Control

Control

Chapter 1 Away from the Pain

It was so long ago, but I can still remember her pleading me. Her eyes were wide and glistening with tears.

"Please Hermione, darling, please, you must make it stop!" my mum would say with desperation in her trembling voice.

A glass shattered. My father shook his head hopelessly. I would stare blankly into her eyes and try to understand what she was saying but when I got this upset, I couldn't hear, taste, smell, nothing. I only felt anger. Anger so intense it would cause my body to shut down completely and obliviate it from the world around me.

She would continue to beg me and try to embrace me, but I looked at her sharply and she was flung backwards.

     I never meant to hurt my mum. I love her so much, I was just so angry.

Father would always be away, saying he was doing extra hours. But I knew what he was up to. I may have been only seven or so, but I was not stupid. I seen the way he had changed after a few months. He barely said 'Hello' to mum and he never kissed us goodbye. The father I knew that had tucked me every night with a gentle kiss on my forehead had vanished without a trace. And it was all thanks to her. That woman. Whoever she was, she was stealing my father from me. That was then. When it all had begun.

    Now, some eight years later, things still had not changed. My mother was a reserved and quiet person. She scarcely attempted to communicate with her husband, as if she thought she might be making things harder on him. I wished that she would just realize that it wasn't her...it was him. This plus many other things were on my mind one day not long after I left my fifth year at Hogwarts.

"Good Morning, dear," said Mum as she took a seat next to me at the kitchen table.

     I smiled weakly and continued moving my bacon and eggs about my plate with my fork. So much was on my mind. Again, I had failed to tell Harry and Ron. Why was it so hard to tell them? Another year had gone by and I had hidden behind my knowlegde, books, and studies. I had to keep myself distant with them because it seemed whenever I was around, I was constantly being told I was too 'something.' Was I foolish to make clothes for the house elves? I was considered a bookworm because I cared about my schoolwork? I was too reserved to step a toe out of line, wasn't I?

I could feel my hands tremble and I clenched my jaw.

Harry and Ron knew I'd gladly die if I had to to keep them safe. I was a devoted friend and loyal to the highest point. Why was I still treated as an inconvinence most of the time?

     My glass slipped off the table and shattered. Mum gasped and dropped her fork. The sudden sound of breaking glass had set me out of my anger and I quickly scrambled to the floor to pick up the shards.

"No, dear, I'll get that, you go upstairs and rest for a while."

"I'm sorry mum, I...it was an..."

"Darling, please just go to your room," Mum said pleadingly. She knew what had happened.

    I didn't need to be told three times. I started for the staircase and climbed it slowly, keeping my head down in shame. One should not cry over spilled milk, but it had been so long since I had...made something happen. I threw myself onto my bed and buried my face into the pillow. It was mid-July and the hot sun beat on my neck from a window to my left. Trying to get my mind off things, I picked up 1000 Magical Facts You Never Knew and began to read. It was going to be a long, painful summer and I would lay here all day and contemplate the meaning of life. Great, I thought and threw the book on the floor.

    A few minutes later, the telephone rang and I reluctantly reached out and picked it up.

"Hello?" I said boredly, in an almost sad tone.

"Hermione?" said a frantic male voice.

I sat up and desperately tried to remember whose voice that belonged to. Then it hit me.

"Harry?!" I asked, near hyperventilation. "What on earth-"

"Hermione, I need to ask you something," he said in a voice just over a whisper.

"Yes, yes, what?" I asked anxiously.

"It's Vernon, he's absolutely snapped, I need to get out of here, he's already struck me twice and he even hit Aunt Petunia, she took Dudley and left,"

"Are you alright, Harry?" I asked.

"Please, I need to get out of here, Ron and his family are on holiday somewhere, I think Romania,"

"But how, Harry? How will you get here? But your supposed to stay at the Dursley's..." I said, becoming more and more perplexed.

I could hear a booming voice holler in the background at Harry's.

"Hermione! I need you to-"

     The line was cut and went silent. I quickly hung up the phone and tried to think. There was absolutely no way I could get to him in Little Whining...that was quite a while away. But then I thought and remembered. I couldn't just leave him there if he was being harmed.

I'm his friend and I have certain responsibilities to take care of.

     ~*~

     Mother had bought me it when I was in my third year at Hogwarts thinking I would be interested with it. She was wrong, but who would have thought it would be useful to me one day. I grabbed it out of my closet and pulled my wand from my dresser drawer. I muttered a speeding charm on it and ran outside, ready to fetch Harry from his hell on four Privet Drive.

     I ran out onto my well-kept front yard and swung one leg over the broomstick and took one last look at my house, just in case I'd never see it again. I wasn't exactly a Victor Krum when it came to flying. And I would have to make sure not to be seen. The risk of being spotted by Muggles was high. I tapped myself on the head with my wand and the cold liquid feeling trickled down my spine. Putting a hand in front of me, I made sure the Disillusion Charm had worked properly. And it did. I would probably be sent a letter from the Ministry about Underage Magic use, but at this point that meant nothing to me. My hand now in front of the lawn, was a perfect matching shade of green. I then kicked off the ground and rose into the air. I swayed at first, but eventually I maintained my balance and became steady. I set off into the direction of Little Whining, wand in hand.

     Finally, I had reached my destination. The square rooftops of the residental homes were arranged in perfect rows, and each house, it's perfectly manicured lawn. Swooping down among the houses, I searched for four Privet Drive. It took a few minutes, but I had finally found it. I turned my self visible again and ran to the door and knocked furiously. I waited a few moments, and when no one answered, I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Suddenly there was a scream that made my stomach lurch in an uneasy way.

     "Alohomora!" I said quickly and entered the house, caring not of what the Dursley's would think, or care for that matter. Looking around, I noticed the house was a complete and utter mess. Glass lie broken all over the floor, tables were overturned and paper lay scatted throughout the rooms. I turned and heared a scream again, coming in the direction of the staircase.

"Harry!?" I yelled.

     Then I spotted him. He was on the floor, both hands above him to block blows from his raging uncle. Mr. Dursley's face was as purple as a plum and his eyes were cold and squinted with anger and mad fury.

"Never, again, tell me what to do boy!" he roared and just as he was about to strike Harry again, I raised my wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

A split second later, Mr. Dursley's arms and legs clapped together, he froze then fell backwards onto the floor with a rather loud thump.

"Harry!" I yelled and climed the stairs to get where he was.

     I kneeled down to him, his face was swollen and he had cuts, bruises and a large bump on his forehead. He looked like he was about to pass out, and I couldn't have blamed him.

"Oh my...Are you alright?" I asked, unneccessarily.

"I think I can stand..." he muttered.

I grabbed his arms and tried to pull him up.

"Come on, Harry," I said after he had limply fell back to the floor, "Just try..."

Putting one of his arms over my shoulder, I hoisted him up with all my might and slowly, but steadily, we decended down the stairs.

When we had made it down and got out of the wrecked house, Harry had seemed to wake up a little more.

"Thanks..." he said in a grateful tone. I nodded quickly in response.

"Do you have your trunk packed?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Accio trunk," I said and his trunk soared out of an open window and down to us.

    Harry sat down on his trunk as I stuck my wand into the air. Not a moment later, there was a rather loud "POP!" and a large bus appeared in front of us. A young boy with straw-colored hair stepped out.

"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus, I--Neville is that you?" the young boy said, staring at Harry.

"Please just let us on," I said impatiently, going to Harry and hoisting him up into the bus. I put him in the first seat where he immediately closed his eyes and drifted off. The boy pulled Harry's trunk onto the bus and took his place at his post. With another loud "POP!" we were off again. Leaving my broomstick behind, I wondered why I hadn't thought of this before. The ride continued on with enough bumps and sudden stops to traumatize a young child. Nevertheless, we got home safely, and my mum helped me bring Harry into our two-story house.

     ~*~

     The next morning, I walked into the guestroom (which was neatly prepared for any visitor), a breakfast tray full of eggs, bacon, toast and orange juice in my hands. I set the tray on the floor beside the bed that Harry lie in. His forehead was bandaged by my mother whom had thoughtfully agreed to let Harry stay here for the reamains of our holiday. Very gingerly, I tapped Harry on his shoulder and whispered his name gently in his ear. He stirred a bit, then opened his eyes and let out a small gasp.

"Morning, Harry," I said, smiling politely.

"Oh, er, morning Mione."

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. No one but my father had ever called me Mione. It brought back painful memories of the man who was once my dad. But I opened my eyes again, smiled and lifted Harry's try to his chest.

"Breakfast?"

Harry eyed the food as if it were a barrel of Galleons, and sat up.

"This is wonderful, Mione," he said, still looking at the food.

I beamed.

"So how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Better, much better," Harry said nodding. Feeling glad for him, I beamed.

He began to wolf down forkfulls of eggs and bacon into his mouth. I snorted and wondered how his body could actually chew and swallow that fast. I stood up and was just about to leave. Tell him, said the voice in my head that seemed to speak when I felt guilty about something. He'll notice it sooner or later. When things start to fall, and break and move...

"Mione," he called.

I turned around

"Yes?" I said, my hand on the doorknob.

"...Thanks..." he said sincerely.

I looked into his entrancing jade eyes and a pleasurable feeling lurched in my stomach.

And again, I smiled.