Friends, Enemies, and All the Broken People

6. The Monster Behind the Man

CW: We have a flashback, folks. It is in italics so you can scroll until the font is normal again if you need to skip it. Discussions of past trauma. Hermione finally says the words.

I dedicate this absolute emotional rollercoaster to Kindajew/datingstilinski1967. She is currently writing Good Omens (which you should absolutely go read) and she listens to me bitch about writer's block on a daily basis. Thanks love for starting all these writers sprints and forcing me to finish chapters through sheer competition. I hope I make you feel something.

Betawork done by december_noon, Kindajew/datingstilinski1967, rosenymphadoraweasley5, and crookshankscrew.

Thanks for being here folks. I hope you stick around after this chapter. If it helps, I cried while writing it.

peace and love,

sam 

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"You think anyone will love you with these scars?" Ron taunted as he forced her to look at her left forearm. MUDBLOOD. He dragged the collar of her shirt down to run a finger along the purple scar from Dolohov.

Her body was riddled with scars. Some from the war.

Some from the man currently caging her in against the kitchen sink at the Burrow.

The Weasley clan had left on various outings to catch up with friends or attend memorials. Hermione had stayed back, hoping for a night alone. Ron had decided to "keep her company" at the last minute.

Molly and Arthur had left through the Floo not two minutes before Ron had picked a fight. It was over the way she was washing the dishes the Muggle way. He thought she was avoiding him by dragging out the task.

He wasn't wrong.

"No, darling. I'm the only one who will love you like this." He traced a finger along her jaw and she tried not to squirm. She tried not to pull away.

Apparently, she didn't try hard enough.

"What? I can't touch you? Am I not good enough for you, Hermione?" The gentle finger turned into a bruising grip on her chin to force her to look at him. "You want to run to someone else? Harry, maybe?"

His hand pulled back and then—

Hermione jolted awake in her bed. She'd never been more thankful for silencing charms and closed bed curtains. She cast a few extra privacy charms and then let herself break down.

She cried for what her life had become. She cried for the shell of a woman she'd become. She cried for the people she'd lose if they ever knew the truth.

She let herself be as broken as she felt. No one else had to see it.

No one had to fix her. No one could fix her.

She turned to find her wand from where she'd thrown it across the bed. A mistake. Her hand made contact with the bed curtains and at the disruption of the barrier, her silencing charm ended.

Lights came on by Pansy and Daphne's beds and she knew. They'd heard her. They were going to try to help her.

She bolted from the room, ignoring Pansy's cries of "Granger!" behind her.

She ran.

She ran through the common room. She ran through the dungeons. She ran until she collapsed in an empty classroom.

She cried again. Now, she cried that more people would know. More people would see that she wasn't Hermione "Golden Girl" Granger.

She didn't even hear the group shuffle in. She heard Theo's voice mumble something about how he'd handle this one. The rest of the group exited the room and Theo sat down next to her. He didn't touch her. He didn't ask any questions.