the mirror as I yelled go away. I blinked the tear back what was thwarting my strength to stay calm. I closed my eyes and opened them back up. I looked at myself in the towel. I had just got finished taking the third shower in a row. I still felt dirty. I am still dirty. I took a deep breath and held back my emotions.

-

It was later that afternoon when someone finally found me or got to me. It was Tonks and her aurora skills. She climbed over the furniture I had piled up against the door. She let an exasperated sigh out and looked at me with a funny expression.

"Wotcher Ginny." I just blinked at her.

"So, you wanna talk?" I glared at her.

"They've already told the whole world?" I asked coldly.

"No, only the Order. We needed to know Ginny. Hermione did the right thing, Ginny. She -"

"She did the disloyal thing. She did the untrustworthy thing. I told her to -"

"She only did it to help you, to protect you. There was no need to throw her and hurt her!"

I looked at her hurt. "I didn't mean to! I didn't know what I was doing," I started to cry, again, "I feel so dirty and I can't get it off. It's in my blood now, my skin Tonks. It won't go away. It's worse than the chamber Tonks. I can't get it off. I'm so tired of crying… I don't cry. Ginny Weasley doesn't cry, but right now I'm pouring acid rain. It won't stop, it just won't stop." She hurried to my side.

"Just calm down. We'll get through this Ginny. We're here for you. We'll fight for you. Just talk to us."

"I want everything to be normal again Tonks."

"It will be back, after you talk."

I looked at her. We were hugging now and I had stopped crying. She looked back at me with concern. She must've seen my insides becoming my outside. I knew I looked like hell. "Just let me have a second to myself, please."

-

I slid down the rope of sheets I made with my own two hands. I made sure everything was back against the door so no one could breakthrough and if they did, they did it with magic. I landed on the soft grass. I breathed the freshness that surrounded me. I smiled and started to run. Where? Anywhere.

-

The clouds had started rolling in by the time I found somewhere to rest. I had been running and not breathing and I now needed oxygen. I came to a halt at an old, wooden picnic table. It looked so familiar. I went closer and just as I did this it began to rain. There was a strike of lightening and a clash of thunder. I didn't flinch and inch as nature took its course. I squinted through the rain to see details on the inanimate, ancient table. I then touched it and put weight on it seeing if it wasn't too puny for me to sit on. It wasn't.

I sat on it carefully and then lied down on it. My face became splattered with heavy drops of water. I bundled up tighter and hoped I wasn't stopping the cleansing of the conflagration that sat situated in my pores. I started to hum unnecessarily. And close my eyes. I hardly breathed, I think. I wasn't paying attention to my natural process.

-

I don't know how long I lied there in the pouring rain, but I do know that my cleansing was over once I couldn't feel myself shake from the cold anymore. I hopped of the table and landing with a splat in the mud. It was the first thing I had felt since it started to storm. I looked around me as it thundered and once I saw no one was hiding or anything, I ran…

-

Finally, I came upon the Burrow. I snuck around the back to my window. My rope of sheets was still there. My numb fingers had trouble grasping the sheets at first, but then it finally had a hold. I hurriedly climbed the sheets before I slipped falling into the mud below.

I planted my feet firmly on the floor of my room. I looked up to see a person in the shadows. I gasped at the figure stepping out of the foggy darkness and into the gray light. I squinted to see this person was. I smiled when I realized who it was. It was my healer.

"Mickey?!?!"

"Ginny, I am glad you came back."

"How did you get in here?"

"That's not important. The important is you need to talk to your family. I have already talked to them already. But, first we need to get you cleaned up."

"No, no. Just… we'll just go down there now." She nodded.

Slowly we made it down the stairs to the kitchen. People stopped talking as soon as they saw us. I looked at the faces and saw most of the Order was there. My stomach started to churn and not because of my hunger. I know I had started to get nervous. There were too many people, and normally I liked that. It seems I have changed….a lot.

"Okay, Ginny has agreed to talk. Go on Ginny." Mickey pushed me up.

"I – I – I…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I just don't know what's going on – I just don't know how to… I'm better now. I, God, I feel so lost as though… as if my soul has left me to something. I feel like… I don't know how I feel. I'm just so sorry. I'm hurting myself and you guys. I'm so, so sorry."

Hermione jumped up out of her seat and ran to me to give me a hug. It was refreshing to get one from a person who still loves me. I feel so relieved she forgives me. Something lifted off my shoulders when she did and it wasn't weight.

-

The Order, family, and friends sat around me, hearing my story and giving me comfort. It was nice. Of course there were words of anger and movements of rage, but I didn't mind. That cleansing helped me more than I thought. Mickey stayed there too. She had taken a day off to stay here and talk to everyone. She was honored to be surrounded by love and "greatness" she called it. I smiled every time she said she was glad. I knew she didn't know, every time she said that she was getting herself deeper into our family and friend circle. In no time mum would have her over for dinner.

-

It was night again and I had asked Hermione to sleep with me again, to start over. She agreed but this time we didn't talk like last time. We just sat there in silence and listened to each other's silent words and vigilant to each other's movement. We were becoming re-familiarized with one another. It was a good feeling. I felt Hermione's heart beat start to slow down into steady vibrations that went through the sheets, to the mattress, to the springs, and to my touch. I felt and I smiled.

-

(A/N: I loved this chapter. While I wrote this chapter I was listening to Paramore. They rock.)