Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything that comes with it. I also don't own the songs that are being used for this FanFiction. (It's a shame, really!)

Summary: Hermione Malfoy leaves her husband Draco after years of being beaten. Landing at the only porch of the only friend that would allow her and her two small daughters in she can finally dare to relax a bit again. But how long will it last?

Hermione's POV

I should have listened to my friends – not to my mother. "Listen to your heart!" she said. The rest would follow eventually. Yeah, right. Did she mean being threatened and beaten? Of course not. But that's what has become of my life. The first two years were like a never-ending honeymoon. Everyone believed Draco Malfoy was still evil and cruel. I didn't. I was always the forgiving one and I didn't change my attitude for him either. Well, it would have been for the better. Now, many years later it is too late to go to my friends who I had neglected to satisfy Draco. Or better: they gave up upon me. The only person I shared a friendship with ever since, was the godfather of my husband and our two daughters: Severus Snape. He was still a bit rough in my presence but he seemed to warm up to me, after I gave birth to Susan, my first daughter.

Draco blamed me that Susan was a girl and not a boy. He wanted an heir and a daughter as the first-born was disgraceful. He also accused me of manipulating the pregnancy so I got my way. The first day after the birth was the worst day in my life. He abused me and locked me up in a small room next to the baby's room. I had to listen to her crying. She was hungry and he didn't let me out to feed her. Only hours later he opened the door and said: "Shut her up! A daughter is still better than a corpse found by Aurors."

I thought it was the only time but it wasn't. Draco locked me up whenever I 'stepped out of line' or if the baby did. When I became pregnant again he announced me: "It'll better be a boy or you'll pay for it." I was in total stress: I had an household and a four year old daughter I had to take care of. Not to forget being Draco's wife meant that you had to be present at every affair that's taken event. One day I broke down, what caused the labor. Melody came 3 month too early but other than that she was very healthy and never caused any trouble with screaming or crying. Draco didn't care. He fulfilled his promise and made my life a living hell. I thought about taking my life once, but knowing that he wouldn't take care of the girls I had to stay and wait for a chance to flee.

One year later – the moment came. Draco came up totally drunk and punched me in my face after he brought me to the ground with a kick into my back. After that he dragged me into the bathroom. I knew that he waited in front of the door, but I just had to do something. I didn't want to wait another year, for Merlin's sake! So I hid my wand behind the towels and made sure all of my things in the bathroom were packed up. Draco wouldn't use the bathroom. He had his own.

After I got out, he dragged me into the bedroom were he "fulfilled his duties as a husband". I had to endure it. 'Only two more hours, and you are gone Hermione! Don't fight him now – or it will be more!'

LATER

It went as I thought. He fell asleep very soon and I got out of the bed carefully, not making a sound. I opened the drawer and got my packed suitcase out of it. I slipped into my cloak and shoes. Without taking another look at him, I left the bedroom and entered Susan's room. She was quiet, just as she promised. She stuffed her teddy into her backpack and gave me a hug.

"Everything will be better, honey!" I told her and we went to Melody's room. On the way we stopped at the bathroom and I retrieved my wand as well as all the things we needed: Toothbrush, Shampoo etc…

Thankfully Melody was asleep so I just had to pick her up and go. We saw the front door and my heart was racing. What if Draco woke up? Is this a good idea? Where will we go? All those questions ran through my head and I didn't notice Susan letting go of my hand and running to the door. I had no time to deactivate the wards as she was already about to open it. I heard the loud ringing. And I was sure that Draco would be down here in no time if we don't run now.

Susan was in a state of shock but she ran with me, when she heard her father screaming, cursing and coming nearer in a matter of seconds.

"HERMIONE! COME BACK HERE! YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO AND I WILL FIND YOU ANYWAY. YOU CAN'T ESCAPE YOU STUPID BITCH. COME BACK SO I CAN TEACH YOU TO NOT OBBEING ME!!" We were at the end of the lane and many windows of the neighbors were suddenly alit. I grinned at him, what caused my cheek to sting.

"You can't hurt us anymore. This is my game – and I am winning. We will never return to you!" I grabbed Susan's hand and apparated away.

I had no idea where I apparated to until I opened my eyes again. We stood in front of a small cottage. Finally Susan came to her senses again and she started to pull at my jacket. I fell to my knees und held her in a tight embrace, careful not to hurt Melody. She woke up nonetheless – funny enough, that she didn't before - and started to cry. I gave in as well, but I had to be strong. We weren't save yet. If Draco was sober enough to think than he would have known how to use a tracing-spell. No, I have to shush my babies and to think ahead – something I didn't do before. But it didn't help much. I just couldn't stop sobbing. Susan hummed song that sounded familiar – Runaway Train. It was just too good to be true. We are here now! But that didn't mean, that we can stay here. I never noticed that Susan fought her way out of my embrace.

I was startled to say the least when someone opened the gate for us, sneering:

"It's about bloody time."

Snape's POV

Even a blind man could have seen the worries falling off her, as my words sunk in. I picked up one of the bags with one arm and Susan with the other.

"Mummy is cryin', Uncle.", she stated as if it was the most random thing to do in this situation. I blinked a few times.

"It just seems like it." Moments later we were inside and I guided them to my living room. Susan instantly jumped off me and into the big armchair near the fire. After I conjured a small bed for the baby Hermione put her to sleep. Both have thankfully gone quiet after we entered the room. Leaving the same, I prepared two cups or tea and one of hot chocolate.

When I carried those back I saw Susan hugging her stuffed animal – it was the stuffed bear I gave her as a Christmas present last year – and stroking her mothers hair with the other hand. She lay on the couch vulnerable and beaten. There were bruises on her cheek. In fact it seemed that it was only one bruise covering the right half of her face. Draco surely didn't kick her?!

'Well, and if he did, I will find out soon enough!' I promised to myself and left the shadow, so that they could see me coming in. Hermione had trouble moving herself to a sitting position.

"You can lie down again." Did she listen to me? Of course not.

I rolled my eyes at her stubbornness and put down the cups. Susan threw a look at me that said: "Now it's your turn, mate." Then she returned to her armchair. I had a feeling that I wouldn't see myself sitting there anymore if she could prevent it. So I sat next to her mother and offering her a cup of tea watching her intensely. She declined at first and turned her head. Susan shook her head at me her eyes saying: "Is that all you can?"

Thank you very much.

Sighing I leaned back into the soft pillows and started to wait. Her sobbing hasn't died away yet and she was still shaking, obviously trying to restrain from crying out loud. Again I saw a movement from the armchair. The girl was climbing onto the couch and my lap afterwards. Where she drifted off to sleep slowly.

Really, I like the girl, but I was stunned at her braveness. But maybe it was just the effects of the potion.

"I have put a Silencing Charm on the bed and Dreamless Sleep into her cocoa. You can break down now." And breaking down, she did. It took her almost half an hour to control her breathing again and to stop her eyes from spilling over. It wasn't a nice picture, but she wasn't in a nice situation either. Actually she wasn't even safe now and she knew. Draco would stop by at some point.

"And then?" I didn't notice her talking to me so I looked at her questioning.

"He will come to you. What if he finds us? I don't care about myself, I only want to protect my babies." Coughing she took a sip of he now cold tea.

"Stop thinking about it for tonight. You have come so far, you should be happy. I can't imagine that Draco will search you now. You know him. He'll wait until tomorrow." I tell her calmly. She relaxed a bit – but only a bit. Nodding she replied:

"You're right, he probably thinks I'm coming back." Now it was my turn to nod. She let out a deep sigh before her expression turned to regret again. But before she could say something I fell in: "Don't you even think about it! You will not go back!"

Hermione's POV

I looked at him. He made it clear, that there was no place for arguing. I shut my mouth again and took another sip of the tea. Not looking at him I asked:

"How did you know, that I would come?"

"It was your luck, really. I was expecting you earlier. I put up a ward that would react to you and the children." He answered. To say that I was surprised would have been underrated. I stared at him.

"When?"

"The day you told me that you are pregnant again." Only when I realized what he just said, I stopped staring.

"But, how did you knew that I wanted to leave him and that I would come to you?" Maybe he was just guessing?

He chuckled before saying: "Well, I've heard the rumor that you are the smartest witch of your age. But to be honest, I started to believe, that it couldn't have been you. Otherwise you would have found a way to leave him earlier. Anyway, I didn't believe that you would come here either, but I couldn't think about anyone else." The fact that I couldn't go to my old friends was left unsaid, but we both knew that it was true. By now I was feeling a bit sleepy and I backed into the pillows, starting to relax when I felt a hand on my cheek.

"It will get darker, if I wouldn't heal it now. Susan doesn't deserve another reason to worry, does she?" he said, healing my bruises. I could feel the pain in my ribs and head ebbing away as I leaned into him. Why was I so tired all of sudden?

So much for the first chapter. I don't have a beta, so I'm sorry for any mistake!

Let me know if you liked it - and if you didn't.

-Chloe