A/N: This is for assignment 6 in the Hogwarts forum. Hufflepuff. Defense against the dark arts: Write the prompt that coincides with your patronus. As between all 3 pottermore test, I have land mammals, I had to write a crossover AU. I have chosen to cross over with The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.

Final word count: 1017

Hermione stroked the keys of the piano before her, ignore the stage and the men beyond her. She had always found it odd that only men ever visited The Unfortunate Girls' Musical Conservatory. So instead she focused on the music in front of her. The light music was enough to calm her. She just needed to finish studying and then she could travel the world and be a famous musician.

That was her life. Spending her days studying piano and etiquette at the conservatory and every other week putting on a concert for the various patrons, always men, with her classmates. She missed so many of her friends who had gone on to the real world and longed for the day when she could too. She even missed Lavender, as much as she had not cared for the girl and her incessant gossip.

Finally she reached the end of the piece and She stood, only to face the crowd and curtsey before exiting the stage.

Ginny ran up to her excitedly. "You sounded so great! I bet you'll be leaving us soon."

Hermione smiled at the girl only a year younger than her. She had chosen the violin as her instrument and she played it beautifully. "Oh! Thank you. I stumbled over a few notes at the beginning. I'll never be able to perform on the big stage."

"Nah, you're amazing!"

"Shh," Hermione scolded. "You can't let the headmaster hear you speak like that."

"Oh so what? When I'm gone, I'll speak however I want."

"No you won't! You wouldn't want to disgrace your teachers in such a way."

"Just you see, Mione. When we're free, we'll do whatever we want."

Hermione shook her head, giggling, before walking off. She enjoyed walking the halls on concert days. It was fun to see the girls as they ran about getting the rest of their outfits together and trying to find their bows or reeds or sheet music.

"Hermione," came the voice of the headmistress, "the headmaster and I need to see you."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Was this it? Was she finally leaving the Conservatory to travel the world and pursue magic? She knew the only way to find out would be to follow the headmistress, and so she did.

Hermione waited for the carriage that the headmaster had told her would arrive precisely at 9 o'clock. Ginny stood sadly next to her.

"I shall miss you like mad," Ginny chimed as the hour ticked ever nearer.

"I shall miss you too. I'll write every chance I get."

Each second on the clock ticked by, sending a thunderous roar through her head. Each second brought her closer to her future. She had not been told what theater she would first play at. She only knew the carriage would taking her.

Then she heard the wheels rolling along the cobblestone driveway. She wasn't ready to leave yet. She knew that she still had plenty to learn.

"I shall miss you forever," Ginny cried as she wrapped her arms around Hermione.

"You needn't miss me forever," Hermione responded softly. "I'll write to you as soon as I'm able and as soon as you're done studying you'll join me. We'll do lovely duets."

"You swear?"

"It isn't proper to swear."

Ginny didn't say anything, only looked sternly and sadly at Hermione.

"Alright, I suppose I swear it."

Hermione picked up the bag holding her few belongings and walked out the front door to the waiting carriage.

After an hour of riding in silence, Hermione finally asked the carriage driver where their destination was. However the grumpy butler said nothing, only kept to the paperwork that was in front of him.

"Excuse me, sir," Hermione spoke up, "But which lodgings or theater are we going to? Do they have a piano? As you know, they are not easy to transport, so I do not have my own."

"The master will explain everything once we have reached the estate."

"Master? I've just left school, surely they do not intend to send me to another teacher. I'll admit that I love the idea of more practice, but I know that's simply not how it's done."

The butler however refused to acknowledge her.

Hermione stood at the precipice of a large manor. The butler ushered her inside and disappeared, leaving her alone in the foyer. A small meek woman rushed forward.

"If you'll follow me, miss. I'm to show you to your room."

"My room? Where are we?"

"Please, miss. The master will explain everything later."

"Master? Who is this master? Does he specialize in piano so much that he requires pupils come to him?"

"No, miss. You're not here to learn."

"Then why am I here?"

The maid kept walking, taking her to a room down a long hallway. It was extravagant. Nothing she had ever seen compared to the beauty. A four poster bed with a black canopy. Elegant paintings encompassed the room. A lovely black piano with golden swirls all along its surface was set up in the far corner of the room. On the other end was a chaise lounge. It was such a lovely room.

"You are to wait here until the master calls for you. But you are not to leave your room, miss."

And with that, she was left alone. Hermione tried the door, just in case, but it was locked. She carried her bag over to the bed and opened it. She had very little. In fact, she had only brought sheet music which she carried over to the piano bench.

She had the sudden feeling like someone was watching. As Hermione examined the room, she noticed one of the portraits blink. After a startled scream escaped her, the eyes were gone, leaving two blank holes in the canvas.

Realization dawned. While she did not know exactly what was going on, Hermione put together that she would not in fact be traveling the world and playing piano to various audiences. This was a gilded cage. Beautiful and lovely, but a prison nonetheless. Whatever awaited her, would not be pleasant.