What doesn't kill you

Hermione Granger never thought of herself as anything special, just another brown-haired, brown-eyed girl. Even when she received her Hogwarts letter she still thought herself nothing special. After all, how was she to compete with all of these other students who had previous knowledge of magic when she never fully knew it existed until that letter arrived?

Her mother was excited at the arrival of the letter, this opened up a whole new world – a world, literally, of magic. She was excited to learn of it just as much as Hermione. Hermione's father on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with that world – and he didn't want his family to either. He insisted for weeks that Hermione would continue her public school education and go to college. After many heated arguments behind closed bedroom doors with his wife, Mr. Granger finally relented and allowed his daughter to attend Hogwarts.

Hermione soon learned that she wasn't anything special – she was something extraordinary. She found herself flying past the other students in her year in theory and practicum. She found best friends in Harry and Ron, and was even invited to Ron's home – "The Burrow" several times to spend break with his family – who she began seeing as a sort of extended family – her "magic" family. She was looked upon with pride by her mentor Minerva McGonaggal – who was also her head of house. Hermione was her prized pupil.

Hermione was in love with being a witch, and in love with the magical world – it became more and more difficult to return to her parent's for breaks over the years because she was suddenly thrust back into a world which was no longer hers. This was not just because of the lack of magic, but the lack of her mother as well – who was killed during her 5th year at Hogwarts in a car accident. Since she first stepped through the gates of Hogwarts her father began to distance himself from Hermione – until it felt like there was an ocean between them even when they were in the same room as each other. After her mother died it became far worse – her father began to drink a lot – blaming Hermione for her mother's death because she was in the car on her way to Diagon Alley to purchase some books and new robes as part of Hermione's Christmas presents. Mr. Granger claimed that magic killed his wife – if they never got mixed up in that world then she would still be alive. Rather than ignoring Hermione, he was becoming hostile towards her as he began to drink more and more. Hermione dreaded going home – she want to go to the Weasley's, or to Cedric's house for Christmas break (whom she was dating for the past 4 years) but was encouraged to be with her father as it would be the first Christmas without her mother and they may need each other for support.

"I don't want to go." Hermione said defiantly. "I understand you don't want to, but you know it's the right thing to do – he needs you." Cedric replied as he wrapped his arms around Hermione and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Like a hole in the head." Hermione retorted. "You know as well as I that he hates me, and I can honestly say that after the past 5 years I feel as though I don't have a father anymore. Or a mother. I am an orphan, Cedric."

"I know this is going to be difficult, but you both experienced a great loss, if you can try and salvage ANY type of relationship with your father, I am going to encourage it, petite bebe." Hermione melted at that – she loved when he spoke French, she loved when he called her "small baby".

"FINE" she said, "I will go, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. God I wish you could come with me."

"I would – but you and your father need some time together alone. I will be here when you return, ready to tell you how much I love you, how important you are, and how much you matter to SO many people - every single time you doubt it. Ready to tell you how amazing you are and how I have waited my whole life for you." Cedric said with a grin. And with that, they separated so Hermione could pack her things and make the trek back to London and a life she wished she could leave behind.

Part 2

Hermione knew exactly how strained the visit was going to be when she arrived at King's Cross station and her father wasn't there. The only familiar faces she saw standing on the platform were the Weasley's. She had expected this, but her dropped all the same. She would soon be alone with her father without her mother acting as a buffer.

She stepped off the platform into the outstretched arms of Molly and Arthur Weasley – tears forming in her eyes. "This is how it should have been" she thought, "this is how a family is supposed to be."

"Good to see you dear" Mrs. Weasley said to Hermione as she took her face in her hands to give her a proper "look-over". "Don't go home expecting things to be bad, dear – go in with an open heart and a smile on your face – maybe it won't be as bad as you expect. And don't forget that we are only an owl away if you need us – if you need ANYTHING, dear." Hermione thanked the Weasley family, hugged her friends who all offered their own brand of reassurance, and retreated to the subway that would take her to the place she used to consider home.

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you expect" were the words that came to Hermione's mind when she opened the door to her drunk father and his friends – sitting around the poker table. They all looked up as she entered and grinned, not grins of "hey it's great to see you", but grins of "we've just been talking about you – and not in a good way".

Hermione sighed and put her trunk next to the door. "Nope" her father stated. "Take it to your room and stay there – we don't need your interruptions."

"Good to see you too dad." Hermione stated as she made for the stairs. Hermione's father pushed his chair from the card table so hard that it fell backwards – startling Hermione, and making his friends laugh. "Don't you DARE take that tone with me" he yelled as he rushed towards her – making her back up in shock and confusion. He was angry before – and drunk – but she never felt fear towards him. Before she had a chance to react he slapped her so hard that it spun her into the wall at the bottom of the stairs. Hermione grabbed her face and looked at her father, eyes wider than a full moon. "You no longer live upstairs." He said as he grabbed her trunk and threw it down the basement stairs. "Go" he said – pointing to the basement, watching as she wordlessly walked to the top of the stairs – still holding her face in shock. Hermione was about to go down the first step when she felt a sharp pain to her back and she felt herself flying. Her father just kicked her down the stairs. Hermione bounced twice on the wooden stairs before landing on the corner of her trunk at the bottom of the stairs. She lay there for a moment, mind swirling – trying to discern the various pains coming from the various parts of her body. Her mind eventually sorted them out – her face from where he slapped her, her back from where his boot kicked her, her knees and hands from bouncing down the stairs, and the corner of her forehead from where she made contact with the heavy trunk. She knew she was bleeding the second she sat up because of the warmth that started trickling down her face.

"Ahh" Hermione yelped as she felt her forehead with her fingers, trying to determine the amount of damage done. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that there was depth to the cut as her fingers dipped into the crevice at her hairline. It skipped a second beat when she realized that her wand was in her coat pocket with was hanging on the banister at the bottom of their main staircase. Unable to heal, unable to defend, unable to escape. She knew it would be bad when she returned home, but she never thought it would be like this. Hermione huddled to the corner, tears streaming down her face, wondering if she would live to see her friends, her professors, Hogwarts again – or even life outside of the cold and damp basement.