When did you become beautiful?

Any character or place you recognize belongs to J K Rowling

Molly gasped when the bloody and broken girl appeared in the burrow. She turned her over and gasped as she recognised the face heavily damaged as it was. She quickly did a review of her injuries. Scratches across the face and on the arms, many bruises, and two broken ribs. Hermione was out cold. Molly looked around to make sure no one had heard her arrive and snuck her upstairs to an empty room. To see their friend so broken would be a shock for Ron and Harry so she had to keep her secret.

She healed the broken ribs and most of the bruises but the bloody furrows along her arms and face remained open to her disbelief. Only injuries caused in the course of deep emotional trauma could stay under her healing spells. What had happened to her adopted daughter? Then she noticed the blood soaking the sheets under her back and rolled her over and gasped in disbelief and horrer. Hermione's back was slit from side to side and bleeding quickly. Molly ran for bandages thanking Merlin that everyone was out of the house and at Fred and George's shop. She bandaged Hermione and forced a blood replenishing potion down her throat. Then she watched over her surrogate daughter until she heard her family beginning to return and had to go to them in order to keep this horrible event a secret.

Hermione awoke snuggled under covers that(in summer) should have been far too warm but she gathered them about herself and shivered and shook with cold. She remembered most of what had happened but not where she was. She felt at her back. There were fresh bandages there. She looked about the room and recognized the quilt she lay under and the many pictures in the room. She was at the burrow. She had gotten to safety at last so she just let the tears come. She cried and cried until she heard the door opening and looked up. Molly Weasley was standing in the doorway with a tray of muggle first aid supplies laid out on it.

"Hermione dear you're awake!" The kindly woman rushed over to her and hugged her gently. "You've been asleep for three days and mind you it's been a hard time keeping you a secret from everyone here." Hermione coughed and suddenly she vomited over the side of the bed. Molly cleaned it up with a wave of her wand. "Dear I know you probably won't want to talk about it but I need to know what happened." She wiped a few stray tears from the girl's face and wondered what had happened. Hardly anything made Hermione cry.

Hermione hesitated but then let the whole story flow from her and by the end Molly was furious and had tears in her own eyes.

"Oh my dear I wish you had told us sooner. I am so sorry. We will catch that horrible man but for now do you feel up to some breakfast?" Hermione nodded and suddenly there was a tray of eggs and biscuts on her lap. She ate hungrily and finished every crumb. When she passed the plate to Molly she caught sight of her face in the silver tray and burst into tears again. Molly sighed. She knew it was going to take Hermione a long time to heal on the outside and the inside. Then she remembered that she was not the only one with problems.

"Molly I have to see Harry and Ron!" she exclaimed.

"But they don't even know you are here and it might be a bit of a shock for them to see you. Plus I don't think you want to tell them about what happened. At least not yet."

"I have to see them. I'll have an excuse ready." Molly nodded reluctantly and minutes later two boys entered the room and they rushed over to her and embraced her.

"Hermione. Oh we're so glad to see you why didn't you tell us you were--" The two were cut off as the took a closer look at her and saw her face, the sadness in her eyes, and the way she held herself.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" The two bellowed. With a straight face Hermione looked them in the eyes and said.

"I was attacked by death eaters. Your mum didn't think you should see me until I was somewhat healed since she knew it would be a shock to see me like this but guys we need to talk." Harry waved his hand and the door closed and the room was lit with a silencing spell and imperturbable charm. Hermione silently wondered when Harry had mastered wandless magic but shrugged it off. "Harry I don't think I can come with you and Ron to find the horcruxes in my delicate condition. My back is horribly wounded and it will take a long time to heal. I can't take the risk of being injured further." Harry and Ron looked taken aback that their brains wouldn't be able to come along with them on their dangerous quest. "Don't look so worried. I was thinking that maybe you could make a base out of Hogwarts with the room of requirement as its meeting room and that way I could consult with you whenever you have questions." The two boys looked doubtful but agreed reluctantly. Hermione began to get tired and shooed her friends away so that she could sleep.