Chapter 6
Fred kept a closer eye on Hermione after their conversation in the common room. When Harry got sent a new broomstick, then told Hermione he wasn’t going to to their dad, Hermione told McGonagall instead. Harry didn’t talk to her for a month, which caused her stress to worsen. Remus was furious when he eventually figured it out.
Hermione was miserable. She sat by the Black Lake. Every now and then, her vocal cords will just stop working. Healers and doctors alike aren’t sure why it happens, but for a period of time, Hermione can’t talk. Harry normally helps her communicate, but he’s not speaking to her. And Fred and George are always off on their own. So she was alone. She could go sit with her dad, or go to Hagrids hut, but she’s not a great conversationalist at the moment. Tears bubbled up in her eyes, her mouth open as she tried to scream. Only for nothing to come out. Slowly, the tears began to fall. It’s all just too much. She tried to scream again. And again. And again. Nothing each time.
She leaned her head against her knees as silent sobs wracked through her body. Why? Just why? Why her? She just wanted it to stop. The stress, her voice, her nightmares, all of it. Harry was luckily spared the pleasure of aunt and uncle trying to kill him. Hermione wasn’t. Her father did so on multiple occasions, it was Bailie that prevented it that last time.
A soft nudge against her arm, had her head jerking up. She met the steely gray-blue eyes of a big black dog. She opened her mouth to say something, and when nothing came out the tears fell harder. The dog nudged her arm again, and she slowly reached a hand out to run her fingers through its fur. It barked happily, pressing its head against her hand and wagging its tail happily. A soft smile grew at the excitable dog. Slowly, the tears stopped flowing, giving her a moment to just be. The dog eventually moved to lay down beside her, its head in her lap. She sat there for hours, petting the large dog and just being in the moment. She waved goodbye to the dog, making her way back inside.
“Hermione!”
Her head jerked towards the sound of her name being called. She tilted her head as she stopped, letting Fred catch up with her.
”Where have you been?” He asked when he finally caught up to her. He gripped her shoulders, looking her over.
She pointed outside.
”Why were you outside?”
she shrugged.
”Is your throat acting up? Where’s Harry?” He asked.
She shot him a pointed look. One Fred recognized instantly. He frowned before wrapping her in his arms. “Come on, let’s go to the kitchens.”
Fred left Hermione on the couch of the Common Room a few hours later. He went upstairs to the third years boys dorms and slammed it shut. He glared at Harry, who was sat talking with Ron.
”What the hell is wrong with you?” He growled.
“Hey, Fred, what’s up?” Harry asked, leaning back against his headboard.
”Why are you holding the broom against Hermione?” Fred asked.
”She told-“
”She ratted the broom out to McGonagall! It’s Harry’s broom, she should have kept her bloody mouth shut.” Ron growled.
”Shut up, Ron. This is none of your business.” He growled at his brother, who had enough sense to back down for the time being. “You don’t even see it do you? How stressed out Hermione has been. That fact her voice cut out on her for the last several days. She gave it to McGonagall to protect you. She’s worried about you and Remus. But you let anger and my brother talk you into staying angry at your sister. Remus has already blown up on you. You don’t get to used your broom for now, big deal. Hermione hasn’t been able to speak for days! You need to sort out your priorities, because Hermione’s suffering more than you are.”
He glared at the pair, before turning and storming out of the dorm room, having said his piece. When he got back down to the common room, George was sat next to Hermione. She was working on homework, George was writing down in one of their journals. If Harry hasn’t fixed things with Hermione by tomorrow, he’ll talk to Remus.
The next day, Hermione (who had been skipping meals and eating in the kitchens between time turner jumps) sat in an abandoned classroom, scribbling frantically on a piece of parchment. Because of her breakdown yesterday, she was behind on three assignments. She was doomed if she didn’t catch up. She jumped as something touched her shoulder. Her head jerked up to see Harry standing over her, looking concerned.
”I’ve been calling your name.” He said, leaning over to look at her properly. Guilt filled him at the dark blue and black bruises under her eyes. “Why don’t you take a break?” He suggested.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, to scream, to say anything to him, but once more her voice failed her. Refusing to let Harry see the tears in her eyes, she jerked her head back down to focus on her essay.
”Why didn’t you tell me your voice was acting up?” He asked softly. She sent him a scathing look, causing Harry to look down in shame. “I’m sorry, about everything. I should have apologized sooner. Especially after dad laid into me, but I didn’t. I’m so sorry Mia.”
Hermione flicked her wrist, the ink on her parchment drying as she packed her things up. She sent one last frustrated look towards her brother, before throwing her overstuffed bag over her shoulder and walking away. She knows that he’s only apologizing because Fred yelled at him. While appreciating the gesture, Hermione wanted Harry to actually be sorry for how he's been acting. Not be pressured to apologize because of our friend and dad yelling at him. Besides, she wanted to actually talk to him about it, and since she currently can’t speak at all, it defeats the purpose.
She went out to the forbidden forest, finding a secluded spot just on the edge of the forest, but still concealed from students should they walk by. It was here that she spotted a lone rat running around where she sat.
She reached her hand out to pick up the rat, only for it to transform into a man with a sickly grin.
“If it isn’t the girl that doesn’t speak. How nice. And all alone too.”
Hermione jerked in his hold, reaching for her wand to try one of the many defense spells she’s been learning, only for him to jerk her around. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Tears flooded her vision. Of all times for her voice to fail, it had to be now.
”You’ve seen my face now, girl. You’ve met the dog too. I need to get rid of you.”
He threw her to the ground, slamming her against the ground a few times until she saw stars. Then, big, meaty hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed. She thrashed, trying to shove him off her and get air into her lungs. But he was too strong. She reached for her wand, anything to cause noise. She gripped the wand in her hand tightly, and focused all her energy into a spell. A blast echoed through the woods. But the man loosened his grip enough to reach down and throw her wand far away.
”Stupid, idiotic girl.” He growled.
she thrashed harder. Her hands grabbing into his and trying to pry his off her throat. She gagged, as black spots filled her vision. Only for his grip to fall away and air to rush down her throat and into her lungs. Tears streamed faster down her cheeks as she turned into her side and sucked in huge gulps of air. She blinked hard, trying to clear the spots in her eyes away. There she spotted the black dog from yesterday. She coughed, pain raiding through her whole body. The dog was dragging the man out of the woods and into the clearing. Her last thought as the spots in her eyes grew, was it was strange that the dog didn’t kill the man and was instead dragging him into a more public place, before she passed out.