A/N: Hey! Quick Warning! PLEASE read!
I have to warn you that this is a pretty deep, emotional chapter. It doesn't have much activity in it. Mostly just thoughts and discoveries. I promise we will get to the more fun, lighter, chapters with magic learning, but this chapter just has to be in here!
**Oh, and It was REALLY hard to write a DA scene where Hermione wasn't Harry's right hand man like normal, so pplllease forgive me!**
Updates should be better.
Love you!
Read and Review!
~ Amber (harry_mione_love)
Ps. In this chapter, you'll get second person. It's the thoughts, feelings and emotions of a couple different characters instead of just Hermione's. especially at the end. I'm not sure if you'll like this chapter anyways.
I'm so nervous about this; I don't know how good this chapter is!
~*~
As they walked inside the dark, shady pub, Hermione's face conveyed a confused thought and she felt Emma squeeze her hand tighter.
"C'mon." Ron led them all to a table in the back, which was already full with students.
"Harry! Ron!" A dirty blonde headed boy exclaimed, "There you guys are!"
"Hey, sorry, we got…side tracked." Harry apologized. "And we brought someone. She doesn't go to Hogwarts, but her mother teaches there. Everyone, Hermione Granger. And she has her little sister, Emma with her."
They all said hello warmly, but Harry, Ron, Lillian and Hermione didn't miss their nervous looks.
"Oh come on!" Lillian said. "We all know her mother, Professor Granger! She's not bad!"
"And she's going to join us." Harry announced. "So be nice." He added with a smirk and wink in Hermione's direction.
Lillian told Hermione and Emma to sit down, so Hermione chose the outside seat next to a blonde girl. Emma slid in tightly next to her and decided that in this case, it was better to be seen and not heard.
"Hello, Hermione. I'm Luna. Luna Love good." The girl identified herself as.
"Oh, uh, hi" Hermione smiled at her, a little shy at the girl's forwardness.
"You know, I think it's great we are starting this again, and we have new members. This is everyone's war." Luna said, examining Hermione closely.
"Yeah, well, I don't know what benefit I'll do to you." Hermione shrugged. "I can't perform any magic."
Luna gasped. "Then you especially need to be here! You need to learn how to defend yourself in case. Have you known Harry long?"
Hermione shook her head. "No. We just met a few weeks ago. I'm new to the magical world, you might say."
"Really? Is that why you don't go to school with us?"
"Yes, we just moved here at the start of the term and it was too late for me to start."
"Oh, then I suppose you aren't familiar with a lot of magical things. Like a crumple horned snorkack or a nargle?"
"What?" Hermione looked at this girl as if she was crazy.
"A snorkack is a…"
Luna was cut off by Harry's voice. "Alright guys, I know you are all excited about this being started up again, but remember this is just a quick meeting. In 5th year, when we started this, to defend ourselves because Umbridge wouldn't let us train with wands in class. We needed to defend ourselves. Now, it's even more important. Voldemort has returned." He continued in a softer voice. At the name, `Voldemort', Hermione, Luna, and Harry
were the only ones who didn't flinch. Several sharp intakes of breath were heard. We still need to be practicing more advanced spells. Together."
Harry paused when a girl's hand rose. "Yes Hannah?"
"Does this mean we'll be meeting regularly?"
"No." Harry started. Talking erupted at the table as Ron quieted them down. "I just wanted to warn you that we cold call you guys at any time. I wanted to see how many of you guys were interested in starting it again. If I decidet o completely bring it back, I'll alert you on your coins. And I know that some from last year didn't make it, so if you get word, spread it around to old members."
Everyone nodded.
"Okay, then…" Harry sighed. He ran his hand through his hair, but thought of nothing else to say. "Back to Hogsmeade."
The students slowly filed out, in small groups to lower suspicion, some stopping to ask Harry a question.
"I'll see you later," Luna smiled at Hermione.
"So you met Loony?" Ron asked.
"Ron!" Lillian exclaimed. "Don't call her that!"
"What she is…?"
"She asked me if I knew what a crumple horned snorkack was…" Hermione trailed off.
"See, Loony!" Ron said.
"…and I have never, ever, heard of anything so ridiculous. She must be related to that Lovegood who edits the Quibbler. But…she seems nice, though. She was very sweet." Hermione added as they walked outside into the light.
"Nice and Loony." Ron muttered under his breath.
"So, what'd you think?" Lillian asked Hermione, ignoring Ron.
"It was interesting…you know…I know that you weren't starting it up again yet, so I guess it was an off meeting. Seems interesting though." Hermione said.
"Yeah, I dunno if I should bring it back yet or not. It'd be just another thing to handle." Harry said.
"Yeah…"
"I think it was cool!" Emma interjected. "You're the leader and you control everything!"
Harry laughed at this.
They walked in silence for only a matter of a few seconds when Ginny and Draco met up with them again. "Hey guys! We were looking all over for you! Where were you?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, just around…" Lillian said. "What's up?"
"Nothing. We just…decided to meet up with you. Wanna go somewhere?" Draco asked.
"I…I should probably go. C'mon Emma." Hermione started. She was beginning to feel a bit out of place with this large group of close friends.
"Why?" Lillian asked.
"Well, you guys have to leave soon, and I need to get my sister home."
"Not for a bit," Harry said. "But okay."
As they rounded the corner, Hermione saw a father in a heated argument with his son, backing him into the outside brick wall of a nearby shop. Her breath caught in her throat and she stumbled into the wall she was standing near.
~*~
Flashback:
"A B!" Hermione's dad backed her against the outside wall of her school. "Why can't you ever do anything right! Do you know how embarrassing a B minus is to my fellow professors!"
"I'm sorry, Dad…I tried, but…" Hermione started in a tiny voice.
"Shut up!" He yelled. He hit her once in the arm.
~*~
"Ah…" Hermione exclaimed quietly as she held her arm in her hand.
"Hermione?" Harry looked at her and reached his hand out to touch her arm. Emma held tight onto her sisters arm while Lillian was moving closer to her and Draco edged behind Harry. When Harry made contact she jumped and quickly moved out of his touch.
"I…I have to go."
"Bye." Emma said to them as they walked away. Only she knew why her sister was so startled.
As Harry, Ron, Lillian, Ginny and Draco watched her go, they wondered what had happened. Harry glanced back to the father and son, still oblivious to Hermione's reaction, and shook his head before turning around again.
~*~
Hermione steered her sister home, gave her a book to read, and shut herself in her room. She lay on her bed, knowing her mother wasn't coming home tonight, and cried until there were no more tears.
~*~
After Harry arrived back at the castle, they gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Later that night, Harry found himself walking towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"Remus?" He called, walking inside.
"Harry? Is that you?" Remus called from upstairs. He appeared at the top of the stairs seconds later. "Hello! Your mother and I were just discussing some lesson plans…would you like to come up?"
"Harry!" Lily exclaimed.
"Hey mum." Harry smiled. "Remus, can, I, uh, talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," Remus said, a concerned look crossing his features.
"Do you, uh, want me to go…?" Lily started.
"No, its okay, mum. You could help me, too." Harry said.
Lily smiled and Harry joined them upstairs in Remus' office. As they walked in and waited for Harry to speak up, they chose seats. But Harry remained standing, pacing back and forth.
"You know the Granger's, right Remus?" He asked suddenly, stopping his pacing to look Remus in the eye.
"Yes…of course. Elizabeth is an old friend of mine, and your mothers. I'm the one who found her the job here," Remus said, curious as to where this was going.
"I talk to her all the time, dear." Lily added to Harry.
"Well…what, what happened to them? I mean…did something…b-bad happen?" Harry stumbled upon the right words.
"What do you mean?" Lupin asked, thoughtfully.
"I met that Hermione Granger-" Harry continued to pace.
"Lovely girl." Remus interrupted.
"Yes, well, I mean, she always stops when she's talking about her past, and she's really jumpy…" Harry trailed.
"Harry, you need to be careful around her…" Remus' concern etched on his face, looking stubbornly at Harry.
"But, why?" Harry pressed.
"I don't think that's any of your business." Lupin said impatiently.
"Please, Remus. I just want to know. We were trying to be friends with her…she keeps…pulling away from us. I can't understand why…please. I swear, I won't tell anyone." Harry said.
Remus sighed. "Harry, I if I tell you this…you have to promise you will not tell anyone this…and you wont tell Hermione I told you."
"I promise." Harry said quickly.
"Harry," Remus sighed again, "Hermione was abused."
Harry stopped walking, and dropped down into a soft chair by him and stared ahead.
"By her father." Remus continued. "He used to hit her a lot, badly. He hit her mother, too. Elizabeth only told me a little at first, she was too scared to do anything. But one night when I go a call on my muggle phone…I came immediately. Hermione was ten, then. I found them a place to live. And then when this job opened up, Lizzie was my first nomination." Remus paused. "She's not the best mother. She has a hard time being emotional and comforting…she's…she's just not the best mother."
Harry's steely gaze was still fixed ahead of him as Lily ran her hand comfortingly through her son's hair.
"I know this brings back bad memories…" Lily started.
"Mum." Harry warned, in deep, angry voice.
"Harry, please. I know…I'm sorry." Lily was on the verge of tears.
"So…her father hit her…" Harry said quietly. "That's why…she…that's why she freaked out today. That's why she wouldn't let me…touch her arm…she thought was going to hit her…"
"She's uneasy around you because you're a man. A young man, but a man nonetheless. She was nervous around me at first, too. But she knows me well. And she probably doesn't want to talk about it. I don't blame her. Don't push her, Harry. She's a very special, talented girl who's been through a lot."
"I just…I don't know her that well at all…we just met…but I didn't…"
"It's alright, Harry." Lily said.
"No…No it's not. Her…her own father. With me-it, her own dad…" Harry mumbled quietly getting up and walking out of the classroom despite Remus and Lily's calls of protest.
He walked back to the Gryffindor tower slowly, trying to subside his anger towards Hermione's father, thinking about everything. Mumbling the password to the fat lady, he walked through.
Since it was late, everyone was pretty much in bed, or upstairs. Harry walked up the stairs and a few minutes later, he just lay there, thinking. Thinking about what Hermione went through, thinking about what he went through. After his father had died and his mother accepted his job at Hogwarts, he knew she loved him and would do anything to keep him at Hogwarts with her, but two years before he attended there himself, it became too much.
Lily had pleaded that her sister, Petunia, took care of Harry while she worked. She didn't know what was to come.
If she had, she'd have never done it. She had thought her sister was decent, she had thought that this would keep
Harry safe. But after Lily left, Petunia's husband, Vernon, treated him like a servant boy. His room was under the
stairs.
Their son, Dudley, used him as a personal punching bag. He remembered how hard his Uncle Vernon could hit, he
remembered everything. When he did get to be with his mother, he was too scared to tell her because Uncle Vernon had
threatened him. Little Harry didn't understand that his mother could do worse with her wand. He suffered through
two of those years. When Lily did return early and find out, though, it was a different story. She hexed and cursed,
using every spell she knew to take care of the Dursley's. It wasn't pretty. And then she had cried. For days,
months. Cried.
Then, He thought about Hermione. He had only met her twice, but he knew the signs too well. At The Three Broomsticks, he felt her fear when she spilt the glass. He understood she was scared. Somewhere inside, he had always known she'd been abused. But to hear it was different.
~*~
Lily lay awake in bed. She couldn't sleep. Too many memories ran through her head. She had seen Harry's face when Remus informed him of Hermione's past. A few tears streaked down her face as she remembered seeing Harry after his second year at the Dursley's. When she came home early and found out how he'd been treated, she was furious. Mostly with herself. She couldn't believe she'd trusted them. Her son was badly hurt, and she felt it was all her fault.
~*~
Elizabeth Granger looked into the mirror. She could barely stand her own reflection. She hadn't gone home again. She was still putting Hermione in full control. In some ways, she felt she was abandoning her own daughters. First, she had let her first daughter suffer through abuse. Her second had been raised by her first. Elizabeth knew she had never been there for her daughters. This was her chance. Hogwarts was her chance, their chance. It was time to clean the wounds of all the pain and hurt.
~*~
Emma was in her sister, Hermione's, arms trying to fall asleep. Her life had never been simple. She hadn't been born when they lived with their father, but she had been told he was a bad man who hurt her mother and sister. Living your whole life without much of a mother, and no father in an abuse shelter had not been fun. Maybe this time around, they'd make it right.
~*~
As Hermione gazed down at her sister, she felt tears well up in her eyes again. Hermione had never had much of a childhood. She was always concerned about pleasing her father, cleaning up the messes he made, and making sure she didn't upset him, making it worse for her mother and herself.
She wanted to trust other men, or young men, around her. But her instinct reaction was to pull away and hide. If only Harry and the others knew…
She had spent her life cowering in the shadows, and now…it was time. Time, to force herself into the light.
~*~
A/N: Kay, so when I was writing it, it sounded good, but I'm not sure how good it is now. Sorry if it's bad. I'll try better. I wrote this all in the car, so…Lol. I know some of you doubted my ability to update when I said I would…but ha ha…I did! Lol!
Thanks for reading…now review!
Love you!
AMBER!
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