Beaten

His father didn't do it often. He always left it for when he believed a more violent punishment was in order, one where his mother would not help. His mother did, after all, have a rule in place that stated that no injuries that resulted from the muggle form of dueling would be tended to.

He was in the attic, the place his father always took him when he believed brutal punishment was required. His father had left hours ago, however, not once looking back at the large bruises that were slowly overtaking his son's pale face, or the deep gash in his hairline where his head had hit the low roof banister.

This time, he did not feel his father's actions were uncalled for. He had anticipated such a reaction when the news he gave had betrayed his father's every belief.

He was in love with a Mudblood.

It had been only weeks ago that she had turned up at his house and he had had to watch on as his own aunt tortured her into unconsciousness. It had been that moment that he had truly, completely wanted to turn back on his ways. He had realised in that moment, amid the shock of what he was seeing, that Hermione Granger was beautiful in every way imaginable.

But this was not what caused him to now be lying on the dusty attic floor with his body beaten and aching. He was beaten because in a single moment of weakness he had been unable to close his mind and it was in that moment that his every untold secret had been visible to his father's eye.