A conscience was a luxury that Hermione couldn't afford to hold on to. Too much was at stake to worry about what was good and proper. Or kind. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had been kind. There were plenty of people in her past who would be quick to declare her ruthless and overly opinionated. Bossy, even. Of course, those were often the adjectives that were used to describe witches who exhibited the same qualities that so many found attractive and desirable in wizards. She would never apologize for being who she was or who she had been forced to become.