Chapter 6: How to be a Woman

There was an awful lot of noise coming from her common room.

Hermione put down her lip gloss and grabbed a jacket to put over her little black dress. She hoped Malfoy wasn't pulling any stupid stunts out there that would make her late for Ron.

She checked her watch, 6:50, and made her way to the door separating her bedroom from the common room. Immediately after opening it the noise became much louder.

"What the, bloody hell-"

At least 20 students were packed into the room, most of the Slytherin 7th years, clearly all getting wilder by the second as they guzzled down more and more alcohol. She spotted Pansy Parkinson cackling at something Blaise Zabinni had just said to Draco and stalked over to him.

"Malfoy, What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like Granger?" Blaise spat

"For someone so clever you'd think she'd be able to spot a party when she saw was….but I guess she's not up to scratch on her social studies!" Pansy shrieked with laughter, "gedit? SOCIAL studies?" she took a swig of mead

"Shut up Pansy" Draco grabbed Hermione by the elbow and steered her to the door, "listen, you're going out tonight…and I have a dormitory all to myself, what else am I going to do?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, it was true she supposed, but she still didn't like the situation, "oh alright, but if get caught by McGonagall I'm not going down with you."

"So you don't want to go down on me?"

She didn't reply, just turned on her heel and stalked out the door. Just as she was about to reach the end of the corridor someone grabbed her arm, she spun around to find her face inches from Draco's, "wh-what"

"Hermione, please be careful"

"Of course I will- what does it have to do with you" she pulled her arm away and straightened her jacket gruffly. "What do you know about anything?"

"I know that Weasley's a prick."

"Oh shut up and go back to your party" Hermione hissed and hurried off down the hall, now she really was going to be late.

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Hermione hurried along each hall and then out to the lake, she cursed herself for not leaving earlier- it wasn't going to be great making up with Ron if the night started with a fight. She spotted Ron sitting on a fallen branch next to a tree in the distance and quickened her pace.

"Hey" she said, breathlessly when she reached him

Ron looked around and stood up, pushing his fists into his pockets. "What took you so long? What have you been doing?"

Hermione looked at her watch, 7:06. "Just you know, getting ready and stuff"

"What's there to get ready for?" Ron was turning pink

"You silly" She giggled nervously, trying to break the tension

"Oh."

"Yeah, so…do you want to walk around the lake?"

"Uh, ok" Ron brushed his pants off awkwardly and stepped over the log to join her.

She took his hand and smiled up at him, and he smiled down at her. This is almost perfect, she thought to herself as they walked around the lake. The sun had set before them and the stars were out and twinkling. It was a warm night and a light breeze fluttered by occasionally; she leaned her head on Ron's shoulder and breathed in his scent. So romantic…

Suddenly Ron stopped walking and grabbed her wrist roughly. She looked up at him, startled to see his stone cold eyes looking down at her.

"Hermione…" he began "I just need to say this, get it out in the open…"

"What? What could possibly be wrong now! I'm sick of your mood swings Ron, sometimes you act like such a -"

At this Ron snarled and let go of Hermione so roughly she stumble backwards and fell on the ground but before she could open her mouth the shout at him, to curse or to cry Ron was at her side looking upset.

"I'm sorry, it's just I need to say this" He said and Hermione nodded for him to go on, "I love you. That's why I care so much where you are and what you do, so please don't be offended when I'm looking out for you…it's the way all Weasley men are to their women."

"Ron, you can't honestly say all the shit you've put me through has been for love!?"

"Don't swear Hermione" Ron gritted his teeth

"You swear! And I've always swore before when we were just friends"

"It's not the same"

"Why not!?"

"It just isn't ok!"

She couldn't really believe what she was hearing; it was like a wakeup call. All her insides were turned upside down. She felt what she still thought was love for Ron but then she thought of the type of future she would have with him and she realized, she loved herself more. Ron was speaking again but her mind was spinning of images of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny and all they had had to go through, she never knew…and of her own life if she stayed with him. Would it always be this horrible? Would he always push her around and would her sex life result in bruises rather than orgasms?

"Are you listening to me?"

"Y-yes"

"So you understand everything, and you agree? Healer school would be out of the question" He said, playing with the dirt on the ground beside him

That was it. The final nerve he had to hit to tell her she had to do it, she had to break free of him.

"Look Ron, I don't think I can do this anymore. I don't mean to disrespect your family but it's all a little much for me. I do care for you but don't you understand how I feel or what kind of person I want to be" She reached out for his hand "We can still be friends though, I think we were both a lot happier as friends."

Ron was frozen still, his face turning red and didn't say anything

"Ron?....Ron are you alright, please talk to me" Hermione whispered gently

"So you do like him then."

"Who?"

"MALFOY!" Ron roared pulling his hand away

"What!? No! How could you even think-"

"Alright we'll then lie but I'm going to teach you a lesson you filthy cunt" and with that Ron put his hand around her neck and forced Hermione onto her back.

"Ron! No please! Don't!"

He ripped her straps and pulled down the top of her dress grabbing her with his hot hands. She struggled against him; no not like this…she couldn't have it be like this. He pinned her arms and moved his head down to her breast and bit her nipple as hard as he could. Hermione screams in pain and kicked out at him but he was too strong, she couldn't fight it, out of control. He pushed up her dress, ripped off her panties and with one swift movement he was un-zipped and in her. She cried out as the pain cut her deeper than merely physical. He moved against her and began thrusting, his hot breath on her skin.

Hermione tried not to feel it, to shut it out. With each thrust he moaned more loudly. She gave up trying to struggle and just lay there as he used her, silently crying. As he was reaching his climax he let go of her arms as he thrust faster and deeper. Hermione's arms fell to the side and one of them felt a rock. Without pausing to think she grabbed it and pelted it with all her force at Ron's head just as he came within her.

"AH!!!!!!!!" he yelled and fell backward, blood streaming down his face. She pulled herself away from him and as he reached out for her again she threw her rock at his face and heard his nose break as she turned her back on him to run into the woods.

"HERMIONE! COME BACK! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS BACK OVER HERE!" Ron roared after her, trying to get to his feet but his head and nose aching and bleeding so bad that he could only stumble after her.

She kicked off her shoes and ran a fast as she could into the woods. Her bare feet cut on the floor of the forest but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. He could find her if she stopped.

She didn't know how long she had been running for but finally she could take it anymore and collapsed to the ground near a pool of water that seemed to have trickled away from the great lake.

Her reflection started back at her, red eyed, torn dress, breathing heavily. She sank onto her back to look up at the stars in sheer despair.