I had always been stupid. That was a known fact around town. They called me a disgrace to the Granger family tree. When I got the letter from Hogwarts I was determined to be the smartest student I could be.

I was a loner my whole life. No one wanted to be friends with the dumb girl. No one wanted to know the girl that shouldn't've gotten into the prestigious childrens academy. I went home every night to my parents disappointment and saying "you're a failure, you should've tried harder, you were a mistake." We had a cat, Louise, even she hated me.

Even at 11 I had faced more rejection than was thought appropriate.

When I got to the school I constantly studied. I didn't have friends, I didn't need friends. I just needed to study and they'd come to me, that's how all the popular girls did it, right? Wrong. The popular girls didn't care about grades.

I tried dressing like them and hanging out with them. They shouted "Mudblood!" "Idiot!" "Blood-traitor!" So much for being popular.

Harry and Ron found me one day and we bonded instantly.

Four Years Later

15 and one person knew. Harry and Ron were my only friends. I didn't tell them about the depression or cutting. I couldn't. They'd think I'm a freak and would leave. Magic came more naturally as the years went on. I didn't have to practice nearly as much as I did when I first got there.

"'Mione, are you okay?" Ron asked one day.

"Yeah, I'm fine, why do you ask?"
"Well, er, it's hot out, mid May, and you still wear your sweater. Are you sure you're okay?"

I always wore longsleeves, it hid the scars.

"Yeah, it's just… nothing… Don't worry about it!" I faked a smile. Only Ginny, Ron's younger sister and my best friend knew.

"Alright." Ron turned back to his book he was trying to study.

"Ginny! Hey! Ready?" I asked, as she ran up to us.

"Yeah, one sec. Harry, here's the book you asked for." She handed him a copy of a transfiguration textbook.

"Thanks Gin! You're the best," he said, beaming.

"Of course," she blushed.

"Come on, Ginny, let's go." I dragged her to my dorm. She went on about Harry the whole way there. I didn't mind, honestly, she was my best friend and we always talked about boys together since we only had each other.

"How many new scars since yesterday?" She asked, getting out some gauze and salve to try and heal the scars. This isn't something magic couldn't heal. Only muggles had come close to making them totally disappear.

"Just two." I rolled up my sleeve and she saw how much worse they had gotten.

"Hermione! You can't do this, you have to let them air at night! Otherwise it won't work, if you can don't wear your sweater during the day."
"Fine, I won't tomorrow, just for you. They'll think I'm insane."

"No they won't. It's my brother and his best friend. If Ron can put up with everything I've gone through, he can deal with this. And Harry… If he's as reasonable as I think he is, you'll be fine."

The bell rang. We looked at each other in fear before realizing that they didn't have classes again until tomorrow. Thursday's last class was a free period.

Harry and Ron had already gone to the Great Hall for breakfast when I went down into the common room.

Silence. Pure blissful silence. I gathered the courage to go into the Great Hall with my books. It was time to show them what happened.

The walk down from Gryffindor tower seemed longer than normal. Maybe it was just the mentality that my life was about to change for the better or worse.

"Hermione… Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Ron asked, holding my hands.

"I-I thought you might think I was a freak," I said, on the verge of tears.

"A freak? 'Mione, you're the brightest witch of our age. Why on earth would we think that?" Harry questioned, worry clouding his eyes.

Yep. You probably guessed it. That's when I started crying.

Ron put his arm around me and led me out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ginny following closely behind.

Ron helped me sit on the cold stone floor of the entry way. He sat next to me and just held me. Neither of them said anything. Harry held Ginny's hand, seeing that she was kinda scared. Or maybe because they were an adorable couple that didn't yet know that they'd get married… Oops, I mean…

I told them everything. When it started, my childhood, everything came out. Well- almost everything… I didn't tell them about my suicide attempt when I was 10 before the letter came. And the hospital stay after that. I couldn't bring it up without another flood wave of tears.

A/N So! A new perspective on Hermione! I don't know if this is going to be a good story or not. We'll see what happens! If you have any ideas, please leave them in the reviews- that would be absolutely amazing. Thanks so much!