Suitable Endings I Think

Suitable Endings I think.

They were yelling at each other so loudly that most everyone at the dance could hear them. Hermione had said good night to Viktor and then went on a mission to locate Ron and have a battle. When she saw him she went straight to him and started yelling at him. She told him that Viktor was a gentleman and there was nothing beyond friendship in their relationship. Ron disagreed and then told her that OLE Krummy was too old for her. This statement launched Hermione into a new height of anger.

Then a light went on in her head and made her see this situation in a different way. He wasn't concerned about their age difference; he was just concerned that they were together period. He was jealous. She then told him that the solution was obvious. The next time there was a ball he should ask her before someone else did, and not as a last resort. He told her that she was missing the point and then walked off. As he was walking up the stairs she screamed at him that he had totally ruined her evening. She then sat down on the stairs, dug in the pocket of her ankle and cried.

A few moments later Ron returned and sat down opposite her. With tears running down her cheeks she said, "What?" For a few seconds he didn't say a word. She became angrier, when he finally talked.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" she said, with a puzzled look on her face.

"I hurt you, and I am sorry." He then moved closer and told her he wouldn't hurt her for all the Galleons in the world. After the shock ebbed away, she very quietly thanked him. He took her hand and then told her that the fact of the matter was that he was jealous. She gave him a slight smile.

"You must be cold." He then took his cloak and put it around her shoulders. She again thanked him and pulled the cloak tighter around her. He asked if she would allow him to escort her back to the Gryffindor commons. She told him yes. He gave her his arm and she took it. They hardly said anything to each other although they both seemed to enjoy each other's company.

When they arrived back at the commons, they looked at each other and agreed that it had been a long night and both needed rest. Before parting, Hermione, asked him if she could hold on to his cloak for the night. Ron told her that it smelled like his great auntie Tessie, but if she wanted it, it was hers. She gave him a long, penetrating look and then said goodnight to him.

2

Harry was in a tent with the other champions, waiting for the first task, when he heard his name being whispered from the other side of the tent. He went over and soon realized it was Hermione. She asked him if he was okay. He told her he was a bit nervous, but doing his best to hold up. Finally she couldn't stand it anymore and came round the curtain between them and hugged him. After a row with Rita Skeeter, the champions were gathered together to see who would battle what dragon. When Harry saw his he immediately thought of Norbert.

Also present was Professor Dumbledore and when he saw Hermione he asked her what she was doing there. When she was about to leave, Harry told her to wait. When they were somewhat alone, he took her aside. "Hermione, if something should happen to me- -" She stopped him and with explosiveness told him that nothing would happen to him! Harry, grabbed her and told her to listen because time was short.

"If something should happen to me, I need to tell you a secret."

She looked at him with a frightened stare. She slowly asked him what this secret was. He replied,

"I love you and have loved you since first year."

She was stunned, but then laughed nervously and said that of course he loved her as a friend and she loved him to as a friend. Harry shook his head.

"No Hermione, I love you in a girlfriend boyfriend way."

Hermione was searching for words when Harry's name was called up for the task with the dragon. He walked away from her. He turned toward her and quietly told her that she ought to know how he felt about her. Hermione stood silently. She then brought her hands to her face and began to cry. He left and when he was out of sight she whispered through her tears, "I love you too!"

3

Harry and Hermione were standing on a bridge, talking about the golden egg that Harry had taken from the dragon. Hermione began to talk about her relationship with Viktor Krum. She said it was more physical than conversational and then realized the double meaning behind the word "Physical." She gave Harry a clearer definition of what she meant.

She looked down and then became rather quiet. She looked at him and asked him how Ron was doing. She hadn't seen him since the Yule Ball and their argument. Harry turned toward her with a puzzled look on his face. Hermione asked him what was wrong. He then said that he thought she knew. She told him she had no idea what he was talking about. He told her that Ron had left Hogwarts and went home. Hermione's legs became weak and she almost fainted.

When she recovered from the shock, she yelled, "He what?" Harry then told her that Ron couldn't stand seeing her with Viktor Krum and left the next day on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione was speechless and with tears running down her cheeks, she walked away. For the rest of the day and into the night she spoke few words to anyone and just wanted to be left alone.

After some concentrated thought she decided she was going to leave the school and go find Ron and if possible bring him back. She spoke to Professor McGonagall and the arrangements were made to let her leave on the upcoming weekend. The weekend arrived and Hermione boarded the Hogwarts Express. Days earlier she took a chance and owled Mrs. Weasley and asked if Ron was there and if so how was he. Mrs. Weasley owled back and told her that Ron was at home and that he was completely miserable. She also wrote that Ron had given her the details of the situation and asked Hermione if she was in love with Krum? Hermione wrote back and told her of her plan to come to their home and then gave her the answer to her question. "No!" Hermione also asked Mrs. Weasley not to inform Ron of her coming.

As time went by, Hermione got off the Hogwarts Express in the afternoon and by early evening was at the Weasleys'. Mrs. Weasley greeted her. She told her Ron was out in the back sitting on a bench. The bench was where he often went to get away from it all. Mrs. Weasley told Hermione that Ron had been spending a lot of time there since he came back home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley tried to persuade him to return to the school, but he refused. There was no way he was going to watch Hermione with Krum. Both parents were mildly surprised about his feelings for Hermione, because he never announced them to anyone. Nevertheless, they both told him that he good taste and that he should go back to school and fight for the girl he loved. He told them it was no use that he had already lost her. The truth was he was somewhat afraid of Krum.

Hermione put her bag down and quietly went out to the back. She saw Ron with his back toward her. She silently walked to him and then sat down on the bench. Ron turned round and when he saw her his heart nearly stopped. When he gathered himself he asked her with anger what she was doing there. She took a deep breath and told him she had come to set things straight. He told her that there was nothing to set straight, that she was with Krum and that was that. Her temper got the best of her and she yelled at him, calling him Ronald, which is what she called him when she was angry with him. She told him she came to put an end to this frightful fuss. She then told him to underline this in his brain and heart. "Listen, I like Viktor Krum, but I LOVE YOU!" Ron just sat and stared at her. Hermione stared back and that was the way it was for a few long moments. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer and asked if he had any kind of reply? The only word that came out of his mouth was the word "Oh." Hermione couldn't believe that was all he was going to say. She just revealed her heart to him and his magnificent reply was oh. She started to get up when Ron grabbed her and pulled her to him. He gave her a snog and then told her that someday she was going to make a wonderful Weasley.

4

Mr. Malfoy stood before Hermione. He told her in a bitter tone that her friend Potter had cost him his servant. Nevertheless, through his son Draco he had learned that she was now the champion of elf rights. Although, she was trembling inside she was holding her own. She told him she was indeed championing the rights of elves and that his mistreatment of Dobby was legendary. Mr. Malfoy gave her his sadistic smile and told her to prove it. Before she could reply he told her the only way she could prove his mistreatment of his servant was for her to be one and further for her to be his family servant.

Hermione, standing before Harry and Ron, crying, holding the signed document which stated that she agreed to be the Malfoys' servant for two months of the summer. Also, the document stated if she broke the agreement she would be their servant forever. The part of the document that infuriated Ron was the part that stated that the Malfoy family could treat her any way they pleased as long as they did not kill her.

They eventually took the document to Headmaster Dumbledore to see if Hermione could get out of the agreement. After his intense focus on it, he sadly told them that it was legal in every way and that she had to carry it out to the letter. As they were leaving Ron railed at her that she was so smart and yet so stupid to get trapped in this insane agreement. Hermione knew he loved her and was just frustrated that he was powerless to protect her from the Malfoys. He suggested he could be their lackey, but Hermione put that idea to rest with a good swift kick to his shin.

The months passed and the awful day arrived when she had to report to the Malfoys' for servant hood. Her parents were both furious and frightened for her, but understanding the situation knew there was nothing they could do either. After making travel arrangements, she found herself at the Malfoys' with her travel bag in hand. She took some deep breaths and nervously knocked on the huge front door.

The door slowly opened and a woman stood before her. Hermione thought her somewhat pretty. The woman, Mrs. Malfoy, told her to get inside quickly. Hermione gripped her bag and slowly entered. She set her bag down on the floor. At that point Mr. Malfoy came into view. He asked his wife what her impression was of their young "Mud-Blood" servant? Mrs. Malfoy looked at Hermione with cold eyes and then informed her husband that when she instructed the servant to quickly get inside she moved slowly. Mr. Malfoy went to a holder and came back with a switch. He placed it in his wife's hand and told her that three should be sufficient. She walked behind Hermione and before she could react whipped her three times on her shoulders. Hermione screamed in pain and both Malfoys laughed. This was Hermione's introduction to servant hood for the Malfoys.

As the weeks passed, Hermione could barely function. They made her clean, cook and gave her all sorts of chores to do. They gave her only a few hours to rest each day. Sometimes they would purposely make messes to have her clean it up. When she cleaned them up, they would take the cleaning bucket and dump the entire contents out again and make her clean up again. If she didn't work fast they would beat her with a switch. They gave her a filthy garment to wear and it hardly protected her from the beatings. Sometimes they would just kick her.

Draco was allowed to order her round as well and could punish her at his whim. He would invite Crabbe and Goyle over to enjoy the fun of making her do tasks just to laugh. One afternoon they made her hop on one foot and sing 'Hail to Slytherin'. When they were finished they would walk past her laughing. Frequently one or all would punch her in the side or the stomach.

They kept her up late working and then would wake her early in the morning to start a new day. She slept on a cot in the basement. They allowed her a bath once a week. One of her duties was to do laundry and when she was finished with theirs, she could wash her few servant clothes, if she had the time.

One morning Mrs. Malfoy woke her up at 2:30 A.M. to begin polishing the silver tea service for a party they were to have that evening. Mrs. Malfoy went back to bed. As she was walking past an opening between a sofa and a chair, carrying the tea service, a leg stuck out and tripped her. She fell and the entire tea service crashed about the floor. Draco stood up and howled with laughter. When he heard footsteps coming down the stairs he made a dash to his own room, leaving Hermione to try and explain what had happened.

Mrs. Malfoy would not listen and told her that instead of blaming the mess on her dear son, she should speak the truth. The truth being in Mrs. Malfoy's eyes that Hermione was just clumsy, lazy and stupid. When Hermione continued to try and present her case, Mrs. Malfoy grabbed her by her hair, pulled her head back and told her to mind her words. She turned Hermione round and put a knee in her stomach, which made her fall down. Then Mrs. Malfoy went over to the fireplace, grabbed a poker, came back to Hermione and beat her shoulders and back. She put the poker back and turned and yelled at Hermione to get back to work on the tea service. When Mrs. Malfoy went back to bed, Hermione began to shake uncontrollably and cry. She was almost having a nervous breakdown. She took deep breaths and calmed herself.

Later in the morning she finished polishing the tea service. By then the household was up for breakfast. After eating they allowed her some scraps from the table. She had to quickly eat and then clean up. She could barely stand while doing the dishes. What happened next shook her to the core. All had left but Mr. Malfoy. He slowly came over and stood next to her. He didn't say anything; he just stood and looked at her. She was so nervous she was fumbling the dishes.

He brought up his hand and brushed away her tangled hair. He then told her that all and all she was not bad looking as his eyes roamed over the length of her body. At that point he heard his wife call. He told Hermione perhaps later. He gently kissed her on her cheek and told her that was a kiss from Voldemort. As he turned away he gave her a light pat on her rear end and then walked away. When she was alone she doubled over and wanted to retch. This was the final act. If he continued to make advances she would run away, contract or not.

As the days and nights passed he stayed away from her. There were occasional pinches and winks but nothing major. One night while sitting on her cot trying to think with her foggy head, for she was not allowed to read, she realized her time as household servant was almost up. She began to cry. It was going to be over soon. She curled up on her cot and cried herself to sleep.

For one so tired she didn't sleep well. She tossed and turned on her little cot until Mrs. Malfoy came down and whacked her with a light switch, telling her to get up. When Mrs. Malfoy left she quickly got dressed. Before leaving she gave a fast glance at her contract and a big smile came to her face. She had four days left. She replaced the document in a safe place and went up stairs to tend to her daily duties.

Her first round was to make breakfast and then clean up after. The whole Malfoy family noticed a spring in her step and even a slight smile on her face. Neither of them liked it. They wanted to make her miserable and broken. Draco grabbed her by the front, pinned her to a wall and demanded to know why she was happy. Hermione said nothing, so he slapped her and told her to get back to work. Tears formed in her eyes as the slap in the face gave her a reality check. She resumed her duties.

When the Malfoys were finished they told her to clean up while they went into the living room for a family conference. As she was cleaning she would stop every so often to try and hear what they were talking about. She heard bits but nothing whole. She thought they were discussing what they were going to do about her. They were trying to decide if they wanted to break her so they could keep her forever or let her go. After further discussion Mrs. Malfoy took over the talk and decided that she did not want the filthy mudblood in her house any longer then necessary. When the contract was up, she wanted her out.

The next day Mrs. Malfoy and Draco were out. Mr. Malfoy was drinking some tall glasses of brandy. He kept watching Hermione intensely while she was cleaning. Hermione was aware of his eyes watching her every move and she became very frightened. He didn't say anything for awhile and then all of sudden he called her over. She nervously came and stood before him. He told her that she was a true mudblood inside and out, for she was very dirty. She replied without thinking that she hadn't had her weekly bath. He took a swallow of his drink and then suggested he give her a bath now. This made her shake uncontrollably. At that point Mrs. Malfoy and Draco entered the house. Mrs. Malfoy noticed Hermione standing before her husband and came over to ask what Hermione had done now. Mr. Malfoy stood up, walked past Hermione and went to his wife. He then very coolly told his wife that his little mudblood tried to seduce him. Mrs. Malfoy flew into a rage, went over to a hangar and this time grabbed a strap. She came back to Hermione and beat her until she almost passed out. Hermione managed to look up at Mr. Malfoy while his wife was beating her and he winked at her.

After the beating, Mrs. Malfoy told her to get out of her sight. Hermione went to her room in the basement. Her body was one endless wave of pain. She lay down and fell asleep. When she woke up she was suddenly sick. She went over to a toilet in her basement room and retched violently. She then took a drink from her water bottle. After her drink she poured some water on her face. It made her feel better. She again lay down on her cot and fell asleep. When she awoke hours later she could hardly sit up. Her head was hurting and the walls were spinning. She was sweating and freezing at the same time. Her thin blanket clung to her back and shoulders. When she tried to pull it off it reopened some of the cuts from the beatings. She fell asleep again.

She opened her eyes, sat up and quickly grabbed her water bottle and gulped the contents down her parched throat. She was very thirsty. She slowly removed her blanket and to her delight it did not cling to her back and shoulders this time. All of a sudden she gasped. The Malfoys had not called her for duties. If they had and she did not respond in time they would come down and fetch her and not in a kind way. It was a miracle that they let her sleep. Then another question haunted her, what day was it?

Her world was shattered when she heard Draco yelling for her to get upstairs. She got up with great effort. She didn't dare disobey, because if she did the contract would be broken and she would be theirs forever. She finally made it upstairs. Draco stood at the top waiting for her. He snickered at her and told her that she made a lousy house-elf. He told her to get to the kitchen and gave her a shove.

When she entered the kitchen Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy was waiting for her. They both stared at her with hatred in their eyes. Finally, Mrs. Malfoy spoke to her. She told Hermione she was the worst servant in their household history and they didn't want her filthy person in their home any longer. They told her that she had met her end of the contract and Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle would bring her back to Kings Cross-Station in the morning. This news made Hermione euphoric. What she didn't know was Draco was down in her room filling her water bottle with water and a substance that would make her very ill.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy allowed her a bite from their scraps and then told her she could bathe and then return to her quarters where she could get her things in order for the morning. They told her that they would call her for dinner duties. There was no mention of lunchtime duties. She was still very weak from their brutal treatment, but the idea of going home put a bounce in her step. She cleaned up the kitchen as quickly as she could and then went to her bath.

She was allowed cool water to bathe with, but it felt good anyway. The water stung her beaten and bruised shoulders and back. She wanted to scream, but she held it in and gingerly patted her shoulders and back the best she could with a rag they gave her as a washcloth. She noted some red in the water and came to the conclusion that there were some open cuts from the strap and switches they used to beat her. She wanted to soak for awhile, but was afraid that Mr. Malfoy might walk in on her.

When she got out of the tub, she very slowly and carefully dried off. She put her knickers on and then her covering, which wasn't much. She turned the tub over to let the water run out in the drain. She moved slowly, because every time she moved to quickly, she felt her cuts pull apart on her back and shoulders. She again thought that some of her wounds were reopening. She went over to cot to lay down. She didn't notice that her water bottle was full. She was so exhausted that it didn't register in her mind that her water bottle was almost empty when she left earlier to go up stairs. She reached for it and then took a few sips. She put it down and fell asleep. She had weird dreams thinking of her parents and of Ron and Harry. They took on different shapes and forms. She was mildly spinning and started to feel sick. She awoke. She lay back and tried to rest as best as she could.

She felt someone kicking her. It was Draco. When she sat up she started to spin again. Draco handed her the water bottle and she drank. He then told her that she hadn't come up for her dinner duties when she was called. Therefore by disobeying their orders, she broke the agreement in the contract and now would be theirs forever. Hermione stared at him in complete horror. He then roared with laughter and told her he was making sport of her and just wanted to see her reaction and destroy her a bit more. He told her his family didn't want her, that she was totally useless. He also told her that when she didn't come up they were hoping she was dead. He told her to get dressed in her regular clothes, that he, Crabbe, and Goyle were taking her to the station. Before he left, she asked him what time of day it was. He told her she was an idiot and that it was morning. She had slept through the night. He yelled at her to get ready. She was not feeling well at all, but the excitement of going home gave her some strength.

She took a few sips from her water bottle, then took out her nice clean clothes from her bag. She was not allowed to wear them while being a servant. She hadn't seen them for a long time. When she put them on she almost fell over. Her clothes were very baggy on her because she had lost a lot of weight being a servant. Although it felt good to have clean clothes on the material from her shirt hurt her back and shoulders seriously. The rubbing of the cloth on her wounds was almost unbearable. However, she gritted her teeth and continued on. She took some more sips from her water bottle and then started to get sick again. She became weak and foggy in the head. She sat on her cot for a moment. She looked down at her cot for a moment. It was filthy. She couldn't believe she slept in such a mess for the last two months. By now she was spinning. She lost control and fell over on her cot.

After a bit she felt a pull on her hair. It really hurt. When she was pulled to her full height she was eye to eye with Draco. He told her to get upstairs, that it was time to go. She literally crawled up the stairs with Draco kicking her with his foot and laughing. When she reached the top he ordered Goyle to go down and get her bag. Draco and Crabbe each took an arm and dragged her along. They shoved her in a vehicle along with her bag and then they jumped in after her. There wasn't much room so they shoved Hermione to the floor. They propped their feet on top of her like she was a footstool and they all laughed. Before they left Mr. Malfoy had told Mr. Weasley at work that on that day they could pick her up at King's Cross station. Ron and Harry were going to pick her up.

Later that day they arrived at the station and they saw Ron and Harry waiting. When they pulled up they looked at Ron and Harry and told them the mudblood was inside. When Ron and Harry reached for the door, Malfoy shoved them back and told them there was a full hour left on her contract and she still belonged to his family. Malfoy shoved the contract into their faces to prove what he was saying. Ron and Harry were furious, but there was nothing they could do but wait.

Goyle asked Draco what they were going to with her for an hour? Malfoy laughed and told him whatever they wanted. They dragged Hermione out of the vehicle and let her fall to the ground. Ron and Harry were horrified at her appearance. She was pale white, with dark circles round her eyes. She was very thin. She was breathing, but she looked as though she was dead. She was mumbling something, but they could not understand what she was saying. Malfoy gave her some heavy kicks to her back, telling her to shut up. Ron and Harry were seething, but they couldn't help her until the hour was up.

Malfoy grabbed her by her hair and made her get on her knees. She was so weak she fell over. He did this a few times. Each time she fell. On the last one she extended her hand to try and hold herself up and Crabbe came near her and stepped on it. Hermione yelped as he continued to grind it in the ground. Harry had to hold Ron back. Ron kept saying through his clinched teeth that he would get them all.

When the hour was almost over, Malfoy told Crabbe and Goyle to hold her up by her arms. He slapped her once, then held her face still. He turned back and looked at Ron and Harry and told them that Granger had abused them so they abused her. Malfoy turned back and faced Hermione. He then kissed her and Crabbe and Goyle let her drop. Malfoy told Ron and Harry that she was theirs, dropped the contract on her and then got in the vehicle and left. As they were moving away, they threw out her belongings.

Ron and Harry went to Hermione. Ron gently cradled her in his arms. He heard her whisper to please not hurt her anymore. She passed out. They decided they had to get her to St. Mungo's Hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, the nurses and doctors took Hermione from Ron and Harry and put her in a room for a quick examination. Before they took her Ron kissed her and through his tears told her not to leave him. After that they contacted the Weasleys and Grangers and told them to get to the hospital as fast as they could.

As time went on the Weasleys and Grangers arrived at the hospital. The Grangers were upset that they had missed their daughter. They asked Harry how she looked? Harry told them that she was in pretty bad shape. Mr. Weasley went to Ron who was standing in a corner. He put his arm on Ron's shoulder. Ron shoved it off. He turned to his dad and told him that if Hermione died he would kill all of the Malfoys. Mr. Weasley stood still and then nodded his head and walked away. He went to Mrs. Weasley and told her what Ron had said. She nodded her head.

When the doctor and nurses undressed Hermione they found deep bruises on her sides. They also found unhealed cuts and stripes on her shoulders and back. Some were infected. When they pressed their fingers on her deep wounds she winced. After x-rays they discovered that she had cracked ribs on both sides. The blood draw and analysis showed that Hermione had a mild poison in her system. The poison was making her very ill.

The doctor and nurses spent several hours cleaning her wounds and also ran fluids in her to give her strength and clean the poison out of her system. When all was done they placed her in a bed, put a monitor on her and let her sleep. They thought the best treatment for her was to let her have a lot of rest and hopefully time will heal all. They were also concerned that she might be damaged mentally. They just had to wait and see.

The doctor came out and explained her condition to everyone, especially the Grangers. They asked if they could look in on her, but the doctor told them to wait for awhile, to let Hermione have a very needed rest. The doctor told them they could visit her later. As time passed on, Hermione began to respond to the treatments. She was still in a serious condition, but she looked like she would recover. Harry and the Grangers stayed at the Weasleys so they could visit every day. However, Ron ordered the hospital staff to fetch him a cot right quick, because there was no way he was going to leave the love of his life.

When she woke up she heard snoring and to her surprise saw her big red headed wizard lying next to her bed. At first she thought she was in some kind of dream and still at the Malfoys, but after further inspection she realized she was safe. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with a smile knowing that her Ron would protect her.

After thought

When school started, Ron went to Draco and let go a wicked right to his wind. Draco doubled over while Crabbe and Goyle ran off. Ron stood over Draco and told him to "Never" touch his girl again.

Dedicated to "Bubbles" (Emma) who is simply gorgeous!