Title: Dead End
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but if I did…Ginny and Tom would have a relationship, and Hermione and Ginny would both be evil.
Archive: Not without my permission or at least saying it is mine, and if you fail to do that...I will ask you to remove it.
Summary: Hermione is sent to Azkaban for a crime she didn't commit, but will she commit more crimes because of this? Her friends have abandoned her, and the evidence is against her. Only a few people believe her completely…Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy.
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Azkaban was an unpleasant place to visit, and an even more unpleasant place to be sentenced to. It is dark and dirty; just like the people who are held there. The prisoner's keepers are dementers: creatures who feast on happy memories and sucked out your soul if given the chance. You are treated as scum, for most in Azkaban deserve no less. Some of the less dangerous or younger prisoners are allowed to share a cell, because they have no real way of ever escaping. The only reason Albus Dumbledore would visit this living nightmare, of their free will, would be if they needed to meet with one of those held there.

She was yanked into a room by one of the guards, and shoved to a seat. She watched the rats scurry away in panic and gazed about the room. Half of the room was dark, the other was lighted, and she was in the lighted half. The light was probably to make it easier for someone to observe her, and the dark so that they could remain unseen. She was filthy and she knew it too, her body was caked in dirt, her clothing looked like rags plus they were ratty, her hair was one wild birds nest of brown, and she had the look of someone starving. Yes, this was life in Azkaban, and yes, this was Hermione Granger.

She peered into the darkness carefully. There was one tall figure. She could see glints of white hair every couple of seconds, and she believed this to be beard hair. A million questions raced through her mind. Why is he here? Who is he? Does he think I'm guilty? She startled when the man stepped into the light. Could it be…Headmaster Dumbledore?

"Miss Granger, how have you been?" Dumbledore questioned with a soft twinkle in his eyes.

She looked at him in disbelief, and then shook her head with a silent chuckle before answering, "Just perfect." She paused slightly before adding sarcastically. "I deeply enjoy being surrounded by criminals and dementers."

He blinked and laughed happily as if she hadn't just basically told him to kiss off. She looked away from him. Dumbledore was wearing blue robes with stars on them, and was smiling kindly at her. She felt underdressed and ugly, but just sighed at this thought and shifted anxiously in the chair she was chained to.

Upon seeing her uncomfortable movements Dumbledore held out a hand, "Lemon drop?"

If Hermione had been a cartoon…she'd have sweat dropped. Who knew that the headmaster could still act like everything was normal…in Azkaban? "No thank you." She said slowly, trying to be polite.

"I was asked to come here to hear your side of the story." Dumbledore explained.

"There's nothing to hear. I didn't do it, and if you think I did…you're the most idiotic person I've ever met." Hermione stopped and took a deliberate breath, "Why would I betray my friends by joining you-know-who? Why would I kill Ron and Cho? Ron was my best friend, and Cho was Harry's girlfriend."

"That was why I was sent here: to ask why." The elderly man continued.

Hermione took a small breath again; measuring how much air entered her lungs before speaking. "I can't tell you why."

"Why not?" He pressed.

She lowered her hear, and then slowly looked up at him through her hair, her eyes were red, and she looked angry. "Because I didn't do it, any of it! I'm completely innocent!" She sobbed before crying out, "Why won't anyone believe me?"

"There's a lot of evidence piled up against you, Miss Granger. I'm doing everything I can, but…it seems that you are guilty and I cannot change that." Then he left her alone.

Seconds later a guard came in and dragged her back to her cell, shoving her roughly inside, and made sure that all the proper spells were in place before exiting. She was alone…again.

tbc...