Disclaimer: I do not own or invent the world of Harry Potter or its characters. Anything knew or different belongs to little old me and the plot

Change

Chapter 1

Welcome to Azkaban

'How did life become so different? Why did their have to be change? Why was there such evil in the world? How can anyone feel such anger? How can they hurt another human being and sit there and laugh in their screaming faces'

These and many more questions had been filtering through Hermione's mind for the last year and five months. After six months of being in a black caved cell, abused verbally and physically she had learned to stop her mind for answering these questions. Something she was famous for when she was young, free and innocent to the pain. Miss Know it all Granger. The girl who could barely sit down in class as she was always jumping up to answer a question. Oh she hated it when she was called names due to her intelligence. But within she also felt a small amount of satisfaction and pride at knowing more then was to expected. To be able to answer any question that was answered to her. Things were so much easier when she was a child. Homework, lessons and exams, it seemed trivial to her now. Pointless, homework didn't teach you how to face evil in the eye and not quiver in fear. An exam could never show you how to cope with the loss of a dead one, or two, or more. No, it couldn't. The only time she had touched the surface of evil was when she had adventures with Ron and Harry.

Ron and Harry, hearing there two names in her head brought a small smile to her face, along with tears to her eyes. Those two boys gave her heart a small lift, then the tears came and her heart once again closed up from emotion. Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Her best friend. He was always their for her stood up for her at school when no one else did and she did the same for him. She would help him when he needed it. He was always copying her homework along with Ron. She remembered in there first year she had to use her logic, a strength many wizards never had, to get Harry through fire. Second year he unraveled the mystery of the animal petrifying students at the school. In there fourth year she, Harry and Ron spent sleepless nights researching, away for Harry to breath for one hour under water. She had helped try to concur the Dark lords followers, in there fifth year. Her final year she had stood by Harry's side to defeat the Dark lord once and for all, the final battle. That was the last time she saw any of her friends. She had been stupefied by what looked like Draco Malfoy a malicious blond haired boy. She had been taken captive by the Dark lord's followers. She heard shortly after that, the side of good had fallen. She did not know if Harry or Ron survived. Now that her hope had been diminished she finally came to the harsh truth that they were dead. If they weren't then why hadn't they come to rescue her from this brutal place? Why?

She shivered slightly as she pushed herself up to lean on the cold stonewall. Memories swimming around her head. She brought her head to her knees ad pushed them against her eyelids causing blots of colour to appear. Ron's face came to her mind. Out of him and Harry, Ron was the one she missed the most. If she had told herself this two years ago, she would have laughed and said you were mad. They used to argue about the smallest of things, as they got older the arguments got steadily worse, and the time they would make up grew longer. Most of the Gryffindor students, which school house they belonged to, had learned to leave the two alone when an argument took place. One of there biggest arguments was in there sixth year. Hermione had to face a hurdle she had not prepared to cross. Jealousy. Ron had got his first girlfriend. Hermione had faced emotions she did not expect. Arguments broke out between the two as the tension mounted. It was that year Hermione had to admit her feelings she had towards Ron to herself, of course to her embarrassment as Harry pointed out that following summer many people already knew. Ron admitted his feelings towards Hermione that summer also, after a lot of failed attempts. Through Harry and others they finally became a couple.

She gave a sigh, trying to relieve the tension that had built up over the year but failing. How she missed Ron. She let go of her legs and pulled her fingers through her hair. She hardly recognized any of her tired body now. Her hair had started to form into loose curls from the frizzy bush like hair she had as a child. Now it hung limp and matted slowly turning to dreadlocks due to not seeing a hairbrush or shampoo in months. Her once clear skin had turned a milky white with a tint of green as she ate very little or what she ate was not even considered as food. She had not seen sunlight for months. She had spent weeks inside her cave cell leaving only to be physically abused or for once to see the dark clouded sky. When she was first brought to the mudblood block as this part of Azkaban was now called, she had shown her Gryffindor traits; she had hope, love, courage but months alone in a cruel world had sucked her emotionally dry.

(Flash back)

"Look what we have 'ere, who's this then?" said a gruff voice belonging to a dirty blacked clocked man.

"One of the mudblood cowards from the battle. Found hiding in the woods weren't you" the man dragging her replied with a cruel laugh. Hermione glared at him preparing to set him right, when the first man interrupted her again.

"Pretty one ain't she; we don't get those often do we. How old are you my lovely" he gave her a menacing grin. He forced her chin in his direction. In reply she spat in his face.

"Ooh, got spirit this one. We'll have fun with 'er" he pulled out his wand and shouted "Crucio"

She shrieked in pain and fell to the floor, as what felt like a thousand hot knifes piercing her body. After a few seconds he lifted the pain curse form her. Both men gave a pitiless laugh.

"Now then are you going to come on in without a fuss, or will we have to break you in?"

She forced her body from the ground with her remaining strength. She said speaking slowly and clearly emphasizing each word "Not you or another worthless piece of scum who have that mark on their arm will ever break me. Do you understand" not realizing she was shouting the last part she stood up to her full height glaring.

"Really. Well we'll see about that my dear. We'll see about that" he grabbed the thick rope, which was connected to her wrists and pulled her into the large stone castle-like building. "Well mudblood welcome to Azkaban. Take a good look at outside, because you won't be seeing it for a while"

He pulled her through the rotting castle. Passing doors with endless corridors and staircases. She gazed through the open doors leading to cells, which used to belong to criminals, now full of people from the side of good, trying to help mankind by fighting evil. Lord Voldermort's enemies. We don't belong here she thought. "We'll sign you in and then you'll be off to you cozy room." he gave another cruel laugh and pulled her up a staircase. After a few minutes walking through a maze of corridors, they finally stood in front of a large wooden door. He knocked and stood waiting to be told to enter.

"Now I'll be quite if I were you. This man doesn't take nonsense."

"Who is it" came a cold voice. From inside.

"It's Knox sir. Got another prisoner for you. Apparently a mudblood from the battle."

"Fine. Come on in I haven't got all day"

Knox pulled open the door dragging Hermione through also. She entered a well-furnished office. A desk stood in front of her. The man in front of it turned her blood ice cold. Lucius Malfoy father of Draco Malfoy sat in front of her. Looking extremely bored. He looked up from the piece of parchment he was reading. He also looked surprised at the sight of her. He quickly regained his composer; Knox not even noticing his sudden chance of expression pushed Hermione forward.

"Granger, is that you?" he stood up and walked around the side of his desk. "My lord I never expected you would be brought her. I thought you had been killed with you mudblood loving friends."

"What! Is this Hermione Granger? Potters friend?" Knox asked looking at both Hermione and then Lucius Malfoy.

"Leave" Lucius Malfoy stated glaring at Knox. "Now"

"Yes sir, shall I wait outside to collect her?"

"No, out now" He waited for Knox to leave before turning his gaze on Hermione again.

"Well, well, well. Like I said before, I never expected to see you in here, but then it does seem extremely satisfying for a mudblood like yourself to be in here" he gave a malicious grin emphasizing his pointed features. "So Granger, what was it like to know your precious Prince Potter has failed and has been defeated. Please tell me"

"What?" she replied quietly, her body suddenly became stiff and once again her blood turned to ice.

"What do you not know? The Dark Lord has triumphed against Potter. Potter is dead and where he belongs," he laughed.

"No you're lying" she shouted, she flung at Malfoy anger rushing through her body. "You're lying. Liar! Liar! Liar!" He pushed her off him and pulled out his wand.

"Crucio. You will never do that again mudblood." He straightened his robes standing up.

Hermione for the second time lay screaming on the floor. After what felt like hours the pain stopped. She lay panting trying to ignore the spasms her body was now doing. 'Harry can't be dead he can't be' she was screaming inside not being able to believe it.

"Now here you will do as you are told. You are prisoner 709. As you are Potters friend, or should I say were, you may think you are will get special privileges."

She looked up at this statement.

"But you will not. You will be taken to the east wing. Mudblood block. You will get one meal a day instead of two for being a traitor to the Dark Lord. You will be allowed to see sunlight once a week if you behave well. How does that sound?"

She didn't answer. He walked up to her twisting his fingers around her hair and pulling on it hard, forcing her to stand. She strained herself to keep in the scream of pain.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes" she answered.

"Yes what? Manners mudblood"

"Yes I understand, bastard!"

"Tut tut. You are going to be a handful. Don't worry you won't be for long." He forcefully grabbed her arm and pulled her swift fully out of the room.

He pushed her into her cell, causing her to fall. Closing the cell door behind her.

"Be good now for the guards Mudblood and remember what I said, be good and you'll be allowed out for a while. Trust me when I say you'll be begging to be let out."

"You'll know all about that won't you Malfoy, been in here a few times you're self haven't you" she spat. He gave her a typical malicious Malfoy smile before shutting the small opening he used to talk to her and turning on his heels and walking away. When he shut the small window the cell turned dark. She sat there looking at nothing. The sudden sweep of emotion filled her and she flung herself to the ground sobbing at how wrong everything had become. After ten minutes she stopped. She silently made a promise to her self-that no matter what they did to her, she would not break. No she would prove to Harry and Ron she was strong and would not break.

How wrong she was.