Chapter 8 – Otherside of the Coin
A/N: Thank you soooo much for the reviews, I really appreciate all of them and am sooo happy everyone is loving the story, please keep reading and reviewing :D
Previously:
Bellatrix spoke once more, "Are you sure she can be trusted my lord?" She shivered slightly, praying she wouldn't be punished for speaking out once more.
He looked down at her, "As much as one under my control can be, yes." His black eyes glinted as he raised his wand, "Leave."
She immediately began walking out of the room, bowing slightly as she took her leave and he aimed his wand.
"Just so you remember your place, CRUCIO!"
Her screams could be heard throughout the manor.
Over the week all the henchmen noticed a change to their boss, one they liked. For one thing he wasn't on a rampage killing them off one by one and he seemed to have a lighter step around the house, his attention captured by the intriguing young woman he'd originally kidnapped.
On this particular day, the Joker found himself sitting in the library room doing something very unlike him, reading. He sat across from Hermione in the room reading in a comfortable silence as the fireplace roared.
They hadn't really spoken much since the incident which had almost got them both killed. Most of the time he was out doing god only knew what while she was in the house as usual keeping mainly to the library as it was her place to just be and think clearly, surrounded by the smell of old and new books.
As he sat there he found himself consumed in his thoughts, thoughts that usually consisted of twisted havoc and chaos now focused solely on the strange woman sitting before him.
He couldn't help but wonder what she was all about, now that he truly thought about it she was a complete mystery to him. He knew her name, she was a witch, not from Gotham at all, and her magic came from the wand he held onto.
Snapping his book shut he leaned back, running a hand through his green hair before speaking, "Where areee you from….beautiful? I assssumme acroosss the pond?"
The sudden question caused Hermione to jump, not expecting him to talk to her let alone ask personal questions.
She closed her own book and looked over at him, "London yes."
"Anddd?" He seemed almost….normal and she could see the curiosity flashing in his beautiful eyes, she responded.
"I am from London, born and raised until I turned 11 and found out I was a witch. I got a letter to attend a school for people with magical abilities and so my parents accepted it and sent me off. I've lived at my school, at Hogwarts, since then. I am in my seventh year and it's complicated."
He couldn't help but lean out of his chair now very curious about this woman, allowing himself this moment of being….normal. "Explain."
And seeing the absolutely serious expression on the man's face, Hermione complied and began explaining her life in depth right down to the fight against Voldemort.
She explained about the horocruxes that he'd scattered all over the place and the hunt that her two best friends had been intending to go on before she accidentally transported herself here. She told him how she ended up in his world in the first place and how she missed her friends terribly.
He sat in the chair, listening to her talk animatedly to him, observing how she spoke so enthusiastically. The talk of her years at school with her two best friends had her eyes lit up as she spoke of their adventures. Then as the talk of this dark lord came up, her pretty chocolate eyes flared and he could see the fight in her…..he really liked that.
She blushed that beautiful shade of pink as she realized she'd been going on about herself and her life for over an hour and stopped in mid-sentence. "Merlin all I've been doing is talking your ear off about myself this past hour….I'm sorry."
He laughed softly and stood up, "I asked you to."
Hermione stood up too, watching him stretch and walk over to the bookshelf to place his book back in the shelf. This was the most….human… she'd seen him the whole time and she found herself smiling, liking it, savoring it since she knew it wouldn't last.
Feeling brave she voiced the question that'd been on her mind since she had found that photo, "Who was the girl in the photo I found with you?"
He froze by the bookshelf before turning and flicking out his knife. She felt her breathing catch as she waited for him to come at her. Instead he simply stood where he was, flicking the knife open and closed, looking lost in thought.
"She was…." He licked his lips, "The love of my life."
"What happened to her?"
His eyes seemed to darken at this question but he continued, "She leftttttt me. She left me for someone else when I got these." He gestured to his scars covered by the blood red paint on his cheeks.
Hermione felt saddened, "Why? Why would she leave you because of scars?"
"She said she had started seeing someone else, she had fallen in loveeee." He sneered.
Feeling braver she asked, "How did you get the scars?"
Joker growled and slammed the book he had been reading into the shelf before marching out of the room, slamming the doors behind him as he headed for the front door, leaving the manor.
Hermione stood, staring out after him. She felt sad for him, she felt angry that he had obviously suffered when he was younger and this girl had just left him like that. She was surprised he shared as much as he did before storming out.
Shane entered the room and raised a brow, "What happened?"
She sighed, "I asked too many questions that's what happened."
The goon shook his head, "That may be but the fact that he actually responded to you says something, the boss doesn't share anything about himself with anyone. He only tells tales, never anything about his past, no one knows a thing about him, except for you now."
Understanding the significance of what had just happened, her eyes widened.
"I didn't think of it like that."
Shane smirked, "If any of us dared to ask him anything we'd probably get shot on the spot and you just got walked out on, you definitely have had an effect on the boss Granger."
She smiled as she thought about it and placed her book on the shelf before walking out of the room heading up to her own room.
Hours had gone by and she looked at the clock, placing the book she'd been reading 'Beauty and the Beast.' down on the bed. It was already evening and her stomach grumbled.
The food she'd hardly noticed Shane bring her, sat on the bed and she began to eat it, soup and salad with a side of chicken.
She finished her meal and decided she wanted to send out another letter, this time to the boys, as she had gotten nothing back from the headmaster as of yet.
Smiling to herself she pulled out a piece of paper when she suddenly realized her wand lay in his room….
Bloody hell.
She sighed and stood up, deciding to go and get it, praying he was still out wherever and not here at the house.
Once downstairs, she moved toward his room and knocked softly on the door this time just in case, not wishing to have another blow up.
No response.
She knocked again.
Still nothing.
Quietly she opened the door and walked in, attempting to be as quiet as possible. The lights were off and she assumed he was still out. She moved around, looking for her wand before seeing it lying on the table beside the bed.
She smiled to herself, now she could write to the boys and find out how everyone was faring back home so far. She reached for the wand, grabbing it, and was roughly turned around on her heel.
In the darkness she could slightly make out his face, a dark outline of it, as she came face to face with him. Before she could say anything, he shoved her into the wall, pinning her. She felt the color drain from her face as she realized he must have come back for some reason and she hadn't heard the door open…..
She quickly brought her wand upwards before he could react, "Lumos." His face illuminated in the light, she realized with shock that he had no paint on for the first time. His face was….normal….except for the scars.
He glared at her, still not speaking as she stared at him, not in horror as he had expected but in curiosity….
Without thinking she lifted her hand, reaching out to touch his face. He made no move to pull away and so she hesitantly touched his cheek, feeling the ridged scaring on it, tracing it.
He closed his eyes, soaking in the feeling. It was so foreign, he'd never allowed anyone close let alone to touch his face…..no one had ever wanted to either.
She felt braver and moved closer, her fingers trailing lightly over his face as she noticed every detail from the scars on his cheeks to the creases in his forehead from his expression of slight shock.
He backed her up into the wall even harder, one hand winding in her hair, his eyes taking on a darker shade as she felt her breathing hitch as he came closer.
"Boss!"
Joker growled at the interruption and moved away from her as though he'd been burned.
She stayed against the wall still in shock at what had almost occurred.
He turned to Shane who had burst into the room out of breath.
"It's Crane….he's here and some men with wands like yours are ….." Hermione watched in horror as he was hit from the side with a bullet, crumpling to the ground.
She let out a scream and attempted to rush to him only to have Joker grab her roughly by the hand pulling her back.
"No." His command was simple and she felt tears rush down her face at the man's fallen form.
Jonathan Crane's laughter rang through the hall as he came into the room.
"Well well well, what have we here?" He came in without the mask, a young looking man, his eyes reflecting his madness.
Hermione turned to the Joker, grasping his shirt. He stared at her in momentary confusion as she held onto him, before wrapping his free arm around her, his other hand reaching for the gun tucked away in his bag he had slung over his shoulder.
"Expelliarmus!" She aimed her wand in a flash, blasting the man off of his feet and sending him careening into the wall.
She could hear footsteps coming towards the room, death eaters no doubt. She turned back to the Joker whose expression looked shocked at her actions before she closed her eyes, gripping his shirt tightly, throwing her arm around his neck as she envisioned home, Hogwarts. It was time to go back, and she was bringing him with her, she was saving him.
At least that's what she hoped would happen.
She prayed they wouldn't splinch as long distance apparition was never recommended and usually ended in doing just that, splinching, especially overseas hence why she hadn't tried it while stuck here.
Joker pulled his gun out finally with his free hand and bullets began to fly as he took out two of wizards running in clearing not expecting that form of an attack as they fell to the ground, more barreling in after them. Suddenly the room began to spin and he let out a startled yell as he felt everything shift at once. He held the witch who clung to him tightly and watched as everything changed at a rapid pace.
Suddenly the ground came up and he was falling. He let out a loud round of laughter as he watched the colors shift and then it rushed forward before opening up to the view of the world and he slammed into the hard unforgiving ground, Hermione landing on top of him, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
She blushed and hastily stood, offering him her hand, he took it and stood up looking around this strange new environment as he hoisted his bag over his shoulder once more.
"Sooo where did you take me to…. "He licked his lips, "Beautiful?"
Hermione dusted herself off and looked up to see the castle in the distance, "Home, my home."
"Ah…. Hogwarts?"
"Yes." She nodded as they began walking up the hill.
He ran a hand through his hair out of habit as he trudged up the hill behind her, "So… whooo… were those…" He licked his lips, "men with wands?"
She shuddered, "Voldemorts henchmen, his death eaters."
He thought to their conversation earlier in the day about the death eaters who followed this….he who must not be named…. Voldemort.
Interesting.
He kept silent, just following her up towards the old castle.
Riddle Manor
"Master….." Rodolphus Lestrange crept into the room where the dark lord stood, staring out a window, his slender and bony fingers stroking the wand he held as he stared into the night sky.
The wizard turned, Nagini hissing as she rose to encircle the dark lord.
"Yesss?" He hissed.
Lestrange tried to keep from shaking, attempting to regain control of himself as he cleared his throat, "She got away again….she apparated and we are fairly certain she is back at Hogwarts, she took that… that strange muggle with her…."
Voldemort growled and narrowed his eyes at his follower as two more death eaters strode in, one who he'd also sent after the mudblood, "One simple task and you all seem incapable." His wand raised and the death eater moving next to Rodolphus fell dead to the floor, eyes wide in shock.
"As for you Rodolphus tell Lucius to make sure that idiot boy of his finds out tonight whether or not the mudblood has indeed returned to us."
The death eater turned to leave, visibly shaking now before the dark lord's voice stopped him, "Oh and she is not to be harmed, not yet, but kill the companion she has taken with her, he is of no use to us." And he raised his wand once more, "Sectumsempra!"
Voldemort watched with a sickening smile as Bellatrix husband yelled out in pain, clutching himself as cuts appeared all over his skin. "Do not fail me this time Lestrange or it will be your last."
The man half drug himself out of the room, blood seeping through his clothing as he struggled to walk towards Lucius' rooms.
Voldemort hissed to Nagini, "Soon my pet, very soon we shall have our queen, I can tasteeee it."
Hogwarts:
"Boy's once more I must urge you to continue your studies and have patience, she will be back soon." The headmaster, sat, hands clasped together, patiently watching as the two teenagers nearly paced a hole in his floor.
Harry finally stopped and stared at the older man, "What if she's just telling us she's okay?"
"What if it isn't her?!" Ron nearly yelled.
"Or what if she's been imperioed, what if they already got to her?!"
The door suddenly swung open and her voice rang through, causing all three men to look over in shock. "What if who already got to me?!"
Harry and Ron nearly threw her to the ground in their haste to sweep her off of her feet, hugging her ferociously, and neither noticing the stranger behind her who moved to the side, watching them curiously.
Albus sat at his desk, looking from the golden girl to him….a muggle he could tell, but there was something different about this man and one thing Albus knew was to go by his instincts.
"Miss Granger."
He broke up the hug with his voice as all three separated. Harry and Ron finally noticed the stranger who stood near her, the jagged scarring along his cheeks catching their attention.
Harry averted his eyes politely while Ron openly stared at the weird looking muggle who glared back at him, "Something got your attention ….. hmmmm?" He licked his lips, inwardly growling at the fact that he hadn't had time to paint his face.
"Who is he?!" Ron demanded to know, avoiding the man's question.
Joker noted that his sidekick seemed to at least have more manners than his red headed friend. He felt the sudden urge to whip his knife out and carve a nice smile into the porcelain skin of the ginger boy but knew that probably wouldn't get him anywhere as he was now in a strange new world.
Hermione sighed and glanced at the headmaster who nodded for her to tell them what had happened.
She shifted closer towards the Joker and he smirked, noticing she hadn't even noticed what she was doing and listened as she divulged her story including when she'd been kidnapped by him and how she was still with him at the manor when Crane had attacked along with some of the death eaters. Her eyes watered when she mentioned Shane and how they'd killed him.
Albus cleared his throat and spoke, "Well you are here now and you will stay in the castle until we figure out what to do. As for your….companion….." He raised a brow at the scarred man.
"Joker." He responded, smirking.
"You may stay here in the castle for now; I will have an elf prepare a room for you."
As he said this, a house elf magically appeared and the old man repeated his instructions to the little creature.
Joker's eyes widened in shock at the sight of this …. Thing…. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Hermione had mentioned how their land was home to many a creature but he just wasn't expecting to see one in person…..
The elf disappeared and Ron opened his mouth once more, "Pardon me professor…. But have you gone mad?!"
Both Harry and Hermione gasped and Albus merely watched as the red head went on a tirade. "This bloody freak kidnapped and held our Hermione hostage and probably brainwashed her while he was at it and then he …."
Before the Joker could even attempted to cut the boys tongue out, Hermione lashed out, wand outright, eyes blazing as she dug the tip of her wand into her best friend's shoulder. "Shut up Ronald!"
He made to speak out again but she cut him off completely, "You don't know the entire situation and I could have left but I chose to stay, he gave me an option when Batman tried to rescue me but I CHOSE to stay. So before you open your mouth and pour out any more false accusations maybe you should just ask me first! I was not brain washed and I wasn't held in a cell as a prisoner you bloody oaf!"
Harry just shook his head at Ron and grabbed onto his arm, dragging him out of the room before he could make more of an ass out of himself. He turned back, mouthing sorry at Hermione and Joker before disappearing out of the room. He knew what it was like to be different and to be judged on it, therefore he wouldn't judge the strange muggle with weird scars on his face because he knew what it felt like and if Hermione trusted him enough to bring him with her to their world then it was good enough for him. He only hoped Ron would open his eyes and see what he saw before he truly stuck his foot in his mouth for good with their best friend.
Hermione turned to the Joker who just shook his head in disgust as the headmaster spoke up.
"I apologize for Mr. Weasley's outburst, Joker….." Albus paused on his name, knowing that he must have a real name and that there was more than met the eye with this man, but chose to continue on, eyes twinkling. "Miss Granger, if you would be so kind as to show him to his rooms, it's next to yours."
She smiled and nodded, "Follow me."
Joker bit back the urge to snap at her for directing an order at him but kept quiet, following beside her until they reached two doors next to each other.
"That's your room, mine is here." She pointed to the door in front of her before going to his door and swinging it open, walking into the room into a nicely lit living area.
He took the duffel bag he'd been carrying all night with him and placed it beside the couch before sitting down.
"Why?" His tongue ran over his lips again.
She looked at him, almost at a loss for words, "I couldn't let them kill you."
"Why…not?" He trailed the last word with a pop of his tongue.
"Because….you don't deserve that."
"Most peopleee…. would disagree with you dollface."
She smiled softly, "I'm not most people."
"I'mmm beginning to seeee that." His intense gaze locked on her and she felt herself shifting under it, her cheeks blushing a light pink as she looked at her hands, breaking the stare.
He leaned back, "What now?"
She sighed, "We wait. And I try to get some sleep right now."
Before he could say anything else she disappeared out of his room and he could hear her opening her door to her room. He smirked and closed his door before going back to the couch, thinking over things.
She was different like him, she was weird and not like anyone else he'd ever met…. Well anyone he hadn't tried to kill before anyway.
With her, his urges to kill became less and less and he found he actually …. liked it….. his head was a complete mess and she was in the center of it.
He wasn't sure what to do with himself; his normal routine consisted of figuring out what kind of havoc to cause next in the lovely city of Gotham and how to beat the Batman.
His thought's started to fade from what he could possibly find to blow up to the lovely …. Gryffindor…..he chuckled outright at this, thinking about how she'd divulged her life here to him.
Joker laid back and his eyes slowly closed, drifting off to sleep in the middle of his thoughts.
Hours went by and Hermione finally threw the blankets off of herself, unable to sleep without having nightmares of Voldemort kidnapping her….and that she knew would be no walk in the park as it had been with Jack..Joker. She growled, frustrated before sitting up, grabbing her wand.
If she couldn't sleep then she would do something to rid herself of all the energy she had. As she swung the door open, she found Harry standing outside of it, hand raised to knock.
She smiled and he engulfed her into a hug as he stepped inside, "I just wanted to apologize again for Ron's horrible behavior 'Mione. "
"It's not your fault Ronald doesn't know when to shut his mouth."
He nodded, " I know but I still felt bad." He ruffled her hair, "How are you? How is…. Joker?"
"I'm fine; I was just going to go for a walk in the halls before sleeping because I feel restless. As for Joker," She leaned closer, "His real name is Jack."
"Jack?"
She nodded, "As I explained in the headmaster's office, that's his alias or was when he was …."
"Hurting other people?" His green eyes flashed curiously.
"I know it sounded bad but he's different Harry, honesty, I am not excusing his behavior or actions but there is something there, something about him."
Harry sighed and smiled, "One thing I have learned to do is to trust you and your feelings."
She threw her arms around her best friend, hugging him happily, "Thank you."
"Well I am off to bed, I just wanted to see you again. "He reopened the door, "Want me to come for a walk with you before I go?"
She smiled and shook her head, "I need to be alone, just clear my head."
He nodded in understanding, "Please be careful and whatever you do stay away from the dungeons, stick to the Gryffindor corridors."
Hermione hugged him again, thankful for his concern and nodded back as he walked out.
She quickly stuffed her wand into her back pocket and headed out of the room.
Unbeknownst to her, Joker lay awake in his room having been unable to fall back asleep and having just finished reapplying the paint he normally wore on his face. He dropped the paint he used into his open duffel bag and lay back on the bed. Suddenly he heard the sound of the door opening and voices…..the boy with glasses, he recognized his voice.
He lay on the bed, attempting to try and sleep, contemplating taking off his vest and shirt when he heard the kid leaving and Hermione saying something about walking.
A spark of curiosity filled him and he growled, knowing he would get no rest tonight as he stood up and headed for the door. He opened it quietly and watched the brown haired witch walking down the corridor.
Smirking to himself, he closed his door as quietly as he could before tailing after her, sticking to the shadows. One thing he was good at besides killing was following people. He hadn't shown up and surprised his victims without having the skill of being able to tail them quickly and silently.
She walked and walked, just aimlessly, consumed in her thoughts. She was so lost and confused for once in her life. He was consuming her every thought. This man, this supposed monster, this killer, this…..she didn't know what he was anymore.
He had many sides to him and she saw them briefly and she wanted so much for him to let her in, to find out what had led him down the path he was on. Who had given him the scars? What really happened with the girl he had been in love with? She wondered why it mattered so much, logically speaking she was indeed a know-it-all with a thirst for knowledge and not knowing something always got to her. But this had gotten her to the point that she took him here to her home. She could have just left him, but as she had told Harry, he didn't deserve that. She had chosen to stay, chosen to try and get to know him after the Batman had attempted to 'rescue' her. From the moment she'd laid eyes on the man with his paint covered face, he'd captured her attention. Even when she found out who he was and how dangerous he was, she couldn't stay away. First it was for her wand, her means of escaping, but it had turned into something else and she couldn't figure out what….or couldn't admit what it was….she wasn't sure.
She sighed and continued walking, not paying much attention to anything, much less the way the shadows seemed to move with her.
Finally looking up out of her thoughts, she noticed she was now standing in front of the room of requirement, the huge doors appearing out of nowhere.
She smiled, thinking perhaps she could run off some energy by practicing on targets.
Slowly, she opened the doors and slipped inside, not noticing something else slipping inside with her as she walked towards the middle of the room.
It slowly shaped into a practice room with dummies in the corner when it slowly began melting away once more.
Hermione gasped.
She wasn't alone.
"Miss me mudblood?"
Draco.
His form emerged from the shadows and he raised his wand at her, "Accio wand!" Her wand flew out of her back pocket and into his outstretched hand.
Before she could do anything, he charged her, slamming her onto the ground and she screamed out as he silenced the room. "No one can hear you."
He ran a hand over her face and she fought against him, "Relax, you'll only make it hurt worse." He grinned.
Her face drained of color and she struggled even more against him as he bound her by invisible ropes.
Joker had watched her go into the room which had appeared out of thin air and he realized ti was the room she'd told him about, the one which appeared when the person needed it most and would form into anything you needed.
He went to go in after her when he saw someone else hiding in the shadows, watching her before slipping inside.
He slowly approached the door and he heard movement then nothing. Using the darkness of the night, he moved inside to see Hermione sprawled out on the ground, the blonde one he was almost sure was the one she referred to as Draco, binding her hands with a spell.
Growling he slipped out his knife from his pocket, flipping it open. He would enjoy spilling this one's crimson blood on the ground. Quietly he moved closer, realizing the blonde must have somehow silenced her so her screaming could not be heard as he could hear the boy but she was silent though her mouth was yelling out words.
"You may enjoy this mudblood, I know I will." Draco laughed as he began to unbutton his pants, ready to take Gryffindor's princess on a ride she would never forget.
Hermione cried out, desperately trying to free herself of the restraints before suddenly seeing Jack, Joker's face above her, looming over Draco.
"That's…..not a very …. Gentlemanly thing to….doooo…." He hissed out and watched as the blonde turned in shock at his presence.
The wizard struggled to aim his wand and simultaneous pull his pants up and Joker laughed outright before knocking the wand out of his hand, sending it flying across the room.
"What the hell….. You are that freak father told me about!" The blonde yelled out, his lip curling in disgust as he went to pull Hermione's wand out of his other pocket.
Joker growled, grasping the younger man by his lapels, lifting him off of the floor, enjoying the intense flicker of fear that flowed through his stormy grey eyes. "Is it the scars?" He laughed as he slammed the blonde into the wall, "Want to know how I got them?"
"You're crazy!"
"Um….no…I….I am not…." He pressed the blade into the blondes pale white skin, "You like to…..rape?"
Draco struggled against him to no avail. "You like the feeling of ….. Helplessness?" Joker licked his lips.
"Fuck youuuuu."
He laughed and pushed the blade harder against his throat, crimson red droplets of blood began to trickle down his throat.
"Jack!"
He growled at the use of his real name and turned to see Hermione leaning up from her position on the floor, the spell having worn off since he broke the blonde's wand.
"You can't kill him." She stared at him, shaking from the ordeal as she struggled to sit up completely, her back killing her from being slammed onto the ground.
Normally he would have just killed the boy anyway after what he'd just attempted to do…..normally he would have knocked her out and left her for the police to find, but this wasn't normal, this was anything but normal…. And she was more than just anyone to him.
Sneering he turned back to the blonde, "Let me go," The arrogant yet scared shitless Slytherin demanded.
He nodded, "Fine." And before releasing him, he reared his hand back, enjoying the feel of his fist connecting with bone and the sickening crack that accompanied it as he released the boy, watching as he slumped unconscious to the ground.
Blood caked his fist from the ruby colored liquid that now seeped out of the boy's nose and rapidly black and blue turning face, he quickly grasped the wand he knew to be Hermione's and placed it in his own pocket.
Joker turned back to Hermione and she watched him, unsure of what to do as he came closer.
He wasn't even sure what he was doing as he leaned down to help her up when he realized her back was bothering her from where she'd been thrown to the floor.
Shaking his head, he grabbed a hold of her and swung her upwards, carrying her bridal style out of the room and down the hall.
"You don't have to do this."
He remained silent as he headed for her room.
"What about Malfoy?"
Again silence.
They reached her room and he opened the door and shut it behind himself with his foot before moving into her bedroom, dropping her gently onto the bed. She winced and sat up as he made to leave.
"Wait."
He'd reached the door when she moved towards him, "Thank you…. Jack."
He turned on his heel, "Why do you insisttttt on calling me that…."
"Isn't that your name?"
"Jack died." He stated harshly.
She moved a little closer, "No he didn't, I can still see him even though I didn't get a chance to know him, a part of him is still in there." She pointed at him to make her point and he closed his eyes, counting to ten so as not to murder her here and now.
"Don't say that." He clicked his tongue against his cheek.
"Why?" Unconsciously she had moved closer and her scent was engulfing him and he was having trouble thinking of anything right now other than shoving her against the nearest wall and doing something he hadn't done in many years.
"Why must you be…." He hissed, moving even closer, "Sooo insistent."
She blushed and looked down, breaking eye contact, "I can't help it, I am curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat."
She laughed at that before turning to head back into her room.
"It was my father."
She turned back wide eyed as he moved further in, standing next to her couch.
"He gave me these….scars…"
Quietly she moved towards him, afraid to say anything lest she break the moment and he close up once more.
He stood outside the door, hearing the screams of his mother as his drunk father beat on her. He threw the door opened as hard as he could and saw her fall to the floor, clothes from the suitcase she held flying all over the room as it crashed onto the floor as well.
His father turned seeing him in the doorway and ran to him, grabbing him by his shirt and throwing him to the ground before pulling out the same knife he'd used on his wife and sneering at him.
"Why you frowning boy? Why you crying?!" The father yelled before cutting his face, Jack screamed out but no one would help him, no one could hear him.
He bled all over as he staggered to the phone, dialing 911 and waiting for what seemed like days but was only minutes till an ambulance came.
The rest was blacked out as he passed out, waking up in the local hospital and having been stitched up. His mother's sister had come for him and taken him in.
A couple years had gone by and he'd kept reopening the wounds by smiling too wide, restitching them himself as his new family had very little money to do anything with.
The kids called him a freak; no one wanted anything to do with him.
Except her.
Katherine, that was her name.
She stuck by him and he fell in love with her.
She was there when he had no one.
But she hadn't thought of him as much more than a friend until he plucked up the courage and asked her out.
She had agreed only to start spending less and less time with him, until one day she told him she had fallen in love with someone else and that as much as she cared for him, the scars were too much for her and her image she had to uphold as a popular girl in their new high school.
And thus his decent into madness had begun and spiraled outwards.
Hermione stood closer to him, watching as he finished his tale, "How does it feelllll to know the Jokers true storyyyyy." He drawled out with a dry laugh, "Feel better now dollfaceeee? Something you can….laugh over?"
She shook her head, "I wouldn't laugh. That's horrible…..what your father did, how your girlfriend treated you…I have scars and no one should be judged by them, treated like they are worth nothing."
He glanced at her, seeing her eyes held sadness….for him…it drew a pang of want…need…..it had been so very long since he had allowed himself to …. feel…. to be with another person….
Before he could make his mind up and just leave the room altogether he felt her hand gently touch the side of his face and he growled softly, looking down at her, "I am sorry you went through that….no one deserves that …. Jack."
Something about the way she said his name….. or maybe it was the hand on his face…. the way she caressed his face…. he wasn't sure what made him do it but his hand shot up as she made to pull away and obviously head to bed. He grabbed her hand, pulling her back, watching as she roughly turned back around and he stared at her, his emerald eyes burning into hers.
Before she could utter a word, his red painted lips had claimed hers and she felt her own move in response after a moment of shock.
Her back suddenly connected with the wall as he shoved her roughly against it, his hands pulling her hair roughly as she ran her own hands along his sides.
He suddenly moved them backwards never breaking contact with her lips, towards the couch, the back of her legs hitting it and she toppled backwards with him on top of her, his painted face smearing all over her and she could care less, she needed him and that was all she knew.
Joker growled from the back of his throat, nipping and biting at her neck and collarbone before unsheathing his knife….