Howdy I'm back! Just a quick warning this chapter does include torture, it's nothing graphic, but if that sort of thing makes you upset, I advise to skip this one. Now we finally get a glimpse of what's happened to Hermione, hope it doesn't break your heart too much.

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"It's him." Ron says darkly, praying Harry can keep him out.

Bill is rushing to the floor to help the writhing boy, until Ron's shouts stop him, "no!" He warns making him stop.

The entire room freezes at the yell as the ginger takes it upon himself to fall to his knees and console Harry. Carefully, he shakes his shoulder and turns him over, just trying to make his comfortable.

"A pillow! Someone get me a pillow!" He instructs pointing wildly to the sofa.

Someone, Fleur he thinks, places a crocheted pillow onto the floor as Ron takes the liberty to prop the cushion under Harry's frantically shaking head.

"Come on Harry. Come on mate. Fight it." He pleads quietly from his spot above his thrashing friend.

And like Harry heard, he complies. His body begins to relax as the jolts of pain subside into a dull ache and subtle twitch.

"Harry." Ron says gently.

As he floats back into consciousness, the chosen ones hand finds the scar on his forehead, which is now brandished into a cold sweat. Without realizing it, he groans, the memories of what occurred coming back to him.

The ginger takes notice of the sounds of pain pushing past the dark haired boys lips and dares to question it, "Harry, what is it? What did he want?"

One word it's all the Boy-Who-Lived can manage and it's enough to evoke an immense amount of fear throughout the room. But none more prevalent then in Ron.

"Hermione." Harry all but cries out, as his green eyes meet wide blue ones.

...

Once the dizziness passes along with the urge to be sick, the first thing that resonates is the ground. It's hard and cold, sending a chill down her spine. The next thing, is the darkness. She can see virtually nothing. Her hands viciously scower the stone for any sense of where she is.

The roughness of what appears to a book rubs against her palm. Seemingly forgetting her situation, she pulls it close, that is until a voice breaks her reverie.

"Lumos." Bellatrix spits out as the edge of her wand ignites a small light.

Quickly, almost instinctively, Hermione cowers into the corner, the book, whatever it is, hidden between her body and the wall.

"I am tired." The witch regards, eyes roving over to Greyback who shuffled outside the small chambers confining Hermione.

Lestrange however, was hovering over her scarily, "traveling with such dead weight takes a toll on me."

Without realizing it, Hermione scowled at the comment. Bellatrix acted as if she was begging to join them.

And then before she could realize what was happening a terrible pain blossomed over her rib cage. The very spot where the dark haired witches heeled boot had seemingly kicked her.

"You ought to learn to teach me with respect Mudblood! You should be grateful, such filth is usually prohibited from a place so sacred." She shrieks, spitting wildly as she does.

At the words Hermione does allow a moment to try and piece together where she is. It's no use, all she can make out is four walls of dreadful grey stone and a cut out for an iron barred door. She just prays that there's a window to offer light in the morning.

Her voice drops, "now I shall leave you. You are of no use to me now as it is too late to disturb the Dark Lord. You better rest Muddy, you have a big day tomorrow" she giggled madly, turning to the just outside the iron bars.

Her eyes flick to where Greyback is standing, he's grinning and licking his lips as his dark eyes bore into hers. Hermione squirms uncomfortably.

Satisfied with the interaction Bellatrix slams the door, then saunters away, Fenrir in tow, as she hums to herself.

Finally finding her strength, Hermione slings herself at the iron bars, ignoring how the impact hits her ribs she screams.

"Let me out!" The seventeen years old yells.

Bellatrix stops dead in her tracks. Greyback does the same, but she waves him to go on.

Stepping over with her dimly lit wand, she faces Hermione, noses almost touching through the rungs.

"I can't help you." The tears finally hit as the brunette cries to her captor.

Then, Bellatrix points her wand right at Hermione's throat. Frightened, she tries to protest but soon realizes words can't come out.

Frantically, she grabs at her throat, she can't manage anything but pitiless heaves.

"Save your voice Mudblood." Lestrange smiles, "there will be plenty of time to scream tomorrow." She pauses, "better yet, the Dark Lord will make you sing."

At this, the light fades out leaving a horrified Hermione behind.

It just hit her, tomorrow she'd do the most terrifying thing in her life. Something that Harry has done a multitude of times and barely made it out alive, even with a wand.

Tomorrow she would face Voldemort.

Collapsing against the wall, she sobs into her hands. Praying that this is all some sick twisted dream and soon enough she'd wake up on her camp bed in Ginny's room.

Her cries are silent, prevented by Bellatrix's silencing spell, she just wishes she could scream.

Scream for her ill grandmother. Scream for the fact she can't remember the last time she saw her parents. Scream for Harry, that another bad thing happened to him. Scream for Ron, for treating him the way she did. For never saying goodbye, to say what she wanted to.

Crying for who knows how long, Hermione finally collapses completely, letting her body drop onto the floor.

She prepares for her head to make impact with the cold stone, instead, it falls on top of hard, rough, and worn cloth.

Picking up her heavy head, she feels at the thing. Parts of it are torn, the edges frayed with what seems to be wrapping paper.

Then it hits her.

This is Ron's gift. She must've grabbed it when they apparated.

Scrambling to her feet, with the thing she assumes to be a book in her hands, she goes to the bars. There's a faint glow from a candle down the hallway and if she strains her eyes hard enough she can vaguely make out the words on it.

Hogwarts, A History,

She swears she reads in thick black letters.

Not that she's ungrateful, but it's a peculiar thing to gift her when he knows she has her own copy. Never the less, she opens the book, slapping her in the face is a long body of black messy scrawl. That which she knows to belong to Ron.

It's loopy and barely legible, especially under the lack of light. The only thing she can make out are words like, sorry, Christmas, her name, and the word forgive.

It's not much but her eyes are strained to the point of hurt. Her tears absently stain the pages as she flips through the book, slowly she begins to realize that on each margin are little notes. They're too small to read in the darkness, but she knows the writing to be Ron's.

She soon remembers a fifth year version of herself crumpled under a window, with Ron at her side. She recalls telling him she'd love if he read Hogwarts, A History, and much to her disappointment all Ron said was: 'I'd need a bloody good reason to pick this thing up.'

Yet, he had.

Falling to the floor again, the book clutches in her arms like a teddy bear, she goes to speak aloud.

Realizing she can't, she repeats the words in her head over and over, praying that my some miracle they'd get back to him.

Come find me.

Soon she finds exhaustion, her head filled with nothing but those three words and fiery red hair.

Not even realizing she fell asleep, Hermione wakes up to loud footsteps coming down the nearby steps.

She isn't sure how much times gone by. If it's daytime, she wouldn't know, there's just black around her.

Whoever is approaching has a lit candle as they stomp into the room.

"Get up." A voice hisses.

Hermione doesn't move.

"Get up now or I'll come in there." As he steps forward, she notices a metal hand coil around the door and throw it open.

The sight that meets her is a hunch backed, disgusting looking man. The witch even opens her mouth to say his name, but nothing comes as the silence charm remains.

Peter Pettigrew walks in and grabs her arm roughly, forcing her on wobbly feet.

"Bet you didn't think you'd see me again did you?" Wormtail was clearly feeling rather confident, usually he was cowering somewhere.

She wanted to tell him that she was surprised he was trusted with such a difficult task, but was physically unable to.

Before she knew it, Wormtail had led her up a flight of stairs and what seemed to be a space as large as a ballroom. Above was a lavish chandelier, but it was covered in dusk. As was everything else in the room.

Too busy taking in the dark wood floor, she failed to notice the figures lurking in the corners.

"Ah Wormtail, thank you for gathering our guest."

He bowed, his cowardly behavior soon returning, "of course my Lord." Peter said shakily.

And then suddenly, the coldest, soulless eyes she's ever seen find her own.

Slowly, the pale figures comes toward her and begins circling her like a shark would to its prey, his snake following.

"I've heard much about you Miudblood." Voldemort spits.

She says nothing. Even if she could, she doesn't want to.

"No greeting? That's no way to treat someone superior to your filthy blood." He says angrily.

Hermione opens and closes her mouth, unable to speak, looking much like a fish gasping for air.

Nearby, Narcissa Malfoy seems to take note and takes sympathy on the girl.

"Bella the silencing charm." She nudges her sister.

"Oh!" Bellatrix exclaims stepping forward, "excuse me my lord, the thing is under a silencing charm." She bows nervously to her master.

At this he flicks his wand and dismisses Lestrange with a wave of his unkempt, dirty hands.

"You may speak now." He tells Hermione.

Again, she doesn't want to.

"Cat got your tongue? I had you yelling last night." Bellatrix pipes up, stepping behind Voldemort.

Then, You-Know-Who raises his wand at her and just as she shuts her eyes waiting the impact, something stops him.

"Sorry we're late my lord." Fenrir Greyback sounds from the fireplace, bowing as he says this.

Behind him are two death eaters. One she doesn't recognize, but is known as Scabior. The other, she does know.

"Beautiful." Scabior comments before he can help it.

She cowers under their dark gazes.

"Seems as if someone remembers you Dolohov." Greyback comments with a grin, speaking to the other man.

He steps forward, making Hermione stumble back, causing laughs to fill the room.

"It seems as if you've forgotten," Voldemort's voice booms, making them all stop, "but the thing is mine first and foremost."

Choruses of agreements sound the room as a few of them offer a low bow.

In a nearby corner Lucius Malfoy whispers to his wife to go upstairs. A request she's more than happy to fulfill, not wanting to see what's to come.

"Now, address me properly and tell me what you know filth." He demands of Hermione.

She stands up tall, chin pushed forward and proud look on her face. She says nothing.

"I thought I'd taken the silence charm off of you, no matter, Bellatrix, would you do the honors?" He asks the eager woman.

"Of course my lord!" She leaps at the chance, "Crucio!" The witch bellows.

A stream of red light shoots to Hermione and she falls to the floor in pain. The witch does her best not to make any noises, biting her lip so hard she draws blood in the process.

Soon, the effects of the curse die down as Voldemort comes over and presses his barefoot to her cheek, pushing it into the floor.

"Tell me what you know Mudblood!" He screams at her.

Briefly, she peers into his sunken eyes.

At the sight, Hermione's mind flashed to that book. The one she found on prefect rounds late one night whilst escaping from Ron. It was buried behind several books, in the restricted section.

She knew how wrong it was, she shouldn't even have been there, but she couldn't help it, like it was calling to her. And for some odd reason, Hermione just knew a boy who once went by the name of Tom Riddle had picked up this very book. The very man standing in front of her now. Or what's left of him anyway.

Surely he couldn't be talking about the horcruxes? Could he? How would he even know she knew such a thing.

Never the less, she remains strong and silent despite the curse.

Then, he crouches to the floor. Running one long nail, he pushes back her wild hair to see tears streaming her face.

"So you don't want to talk then?" He whispers sourly.

Hermione remains perfectly still.

"Never the less, you'll be screaming." The dark wizard says with a venomous smirk before standing.

"Crucio!" He yells.

And like his magic is stronger than Bellatrix's the curse feels ten times more intense. It feels like her body's burning from the inside out. And before she can help it, she screams.

A horrible sound.

As the effects of the curse wear off, the dull buzz in her ears fades, but the pain remains.

"Want to talk now?" Voldemort asks circling her again as the room smiles at the scene.

Tears absently run down her cheeks as she manages the strength to shake her head. She has to stay quiet, for Harry, for Ron, for the entire fate of Wizarding Britain.

"Very well," he raises his wand again, she braces for the impact, "Cruc,"

Before the words can leave his mouth, a loud thud sounds as Hermione's blurry vision clears and she makes out someone writhing next to her, like she was moments ago.

Bellatrix rushes over, placing her hands atop Voldemort's trashing form.

And Hermione knows that somewhere, Harry is doing the exact same thing. She just prays whatever he sees, will lead them right to her.


I hope you are happy with a Hermione centric chapter. From now on the narrative will pretty much flip flop between Hermione and Ron every chapter or two. Let me know what you guys think!

Until next time, here's a preview:

"What is it?" He asked, his voice way too clear and demanding for someone who just was sleeping.

"It's Hermione." Bill says softly.

He shucks the covers off, the first thought is that she's dead, she must be. But, part of him knows, he can feel it's not true.

His oldest brothers mouth is moving, but Ron doesn't care, the only words that register are 'living room', before he's trampling down the steps.

IMPORTANT!- if anyone is interested in beta reading for me please let me know or you can dm me on my editing account on Instagram /others terrier :)

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