Hermione Granger was the brightest witch of her generation.

Everyone said so.

They also called her kind, and gentle, caring and protective. Brave was also tossed around a lot, along with “know-it-all” and annoying and, when it came to her mother, pretty. And good. Above all, good.

A good girl.

Hermione was all those things, to be sure, but the labels annoyed her all the same. She was so much more than that, so much more than a female shell housing an obedient spirit.

Hermione knew in her mind that she was far more than a stereotypical good girl, and she sometimes thought that if people saw past their preconceived notions of her, they’d be frightened.

And they’d be right to be.  

Hermione Granger was, after all, the brightest witch of her generation. And if she could choose an epithet for herself, it would be… cunning. Or ruthless.

She sometimes thought she would’ve made an excellent Slytherin.

HPHPHP

In the end, it was so simple she was surprised she hadn’t come up with it earlier. Umbridge was a petty, mean-spirited woman, but she was clever enough and had enough power to be truly dangerous. She was, in short exactly the sort of person who should never be given any authority whatsoever, not even over somebody’s cat.

Why was it that those most ill-suited for ruling wanted it the most?

Had she been a muggle (or a man!), Umbridge would have made an excellent evil dictator. She’d fit right in with Stalin and Pol Pot. Or perhaps not. She was content to hide in the shadow of someone else, claiming her actions were on behalf of them. She was the sort of character that thrived on having someone to step on. And she wasn’t content with just stepping on someone, no, she wanted to ground them into the dirt, crush them beneath her heel until nothing remained.

On a purely personal level, she offended Hermione with her pink, frilly cardigans and her disdain for learning. But that wasn’t the main reason she was so eager to get rid of her. No, that she could have endured. But she could not stand idly by while that woman tortured Harry.

Harry, who already bore far more than his fair share, and did so in silence.  Harry, who never thought about himself but always about others. Harry, who wouldn’t hesitate to speak up for a friend, but who would rather die than save himself.

Literally.

Hermione wanted Umbridge gone, and she wanted her gone now. And in the end, it was simple.

It only took a few concerned talks with McGonagall in front of Snape for him to understand that the ball was in his court, and for him to act. She supposed McGonagall would’ve been able to handle Umbridge as well, but with Snape, she knew it would be painful. And Hermione was not (always) a merciful woman.  She had long ago put the puzzle pieces together, and while she might not know the exact reason for Snape’s protectiveness of Harry, she could make an educated guess or two. And the reasons didn’t really matter in the end, the result did.  And what a result it was.

Hermione would’ve made an excellent Slytherin but those traits, much like Neville’s bravery, only came into play when someone rather than herself was at stake.