Draco had always been one to keep to himself. With a childhood, broken by a hateful abusive, murderous father, and loveless from a mother who never wanted to be in this world. Draco was raised by the Death Eaters and his deranged aunt, with the help of his godfather Snape. Who became is only saving grace. The only love Draco saw as a child came from that man, the man who on the outside was as cold as stone, but showing love for a child who knew nothing but hate helped them both.

Hogwarts stood cold, and strong in the night. As a blizzard pounded the castle with inches of snow an hour, all students were called to there common rooms and forbidden from roaming the castle after dark. The grounds were closed until further notice due to snow pilling up, and sheets of ice laying on every walk way.

Draco didn't care about the rules, he found no comfort being locked up inside for days on end. Not when he had to share the heads common room with her. She was always there, reading or doing homework. They did not talk unless it was asking the time or discussing head duty. Often Draco would leave the common room to go visit with his godfather.

"You really need to learn to trust her Draco, she knows more then you think about what you grew up with." Spoke Snape as Draco took a sip of tea in his private study.

"She grew up with parents who were around, perfect Sunday outings and now perfect bloody friends. I'm sure she knows what I deal with" he said with a sarcastic tone

Snape shook his head and sipped his tea "she is not good at blocking her thoughts, I've seen it son, she's not happy. and with Christmas break coming in a few days I'm afraid for her." Snape said finishing his tea. A moment went by before Draco spoke up again

"What happens at home that would have you scared for her, she's worthless father, dirty.."

Snape cut him off " anyone who has been through what she has, is not a mudblood. She …Draco, she needs to stay here for the break. I think its time for things to start being different, something needs to change for both of you. And I think its time I told you." Draco stood back and listened to his godfather tell him horrible things that he never thought could happen to someone who is always smiling.

Hermione grew-up much the same to Draco, yet no one knew that side of her not even Ron and Harry. Her parents were never around, owning a business took too much time, so young Hermione was with her nanny all the time. When her parents were home, her mother would go out with friends all night leaving a chore list for Hermione. Even at the age of 5 she had hours of chores to be done. If they were not completed she would be beaten with a leather belt.

Her father however loved Hermione. But his love was not the kind that was wanted or appropriate for a father and daughter. It had started when she turned 7, with her mother gone, her father needed to get Hermione into the bath. It started with touching and kisses. But when she started to cry it soon turned into more beating. Hermione was scared to talk about it, her father threatened to kill her if she said a word to anyone. So every night as her mother left the house to go away from the person who needed her most, her father would do things to her that a father should never do.

It continued for four years. But when Hermione turned 11, everything changed. Her world of pain and abuse was not where she belonged. She found out she was a witch, and was going away from her living hell.

"What the fuck is this?" asked her father as he threw the letter onto the floor by her bed

" I got it today daddy, it's a letter to a special school" she spoke shaking, and near to tears " its for…for…witches."

She didn't hear him say a word; instead his hand met her face and sent her over the edge of the bed, knocking her against the wall, a gash opening up above her eyebrow. "I knew you were a fucked up freak, but I didn't know how screwed up you really are, you cant possibly be my child"

"Daddy I am leaving this place. They sent this to me, they can take me away." She said with blood running down her face mixing with tears and her father, again, had his way.

The sun came up on a beautiful morning. The summer was over and the students were all excited to be going to Hogwarts for the first time. However, Hermione was locked in her room, unable to leave, unable to go to the school where he couldn't touch her. The clock down the hall made its chime on the hour,8am. Then a popping sound came from the living room. Hermione heard a voice she didn't know, but her father was screaming at this man.

"She's mine, I don't have to let her go to a freak school, you can't just take her!" he said yelling

"I will not take her against her will, however in our world we ask our children what they want before we force them into doing things." This man knew? Thought Hermione…but how?

There was a flash of light and then she heard the key in the door. "Miss Granger? Are you here?" spoke the man, dresses in a long black robe.

"i..Im here" she said, but only a whisper. She was curled next to her bed, in a small ball, with the same shirt from the night before, still caked with blood.

"My name is professor Snape, I'm from your new school. The headmaster didn't get an owl back saying yes or not to your attendance to our school, he wanted me to check on you, we try to contact all muggle-borns but it seems that you were over looked, I am sorry it took me so long.''Snape looked at her again, and took out his wand " I am not going to hurt you, I promise, I would like to clean up your forehead, if you would like?" he asked, she nodded yes and he muttered the spell, cleaning the blood away and healing the cut, a thin line was all that was left.

Hermione didn't know what to say, she started to cry, not because she was scared, but b/c she was saved. She did the only think she could think to do; she got up and hugged this stranger, "so I take that as you want to go to school?"

"yes sir, please…I ..I don't want to live here anymore." She said. With that, Snape grabbed her shoulder lightly and when she blinked they were in a street somewhere she had never been.

"sir are they..?"

"Other witches and wizards? Yes, welcome to Diagon Ally. Here we need to buy your books, robes, and I think it is time to get you a wand." Hermione smiled for the first time in his presence. She breathed in the smells and heard the sounds of the people around her. And as if being gone for along time, she sighed with relief and felt home.