"Ginny! I didn't expect you this soon!" Hermione and Ginny embraced and Hermione nodded to the portrait. "Thank you Elizabeth." The portrait gave her a warm smile.
"I came this soon, Hermi, because I'm leaving Colin."
"You're leaving Colin." Hermione stared dumbly at her friend for a moment before sweeping her into a hug. A hug that Ginny was grateful for, and felt even more so knowing that Hermione had been raped, and being a Medi-witch she knew that rape victims often shied away from any physical contact for an extreme amount of time after the tragedy. "Come in Ginny! I'll get you some tea. I do believe that that we have some things to catch up on." Ginny nodded and smiled happily.
"I really am rather exhausted Hermi, and haven't had a proper cuppa since the last time I visited Mum. Which I'm ashamed to say was months ago. In fact, I think I may visit her this weekend. She would be delighted if you came, and I would make sure that we would be the only ones there. Of course I really must go down to the Ministry tomorrow to request a divorce." Ginny sighed gratefully when Hermione handed her a cup of mint tea and watched as her friend sunk down into the plush leather chair opposite her. Ginny could easily see why Hermione relaxed in that chair. She sunk so far into it, that it was sure to feel like being surrounded by a pair of arms you felt utterly safe and content in. No doubts that both Slytherin kings could also make her relax like that. Ginny would now set her mind to figuring out the three, and seeing if there was any hope of all three forming a ménage-a-trios.
Hermione hesitated at Ginny's invitation. Then she considered it. She knew that if she didn't go with Ginny, she'd likely never set foot out of the castle again. Besides, what better place to start than the only other place she felt at home and safe in? "I think I just may join you this weekend Gin. Would you prefer I talk first, or you?" Ginny grinned at her friend's hesitation. She'd go first to sooth her friend.
"I suppose I only decided to leave him today Hermi. I mean it's our first anniversary, and he didn't even deign to show up. Probably still out with whatever 'professional woman' he found tonight." Hermione gasped at Ginny's statement, especially the part where the red-head made 'professional woman' sound like the ultimate scum of the earth – if not worse than that.
"Oh Ginny. None of us had any idea! How long?" Hermione just seemed distraught with the news ... they had all been so sure that Ginny and Colin would become the next Molly and Author Weasley.
"From nearly the first day of the marriage. He stayed in my bed long enough to consummate the contract." Hermione nodded, understanding that Wizarding Marriage Contracts required consummation to be valid. Of course it also called for special circumstances that where not widely known when one or both members of the marriage were unfaithful. Hermione would inform her friend more on that subject later.
"Oh Ginny, I have no idea what to say. I'm sure that Albus will not mind you staying until you have things settled, and I'm also quite sure that Poppy would love the help and company if you got bored while I, Sev, and Draco are teaching." Ginny smiled gratefully.
"I think I'd like that Hermi. Where is the famous Slytherin pair anyways?" Hermi smiled at the mention of her men.
"You just missed Draco, and missed Severus by not much more than that. We do have to be ready for classes tomorrow." Hermione grinned a sad grin that spoke of seeing too much. "It was a few months ago. I was in the middle of doing research for my term paper... I was stupid and got caught outside after dark." Hermione's voice trembled as she spoke, and her gaze did not lift from her tea.
"I didn't even realize what was happening until the first man was halfway through." Ginny gasped – 'first'? She reached out to hold Hermione's hands in her own, offering her silent support.
"I suppose my head cleared when the second man ... finished. I pretended that I passed out so that when the third man was through with me, they wouldn't keep as close watch over me. While I waited there, lying on the ground, I realized the three men were muggles." Tears streamed down the distraught woman's face. This was the first time she allowed herself to revisit the tragedy – save for in her dreams every night.
"I ran to a clearing where I would have more room then I turned and body-bound the men as they came into the clearing. I created a portkey from the knife that I had used to slash the men up as they attacked me. That is really the last thing I remember until I woke up a few days later." At this point, Hermione broke down into sobs and Ginny took her heart broken friend into her arms to sooth her. She figured that Hermione didn't want the men to know the details just yet, otherwise Ginny wouldn't have been the first to hear the tale.
"Oh Hermione. Lets get you to bed so that you have some sleep before you face the students tomorrow." The new professor nodded and sniffled.
"Th-thank you Ginny. Very Much. I think I needed that, and the boys would only get horrendously furious." Hermione crawled into her bed and was asleep before Ginny finished pulling up her covers. Ginny shook her head and let a few tears of her own fall for her best female friend.
She drifted off in to thoughts about her sham of a marriage and decided to fire-call her mother to arrange the visit Saturday. She absently threw the powder into the flame and called out her mother's name. Molly Weasley was pleased to see her daughter.
"Ginny Darling! How are you and that husband of your's?" Molly was not a stupid woman, and had raised 7 children, and she could read the subtle signs on her daughter's face. She knew the words that were coming before her only daughter opened her mouth in greeting.
"I'm leaving him Mum. He's been cheating on me since the night after our wedding and I'm fed up. I was wondering if I could come for a visit Saturday." Ginny held her breath, expecting either a cry of outrage or pity from her mother. She was surprised she got neither.
"Of course you can visit dear! It's been far to long since you've come to see your poor mum. Perhaps we can bash that disgusting creature you have for a husband, eh?" Molly smiled at her daughter.
"Yes Mum. I have one request though. Have no one else there. I'll be bringing someone with me, and she isn't ready to be around a lot of men. And whatever you do, do NOT mention to Ronald that I'm coming. Because if you do there will be nothing we can do to keep him away, and we'll have one angry witch on our hands if he shows up. Hermione will explain when we arrive, for it is not my place." Ginny sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her mother gasped and began to look worried.
"Of course! Hermione is all right isn't she?"
"Yes Mum. See you Saturday. G'night."
"Get some sleep dear." Ginny doused the fire with a stream of water from her wand and went to pass out in the spar bedroom the castle so thoughtfully provided when Hermione mentioned to the Headmaster she was coming.
Hermione woke the next morning to a clock screaming shrilly at her. It appeared that it was time for breakfast. She dressed and walked into her common room, only to be surprised when Ginny, Draco, and Severus seemed to be having a civil conversation. It was surprising to her, because Ginny and Draco had never gotten along, and Ginny never had cared for the potions professor. She noticed that her favorite chair was empty and that there was a mug of coffee sitting in front of it. One of the boys must have fixed it... Ginny didn't know about her penchant for the muggle beverage. She smiled and settled in her place, quietly listening to the conversation. Strangely enough, it was on potions used for medicinal and defensive purposes.
"There is of course the basic healing potion. But the intention behind the potion is very important. By intention, the healing potion can be turned to an exploding acidic potion. I suggest that it be thrown if you want the target to have any chance of surviving." Severus stated matter-of-factly. He noticed when Hermione walked in and smiled at her. The conversation was cut short when the other two noticed her as well.
"Good morning Hermione. Ready to go down to Breakfast? I have a surprise for you." Ginny grinned at her friend as she watched Draco stand and offer his hand to Hermione. Hermione nodded and took Draco's hand, then gasped.
"Before I forget, Ginny you don't have to get a divorce. Because Colin has been unfaithful, you can get the contract annulled." Hermione was please as Ginny smiled beautifully and her whole body visibly relaxed. "He doesn't need to sign anything. You just go to the Ministry, and they will summon him once you have given them the information. He'll be given the truth serum and asked about his extramarital activities. As soon as 'yes' or any variation comes from his mouth, the contract destroys itself."
Ginny hugged Hermione and smiled. "Thank you Hermione, so much. A divorce not only would have been difficult, but also ruined me socially and economically. Divorces are very bad in Wizarding Society. I'll go down this afternoon. Now, lets go to breakfast."
Hermione just barley tensed, but both Draco and Severus noticed. Draco squeezed her hand in his. Severus laid a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It will be just fine Hermione. You'll be just fine." Hermione nodded and started for the door, the others following her, all three with a smile on their face.
They were barely seated when students began trickling into the hall. Once the hall seemed filled to capacity, the Headmaster stood. The loud students quickly quieted down to listen to what the Headmaster had to say. "Good Morning students. I have an announcement that I couldn't have given you at the Welcoming Feast because it wasn't sure until this morning. Madame Pomfry is retiring." There was an 'aww' sound from most of the student body. "She will be training her replacement over the coarse of this year. Allow me to introduce Madame Weasley."
Hermione's jaw dropped, then she grinned. First at the Headmaster using her friend's maiden name, then because she would be seeing her friend on a daily basis. Perhaps, just perhaps, she could get through this. Maybe she could handle the students who had her today. Just maybe she could work Draco, Severus, and her out. Maybe everything would be alright.