Twisting Around
Summary: Please Help Me Hermione. The words echoed through Hermione's entire being. She knew she should say no. Every fiber of logic within her said she should say no, but her heart wouldn't let her.
Chapter 5: Imposing Isolation
It was moving day at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. In contrast to the year before, everything was done in silence.
Ever since what everyone else thought of as Hermione's breakdown, an air of depression had settled upon everybody in the house. Hermione had not talked at all since that day, except to shout at whoever was trying to talk to her. She could usually be found in Harry's old room, crying. Nobody dared approach her or talk to her anymore. Even Phineas Nigellus wouldn't upset her anymore than she already was.
Hermione had mechanically stumbled through packing and moving her belongings. She wasn't quite seeing everything, nor was she thinking properly for her. She was there with everyone else, waiting for the guards from the order, and yet she wasn't. Always, some part of her consciousness was somewhere else, thinking about Harry, devising plans to help him. Even in her grief, she was committed to helping out Harry.
She allowed herself to be guided along to the train station and through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4. She immediately found an empty compartment to sit down in, ignoring Ron who was telling her that they had to go the prefects' carriage. Ginny shoved her brother out the door, saying it was no use, and she sat down besides Hermione, who had sat down by the window.
The train started to move, but Hermione did not notice. Nor did she notice when they left London behind and entered the countryside beyond. Rain started to fall, which Hermione did notice, for it fit her perfectly, she thought. All through the train ride, she sat there, looking out through the window and rain, ignoring everything that was in the compartment. Someone might have tried talking to her, Hermione didn't really know though.
Hermione felt a touch on her arm, bringing her back to her surroundings. Ginny said quietly, "We're at Hogwarts."
Looking around, Hermione noticed for the first time that she was in a compartment with Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Dean.
Hermione got dressed into her school robes, and then stuck her prefect's badge in her pocket instead of putting it on, which did not go unnoticed by the others. Nobody said anything though, for Neville, Luna, and Dean had already been warned not to say anything after they first tried speaking with Hermione.
The group got into one of the threstral drawn carriages, and soon they were outside the doors of Hogwarts, ascending into the entrance hall.
Professor McGonagall's voice was heard as soon as they entered. "Miss Granger, I need a word in my office."
Hermione, nodded, expecting this, and she followed McGonagall into her office. "Sit down, Miss Granger."
Hermione sat down obediently, still having not said a word.
"The head girl sent an owl ahead to inform me that you never showed up in the prefects' carriage to get your instructions," McGonagall said sternly.
"Pro…Prof…Professor," Hermione stammered, her voice unused to speaking, "I…I cannot be…a. pre…pre…prefect…any…any long…longer. Tears were falling from her face as she pulled her prefect's badge from her pocket and placed it on the desk.
McGonagall found it hard to speak herself. "Miss Granger, I cannot say I was not expecting this. You are going through a difficult time, but you must remember, there are people here who care for you as well. And if you don't feel you can talk to them, I ask you to come to me. You are on a dangerous path, and isolating yourself like you are doing will not help. You may think I am too old to understand, but I assure you that I am right." McGonagall paused for a few seconds to let that sink in. "I doubt that you wish to go to the feast so I will leave you here."
With a wave of her wand, McGonagall conjured a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice. "You may go up to the dormitories when you are done eating. The password is niffler."
McGonagall left the room, and Hermione let her barriers collapse completely, her sobs echoing through the room. After what felt like a few hours, but was actually only a few minutes, she took a couple of bites from a random sandwich, and one swig of pumpkin juice before heading up to her dormitory and crying herself to sleep.
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That night Harry Potter was walking alongside of some Death Eaters to a small house on the edge of London. After several lessons from Lord Voldemort, he had been sent out to practice what he had learned in preparation for attacking Dumbledore. Voldemort had removed the charm on his wand that indicated underage magic. Harry had also learned to apparate, as wizarding laws meant nothing to those following Lord Voldemort.
Dedalus Diggle, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, was their target. As they approached, a dog started barking. "Who's there?" a voice called from inside.
Bellatrix Lestrange blasted the door in with a spell, and the Death Eaters were inside. The dog's barks ceased the instant he was touched by a jet of green light. Harry strode into the room, and pulled back his hood. Dedalus Diggle just stared. Raising his wand, Harry advanced on Diggle. This seemed to spark Diggle's attention, as he began begging
"Harry, how could you. We are on your side Harry. The Death Eaters are your enemies."
"The Death Eaters may be my enemies, but that is irrelevant. Right now, they are helping me. And Anyone who sides with Dumbledore is my enemy. Crucio!"
Diggle doubled up in pain, while the Death Eaters laughed. After a few minutes of torture, Harry got bored and finished it. "Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green was seen, and Diggle was struck dead, relieving him of his pain.
The Death Eaters left the building in silence. Before disapparating, Bellatrix Lestrange sent up the Dark Mark.
Back at headquarters, Harry went to his chambers, which he only left when he was summoned by Lord Voldemort. Climbing onto his bed, Harry began to cry. He cried for the rest of his innocence, which he had lost that night. He cried for the life he had lost, and the friends he had left behind, who would just be starting their school year. But his tears did not last as long as they had on previous nights. His anger at Dumbledore grew, for he had caused this estrangement.
Harry was also angry at Lord Voldemort, who Harry knew was using him, despite his claims to the contrary. He felt more anger than sorrow now, but Harry was pleased that he could still feel sorrow. With it, he felt more of a man than he felt without it. He remembered what it was like to be all anger, when he went to his first meeting with Voldemort, and he never wanted to become that creature again.
Harry was blocking himself off from everybody, just like Hermione was. Almost exactly like Hermione was, to tell the truth.
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A few weeks had passed, and nobody was getting any response from Hermione. Whenever someone tried to talk to her, she'd leave and find a new spot to be alone. If she was followed, she'd either retreat into the girls' dormitories or head for the Room of Requirement and have it bar visitors. She was no longer answering questions in class, and the only words ever heard from her were incantations. Her essays, which had once been rich with interesting facts and highly opinionated, were barely exceeding the minimum length, and so bland that nobody wanted to read them anymore.
She always had a book with her, but when people looked closely, they could tell that Hermione didn't even realize there was text on the page, as her eyes were always full of tears.
Ron's grades were now on the wrong side of failing, without Hermione to help him. Ginny was trying everything she could think of to provoke any kind of response from Hermione, but Hermione never reacted, not even to shout at any of the horrible remarks Ginny was making. The other students were giving her a wide berth, although Neville and a few others also tried to help Hermione out. They never gave up, but they also never succeeded.
The calendar turned the page to October, and the weather was beginning to cool. Ron, Ginny, Neville and a few others they had enlisted surrounded Hermione in the library one Saturday morning. She didn't even realize they were there until Ron had closed her book. Looking up, she saw that she was encircled, and could not escape to one of her sanctuaries.
It was Ginny who broke the silence. "It's a Hogsmeade weekend, and you are coming with us. We are accepting no argument. You are our friend, and we will help you through this."
Hermione looked as if she never heard Ginny.
"Fine! Make us do this the hard way!"
Ginny motioned to the others, and Ron and Neville each took one of Hermione's arms and pulled her from her chair. Hermione was forced to move her legs, to avoid being dragged on the floor. She thought of resisting, but couldn't care enough to try. She let them take her to Hogsmeade, but she knew it would do no good.
A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter, hopefully I can get it up soon. It's going to be interesting. Reviews are key.
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