Breaking Hermione

In Truth

I bolted upright, tearing the sheets off me. I always had realistic nightmares, but that particular one seemed so damn real.
I looked to my left and saw Hermione still sleeping peacefully. Jade wasn't in my room at all, instead a pile of books lay in disarray in the place where I could've sworn she was moments ago.

Pull yourself together. I dragged my hands through my hair, trying to calm myself. No one had been killed, it was all in my head. Not that I gave a damn about killing anyone, but to see Hermione killing her own friend because of me left me deeply shaken. And I had no idea why.

"Tom?" I started only to see Hermione's huge doe eyes looking at me in concern. "What's wrong?" She had woken up.

"Get up." I got out of bed and walked around to her, taking her hand in my own and pulling her unceremoniously out of bed. "I need you to come with me."

"Where are we going?" She said in confusion. I didn't reply, leading her by the hand to the chair beside my desk. "Sit." I put my hands on her shoulders, directing her.

"I need you to stay there. Don't move until I tell you to."

"Ok."

I strode over to my cupboard, pulling out two large volumes on curses, desperately trying to find one bookmarked page in the book Madam Pince gave me the other day. I had to reverse the damn curse before I lost my sanity for good. This was turning into a fucking nightmare. All I wanted to do was get Hermione under my control, and the only one that was turning into a puppet was me. I felt completely helpless against this onslaught of undesired feeling and guilt. I never wanted so badly to undo a curse I had created in my life.

I flipped through the pages of the book impatiently, finally finding the page I was looking for. Reversal and Remedies For The Effects Of Dark Magic.

I scanned the page feverishly, making a mental note of what was required. Everything I needed I already had. It was only 4 things that were required. I scanned the page again, certain I was missing something. Apparently not.

Blood of the one who spoke the curse into being.

Dragons blood.

Blood of the Victim, taken forcefully.

Hair of the Victim, thrice woven.

Acromantula Venom.

I had everything, the Dragons Blood and Acromantula Venom I had sought out earlier. Both of which were stolen from the Potions storeroom, kept safe in my cupboard. I never cast curses such as this if I didn't have the ingredients for the reversal on hand. Unless I was sure of what I was doing.

I set up my cauldron on the floor of my room on the ground beside Hermione's feet. With years of magical experience behind me, I followed the instructions carefully, placing the set ingredients in the cauldron. Dragons blood first. My own blood second. I snatched up a knife from the desk, slashing my hand in one clean stroke. I felt nothing as I felt the blood dripping down my skin into the cauldron, and thought of absolutely nothing as the contents turned a shade of deep crimson overcast with black.

Blood of the victim, taken forcefully.

I got to my feet, approaching Hermione slowly.

"Give me your hand."

She held out her hand, it was almost as pale as my own. I put my wand to her wrist, casting a numbing spell into her skin with barely a whisper. The spell said the blood had to be unwillingly given, but said nothing against whether or not I was able to stop the pain.

"Close your eyes. I don't want you to see this." I looked at her, meeting her gaze steadily.

"What are you going to do?" She closed her eyes anyway.