[OS] Beautiful

I woke up that morning with my limbs feeling as sore as ever. Rolling out of bed, I slowly padded towards my apartment's bathroom. Bypassing the mirror, I shut the door with a back kick of my foot. Undressing as quickly as my aching muscles allowed, I hopped into the shower and allowed the hot water to ease my pain.
After showering, I wrapped a towel around my body and stood before the bathroom sink and mirror. With a few quick swipes with my hand, the mirror was divested of most of its steam. I calculated the damage. Slowly, I ran my fingers over each bicep and winced as I felt pain. More sensitive than usual. Sighing heavily, I left the bathroom to dress for the day.

As I stood within my walk-in closet, I forlornly looked at the tops I could not wear on this summer day, but it had to be so. I could not let the others see. Without dwelling on it for too long, I picked out a knee-length jean skirt, white cami and a zip-up, pink long-sleeved shirt. As I stood before the full-length mirror, I was satisfied with the covering. Yes, it was perfect for me to go out to lunch with my two best friends on one of their birthdays.

However, while I stood in the bathroom, brushing my hair, I realized something I had not earlier. Quickly clipping back my thick curls, I grabbed for the small make-up bag I kept in the medicine cabinet. Taking out the compact, I nearly dropped it into the sink as I heard the familiar sound of people apparating into the appartment. Quickly with shaking hands, I applied the powder around my left eye.

"Hermione?" Unison voices called.

Quicker. More. I looked at the result. Perfect.

"I'm here!" I call back and in mere seconds, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley are standing in the doorway of my bathroom.

"Ready to go? I'm starving," Ron inquired with his infamous lop-sided grin.

"You know I'm never late," I reminded with a small smile as I slipped the compact back into the bag and replaced it in the cabinet.

"Make-up? 'Mione, you never wear make-up," Harry pointed out,

"Once in awhile I get a blemish. So hex me for not wanting the entire world to see it," I replied as I pushed past them into the hallway, "So, are we going out or not?"

Harry nodded, "I was thinking of a nice Muggle café I pass by everyday to work."

"Sounds good to me," I agree cheerfully, a smile I only half-fake plastered on my face.

---

"And one BTL.. I mean, BLT sandwich. Oh, and one of these cheeseburgers - they look tasty - and a glass of water," Ron finished this order with a smile.

"Is that all?" The muggle waitress inquired hesitantly,

"For now," Ron said.

"Okay... Your orders will be here in about fifteen minutes," she insisted then hurried off.

"Ron, you ordered out the entire café!" I gently laugh at him,

"Yes well, an Auror's got to eat," he defended when suddenly a fuzzball flew into the café and smashed into Ron's chest. Harry and I stiffled laughs as Ron held up his beloved owl and quickly admonished it for flying into a place full of Muggles. After it nipped his hand and appeared to be threatening to fly around him, Ron held it firmly and took the message from Pig.

"What does it say?" Harry asked as Ron absent-mindedly dropped Pig onto the table and it began to hop around.

"I'll be back in an hour, I swear!" Ron said as he stuffed the paper in his mouth and began to chew savagely,

"What on earth are you doing!? You won't miss lunch, we'll wait," I whispered at him,

"It's procedure that any message we get, we destroy. Usually I burn them but since we're here, well, this is the best way to do it," Ron explained after swallowing hard. "There's been a problem at the Ministry and Neville says he needs my help on a case. One hour, promise Harry!"

"It's fine, go," Harry insisted, "we'll keep your food hot for you."

He smiled with gratitude before speeding out of the café, Pig flying loyally behind him.

Harry turned to face me, "So, 'Mione, how've you been lately? Haven't seen you in over a week!"

"Seven days isn't that long Harry," I laughed lightly,

"I know, but I'm still not used to not seeing you and Ron every day," he admitted sheepishly, "even if it has been four years since Hogwarts."

I smile and cross my arms before dropping my arms immediately and hoped that I contained the flinch that wanted to escape. With the look on Harry's face, I didn't.

"Are you okay?" He inquired and I mumble an affirmative.

"Well, things at the store are running smoothly. It's the best job - surrounded by -" I involuntarily cringe after crossing my right leg over the left. I checked my legs, hadn't I? Grimly, I realize I had not because I had forgotten the misfortune of falling back against the bottom of the stairs at his house.

" 'Mione, what's wrong?" Harry asked,

"Nothing -"

"But you just -"

"I said nothing Harry. Please, just drop it!" I pleaded

He nodded reluctantly, "So how is Krum?"

I stared at him as I suddenly fell into a reverie...



"Where have you been?" He asks gruffly as I close the door behind me.

"At work. Where I always am on a weekday," I reply tartly. We had just lost a new shipment of books because they were sent to the wrong store; naturally, I was more than miffed.

"It's past six o'clock!" He argues as I push past him, dropping my bag on the hallway table.

"I had some extra paperwork to do," I said defensively, "I'm here now right? So let's go to dinner already."

"You were with them again, weren't you?" He demanded,

"I told you! I was at work! Merlin, you're always so paranoid," I mutter angrily as I start heading towards his kitchen, in need of a glass of cold water to ease my pounding head.

A flash of pain stops me in my tracks as I look back and see that he has a hand wrapped around my left arm.

"Maybe I wouldn't be so paranoid if you didn't spend every waking moment with them!" He defended, his grip gradually getting tighter.

"How can I spend every waking moment with them if after work I go out to dinner with you!?" I argue as I struggle to release my arm.

He pulls at me, getting hold of my other upper arm, glaring down at me, "Don't lie to me Hermione."

"When have I ever lied to you, Viktor? When?" I question, praying my voice doesn't crack.

Suddenly I feel my body flying and I smash into the foot of the stairs. Ignoring the sting, I sit up straight and look up at him,

"Damn it, don't you see what they're trying to do Hermione? They're trying to take you from me now that they realize how beautiful you are!" He exclaims as he towers over me,

"They're not trying to do that! They're just my friends!" I insisted defensively.

Pain.

"Stop protecting them!" He screamed, withdrawing his balled hand to his side, "I'm your boyfriend! I should have priority over them!"

Gingerly I touched my face with shaking fingers and felt the pain throbbing. Hot tears stung my eyes and I whip my head back to look at him, "Damn it Viktor! I love you, not them!"

As if realizing for the first time what he had done, he dropped to his knees before me and took my face in his hands, "I... I'm sorry, Hermione. I just love you so much." He kissed my forehead, "I'll help you apparate back to your apartment. We'll go out another night." He stood up straight and extended a hand to help me up.

I looked up at him and took it.



... " 'Mione?"

I shook my head to clear it, "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you how Krum was, y'know. You're boyfriend," he reminded,

"I know who he is!" I snapped before sighing heavily, "Sorry. I'm just a bit on edge."

"You weren't on edge until I said Krum's name," Harry pointed out, "Is everything okay with him? Did you two have a fight?"

"Yes. No. I have to go," I said suddenly and I made to leave, but he grabed my wrist,

"Hermione, what's wrong?" He inquired, pleadingly.

My lips were trembling as I looked at his expression of pure concern. I attempted to yank my wrist free, only to have my arm slip out of my zip-up long-sleeves. Almost instantly, Harry dropped my wrist. I was frozen in place, my feet refused to move. He stood up and slowly, he gently ran his fingers over the purpled skin. He withdrew his fingers the instant a cringe crossed my face. Anxiously, I slipped my arm back into the sleeve and satt down, knowing that if I left, Harry would find me anyways.

Falling back into his seat, Harry just stared at me in silent awe, "You two did have a fight. Didn't you?"

Bitting down on my bottom lip, I nodded slightly, eyes fixated to the table,

" 'Mione, why'd you let him do this to you? You can easily fight off that jerk!" He asked after quickly placing a silence barrier around us.

"I love him Harry." I simply said.

"How? Why!? Hermione! Look what he did to you!" He exclaimed,

"It'll go away in a few days! He's just stressed from work and gets upset easily, that's all!" I defended as I looked up at his quizzical expression.

"He's done this before..." Harry realized and I nodded in silent response, eyes dropped back to the table. We remained in silence as the waitress returned with the food and left soon after.

I panicked when I heard Harry stand up, "Harry, no!"

"I'm not going to let him get away with this Hermione!" He argued. He turned to leave, but I grabbed his hand with both of mine, pulling him to stand beside me,

"Harry, please don't!" I begged,

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't!" He demanded, "Tell me why you stayed with him after the first time he hurt you!?"

"He called me beautiful," I replied quietly,

"What?"

"Hadn't you or Ron ever wondered why I agreed to be his date to the Yule Ball back in our fourth year?" I asked as he sat back down and I released his hand.

"Yes."

"Well, it was that. When he first approached me and asked, I asked him why he was bothering with me when there were plenty others. He said I was beautiful and I accepted," I explained,

Harry looked at me with bewilderment, "Hermione, you don't need that jerk to tell you you're -"

"He was the first person to ever say it Harry!" I interrupted, my voice gaining its strength once more, "He saw me beautiful, above all others and before I was all done up at the Yule Ball. He was the first to do that. The first."

"Hermione, Ron and I always thought you were beautiful," He insisted calmly,

"Did you? It took Ron to realize I was a girl four bloody years! And it's not like you ever said anything before then!" I stood up immediately, "I have to go. Happy birthday Harry." I threw a wrapped box on the table and it landed in one of the dishes Ron had ordered.

Before I left, Harry said in a low voice, "How long until he goes too far, Hermione?"

---

Later, I lay on the floor of my apartment, sore from head to toe. The door had slammed behind Viktor at least an hour ago. Struggling, I pushed myself from the ground and supported myself against the coffee table as I rested. A small pool of blood had formed where my face once lay on the wooden floor. As quick as I could - which wasn't quick at all - I wiped the blood from my jaw and the once pink sleeve was then stained with red.

I grasped for my wand, still laying where it had rolled to during the arguement. My fingers barely grasped it as I pulled it towards me and dropped it on the table. I breathed shallowly, my chest felt as if it collapsed every time I would breath normally. Arm on the table, my head slumped onto it as my other hand grabed the wand once more. It took me longer than normal to recall the appropriate incantation, and I apparated.

---

I knocked on the door before me, weakly at first. Then, as I supported myself against the door frame, I knocked as hard as possible. Light seeped into the darkness of the city street as the door slowly opened.

"Hermione!" Harry gasped as he held the door open for me.

I stumbled into 12 Grimmauld and turned back to look at Harry as he closed the door. I felt my legs finally lose all their strength. He moved to catch me and I lay in his arms as he fell to his knees.

"Ron! It's Hermione!" Harry yelled.

Ron came from the direction of the kitchen, a nearly empty bottle of firewhiskey in his hand, "Bloody hell..." He knelt down as well, "Harry said... and I would have... but you would've been mad..." He stopped trying to form sentences. Finally he asked, "What happened this time? A fight? Was he drunk?"

I shook my head negatively, "He just went too far."

---

Today, I sit in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld, drinking a cup of tea. Ron sits beside me, one hand flipping the page of the Daily Prophet, the other placed comfortingly on my upper arm.

"Are you ready?" Ron inquires,

"Of course. Besides, you and Harry will be there with me," I say with a strength and confidence I don't quite feel.

"He'll be punished, 'Mione. Susan Bones took the place of her aunt, and I know she'll convict him," Ron says as he looks up from the Prophet and gives me the first lop-sided grin since Harry's birthday, almost two weeks ago.

I place a hand over his and smile back, "Thank you."

Suddenly, he retracts his hand, "Did I hurt you? The bruising there.. I forget sometimes and -"

"It's fine," I insist, "My arms, for the most part, have healed. I'm just worried about the bruises and cuts on my face."

"You look fine, so there's no need to worry," Ron replies, "Besides, another few days and those bruises will be gone. And your cuts are healing nicely."

I roll my eyes at him as I take another sip from my tea. Harry enters and says a good morning as he immediately heads for the coffee pot laying on the table beside the tea pot.

"Harry, will you please tell Hermione she looks fine despite her injuries? She refuses to believe anything either of us says unless the other confirms it," Ron says exasperatedly, but smiles all the same.

Harry looks up from his cup of coffee and stares at me. He smiles warmly and I immediately remind myself how lucky I am to have both him and Ron in my life.

"You look beautiful."