An Omega's Place
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The front door slamming loudly startles her from her fitful slumber. Plunging the little five year old girl from one nightmare, right into another. Only this one far more real than the one she had just escaped.
"I don't care for your whining Jean, nor do I care for your poor excuses" the voice of her father sends shivers of pure terror down a tiny body that looks more bones than skin. Dry bread, a cup of water and the occasional scrap of left over food being scarcely enough to sustain the child's growing body.
His voice was something she didn't think she would ever not fear hearing.
"This is not hot it is warm" Though that particular tone he was using now caused her more dread than usual. It meant only one thing. He was furious with her mother. For what? she did not know or understand not that it would matter. What did was that usually when he was that angry, her mother was not the only one who would suffer the consequences of whatever her mother had done or not done to earn his ire.
"I go to work every day to keep us in house and home, to feed you and the child you so desperately wanted. The very least you could do was have a hot meal on the table for me to come in to" she could hear the force of his hand connecting with her mothers body as he struck, the first of many, she knew.
"You're nothing but a worthless Omega whore" this slap was followed by a muffled cry of pain that caused tears to begin to trickle down a small thin face, as her doe like brown eyes blinked rapidly, their sole focus the basement door that led into the main house. It was currently locked from the outside. Acting as a barrier between her and her father. For now.
"I could have had any Omega, how did I end up with such a useless excuse for one" the thud and scream that followed told Hermione her mother had fallen yet she dare not even attempt to see whether or not her mother was okay.
"You only have one job. To serve. To do what you can to please me" another slap, another muffled cry.
"To give me pups, to feed me, to keep the house clean, yet you failed at them all and now I'm stuck with someone else's spawn and a worthless servant too" the importance of those words were lost on the child as she coward beneath the thin holey blanket that had far passed seeing better days.
What did catch her attention was the movement above her, the clunk of boots that seemed to move closer and closer to the door that currently shielded her. She could already smell his anger as it seeped through every crevice it could find. The thick oppressive scent of dominant pheromones wasn't something the little five year old knew much about, all she understood was that it was unpleasant on her nose, her fear spiking in response as the scent grew stronger with every step he took closer to the basement door.
"Where are you rat? No use hiding yourself" her stomach churned as the lock clicked, the door flung wide as his boots appeared on the stairs. Heavy and foreboding as he stumbled unsteadily down towards the little Omega girl, now openly whimpering in her terror.
"You're just as bad, just a disgusting, useless, pathetic little Omega" his words were punctuated by a fist colliding with her chin as he finally reached her. Sending the small girl flying backwards from her place on the floor.
She didn't have time to even raise her arms to shield her face as the next fist came sailing at her. Or the next. Or the next, until her head felt heavy and blood trickled down from her nose and mouth and her eyes went funny. The lights seeming to dim as everything became foggy.
"I should never have agreed to take you in, disgusting" he spat, his saliva hitting her somewhere but she couldn't focus.
The next fist turned her world to darkness.
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"Hermione, Hurry up you worthless girl" her mother's voice was impatient as she called through. Prompting the little eight year old to move faster as she tried to watch where she was going. Peering over the large tea tray filled with her mother and fathers most expensive china's. The china set was only ever brought out when her parents had guests over. Important guests.
She had learned by now that guests meant her already more than difficult expectations would be even more difficult for her to manage. Like for instance how in the world she was supposed to hurry up when the heavy tray she was struggling to carry was so big she couldn't see her feet. When the china shook as her arms struggled to maintain the weight they carried.
"NOW!!!!" The demand was shouted, impatient and angry and she forced her feet to move faster, desperate to get this over with, to spare herself the pain that would come if she were to anger her mother any more than she already had.
As she entered the sitting room she stumbled, losing her balance slightly. The added weight of the tea tray tipping her as she scrambled to regain her balance. Too late she realised her grip on the tray had loosened in her panic to remain upright. The sound of crashing mugs as they shattered on the floor, splashing hot liquid across the cream carpets and over the eight year olds feet. Her cry of pain ignored as her mother rose from her seat. Furious.
"How dare you!!!" Words hissed as the woman she called mother advanced. Gripping little arms, feet dragged across shattered china, cutting through her skin as nails dug into her slim arms. Words of disgust and anger spat in a tear stained face. The blows that followed only adding to the pain that already ran rampant through a malnourished body.
The guest looking on with barely concealed glee as the little eight year old Omega was punished with blow after blow for her failure to serve.
She lost track of time, lost track of the blows or the ongoing of what was happening around her. The cold hard concrete if the basement floor was the next thing she was aware of as her body was flung onto it. The impact knocking the breath from her lungs.
"You are hardly worth the trouble we went through getting you, worthless little Omega" the door slamming, locks clicking in place signalling the end of her mothers care to deal with her. Hermione half crawled half pulled her body across the floor and onto her tattered blanket. Wrapping herself up tightly, warding off the cold the best she could as she sobbed silently. Her thin frame heaving violently. It seemed to take forever for her mind to finally shut down. Horror filled nightmares taking over her consciousness yet again.
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"You have our name, don't you dare shame us by thinking you are better than what you are girl, do you understand me" dirty nails dug into slender arms as her father shook her hard. The force behind his actions snapping the eleven year old head back and forth painfully.
"Yes Alpha, I understand" her whispered words of agreement said automatically. Years of abuse ingrained in her mind as she looked at him fearfully.
"You do not want to know what your mother and I would do to you if you should get ideas above your station. You are nothing but a filthy little Omega. Your job is to serve. Nothing else!" His words punctuated by tightening hands that succeeded in piercing thin flesh. Drawing blood and leaving crescent moon marks in Hermione's arms.
"I won't hesitate to bring you home and teach you exactly what your purpose will always be should I hear you embarrassed me in anyway girl. You'll wish we never picked you up from that filthy Orphanage" she nodded, saying what she needed to get him to let go of her. Finally allowing her to move away from his side to board the train.
She didn't register the icy blue eyes of the blonde witch as she walked towards the Hogwarts Express. She hadn't noticed at all that the older woman had watched the whole interaction between father and daughter. A look of utter disgust etched on Narcissa Malfoys face as she took in the clearly underweight Omega muggle-born girl and her father as he warned her. Icy blue eyes narrowing in anger at the rough treatment of a child. Nor did she see the same icy blue eyes follow her onto the train as she boarded. Eyes alight with concern for Hermione's welfare.
Hermione knew deep down that this was her chance at happiness and freedom. The train she hoped would take her to a place she knew to be filled with magic and learning. A place she hoped would allow her to finally break free form the terror she lived daily under the constant threat of fathers ire or mother's punishing hands.
When the kind Alpha - Professor McGonagall - the young witch (for she was a witch according to McGonagall) had told her of the magical world and the school she had been invited to attend she couldn't help but finally allow her heart to hope. For a better, brighter future. A future in which she no longer had to fear for her life.
She patted her pocket, feeling the magic. Her magic she reminded herself hum in content as her hand brushed the wand tucked into her pocket. It was ten and 3/4 inches long with a dragon heartstring core. A powerful wand McGonagall had told her. Meant for a powerful witch. She hoped that was true. Taking a seat in an empty compartment she pulled her new bag (gifted by McGonagall) too her and pulled out her new favourite book in the many she had got the week before last when the professor had taken her on her first ever trip to the magical world. 'Hogwarts - A History' another gift from the professor, as had been all of her school supplies, even the books for Beta and Alpha students that she had been warned too keep hidden, had been gifted to the young brunette by the professor. Hermione didn't know why McGonagall had been so kind. But she wouldn't allow herself to question it. This was after all her new start right? She wouldn't get herself bogged down with worries such as a witches kindness. She was choosing to hope things were now going to be better. So much better than they had been.
She allowed a small smile to slip across her face as she made her way on board the train that sat on Platform 9 and 3/4.
The whistle signalling their departure.