A/N: Another thing I've had in mind for months. Much longer than the teacher AU. I love me some fucked up Bella ;)

Hermione Granger took a deep breath. She still couldn't quite believe that she had really gotten herself into this place, but here she was, facing the tall dark building known as Azkaban. A place where all the twisted souls of the magical world were locked up. A place that had changed so much in the past few years.

They finally switched dementors for soul healers. People that were like psychiatrist in the muggle world, trying to help dark wizards and witches. People just like herself. Even though she wasn't yet certified. Azkaban was her last test, so to speak.

She had the best grades through Hogwarts and even in the training to become a soul healer organized by St. Mungo. It was a profession that wasn't really sought out as of yet, but when everyone asked her what she wanted to become after graduation, she was strongly set on this profession.

She was a key person in the reform of Azkaban. Dementors were barbaric and horrible. Soulless creatures feeding on the happiness and souls of others. Disgusting. No one deserved that. Hermione made sure she got her point through the thick heads of wizarding society.

And so here she was, trying to muster the courage to walk through the main gate to help the prisoners instead of destroying them.

She took a deep breath and finally entered the building. If she thought the place was horrible from the outside, she had no words for the inside. It was cold, rough and silent.

"Well hello you beautiful piece of ass," one prisoner called after her. Okay, she preferred the silence.

"Shut it, Greyback," a ginger man shouted at him while awkwardly smiling at Hermione. "Hi, I'm Ron. I am one of the aurors here," he introduced himself and offered her his hand.

She took it politely and replied: "Nice to meet you, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Ah, I was wondering what you were doing here. It's not like we get many visitors," he chuckled.

"I am the new soul healer," she clarified and followed him through the first floor of prison cells.

"Yes, Kingsley told us about your arrival," Ron replied. "I'm taking you to his office. He's awfully busy, barely present really."

"I thought Kingsley was the Minister?" she asked in shock.

"Yeah, but Azkaban is under the Ministry so he's responsible for it. And that's why he's not here most of the time, he has better things to do. I can't blame him honestly."

"Right. So how many aurors are here?"

"I believe he will tell you everything," Ron smiled and remained quiet for the rest of the trip. he knocked on the door when they reached the part with offices at the top of the building and wished her good luck before leaving.

"It's very nice to see you, Miss Granger," a tall man of darker color greeted her. "I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister and current director of this place," he introduced himself. "Please, have a seat."

"Hermione Granger, nice to meet you," she replied politely and shook his hand before sitting on the opposite side of his wooden desk.

"I don't have much time so I'll just get right to it. You will have your own office at the end of this hall with the floo network connected to yours. I bet you'd rather skip flying here every day," he smiled to which Hermione eagerly nodded. Brooms were not her favorite. "There are 5 floors with prison cells, but not all of them are occupied, mind you. I do hope it will stay that way. There are two aurors on each floor. Except the fifth floor," he sighed.

"Why are there no guards on the fifth floor?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Well," he sighed again. "Fifth floor is occupied only by Bellatrix Black, more known by the surname Lestrange."

"I've heard about her," Hermione nodded. A dangerous psychopathic woman. A real nut to crack. "Shouldn't there be extra security on her floor, though?"

"There should," he nodded. "But we've reached an agreement with her after long,long fights. She promised to be docile if there were no aurors present. So far she has kept her word."

"Isn't that dangerous?" she asked and furrowed her brow.

"I should probably tell you something," he started and rubbed his temples. "Ever since you made us clear the place of dementors, the Ministry is lacking guards. We need trained aurors to catch the dark wizards and witches, not baby sit them. Which left us with the only option we've had left – we are sending the recruits here. These trainees are not officially aurors yet, same as you are not officially a soul healer. So, sending these boys there was more dangerous than leaving her alone. No other prisoner can see her cell and she can't see theirs."

"So she's isolated," Hermione contemplated.

"So to speak," he nodded. "You won't even come near her. Our only soul healer is in charge of her interrogation. She's too big of a bite to chew."

"I thought she knows the most about Voldemort and his whereabouts," she furrowed her brow. "And from what I've read, Bellatrix hasn't said a word to you."

"Yes, you are correct. What makes you think she would say a word to you?"

"I didn't say that, it's just –"

"Let's have a look around the prison so you're familiar with the place and its prisoners," he interrupted her. "I will also show you your office, you will talk with the prisoners there."

"So there is no special place for therapies?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"No," he simply stated. "I'll introduce you to Mister Lupin as well. In fact, let's do that first. He is our only certified soul healer and he will guide you."

"Okay," Hermione nodded.

"Good to see you, Bellatrix," Lupin greeted the dark woman. He usually brought a book to these therapy sessions because Bellatrix has never said a word to him. He simply gave up after few months. She didn't even greet him. Not once. He was met with silence as presumed. "Not feeling talkative today, are we?" he asked. "Well, I thought as much," he shrugged and picked up his book.

They were in the middle of session when there was a knock and Kingsley entered the office without even waiting for his approval. A young woman with brown wild hair and hazelnut eyes trailed after him.

"Ah, I didn't know you had a session, my apologizes," Kingsley said. "Don't talk to her," he turned to Hermione and said so quietly that only she could hear him.

"It's not a problem," Lupin replied. Of course it could be a problem were this a normal therapy session, but interrupting silence couldn't do any harm.

"We will come back later, I just wanted to introduce –"

"Who are you?" Bellatrix interrupted him, staring at Hermione.

"So you are not mute," Kingsley commented. "That's good to know."

"Who are you?" Bellatrix asked again, in a more demanding tone now.

"Ehm," Hermione cleared her throat, trying not to get affected by the chained woman. "I am Hermione Granger, Madame Black."

"Hermione, Hermione," she repeated, playing with the name on her tongue as if tasting it. "I like it. Unusual name."

"Says the one named Bellatrix," Hermione replied quietly.

"Touché, dearie," the criminal cackled.

"Miss Granger, we are leaving," Kingsley said and grabbed her, leading her out of Lupin's office.

"Come see me, little bird!" Bellatrix called after them and then cooled her features and remained emotionless towards Lupin.

"That was incredibly idiotic of you," the Minister hissed. "I told you not to talk to her."

"Well at least she replied to me, didn't she?" Hermione lifted her chin. She would not be talked to like that.

"You are in training, Miss Granger. Bellatrix is a dangerous murderess, she's way out of your league to handle!"

"Yes, because reading a book during a therapy session instead of actually talking with the patient seems to do the trick. Oh wait, no, it doesn't," she replied. "I am aware I'm not qualified yet, but during those few minutes she said more words to me than she has ever said to Lupin."

"You've studied her files quite thoroughly I see."

"I would have, but they were mostly empty pages. Only her crimes were listed. And Lupin's annoyed note 'never said a word to me'," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Which clearly means I've made bigger progress than anyone here before."

"Miss Granger –" Kingsley started, but Lupin interrupted him with opening the door.

"She's started to talk," he said to the director.

"Well that's great!" he cheered.

"Not really, she's now chanting 'I want to talk to her' on repeat," he sighed. "We haven't been properly introduced yet, I am Remus Lupin," he said and offered her a hand.

"Hermione Granger, nice to meet you," she replied and shook his hand. "So, she's talking?"

"No, she's chanting these words like a madwoman. I preferred the silence."

"I guess I should go talk to her then?"

"No," they both replied in unison.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I came here to make a difference. I came here to learn, yes, but I also came here to help them. This is what I want to do after I finish my training. It seems to me that I might actually get somewhere with her. Voldemort is on the loose and you've wasted months by sitting with her in silence. Of course she won't talk to you. You're a man."

"What do you mean?" Lupin asked. "That shouldn't make a difference."

"But it does," Hermione shrugged. "Have you noticed she's only ever killed men?"

"No," he replied truthfully. They completely missed that piece of information. And it answered so much.

"Well, I have. So maybe I should just go in and try to talk to her, hm? Especially if she wants me to."

"She's the most dangerous prisoner here," Kingsley tried to argue.

"With the biggest intel, though," Hermione challenged. "Look, she's chained to a table and the chair. She doesn't have her wand. I'm not in danger. Which is given already by the fact that I'm not a man," she gave them a knowing look.

"Fine," Kingsley said. "I do need to leave, though."

"Well, thank you for showing me around. I'm sure Lupin can take me to my office when I am done interrogating her?" she asked the soul healer.

"Yes, of course," he nodded.

"I will see you both tomorrow then," Kingsley said and left.

"And I'm going to wait right here. Just shout for me if you need any help," Lupin said to her.

"Thank you," Hermione replied and entered his office.

"Well hello, little bird," Bellatrix smiled from ear to ear. "That was fast. Missed me?" she smirked.

"Hello again, Madame Black," the girl replied and sat across the table. She took out her notebook and pen and placed it in front of her.

"Gonna study me, my sweet?" the criminal asked, eyeing Hermione head to toe. She liked how the girl addressed her. No one has showed her any respect here.

"No," she blushed at the nickname. Or maybe she blushed just because Bellatrix was looking at her. "I will try to help you. And well, ask you few questions in the process."

"At least you're honest," the raven haired woman smirked and leaned back in her chair.

"I am," she nodded. In truth, she was nervous as fuck. She's read Bellatrix's files, she's heard about the criminal. The paper just never told her how absolutely consuming the woman was. Her aura was as dark as her hair, but Hermione felt herself being lured into the spider's web. She was a defenseless fly and Bellatrix was a skilled hunter with eight legs. "So," she cleared her throat. She shouldn't be this affected by someone, goddammit. "How are you today?" she started with the basics.

"Hmmm, I am quite well now. This day turned out to be…" she paused as if searching for the right word while looking directly into Hermione's soul, "interesting."

"How come?" the girl pressed, testing how far she could go.

"You ask many questions, pet," she breathed out, leaning on the table. The chains rattled when she moved her hands to support her head.

"I, uhm, yes," Hermione stuttered and berated herself internally. Seriously, get a grip.

"These won't take you anywhere, though," the older woman said and blew a strand of her hair from her face. "Which means they won't let you talk to me again if you don't give them at least something," she grinned.

"Well, tell me something then," Hermione smiled.

"You're funny, I give you that," Bellatrix winked and leaned back in her chair again.

"I was not attempting to be funny," the soul healer huffed. "But fine, I'll ask questions that will take me somewhere," she lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes, trying to appear intimidating. The criminal chuckled at that and Hermione contemplated that she didn't blame her. Who was she kidding? "Do you know anything about Voldemort?"

"Naturally."

"And will you tell me?"

"You do have a pretty face, pet," Bellatrix replied. "But not pretty enough for me to spill the tea just like that."

"Okay, what do you want?" Hermione asked and studied the woman across the table.

"I'll answer your questions and you'll answer mine."

"Okay?" she replied unsteadily. She saw no harm in that. What could Bellatrix possibly want to ask her? Maybe she needed information from the outside, considering she was locked up for quite a while. And that was fair.

"Good," the criminal purred.

"Where is he?" she asked the first question she could come up with. She wasn't really prepared for interrogating the black queen. Like ever, let alone right after she first stepped inside the prison.

"England," she replied matter-of-factly. "Where do you live, pet?"

"W-what?" Hermione gaped at the woman, being thrown off completely by the personal question.

"Your address, dear," Bellatrix smirked.

"I don't think that's wise?"

"Oh don't play coy. I'm locked up here, am I not? It's not like I could do anything with the information I gather," she gave her a toothy grin, faking innocence.

"Okay… ehm, Fast Lane, London."

"Good girl," she purred. "See? No harm done," she winked. "I think our session is at the end for today, pet."

"Right, yes," Hermione nodded. "It was nice to meet you, Madame Black," she said and got up from the chair.

"Likewise," Bellatrix grinned. "See you again tomorrow, little bird," she cooed and watched as the girl left the room.

Now that was really interesting, she cackled. Bellatrix didn't think things could get any better after Hermione chased away the dementors, but the girl proved her wrong once again. The young woman was her way out. A very nice, shy and gorgeous way out.