Cherries

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Story: Cherries
Author: bubblybabs
Email: bubbalilly@gmail.com
Beta: Periculum
Story Consultants: WesleyY7, Sonia
Total Word Count: 11,086
Chapter 32 Edit Date: 05/20/2009
Clean up editing: 05/28/2009
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apkblack – I'm glad you liked the new edit... I think it makes the story better...
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AFTAlanzo – Thank you for your review! I'm glad you are liking the story so far... You'd be amazed at what you can deal with - I lost my son as I had mentioned, lost my husband to cancer, and have two high-functioning autistic sons. I feel it all makes me stronger as a person so I may help others in the future.
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apkblack – This chapter answers some of your questions, the next chapter answers others, and you'll have to wait for a future chapter for answers to the others! Oh, the length of time it took to get this up is because that pesky WesleyY7 nearly broke my arm again making me rethink and rewrite this and the next chapter to clarify things and not screw up the story! So, it's her fault! *bubblybabs frantically points at WestleyY7* Actually, 'twas a good thing she made me go “whoa, yeah, I see your point” so that I wound up rewriting the whole chapter (it has since been split into two chapters due to the content and length, and the second half [now chapter 33] is still being perfected)... Anyway, I'm glad you are anxious to read the story! I hope this chapter meets your approval...
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bobby – Hi and thank you for your review! I take it you are a female but using a male spelling of the nick? I truly hoped this story made you think about what Hermione is going through, it sounds as if you did. I don't want my readers to just get a quickie sex story read, I want them to really feel with the characters. I tried to be as “for real” as I could. You mention this Fritzl guy... I'll be honest when I say I didn't know much about him before I started writing this story since I don't watch TV and don't read news website... I did do a search the first time someone had mentioned Fritzl, and I was like “yeah, the story is sort of similar” but it didn't really connect. I finally sat down the other day and read links sent to me by Wes and did my own extensive searches as well in an effort to truly understand what had happened to the man's daughter – some of my reading brought forth more information I had not known before... I had no idea my story paralleled the Fritzl case so much, it's kind of scary, isn't it? Of course, I think what his daughter, Elizabeth, and her children went through was far more disturbing... At least Hermione had light and didn't live in the semi-darkness they did, and she could walk upright... I find it disturbing that the one son is now having difficulty walking upright because he was too tall for the basements ceiling.. And, wow! The investigators could only stay down for an hour at a time due to lack of oxygen and yet Elizabeth and her children lived down there for years! That man's poor wife, how messed up her life has become! I'm glad Fritzl didn't go after any of his grandchildren sexually since he says he was born to rape... He must be a psychologists dream to study! On another note, I do have another story started but it will be slow going until I am finished this one... I plan to have it mostly written before I upload it, so it's going to be a while... It's not as dark as this one, but it will be a sad story in the beginning. I appreciate your comments on my writing, it made me feel good...
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Chapter 32: Looking For Answers

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Story date: May 13, 1996 (3:05am)

Hermione lay on the cot, so keyed-up that she was unable to relax enough to sleep. She could hear the soft breathing of her parents as they lay nearby in a specially spelled double-cot, similar to the one she and Remus had slept in. Looking over, she could see the shadows of their bodies, their indistinct shapes moving slightly with each breath. She closed her eyes a moment, listening to the wind outside, the rustling of leaves coming in through the small window on the far side of the room. She marveled at the faint odor of rain and smiled at the thought of the trees getting a shower soon. She felt a sudden hunger within her to walk amongst the trees as they were cleansed of the grime that settled upon their leaves from the dirty world around them, wondering if the trees felt truly refreshed and clean once the rain passed them by.

She heard Persimmonie fret for a moment before going back to sleep, but Hermione knew that her sleepy fussing would soon become cries of hunger. She tried to snuggle down into the covers but was soon turning over restlessly - she felt so tired and yet so full of energy; her body heavy and ready for sleep and yet, annoyingly, her mind just couldn't seem to relax and shut down.

Her thoughts, once again, turned to Adara, thinking about how she'd never hold her again, never get to know her, never get to do all those mother-daughter things with her that she'd be able to do with her sister. She still thought about her lovely little eyes, wondered what she would have been like as an adult, what her voice would have sounded like. Would she have been as intelligent as her parents? Sirius was obviously a very intelligent man, having helped make the Marauder's Map that Harry had. It must have been dreadfully complex to carry out the magic the map contained. Would Adara have been in Gryffindor, like her parents? How magical would she have been?

Hermione rolled over onto her back. Her thoughts, as always, drifted to Sirius. How was he? Was he all alone? Was he sleeping right now? Or was he lying awake, restless, just as she was now? Did he think of her often? She never thought she'd miss him and yet she lay there now, missing him terribly, wanting to snuggle up against him. If only they could be together without her being trapped in that room! She was sure things would have been far different if he had just waited and let nature take its course instead of kidnapping her. She had been unsure of whether or not she wanted to be with him before he took her, because of her growing fondness for Ron. Now that she thought on it, she was sure that, had he been persistent, she would have gone with him eventually. Especially since Ron was frustratingly thick-headed and slow on the uptake. Her only reservation with Sirius was how immature he was – Ron was immature simply because he was a teen, whereas Sirius was a grown man. Of course, Sirius had an excuse for his immaturity – his imprisonment in Azkaban at such a young age. She still couldn't imagine how devastated he must have felt when he'd first been taken there, wrongly accused, knowing he would eventually die there, never having had a chance to truly live life.

She thought about poor, dear Ron. Did he know Persimmonie was his anymore? He knew he was going to have a daughter, but did he remember? Did Sirius Obliviate him and make him forget he was going to be a father? Rubbing her belly, she smiled, remembering Ron's incredulous reaction when he discovered that he was going to be a father. She longed to feel his hand on her belly as he had done in the Blue room, his eyes alight with wonder as he waited with his hand splayed out, hoping to feel his daughter's kick for the first time. Then she remembered with great sadness how he tried to protect her and Ginny from Sirius, though he obviously feared for his own life. Feeling the itchy tickle of a tear slide down the side of her face, she remembered how Ron had snatched her hand back and kissed it when Sirius said all those awful things about her, making her feel dirty and used. Dear Ron, sitting between them, she and Ginny, trying his best to protect the women he loved.

Then there was Ginny. Poor, little Ginny. It still surprised her when she thought of Ginny and Ron having an incestuous affair. Was it because of Sirius? No, was it Sirius who did that, or Master Kreacher? She didn't remember now, not exactly. But, she did remember Sirius talking about Master Kreacher reporting to him all the things they did together – oh, how embarrassed and humiliated they must have felt! Poor Ginny, feeling jealous because Hermione was having Ron's baby and she, Ginny, wasn't. Were Ron and Ginny still sexually active? Would Ron even want her now that he had his sister in that way? How does one handle an incestuous affair with one's sibling? Were they best friends now? Friends and lovers? She felt a sudden surge of jealousy hit her at the thought and tried to get it under control. She shouldn't feel jealous because Ron found himself a new love, or, well, became his sister's lover. For all he knew, she was gone forever. In a way, she thought it would have been worse if she had found out he was in love with Lavender Brown or someone else like her. She was sure Ron would be jealous of her being with Sirius and Remus, wouldn't he? Would he find out? Maybe no one was going to tell him the truth – Remus did say Ron and Harry would know as little as possible. Her lips trembled; at least Ron wasn't dividing his time between two women like she had shared two men. Hermione snorted to herself. No, he wasn't sharing two women, he was only having sex with his sister while the woman who carried his child had sex with house elves, a woman, and a bunch of men.

With the last thought, Hermione curled in on herself tightly, hugging her arms around her as her tears fell.

Gods, how had things become so messed up?

She began to seriously ponder what she should do with herself now that she was free. She had always planned to go back to Hogwarts and resume her schooling there. But now she was a mother. What would she do with Persimmonie? Would they allow her to go back to the school with her baby? Did they allow single mothers to attend Hogwarts? She knew of none, and never heard a whisper of any others. Should she stay single? Her mind turned to the men in her life – Sirius, Remus, and Ron. Three men, two her lovers and one the father of her baby. 'Gods, my life has become a soap opera! How strange to think on it, how very, very strange.'

She considered her options. If she went with Ron, Sirius' feelings would be hurt. If she went with Sirius, Ron would be hurt. Or, would he? Maybe he wanted Ginny more. What would Mr. and Mrs. Weasley say in regards to their youngest two children having an affair with each other? Did they even know? Surely not. What would Harry do if he found out? Sirius had said that Harry wanted Ginny, and she did seem surprised when Sirius mentioned that, so that meant that Harry and Ginny hadn't become an item during her absence. Guess not since Ginny was having an affair with Ron and Harry didn't know. 'I guess that would be a hard thing to mention to the guy you had a crush on who was best friends with your brother-lover' Hermione thought about the crush Ginny had on Harry since the very first day she met him, and how it upset her that Harry never seemed to notice her. She remembered telling Ginny many times that she needed to give Harry a chance to grow up a little, since he was nearly as immature as Ron, that he just needed time to notice her. Poor Ginny had been afraid he'd always think of her as a little sister type of friend instead of as girlfriend material. Hermione sighed as she wondered who knew what anymore – for all she knew, Sirius had decided to modify their memories the last time he took them back.

She wondered, no, worried – what if everyone was so disgusted with her that no one wanted to be with her? What if none of them wanted to marry her? If Hogwarts wouldn't let her back as a single mother, and no one wanted to marry her, then how would she continue her basic schooling? Then it hit her - what if she weren't allowed back as a married woman either? Were married couples allowed to attend Hogwarts? She didn't remember hearing about any married students attending the school, so maybe that option was out as well. What was she to do with Persimmonie then? Were there magical daycares? How would she find a job so she could care for her baby? Would her parents take her in? She looked at them again. She hated the thought of saddling them with her and a grandchild, but what was she to do?

She thought with fear about Master Kreacher and Mistress Bella. She was sure they were angry that she was taken away from them and worried at what lengths they would go to get her back. Strange, but for some reason, she found herself feeling sad at the thought of being away from Mistress Bella. How could that be? Didn't Mistress hurt her and frighten her? So, why on earth would she miss her Mistress? Master Kreacher, on the other hand, was a different story. He no longer hurt her directly, and she knew she would miss his voracious sexual appetite - after all, she supposed one didn't go from having orgasms multiple times a day to none without missing them in some way. Her face glowed red as she thought about the fact that she would miss Sirius and Master Kreacher using her together. She never thought she'd say that to herself, but here she was, doing just that. Her fingers moved over her nipples as she began to pluck them, then moved between her legs. She turned her head to watch her sleeping parents, worried they would discover her in her moment of weakness as she wished she was being touched at that moment by her Masters.

Suddenly, she had a vivid vision of her father watching her touch herself, his eyes full of lust as he began to unzip his pants, then imagined him doing much, much more than watch her. A sudden throb hit her between her legs as she envisioned him being more than a father to her, and she knew in her heart that she couldn't go home with her parents if she were to keep her vision from coming true. Her fingers danced between her legs as she frantically, though quietly, brought herself off with images of her father on her mind. Trembling, she guiltily cleaned her fingers off, hoping to get the odor of self-sex off of her so no one smelled it when she got up.

Persimmonie made a little noise and Hermione turned to look at the bassinet, seeing it wobble slightly as her baby moved about before stilling once again. She closed her eyes and smiled as she remembered Remus transfiguring a chair into the bassinet when the baby had first been brought to the room. Her Remus was always so kind and thoughtful! He had spent time fussing over Persimmonie for a while after being fed, burping her and holding her, patting her back and talking to her as she slowly fell back to sleep. That had been a few hours before her parents entered the room with Professor Dumbledore, something she didn't want to think about now as she remembered her burning shame when she first saw them.

Her thoughts going back to those few hours she spent in the room with Remus and Professor Snape, she smiled as she remembered Remus comfortably holding the baby while talking with her and Professor Snape about what had been going on at Hogwarts during her absence. Professor Snape wasn't very talkative, his answers tending to be very short and without elaboration, something she found drove her to distraction. She almost felt like telling him to relax and TALK! It made her wonder if he was always like that, or if he ever allowed himself to relax enough to become friendly with anyone. Honestly, did he have to treat everyone as if they were a potential enemy? The way Professor Snape spoke didn't seem to bother Remus, though. He just continued talking calmly, slowly drawing information out of her Potions Professor until he was satisfied with the answers.

Her brow furrowed as she wondered about Remus. If she went with Ron or Sirius, she was fairly sure he would be upset. He was being very noble, valiantly staying by her side, but she worried that it was more out of a sense of obligation than out of true affection. Was he there because he wanted to be with her, or was he staying with her because he felt a sense of duty? He had told her he considered her his girlfriend, but maybe he'd be relieved if she went with one of the others so he could get on with his life.

His life.

Surely the poor man's life had been ruined because of his involvement with her. Ron's certainly had. But, Ron had Ginny. Did Remus have someone before he got involved with her? Someone he'd much rather be with? Someone not so troubled? He had done so much for her, was it fair for her to insist she be part of his life as well? What kind of repayment was that for someone who had helped rescue her?

Hermione turned onto her belly, then winced and turned a little to her side due to her breasts, full of milk, paining her. She felt a tear slide down the side of her nose and heard the drop plop onto the pillow (which was minus a pillow case that a baffled Remus had Vanished after she, upon its discovery, became somewhat hysterical over). Everyone's lives seemed in ruin because of their involvement with her. Even her parents, who were now sleeping on a cot in a hidden room in the hospital wing at Hogwarts and not in their own comfortable bed at home!

Hermione turned her face into her pillow with a sob, dearly wanting to cry noisily but not wanting to wake her parents and worry them further.

She heard Persimmonie begin to fuss, her fretting escalating as it changed to a quiet cry. Quickly, Hermione rose and tip-toed to the bassinet, quietly reaching in to pick up her baby as her mother sat up sleepily.

“Hermione, hon?”

“Shhhh, mum, go back to sleep,“ Hermione whispered, hoping her father would stay asleep. “It's just Persimmonie.”

“I know, honey.” Hermione's mother got up, pulling a bathrobe on and sliding her feet into her slippers.

“You don't need to get up, mum.”

“But I want to, sweetie.”

Jane sadly watched her daughter carefully lift her own daughter out of the bassinet. She knew her daughter loved her child, but knowing how the infant was conceived ruined her joy for the youngster. Oh, she was sure love would come in time, but now? Now she felt an immense anger with the man who had taken her daughter and forced his child upon her. Forced himself on her. Forced her to grow up long before she needed to.

Jane sighed inwardly, her eyes wearily tracking her daughter in the dark as she carefully sat on her cot, eyes on her father, obviously worried he would awaken, and began to breastfeed her child.

Feeling eyes upon her, Hermione glanced up at her mother and gave a tired smile. She felt alone, vulnerable, and oh, so tired. While in the Blue room with Sirius, she longed to be back at Hogwarts, to see her parents, and to get on with her life. But, now that she had all that, she realized she needed something else, but didn't know what it was. Everything felt so unreal and frightening with her mind seeming to be a huge jumble of thoughts that flitted aimlessly about in her head.

'Maybe I need to see Ron? How will he respond to Persimmonie? And to me? I wish Remus were here. At least I don't have to worry about how he feels about me, and I know he'll help me and Ron deal with the reality of our baby. Why, oh why, did it have to be a full moon tonight, of all nights?'

Jane sat next to her daughter and watched as she fed the baby. She couldn't quite think of the baby as her grandchild just yet. Yesterday she was the mother of a girl who disappeared, no one sure if she had been kidnapped or a runaway, and today she was a grandmother. A grandmother of twins, one she would bury and one she would hopefully learn to love. Hermione looked at her and she was startled by the sadness and weariness she saw in those big brown eyes. Instinctively, she put her arm around her daughter's shoulders and hugged her close as she swiped a tear from her own eye.

They sat in silence for a while, both listening to the sounds of the castle, Mr. Granger's soft breathing, and Persimmonie feeding; both lost in their thoughts about recent events, each wondering what the other felt.

Clearing her throat, Jane decided to ask some of the questions she had been wanting to her daughter, but didn't have a chance to. She thought she would ask the least upsetting ones first and work her way up to the more challenging questions, telling herself to be mindful of Hermione's responses and mood.

“So, tell me, Hermione, why did you name her Persimmonie?”

Hermione giggled. “Look at her hair, mum!”

“Yes, but you could have chosen something else – like Rose, for instance. Or Raven. Or Ruby. Something simpler.”

Again, Hermione giggled. “You mean like my name?”

Jane smiled, pleased that her daughter was cracking jokes. “Okay, you got me there. But why Persimmonie? Why not another name that is in the red family?”

“I don't know. I did pick Rose, it's her middle name. But the color of her hair is so close to the color Persimmon that I thought to name her that at first, but somehow, it just didn't sound like a real name. Then, then Persimmonie just kind of jumped out at me and it sounded perfect. So she became Persimmonie Rose.” Hermione reached down and lightly swiped the tip of Persimmonie's nose. “I like it.”

“Yes, the name does grow on you. I take it you made it up?”

“I'm pretty sure I did.” Hermione spoke slowly, her brows furrowing as she thought about it. “But then again, maybe I read it somewhere, I don't know.”

Jane reached down and twirled her fingers in Persimmonie's hair. “Her hair is so soft. A little curly, but I don't think it'll be a bad as yours.”

“No, I was kind of hoping she'd have straight hair, but Adara...” Hermione's voice broke as a tear slid down her cheek. Her voice became high-pitched as she tried to finish her sentence. “Adara's hair was str-st-straight. And, her eyes, her eyes, they were...”

Jane pulled Hermione closer to her as her daughter began to cry while also trying to continue feeding her daughter.

“Shhhh, shhh, there, there. It's going to be hard to -” Jane took in a shaky breath, “- to talk about Adara, but she was your daughter, and you'll never forget about her. In time, you'll be able to talk about her without breaking down.”

Hermione nodded as her tears fell. 'How will I ever be able to talk about her without crying? I feel like I'm going to burst whenever I try. Just thinking about her is hard.'

“How about Adara? Can you tell me why you chose the name 'Adara'?”

“S-Si-Sirius chose it.”

“Sirius?”

Hermione suddenly shrank away from her mother, not looking up, as she brought Persimmonie up to burp. She was careful to put her baby on her left shoulder so the baby's body hid her face from her mother. She hadn't meant to mention Sirius' name and it bothered her that she did. She wasn't sure if it mattered that her parents knew Sirius' identity, but she still felt funny talking about him in front of them.

“Hon, is this Sirius' the father of Adara?”

Continuing to pat Persimmonie's back, Hermione slowly nodded as the feeling of entrapment began to rear it's ugly head along the horizon.

“I see.”

Persimmonie gave out a loud burp and began to fuss, her mouth wetly rooting along her mother's neck. Hermione brought her down to her other breast and the babe latched on immediately, tugging impatiently as her foot came up and dug painfully into her mother's arm, causing her to suck her breath in a low hiss. Jane reached down and grabbed Persimmonie's foot, playing with her toes.

“Do you know who fathered Persimmonie?”

Hermione kept her head down and nodded, chewing on her bottom lip, not wishing to mention Ron's name.

“Were there only two men who could have fathered the babies?” Jane struggled to keep her voice light, to keep it calm so she wouldn't upset or frighten her daughter any more than she knew she was.

Again, Hermione nodded silently.

“Were they violent with you?”

Hermione hesitated before shaking her head, then nodded a little, then shook her head again. She cleared her throat as she prepared to speak, starting and stopping several times, finally taking several deep breaths as Remus made her do when she became flustered.

“Persimmonie's father was forced to, um, he didn't want to, but he was...” Her voice trailed off as she reached up and wiped away some tears. The guilty memory of Ron trying to fight the Imperius while she writhed impatiently beneath him was torture.

“He was forced to force himself on you?” Jane struggled to picture this in her mind, not understanding how a man could be forced to rape a woman he didn't want to rape. Was that possible?

She watched as her daughter nodded, keeping her head down, hiding her face from her. Jane's chest ached for her daughter, knowing there were horrors her daughter may never be able to share with her and she felt like a part of her was dying with the knowledge she'd never be able to make those memories go away.

“Well, R... I mean, Persimmonie's father, he didn't want to... He wasn't violent... Adara's dad, he, uh, he could be... Sort of... I mean, he wasn't being violent, not exactly... More like strong, or forceful, at times... But the first time, he, uh, no, he, um, wasn't violent... No.”

Jane watched her daughter's face, her expression changing as she spoke of her first sexual experiences with the fathers of her babies, and her sadness grew. She suddenly felt a great throb of love and the need to protect her baby swell within her, prompting her to grab one of Hermione's hands before speaking to her, her tone hushed though urgent.

“Hon, I don't claim to understand how this could have happened, but I want you to know that when you feel ready, if you ever feel ready, you can talk about it with me. I won't judge you, I promise.”

Hermione kept her head down and nodded. 'She says that now, but wait until she finds out what went on between me and the others. She has no idea how much of a slut I was. She'll never understand how dirty I am.' Suddenly, Hermione felt the need for a bath. A bubble bath. A hot bubble bath. Now.

Without warning, she stood up while pulling Persimmonie from her breast, unceremoniously placing her daughter down in the bassinet and walking to the door as she pulled the bodice of her gown up, ignoring Persimmonie's whimpers. She felt her mother grab at her arm and heard her asking questions, but she didn't hear her words.

When she spoke to her mother, she felt as if she were far away, her voice having a distant sound to it. “Bath. I need a bath.”

She shook her mother's arm off and stepped out into the hospital wing without looking back. Briskly, she walked out of the wing and into the halls of Hogwarts, intending to go to the girl's bath.

'Oh my god, I forgot how big Hogwarts is! I feel like I'm going to get lost! How did I stand this before? The sound seems to disappear and yet go on forever, and the hall seems like it goes on to infinity. Where's the end of the hall? I think I have to go down some stairs from here. The stairs are pretty big, aren't they? I think they are. What if I fall? I'll have to grab hold of the railing so I don't fall. What's that noise? Is it my heart? My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. I'm so frightened! I feel like I'm looking down a tunnel! I know it's not a tunnel, it's the hallway at Hogwarts. Why does it look like I'm in a tunnel? My vision is going away! Am I going blind? Oh, why did I leave my mum? I should have stayed with her! No, no, I need a bath. That's right, I need a bath. I need to get clean. I have to make sure I get clean. I can't shower like the trees being sprinkled on in the rain, I have to soak so the soap and water sink into my skin, lots of soap, so I can scrub myself and get clean. Oh! I'll never be truly clean again! I'll always be dirty, won't I? How will I ever feel clean again? Is there some type of magic to help me? Maybe Madam Pomfrey has something I can use. Oh, I'll have to go back down this hall again to ask her, and I can't do that! I've come so far already and I feel like I can't breathe! This hall is so big and I can't breathe! How can that be? I know there's plenty of oxygen, I shouldn't feel this way. I'm tingling again! Remus? Where are you? You'd make me feel better if you were here, I know you would! Oh Remus! What have I done? I can't go back, I can't, I can't, I can't! I have to find the bath, then I'll be all right. I know I will, I know I will, I know I will.'

Hermione momentum slowed until she eventually stopped walking, finally flattening her back against the wall, then slowly slid down until she was sitting on her haunches, her arms going around her bent legs for comfort. She looked up and down the hall, feeling so alone in the vastness of it, and sobbed quietly, feeling as if the walls were closing in on her even though they stayed so devastatingly far away. She put her forehead against her knees and shakily pulled her nightgown over her nose, as Remus would have done for her, and took in deep breaths. She tried to imagine him holding her and telling her to take in deep breaths, almost feeling his hand holding her gown over her nose, feeling his heartbeat through his shirt as she snuggled up against him. Slowly, the tingling sensation around her mouth and in her fingertips disappeared and she finally felt she could go on. She stood, ensuring her nightgown was pulled down decently about her, and began to edge cautiously down the hall again, her hands on the wall for support as her mind began a gradual spiral back into a state of panic.

She was little more than half-way down the long hall when she was quietly intercepted by Professor Snape.

“Miss Granger.”

Hermione, squinting as she struggled to see through her tunnel vision and desperate to get to her destination, didn't hear him as she continued to slink down the hall in her white Hogwarts nightgown. Severus followed closely, initially perturbed due to her not taking notice of him, then becoming alarmed as he recognized her signs of panic.

“Miss Granger.”

After repeating himself several times with increasing irritation, Severus quickly stepped forward and into her path. Hermione gave out a terrified shriek when she saw his large form loom before her, her trembling hands frantically reaching up to clutch her chest as it constricted in fear, her body unconsciously thrown against the wall in alarm as she struggled to remain standing on quaking legs. It was thus that he was finally able to force her to stop and take notice of him as she panted in terror. With dispassionate calm, Severus observed her physical demeanor critically, taking in her sweaty face, dilated pupils, shaking limbs, and rapid shallow respirations. He cocked an eyebrow, not sure why she would be exhibiting signs of near-hysteria.

“I don't recall ignoring a Professor as being considered acceptable behavior, Miss Granger.”

“Oh, I, I, I wasn't ignoring you, Pr-Professor Sn-Sn-Snape. I, I didn't hear you.” She realized her teeth were chattering as she struggled to get the words out coherently, her tight jaw aching as it quivered. She was suddenly glad he was there, knowing he would protect her from anything that might try to harm her even though she knew, deep down, that she was safe at the moment.

Severus crossed his arms. “You will look at me when addressing me.”

Hermione tore her eyes from his boots, craning her neck up to look at his face.

“Suh-suh-sir?”

Looking down his nose, he continued to query her. “Where do you think you are going?”

“I, uh, I n-n-nee-nee-need a buh-buh-buh-buh-buh-bath.”

“You are not to be trespassing the halls of Hogwarts, Miss Granger. Did the Headmaster not make that clear?”

Hermione nodded her head. She still felt a chill in her bones, but her shivering had stopped and her teeth no longer chattered. Slowly, she pulled herself away from the wall and stood, her legs finally feeling strong enough to support her. “Oh, um, yuh-yes, yes, he di-did.”

Severus quirked his brow up. “Then, why are we standing here in the hall, Miss Granger?”

“I, I wasn't thinking. I just, I needed a bath.”

“The fact that you were not thinking is abundantly clear, Miss Granger.” Severus took in an irritated breath. “There is a shower in the hospital wing. It will suffice for the moment.”

“Oh, well, I, uh, well...” Hermione shook her head adamantly, her hands wringing together nervously as she peered down the hall behind him. “ No, no, I need a bath. I really do.”

“A shower will suffice.“ Severus' voice was curt. “A bath is not life or death, therefore, you do not need a bath.”

“Yes, I need one. I really do.” Hermione tried to circle around and walk past him, his hand on her shoulder stopping her in her tracks. She tried to shake off his hand but it was vise-like and would not disengage.

“What, precisely, do you think you are doing?”

She stood still, her arms going around her in a hug, not giving an answer. 'Oh, why won't he leave me go? There's no one around! No one will see me! I just want to soak in a hot bath and clean off. Hopefully. Will I ever be able to get clean? Will I ever truly feel clean again? A shower just won't do, it won't soak into me like a bubble bath will. I want a bath. I need a bath.'

She stopped her musing and gave a little squeak of surprise when she was spun around and found herself face to face with the Professor. He was now bent down so he was nearly level with her, his unattractive face thrust in hers, his crooked, yellow teeth bared and his dark eyes hard with brows furrowed above them. Fearfully, she tried to step back away from him, but he held her upper arms tightly and wouldn't let her move.

“Are you listening to me now, Miss Granger?” His voice came out in an irritated hiss and she could smell his breath which was an unpleasant combination of, she was sure, an alcoholic drink and an unidentifiable array of spices, making her wonder if he had been disturbed in the middle of eating when he came to interrupt her journey to her bath. She tried to hold her breath and turned her face away. “Miss Granger?”

“Yes, sir. Yes, I hear you.”

“No, you will listen to me. There is a difference between hearing and listening, as I am sure you are aware.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You were instructed to stay in the room provided for your parents, your infant, and yourself. There is a reason for this directive. You are not to ignore any instructions given you by the Headmaster, there is no room for argument on this point. Is that understood?”

'Oh, please, make him get away from me! His breath stinks and he's so frightening when he's this way! Please, go away, go away, go away!'

“Miss Granger?”

“Yes! Yes! I heard you! I'm not to leave the hospital wing! I'm not to leave that little, teeny-tiny room! Gods, it's worse than the Blue room with Sirius, it's so small!” She began to cry, not sure why she was whining about the size of the room since it didn't even bother her.

“Get yourself under control.” She could tell he was speaking through clenched teeth as she continued to cry, slowing down briefly before starting up again.

“I said, Miss Granger, to 'Get. Yourself. Under. Control'.” Sensing his close proximity to her was increasing her fear, he let go of her, standing up and backing away slowly as he imperiously crossed his arms over his chest. He glanced up and down the hall quickly, fervently hoping no one would decide to come along before he could talk her into voluntarily going back to the hidden room specifically made for her by the Headmaster. He didn't understand her uncharacteristic defiance of his orders, or of the Headmaster's, but her actions were dangerous and needed to be dealt with. He worried he would be forced to pick her up and carry her back, probably having to silence her as well in order to keep her inevitable screaming at bay.

Hermione stepped back and covered her face with her hands, struggling mightily to gain control. 'Oh! Thank goodness he let go of me! I can breathe now! Oh, please, I want Remus! He'd give me a hug and talk nice to me and he smells good! And he doesn't yell at me or make mean demands on me like this!' Slowly, she fought for and finally got herself under control – she stopped crying and became silent except for a few sighs and hiccups.

“Are you quite done?”

“Yuh-yuh-yes, sir.”

“Then you will turn around and take yourself back to the infirmary, Miss Granger.” When Hermione continued to stand still, he gave her a curt order. “Now.”

Hermione turned and, arms wrapped around herself with her head hung low, she walked back to the hospital wing with Severus following directly behind her. When she finally came to the door, she stood still and stared at it, her bare feet crossed one over the other, not wanting to open it. Sighing heavily, greatly annoyed with her behavior, Severus finally reached down and jerked the door open, silently ushering her inside.

No sooner had they stepped over the threshold when a woman began shrieking at them. “Hermione! Honey, don't do that to me! I was afraid to follow you and didn't know who to call for!”

Jane ran over to Hermione, intending to give her a hug, but froze when Hermione flinched away, taking a step back and colliding with Severus. When she realized she had made contact with him, she gave a strangled shriek and pulled away, nearly falling over in her haste to get away. Severus grabbed her by the arm, steadying her before she fell, then let her go as she began to frantically tug her arm, attempting to free herself from his grasp and step away from him at the same time.

“Hermione, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have asked you those questions, baby! I didn't realize they would upset you so! I promise I won't do it again!” Jane began to cry as she watched Hermione back away, her arms around herself.

“I only wanted a bath.”

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Story time: 4:19am

“I didn't know! The questions didn't seem that bad when I was asking them! I swear, had I known, I wouldn't have asked them!”

Albus sat in a chair across from the Grangers, Severus standing stiffly behind them. He had been summoned urgently after Severus successfully retrieved Miss Granger and returned her safely – and quietly - to the room specifically made to hide and protect her within the walls of Hogwarts. He glanced at the door to the room the girl was now sleeping in, then turned to look at her parents' as they stared back at him with worry and confusion upon their faces.

He was glad Severus had come across Miss Granger before a student or another Professor did, quite relieved Severus had been able to talk her back to her room instead of having to force her. He had also coaxed her (bully was the word her father used) into drinking a dose of Dreamless Sleep potion as a means of quickly calming her down and ensuring she did not attempt to leave the room before morning.

Interestingly, Severus also ensured the girl was safely asleep, watching over her for nearly quarter-of-an-hour before finally summoning him. He stated that he didn't trust her parents to keep her under control, making Albus wonder if there was a need for him to double-check with his Potions Master about any dreams of the girl he may have experienced. After all, the man had stayed overnight at Grimmauld Place on a number of occasions; it was very possible that Kreacher had subjected Severus to his subliminal teaching, though Albus was at a loss as to why the elf would feel the need to do so. Severus was not 'weak of mind' - any teaching the elf may have done should not have taken. But then again, Severus did have that fling with the girl while disguised as Remus, and Albus was well aware of Severus' history in regards to the loss of his true love so many years ago. 'Could his witnessing and experiencing Miss Granger's amorous behavior for another man have anything to do with it, I wonder? Is this uncharacteristic show of concern, no matter how veiled behind sarcasm, an indication of deeper feelings of some sort? A longing he doesn't acknowledge? Surely the intermittent teaching of a wayward elf wouldn't affect Severus so strongly, now would it?' Albus pondered this for a moment more before deciding he would give it further thought later, when he had time to truly mull over all of the information he was aware of. He turned his attention back to the girl's parents.

“I am sure they were innocent enough questions, Mrs. Granger. However, I did warn you that your daughter was quite fragile of mind at this time.”

“My Lord, Dumbledore! She's worse than fragile! We need to find her a shrink as soon as possible!” Mr. Granger thumped his fist into the flat of his hand.

“I take it you mean a type of Muggle doctor called a psychiatrist?” He watched as Mr. Granger nodded. “Yes, I thought as such. We have Healers who specialize in matters such as this, helping others deal with the challenges life brings.”

“Well then, get on with it! She needs help!”

“In due time, Mr. Granger. Your daughter has been dealing with this situation for nearly a year now, she will need to deal with it on her own for a little longer.” Albus held up his hands. “We must be sure of her safety before we do anything else. Once we have the three of you hidden, we will arrange for her to see a Healer.”

“But we can't have her suddenly disappearing somewhere to take a bath! She practically dumped her baby in the bassinet and left her there!” Mrs. Granger wiped a few tears away as she looked at the wizard seated before them. “What if she can't be left alone with the baby? What do we do about the baby?”

“I'm sure we can secure someone to stay with Miss Granger, someone who will help you keep her safe.”

Dumbledore was deeply troubled by this new development with Miss Granger. She had been free for less than twenty-four hours and difficulties were already arising. Initially, he had anticipated it would take a few weeks or even months before she began exhibiting bizarre behavior. Why so soon? Was there a curse placed to wreak havoc upon her if she were taken from Sirius or the others? Was she somehow magically connected to the room she had been removed from? Surely Sirius would have mentioned that by now, wouldn't he?

“But for how long? We can't watch her twenty-four hours a day! We have a dental practice to get back to. We can't put her in an adult day care and she isn't registered for a suitable school near our home! And what of the baby? What if she harms the baby?” Jane grabbed at Robert's hand for support.

“Perhaps it would be best if the child did not stay with us.” Mrs. Granger nodded at her husband's suggestion. “At least, for a little while.”

Severus stood rigidly behind the Grangers, listening to them with disgust. They were more worried about their dental practice than their own daughter? And, disgustingly, their grandchild was even lower down on the list.

“My dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger, you knew that once your daughter was finally rescued, that there would be inconveniences to deal with. Kidnap victims do not suddenly revert back to their former selves without assistance from others. Your daughter is troubled, true. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending upon how you think of it, there is a very real possibility that magical spells may have been performed upon her that must be removed. Hopefully, once that is done, your daughter will return to a more normal state and won't be so..... flighty.” Albus smiled tiredly. “Your dental practice will not suffer once you are able to return to live your lives as you always have done, as your daughter will be back at Hogwarts as a student.

“But, that's months away! What do we do until then, Dumbledore?” Mr. Granger crossed his arms over his chest, a stern look on his face.

“I believe, for now, that being at Hogwarts would be the safest solution for your daughter since she will be protected by the many ancient spells contained within the castle itself.” Albus watched confusion flicker upon the Grangers' faces. “Your daughter will need to work hard in order to catch up with the rest of her class so, perhaps, it would be best for her to stay at Hogwarts over the summer, allowing her to study and get herself caught up. The staff will be able to help her with any needs that may arise, and a Healer will be able to visit without need for secrecy.” He paused a moment, reflecting upon what he had just said, thinking what else he needed to say to the distraught parents before him. “I feel it would be best if she were able to continue her schooling with the students she has been with for so many years. I have no doubt that she will have little difficulty getting herself up to, shall we say, par with the others.”

“Oh, she'll stay here?” Mrs. Granger brought a hand to her mouth, her fingers lightly touching her lower lip. “Well, I don't know, I mean, I didn't mean to sound so selfish. We want Hermione home with us, we're just frightened by all that's going on, and unprepared for how she'll be. We didn't realize, I mean...” Mrs. Granger pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. “We just want our little girl back, but now we have a troubled teen and a granddaughter that we didn't expect. And now we find out that we are in danger as well. And we risk losing everything because of all this. Please understand, don't think poorly of us. It's just all so overwhelming and we don't know what to do.”

“You call us Muggles, isn't that right, Dumbledore? Well, the Muggle world won't wait for the Magical world to get itself in order.” Mr. Granger leaned forward, his hands on his knees. “We have to continue on with our practice in order to keep from losing everything. We have employees, overhead, patients who depend on us. Our daughter comes first, don't get me wrong, but if we take her back to our world, I fear she'll wind up being locked up in the loony bin.” Mr. Granger looked haunted, his voice barely above a whisper. “My lord, Dumbledore, we don't want that.”

Mrs. Granger nodded at her husband's words, a tear sliding down her cheek. “We don't know what to do for Hermione. Do we treat her the same as someone who was kidnapped by normal people? Or should she be treated differently because the person who took her was a wizard? We don't know what was done to her, we don't know what to do for her.”

“I'm aware of all your worries, Mr. and Mrs. Granger. We'll have to work all of the details out later, once we are sure of your safety. I realize this whole situation is more than you can handle at this time, so please, allow me to work out the intricacies of your immediate welfare while you learn to deal with your daughter. It's perfectly fine to treat her as you would anyone in your world who had been kidnapped and tormented - while some of the things done to her were magical, the effects upon her psyche will be the same.” Albus sighed deeply. “I firmly believe it would be best for your daughter if she were to continue her schooling with the classmates she has grown accustomed to. In order to do that, she will need to stay at Hogwarts so she may get caught up in her studies.” Albus glanced up at Severus briefly before focusing on the Granger's again. “I am sure that several of the Professors won't mind assisting her with her studies, one of them more than proficient in a few of the courses she was taking. I'm sure this person will be more than happy to help her get caught up in her academics so she may rejoin her classmates next term.”

Severus' eyes flashed darkly. 'Just fucking great, Albus. Why don't you hint a little fucking harder that you expect me to stay at this fucking castle over the summer and give private fucking lessons to a student? A friend of Potter's, no less. Fuck! I won't get any time off this summer to catch up on my articles or to feel I've shaken free of the puerile little beings you call students. There's no fucking rest for fucking Severus Snape between you and the Dark Lord. None at all. Fuck!'

“Well, we'll talk about it with Hermione, and see what she wants to do. I guess it'll all depend upon her wants and needs. What do you think, Robert?”

“Yes, I agree, we'll discuss this with Hermione. Personally, I think the idea put forth by Dumbledore, that she remain at the school for the summer, is an excellent idea. She'll be safe here and she'll be with people who will know how to handle her.” Mr. Granger sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “When do you think we'll be able to go back to our practice, Dumbledore? One day we're hoping for our daughter to come back to us, the next day our lives are completely uprooted and changed. You state you're going to hide us for a while, but we have no idea how long we'll be away. “ He took in a deep breath. “Our Practice is our only source of income, we have a mortgage to pay and car notes, plus, as I mentioned before, we have employees who depend on us. I'm sure you understand.”

Albus sighed. “Yes, I am very aware of how much your lives have been affected by all of this.”

“I just wish the nut case who took our daughter from us understood how much he's fucked up all our lives. Not just hers, but all of ours? Does he, Dumbledore? Does he realize how far reaching the fallout of his selfish lust for our daughter has been? Does he?”

Sadly, Albus shook his head. “No, Mr. Granger, I'm afraid the person in question truly does not understand.”

“This person would be a man named Sirius, wouldn't it?”

Albus looked in surprise at Mrs. Granger.

“Hermione mentioned that Adara's father was someone named Sirius. She said the father of Persimmonie was forced to rape her, so the man who caused all this grief must be the man named Sirius.” Mrs. Granger sat forward in her chair. “Are my assumptions correct?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Story time: 9:12am

“Albus.”

“Ah, Bill! So good of you to come!” Albus stood from his chair behind his desk and walked around it, a genuine smile upon his face as he put his hand out to shake Bill's hand.

“You said it was important. The Goblins didn't want to let me go, but once I explained to them that you wished to discuss something with me of great importance they reluctantly agreed.” Bill looked around the office a bit, taking note of the picture of Merlin waving at him while all the other portraits seemed to be sleeping. “What's so important that you needed to drag me away from my work at Gringotts?”

“Care to have a lemon drop?” Albus gestured towards the chair that Severus usually sat in and walked around his desk, seating himself in his chair. “No? Then have a seat, Bill, so I may explain.”

Bill sat slowly, crossing his legs as he made himself comfortable.

Albus considered his words as he stared at the oldest Weasley son. He knew the young man before him would be discreet, plus he was a member of the Order which was a definite added bonus. Albus' eyes briefly strayed to the earring Bill had in his ear, noting it was now a dragon's tooth that dangled from his lobe and not the fang from a nameless creature. The young man's dark red hair was tied at the nape, as was customary for him, and he still wore his dragon hide boots.

“Bill, I'm going to need your expertise as a Curse-Breaker.”

“Oh?”

“You are able to detect and break curses that have been placed upon humans, are you not?”

Bill nodded slowly. “Those types of curses are tricky to break, Albus, as you know. They can harm the person who has been cursed, if not done correctly.”

“That is why I am in need of your services. I am not an expert, nor is Severus. If the curse were upon an object I would attempt it myself, but as it is upon a person, I am hesitant.”

“I see.” Bill put his crossed leg down and leaned forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped loosely together. “You do know that breaking a curse upon an object can be just as dangerous to the Curse-Breaker, now don't you?” Bill watched Albus slowly nod. “And, sometimes you'll think there was only one curse, and when that curse has been broken you'll be surprised to find another one hidden within?” Again, Albus nodded, his lips pursed as he peered over his steepled fingers at Bill. “And, sometimes you don't find that hidden curse until it's too late? That's why there aren't too many professional Curse-Breakers around – a curse always gets us in the end. Always.”

“Yes, Bill, I am aware of all this.”

“Good. I just wanted to make sure.” Bill pointed a finger at Albus. “I don't want you breaking curses on objects in the future without me, Albus. You know I won't charge you and I know how to keep my mouth shut.”

Albus smiled. “Thank you, Bill. I'll keep that in mind in the future if I ever need a curse broken upon an object.”

“Good.” Bill sat back in the chair, a leg crossing over the other in much the same way Severus crossed his, concerned eyes not straying from Albus. “Now, who has been cursed?”

“Hermione Granger.”

Bill stiffened in shock, his hands slamming down onto the chair arms and gripping them tightly. “You've found her?”

“We have.”

“When?”

“Just yesterday.”

“She's all right?”

Albus nodded while shrugging his shoulders. “For the most part, yes.”

“My mum will blow a gasket when she finds out Hermione has been rescued.”

“I take it she won't find out until I inform her, correct?”

“I can't believe you asked me that, Albus.” Bill's brows furrowed and, obviously affronted by Albus' remark, he crossed his arms.

“I'm just making sure, Bill, I apologize for insulting you. A great deal is at stake with her rescue.”

Bill looked at Albus critically. “Really? A lot is riding on her rescue?” Bill sat back, his right hand slowly coming down to lay on the chair's armrest while his left grabbed his ankle as it rested on his knee. “Someone important have her?”

“You could say that.”

“Mmmm. What kind of curse do you suspect?”

“One with disabling nightmares.”

“Hmmm, there are only a few known spells to create that symptom. That one should be easy to figure out. Any others?”

“At least one of a sexual nature.”

“Oh shit, Albus, that'll be the difficult one to correctly identify.” Bill looked at the fire as it merrily danced in the hearth. “There are literally hundreds of sex curses to use against another person.”

“Of that,” Albus murmured gravely, “I am aware.”

Bill turned to look at Albus. “You're positive it wasn't a potion?”

“No, that I am not sure of. I have Severus working on that aspect of Miss Granger's symptoms. It is possible she has both a potion and curse working on her.”

“Damn, Albus. Who the hell took her that would be willing to drug her with a sex potion and nail her with a curse to boot? Bellatrix Lestrange?”

Albus stared meaningfully at Bill, not saying a word.

“Fuck, Albus. You've got to be kidding? That crazed woman had Hermione?” Bill's leg came down and he leaned forward in the chair again, elbows on knees. “Is she all right? In the mind, I mean?”

Albus hesitated before replying. “The girl is troubled.”

“I'll take that as an understatement.”

Nodding, Albus agreed. “I believe that would be wise.”

“Merlin's balls, Albus.” Thoughtfully, Bill placed a hand on his knee, the other raising up to pull at his lower lip, its elbow resting on the other knee while he carefully considered the information he had been given so far. “I'd definitely be prepared for some of the more nastier curses, the ones that bite back.”

“Such as?”

Bill's hand came down as he sat back, his leg crossing over the other once again. “You are aware that Hermione could die with the attempt to remove some of the curses, right? And there are a few out there that will kill the person attempting to remove the curse. A sex curse is usually used by someone who is unbalanced and they often use one with an added death curse. Just be prepared for me to tell you that a curse may not be removed safely and she'll have to learn to live with its effects.”

Albus sat in thought for a few minutes. “The nightmare one?”

“That I should be able to rid her of without complication. It's not generally used with a sex curse. Highly unusual combination. Why would Bellatrix use them both?”

“The situation is complicated. Bella didn't have to deal with the nightmares, but she wanted the person Miss Granger was with to have to suffer with them.”

“Daaaaaaamn.” Bill sounded incredulous. “What a wicked woman.”

“Indeed.”

They sat in silence for awhile, each contemplating the information shared between them.

Bill rubbed his chin, then looked at Albus, his expression worried. “Is Hermione suffering a great deal?”

“Her suffering has been great these last few months, yes.”

“Now that she's away from those who cursed her, her suffering may actually intensify.”

“How so?”

“Curses of that nature generally have some type of identification charm added to them. The person who inflicts the curse doesn't want the other person to leave them, right? Therefore, they make it so that if the victim remains away from the spell-caster for any length of time, the cursed person will begin to have a type of withdrawal – much like narcotic withdrawal. The longing for the person who inflicted the curse never truly goes away.”

“I've heard of that and have worried that this may be so for Miss Granger. The curse somehow infuses itself into the inflicted person's chemical make-up, does it not?”

“No, sex curses don't just become one with their chemical make-up, such as how a potion does when ingested. A potion will actually become part of the person, Muggles use the term DNA, and it stops there. A curse will become one with the person's magic as well as their DNA. Actually, a potion would be far easier to use than one of these curses. Far less painful and lethal to use than casting a curse. The only disadvantage of a potion is that it is easier to reverse.”

“Yes, yes. An antidote is easier to create for a potion, I am aware of that.” Albus shifted in his chair. “Incidentally, Bill, not only may the girl have been subjected to curses and potions, but it's a very good possibility that she has been subjected to elfin magic as well.”

“Elfin?” Bill perked up in alarm.

Albus nodded.

“Damn, this just keeps on getting worse the more you tell me, Albus! Elfin magic isn't anything to sneeze at. What kind of elfin magic are we talking here?”

“Sexual.”

Bill was aghast, a horrified expression spreading over his face.

“Miss Granger has been in the forced company of Bellatrix Lestrange, amongst others, and has also been the prisoner of a house elf.”

Bill's face filled with disgust. “A house elf? You're telling me Hermione was a sex slave,” Bill swallowed thickly, “to a house elf?”

Albus didn't answer, he merely stared at Bill from under his bushy eyebrows.

Bill nodded slightly, a sad look settling upon his face. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Perhaps it's time for you to take me to Hermione.”

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Author's notes, you may freely skip:

I hope this chapter answered many of your questions... However, it doesn't answer all of the stories secrets... The next chapter will answer even more, but as with this one, not all...
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Body language:
http://www.jobaloo.com/articles/Interviewing/Body_Language.html
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Do_You_Have.html
http://deltabravo.net/custody/body.php

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