Chapter 1: The Bullies
a.n: I do have to warn you... some of this chapter has some implied dark things... heehee... if anyone has any ideas for how to make a strong character crumble without something tramatic happening to them... i'm all ears
1932
April 2
Hermione wasn't a fan of the bullies of the orphanage. They picked on the weak. Prayed on the nightmares they invoked. She didn't take kindly to them always picking on the younger kids. They were twelve, thirteen, and fourteen. They really should be picking on people their own age.
It wasn't the younger children's fault that they didn't have a good school life because of being orphans. They, in Hermione's opinion, should learn to deal with it. She had. It wasn't like she gave a damn what others thought. She did what she wanted, talked how she pleased, and tried to live life to its fullest.
There were two things the eight year old hated. One, being called the twin of a freak; and the second being a witness to bullying.
She and her brother where probably the weirdest twins around. Strange things used to happen around them both, before they'd discovered how to.. How should she say it? Tame their powers. Strange things had stopped happening around her just the prior year, but Tom didn't seem to have the same control she did. Things happened around him. But it was rarely around her.
That being said, she let out a snort as the bullies said something to try and make her back down.
"Oh, Matthew, you're so nïeve if you think making improper jokes will strike fear into my heart." She scoffed,flipping a her embry locks behind her. She trotted over to stand in front of the six year olds.
"Do you not think it's a bit sad for the three eldest boys to stoop so low to bully people who live under the same house?" Despite her calm façade, her blood was boiling. She might not have intervened if the one being bullied was older than her, though it would have been hard.
"Oh, sweet Hermione," she shuddered at Edward, the twelve year olds, tone. It was basicly dripping the slime he must always be rolling in. "These six year olds were just being disciplined."
She would've doubled over laughing at his weak defense. "Is that the best you've got?" She asked sweetly. "Because if it is, I'm afraid you have all lost this round." Her eyes narrowed, everything about her turning icy. Her eyes. Her posture. Her tone. Everything.
"You're a fool." The thirteen year old spat. "These brats don't need your protection. If anything, it is yours and Tom's fault they're being bullied."
The corner her mouth curled in a suppressed snarl. She wasn't fazed, at all, by their weak attacks and defenses. "If you are quite done with being prats, we shall be taking our leave." And with that, not even giving them a chance to react, she left all the while ushering the six years old inside the building.
June 12
Hermione sat on her brother's bed, leaning against the wall, seething. Her teeth grinded against each other, making an almost unbearable noise. Of course, it would've had to be ten times louder than it already was for anyone beside the body sitting next to her to hear.
"The nerve!" She spat, finally making a noise other than a snarl. Of course, being spat on might not have been much of an upgrade, but she hoped her brother cared about as much as she did about being spat on. They were family, twins. They shared almost the same DNA, the same spit, so why should it matter. Had she not been related to him, she was sure he would've found a way to make her pay for daring.
"They think they can waltz around a bully the younger kids." She shook her head, her nails digging into her skin. Red welts appeared where her nails where.
She figured that, to other children, she and Tom seemed... Almost inhumane. They stuck together, almost tighter than any glue could ever be.
Tom snorted softly. "They should learn quickly that you and I will not stand for it." He murmured.
"They best realize it soon!" She agreed angrily. "They have absolutely no right to repeat whatever's happened to them!"
Hermione suddenly slumped. "I'm exhausted, Tom." She said softly.
"Then you best rest, sweet sister of mine." He said, flashing his blinding white teeth.
She rolled her eyes. "I may just do that, seeing as I am blind now." She said teasingly before resting her head on his shoulder and letting her eyes flutter shut.
July 21
Hermione shivered, despite the warm weather. She refused to let anyone, even her own brother, that she was being hurt. She knew she was strong and she knew that sometimes… sometimes the best thing to do was admit you couldn't tackle the world alone.
She enjoyed being alone. Well, she had before the threats had started. People may not have noticed anything different about her, but she knew something was changing within her. Something was making her feel… afraid. It was an emotion she wasn't familiar with.
She hadn't felt it since she'd been able to control whatever gift she had. She sat against a tree, her hair in a messy bun and she was wearing something she usually didn't: trousers and a over-sized shirt that she'd taken from .
Hermione had her legs against her chest and her her head rested against the tree trunk she was sitting against. She was somewhere she was sure no one else (save for Tom) knew about.
Closing her eyes, she let out a yawn and started to doze off before the noise of a stick breaking jolted her awake. She hoped she could stay invisible; no one liked a woman in mens clothing. The lighter clothing might've been more popular, but it was still taboo to see a woman not wearing a skirt. Not in more feminine clothing.
She usually wore the clothing she grew up with, even if it caused her to feel somewhat uncomfortable. Actually, in all honesty, she'd prefer to strut around with no clothing or shoes.
Shaking the thoughts from her head because that kind of thinking caused even more problems. She'd heard about communities who wore nothing, and she found that weird.
"Well, Well, Well," a voice sneered. "looks like I found a rare treasure."
She cracked opened her eyes to see Matthew looming over her. She didn't respond to his words, which seemed to just egg him on.
He grabbed her chin and whispered into her ear. "I'll teach you your place, you little whore."
Her eyes betrayed her confusion at his words. What did he mean? She tilted her head. What is a whore? Despite how much she knew the world was a cruel, cruel place, she didn't understand most of the words the elder kids used. Well, she internally huffed. I am eight years old.
"You are such an innocent little flower." he snickered with cruelty in his tone. "I shall enjoy taking that away from you."
August 12
Hermione was afraid. She hated admitting it, but she was. She was terrified of being alone. Tom had noticed her sudden change, her sudden fear. She trembled like a leaf whenever she had to go somewhere alone.
She was fighting to do anything. Everyone, by now, had noticed her change in dementor. They noticed how she seemed to steer clear of any of the bullies and how she rarely wondered anywhere alone. They noticed how she didn't talk, how she had the broken look in her eyes.
When did she become so weak? Why couldn't she go anywhere alone anymore? Why did everything have to go a certain way?
She felt the tears leak out of her eyes. As she tried to make them stop, she realized she didn't have the strength to make her emotions do anything. The anger she felt at this realization abruptly died when she looked in the mirror.
She looked… well, she looked horrible. Her hair was a tangled mess and there was black circles under her eyes. Her flawless look wasn't that… flawless. She shivered and rolled away from the mirror.
She swore she'd never look into one again. She didn't want to see the horrible creature she'd become.
"Mione?" a soft male voice asked. She jumped, expect the worst. Her body stiffened (no matter how much she told it to relax.)
The soft voice sat down next to her. She could feel it in the wind, whoever this was, was reaching out to touch her. She let out a startled yelp as she was pulled into a hug. She looked up and saw her brother. For the first time that night, she felt safe.
"Whatever happened to you, Mione?" he asked her softly as he pushed the tangled hair away from her face. She didn't dare speak, her voice might give away just how broken she really was.
So, instead of answering, Hermione settled for a hug. Her insticts going haywire because someone was hugging her. And though she knew her twin would never hurt her… she couldn't help but think what he'd do to them.
Because, no matter what they did to her, Tom would, without a doubt, make it much, much, much, worse for them.
"I miss you." he whispered. "What are you hiding?" he absently played with her hair, working out all the knots that were in it.
She took a shaky breath but didn't say anything. She just opened her eyes and stared into his dark grey eyes. She flinched slightly at his hurt gaze. It wasn't something either of them were used to; but, she supposed, they'd have to get used to the feeling eventually, so why not now?
"I love you." she croaked weakly. "I love you, my brother." tears ran freely down her face and she didn't even have the energy to attempt at stopping them.
September 14
Hermione clenched her rag of a blanket, fear coming off her in waves. She slowly pushed herself to her feet, her legs wobbly. She closed her eyes and started to shake as she finally, finally, lost control of her gift. It wasn't much of a gift if she loathed it with a passion. The gift made her feel like more of a freak. A dirty freak, at that.
The trees surrounding her collapsed with a big thud as the leafs fell around her. Her mouth curled into a twisted smirk. Oh, yes, she'd make those bastards pay. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not in this lifetime, but they would all pay.
As her gift cooled down and stopped shredding everything, she collapsed. Who was she kidding? She could never make anyone pay, she would never be strong enough to do anything. Tears formed in her eyes as she curled up on the forest floor. Maybe the wild would take pitty on her and kill her.
That'd probably be better than anything else that could happen to her. Her skin prickled as someone picked her bare body up.
"What's happened to you?" her twin snarled. "Is someone hurting you?" he demanded, covering her body with his jacket.
She cowered at his anger, not wanting to answer him. Her heart pounded in her chest, so loud that Tom could probably hear it. Her anxiety went up to a whole new level when she looked into his eyes and saw fire burning within them. The anger wasn't aimed at her, but at whoever would dare harm his sister.
When he realized he was not getting an answer, he snorted. "Stubborn as ever, huh? I promise you if I ever find out who harmed you, they will suffer a fate worse than death."
