Hermione Granger sighed as she settled into the comfortable chair of the tattoo parlor. Looking around she eyed the flash art lining the walls, butterflies, skulls, a few fairies, and pin up girls were scattered among the wall. All very pretty and detailed but none were what she came her for. Rolling up her sleeve she glared balefully at the scarring there. "Mudblood" was forever etched into her skin, and no amount of Magic had been able to remove it. At first she had felt dismally hopeless; how could she get live, wear a short sleeve shirt in public or walk about with such a heinous word marring her skin. So after all attempts of magic had failed her, she looked into muggle methods. Laser removal was her first choice, but the doctors had told her it would simply leave lighter scarring not fully remove the word itself. So she found herself here in a tattoo parlor, waiting for weeks of preparation to finally come to pass. She had sat with her artist several times, hashing out the details of what she wanted the image to convey. She wanted it to display her very best parts, her cleverness, bravery and loyalty.
Smiling as her artist came through the door she began to feel giddy. Finally she would be rid of this foul word. Finally she would feel normal again.
"Are you ready for this, luv?" came the lilting voice of Sean.
Hermione smiled brightly at him, "More so than anything before in my life."
He nodded and set to work sterilizing her arm before using an old barber styled razor to gently remove any hair. Glancing at her arm she watched him roll on a thin layer of muggle deodorant before carefully aligning the stencil and pressing it firmly against her skin smoothing out any air bubbles, then carefully peeling the paper off. Her breath caught as she looked at the swirling lines, it was perfect.
Sean smiled tenderly at the girl, he knew she had suffered greatly when receiving that strange scar, and it brought him great joy knowing he was a part of her healing process.
Looking at Sean, Hermione nodded saying, "I'm ready." She had prepared herself for the pain, knowing after suffering torture at the hands of Bellatrix LeStrange a tattoo would be simple.
She watched fascinated as Sean set to work, dipping his tattoo gun in the black ink and starting the small machine. Buzzing sounds filled the small room, making her relax almost trance like state. She fought a flinch as he placed the needles to her skin. It reminded her of the sharp sting of a razor cut, barely noticeable after the first few moments.
Watching as the lines came together to form something beautiful after years of living with an awful reminder caused tears to form. She cried silently. She cried for herself, for Harry, Neville, Tonks, Remus, Sirius, and Fred. She cried for everyone who had lost something because a mad man decided he wanted power, no matter the cost. She cried knowing that she could finally begin healing properly, as her world had done already.
She watched Sean work in shades and colors. Watched as her vision came to life on her skin. Vibrant colors covered years of scar tissue, covered years of hatred and self loathing. Covered years of inadequacy because of a word, because some people believed that those born as she was didn't belong.
Hermione smiled through her tears, she knew she belonged. This tattoo was part of her now. Resting her head back she lightly dozed as Sean worked. She had fallen into such a peaceful trance she started at the mist of cool water that landed on her arm, followed by the gentle wiping of a cloth against the now tender skin. Opening her eyes she stared mesmerized by the ink. On either side of her forearm two large lions faced each other, raised up onto their hind legs their paws touched. Between their hind legs rested a large book with the date 2 May, 1998 printed elegantly in cursive. Above the book and between the lions were flowers, lilies, roses, snapdragons and daisies. All colored in with the impression of a water painting, using a mix of reds and golds. And at the top in the lions raised paws sat the Hogwarts Crest.
She couldn't have been happier. It was a moving tribute to everything she had sacrificed and she would cherish it forever. Looking at Sean she cried "Thank you! You honestly don't know how much this means to me."
Smiling brightly she paid him, and left the shop, feeling for the first time in years as if she were once again Hermione Granger; Brightest Witch of Her Age. Instead of feeling like she were Hermione Granger; the girl with the scar.
A/N: This was just a little plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone. Reviews are always welcome. Any mistakes are my own. JK Rowling owns all recognizable characters.