Red Tears

Hermione Granger had what appeared to be a perfect life. She was the top of her class and a beauty. There was another side of Hermione people rarely saw. The depressed, human girl trapped inside.

It had all started her fifth year at Hogwarts. O.W.L's had been too much for her. To try and relieve the frustration and pressure, she would cut herself. There was so much expected of her by her teachers, her peers, and herself. When she got overwhelmed, she'd lock the dormitory bathroom and begin to make cuts on her body. Seeing the red of the blood running onto her snow white skin was a twisted yet comforting sight. She would feel her worries, anxieties, and hurt flow out with her blood.

No one ever discovered her habit until one day in her sixth year. Hermione had forgotten to lock the bathroom door that day. Ginny was looking for Hermione to help her with a nasty potions essay that was due the next day. Lavender told Ginny, she had seen her disappear into the bathroom.

"Hermione! What are you doing?!" gasped Ginny.

"Nothing," Hermione said trying to hide her wounds and razor blades scattered about the bathroom.

"Hermione, how long have you been doing this?" whispered Ginny while silent tears slipped down her face.

"About a year," muttered Hermione while putting towels over the gashes in her upper thighs.

"Why 'Mione? Why?"

"Because it is the only way I can escape. I am sick of being perfect. Seeing these," Hermione pointed to her legs, "reminds me I'm not anymore.

"You should have come to me. I love you."

"Look at yourself. You're in your O.W.L. year. The only reason you were looking for me was for homework help, right?"

"Well..." Ginny looked at her shoes.

"See, you're just like everyone else. So you think I have any real friends? If you do, you are greatly mistaken. No one really cares about me anymore. When was the last time we did something together? See, even you don't care anymore, and that's why I do this," and at that Hermione made anther cut in her leg.

Ginny shrieked, "No 'Mione, you are right. We don't spend any time together anymore. I promise you, the next Hogsmede weekend we'll spend together.

Ginny had made Hermione feel special, so she tried to stop. She couldn't. She was addicted.

When it finally came time for the Hogsmede weekend, Hermione tried to find Ginny. Ginny had totally forgotten her promise to Hermione and had made plans with her boyfriend Dean Thomas.

Ginny was walking to Hogsmede holding Dean's hand, when Hermione saw them from her dorm window. A sudden rage came over Hermione. She wanted to hurt Ginny, hurt her real bad.

"I'll make her sorry," thought Hermione to herself.

She went t over to her trunk and pulled out a dagger. She went into the bathroom and cut her finger with the dagger. With her own blood she wrote in the wall two words," You promised." Then took the dagger and plunged it into her heart. She was dead before she hit the floor.

While Dean and Ginny were sipping butterbeers, Ron and Harry came into the Three Broomsticks. Seeing the two together triggered something in her memory.

"Oh shit! Sorry, please excuse me Dean. I need to do something. Talk to your later sweetie," and at that she pecked a kiss on his check and sprinted up to the castle. When she arrived in Hermione's dorm, she wasn't there, so Ginny tried the bathroom.

When she walked in, she screamed and began to cry uncontrollably. She saw the sad, sunken face of her friend. She read the message on the wall, picked up the dagger, and said," I promised." At that she plunged the dagger into her won heart and feel to the floor.