sorry its been a while :/

but, here you go, chapter 11!

Throughout the week, Hermione had been owling Harry and Ron. They tried to keep her updated with everything that was happening at school, but it seemed there was a significant amount of information Harry had put into his letters, that Ron had neglected.

One thing Harry had told her was that Ron hadn't even touched a single text book since she left. It didn't sound too worrisome for Ron, but he usually at least tried to do the assignments. The most troubling tidbit was that he hadn't been eating, and always seemed distracted at quidditch practice.

Hermione supposed Ron wasn't telling her any of this because he wasn't aware of it himself. Though it did worry her, she couldn't quite figure out what she could say in one of her letters to him that would get him to feel better. She would have to rely on Harry and Ginny to comfort him until she got back, and she had inkling that they weren't doing a very good job . . .

She knew this whole thing was "technically" about her, but couldn't someone stop focusing, for a moment, on how she was feeling, and keep Ron from starving himself?

Of course, every time she thought something like this, she'd feel ridiculous. Ron couldn't possibly be upset enough to need looking after. She was just getting herself worked up, is all.

Another thing Hermione noticed about Ron's letters, is that he didn't seem in any way upset about Lavender. Though rather than being surprised by this, Hermione felt like this was something she knew would happen, but it just happened sooner than she thought. Though she did try making up for her lack of guilt by telling herself that Lavender was a pretty girl, who could easily have any other boy in Hogwarts, she and Ron had nothing in common, anyway, and it wasn't like he broke up with her.

Of course, since Ron told her it was over between them, Hermione had been having better dreams, none like the one she had in the hospital.

She hadn't even thought of Cormac, except when she received a letter from the school saying that when she got back, she would have to confirm what Ron had told Dumbledore.

More than anything, this panicked her. When she wrote about it to Ron, he, however, seemed pleased.

But this is a good thing, Hermione! He had written, If you tell Dumbledore, McLaggen will have to be expelled! You'll never see that arse again! It'll all be fine, I promise. Harry, Ginny, and I are all behind you. Dumbledore can't, and wouldn't ignore the four of us telling him what happened. I promise, when you come back, you'll be safe, and McLaggen'll be packing his trunk.

Ginny and Harry had the same attitude. Ginny even reminded Hermione that it meant Cormac wouldn't be able to try anything with any of the other girls.

Also, the three of them noticed that Cormac hasn't been seen at all lately, in the common room after class or in the evenings. Ron reckons he's on some sort of probation, and he has to spend any time out of class with a teacher.

She hoped this was true, rather than Cormac being out, doing God-knows-what. At least if he was in the common room, Harry and Ron could be watching him.

There was also the fact that her absence had not gone unnoticed.

If a student asked a teacher where she was, the teacher would tell them she went home for a week, for personal reasons.

This answer was, understandably, unsatisfactory, so Harry, Ron, and Ginny found themselves cornered quite a few times by their peers.

When this happened, they would usually tell them that either they didn't know, or she was extremely ill.

Ginny even unthinkingly claimed Hermione had spattergroit, after being asked far too many questions by Colin Creevey.

"I bet she looks a right lot better, with those pustules all over her face," Malfoy had said, overhearing this.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ginny yelled at him, pulling out her wand, "Or I'll hex you straight to the hospital wing!"

Unfortunately, Ginny was never able to perform the bat-bogey hex, for Snape had come round the corner, and she quickly stowed away her wand, knowing he would only favor Malfoy in the end.

Even Lavender was curious, but given how things ended between her and Ron, she had Parvati ask Harry. He just told her Hermione wasn't feeling well.

The rumors about Hermione had spread quicker than fiendfyre. Eventually, however, someone had put two and two together, noting that she hadn't been seen since she left for her date with Cormac, and that Cormac hadn't been seen out of class since then either. Not to mention that it provided an explanation as to why Ron had lashed out at Cormac. Soon, it seemed everyone in Gryffindor, and almost everyone in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, had the right guess as to why Hermione was gone. The Slytherins were too horrible to mind themselves with what traumatizing event did or didn't happen to some Gryffindor mudblood.

"It's all my fault," Ron said, grumpily, one day at breakfast, "if I hadn't got into that fight, no one would probably know . . ."

"Well if you didn't try to beat up McLaggen, you know one of us would have, anyway," Ginny said, referring to her and Harry.

"It's true," Harry agreed, "I still wish I had gotten a piece of him, after you told me what he did."

"Yeah, but Hermione's going to think it's all my fault everyone knows." Ron replied, staring at his bacon.

"No one actually knows," Ginny corrected, "It's still just a rumor until Hermione confirms it herself. We can still deny it when anyone asks."

As if perfectly timed to prove her point, Neville came and sat with them.

"I wanted to ask you all," he said in a low voice, more toward Ron, "Is what people saying about Hermione true?"

Harry looked at him blankly, "What are people saying about Hermione?"

Neville looked sheepish and uncomfortable, "You know," he said, "about her and Cormac . . ? What he did to her . . ?"

When none of them answered him, he continued, "Well . . . if it is true, I hope she's alright. And I can't say I blame you for attacking him . . ." he said to Ron.

"Hermione will be alright, Neville," Ginny said, "She's really just not feeling well . . ."

It was obvious he wasn't convinced, but he could tell they didn't want to tell him anything, so he just nodded, and left, and for that, they were thankful.

Harry and Ron had also been asked by Dean, Seamus, Ernie Macmillan, and Justin Finch-Fletchy, while Ginny had been asked by almost every girl in her year.

One day, while Ron was walking to class by himself, Lavender came up to him, sniffling and almost in tears.

"R-Ron?" she sniffed, as he watched her apprehensively, "I-I want you to kn-know, I-I heard ab-b-bout w-what happened to Her-Her-Hermione"-she sobbed at the name-"and I'm really, really sorry I y-yelled at you for beating up that-that-that scum! And I think it was really, really sweet that you did that for her, and I hope she's okay . . ."

Ron panicked, as Lavender suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and began weeping into his shoulder.

"I think you t-two will make a really cute couple . . ." she sobbed into his ear.

Ron had no idea how to react to this, or what to do. Luckily, though, Lavender let go of him before he had to decide.

"Er-thanks, Lavender," he said, feeling extremely awkward, "I . . . er, appreciate it . . ." he was too in shock to remember he was supposed to be disclaiming this rumor, and it wasn't until Lavender had left before he did remember, and he had processed what she said about him and Hermione being a couple. Thinking about it, though, he was glad he didn't have the chance to correct her on that.

Hermione, all the while, had been spending an unusual extra amount of time with her parents.

After her appointment, her mom had picked up her dad, then the three of them went out to a restaurant. A family chain restaurant.

Hermione's dad seemed to understand when her mum told him that the psychiatrist didn't really do anything, but Hermione could tell he was still annoyed he had to pay for something that ended up being completely useless.

Though, Hermione found it hard to feel bad, since she recalled telling them both she wouldn't be able to talk to a stranger about this.

It felt strange, for Hermione, to be at muggle restaurant, since she had not been to one in years. She had to catch herself when she almost ordered a butterbeer. She covered it by telling the waitress she had said "root beer."

When the waitress walked away, her mum looked at her, "Does butterbeer have alcohol in it . . ?"

Hermione sighed, "No . . . well, maybe a small amount, but so small that they serve it to minors at the Three Broomsticks."

For a split second, her mum looked shocked, but Hermione quickly said, "All the professors know about it, and they wouldn't let the students go there if it was bad!"

She still didn't look convinced, so Hermione continued, "You'd have to drink more butterbeers than humanly possible to even feel a little tipsy . . ."

"Alright," her mum said, then trying to change the conversation, or perhaps just start a real one, she said, "How have your friends been? Harry, Ginny, and I suppose Ron?"

"Oh, you're speaking with Ron again?" her dad asked, looking up from his menu.

Hermione gave her mum an annoyed look.

"I like to read your letters home too, you know," her dad said defensively.

"Ron found her in the library after it happened," her mum whispered, "apparently he told the professors who did it."

"Good," her dad said firmly, as Hermione laid her head down on the table, wanting to pretend the two weren't there, "I'm glad there are still some decent teenage boys out there . . ."

"But now you know that you can't know who to trust," her mum commented, then continued to her dad, "Hermione was supposed to be on date with the boy at the time."

"What! ?" he boomed, making the table across the way from them look over. Then he said in a quieter voice, "Who said you were allowed to start dating! ? That's it, you're not dating again until you're married!"

Hermione sat up and raised an eyebrow at him, "How would that work . . ?"

"Arranged marriage," he answered, "I'm sure we could find a nice boy at church for you . . ."

"You don't go to church . . ."

"Well I'd be willing to start if it meant your safety!" her dad said indignantly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew it was an empty threat.

The waitress brought their drinks, interrupting their conversation. When she left with their orders, her dad took on a much more reasonable tone.

"Hermione, you're my one and only daughter. In my eyes, you're still a little girl. You can't blame me for freaking out when I find out you've started dating, especially after what just happened to you. So, I'm sorry, but I'd prefer it next time if you got our permission before going on a date with someone."

Before Hermione could even say anything, her mum spoke up, "Actually, I think Hermione is old enough to make wise decisions on her own. She shouldn't need our permission every time she wants to hang out with someone."

Her dad looked at her mum like she had lost her mind, "Well obviously that's not true!"

"Think about it," her mum argued, "do you really think if Hermione had mailed us before she went out, it would've prevented things from happening?"

"Of course it would have! She barely knew this boy! I would've said no!"

"Yes, but do you really think that would've stopped her from going out with him?"

"Actually it might have . . ." Hermione said.

Both of them looked at her.

"I didn't really like him anyway. I only went out with him so he would stop bothering me," she admitted, "If I had the excuse that my parents didn't want me to, I probably wouldn't have gone . . ."

Her dad gave her mum a look that seemed to say see?

"But," she continued, a blank look on her face, "I honestly don't see myself going on any more dates for a while . . . so don't worry."

Her dad looked satisfied, but her mum gave her a pitying look.

"Hermione . . ." she said slowly, "I understand your decision in this . . . but I want you to know that what happened to you shouldn't ruin dating for you. Perhaps you shouldn't for a while, but I don't want you to wait years before you give another boy a chance. Perhaps you should date someone you've been talking to since your first or second year? Maybe someone from Ravenclaw, so they'd be smart?"

"I haven't really been talking to anyone in Ravenclaw since my first year . . ."

"Alright, how about from Gryffindor?" she tried again, "Like Neville?"

Hermione almost laughed, but then felt bad. It's not that the idea of Neville dating was laughable, just the idea of her dating him.

"How about Ron?" her dad piped in.

"Why?" she blurted, her face starting to feel hot.

"He has good sense to be telling your teachers the truth!" her dad explained, "And I'd prefer you dating someone who can protect you, and Ron seems to have that down."

"Alright!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air, almost angrily, "Fine! I'll just go up to him when I get back and say, 'hey Ron! My dad wants us to start dating now, but no pressure!'"

Her parents were taken aback by her practically yelling at them. She hadn't yelled when her mum suggested Neville.

After this, neither of them tried to bring the conversation to boys, dating, or what happened to Hermione until the last day she'd be spending there.

Her parents had taken her out to one of these restaurants almost every night. She spent one of the days going into her parents' work. Her mum and dad each took off one day so they could spend time with her. Her mum took her out shopping, and her dad took her to a movie. She only got to spend one day at home by herself. She spent that day in bed.

She would spend Friday on the Hogwarts Express, on her way back to school. She wanted to be back by Friday evening so she could spend the weekend making up her school work.

When Friday did come around, Hermione's parents were almost unwilling to let her go back to school, when she had just barely come home. But they did drive her to Kings Cross Station, they did hug and kiss her goodbye just as they had September first.

Of course, this felt nothing like September first to Hermione. Neither of her best friends were there, and she felt like, this time, she'd be going back to Hogwarts to face a great horror.

She didn't know what exactly would happen, when she got back, either. She knew someone would be waiting for her to escort her from the station in Hogsmeade up to the school, but she didn't know who. She assumed it would be some Auror that would otherwise be guarding the school.

But then she didn't know where the Auror would take her. She would get there around the time everyone would be having dinner in the Great Hall, but the thought of her having to walk into the Great Hall while everyone was eating, resulting in them all looking up at her and realizing she had been away for a while, made her cringe. She hoped she'd be allowed to just go straight to her dormitory.

The train ride back, itself, was unsurprisingly lonely. Even the lady who came around with the trolly wasn't on board. She was told, in a letter, she would need to bring her own lunch that day. Hermione wouldn't have minded, except that being on the train gave her the feeling she was the last living soul on Earth. She felt even the sight of the trolly lady would comforted her, even though she didn't even know her name.

Feeling so alone on the train then seemed to make the ride a lot longer. Hermione thought back to her first ever ride on it. She didn't have Harry or Ron to sit with back then, and though she walked with her nose in the air, and her shoulders back, at the time she was really trying to cover up how scared and intimidated she was. Eventually she did find a nearly empty compartment, with no one in it except Neville. Since he looked as scared and intimidated as her, she immediately tried to befriend him.

They were friends now, of course, but at the time, now that she looked back, he didn't seem too fond of her.

As it got later into the day, and Hermione knew she was getting closer to Hogwarts, she finally started to think about how the other students would react to her absence. She hoped they either didn't notice, or didn't care, but she knew that wasn't true because Harry, Ginny, and Ron had all told her they'd been asked a few times. Fortunately they all had the sense to just say she was sick.

Then she decided that's what she would do. If anyone asked her any questions, she would just say she was sick. That'd be simple enough. It would all work out.

Soon, it became comletely dark out. It was night time. The train would be stopping any moment now.

When it finally did, Hermione grabbed her stuff, and rushed to the door to get off. She was anxious to get back up to the castle.

When she did get off the train, there wasn't an Auror waiting to take her up to the castle, but instead a smiling Hagrid.

"'Ello, 'Ermione," he said when he saw her, "It's good to see you again."

"Hi Hagrid," she said, "It's good to see you too."

As they walked up to the castle, Hagrid told her all about the creatures he's been taking care, almost not letting her talk at all, which she was grateful for.

When they did get up to the castle, and were somewhere near the Great Hall, Hermione looked up at Hagrid and was just about to ask if she could just go up to the Gryffindor tower, when he stopped abruptly.

"Almos' forgot!" he said, "Dumbledore tol' me to bring ya' straigh' up to 'is office!"

Then he turned and started walking toward the Headmaster's office.

"You know, Hagrid, you don't have to walk me all the way there. I know where his office is. I could go on my own." Hermione said.

Hagrid looked like there was something he'd rather be doing, but was unsure if he should leave her, "Ya' sure you'll be alrigh'?"

Hermione nodded, and Hagrid told her the password and left. She knew Dumbledore probably didn't want to see her to ask her how her stay with her parents has been, and she felt Hagrid being there would've been awkward.

As she got closer to his office, she saw someone come around a corner. She didn't think anything of it until they called her name.

"Hermione!"

It was Lavender.

At first, Hermione expected her to come up and start blaming her for her break up with Ron, but then Hermione saw that Lavender actually looked . . . pleased to see her.

"How are you?" Lavender asked, as she rushed up to Hermione. Then she gave her a look that was filled with pity.

"I-I'm fine." she answered, taken aback by Lavender's sudden kindness.

Then Lavender grabbed Hermione's hand with both of hers, leaned in close, and whispered, "Listen, I heard what happened to you-"

"What! ?"

"-And-it's okay-I want you to know that me and all the other girls in our dorm are there for you."

Hermione suddenly felt dizzy, "W-what do you mean? I've just been really sick lately, that's all . . ."

Lavender seemed to look at her with stern eyes, "It's alright, Hermione. We know. But don't worry, no one thinks anything bad about you, or anything like that."

"Lavender, I-I-I really don't know w-what your talking about!" Hermione pulled her hand from Lavender, and practically ran from her to Dumbledore's office.

As she approached it, she felt a sinking feeling in her gut. Lavender knew? And so did the other girls in their dorm? Who else knew? Who told them?

She took a deep breathe, trying to calm herself, before giving the password.

i know it ends at a somewhat weird spot... but i didn't want to continue and keep you guys waiting.

that is if you have been waiting.

if not- welcome! hi, my name is "The FanFiction Writer, Formerly Known as TryingToBeSirius" or "hey, you!" for short...

oh i crack myself up...

not really...

please review!