Author's Note: Hello everyone, here's my newest fanfic. I think JKR could have done amazing things in the aftermath of Hermione's torture, but that's not how she saw it. Oh well, that's why we have portkey<3 Hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter place, characters, ideas, etc. are not mine.
The coarse sand slid between his toes as he made his way down the steep dunes to the water's edge. The soft sea breeze ruffled his messy raven locks as the sound of the ocean met his ears. Harry Potter's bright emerald eyes scanned the beach until his eyes came to rest on the young woman seated in the sand, the tide reaching the tips of her toes. Harry continued to make his way down the beach increasing the distance between him and the empty cottage on the hill. His focus was all for the woman before him, yards away he could see the tension in the set of her slim shoulders. Her left arm cradled against her as she faced the setting sun.
"Hermione," he murmured as he approached the spot where she had anchored herself on the beach out of sight of Bill and Fleur's cottage. In the few days since the Trio arrived with the help of Dobby, Hermione had made created her own self-imposed exile. Harry assumed she needed time to herself and had tried to escape everyone but for the third day in a row she'd risen early and disappeared to the beach. With the small house empty, the inhabitants having taken a trip to town for groceries and such Harry decided it was time to attempt to comfort his dear friend.
Harry took no time in reaching her side, but her gaze never wavered from the softly crashing waves. "May I?" Harry asked searching for her eyes. "Yes," Hermione murmured quietly, raising her right hand to pull her wind-blown mahogany locks away from her face. Harry lowered his lean frame into the sand and rested his elbows on his knees. The pair sat in silence for some time as the sun continued its descent to the horizon. Harry transferred his gaze from the sea to his friend of seven years; the strong young woman he knew had closed herself off after torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Hermione, I'm worried about you. You've spent the last three days out here, only coming in to sleep. You haven't been eating well at all, either. Ron may be thick enough to respect you telling him to sod off but I cannot let you deal with this alone," Harry spoke, breaking the silence, his voice low and gentle.
Hermione remained silent; giving no inclination that she'd heard his words. Harry returned his gaze to the ocean, watching the waves as he waited for her to speak. Minutes passed before her heard her say "Thank you, Harry." Harry turned back to her, chocolate finally meeting glinting jade; Harry gave Hermione a small smile encouraging her to continue. Hermione kept her eyes trained on his face, not quite meeting his eyes as she said "Now we both have scars, memories of traumatic events forever etched in our skin for the world to see," her voice upset with emotion. Harry's ears stung at the raw pain her words and watched as she pulled her left arm even closer to her body. Harry spoke, his tone soft "Hermione, you are the strongest person I know. You could have given in, told her that she had captured me and that we were destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes. You endured torture for me, for what we were trying to accomplish, you won," He paused, lifting a hand to his scar before continuing, "A scar means whatever you want it to mean."
Hermione let a forced laugh pass her lips before extricating her arm from its place around her stomach so he could see the word "Mudblood" carved in jagged letters into the underside of her forearm, the skin still raw. Harry's heart leapt into his throat as white hot anger coursed through his veins, he fell silent as he cursed Lestrange for the injury she'd caused Hermione. Hermione watched the emotions pass over Harry's face, feeling sad and useless as she had since the fight at Malfoy Manor. At that moment the careful control Hermione had over her emotions collapsed and she turned to him, voice raised and asked "What else could this possibly mean to me, Harry?" brandishing the wound in his face. Caught off guard by the fire in Hermione's eyes, Harry's eyes widened as she stood and stalked down the beach, farther away from the now distant cottage. Paralyzed in the sand, Harry watched as Hermione continued to her rapid pace until she stopped, head turned up toward the darkening sky. Harry quickly got to his feet and set off at a run to her as she fell to her knees and began to scream. Harry's heart caught at the agony and stress that burst forth from Hermione through her scream. Harry didn't ask for permission nor did he hesitate for a moment before he threw his strong arms around her and held her as her scream dissolved into sobs.
Only when she quieted did Harry finally speak, "Mione, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he repeated over and over in her ear. His words seemed to calm her, for she stood and turned to him her face pink and the trail of her tears silently flowing. "Harry," she started, pausing to take a deep breath, "I hate that word. Now I have to carry it on my body for the rest of my life, a constant reminder of what I am. I feel useless," she finished, her voice quiet as she lowered her head. Harry pulled her small frame into his, encircling his arms around her waist as her head fell to his shoulder. Harry held her as she cried silently; seeming to mourn for the part of her she'd lost in Malfoy Manor. It took several minutes before those sobs dissipated and Hermione pulled away from Harry and turned to the sea, her back to him the tide now reaching her ankles.
"I'm supposed to be stronger than this," Hermione stated aloud to no one in particular her tired toffee eyes searching the calming water. Harry moved to stand behind her, almost touching and spoke softly, his deep baritone rumbling in her ear, "Mione, you are the most amazing person in my life. You are allowed to fall apart. The countless times I've lost my way you were there to take care of me, let me do the same for you. Please don't hold it in." Harry wrapped his arms around her waist holding her to him, comforting her with his presence. Hermione raised her hands from their position at her sides and laid them atop his laced fingers, leaning into his embrace. "Please, Mione. Let me help you heal," Harry whispered quietly his mouth inches from her ear.