Disclaimer: I do not own anything. except for this computer. So ya.
Sorry for such a late update. It has been a rough few weeks here in the middle of nowhere. This chapter does have a flashback moment and a weird acting Snape and this is the way i want him to be and picture him to be with certian students during certian situations but the dialog is soooo off so I am quite disappointed in that. Umm I can not think of anything else to say I guess. So on with the story.
The Great Hall looked as it always had with all four house banners over the house tables the starry sky reflected in the ceiling of Hogwarts. The torches were lit and giving off an inviting lighting as if the school knew that it's guests needed the calm and warm light it provided on this most frantic of nights.
Professor Dumbledore and the Weasley men took the pleasure of drawing up more chairs around the Head's table for their guests. Professor McGonagall Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey had decided to join them, take a break form preparing next terms studies.
They all ate and drank merrily, truly a feast fit for queens and kings. Laughing and talking, speaking of all of Ron and Hermione and Harry's adventures and all the pranks Fred and George have played over the years.
There were many stares and glances towards Hermione the cuts and bruises on her face were still quite apparent. The teachers all whispering between themselves wondering why they were all here and what had happened to the Granger girl.
Oh but Hermione was in her prime of the summer. For once, she was not thinking of David or her mother, she was thinking of love and friendship and the family she had all along that she just never really realized it.
Ron holding her hand under the table kept her form seeing all the stares and hearing all the whispers, but Ron saw them.
By now, the bruises started to appear on Ron's face from his previous fight with David but he did not care what everyone thought he wore them proud, he was glad he had been able to make David feel some of the pain he had made Hermione feel in the past year and a half.
He had heard the whispering and seen the stares in Hermione's and his direction but he did his best to ignore them and prayed that Hermione had not noticed he had not seen her smile and laugh like this in so long he just wanted it to stay that way.
Hermione's grip tightened on his hand under the table as Fred began to tell the story of Ron and Harry's first adventure together, saving Hermione, Ron's damsel in distress from the ugly troll the Professor Quirell had let in the castle.
Ron's ears turned a bright red when he heard George tell the table about his jibes and remarks that he had made about Hermione that had consequently had found her in the ladies loo that Halloween.
The night went on and they all ate until their pants could no longer hold them than they sat still chatting and laughing. Most of the professors that had joined them had retreated to their rooms for a night of nestling into their bed for a long nights rest.
The Weasleys and Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall wiped tears off their faces at the new story that Harry Fred and George were telling as Hermione tried to stand from the table but Ron's hand kept a strong hold not ready to let her be away from him just yet.
"I will be right back Ron just need to use the Lavatory. I promise I will be fine." Ron smiled at her and gave her hand another tight squeeze before letting her go watching her all the way down the Great Hall and up the first staircase before he let his eyes find his mothers kind smile staring at him in great fondness.
Professor Snape got up a few minutes later and walked out of the Great Hall after bidding everyone a good evening. Snape began to walk towards the dungeon but had heard footsteps coming down the staircase.
"Miss Granger, may I have a word with you?" Professor Snape was standing at the bottom of the staircase with his hand held out to help Hermione down the last few stairs.
"Yes sir" she took his hand and looked into his cold stare wondering why he was acting so strangely, maybe it was because it was holiday and he was nice but did not want to show it during school hours.
"Miss Granger, I was wondering… here why don't we sit? I was wondering and I am hoping this is not too forward of me but could you tell me what has happened to you and Mr. Weasley?" Professor Snape looked at Hermione hopeful and sincere while Hermione looked at her folded hands in her lap.
"Well no it is not too forward of you Professor but I am not sure how to tell anyone." Severus Snape looked onto her unsure of what to tell her, unsure of what to ask or say or do.
"My dear girl, can I make an observation? Something that might sound awful if it is wrong but please correct me if I am." Hermione nodded and looked up at her Professor.
"Well it looks as if you have been… abused. I am sorry if that is incorrect." Hermione stifled a few tears back and looked into Severus's eyes.
"Yes sir, I have been." She wiped furiously at her tears.
"My dear girl. I am so sorry, I know that pain. I know how much it hurts."
Hermione looked at Snape with surprise. She had never seen this side of Professor Snape before, caring and concerned and now him telling her he knows the pain of being abused.
"Professor Snape… It does hurt. I just don't know what is going to happen now. I am scared." Hermione let her tears fall from her watered eyes and Severus seemed unsure of how to comfort her.
"Miss Granger please know my office is always open if you need someone to talk to. You can owl me if you need anything. I will try my best to do whatever I can do for you." Severus looked to Hermione for some sign that he had said something right.
They stayed silent for several minutes unsure of what to say next.
"When I was a small boy, my father would get angry and he would take it out on my mum and I, when I got old enough to fight back it only got worse not only worse for me but my mum as well. One year while I was here at Hogwarts my father drank a little too much and beat my mother so severely he had killed her. When I came back home he tried to do the same to me I ran away Miss Granger and I assume that is what you have done? I see you here with the Weasley's have they taken you in?"
Hermione had tears streaming down her face from Professor Snape's admittance of his childhood she was in shock she had no idea that Severus had been through a ordeal like that while growing up.
"Oh child please don't cry, I promise everything will be ok soon. You have all of us to lean on if you need us, Dumbledore McGonagall the Weasleys Harry me, all of us will be there for you if you need anything. The road is going to long and hard Miss Granger and it is going to wear you down to where you think there is nothing left for you to keep on fighting But you do, you have love here, you have a future here and a bright and promising one at that. Please Miss Granger always remember that. Are you ok Hermione?"
Hermione's hands wringed themselves and her mouth fixed into a clench. Snape had begun to worry when she had stopped talking or moving around like she was sitting here with a Professor, when she began to act as if she were not in this time, so he had went to the doors of the Great Hall and signaled for someone to come out into the hall but the only one who saw his signal was Ron.
Hermione had been thinking about David and how had always told her that she was never to talk about him, about what he had done to her.
She felt defiance and hatred run through her, more than she had let herself feel in the past year and a half. It ate at her it filled her very soul.
The visions of him on top of her, the scent of his cologne and the sound of his cold voice ringing loudly in her ears. Hermione wanted to scream, she wanted to lash out she wanted to hurt him.
"Hermione… where are you? I just want to play with you. Don't you want to play with dear old dad? Ah there you are my sweet, you look so beautiful tonight." Hermione had been hiding in a closet in her mother's room.
She knew her mother would be gone for a few days on a Dentistry conference so when David came home after work she had thought up a plan. What she had not planned for was David to have stopped at the pub for a few relaxing drinks before coming home. David had found her in the closet shaking and crying with a pan in her hand.
"Stay away from me David, you will never hurt me again I swear one more step…" Hermione raised the pan with a shaky hand tears rolling down her face trying to stand between her mother's formal dresses and her work clothes her knees wobbled, she could hear her heart beat in her ears and taste the tears falling into her mouth.
"Your gonna do what? Hit me with your little pan HA! I would love to see you try." Hermione took a deep breath and lunged for David she swung the pan and missed his head by mere inches.
David grabbed Hermione's arm and tried to pry the pan out of her fingers. She could feel him hitting her again and the terror raged inside of her, the struggle turned on him she kicked and screamed his gripped was lost on her arm so she swung the pan again and hit him in his back he fell to his knees and she kicked him in the jaw he fell to the ground backwards on the floor.
She closed her eyes and cried, that was when he grabbed her by the leg and pulled her down to the floor.
With the thud that followed Hermione to the ground a clap of thunder sounded outside.
He told her that he would teach her for trying to defy him, that she would learn to love him and everything about him.
David left Hermione laying on the floor wondering what would happen next. He left the room reeking of sweat and alcohol Hermione looked around and saw that her mother's window was unlocked, she could jump three stories she has fallen before nothing new about this.
She looked back at the door and listened for him to be coming for the stairs, nothing. She stood up and ran to the window but as she opened it she felt something hit her, a spell and it knocked her out cold.
When she woke up she was in her room laying in bed in just her undergarments.
She looked around and found a blanket and no sign of David.
She got up out of bed and wrapped the blanket around herself, thunder rumbled again and lightning lit her room.
She checked her door to make sure it was locked although she knew it would never work he has his wand and could open it just like that but still it made her feel safer.
She shuffled into her bathroom got some clothes out of her dresser and started her shower.
A look in the mirror told her she was safe for tonight.
Her hair was disheveled, her eye was swollen there was small bits of blood coming from the corner of her mouth. There were bruises on her ribs and her legs, the tears coming out of her eyes had made it hard for her to see the rest of her reflection in the mirror so she dropped the blanket and took off her undergarments and tested the water it was as hot as she could get it.
She took a scrub brush and started to scrub away David from her body, the smell of sex and sweat and blood. His voice ringing in her ears,
"You will never learn will you? Filthy little mudblood, you are never gonna get rid of me. I am stronger than you and far more intelligent than you will ever be, your mother loves me and will always believe me. You just do as I say and you wont get hurt anymore. Just behave and everything will be ok. You misbehave and you will learn a difficult lesson Hermione and I will not be easy on you. One more stunt like this and I will kill you do you understand."
David took the scrub brush out of Hermione's hand and took her by the hair lifting her off the floor of the tub.
"Did I tell you that you could take a shower? Huh? Did I? No I did not Hermione no get out of there and get back in your room on your bed!!! Now!!!"
still her hair tangled in his hand he threw her on the floor and kicked her in the side making her ball up to protect herself.
She crawled on her hands and knees to her bed with David screaming behind her about teaching her a lesson in listening to instructions. She crawled into bed and prayed to Merlin and God that she would pass out before he did anything else.
"Ah I can smell the fear Hermione, you should be getting used to this by now." and than he hit her again.
"Hermione? Love are you ok?" Ron approached Hermione slowly, he could see her shaking and crying she began to whimper but when Ron touched her shoulder she jumped out of the seat screaming and crying hitting Ron with everything she had.
She kicked him and scratched and pulled his hair and punched him, he tried to grab her and she bit him.
By now the commotion had brought the rest of the Weasleys out of the Great Hall Bill ran over to help Ron.
She kept screaming, the boys tried staying away from her but she just came after them.
"Hermione! Please! It's Ron! Hermione! He's gone Hermione! I will never let him hurt you again!" Ron cried dropping to his knees.
Hermione came after him, he grabbed her wrists.
"Hermione please!" he screamed at her, his grip firm around her wrists his head hung to his chest and cried like he had never cried before.
Hermione stopped screaming and looked at him, she was brought out of her memory by Ron.
She dropped to her knees with Ron crying in his arms with him taking her up in his lap pulling her into him trying to make every inch of their bodies touch.
Professor Snape was talking to Dumbledore and McGonagall while Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to the two weeping children on the ground trying to comfort them.
"Professor, we have to be getting Ron and Hermione home sir. May we use your Fireplace?" Bill took charge of the family, he always knew when he needed to step up to the plate.
"Yes of course Bill come on lets get everyone together." Professor Dumbledore went to Fred and George where Fred had Ginny wrapped in his arms drying her tears with his sleeve.
With just one arm around their backs they followed him towards the staircase while Bill went to his mother and father.
"Come on Mum, dad and I will get them just go with Professor Dumbledore." Bill began to pick up Hermione to take her to the Floo to go home but Ron would have nothing of the sort.
Ron and Hermione stood up together, Ron supporting Hermione.
One hand holding her up while he took his other and swept the hair from her face and kissed her cheek
"We are going home Hermione." he put his arm under Hermione's knees and lifted her, Hermione swung her arms around Ron's neck hiding her head in the crevice of his neck.
Snape followed close behind them,
"Mr. Weasley I am so sorry all this is happening we were just talking and she just went ridged. Please Ron if you need anything please let me know."
Ron looked back at the Professor's face not knowing all that he had said to Hermione and not knowing the pain he had shared with her. He was ready to tell him to shove off but when he saw the concern etched on Professor Snape's face he changed his mind.
The two men shared a look, understanding and apprehension were shared in their eyes.
Ron's hardened looked softened and he thanked Snape and continued up the staircase with a trembling Hermione curled up in his arms.
Once in the Headmaster's office Harry entered the fire with Ron and Hermione threw the powder on the fire and spoke "The Burrow" Ron's grip on Hermione tightened afraid she would fall from his arms.
The trio stepped out of the fire together the Weasley's all looking on not sure what had happened and not sure what they should do to help.
Molly stepped forward as Ron passed by she wanted to hold her, kiss her worries away like a mother should always do for her daughter but Arthur took her hand and brought her back by his side.
Ron turned and looked at his mother, silent tears coming softly down her face.
He turned the corner from the kitchen and walked to the stairs that led to his room.
He had thought momentarily that he should take her to Ginny's room but went past her room and went to his.
Harry came up behind him and opened the door for him, went to Ron's bed and pulled back the covers for him to lay Hermione down. Harry went back to the door and held it open for Ron he went to the lamp beside the door and lit it with a large match in the dresser drawer than took his place in the doorway waiting to see if Hermione or Ron needed him for anything.
Ron walked to his bed and carefully laid Hermione down she had stopped crying and fallen asleep on the walk up to his room.
Her hair laid around her on the pillow giving her a sleeping beauty quality her eyes shut tight and her face tear stained, Ron untied her shoes and removed them for her before he pulled the covers up over her to keep her warm.
He sat next to her on the bed sweeping the hair from her face just holding her hand whispering into her ear. "I love you" over and over. His tears fell softly into her hair making a small stain spot on her curls.
"She is gonna be ok mate." Harry put his arms around Ron's neck and hugged him and cried with him.
This was how it was supposed to be always. The trio, when one fell the others would fall with them and share their pain, always to be there for each other supporting each other, crying with each other, laughing with each other, loving each other. Harry sat up slightly and kissed the back of Ron's head softly
"I love you, I am right here I am not leaving." Harry got off the bed and leaned down and kissed Hermione on the cheek whispering in her ear that he loved her and was here and never leaving. Before Harry left their bedside Ron reached out and grabbed Harry's hand.
"I love you too, thank you Harry."
Harry went to the door and watched Ron kiss her forehead and sat up to watch her sleep.
He turned and left for the kitchen to let everyone know that Hermione was asleep and got a butterbeer for Ron and himself before he went back up to Ron's room. He walked in carrying the drinks and handed one to Ron, happy to see his tears beginning to dry.
He lit the lamp on the table they had put next to Harry's bed than walked back to Ron's bed sitting on the other side of it. The two boys sat in silence for a while, thinking about what to do once she woke up, Ron reminiscing about his times with Hermione and why he never saw that she was hurting but now that he was looking back he could see the small signs of her pain.
He could see the resistance to go to bed, the late nights of studying turn into all-nighters, he saw her loose her appetite the long showers. Then there were all the nights he watched her sleep on the common room couch and whine and cower in her dreams.
He thought back to one night he had been watching her write the essay the Snape had assigned and in the firelight he could see the sparkle that usually resides in her eyes disappear and he could see the dark circles under her eyes darker than he had ever seen them before, her cheeks that were usually red with blush were beginning to sink in and become hollow and pale.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" she stopped her work and looked up at him silent for a second not sure how to respond, she wanted to tell him than, she wanted to scream on the top of her lungs
"No Ron I am not ok. David raped me." but she kept her cool and pushed the tears back as best she could before she responded.
"Yea perfectly fine Ron." he nodded and smiled while she went back to work on her essay. He should have pushed the subject but he was scared that he would make whatever it was worse so he just kept a closer eye on her and occasionally snuck food from the kitchens and leaving it out for her when she would come back down from bed to pull another all-nighter.
Ron felt a small weightless hand on his back, when he looked back he saw Ginny standing there just staring at Hermione too.
Ginny could not just go to her room and sleep while Hermione was asleep in another room what if Ron or Harry or Hermione needed her when she woke back up. She lent down and kissed her brother's cheek before going to Harry and giving him a kiss full on the lips and sat down next to him holding his hand and watching Hermione too.
The trio never knew it but once Ginny started school there was no "Trio" anymore it was a foursome, Ginny will always be there and share their pain, victories, tears and smiles right along with them.
As the time passed slowly every member of the Weasley's came up to kiss them goodnight and look in on Hermione.
Hours went by without Ron noticing. He remembered Harry and Ginny coming over to give him and Hermione a kiss and now when he looked for them he found them fast asleep holding each other in Harry's bed. Ron stood up and woke Harry up.
"Hey I need some air and a drink will you watch Hermione while I am gone. I would not ask if it was not important Harry. I don't want her to be alone if she wakes up." Harry sat up rubbing his eyes trying not to disturb Ginny.
"No problem Ron." Harry got up and put his glasses on, Ron waited for Harry to take his spot on the bed before leaving his room.
Ron stopped in the kitchen and got down his father's stash of Firewhisky and took it with him on his walk around the yard.
Ron stood in the middle of the walk leading to the door staring up at the sky counting as many stars as he could.
He needed to get his mind occupied before his thoughts began to eat at his soul and end up cutting himself again. He needed to be stronger for her now, he could not be weak anymore and breaking down and letting his emotions overwhelm him was weak.
Ron let out a heavy sigh and took the lid off of the firewhisky in his hand. The smell engulfed him immediately, he felt wobbly than before he took one sip of the amber liquid.
But he knew it would keep him calm so he took a sip and put it down from his mouth, but after he swallowed it and let it warm him he brought it back and took several large gulps of the firewhisky.
The stars shone brighter tonight, well in Ron's eyes anyway he walked several more times around his front and back yard drinking more and more of the firewhisky before finally deciding that he needed to go back to his room and be with Hermione.
So he looked back up at the stars one last time before heading back inside, that was when he saw the falling star he had heard in the muggle world they would make a wish on them and decided that was a better time than any to make a wish.
"Please falling star help my Hermione through this, help me know what to say and what to do and when to do them, please I love her so much to watch her be in this much pain." He looked at the sky for a few more seconds before turning the doorknob and walking into the kitchen to put the firewhisky away.
He went back to his room careful not to wake Ginny he let Harry go back to Ginny's side and got into bed with Hermione putting his arm around her waist, it fit perfectly. The moonlight fell on her face highlighting her angelic features, turning her into a goddess.
Ron laid awake hoping that she was dreaming of peaceful and happy things.
He put his head on her chest feeling his body move in time with her breathing and hearing her heartbeat, smelling her scent, kissing her cheek and tasting the sweetness left on his lips.
He closed his eyes imagining a beautiful fall day with the four of them sitting outside of Hogwarts by the lake doing their homework together. This image and her lying next to him helped lull him to sleep.
Please review!!! It keeps me motivated.
If there is anything you would like to see in the next chapter please let me know, i would love to hear your ideas.
Also to Connieewing thank you so much for all of you wonderful reviews I look forward to yours every new chapter I put up, they make me laugh and make me cry tears of joy. Thank you for your support.
And to all of my other faithful reviewers thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. *gives lifetime supply of tea and biscuits as promised*
Konae'iskrywer, Avanell, fd-hp-ECluvr, fatnakedkitten, ObsessedRHShipper, Wednesday is a vampiric witch, thank you I love all the reviews you leave for me.
and a special thanks to xLove-Hate-Relationshipx for always telling me about the mistakes she found, that has always been helpful.
No I am not done with the story just wanted to put a few thanks out there.
I am also wanting to change my pen name to Maggie Byers, so I am thinking on it. I dont know if people would lose any of my work or whatever it does so if anyone has any insite on this please share it with me.
Love Always
Maggie
