AN: Well, whereas my other story is humorous and a bit soft this one here is its total complete opposite. Also I got the second chapter to this nearly ready. ha

Warning: Torture, lots and lots of torture. No rape though. Not going to have that in this story if anything like that happens it'll be dub-con at the most. (not a fan of gross non-con)

Chapter 1

Blood cooled, slowed, and crusted within the frigid dank basement air as it trickled lazily down an alabaster thigh onto the rest of the leg, sticking and irritating the skin in its path enough to alert the owner of its existence. Leaning heavily against a damp stone wall, Hermione Granger sucked in a breath through gritted teeth to steel herself at the horrors that might be found before daring a glance downward. It was a stab wound; not at all as horrific as she'd anticipated but Hermione of all people knew that looks could be deceiving. After all she'd seen with her own eyes just how long and unforgiving the particular blade was that caused this. If that was any indication then this wound ran deep through muscle perhaps even bone.

She found it rather humorous really, that she was just now aware of stab wound that occurred hours ago. How was that even remotely possible? How does one not know when they've been bloody stabbed? She snorted at her own musings then her expression went monotone once again. Perhaps, she was the one going/ is mad here and not her captor. She shivered for two different reasons. One, due to the bone aching chill. The other, at the mere thought of becoming like her.

No, thankfully she wasn't quite at that level of madness-yet. However, she knew it was only a matter of time before it sank its unforgiving tendrils deep into her mind. Turning her brilliance into chaos.

Well, perhaps she'll be rescued before it came to that or perhaps not. She startled out of her inner musings when the door to the dungeon is opened and closed. No, not again, not her she scurried backwards to the farthest corner of the cell and curled into a tight protective ball. But to her astonishment, it was not the dark witch of her nightmares who appears, but her sister, Narcissa.

She glided over to the jail cell and did something Hermione thought she'd ever witness; the pureblood elite crouched down.

"Come here, child." Was ordered and Hermione knew from a rather painful experience(s) what happened when one disobeyed so she crawled like a cautious canine over to the older woman.

Blood red lips quirked into a pleased smile.

"Good girl."

Hermione felt a soft hand pet her on the head and she hated, no, loathed the warmth that spread throughout her body from the action. It'd been so long since she felt a touch that didn't cause her any pain.

"Please, let me go." She begged, her chocolate eyes round and big shimmering with unshed tears.

Hermione was hushed gently.

"There's a good girl." Manicured nails began to scratch at her scalp.

The girl whimpered as she leaned farther into the touch and closed her eyes.

"Wakey, Wakey, mudblood." Hermione's eyelids snapped open only to be greeted by a hyena-like grin and onyx orbs glinting with malicious intent.

"Morning, muddy, I got a little surprise for you today." Bellatrix cooed as a large burning brand appeared in her hand.

"No!" Hermione's face was once more covered in tears from a mixture of absolute terror and the effects of being strangled. Hermione could feel the heat radiating off the brand onto her exposed skin. She tried to slide away from it and plea for whatever forgiveness was needed, but it was all fruitless.

Hermione could only sit there, bleeding and wracked with pain, sobbing weakly into soiled flooring.

"Come here, sweet girl."

The older witch was crouched down in the centre of the cell with her hand held out as if trying to coax a skittish dog from its hiding hole.

Hermione glanced at the offered limb before darting her eyes wildly around the room, suspicious of every shadow. Bellatrix may be hiding in one after all. Anxiously waiting to leap out and torture her again.

"Come on." The beautiful elegant woman coaxed and Hermione couldn't help but think briefly of how strange she appeared in this filthy place.

Hermione whimpered pathetically before weakly crawling over to the woman. Narcissa smiled at her as she reached out slowly and began to pet matted curls.

"Good girl."

Pain exploded through Hermione's body as a tip of a boot slammed into her rips.

"Get up, get up, get up! You stupid girl!"

The girl groaned as her groggy mind struggled to regain consciousness. She must have taken too long to comply because the next thing she knew she was being yanked upward and slammed face first into the wall.

"Undress." The dark witch said in a tone which did not invite disobedience.

Thoughts of viciously being raped and torn apart from the inside flashed through her mind and Hermione began to sob. "Please, no."

"Undress!"

"Please!" She shouted out desperation thick in her voice.

"Crucio." The word was muttered yet it cut through the air like a stiletto. She slammed down onto the floor her body writhing in agony as the curse invaded her system.

Hermione whimpered pathetically but complied and started to strip. The blouse was the first to go followed by the bra and as stepped from her skirt she stood there in just her panties.

"Brace yourself against the wall, muddy." Came a command that left no room for disobedience.

The brunette's throat tightened as she did what she was told. She closed her tightly with tears trickling down her filthy cheeks. Her body already teasing in dreaded anticipation.

A whoosh through the air and something came down across the girl's back with a sickening crack causing Hermione to scream out in agony as the thin piece of leather ripped open her flesh. Blood instantly sprang to the surface, seeping from the gash.

"That's right, muddy. Scream for me. Scream for your mistress." Bellatrix raised her hand again, and rained down lash upon lash, eliciting pained shrieks from the girl.

Hermione tried to say something then, but Bellatrix cut her off with another crack of the whip."You will learn your place, you filthy mudblood!"

Another lashing and another yelp followed by another and another and another.

A short while later the rusted metal hinges on the jail cell door screeched in protest causing Hermione to painfully tense her muscles in dreaded anticipation only to have them relax nearly immediately when a familiar, albeit welcome silhouette appeared in the pale candlelight.

"P-Please... My back..." Hermione begged. The open air like another whip inflicting more pain upon her body. "Make it stop..."

"Shh, hush now. I'm here."

Hermione was gently soothed seconds before a wave of magic washed over her. A grateful sigh escaped as instant relief overcame the pain.

"That's a good girl." Fingers combed through her matted hair as she felt herself drift off into a dreamless slumber.

Hermione slumped bonelessly against the wall, panting heavily with several burn marks and cuts covering her body. Blood trickled out of the lacerations and coloured her alabaster skin a sickly red. Above her stood Bellatrix with a blood-drenched stiletto grasped within her hand, looking with something akin to admiration at Hermione's mangled body.

The girl could no longer cry, not for lack of trying, but her tears had dried up hours or was it days ago.

"Beautiful, but it's missing something, isn't it?" Bellatrix cupped her chin and hummed as if in deep thought. "Oh, I know." The dark witch grinned manically, putting away the dagger only to have that accursed whip appear in her hand.

"Let's try something different though, shall we?"

She flicked the wrist of the hand clutching the whip and suddenly the leather blazed to life with sickly green flames. Hermione gazed upward, her one good eye pleading for mercy to which the dark witch ignored, bringing the whip down hard against the limp body.

A pained yell and adding another layer to the smell of singed skin still lingering within the air.

As time passed by, Hermione could feel herself beginning to drift into unconsciousness, her exhausted body only wanting to rest, until the sound of the jail cell door, snapping her focus back to her surroundings. Hermione curled herself into a little ball. A touch on her shoulder made her jump.

"No." She whimpered curling into herself further.

"Shh, I have you, little one. She's not here." The hand on her shoulder begun to caress her. "Turn over onto your stomach."

Hearing the familiar voice of Narcissa, Hermione slumped in relief before weakly doing as she was commanded.

"Good girl." Something cold and liquid was poured onto her wounds, soothing them instantly. Hermione groaned relief and pressed her forehead against the cold stone flooring.

"Crucio."

Hermione's back arched so far off the floor she could hear the bones in her vertebra pop over the screams. It felt as though her body was being burned from the inside out whilst being stabbed by numerous surgical knives.

"Good morning, muddy. Did you miss me?" Bellatrix stepped out of the shadows, plump crimson lips tugged upward into a devious smirk. "Crucio, crucio, crucio!" She surged more power into each one, cackling maniacally as the girl writhed in agony.

Narcissa seemingly materialized from the gloom, carrying a glass test tube of purple liquid. She glided over and crouched down holding it to the girl's cracked bloodied lips. "Drink."

Hermione lolled her head to the side and clamped her mouth shut, denying the potion entry.

"Drink."

"No...wa...to..die." Hermione weakly admitted surprising herself more than the witch above her who's eyes widened just a fraction. She never thought she'd be the suicidal type. After all, she was(is) a lion for heaven shakes. She was supposed to be brave and bold but now all she wanted, really wanted, was an end. An end to all of this. This constant torture and pain not to mention loneliness. Though for a few weeks now the last one wasn't so horrible since Narcissa for some unknown reason decided to began mothering her. Not that the brunette minded it was a welcome relief in this hell hole. Even if at the back of her mind something was screaming at her that this behaviour was far worse than any form of torture she was dealt.

Hermione decided not to dwell on it though. It was too late to fret over such things. There was no more hope and Harry and Ron obviously weren't going to burst through the doors on white horses to whisk her away. She'd be gone soon enough. "Open your mouth, girl."

The brunette shook her head and winced when she felt a hand roughly grab her chin and force her head straight until she was peering into the very peeved eyes of Narcissa Malfoy.

"Open it I say."

Another shake of the head followed by nails digging into Hermione's skin.

Fingers pinched her nose cutting off the oxygen until she was forced to gasp. As soon as her lips parted, however, a bitter healing potion was poured down her throat causing her to sputter and buck.

"There's a good girl. Drink it all up." Narcissa cooed, rubbing at Hermione's larynx as she forced the girl to swallow all of the liquid. Once it was all gone the older witch banished the empty tube and begun to pet the girl's hair like one would do a cat all the while humming a soothing tune.

Not even second later, Hermione's foggy chocolate eyes rolled back into her head as she fell unconscious.

She could feel the skin along her back give and release as a blade was sliced through over and over. Hung high above the floor with her wrists bound by chains gravity took its toll on the wounds making the hot blood bubbling from them to trickle downward only to splattered against the floor in heavy drops.

Bellatrix hummed as she carved into her, enjoying the way the crimson fluid glinted in the candlelight as it trickled lazily down pale skin. "You bleed so prettily, mudblood."

The dark witch leaned forward and licked away a drop, moaning as a familiar metallic flavour burst upon her tongue. She simply must have more.

Hermione gasped sharply at the feel of the appendage lapping at her wounds. "Ple..please st..stop."

"Not before we get you cleaned up, muddy." Bellatrix stated with a giggle as she conjured up a large washtub filled with water underneath the girl.

Looking down at the water, Hermione felt her gut twist in dreaded anticipation. "No..no."

Bellatrix merely smirked and waved her wand, releasing Hermione from the chains. The girl plummeted with a shriek, hitting the frigid water below with an enormous splash. As the water hit her cuts, Hermione screamed underneath the surface and jolted upward sputtering and scrambling to get out only to be pushed back in by Bellatrix.

"Ahh." She cried out to the heavens as the water washed over her fresh cut, rapidly turning the once translucent liquid into a rustic brown.

"Oh calm down, muddy. It's just a bit o' saltwater to help with your wounds." The dark witch explained whilst she crouched by the tub, making sure the girl stayed put.

"Please, let me out." Hermione pleaded, shakily trying to stand. It burned. Gods it burned so much. "I'll do anything you want just-"

"Ah, ah, ah, muddy." Bellatrix flicked her wand pushing the girl into the water and laughed a bit as another shriek rang out. "Gotta get you clean, girl. Can't have all that mud tarnishing the flooring now, can we?"

She childishly splashed the sobbing girl and cackled.

The darkness was sinking in.

Death's icy cold hands were beginning to take hold.

Down…

Down…

Down...

Hermione felt herself descend pass the point of no return.

Unable to move, weak from blood loss, and dizzy from lack of food she merely laid there limply when she heard the door open followed by the soft pad of footsteps.

Something pressed against her pulse point for a moment then moved away only to cup Hermione's cheek, caressing her there.

"Mummy, Mummy, I want to go home." She rasped her tone far younger than her years.

"How is she?"

"Broken, but alive."

A pleased smile in the darkness. Now the training intensives.

TBC...