Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! Keep them coming! My idea for this fic comes mostly from my dissatisfaction at Hermione's character in Book 6 and of course the subsequent outcome of the rest of the series. I honestly don't mind Ron and Hermione together so much, I clearly don't prefer it but if I squint I can see it. Harry and Ginny however....not working for me. At all. :) So I thought about how could Book 6 be reworked to make it H/Hr. What would have to happen? Hermione is so not herself in this book that it was very hard to find the spot and write a way out of it for her but I think I found that spot. I realized that since we never get anyone's POV other than Harry's we really don't know what Hermione was thinking and what her motivations were for why she did what she did. I also needed something big to happen that would erase all of the past pettiness and bickering and give the Trio a fresh slate. I like my Ron more mature and confident and I would have liked to have seen that Ron in the later books. I also like a balance between Hermione kicking ass and needing Harry so no worries, there will be plenty of that.
My plan is to work my new bit of plot into the existing, get a new Trio dynamic flowing and then do a rehashing of the rest of Book 6 and Book 7 with Harry and Hermione together and Ron not running around with his head up his ass. Hope you enjoy.
WARNING: This chapter mentions possible sexual assault. If this disturbs you in any way please stop reading now.
Ron wandered the myriad corridors of Hogwarts, hands stuffed deep in his pockets, head slouched forward, purposely scuffing the soles of his shoes wondering exactly where it had all gone so wrong.
The last few weeks had been a nightmare. Hermione seemed to hate his guts. He barely saw Harry anymore since he split his time between his two best friends and lately it felt as if Harry had been spending more time with her than with him. He was beginning to fail many of his classes and he was utterly depressed. The only two bright spots were Lavender and Quidditch.
Usually you'd expect that those two things would be enough to get a bloke by but he was just now realizing how much he missed his friends, both of them.
Thanks to Slughorn's stupid party the halls were mostly deserted. He had eaten dinner with Lav before she skipped off for a `girl's night' with the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years that hadn't been invited. Wizard's Chess didn't appeal to him and the next thing he knew he was three flights down, lost in thought only half remembering to keep an eye out for Mrs. Norris.
He wished he knew what it was about Hermione that set him off so much. Yeah she was bossy and annoying and tended to nag but sometimes those were good things and her brain had saved them more times than he cared to count. It was never good when homework was involved, although even he had to admit that there was a connection between his fall out with Hermione and his plummeting grades. But still, it seemed like recently every time they spoke to each other it ended up in a screaming match.
And now. Now she was with McLaggen of all people! He was a joke. Could give Percy a run for his money in the pompous arse department. Why on earth would she have asked him? Ron thought everyone felt the same way about McLaggen, including Hermione. And to go out with him, especially after he had challenged Ron for the Keeper position...it just wasn't right.
His wandering had lead him to an area of the castle that even he had never been in before. The dim hallway he was on had narrowed and he had to stoop a little but he could see that it emptied out onto a larger corridor. He figured that maybe he should be heading back now. Unknown areas of the castle always ended up being nothing but trouble.
Just before he entered the hallway a blurred shape quickly passed in front of him. He stepped out and looked to his left and it felt like he had taken a bludger to the stomach. The shape he had seen had been McLaggen carrying Hermione! Unbelievable! His fists clenched in rage and he could feel the blood rising in his head.
McLaggen didn't seem to notice him but Hermione had. She had a strange expression on her face, one that he couldn't quite read. She didn't say anything but she looked....she looked almost desperate. He took two steps after them and then stopped. He didn't know what was going on and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt anything between those two. He didn't think he could handle it. But...still...something wasn't right. He needed to find Harry.
Ron started off at a walk in the opposite direction, and without knowing why he gradually picked up his pace until he was jogging and then flat out running through the corridors heading for Slughorn's office.
There was a huge press of people as he approached the party and he had a hard time shoving his way through the crowd. Not really caring if he accidentally elbowed someone or stepped on toes he used his height to his advantage and scanned constantly for his friend.
A flash of red caught his eye and he bellowed "Ginny!" before pushing through to reach his sister.
"Ginny! Have you seen Harry?" he said impatiently
"What's your problem, Ron?" she questioned, annoyance flashing in her eyes
"I need Harry. Where is he?" he said again, still looking over the tops of heads
"I don't know. Luna said he took off about twenty minutes ago and he hasn't been back. Pretty bad form if you ask me, abandoning his date like that." her disapproval was evident
Harry could be anywhere by now. Ignoring the calls of Ginny he turned and pressed his way back through the crowd until it opened up and he headed towards the common room, if nothing else he could grab the Marauder's Map and find him that way.
He was on the moving staircase when he saw Harry heading his direction one flight above. Hopping the last few feet he skidded to a stop in front of Harry and realized his friend didn't even seem to notice he was there.
"Harry!" he gasped, out of breath and relieved to have finally found him.
"Oh, hey Ron." Harry replied distractedly
"Harry, there's something wrong. I think. I mean...I don't know for sure but...Hermione and McLaggen."
Harry gave him a perturbed look. "I think since you're with Lavender now it shouldn't matter to you if Hermione is with McLaggen or not. Sorry mate." and with a clap on the shoulder went to move past him
"No! Harry wait! You don't understand. I saw McLaggen carrying Hermione and she didn't look right." he finally got out, hoping that Harry would say that Hermione had had a little too much spiked punch and that as annoying as McLaggen is he was still a Gryffindor and a stand up guy.
Harry finally seemed to snap out of his stupor and Ron knew the instant he had his friend's full attention. "What do you mean she didn't look right?" he repeated, green eyes intense
"McLaggen didn't see me but Hermione did and Harry, I don't know, she just looked....she might have looked scared but I don't know for sure. And I wasn't sure and I wasn't going to interrupt anything in case I was wrong, I mean she was the one who decided to ask the git out... so I figured I'd go find you." he said this in one breath "She hadn't had too much to drink at the party or anything, had she?" he asked, realizing as he said it how unlikely an idea that was.
"No. I saw her not too long ago. She was trying to hide from McLaggen, said he had gotten a little too handsy under the mistletoe." Ron's temper flared at this, and he noticed Harry's jaw had clenched a bit as he had said it "But she was fine, she didn't even have a drink with her."
"So you didn't see them leave?" Ron asked
"No, I must have already left." Harry appeared lost in thought for a moment and then pulled his wand from beneath his dress robes.
"Accio Marauder's Map." he said
Soon they could see the magical map zipping its way towards them.
As soon as Harry had it in his hands and open they were both scanning the map. Finally in an obscure corner of the castle that Harry had never really even noticed before he saw her name. "There." he said and shut the map with a snap taking off at a run, not even bothering to see if Ron was with him or not.
They had to go back by Slughorn's office which had thankfully cleared out some. He heard Ginny call out as they raced by but didn't stop to tell her what was going on, even with his longer stride he was finding it difficult to keep up with Harry.
When they reached the area where Ron had seen them they were forced to slow down. The halls were darker here and damp. Rounding another corner Ron slid on a slick stone and almost went down but he kept his feet. They were almost upon the spot where she should be when out of a doorway McLaggen staggered.
His eyes were wild. His once pristine shirt showed traces of dirt and what may have been blood but it was too dark to tell for sure.
Harry spun back and before Ron even knew what happened had McLaggen pinned to the wall, his wand to his throat. "What happened?" Harry ground out
It was as if McLaggen couldn't even see them. He was unfocused, shaking and didn't seem to have heard Harry.
"What happened?" Harry asked again, this time louder.
Ron approached from behind, lighting his wand as he did. When he ran it over McLaggen's front he blanched. Blood. Everywhere.
"Who's blood is that?" Ron said, voice so low it was almost a growl
McLaggen looked down now, actually responding to them. He visibly gagged when he saw his shirt and hands. "Oh Merlin...no...no.no.no.no.no...I didn't....I didn't know..."
Harry shoved him into the wall, hard. "Where is she?"
But McLaggen didn't seem to be hearing them again. "WHERE IS SHE?" Harry roared
Ron flinched at the sound. He could begin to hear all the blood in his body rushing to his head. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.
McLaggen looked at them unseeing. "I didn't know...I couldn't stop...she...I didn't know..."
Harry stepped back a foot stunned and then Ron took in the full state of McLaggen and saw his dress robes half off and trousers undone and he saw red.
"You sodding BASTARD!" he screamed as he brought his fist down repeatedly into McLaggen's face. He may have been big but Ron was bigger. They were on the ground now but McLaggen wasn't putting up much of a fight.
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Harry saw the blood and saw McLaggen's clothes half off and thought he was going to be sick. If he had done....if that bastard had touched her....he couldn't complete the thought. Ron had launched himself at McLaggen and had begun to pummel him relentlessly. With a start he shoved off from them and sprinted into the darkness. Wand lit and scanning as he went he almost missed her. A soft glint caught his eye and he stopped to pick up the object he had located. Hermione's wand.
His stomach clenched and he bent automatically to retrieve it. Desperately he looked around and then just barely saw the outline of an alcove, practically hidden in the dark. He knew she was in there. He didn't know how or why he knew, but he just did.
On his hands and knees he scrabbled over and cast the strongest light spell he knew.
At first his brain couldn't register that this was actually Hermione. And for one terrifying moment he flashed back to the day at the ministry and when he had thought she was dead. That was nothing compared to this.
Her face was a mess. Blood coming from her nose, her mouth, her ears. The hair on the left side of her face was matted down and dark. He reached out a hand to touch her and then pulled it back, afraid he might hurt her more.
"Hermione." he gasped, wondering how there was any air left in his body to form words.
"Hermione." he said again, desperation making his voice crack "`Mione, please." he begged. He heard a gurgle and realized it was her attempt to keep breathing, and then he took in the rest of her. The blouse and skirt he had earlier noticed were quite nice were now torn askew. Not a single button remained on her top and her skirt was shoved up around her waist.
"No....no.no.no.no.no. NO!" he raged "Oh gods `Mione, why?" he suddenly couldn't breath. He choked down the bile that rose in the back of his throat and as he looked at her broken form once again he could feel his magics start to rise, out of his control.
The tremor that shook the walls knocked chunks of rock and mortar out of the ceiling and settled around them. One bit of debris, larger than the rest came close to hitting Hermione in the head and in an instant Harry got himself back into control.
They needed to get her out of here, she needed to see Madame Pomfrey.
"Ron." he attempted to say but what came out was choked and gravelly, his second attempt was more successful.
Ron finally staggered in behind him, fists bloodied and torn clenched at his side. When he saw Hermione he quickly turned around and emptied his stomach.
"We need to get her out of here." Harry said, voice tight and unnatural sounding. Ron nodded as if he had heard him but there was no comprehension in his eyes. Then Harry noticed the wall behind Ron and the world swam for just a moment.
Scrawled in blood, what he could only assume had to be Hermione's, were the words
`EVEN YOUR MUDBLOOD WHORE ISN'T SAFE, POTTER. WHERE WILL YOU RUN TO NOW'
Ron's eyes followed his line of sight and he was almost sick again after reading the wall.
"Harr..." Ron began but Harry cut him off
"Not now." his voice was stronger now. He needed to focus. Needed to think about what had to happen. Making sure that Hermione was ok was the only thing important right then.
Harry whipped the cloak of his dress robes off and wrapped it as gently as he could around Hermione. She moaned slightly as he laid the cover over her and he winced, hoping he hadn't caused her more pain.
He looked Ron hard in the eye and said only one word "McLaggen?"
Ron matched his look, understanding the unasked question. "Don't know."
Harry nodded once. If McLaggen was dead, he honestly didn't care. After what he had done to Hermione he deserved whatever he got. Harry didn't take any more time to ponder that horrific thought. Before tonight the idea of having to kill someone had sickened and frighten him. Now though he knew where his line was.
Pointing his wand down the long corridor it took a moment before he could conjure a happy enough thought to cast his patronus. Prongs stood expectantly, waiting for his command. "Find McGonagall, tell her to meet us at the infirmary." Prongs dropped his head in consent and then galloped away.
He threw the map at Ron "Find us the quickest, clearest way to the Hospital Wing." he said, he didn't want anyone to see Hermione like this.
Then, as carefully as he could he slid his arms under Hermione and stood up, holding her securely. She grimaced as he rose and turned her face into his shoulder. Overcome with a wave of emotion he couldn't help leaning in and pressing a kiss to her hair "I promise you I will never let anyone hurt you again." he whispered before making eye contact with Ron and nodding, letting him know he could start leading them towards their goal.
Ron's direction was true, they only ran into one Hufflepuff third year who merely yelped when she saw them and ran the other way.
Their head of house was pacing frantically in front of the Hospital Wing doors, Madame Pomfrey at her side when they turned the last corner. She ran to meet them half way and gasped, hand covering her mouth when she saw Hermione's face.
"Good Heavens! Potter. Weasley. What is the meaning of this? Who has done such a thing?" she demanded, not noticing that Harry had not stopped walking.
"Not here." was all that he replied.
The school nurse met them at the door and ushered them to the nearest bed. Harry laid Hermione down as softly as he could and only backed up as far as he needed to let the nurse in to do her job. With a wave of his hand a curtain surrounded the bed, ensuring Hermione's privacy. No one commented on his use of wandless magic.
McGonagall appeared on the other side of the bed as Madame Pomfrey began to unwrap Hermione from Harry's cloak. "What has happened here, Mister Potter." the nurse demanded.
"She has been beaten, hexed, cursed. I don't know with what though." he stopped himself before he could go on. He could hardly think it, how could he say it. But he knew they needed all the information. "I think...I think she's been...."and he choked on the words and McGonagall's eye's flew to his, begging him to not say what she knew he was about to say "I think she's been raped."
A high stained glass window blew out and he allowed a tear to escape before scrubbing a hand angrily across his face.
"Who...who could have done this?" the professor asked, her voice shrill
"McLaggen" it was Ron that had answered
She gasped "Surely not. Surely not another Gryffindor! I can't...." she aged in front of them and grasped the footboard to keep herself upright.
"It was McLaggen." Harry confirmed, not trusting himself to say anything else.
Mcgonagall turned an eye on the two of them then and took in their ashen, stoney faces and Ron's bloodied fists and spray of red across his jumper before asking her next question. "Is he still alive?"
"Don't know." Ron repeated
Harry waited for the expected explosion but none came. She merely closed her eyes tightly for a moment before turning her attention back to the nurse and Hermione.
The cloak had been magically cut away, not that Harry cared one bit, and when the two women saw what lay beneath it they tried immediately to get the boys to leave. "Out of here you two." the nurse said briskly
"We're not leaving." Harry said harshly
"Now see here.." but she was cut off by a look from the transfiguration professor and a shake of her head.
"I'm not going to interfere. And I won't be in your way. But she's not leaving my sight." Harry stated and Minerva knew nothing short of stunning him would get him to leave.
"You can stay Potter, but please be mindful of Miss Granger's privacy." she added, unnecessarily. Harry nodded and to show he meant what he said he turned his back to the bed but didn't take one more step away from her.
"Mister Weasley, I'll need you to come with me for a moment and tell me exactly where this atrocity took place. I'll need to contact Albus as well."
Ron began to protest but Harry said "Please Ron." and he nodded his consent. As Ron passed by him Harry reached out and grabbed his arm "When you come back, will you stand watch just outside?" eyes moving to the opening of the curtain to indicate what he meant.
Ron clapped a hand on Harry's arm as well "Yeah mate, no worries. Want me to contact the D.A?"
"Not yet." Harry said immediately, he had no idea who they could trust. McLaggen had been a Gryffindor. "I don't know what or who we're dealing with. After Hermi...." he closed his eyes for a moment to regain his composure "After Hermione wakes up and we talk to her we'll see, until then it's you and me."
Ron understood and went through the curtain ahead of the professor who had been staring at the exchange with a sort of horrified fascination. Right in front of her, she had just witnessed Harry Potter change from The Boy Who Lived into the man that she now knew would defeat Voldemort. Harry was giving orders and Ron was taking them, without question. He would make a fine second she thought before giving Harry a small pat on the back and following Ron, hating that she would have to be the one to tell Albus what had transpired this night.