She wasn't sure when it happened. When she finally surrendered herself to the pain of it all.
It had taken a significant amount of time to be sure. She hadn't made it this far without a significant amount of resiliency and will power. But there was only so much that even the strongest mind could take before it snapped and gave in. This was hers.
She lay there, strapped to the table, blood dripping from her arm where the word 'Mudblood' was now permanently etched into her skin. There for all to see and read, a mark of who she was and would forever be. But she was barely cognisant of this as she mentally curled into a foetal position. Ready to accept the next round of debasement that Bellatrix LaStrange had ready for her.
The insane descendant of the Black family had tried to egg Draco into extracting some revenge on her, but even he wasn't up for it. So, Bella had been left alone to have her fun and fun she'd had. Tortures new and old had been tried with no real reason to it, except for the dark ladies pleasure.
'I don't want to feel this anymore,' thought Hermione lacking the strength to articulate. It was times like this she wished that she had Harry's strength. His resolve. His passion to push through. No matter what injuries or torture he sustained, he was able to push through. Continue. That was his real strength. Where his true power lay. And the reason that Hermione had stuck with him for so long.
But, here she was, alone and without hope. Without her friends to draw inner strength was.
'But you're not alone,' came another thought. An alien thought that sounded awfully familiar. Something stroked the hair of Hermione's mental self like they would a crying child. 'I am here to help. Why don't you rest a moment and I can deal with this for you?'
As the unknown entity walked towards her outer self, Hermione swore that it looked just like Harry.
As Bellatrix ready herself for another run of 'catharsis' with the mudblood, she was somewhat discomforted by the amused smile across her victim's face.
"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup…"