In sickness and in health

Any character or place you recognize belongs to J K Rowling


Hermione was well enough to be up and moving but she did nothing but read all day until the day when everyone's Hogwarts letters arrived. Hermione ripped hers open and out fell the badge she had waited six years to wear.
Molly Weasley forgot herself and wrapped Hermione in a hug. Hermione shrieked and pain washed over her as the wilting rose on her collarbone opened again.

Molly released her immediately and moments later Hermione was gone in an effort to hide the bloody stain that was growing on her shirt. Another moment later she heard shouting and knew that Molly had just discovered that Harry and Ron didn't plan to go back to Hogwarts.

Hermione ran all the way to the door which led onto the roof. There was a largish platform there that was her secret sanctuary. No one knew about it and it was where she kept many of the things she was using to heal herself.

She pulled out her new wand that she had ordered by owl since Ollivander had disappeared. Her first wand was mixed somewhere in the ashes that had been her home. She put water into a cauldron and began the process of making a healing salve. She could never let anyone see the wilting rose. It was a message from Voldemort saying that his men had raped the marked person and killed them.

While Hermione was alive, it was of course no lie that she had been raped viciously. It was three hours and several applications of salve later that Hermione reappeared into the house. She found Molly Weasley in the kitchen crying and holding Hermione's head girl badge.

"Molly?" Hermione asked and Mrs. Weasley looked up.

"I'm so sorry dear. I was so happy for you that I forgot you didn't want to be touched."

"It isn't your fault Molly. I would have let you hug me but it is still too soon for me. I'm sorry." Hermione had tears in her eyes and Mrs. Weasley wanted nothing more than to take her in her arms and let her cry until she felt better.


Hermione had new Hogwarts things from Diagon Alley but not many personal things so her trunk was considerably lighter as she hefted it onto the Hogwarts Express on September 1st. She left it in an empty compartment which she then locked tight and wandered down the train towards the prefect compartment. The head girl and boy were supposed to tell the pefects their duties and new passwords. She had no idea who the head boy was.

The compartment was empty when she entered it so she sat down and opened her book on animagi. She had decided to become an unregistered animagus as a project to help her heal. She heard someone clear their throat and she looked up to find Draco wearing a head boy badge standing right in front of her. Her eyes widened.

"Draco why didn't you tell me you had gotten head boy?" She asked. Draco shrugged.

"I didn't think it made that much of a difference." There was an awkward silence before Draco noticed the book "Why are you studying animagi?" It was Hermione's turn to shrug.

"I thought it was an interesting topic" Draco didn't look convinced but he dropped the subject as prefects began filing into the room. Draco did the explaining for which Hermione was grateful.

The welcoming feast was strange and silent. It was odd not having Dumbledore in his eccentric robes up in his throne like chair at the high table. McGonagal sat there instead. Hermione didn't eat anything. She had lost a lot of weight since it happened.

Draco looked over at her with concern. His fellow Slytherins kept their distance from him. To them he was a traitor. Draco didn't particularly care.

After the feast Mcgonagall led Hermione and Draco to a painting of a witch with flaming hair. Mcgonagall told them that their password was Red Rose and left them. Draco said the password and stepped into their shared common room. One half of it was done in red and gold and the other in silver and green. Hermione took this in and then headed up the stairs on the red and gold side of the room.

The bed was slightly larger than she was used to and also a bit fancier. There were two windows looking out over the grounds and an oak desk equipped with ink, quills, and parchment. Lastly there was a bookcase with all kinds of books in it. Hermione ran her hands over them and picked out all the ones on animagi. She was almost ready to try the first step in becoming one. She decided she would do it the next day and collapsed into bed. She would need her sleep.