Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. The original HP Characters and situations are not mine.
A/N: This is the second to last chapter of Hidden Beneath, I hope you enjoy it. And after you read this, go and read Heaven's new fic called Spanish Surprise, its here at Portkey and at her yahoogroup as well. Happy reading ^.^
Hidden Beneath
Chapter 11-You Are Not Alone
Hermione continued to wait in what felt like bitter silence, Snape didn't show any emotion at all which worried Hermione what if he didn't believe her? What if he thinks she's just making all this up?
Snape looked at the other three boys in the room and in a calm but firm voice said. "Can you boys leave us alone? I would like to speak with Miss Granger privately."
Without so much as a peep out of them the three boys left the hospital wing. Snape grabbed a chair and pulled it over next to Hermione's bed side and sat down. He could see she was very nervous, as she kept ringing her fingers together over and over again. After what seemed like an eternity of silence Snape suddenly spoke. "How long has this been going on?" His voice held no malice what so ever.
"For a long while now." Hermione glanced down at her blankets, she wanted hide.
"Before you say anything else to me, we should go talk to Headmaster Dumbledore." Before Hermione could respond he stood. "I'll wait for you outside the door," Snape quickly left the hospital wing.
Hermione gulped, she was going to be expelled, she just knew it. Professor Snape didn't believe her. She started to get up out of the bed when the nurse left the office coming into the hospital.
"Where do you think you're going?" The nurse tapped her foot like an annoyed mother.
"I have to see the Headmaster." Hermione answered quietly.
"Well you have been in here for quite a number of days; I think you are okay to leave. Just remember to take it easy and try not to stress yourself out."
With a nod, Hermione gathered up her clothing and went into the bathroom to change. As she pulled her shirt over her head, she tried to control her trembling body. Hermione didn't want to be expelled.
She left the infirmary and saw Snape standing outside just as he said he would. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she saw that Harry was nowhere in sight. Snape motioned for her to follow him and before she knew it, she was standing in front of the staircase that led up to Dumbledore's office.
Snape quietly said the password and the two of them were heading into the office.
Snape pointed to a chair. "Have a seat Miss Granger." And he went into the back room.
Hermione could hear muffled talking; she wondered what they were saying. Were they talking about how she must now contact the Weasleys and would be arriving home because she would now be expelled? She sighed, the great distress of it all made her body continue to shake.
Dumbledore, with Snape following quietly behind emerged from the back office. Hermione noticed that Dumbledore seemed greatly comforting as he headed in her direction.
Snape stood near the back of the office as to not seem like he was closing in on the girl, to give her all the room she needed.
Dumbledore sat in the vacant chair next to Hermione, "You know why you are here?" He saw Hermione nod. "You are going to have to tell me exactly what's been going on, I need to know the whole story."
Hermione took a long deep breath; she opened her mouth to speak but closed it instantly. She was hesitating.
Dumbledore could sense she was having great difficulty, "Miss Granger, take all the time you need." Dumbledore's eyes were kind and it made Hermione want to tell him her whole life's story.
Hermione took a deep breath, "It started around third year, I had just come back from the library, as I entered the common room I could see Ron was hard at work on a report that was due soon--
Hermione headed towards Ron and from her standing position she looked down on him, over his shoulder at the paper he was vigorously writing. The tip of his quill snapped as he wrote and he slammed his fist down in anger.
"Damn-it!" he swore, pushing his paper away. It had been very silent and that sudden outburst made Hermione jump a little having being startled, and Ron looked up at her in annoyance. "Something you wanted?" he asked snappishly. His potions essay was due that next day and he still had two feet to go.
She smiled comfortingly, "Not really, just seeing how you were doing."
"Well I'll be fine once I get this done." Ron shrugged her hand off his shoulder and hunched over his essay again.
"Do you want some help?" She offered politely and sat down next to him. "I know how hard potions can be sometimes."
"No! I told you I'd be fine!" Ron looked up and glared at her. "Maybe if you'd just leave me the hell alone, I could get some work done." his tone was cold.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, "Fine, have it your way. I have better things to do anyway." Still fuming she stood from the sofa and turned to go.
"HEY!" Ron shouted, standing up and catching her arm. "You don't talk to me like that!"
"Excuse me!?" She ripped her arm from his grasp "I'll talk to you only the way you deserve!"
Ron's eyes narrowed in anger and before he knew it his arm was raised and he slapped her hard across the cheek.
Hermione's hand shot up and covered over her now red cheek, she was frozen to the spot. Her eyes were wide, tears were starting to form. She stared at him in disbelief.
"Hermione..." Ron's eyes were wide as well, his jaw hanging open. "Hermione I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that." He stepped forward and tried to pull her into his arms. He couldn't believe he had just done that.
She felt a little odd, he had never even laid one finger on her before and now he just slapped her. She stepped back from him, her eyes still wide studying him closely. "Ron... you...I" she couldn't even form the thought in her head.
"I'm sorry... I swear Hermione it'll never happen again I was just mad about this bloody essay and..." Ron felt at a loss for words. "It'll never happen again, I promise."
Hermione took a deep breath, she knew he wouldn't have done it on purpose. It was just an accident. He normally isn't so angry. It was just the pressure that was it. She was sure of it. "It's all right Ron, no harm done. It's just a little bruise, really. I'll be fine." She smiled weakly
Ron nodded, relieved, and successfully pulled her into his arms.
Hermione patted his shoulder a tad awkwardly, "Well I better let you get back to your essay." She backed away from him, smiling a little.--
Dumbledore could see Hermione was battling her emotions, she was trying hard to keep from crying. He placed a tender hand on her back. "It's alright Miss Granger, you may continue when ready." He brought a handkerchief from his drawer and handed it to her.
"Thank you." Hermione accepted the cloth and gently dabbed at her eyes, she felt ready to continue--
Ron sat back and patted his full stomach, the house elves had made an especially good lunch that day and he had eaten more than his fill.
Hermione finished off what was on her plate and turned glancing at Ron, "That was sure good don't you agree Ron?" Hermione said then taking a sip from her glass.
"Yes it was." Ron replied. "You shouldn't have taken all that pudding though, enough of that and you'll be as fat as Crabbe and Goyle soon." he dropped his napkin on top of his empty plate.
Hermione amused shook her head, "Oh as if the helping you had on your plate was tiny as tiny could be."
"What?" Ron shot up straight and pinched her arm.
"Owie" Hermione made a cute little pouty face, "I think I deserve an apology for that." She turned the other direction, trying to ignore him.
"Hey..." Ron moved over on the bench and pulled his arms around her waist. "You're not ignoring me are you..." He pulled his lower lip out. "I'm sorry baby..."
Hermione tilted her head a little looking at him but trying not too, she couldn't help the small smile that started to form. "Ah, you know I can't stay mad at you, especially when you make that face"
Ron grinned back and was leaning in to kiss her when a voice interrupted them
"Hello Ron, Hermione." It was Draco Malfoy who had interrupted them. "I'm sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if you could help me Hermione, I'm not doing so well in Muggle Studies, so maybe you could well tutor me?" He sounded very hopeful
"She can't." Ron answered coolly, holding tightly onto Hermione's arm. "She's busy."
Draco was desperate, "but I really need the tutoring. Please, Hermione what do you say?"
Hermione thought about it and then smiled at Draco, "All right, I have some time Sunday evening, we can go over what you're having trouble with then. Meet me in the library around seven?"
Draco's face lit up with sudden relief. "Oh yes, thank you. I'll be there." Quite happy he left both Hermione and Ron to themselves and went back to join his table
Ron turned back to his girlfriend, raw anger burning in his eyes. "We need to talk." he said, yanking on her arm and practically dragging her out of the Great Hall. Once outside and down a deserted corridor, he pushed her up against the stone wall. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
Hermione's jaw dropped, the force that she hit the wall hurt the back of her head a bit, but she was not going to bring that up right now. She was mad. "What are you talking about?"
"I mean you with Malfoy!" Ron leaned in so that his face was almost touching hers. "He doesn't want you to tutor him, you idiot! He just wants to sleep with you!"
Hermione pushed him away from her she needed some breathing room "What?! That's insane. What makes you even think such a thing?!"
"I know how other guys look at you, Hermione." Ron snarled. "I'm not blind or stupid like you. He just wants to get in your uniform!"
"As if I would let him!? Geeze, Ron give me a little credit. Honestly!" Hermione looked at him, his face was redder than his hair. "You know what you are, jealous that's all!"
SLAP! The sound of his hand hitting her face echoed in the corridor. He glared down at her as a red mark appeared on her face. "Look what you made me do!"
Hermione, she glanced down at the floor for a moment, "what...what did you do that for?" She was stunned into almost silence
"Because you MADE me!" Ron roughly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back against the wall again. "You know when you make me angry that this is what I do!"
She tried to push him away again, "I...I have to be alone for a moment." Hermione continued to pry herself from his grasp as tears were threatening to fall
"No Hermione, I will not leave you alone, because you know what? You'll go running straight to Draco Malfoy, won't you?" Ron's face was so red he looked like he should have smoke coming out of his ears.
"No I won't! Please just let go. You're hurting me." She continued to wiggle, "Please Ron." She pleaded looking up at him.
He visibly relaxed, and loosened his grip on her shoulders. "All right, I'm sorry." Ron finally said. "Look... how about I buy you lunch in Hogsmeade next time... I'll even get you butterbeer."
Hermione rubbed her shoulders where his hands had been they were still aching; she could feel the bruises still forming, "all right." She nodded, "Only if you want too."
"Of course I want to." Ron put his arms around her again, only he was comforting this time.
Hermione stiffened at first but eventually relaxed into him. "I'd like that."
"All right then." He said and they started walking away.
Dumbledore watched Hermione carefully, scanning her eyes her face as she continued on with another horrifying report.
--Hermione with her nose stuck in her book, concentrated hard on all the material that they would be tested on in History of Magic
"Hey baby." Ron slid down on the sofa next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.
She didn't even give him any impression that she knew he was there.
"Hey!" Ron shook his arm. "Hermione, I'm here!"
Hermione looked over at him, "Huh? Oh sorry. There's a big test tomorrow I guess I got carried away in the studies."
Ron narrowed his eyes for a moment but forced a smile on his face. "You study too much." he said, trying to sound affectionate as he pulled the book from her grasp.
"Ron!" she tried to grab the book from him, "Come on I have to study, I don't want to fail the test tomorrow."
With a roll of his eyes he then said, "You're not going to fail!" Ron snapped, tossing the book to the floor. "Now..." his smile returned. "How about a little quality time for your boyfriend?"
"You can have all the quality time you want after the test tomorrow, and I will fail if I don't study." She bent to retrieve the book from on the floor.
"Come on..." Ron made his voice go pleading. "I haven't spent any time with you all day and I've been looking forward to this." He tightened his grip around her waist.
Hermione looked at Ron for a moment, "We just spent time together this morning. So after the test tomorrow we'll have a large break before the next one. Believe it or not it does make sense. In fact you should study yourself; you know you aren't doing too well."
"I'm doing just fine." Ron's eyes had darkened dangerously. "And now I think you and I need to spend some time together."
"I'm very serious here, Ron I need to study and you need to study." She moved away from him, Hermione was going to go up to her room where she could have some peace and quiet.
Ron made a growling sound in his throat and grabbed her around the waist. He flung her back onto the couch and struck her face. "You'll do as I tell you!" Hermione shrieked, the force of his blow felt like she was hitting a concrete wall. Ron grabbed her by the shoulders lifting her off the couch, squeezing tightly shaking her hard. He threw her to the floor.
"You stupid bitch!" he yelled as he struck her again. "You think you can always just talk back to me! I'm not going to put up with your bullshit anymore!" Ron kicked his leg out and caught her in the stomach.
Hermione felt like her stomach jumped up into her throat. She clutched her middle tightly feeling very short of breath, "I'm sorry." She managed to get out.
"You're never sorry." Ron spat, kicking her once again. "It's all your fault this happens, that you make me do this to you. If you would just behave everything would be fine!"
Hermione couldn't stop the tears, the immense pain surging through her body at the forces of his kicking. "I'm sorry, I am... I am." She sobbed loudly, straining to catch her breath.
Ron stopped, his breath coming in short gasps. He looked down at her and was filled with such anger he could hardly control it.
He decided he needed to leave; perhaps he could seek comfort in someone else. Turning on his heel, he left the room without speaking another word to her.
Hermione clutched hard, her fingers scraping at the stone flooring. She was struggling to catch her breath; she tasted something metallic in her mouth and spit. A small amount of blood was now on the floor; her lips were now red with it. She was nothing, she was not worthy of the blood that ran in her veins. She hoped with all her heart that it would just drip out and she would cease to exist.--
It took Hermione a few minutes this time; she couldn't stop the tears that were flowing freely from her eyes. Dumbledore tried his best to comfort her in her time of need. She eventually told him more scenarios, each one more gruesome than the next.
Dumbledore had waited for her to calm down before he spoke, she was looking up at him her eyes were so very red.
"Miss Granger, why did you wait so long to tell anyone?"
Hermione sighed, "I don't know. I probably deserved everything I got, my inferior blood and everything." She was glancing at the cloth within her hands.
Dumbledore looked at her, "People can only make you feel inferior of you let them."
"What do you mean let them?" Hermione lifted her head, glaring up at the Headmaster. "I didn't let them do a damn thing to me; I'm not as good as everyone else! I'm a stupid Mudblood." she looked miserably back down at her hands.
"Do you really believe that is true?" He saw Hermione nod vigorously, "Then if that is so, then why are you here telling me all of this?"
Hermione sniffled, "I'm tired of being hurt." She glanced out the window, even the cheerful singing of birds could not lift the dark cloud that shrouded over her life. "Sometimes I think that death is a much more welcome friend, I often wonder why he just doesn't kill me and get it over with? I would much rather be gone from this world than keep living with this day after day." This time silent tears trickled down her cheek.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore's voice sounded much like a whisper, it was soft and gentle. "It's the fight to survive that makes us strong, "true you might think that death is easy, that in it you will feel no pain." But it is only theweak that decide to take that route." He saw Hermione look up at him, "I for one do not believe that you are weak, not in the slightest. I believe that there is so much strength inside of you that you don't even realize it yourself."
Hermione swallowed and glanced down at her fingers again, "What if you're wrong?"
"If I'm wrong then you wouldn't have made it this far, you wouldn't have been able to tell me what has been happening, it takes strength to do the right thing, even if the right thing is difficult."
"That's what Harry said." She smiled a little without realizing it.
Dumbledore smiled to himself glad that she did in fact have someone to confide to. "So you've made friends with someone?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes, Harry Potter. He's great."
"I am very pleased that he is such a good friend to you."
'He's more than just a friend.' Hermione thought to herself. She needed to change the subject, "What's going to happen now?"
Snape who had not uttered a word until now spoke up, "The ministry will be contacted, and Mr. Weasley will be taken into custody."
"You mean arrested?!" Hermione panicked.
"Not to worry Miss Granger." Dumbledore said knowing exactly what Hermione was thinking. "You will not be hurt anymore."
"How soon will this all happen?" She took small, short breaths.
Dumbledore leaned back in the chair, "The Ministry will be contacted immediately, the Department of Domestic Affairs will probably get back to us within an hours time, possibly less."
"I see." Hermione lowered her head, looking down at her feet.
"I want you to set up weekly meetings with Madame Pomfrey, to talk to her about all that has happened, she will help you to be able to get past this and lead a normal, healthy life." Dumbledore suggested.
Hermione breathed out, she needed some fresh air. She had to get out of there now. "Is there anything else?"
"Not unless you want to talk some more?" Dumbledore replied.
She shook her head, "Oh no… I think I've done enough talking for today." Hermione started to get up.
"Remember Miss Granger, if you ever want to talk my door is always open," Snape said. "I think I have already mentioned that to you before."
Hermione nodded, "Yes sir you did." And without so much as uttering another word, she left Dumbledore's office. Slowly, Hermione descended the stairs. She needed to lie down. She heard the faint sound of someone crying, and looked around not really knowing where it was coming from, she shrugged and continued to go down the stairs. The closer to the bottom of the stairs she got the more she could hear the person crying.
She followed the sounds and went around to the little area behind the stairs which was completely hidden if you didn't know where to look. There, Hermione saw a blonde head, the persons face was hidden with their hands and their knees had been brought up to act as a kind of table. "Uh… excuse me. Are you all right?"
The blonde head lifted quickly looking at Hermione. Lavender Brown, who looked like she had gotten a taste of something rather hostile, was watching Hermione carefully.
"Oh it's only you. Never mind then." Hermione said irritated as she tried to pull herself away from the cove. She didn't fail to notice Lavender's red cheek and the bruise that was forming around her eye. It looked all too familiar.
"No wait." Lavender nearly shouted. "Don't go, please help me."
"Why should I?" Hermione said without turning around.
Lavender couldn't really form the words yet, she could hardly believe it happened herself. But it did, she couldn't go back to the way things were. She now understood what Hermione had to have been going through and probably going through it for a lot longer. "Ron did this." Lavender pointed to her face.
Hermione visibly stiffened; the cold icy feeling traveling up her spine caused her body to shiver. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts, "What are you talking about?" Hermione's tone was cold and unfeeling; it held no comfort for the blonde girl sitting all curled up in a dark corner of Hogwarts. "I have important work to do." She started away from Lavender.
"Hermione, he hit me too."
Stopping dead in her tracks, Hermione felt her eyes prickle with fresh tears; she hung her head low. Feeling much worn out and tired, "So what do you expect me to do about it?"
"I don't know." Lavender was very ashamed of herself, she never would have believed it if it hadn't happened to her. "I am so sorry Hermione, I am so sorry for everything."
Hermione turned a bit looking at Lavender, "Want to go get some hot chocolate?" she offered.
Lavender felt a bit of relief and nodded, "I'd like that, yes."
******
"Do you think she's all right?" Crabbe wondered.
"I hope so," Goyle felt a bit worried.
Harry came running into the Great Hall, "The portraits all around this place said that Hermione is having hot chocolate in the kitchens." Harry heard and saw both Crabbe and Goyle sighed with great relief.
"Well let's go see what happened with her then," Goyle suggested which was what Harry was going to do that anyway. And the three of them headed down to the kitchens.
Lavender took a sip from her mug, "I really don't know what happened, he just well…snapped."
Hermione out of habit now continued to look down at the table, "He snaps a lot."
"I can't imagine living through what you did," Lavender reached up and touched her own cheek, cringing a bit.
"Many times I've thought if I just listened and did whatever he said he would stop. But no." Hermione shook her head, "Everything I had done just wasn't good enough."
Lavender nodded and stared into her almost empty mug. "I just wish I knew what to say," she mumbled, pushing a lock of hair off her forehead. "You're so strong, Hermione."
"Strong, me? You must be joking. What makes you say something like that?" She drained her mug, tasting the sweet chocolate glide down her throat
"No one ever knew." Lavender burst out. "On the surface, you and Ron were the picture perfect couple to everyone... well everyone except me, I knew you two were having troubles but I never thought it ran this deep."
"I fear my own shadow; this has been going on for a very long time. I'm just not worthy of life, I understand that now. I've come to accept it. What wrong thing could you have possibly done for him to give you punishment?"
"I was just trying to help him." Lavender said miserably, once again touching the mark on her face. "He was so angry and I thought that I could help calm him down."
"I knew about you two, being together. You're ten times better than I am and you're a pureblood, not a nasty little piece of trash Mudblood like me. I don't know why he would keep me around when he had you." She squeezed the mug tightly in her hand that the force shattered it, ceramic shards went everywhere. "Damn it, why didn't he just kill me! WHY?! Why did I have to suffer, what did I do wrong! What?!" She slammed her fists down on the table.
Lavender jumped, looking stricken at Hermione's outburst. "Hermione don't say that!" She placed a trembling hand on the other girl's shoulder. "You're not a Mudblood, only really derogatory people use that term." she sat down when Hermione didn't move or shout at her to get away. "No one deserves what you have been going through, NO one."
"Lavender, I... just... don't know what to think." Hermione looked up at Lavender. "You know, if this hadn't of happened to you, we wouldn't be sitting here right now. We'd still be enemies."
"I know." Lavender was embarrassed. "It makes me feel like the shallowest, most horrible person alive." She could feel tears prick at her eyes. "I'm really no better than Ron."
"I talked to Headmaster Dumbledore; perhaps you should do the same."
Lavender shrugged. "Maybe," she answered. "Somehow I don't feel like I've earned a reprieve."
"Who ever gets even a taste of that should report it." Hermione sighed.
"Do you really think I should?" Lavender asked tentatively. Seeing Hermione nod, she straightened up. "All right then, I will."
Hermione nodded, "Good luck then"
"Thanks." Lavender said. "I think I'll go now, before I lose my nerve."
Hermione tried to smile, to give her a little more courage but she just couldn't do it.
The house elves immediately went to pick up the mess from the ceramic mug just as Harry, Crabbe and Goyle wandered into the kitchens.
"Hermione!" Harry nearly shouted. "Are you all right, what happened with Professor Snape?"
"He took to me to see Headmaster Dumbledore and I had to tell him everything." Hermione started wringing her fingers together, "They probably have already contacted the ministry by now."
Harry stepped closer to her and sat down beside Hermione, "So they are going to arrest Weasley?"
"Yes." Hermione simply said, her bottom lip trembling. "I'm going to be in so much trouble."
Quickly, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione pulling her into the safety and comfort of his embrace. "Why would you be in trouble?"
"Once Ron's parents find out what I have done…" She couldn't even finish her thought out loud.
"I don't know how Weasley's parents will react to this, but I would think they would be in your favor and try to get their son some mental help," Harry let her lean into him and hold onto him as long as she needed or wanted.
*****
Professor McGonagall walked up and down the aisle watching students working hard on changing their animal of choice into a flower pot.
Hermione had avoided looking at Ron she knew he was glaring at her, she could feel his angry intense stare upon the side of her face.
"Just ignore him." Harry quietly said noticing how uncomfortable she was; her stance was rigid and she held on to her wand a little too tightly.
"I'm trying," Hermione responded.
A light cough from the doorway alerted Professor McGonagall, she looked up and noticed Mr. Filch the caretaker standing there looking pleased about something.
The students heard whispering and they all glanced over at the door, seeing professor McGonagall nod in a very slow and worried fashion that led them to believe something was wrong. Professor McGonagall came back into the class room looking very distraught.
"Mr. Weasley, will you please come with me." It wasn't a request.
Ron looked at the professor curiously and gathered up his belongings and joined the professor at the door and out into the hall. There with Professor Snape and Mr. Filch stood two men in magical law enforcement uniforms.
"Are you Mr. Ronald Weasley?" The taller of the law enforcement officers spoke up.
The red head looked at the two men suspiciously, "Yes, why?"
The more portly of the officers unrolled a scroll and cleared his throat to speak, "Mr. Ronald Weasley you are here by under arrest by the Department of Domestic Affairs." He rolled the scroll back up.
"What?!" Ron shouted out. "This is clearly a mistake, I haven't done anything! You can't do this!" He was completely enraged.
"Come along Mr. Weasley, make this easy on yourself. Don't try to resist its futile and you know it." The tall officer replied.
Ron glared back at the door way he knew who had done this, "Who filed the report, who did this?!"
"We are not at liberty to say, now come along or do we have to use force." The portly officer growled.
"What ever the charges are they are false, I didn't do a damn thing. My family will file a law suit against this false accusation." Ron spat out.
The officer rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah that's what they all say." He pulled out his wand, "I've had enough of your resisting." He pointed his wand at Ron and said "Stupify."
Back in the class room, Hermione had sat down in her chair regretting what was going to happen next. Harry's hand was placed over hers in a gesture of comfort.
"Whatever happens now Hermione, I'll be here for you." He whispered, and Hermione nodded her head slowly.
Professor McGonagall hurried back into her classroom, "All right students back to the lessons." She said as if nothing out of the ordinary had gone on. She watched the students carefully and noticed that Hermione wasn't concentrating and seemed distracted. 'Poor girl.' McGonagall thought to herself, learning of what was happening from the other professors, she hoped all would end well.
It was Friday the thirteenth, Dumbledore along with Professor Snape, Harry, and Lavender were waiting in an office while Hermione was speaking with someone in the Department of Domestic Affairs office. The trial of Ronald Weasley was going to take place in little less than an hour. They were just getting the last minute facts in order before they proceeded with their case.
Hermione along with an appointed litigator a Mr. Charles Wallace emerged from the office looking very nervous, Harry was first to greet her.
"How are you feeling Hermione," He asked with a comforting smile.
A large sigh escaped from her, "I'm very nervous, I don't know if this is such a good idea anymore." Hermione glanced down at the floor in extreme worry.
"You can do it Miss Granger," Snape said having listened to Harry and Hermione's conversation. "We have complete faith in you, don't let fear stop you from doing the right thing."
Hermione nodded, "It's just so hard." She looked up at the ceiling trying to keep herself from shedding a tear.
Before anyone could say anything else the door to one of the courtrooms had opened and a government official stepped out, "Its time." He said and disappeared back into the room.
Charles smiled encouragingly at Hermione, "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied in a quiet, unsure tone.
Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Dumbledore and Snape went in first, followed by Lavender, Harry, Hermione and their lawyer. Charles escorted Hermione to a seat up in the front of the courtroom, she could feel the many gazes upon her back, she dare not look back at them for that would just make her turn and bolt from the room.
Ginny and her parents were seated in the back, Ginny couldn't understand why Hermione would make up such lies about her brother, she had never seen him so much as lay one finger on Hermione. Ginny hoped that Hermione was utterly humiliated for putting her family through this atrocity.
Hermione could hear the whispering. She wasn't sure she could take this. "Hermione," she heard Charles say and she turned a bit facing him.
"Ignore the whispering, ignore everything. Just focus on me, don't let them get to you." Charles replied confidently, "We have a strong case, and they are also going to use the Memory Beads as well. You'll be fine and everyone will see and perhaps learn something from this."
"I'll do what I can," Hermione nearly whispered, and Charles patted her on the back.
Off to the side a door opened and Ron along with two gentlemen emerged, they passed by the table Hermione and Charles was seated at. Ron stared bitterly at her, even though she wasn't looking at him he knew she was afraid of him. That pleased him.
Charles watched as Ron sat down with the two gentlemen. He knew those two well. They were the most sneaky, underhanded litigators in the business. But no matter what questions were asked and answered all would be revealed with the Memory Beads. Charles was confident; he was as cool as a cucumber. He just hoped all this didn't blow up in his face. He looked over at Hermione; she was shaking in her chair. Her hair was pulled back in a respectable twist, she tried to look so good and innocent today. Charles hoped it was enough.
=======
Well that's it for chapter 11, I had to break this up into two chapters since it was getting too long. Stay tuned for chapter 12 the very last chapter *sniffle* Remember to review ^.^ Thanks, Ryoko Blue