Behind the mask

Ascendio

Snape becomes a blur as I'm whisked away and back to the beginning. Once I take one look at Draco's face, I feel so many things. Regret, remorse, pain, confusion, and most of all, hopelessness.

"G-"

I stop him before he can even start. I cry. And cry. Draco stands there emotionless and shocked at my random outburst. "Can my life just be normal for once?"

"Not since the war."

I look up at Draco, astonished. "What?"

Ron's voice coming from Draco's mouth really messed with my head. "You deserve this, you filthy mudblood. You could have saved him, y'know?"

I stay silent and sob in confusion. He continues. "You and Mr. Harry BLOODY Potter being the two smartest students in Hogwarts could have saved my brother but you chose not to!"

"Ron," I begin, sniffling, rubbing my nose on my robe. "We couldn't. It was an explosion that killed him. He was already gone. We can't bring back the dead. No one can."

"Oh bullshit, you lying pile of dog waste. You'll get what you deserve. This is just the beginning of the suffering you two will witness."

"What are you doing to Harry, Ron? He's your best friend!" I remind him, hoping to get some sort of good reaction out of this.

Draco is replaced by Ron's body and I tremble in fear. Everything he's done has been him with no remorse. He raped me, beat me and manipulated me day after day for a year. My fear turned to anger as I pull out my wand.

"He's taken care of. You should worry more about yourself, Hermione." He mocks my name as if it's dirt or trash. He pulls out his wand as well, holding it out towards me. "Be careful what you do with it. I know spells you never learned and never will. Thanks to Delphini."

"avada kedavra!" I boldly say aiming my wand at Ron but he just laughs maniacally and moves a statue in front of his body to bounce the spell off of it.

"Wow, very bold for someone I thought would have been so broken by now. You really want to kill me?" he moves the statue back and readies his wand. "Do it, bitch."

As we start casting random spells I over hear one that shocked me. "Ascendio!" I go flying through the air and thrown back on the ground repeatedly.

"Ron, stop!" I call out, hoping he'll give me mercy, but he doesn't let up and it seems to be getting worse. My ribs are smashed and my leg, fractured. Suddenly, I don't hear anything and I feel myself drifting into unconsciousness.

"Crucio!"

---

It's been a few years since Snape casted that spell on Ron. He's been in Azkaban with no visitors allowed. He's under constant supervision and that makes me feel safe. Happy? No. As much as he hurt everyone, especially me and Harry, he's still our friend and he grieved his dead brother as anyone would. But I'm glad we're safe from him and he can grieve without hurting anyone or himself.

Draco got all of his memories back of everything. Every single time I relieved that day. The first time I lived a day that wasn't that one day, changed my perspective on everything. To not take advantage of new beginnings and making sure old ones end.

"You alright, my love?" He caresses my back as he holds me tight.

I sigh. "Yeah, just thinking of everything like always. My therapist told me it might take longer than I want to recover."

"He tried to break you and you didn't. You are so strong, Hermione. I'm so proud of you." He kisses my lips lightly. "I love you."

"I love you. Thank you, Draco."

---

(11 years later)

"Come on, Rose, or you'll be late for the train." I say, running along side my husband and daughter to platform 9 and 3/4. 

"Mommy, I'm scared."

"Come on, we'll do it together. One, two . . . three!" We take off running and make it to the other side, noticing the same train that transported me to Hogwarts too. Memories come flying back, good and bad. I look over to see Draco talking to Rose and giving her the biggest hug. I smile at the moment before being pulled away and back somewhere I never wanted to return to.

"Granger."

"No, please no. Tell me this isn't real."

"What are you on about now, Mudblood?"

I look at him in astonishment. I haven't heard him call me that in years. Was my life a lie? Did Ron get out and make me relive this day again out of spite? I begin to cry and thrash around wildly. "NO! NO NO NO! Screw you Ron! This isn't real. This can't be real." 

I close my eyes and when I open them, I'm standing back at the train, watching Rose wave me goodbye. I meekly wave back and throw a kiss before turning to Draco. "I just had a PTSD episode for the first time and it was bad. I was back there again. I thought I lost you both." I cry on his shoulder as he holds me tight.

"It's okay, my love. Everything will be okay, eventually. And I'll be here no matter what to get you through it. I'm real, Rose is real and you're okay." He reassures me kindly.

He continues, "And to prove my love and devotion, I wanted to ask you something."

"Hermione Jean Granger, the love of my life. If I had never met you, I wouldn't be the man I am today. You've put me in my place and made me feel loved at the same time. We have a beautiful daughter and a son on the way. I want you to make sure you know how much I love and care about you. So, my love, Will you marry me?"

---

The end?

I know there's a lot of time changes and it's a little rushed but I was excited to end this series finally. Or am I? Thanks for tagging along on this journey. I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for the support! - Amber