The usual disclaimer applies. I own nothing and make nothing.
A/N...Thank you for all the awesome reviews! There are some extensive notes following this chapter to answer some questions in the reviews or P.M.s
Chapter 1
As the guards led her into Azkaban, she suddenly felt a cold shiver. Although the dementors were no longer guarding the prison, their presence left a permanent mark. Azkaban was cold, dark, and dreary...and she had no idea if she would survive the next three years.
As she was led through the corridors to her cell, she could hear the taunts of the other prisoners. Some were making crude gestures as well, and she tried to ignore them.
"Well, well...if it isn't the bitch of the 'Golden Trio'."
"Maybe I can finally get me a piece of Gryffindor arse."
"How the mighty Princess of Gryffindor has fallen."
"Hmm...not so perfect now, little Gryffindor slut."
She tried to hold her head up high, but inside she was falling apart. She still couldn't believe that she would be in prison with the likes of Death Eaters and Voldemort sympathizers. She would occasionally glance at the prisoners as she walked by, looking at the long hair, usually in dreadlocks after being unkempt for so long, and scruffy beards. The smell coming from the cells was almost unbearable. She wondered how often she would be allowed a shower.
As she was led down another wing towards her own room, she heard a gasp from one of the cells. She looked over to see who it was, since he seemed to be the only one not taunting her.
She noticed he was a tall, thin man with tattered robes, who had obviously been incarcerated for quite a while. His long, matted black hair hung down to his waist, and his beard was black except for a few white streaks. As she looked into his obsidian eyes, she gasped when she realised who it was.
"Professor Snape," she whispered quietly.
He nodded ever so slightly to acknowledge her, then hung his head downward as he returned to the back of his cell.
She was led past three more cells before one of the guards waved his wand at a door, then pushed her into it. She felt her arms and ankles release from the binding spell as she stepped further into the room. The room was only about the size of a small bedroom, and only had a bed and a toilet inside. The bed had only a small, dirty, thin mattress on it, and there were no pillows or sheets. The toilet was filthy, but she would have no choice but to use it. The only other thing in the room was a very small window near the ceiling.
She laid down on the bed as all of her emotions suddenly overwhelmed her. This would be her home for the next three years. She pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed uncontrollably until sleep slowly overtook her.
-ooOOoo-
She pointed her wand at the stunned couple, and loudly said "Restituo Memoria". She watched the dazed couple as they slowly regained consciousness.
"Hermione? Hermione is that you?"
"You remember me? Oh, thank goodness it worked."
She watched her parents as they stared at the house they had been living in for the past two years. They looked around the sitting room, and she watched as the looks of confusion slowly turned to rage.
"What did you do to us?" Her father's anger was increasing by the minute.
"I'm...I'm so sorry. I had to make sure you were safe. I took away all of your memories of me, then let you move to Australia. Once the war was over, I came as soon as I could to restore them."
Her mother looked at her, cold fury in her eyes. "Get out. Get out now."
"What? You don't mean that, do you?"
"Get out, before we call the police," her father spoke sternly.
"No, please, no," she sobbed as she walked out the door.
Hermione woke up suddenly, sweat beading on her brow. She had only been here for one day, and the nightmares had already started. She knew it would not take long now that she had no access to the dreamless sleep potion.
She sat up on her pitiful excuse for a bed, and looked up at the tiny window, where she could just barely see a couple of stars.
"Why," she muttered softly to herself. She shook her head slightly and thought of how different her life was now. Everything changed when she restored her parents memories. She lost them and she lost Ron all within a span of a couple of months. Not only did her parents not forgive her, but they went to a wizarding barrister to press charges in the magical world. Ron had broken up with her shortly after. Now she sat in prison, where she would be for the next three years. Parole was practically unheard of in the magical world. It no longer mattered that she was part of the 'Golden Trio', she was now just prisoner 5273, just another prisoner at Azkaban.
-ooOOoo-
She felt like she had only been asleep for minutes, when she heard the door open to her cell.
"Wake up now, it is time for your shower."
"I don't want a shower, go away," her voice cracking as she spoke.
"Fine, just remember you won't get another one for two weeks." The guard started to walk off, but then stopped as she yelled, "Wait, I'm coming."
She was walked down a hallway until she reached a room with a female guard standing outside. The guard looked her up and down, then muttered quietly, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."
The guard then spoke loudly to her, this time meant for her to hear.
"You have ten minutes, and that includes getting dressed. A clean robe is on the bench beside the shower stall."
"What about shaving? How am I supposed to shave?"
"You aren't. Muggle razors are not allowed, and shaving spells are forbidden. Get used to it."
Hermione walked quickly to the shower, and noticed that not only was there no shampoo, there wasn't a towel either. All that was in the shower was a bar of soap, and another prison robe with her number on it.
She turned on the water, and it was barely lukewarm. She scrubbed her body and her hair just as quickly as possible, then threw the robes on her wet body.
She walked down the corridor towards her cell, almost in a trance. She didn't know if she was going to be able to survive living like this for the next three years. What do I have to go back to once I leave? No family, no boyfriend, and no home.
As the guard pushed her into her cell, she looked at the breakfast that was waiting for her. A glass of water, and two badly burned slices of toast. She stared at the toast for several minutes before finally picking them up and walking towards the toilet. She crumbled the toast into it, and then flushed, watching the food go down the drain.
I will not be here the next three years, I'd rather be dead. She laid down on the bed, curled into herself, and slowly cried herself to sleep.
A/N...Okay, here goes. Yes, Azkaban is something out of the dark ages. But if you saw Sirius or Bellatrix in the movies, I'd say my view isn't too far off. Most of the wizarding world is somewhat Victorian in nature, and I'm guessing the prison would be as well. Prison isn't supposed to be a picnic (like it is in the US...but I digress).
And to have Hermione go to prison, despite being part of the 'Golden Trio'...well, she committed a crime, her parents wanted her accountable. In the real world, crimes wouldn't be overlooked just because you are famous or are a hero (or at least they shouldn't be).
It seems that Hermione's parents either easily forgave her, never recovered their memories, or refused to talk to her in all the ff that I have read. I wanted her to actually be accountable for her actions.
Whew...that was long, sorry! Next update won't be until after I get back from my vacation, so probably almost two weeks.