Prologue
Drip, drip, drip…drop. Drip, drop, drop, drop.
The Death Eater cell came complete with dripping water from an unknown location. Hermione almost smiled. But if she did, her dry lips would crack and bleed, then the twisted 'healers' employed to keep the prisoners alive would have an excuse to examine her. She didn't want to be examined…again. It was bad enough after the torture, and that was just a cursory look to make sure all vital signs were relatively normal.
Drop, drip.
Hermione curled into a tight ball and leaned against the cold, bumpy stone wall. The torture was bad, but the water was driving her insane. And the lack of light. The only time any light shone in was when a guard shoved a bowl of food in through a slot in the door. Now that light hurt, a sure sign that she had been in her hole for far to long.
The door opened, Hermione had to squint at the sudden light. "Take her to the education quarters," a dull voice said. She saw a wand point inside, and then, nothing.
Hermione was strapped to a chair, not a good sign in any situation. She opened her eyes. "Repeat after me," A man said, "My name is Elena Hisham." He was staring at her. Hermione remained silent. "Your name is Elena Hisham," he said firmly.
"My name," Hermione rasped, "Is Hermione Granger." Her body convulsed as it experienced something like electric shock.
"You'd do well to learn your name, Miss Hisham, or pain will become your new best friend." His voice held no inflection whatsoever.
"What are you talking about? Pain and I are old pals." Her body convulsed again. It when for hours, and then he sent her off to another cage, this one worse than the first. They threw her in, hard enough to jar her bones, but not enough to break them. Somehow, Hermione knew that they wouldn't feed her. A nice warm meal, or even dog food, was not the standard follow up to a long bout of torture. She'd be lucky if she received water in the next two days. It could be a week before they gave her food. The best thing she could do was sleep for as long as possible. As her eyes closed, she was jerked awake by sound in her cell.
"Your name is Elena Hisham. You were born October the fourth, 1981." It repeated over and over, almost, but not quite becoming white noise. Whenever Hermione's eyes closed, the volume would increase. Then it would ever so slightly decrease until her eyes drooped shut again.
It went on for hours and hours, eventually, Hermione slipped into a state of semi conscious delirium. One thought kept her sane, and let her be Hermione Granger: The Order will save me. Harry won't let me rot here. They have to save me.
In the morning, the guards came for her again. They dragged her back to the room and strapped her into the chair. Her eyes were forced open, and when she tried to blink, she couldn't. "Good morning, Miss Hisham," her captor said pleasantly, "We'll be watching some home movies today."
Her throat was raw, but she felt the need to insult him, "Die," she said simply. It was more of a rasp. Her body convulsed once again.
"That is not the way one treats one's elders, Miss Hisham." He sounded like a condescending teacher. Almost like Snape.
Images flashed in front of her, all over the room, assaulting her senses. Audio was piped in, giving her all of the information about Elena Hisham there was to know. I am Hermione Granger! It was all Hermione could do to block out the assault, she couldn't close her eyes, or cover her ears, or anything. Her thoughts were the only thing she could control. I. Am. Hermione. Granger. It hurt, the lights, the sounds, the starvation, the thirst, the lack of sleep. But she couldn't think about that. I! Am! Hermione! Granger! This had to stop. The Death Eaters wouldn't win, they couldn't. "I am Hermione Granger."
"Haven't you heard, Miss Hisham?" The Teacher asked her, "Hermione Granger is dead. Bellatrix Lestrange killed her three weeks ago."
The room fell out from under Hermione. That was why Harry hadn't come for her. He thought she was dead. She was alone, with the enemy. This was bad.
"Now, Miss Hisham, would you please tell me your name?"
She had to give in, but she couldn't stop fighting, not yet. Hermione Granger never gave up this easily. "I don't know why you keep calling me Miss Hisham. I'm Hermione Granger."
"Take her back. This is going to take awhile."
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