"Mudblood" by RaeFoxOni

A/n: I apologize if this is a little raw. The entirety of it was created far past my bedtime, including the writing, typing, editing, and posting XD So I ask that you go easy on me for any grammatical errors or poor word flow. I didn't do it on purpose, I promise. haha
Disclaimer: I do not own any character herein. They belong solely to J.K. Rowling. Lucky devil.

Hermione's POV

The three of us stepped off the train in our own way. Ron, arrogantly; Harry, paranoid (With good reason, I feel I must add. He did just beat the greatest dark wizard of all time.); I, fearfully. This return to Hogwarts for a true seventh year did not promise to be pleasant in my mind. For our little trio, nothing ever seemed to go smoothly.

I grimaced at this thought as we sought a carriage, this time accompanied by Ginny. As they made small talk on the way to the castle my eyes flickered outside to a group still awaiting a carriage, and I gave a start. It was the Silver Trio: Malfoy, Parkinson, and Zabini. Some poor third year had been forced to ride by himself with the Slytherins, and my heart went out to him. As if sensing my gaze, Parkinson met my eyes. My heart traitorously skipped a beat. I turned back to my companions, hoping Parkinson hadn't seen anything in my eyes.

They were talking about this year.
"I wish they'd let the new seventh years take classes with the repeaters," Ginny sighed. "You three always seem to make every hour interesting, from what I hear."

"I just wish we didn't have to take classes with the Slytherins still," Harry murmured darkly. We all silently agreed. Some Death Eaters' children were returning alongside us, and at least one true Death Eater as well. Harry's mistrust wasn't unfounded, I decided.

A voice betrayed me, whispering in my head, "What about Parkinson?" I forced the feeling down, a knot forming in my gut. I'd hoped the war would have quashed that silly crush, but that unfortunately didn't seem to be the case.

The carriage jolted to a stop, breaking me from my thoughts, We made our way to the Great Hall, and as I looked at the ceiling, I reminisced about the first time we got to see its enchanted weather. I looked at Harry, who was grinning at me. He winked and I smiled; we'd been thinking the very same thing.

"I can't believe they got this all cleared up in a few months," Ron said, skirting the hall with his eyes. I was about to reply when he was tackled without warning by a blur of a girl.

"WonWon!" I cringed at the shrillness of Lavender's voice. It hadn't changed a bit. "I'm so glad you're okay. I haven't seen you all summer!" I exchanged looks with Harry and Ginny. We found seats away to give those two privacy. Not even the first day back and the year was already kicking me in the arse. We'd have to either endure it with Lavender or without Ron.

At this point I wasn't sure which was worse.

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Pansy's POV

Standing to get a carriage to the castle, I was watching Draco and Blaise boringly pester a hapless third year that had no one else to ride with. I had assumed my new position: I wouldn't stop them, but I certainly wouldn't join in. I was done playing that silly game, now that my parents were secure in Azkaban for the remainder of their lives. They could no longer force me to be the haughty pureblood that seemed synonymous with being, plainly, a bitch.

As carriages crept by, already occupied, I looked up to escape my droning thoughts. My eyes firmly connected with Granger's, and though it startled me to see her, I still saw something flash in her eyes before she pulled away to speak with her friends.

At least she seemed to be okay. I inwardly sighed, looking bored to everyone else but secretly relieved. I hadn't gotten to see the battle, but now I knew she came out of it in one piece. It suddenly occurred to me that I was pondering the wellbeing of an old enemy, and I promptly forced myself to focus on catching the next free carriage, as I as the only one paying attention.

As we were filing to our seats in the Great Hall, a voice echoed loudly, "WonWon!" I think everyone present flinch. That Brown girl's voice hurt. While I had to make my voice shrill on purpose, Brown was just naturally annoying. I did see the Weasel's friends and sister move away from him, though. Intrigued, I looked to Draco to see if he had seen it too.

"Trouble in Paradise?" He grinned evilly. I chuckled quietly.

"Seems that way. This year's going to be quite interesting," Blaise interjected softly. We took our seats to wait for the first years to finish their journey across the lake and appear for the Sorting.

Bloody firsties. I was hungry.

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That night I lied awake in my bed. I was nervous. Something had already gone wrong; what was next? I looked at my left forearm.

"As long as no one else finds out my secret."

…

The next morning I traipsed down to breakfast, eager. We had the whole day off to get our schedules, as the school had to focus on cleaning and not class planning for this year over the summer. AND they'd had to register all us returning for seventh year classes late. It was unprecedented, but I wasn't going to complain for once. A whole day off suited me just fine. More time to get ahead with the readings.

I spent the whole day by the lake, savoring the last merciful days of warmth; if you could call our summers warm.

I was studying the newest copy of the NEWT potions book. If there's one thing I truly learned from our sixth year, it was that blindly following instructions my get one from point-a to point-b, but it might not produce any exceptional results that would come from doing things a novel way.

It might blow up in my face, I had decided, but that was part of learning. I had a brain, I might as well use it once in a while.

As the sun started its slow descent, I made my way to the Great Hall for dinner. I smiled as Harry and Ginny zoomed by a window on their brooms, going to Gryffindor Tower to clean up for the meal.
They sat down next to me 15 minutes later, looking very proud of themselves.

"Nothing's gonna stop Gryffindor this year!" Harry exclaimed, still breathing heavily. I smiled at his antics.

It turned to a frown, though, when I saw Ron sit down much farther down the table, attached firmly to Lavender by the lips. Ginny saw where I was looking and scoffed.

"Git." I looked at her, surprised at the venom in her voice. She smiled ruefully at my face. "He's been full of himself all summer. Now that he took part in 'saving our world as we know it,' he's too good for the rest of us mortals." I frowned. He must've hidden it while I was around, knowing full well I would've smacked it out of him quickly. I sighed.

"Well you'll be happy to know I won't be following potions instructions to the letter anymore," I said, attempting to change the subject. Harry went wide-eyed and clutched his chest, faking a heart attack. He was unbalanced in his seat, and Ginny nudged him, causing him to fall flat on his back. Ginny and I burst out laughing, and soon Harry was good-naturedly joining us. He sat up, and I saw Ron give us a look out of the corner of my eye.

"Leave it to him to think we're being childish," I thought, as Professor McGonagall rose to speak.

…

After the meal, I excused myself early. At Harry's and Ginny's queried looks, explained that I had wanted to do some reading in the library. An appearance of knowing grins signified my release from them.

"Don't get a paper cut!" Harry called at my retreating form, which prompted good-natured laughs from those around him. I grinned. I knew they thought of my trips to the library excessive, but they had accepted it, welcomed it, long ago.

As I passed Ron, I heard him telling a self-important tale to Lavender about the time we'd spent out in the wilderness. Shaking my head at his stupidity, I took a side corridor out of the Great Hall, not knowing I wasn't alone.

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I saw Granger rise from her seat and I instantly knew where she was going.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, as I rose from my own spot.

"Getting a head start," I lied. In truth, I really wanted Granger to explain her look earlier, and I suspected alone was the only way she would ever tell me. Draco followed my eyes then, obviously believing me, smiled wolfishly.

"Go on, then. And make sure to remember it, so you can tell us all later." Blaise smiled evilly too as I navigated the hall to exit the same way the Gryffindor had before me.

As the door shut behind me, she was still close enough to hear it close. She whirled around with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression on her face.

"Fancy us alone just the first night back," I started, trying to gain momentum for my usual snark. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, as they should have. I opened mine wide, in faux innocence. "You can't be afraid of me still, Granger," I said, amusement in my voice.

"What do you want Parkinson? My day hasn't been the best, and I don't nee you to ruin it completely." Ok, I admit, that stung a little. I was almost remorseful for what I was doing, but I had to know what that flash in her eyes had been yesterday.

"Oh yes, from what I understand, your little weasel ditched you for an easy shag. Is it true?" She flushed angrily.

"Fuck off Parkinson. That isn't any of your business," she spat at me, and the cussing made me falter.

This was wrong…

"Now leave me the hell alone." She turned to go, and I panicked.

"Don't walk away from me, Granger!" She kept going. I had to stop her; but how?

A word so practiced it subconsciously flowed out of my mouth before my brain could wisely sensor: "Mudblood!"

A reaction I did not expect: she cried out as if in pain and collapsed on the ground. She thrashed while seeming to clutch her left arm. Without a thought I ran to her side, worried.

"Stay away from me!" she exclaimed, her voice so forceful I literally staggered. Undiscouraged, I continued to her side and pried her off her arm. The sight made me gasp. The very word I had uttered was etched deeply, mercilessly, into the otherwise flawless forearm.

Mudblood.

Instantly, I knew what it was. Tears sprang from my eyes unbidden.
A few summers ago, Draco had invited me to his family compound for the duration of the school holiday. There, I had witnessed the most horrific things by the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. One day a servant, kept in chains, was dragged unceremoniously to kneel before the psychotic witch. Her face had twisted in a demented sneer. I had feared for the servant, thought I was careful not to let it show. I was afraid Bellatrix would slaughter this helpless human in front of me. Instead, I was relieved for a second when she merely said…
"Mudblood."
In the next instant my eyes were locked on the servant as she screamed and fell completely to the floor. She writhed and twisted as if Bellatrix had cast the Cruciatus curse.
That was when I saw it. The servant had the word Mudblood carved over every visible space on her skin. These words glowed, ignited by a ghostly green.
It took minutes, though it seemed hours, for the woman to stop twitching. The entire time Bellatrix had been laughing maniacally. But Draco had had his eyes drilled on me. Then and there I decided I could never marry him. I couldn't stand to be in this evil woman's presence.
I was Slytherin. But that woman wasn't even human.

I cried out as Granger punched me. The blow itself didn't hurt, but the knowledge of what caused it ate me alive.

Granger staggered to her feet, gave me a look that rivaled Draco's, and fled so quickly I wondered if she could even stop time now.

Kneeling on the ground in a corridor so close to curfew wasn't the best idea, though. I headed to the dungeons, lost in thought, and crossing my fingers that the boys were already in bed.

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"What the bloody hell?" escaped Harry's lips as I shot through the portrait hole. I could tell I was flushed from pain and the run to get back to the tower so quickly.

"Nothing," I replied. His eyebrow quirked, and he glanced down at what I knew would refute my words. His face darkened as I squeezed my own shut.

" 'Mione, who said it this time?" I sobbed, suddenly very thankful we were alone for once.

"Parkinson," I whispered as I slid to my knees. Harry was there in an instant to comfortingly put his arm around my shoulders.

"Well you get off to bed. We'll take care of it in the morning." His tone startled me into looking at him. His irises had taken a very Slytherin shade of deep green. The fury I saw made me shutter.

"Harry, I don't think she meant to…" I trailed off. "You, Ron, and Ginny are the only ones who know that it reacts to that infernal word." The logic reached him, and I was relieved to see his eyes soften.

"But we won't let her do it again," he cautioned. I nodded. "Now off to bed. Classes start for real tomorrow." I grinned. Maybe I was finally starting to rub off on my raven-haired friend.

…

At breakfast, I was astonished to find Parkinson standing near the Gryffindor table, completely across the hall from her rightful spot at Slytherin. She was shifting nervously and looking very out of place.
As we approached, Harry took a position in front of me, ever the protector. Ron was mercifully dining with Lavender this morning. One friend witnessing this was enough.
Before Harry had a chance to say anything, though, Parkinson blurted out, "I'm sorry!" Taken aback, both Harry and I faltered. Parkinson's eyes cast downward. "I had no clue! If I had known, I would never have…" she tapered off. I saw her eyes tear up. Stepping around WallHarry, I took her by the hand and pulled her out a side corridor for privacy.

"You certainly look like you know what happened, though," I accused. Her eyes shot up to meet mine. Briefly, though, then they sought the floor once more.

"I saw it happen years ago. I never thought it could happen to you though. I didn't know what caused it, but I knew it had something to do with Bellatrix Lestrange." I involuntarily stiffened at the name. She must've seen it, because she grabbed my hand. I relaxed a little at the warmth of the contact. "I never thought that horrid woman would ever have the chance to lay a hand on you, much less…do that…"

"Truly?" I heard my voice ask in a tone much calmer than I felt. Pansy looked up at the ceiling to quell her tears. Then she nodded, her eyes connecting full force with me.

"If it weren't for damned old habits, I wouldn't even have said that word," she whispered. "After today, I don't think I could ever say it again." She saw my eyes flash in anger. "I know. I never should've used it in the first place, but…growing up a Parkinson was never easy. I learned to act as my parents wanted me to. It's a lame excuse, I know, but it's all I have." My eyes softened.

"Look, I just want to get through this next year," I replied. "How that happens doesn't matter. Hopefully as painlessly as possible, but we both know the likelihood of that." We shared a rueful smile. "But now that you know the truth of it, I can only ask that you not use this knowledge against me. Pansy was quiet.

"Never." The sincerity calmed my turbulent thoughts. I smiled, a genuine one.

"Now let's get you back. Slytherin might fall apart in the absence of its queen." She laughed out loud.

"I could say the same to you, O Heroine of the Great Wizarding War." I blushed so deeply I must've put one of my house colors to shame.

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"Her blush is so cute," I thought, then started. What was that? As we resumed the Great Hall, I saw Draco from across the room, looking furious. I sighed; at least the hall wasn't as full as it could've been, being only breakfast.

"Well, it was a pleasure…Hermione." She smiled at me in response as Harry approached us. I reluctantly stepped away from the bookworm and made my way to Draco and Blaise.

"What the hell were you doing talking to that Mudblood?" Draco spat through clenched teeth. I panicked, hearing that word, and hastily glanced at Hermione. I inwardly sighed with relief. She had to hear the word for it to affect her.

"Chatting, if it's any of your business," I threw venomously back. He blinked in surprise. "And don't use that word, or I'll hex you into next year."

"An idealist now, are you? And I don't suppose you'll ever tell us what happened last night?" He scrutinized me, anger and suspicion rolled into one.

"No. And I'm just a little more open-minded since that witch played a part in the downfall of the Dark Lord. I'd watch your manners around her, too, if I were you." His eyes widened.

"You fancy her!" he nearly shouted. I flushed, both from his remark and the attention it garnered from our fellow Slytherins. Blaise looked between us, his eyebrow quirked more in curiosity than anything.

"Shove off, Draco. Eat your breakfast. We have classes starting today," I said shortly.

I had an uneasy feeling as we took seats to eat.

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"Why always them?" I thought, as Harry, Ron, and I entered the NEWT potions dungeon. While McGonagall had wisely not allowed Slughorn back as potions master, we still had to suffer through it with the Slytherins.
"There's no escaping them…" I mentally sighed. Then they walked in. Malfoy, Zabini, and Pansy, all looking like royalty in the midst of their peers. It could've been their supposed pure blood, but it was probably just the ample personal space they were being given. Pansy looked over as they found seats, a timid smile on her face that I returned.
Then I saw the look on Draco's face. My blood nearly froze. The predatory grin that spread worried me, but as our new professor, Ashbury, made an entrance I put my concern out of my mind.
Through the lesson I focused on the task at hand. When I had stoppered a vial of the potion to be evaluated by Ashbury, I felt a hair-raising chill. I jumped back, dropping the vial as a small explosion nearly caught me, concentrated on the spot I where had just stood. As it was, I singed my arms as I brought them up to shield me.
My instincts from being on the run for so long from the Trackers kicked in, and I whipped around, drawing my wand in the same motion, seeking the spell's caster. I wasn't surprised to see Malfoy standing there with his wand pointed directly at my heart. His normally attractive face was twisted and purpled with rage.
The class gasped, and the professor strode over to stand next to me.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Malfoy?" Even as he asked this, I felt Harry and Ron move to my other side, wands at the ready.

"It's all your fault, Granger! My parents, my family, my Lord, you took them all from me! Now you try to seduce my best friend with your filthy ideas! You! You dirty mud-" A resounding pop echoed in the room as Pansy punch Malfoy in a very similar fashion to how I myself had done so 5 years before.

"I told you not to say that word!" Pansy exclaimed, shaking with barely controlled rage. "I warned you." She pulled out her wand furiously. Fearful, not for Malfoy, but for Pansy, I raced over and pulled her away.

"Don't!" I cried. "Pansy, no! He's not worth it!" Away from Malfoy she seemed to relax in the circle of my arms.

"But…he was going to…" she whispered. Gasps filled the room as Pansy turned in my arms and planted her face in the crook of my neck.

"But he didn't, thanks to you, Pansy." She shook all over, and it broke my heart.

Malfoy, recovered, looked on in fury. I regarded his gaze coolly.

"Professor, please escort him to Professor McGonagall immediately. He attacked me, a fellow student, and I wish to pursue disciplinary action." Dumbfounded, we all watched as Malfoy's wand was stripped from him and he was forcibly taken out of the room. I squeezed Pansy slightly then reluctantly let go.

"I'd advise you to return to your potion-making," I warned in my best know-it-all voice. "If you've already added the minced rattails, the potion needs careful watching." I smirked as many of the students hurriedly returned to their cauldrons.

I held Harry's and Ron's eyes before getting another vial to give to Ashbury when he returned. I gazed at the place where I had dropped my original sample, thankful that the finished product wasn't volatile. The gears were turning in my head by the time I had cleaned up my spill, and when class was over I had a plan set in my mind. It was time to end this.

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"Tell me something." Blaise said evenly. I threw a worried glance at him, prompting him to continue. "Why Granger?" I blushed for what seemed to be the millionth time today.

"I have no bloody clue. But I'll tell you another thing," I held his gaze as we made our way to the Great Hall for dinner. "She's definitely planning something. I could see it in her eyes after Draco was taken to the Headmaster."

"She's certainly a crafty one, that Granger," Blaise nodded his agreement with my earlier statement. "Powerful, too, to be able to escape the Dark Lord then aide in his demise." He looked at me sidelong. "Power and cunning, two traits any Slytherin has to admire."

"Traits we also often possess. If only she'd been placed in Slytherin years ago…" I merely nodded, resisting any other response to his teasing.

As we entered the Great Hall, I immediately noticed Hermione talking to Prof. McGonagall. Draco was nowhere in sight. A little part of me hoped he was ok. But as I took in the sight of Hermione, I decided that small part of me was crazy.
We took our seats, instantly bombarded with questions from the younger Slytherins who had heard indirectly about the potions class.

When it was usually time to eat, the food didn't come. Instead, McGonagall clapped her hands (in a very Dumbledore-like manner) for attention. Hermione was standing next to her. She made eye contact with me, and I sent all my worry for her in my gaze, hoping she wasn't about to do something reckless like her best friends were prone to do.

McGonagall cleared her throat, "It has come to my attention that one of our students has attacked another, unprovoked." She swept her eyes across the sea of faces before her sternly. "Even more shockingly, it has also come to my attention that the cause of this incident was prejudice and ignorance. I will not stand idly by as Hogwarts, an educational institution, is defiled by these malignancies. Miss Granger, if you please." Said girl stepped forward into the veritable spotlight.

"Thank you, Professor. Most of you know of the treatment given to muggle-born witches and wizards. Some of you have shown such prejudice," she paused painfully. "And now is the time to rectify that behavior. I will show you the consequences of the hatred you express toward those who are different from you. I do this in the hope that you understand that this is not the way to live…" She met my gaze again, an apology in her eyes. She stiffened in preparation, and I know what she was about to do. I leapt out of my seat as she said it.

"Mudblood." Her voice rang clearly in the quiet, giant hall. The scar on her arm blossomed in that ghostly green and she cried out in pain. In that eternity I reached her, and I caught her just as she collapsed.

I ignored the gasps throughout the hall as I held her tightly. I couldn't let her suffering go to waste, though, knowing she would hate that. I turned her to face our classmates as spasms ran through her. I cried openly, mirroring the tears of pain that flowed from Hermione's eyes.
As the shaking slowed, I glared at the crowd.

"This is our fault," I forced out of my tight throat. I needed them to understand her, as I failed to do so all the years I'd known her. "We let our prejudices grow, and this is what comes from it. Pain."

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As soon as I could breathe again, I looked at Pansy, silently asking her to help me up.

"A woman I'm sure you've all heard of, a woman by the name of Bellatrix Lestrange, did this to me." Murmurs sprang up among the students. I smiled grimly, leaning on Pansy for support. I held out my forearm for them all to see. "She has scarred me for life, just as Voldemort scarred Harry Potter years ago." Ruefully I was amused at how many of them still flinched at Voldemort's name. "She used the gift of her magic to hurt, to destroy.
"By allowing yourself to be prejudiced, you open yourself up to becoming just like Lestrange. There was evidence of it just today. Draco Malfoy tried to kill me." The murmurs started again. I waited until they subsided. "Do you really want to live that way? Living to harm those who cannot help that they are not just like you. We are all different, unique, and that is what makes being human beautiful. It should be celebrated, not scorned."
I looked around; at least some of them seemed to ponder my words, others were still dumbstruck that I, proclaimed to be the brightest witch of my age, was powerless for any reason. "I just want you to think about it." I bowed my head, done.

"If anyone tries to pull anything," I heard Pansy say, danger in her voice, "I will personally end you." My head snapped up in surprise. She was glaring out at our audience. Nodding, having given her input, she looked at the professors' table. Madam Pomfrey stopped her nervous fidgeting and finally came over to make sure I was okay. I inwardly laughed at this woman's mother-dragon complex.

"Infirmary." She glared at me, accusing me of purposely hurting myself just to torture her. "Now."

I opened my mouth to argue when I was swiftly removed from the ground. Pansy carried me to the hospital wing. I was too astonished to protest.

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I paced with a nervous energy throughout the common room. I'd been at it for a while now, and finally Blaise snapped at me.

"Just go see her! You're giving me a headache!" I shook my head.

"She has class right now…She shouldn't be in class after yesterday's stunt!" Blaise just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, like Granger'd skip class just because she's a little faint." I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out in a very un-Slytherin-like fashion and chose instead to storm out of the common room.

I wandered mindlessly out of the dungeons and as I got near the Arithmancy room, Hermione appeared among a throng of students. She saw me and instantly smiled. I'd deny it under oath, but in that moment my heart leapt.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked as she approached. I settled a mock-frown on my face.

"Well if you want me to leave…" I turned, presumably to go, and her hand gripped my upper arm. I looked back, and saw her blush bashfully. "I was kidding," I said quietly.

We began a walk toward the Great Hall for lunch in understanding silence.

"No troubles, right?" I asked.

"No, thankfully. For the moment they seem more afraid of me." I snorted at that image. "What? I can be fear-inspiring!"

"If you say so, Hermione." I barely tried to mask my mirth.

"I do," she said haughtily, and I smirked.

"There's a little bit of Slytherin in you," I amusedly observed. She gasped, pretending to be scandalized.

Then she broke out in a grin.

"You punched Draco Malfoy. You've been protective of me, boldly so, since that day you learned about me. If anything, I'd say you have a little Gryffindor in you."

"Perish the thought!" I dramatized, eyes wide. Then I smiled a quiet smile. "Being around you makes me feel reckless and…un-Slytherin sometimes," I admitted lowly as we waited for a staircase to move over toward us. I looked over at Hermione and saw something in her eyes. A look as if she had just figured something out.

"You know, I thought this year would take forever. I was afraid of someone learning my secret." She looked at me pointedly. "Now, I can't imagine this year going by slowly at all." She grabbed my hand in hers, the contact warming me.

"It was 'as painlessly as possible,' now…?" I looked up from our clasped hands to her eyes. Just in time to catch her lips on mine. My eyes slid shut as I relished this feeling. Unfortunately, the staircase jolted to a stop, forcing us to break contact so we could get off before it moved again.

Hermione looked at me, uncertain of herself for probably the first time in her life. A smile grew wide on my face, and relief filled her eyes.

"I want to protect this forever."

Hand in hand, we walked into the Great Hall.

I braced myself as both Harry and Blaise made their way over. Their teasing was going to kill me…

"But it's worth it."

A/n: I would like to add, a little, belatedly, yes, that I realize Hermione only gets this scar in the movies. Before I could realize and sensor myself, this fic was almost finalized. But taken separately from the actual torture scene in the Deathly Hallows book it should be a good fic (in my own biased opinion). Personally I still prefer the books, and I know I'm not alone, so I wanted to acknowledge the misstep. I will remain steadfast in that the idea/story of this fic is still good. XD

So there it is. :) feel free to review. If not a 'favorite story' would make my day. But that's up to you. haha I'm off to bed finally. Have a good morning/day/night, wherever you are.