Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

Hermione rolled over in the bed and cringed in pain. Her mother quickly took her hand and shushed her soothingly.

She was in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, recovering from an attack by an enormous Mountain Troll. Her face was stained with tears - both from the pain and the terror she had felt as the Troll attacked her.

Her parents had only just arrived, having been brought here by Headmaster Dumbledore himself.

'What is going on here?' Her father demanded to know.

'As I said, Mr. Granger,' Headmaster Dumbledore spoke calmly, 'your daughter was in an unfortunate accident involving a Mountain Troll that had somehow managed to breach our security.'

'A what?' Mr. Granger looked furious. 'How does something like that happen?'

'We're not sure as of yet.'

'Well you better get sure real quick. You're responsible for my daughter, and this is completely unacceptable. What's wrong with her?' This her father directed at Madam Pomfry.

'She suffered severe broken bones in her left leg and right arm,' Madam Pomfry answered.

'Severe broken bones? How severe?'

'They were smashed to bits,' she admitted.

'Oh sweetie,' her mother cooed sympathetically.

'I've removed as much of the broken bones as I can,' Madam Pomfry went on professionally, 'but the break was so severe I doubt I got them all. The pain she is suffering now is from a potion called Skele-Gro, which will reform her bones. Hopefully, the remaining fragment won't cause any problems.'

'And if they do?' Mr. Granger tried and failed to keep the anger from his voice.

'I can't say for sure, but there could be complications.'

'Dammit,' Mr. Granger snarled, 'this is outrageous. We rely on you to protect her, and this is what happens?'

'I'm very sorry Mr. Granger,' Headmaster Dumbledore apologised again. 'I can assure you nothing like this will happen again. I will be refortifying Hogwarts protections to make sure of it.'

'That's all very well,' Mr. Granger said, 'but that won't help Hermione, will it?'

Her father continued to argue with the Headmaster, but Hermione couldn't focus on it. The pain was so intense. She must have passed out, because the next thing she knew it was the middle of the night, and she could hear her mother and father talking quietly.

'…have no choice,' her father was saying. 'I'm not leaving her in the care of these people. They have proven already how inept they are at keeping her safe.'

'Alan, come now,' her mother said in her best lets-be-reasonable voice. 'I agree, what happened to Hermione was outrageous, but pulling her out of school? How do you think she will feel about that?'

'I bloody well don't care,' her father snapped.

'Alan!'

'Are you saying you trust these people?'

'Well, I…'

'Exactly,' her father said pointedly. 'She'll just have to grow up to be a normal girl. No more of this magical stuff. It's too dangerous. Trolls!'

'But…'

'Dad,' Hermione croaked weakly, getting their attention. Hermione's mother immediately took her hand again.

'Shh, sweetie, go back to sleep,' she said comfortingly.

'I want to stay,' Hermione said, fighting past the pain of the Skele-Gro.

'Honey,' her father began.

'No Dad. I'm staying.'

'You can't possibly expect me to agree with that after what happened to you - '

'Dad!' Hermione took a breath. 'I understand how you feel. I do. But this is my life now. I'm a witch. I can't run away from it. You've always been great to me, always supportive of everything I did, and I really appreciate that. Don't ruin it now. What happened… it was my fault… I was careless. If I was were I was supposed to be, this never would have happened. I've learned my lesson. Please. Please let me stay. I'm having such a great time here. I'm learning so much. I don't want to leave. Please Dad.'

Mr. Granger hesitated.

'Alan,' her mother added pleadingly.

Her father sighed. 'Fine,' he gave in, 'you can stay. But if anything like this happens again, I'm taking you home.'

'It won't,' Hermione said.

'Humour me,' her father replied, smiling at her.

'Okay.'

'Now get some sleep,' he said. 'You need to rest.'

Hermione willingly gave in.

What she had said was true, to a certain extent. She loved her studies - learning all about the magical world she was now a part of. Only, life at Hogwarts was tough for her. She didn't really have any friends besides Neville Longbottom. The girls in her dormitory only just tolerated her. And Ron Weasley… she hated to think how his words had cut her. If only… then she wouldn't have even been in that bathroom…

So I don't have many friends, she thought, trying and failing to ignore the pain that coursed through her entire body. I don't need friends. I'll be fine.

A few days later, she could barely walk, and her arm had to be held in a sling. Madam Pomfry announced the Skele-Gro hadn't set properly due to the tiny fragments of bone left over from her accident. Her arm and leg wouldn't bend without causing her brutal pain. She was left feeling dispirited.

A few months later, she had regained basic movement in her damaged limbs, but she had lost something in the process, something she didn't even realise. All of the pain, doubts, and trauma suffered during the Troll Incident left her feeling weak.

What she lost was her strength. It was what gave her the courage to stand up and ignore what people said about her. Without it, she retreated into a shell. She no longer spoke up in class. She just got on with her studies silently, like a mouse, and all the while her strength withered inside her.

It would be a long time before she found it again.