September 2000

Hermione Granger had been stressed out of her mind before, it was during that brief stint in their third year with all of her extra classes, and she saw a part of her that she did not like, the violent part. The moment she punched Malfoy's smug face, she wanted to do so again, to beat him into a bloody pulp, thankfully Harry and Ron was there, their presence powerful enough catalyst for her to clam, else she did not know what else would have happened then.

Armed with that knowledge she vowed to never again reach that breaking point, both to protect others as well as herself.

After the war, it had been a very busy time for the golden trio, all three of them went to serve the Ministry, only until Hogwarts could be reopened and she could continue her schooling and search for her parents.

Her parents who she brainwashed for the people she loved, for Harry and Ron, so she could end this war and protect them and if she died to spare them the pain. Both Harry and Ron went with her, back when she wasn't too busy with Ministry files, papers and amendments, the three of them went to Australia, but sadly that lead went nowhere.

All of their inquiries led to one thing, after she sent them there they left, the disturbing thing? One that she hid from her best friends? Was that they had been arrested, again and again, been sent to a mental institution twice and killed enough orderlies for a mass breakout.

She couldn't believe it at first, but she remembered her own tendencies for violence and questioned herself and her parents. Something must have triggered this great change in their attitudes, she feared even that she was the cause. Those memory charms she placed could it be those that broke their minds? No, she couldn't think that, if she did she was bound to lose her mind.

The police files did say where they were going though, a city in the States, Gotham or something or another.

No, she would not dwell on that yet, it could have been anything really, no, she had to focus on the task at hand, the ministry files she needed to process.

These were the changes she wanted to instill in their society and she was not about to lose all of the progress she had made because she couldn't handle the stress.

Being a heroine in a war for her best friend's life had many perks, she had Minister Shacklebolt's ear at all times, her fingers were in every department she wanted. Her ambition had been great, too great, Harry once said as he saw her going all out in her work, but she didn't mind him, she could always ease Harry's mind by simple acts like getting a drink with him and Ron or Ginny although those had been too far in between.

Now she wished she had listened to him and his advice to "calm the f- down," her best friend, Harry was always this eloquent, well it was too late for regrets, she tried to remedy it though.

Her plan was first to Surprise Ron, then they would go out tonight, watch a movie, get dinner and maybe even make love, it calmed her, these thoughts, she held on to it like a starving man and his last piece of bread. She tried to think of nothing else, in truth was she couldn't, if she did she was bound to lose her sanity and she didn't want that, no she had far too many things to do than go mad right now.

She went to the market before going home, trying to find a couple of things for tonight, a good bottle of wine perhaps? Or strawberries? Ron always liked those, or was it Harry? She couldn't recall.

Hermione apparated home after finding a good enough bottle of wine, a bag of strawberries (only the best she could find), and some chocolate, for fondue perhaps? She was giddy when she went up the stairs to the London flat they shared, she hoped to appease Ron, who she had been ignoring her for work this past week, Hermione dismissed it for his childish sulking that she turned him down for sex a week back since she had been so busy.

Food, sweets and wine was something he liked very much, as well as the smell of that soap she always used, Harry said he liked it too, "It suits you", he had said that one time he picked her and Ron up for a night in town.

Something was odd when she got home, for one the door was slightly ajar, she panicked at first, but, No, she thought, Ron was a good auror, he wouldn't let something passed their home wards, and didn't she draw the runes herself?

When she went and saw another oddity, there was a pair of Jimmy Choo's at the door, they weren't her size, Ron's shoes was there too, but he couldn't be home yet, could he?

She jumped at a hard thump that came from their bedroom, the floorboards creaked lightly beneath her, Ron liked those floors, it felt homey, he said.

The door opened at her light touch, and there he was, her beloved fiancé, her rock, foundation, her little helper through all the stress she'd been through, mid fuck with Daphne Greengrass.

Ron probably heard the door open as he looked up from Daphne's ass and looked at her with a horrified look on his face, Daphne looked up too, and a look of impatience was on hers.

Something broke in her head than night for a moment the world stopped and the wheels in Hermione's head went into over drive.

"Why hello dears", Hermione said, in a voice dripping with sweetness, a broken bottle in hand, "Why so serious?"

Harry was going out of his mind, his best male friend was found hours ago in his London flat, along with a woman who none could identify as of yet since her face had been full of scars, sadly for her she was expected to live.

They were both expected to live.

He doubted that the woman was Hermione, for one her brown hair was not the right hue, how he knew that startled even him, second, the Hermione he knew would never be caught unawares in her own home, and he knew this for he tried once. Lastly he could not feel any connection with the woman, with Hermione there was always a spark, an unknown connection between them that existed, neither questioned this and they went on with their life like normal.

No, this woman was not Hermione, which somehow alarmed him even more for, if she wasn't the bushy haired Witch he loved who was she, what was she doing in Ron and Hermione's bed and where was Hermione?

Harry had left St. Mungo's hours before, trying to find any sign of his beloved friend, he tried the Burrow, the Ministry, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, even Godric's Hollow.

All searches ended the same, now he was exhausted and ready to collapse as he entered #12, where he lived alone, Kreacher dying a year before and he had not opted to find a new house-elf. As always it was dark and homey, Ginny had practice in Hollyhead and hadn't come-over for over a week now, he didn't mind he wanted her to be happy and playing gave her that.

Harry wasn't even usually here, if he didn't have any prior engagements with Ron, Hermione or any other of their friends or cases from the Ministry he dabbled.

After the war, he couldn't find his niche, so he opted to travel and live on his parents' and Sirius' money, he traveled all around Europe though only staying a few days, then he'd come back to England for about a week, spend time with his friends and take off again.

Sure his life didn't have direction right now, nor did he have any goals other than enjoy life so he did.

He had spent a couple of week's once in Spain and learnt a little fencing, in a trip to Germany he got drunk every night for three days without knowing the reason why and he liked it. He even spent a month once with the Delacours, when Fleur and Bill went to visit; he had tagged along, entertaining his honorary nieces and nephew as well as Gabrielle who was still enamored with him.

Harry Potter's life was good, that was until today, his world came crashing down and almost instantaneously he brought the blade on himself. He filled his head with so much, if only's that it hurt to think so he shut himself down while he drank through a bottle of Firewhisky.

He drunkenly went up the stairs,saying goodnight to Sirius' mother for her to shriek aloud.

He stopped at the door of his room as he found a bloody hand print on it, his mind cleared in a moment and he had his wand in hand, a shield at his lips.

He opened the door cautiously, wincing at the long painful creaking noise it made, his bedside candle lit on its own, shedding a strong light around his room.

The blood stains continued on his floor, footprints, handprints only to end with a blood Hermione in the corner of his room.

Harry dropped his wand and was on Hermione in a second,

"Herms, Herms", he repeated, trying to coax her into response. Hermione only hugged him tightly, crushing him.

"What happened Herms?", he asked with difficulty.

"I-it w-wa-was aw-full Harry", she sobbed, in a baby voice.

"Who did it? Who hurt you like this?", He asked, perplexed, confused and concerned at the tone of her voice. She didn't answer however, just continued to sob and hum softly.

"Hermione, who hurt Ron an-", He tried to ask again.

"Of course I did Harry", she said, her eyes earnest, her mouth in a pout and her voice was sing-song again. Harry thought of taking her then, but quelled his thoughts for more serious matters when his mind registered her answer.

"Wh-what do you mean you did? Hermione, what do you mean?", He asked unbelieving.

"I was the one who hurt him Harry!", she screamed, then suddenly, with great force she had him on the bed, straddling him while holding his hands down painfully.

"Hermione, what's wrong with you?", He asked, not believing what she was saying and transpiring.

"He said I should smile more", she said, voice suddenly distant, only to contort into an evil grin, "I got home and he wasn't smiling! So just put a smile on HIS FACE, his EVERYWHERE!", she screamed again.

Harry could only stare at disbelief, wide eyed, his mind refused to process what was happening. At his lack of response Hermione only smiled, like a predator did before eating her prey, suddenly her lips was on him, kissing him, aggressively, possessively, she tasted like blood.

While distracted, Harry shifted his weight, and with a burst of adrenaline switched their positions.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you Hermione?", He asked, angrily.

"I know you want me Harry I can see it in your eyes", she said, serene until she saw the stony look on Harry's face.

"Why so serious Harry!", she snarled, "Why so SERIOUS!". Her wand was suddenly in her hands and a second later, she banished him to the other side of the room.

He crashed into an old armoire, dizzyingly he looked at Hermione, bloody and snarling, "Let's put a smile on that face of yours!", she screamed.

Harry, couldn't move his arms, it even hurt to breathe, he couldn't speak. Powerless he watched as Hermione found a piece of glass and said in a baby voice again, "Let me put a smile on you, Harry, I only want to see you smile".

"'Mi-one", he said weakly.

A flash of something spread on her face, a second later, as if she was fighting her body, she spun and ran, leaving Harry to his pain.

As he fell unconscious, the candle light faded with him.

AN:

Yo! Good Afternoon people, this idea just came to mind a few days ago when I was reading a fic, it stuck to me and I just had to write it down, you can try and piece together the hints on what happened to Hermione's parents and what will happen to Hermione.

I think this could be considered as a one-shot or a teaser, I don't know, I might continue this if anyone likes it anyway, please review, tell me what you think, any mistakes I made, if I should continue or not, those kinds of things, right, later!