The seconds passed. The rune was dark enough for everyone who could see her face to see it now. It steadily grew darker and darker as the magic in it read her guilt from her own mind, heart and soul. Every word he said had brought the specific incident or incidents to the forefront of her mind and the rune was reading her guilt or innocence accordingly. That was all his words had been for. Finally, when it was finished forming, the rune on her cheek was clearly visible for everyone to see. And that told everyone watching Magic had found her guilty as charged.
"There. Consider yourself paid in full. Now step aside so I can deal with your friends here. And while I deal with them, remember this. It was I who saved you when you found yourself stuck in that bathroom with a troll looking for a meal. It was I who battled the basilisk that rendered you into a petrified statue in our second year. Some would say you owe me your very life, Granger. Be grateful I don't claim it from you for the insult you've given me these last four years."
What the rune now adorning her face stood for would only be known to those who could read runes but Harry had just given everyone in the library a very big clue to at least part of what it stood for. Smug smiles were adorning many faces as the listeners realized Hermione Granger, muggleborn upstart, had just received a comeuppance they could never have dreamed of giving her but many had wished to deliver more than once over the years they had known her. No more would they have to bite their tongues or cheeks to keep from putting her in her place simply because she claimed to be the best friend of their Savior. Or she was the staff's favorite.
He had just openly declared in front of them all, she was no such thing and never had been. What was more, he had marked her and claimed ownership after a fashion which, in their society, made her less than human. And although the Slytherin amongst them knew there were at least two adults present, neither one had said a single word in protest to stop him from doing so. And that meant they believed he had the right to do so. The students didn't have to be able to read runes to know what that mark on her face signified.
The truth was, that one rune incorporated every crime Hermione Granger was guilty of according to her own mind, heart and soul. It would remain there, nice and clear, until first, she admitted to herself she deserved the mark. That she was guilty of exactly what he had said she was. And her mind would remember every single accusation he had made against her until she admitted the truth. She wouldn't be able to forget why she was marked.
And second, she began to rectify the situation that had created it. She'd have to ask for forgiveness and make amends for her bad behavior towards him. No more would she play the innocent and benevolently grant her forgiveness to another for her own wrongdoing. Like she had just tried to do here earlier in the conversation. Until she atoned for the wrongs she did, the rune would remain where it was. It would slowly vanish as she worked to make right the situation that had created it but not until then. In other words, she had to atone for her sins.
But given most of them had run afoul of her ego more than a time or two over the years, the gathering rather thought the mark would be there for a good long while to come. Because the first step to the disappearance of that mark was her admittance that she had done wrong to someone she had loudly proclaimed was her friend. And the Hermione Granger they knew, could never do that. She was much too proud to ever admit she was in the wrong.
Then she had to work at getting rid of it. So long as she professed to be innocent of any wrong-doing the rune would remain just as it was now. And Hermione Granger always claimed to be innocent easily pinning the blame on anyone who happened to be standing close enough to get blamed. She always played the perfect student who would never break the rules and the teachers always bought her act.
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