Author's Note: This is a companion piece to, Musing's From a Ditch.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's world not mine.

She had lost track of the days. She didn't want to know how long ago they had brought her there. For the first few weeks she was holding on to the notion that she would be located by the Order. She needed to believe that they would come and rescue her.
Hermione Granger was not a stupid girl by any means. She didn't get the Head Girl title by sucking up (though it couldn't hurt that she was well liked by her professors–well, except for Snape of course, but he didn't count.) She took nearly every precaution to ensure the safety of her parents and herself. Professor Lupin had helped her put up wards around their home. She should have realized that something wasn't right. Actually, everything was fine. That was the problem. It was too quiet. Nothing was happening. No talks of Voldemort sightings, not even a Death Eater attack had occurred lately. The calm before the storm. Hermione trusted her gut, and her gut told her that something was going to happen. The problem was, she didn't know where or when.

She and her mother had gone out shopping one morning. While her mother was busy talking to a patient of hers she had run into, Hermione ran to the café for a cup of coffee. That was the last her mother had seen of her daughter. After she left her patient, she went to meet Hermione in the café and found it in total chaos. Apparently, a group of people in black-hooded cloaks had abducted a young woman.

The last thing Hermione could remember was smiling at an elderly man as she was waiting for her coffee. She looked over to her right and this little old man tipped his hat to her. She couldn't help but smile. That's so cute. The next thing she knew, arms had wrapped around her waist and someone held something under her nose. The first whiff made her lose consciousness.

She had no idea how long she had been out for. For all she knew, it could have been days since she was taken. When she woke up she didn't open her eyes at first, but listened for someone. When she didn't hear anything she opened her eyes. Hermione knew she had been placed in a dungeon cell. It was dark and cold and she could barely see anything. As she went to get up she felt the shackles around her ankles. She searched for her wand but knew full well that the Death Eaters wouldn't be dumb enough to leave it on her.

She was all alone. No windows, no vents. Were they going to suffocate her in there? No, they probably had better ways to kill her. No, she couldn't think like that. Get it together, Hermione.

Hermione reckoned herself a strong person. She refused to let herself panic over her situation. She decided that it would be best to wait it out. Perhaps she could gather some information for the Order while she was there. Yes, the Order. They must be out looking for me.

Hermione just sat there patiently going over every spell she could think of in her head. It might prove useful later and it kept her mind busy. The brain is the most important muscle and it needs to be exercised properly. She heard someone come through the door, looking to see who it was through the dim light. A tall woman with black hair and air of arrogance about her was staring at Hermione through the bars of her cell. Bellatrix Black Lestrange. Hermione stood up and looked Bellatrix up and down, as she had been doing to her.

"Mudblood, so good of you to join us. Fancy a cup of coffee?" Bellatrix threw her head back laughing like a maniac. "You know," Bellatrix reached for her wand and raised it slowly towards Hermione, "if it was up to me, I'd kill you right now. You don't deserve to dirty up the air I'm breathing. But the Dark Lord has plans for you, you see. So unfortunately, you've got to be kept alive." She then lowered her wand and twirled it between her fingers, "For now," she whispered.

Hermione held Bellatrix's gaze until she got so enraged that she spit right in her face. Bellatrix let out a scream of shock and the next thing Hermione knew, she had been forced up against that back wall of her cell.

"Filthy little Mudblood! How dare you." Still up against the wall, Hermione watched as Bellatrix cleaned herself up with the flick of her wand. When she looked back, Hermione was smirking at her. "Crucio."

Torture. Hermione could now say that she knew what true pain felt like. Don't cry out. Don't let her see she's affecting you. Stay strong, Hermione, just stay strong. Once the pain stopped, Hermione had to catch her breath. Bellatrix looked rather bored.

"I'm tired, Mudblood. We'll continue this later." Bellatrix came right up to the bars on Hermione's cell. "Trust me. We will break you." And with that Bellatrix left Hermione alone to the confines of her cell.

With nothing left to do now but wait, Hermione sat down on the floor drawing her knees to her chest. Stay strong, Hermione. Just stay strong. They won't break me with a few Crucio's.

Hermione had to keep herself focused on something. After going over every spell she could remember, she went through the whole Hogwarts, A History. Hermione had just begun reciting poetry to herself when she heard someone enter the dungeon.

She didn't bother looking up. Hermione would recognize the sound of that strut anywhere.

"Granger."

She said nothing, she didn't even look at him. How soon hath time, the subtle thief of youth. "They think they're going to get some useful information out of you." Stolen on his wing my three and twentieth year. He leaned up against the bars with that smirk of his plastered on his face. "Of course, you and I both know you're not going to tell us anything. No one listened to me though. They still think after a few more Crucio's they're going to finally break you." That comment had gotten to her and before she knew it, Hermione let out a scoff.

"Granger?"

After days, maybe even weeks, Hermione spoke for the first time. "What do you want from me, Malfoy? You just said that you know I won't give you anything." Her voice was quiet and calm. She showed no signs of fear.

"I just..." My hasting days fly on with full career, but my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. "Um, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

How does it look like I'm doing? "Like you care."

"That bad, huh?" He fell silent for a moment before he raised his wand, "Maybe I should kill you." No longer mourn for me when I am dead. Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell.

"Go ahead." It was a challenge. Hermione Granger never took the easy way out, but couldn't help but wonder if he could actually go through with it.

"Granger?" his voice wavered. At the sound of it, she stood up and approached him at the cell door.

"Yes."

"I think I could have loved you." She said nothing, but put her hand up and held onto a bar. He covered her delicate hand with his. "I'm so sorry," he whispered as she noticed a lone tear escape from his eye. Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell.

"Thank you." She knew what he was doing and tried to prepare herself. He held her hand as he raised his wand. The last thing Hermione saw was green light. Give warning to the world that I am fled from this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell.

Author's Note: The poems Hermione recites are John Milton's How Soon Hath Time, and William Shakespeare's Sonnet 71. Maybe one of these days Draco and Hermione will have a happy ending.