Meeting her soul mate had nearly destroyed Hermione. It was meant to be one of the happiest days of her life and instead it was the first day she was nearly killed by death eaters. One of those death eaters was her soul mate.

She hadn't been certain who, except that it thankfully wasn't Lucius Malfoy. Thank Merlin that she'd been in the same room as him before then and therefore the tattoo that manifested that day would not be echoed on his slimy skin.

It was a simple tattoo. Black with thick, bold lines. A sword with a crown around its hilt. The crown was her. Hermione was the name of a princess after all, and a sword was very much not her thing. It appeared on the inside of her right wrist and reached halfway up her forearm. She had felt it appear, but hadn't taken the time to look. Not when the emergence of her soul mate mark also meant that they were no longer alone in the department of mysteries. Thankfully her arm was covered, so no one else would know.

They had all survived the department of mysteries, and Hermione had covered her new tattoo from then on. Glamours or long sleeves, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that no one find out she had found her soulmate.

There would be too many awkward questions, and Hermione didn't even have an answer to the most important one.

Who? Who was her soulmate? Which death eater did the universe pair her with in it's sick and twisted idea of love? She had an inkling, of course. It wasn't until their year on the run that Hermione was proven correct.

Bellatrix Lestrange never saw Hermione's tattoo, but Hermione saw Bellatrix's. At the base of her neck, and flowing onto the top of her spine sat a sword with a crown looped around the hilt. It had been an accident. Bellatrix had stormed away from her before turning back suddenly. Her hair flicked to the side as she turned and Hermione saw it.

Her tears were as much for the realisation as they were for the curse flowing through her body.

Then they'd been saved by Dobby, and the hollow feeling Hermione carried wasn't from her torture or Dobby's death. Getting into Bellatrix's vault was easy. The doors didn't even require a key, they just opened at her touch. Good thing the boys had no idea what that meant. They probably assumed that the polyjuice potion somehow fooled the magic in Gringotts. In the future she'd use her tattoo to get into the vault and gain access to a variety of dark books. The goblins would be the keepers of that particular secret.

She sought Bellatrix out at the battle of Hogwarts. If she was going to die today, then it she would die making sure her soulmate damn well knew who she was. She never got the chance. She found Bellatrix alright, flinging curses and cackling in glee. She never had a chance to approach her.

A figure appeared in a swirl of dark smoke. They wore a cloak, hood up covering their face. Bellatrix was obviously surprised, but she didn't have the chance to fight back. The figure placed their wand to Bellatrix's temple and she collapsed. She was caught by the figure before she hit the ground and then they were gone in a plume of dark smoke.

All that was left was a time turner that clattered to the ground. Hermione took it, and never told a soul about what she had seen. Not even when Harry and Ron came back from another fake Bellatrix sighting, frustrated at her evading them once more.

Voldemort was dead, every death eater besides Bellatrix was caught and the world was perfect.

Except it wasn't. Not for Hermione. She still had a soul mark. Bellatrix was alive, and now people had seen it. Quite by accident, but they knew now that she belonged to another. At least it stopped Ron from pursuing her.

Hermione couldn't concentrate, she couldn't work. Bellatrix became all consuming. Where in the world was she? There were no leads. Well, that wasn't quite true. There was one.

Hermione fiddled with the timer turner around her neck. It was different than any she had seen before. It didn't mark hours, but weeks. It was an oddity, and Hermione spent far too much time in the Lestrange vault trying to read up on it. She failed to find any information but it was her best hope.

Maybe she could go back and stop Bellatrix's abduction. Or at the very least, put a trace on her. Something. Anything to free her mind from thoughts of Bellatrix.

She didn't notice the curse on the time turner flaring to life until it was too late. It wasn't time she travelled through.

/

The call for fresh meat came combined with the rattling of cell doors. Bellatrix had taken part once, but now she focused more on blocking it out. Seven years of this shit and it was still the same.

The hoots and taunting cries stopped suddenly. Bellatrix's eyes snapped open and she sat up from her annoyingly uncomfortable cot. The warden stood outside her cell door, a guard at his side. The guard held an unconscious woman.

"Stay away from the door, ninety-three."

A grin curled across Bellatrix's face. The warden was scared of her. She knew he was.

"Have you bought me a toy?" She whispered.

The warden couldn't quite suppress the shudder that ran down his spine. Bellatrix cackled, and the guard quickly made to deposit the woman on the spare cot in Bellatrix's cell. Oh she didn't like this one bit, but she couldn't let them know that. A strange tingle started at the back of her neck. She reached up to itch it.

"Oh, I think we'll have a lot of fun together. I need someone to plait my hair. It gets so unmanageable."

The warden left without another word, just a disgusted look.

Bellatrix rushed over to the other woman. Carefully she lifted a finger, and shoved it not too gently into the other woman's cheek. She didn't respond. The woman was truly out of it.

Her hair was curly, and dark brown possibly black. It was hard to tell in the dim light of Azkaban. She was pretty with soft skin. The bags under eyes gave away a hidden tension. Though no one came to Azkaban without some sort of pain. Tattooed darkly across her neck what's the number one hundred and nine. Seven years and they only had seventeen new inmates. Seven years and Bellatrix had never had a roommate. she hated it but she wouldn't let the others see. If she was lucky the woman would never wake up. If she had the energy she would make sure the woman never did wake up.

/

Hermione woke with a start. She was cold, uncomfortable and her head hurt. Flashes of a life she hadn't lived filled her head.

The philosopher's stone, but no Quirrel. Meeting Sirius the holidays she spent with Harry's family. Lily and James Potter grinning at her, happy that Harry is making friends. A begrudging friendship with Ron, since they were both friends with Harry. Coming to her for homework help. The Triwizard Tournament, but without Harry competing. Congratulating Viktor on his win. Sending letters over the summer. It would never work between them, but she had made a new friend.

Ron asking her out.

Accepting one date. One turned into two, into three. It went on far too long.

"Who else is going to want to date you?"

"He didn't mean it, he's a good guy. You could do worse."

Ron proposing. Hermione accepting.

Making dinner while Ron complained that it wasn't ready yet.

She worked too much. Molly disapproved, her place was at home.

Ron coming home late on their anniversary, smelling like fire whiskey.

"I'll celebrate an anniversary when you actually marry me!"

Finding out he had cheated on her.

"I don't approve of my son's actions, but you can work through it, Hermione. Marriage is based off of compromise. Besides, boys will be boys."

Ron refusing to talk about it.

"If you weren't so damn work obsessed and frigid, I wouldn't have wandered. It's not my fault!"

Finding out Lavender Brown was having Ron's baby. Finding out from Molly.

"I know it's not nice to hear, dear. But I'm so excited! My first grandbaby!"

Crucio.

Crucio.

Crucio.

He begged. He promised to get better. He promised to kill the baby. Just as long as she stopped.

She did.

Avada Kedavra!

They weren't her memories, not really. They were this Hermione's memories. This Hermione knew about it. About time turner's with curses, and jumping between worlds. She had been an Unspeakable before…. before Ron.

Before she killed Ron.

Hermione sat up, and hand over her mouth as bile rose in her throat.

"If you throw up in my cell I will make you clean the mess with your tongue."

Hermione jerked her head to the side. She was in a cell. It was damp and cold. Azkaban. She'd been here before. No. Yes. No, the other Hermione had. For work. To interrogate prisoners. Yes, she was both of them now.

She had a shared cell. That was unusual. She had a shared cell with Bellatrix Lestrange. That was even more unusual.

"Cat got your tongue, pet?"

Hermione let out a high pitched giggle, and Bellatrix's gaze darkened.

"Great, they gave me an insane one."

She couldn't have helped it. Here she was, searching for her version of Bellatrix, and now she was locked inside a cell with one. Again, that was strange. Why was she sharing a cell? That wasn't normal Azkaban operating procedure. Unless…

"I'm not insane. At least, not yet. It's just funny, they couldn't bring themselves to give me a death sentence so they stuck me in here with you."

Bellatrix frowned. "What?"

"They expect you to kill me, or for me to kill you. Either way they wouldn't mind."

"Why would I kill you? And how could you possibly know that's their plan?"

Hermione slumped back onto her cot.

"Because I'm in your cell. Because I'm a muggleborn. Because I killed a pureblood. Because I'm annoying. As for how I know, I worked for the Ministry."

Bellatrix stiffened. "Doing what?"

Hermione turned her head and gave Bellatrix a pointed look. "I can't tell you."

Bellatrix nodded in understanding and turned away. The thought had been there of course, to hurt the woman who now sat in her cell. It was her cell after all. They didn't speak for the rest of the day and night.

/

"What's your name anyway?"

Hermione jerked awake. Bellatrix was leaning over her.

"What the fuck?"

"That's a weird name."

"Get out of my face, Bellatrix!"

Bellatrix cocked her head to the side, a dark frown covering her face.

"I never told you my name."

Hermione huffed and shoved the other woman away, but Bellatrix only stumbled a few steps.

Snickers came from further down the hall, along with calls predicting Hermione's death. It was very tempting to put the woman in her place, but Bellatrix suspected she was right. They wanted one or both of them to die in this cell, and she'd be damned if she was going to give them a show.

"We've been over this. Work kept me well informed." Hermione hissed.

She rubbed a hand over her face, and sighed.

"Hermione Granger. My name is Hermione Granger."

"Well, Hermione Granger, good to meet you. Welcome to Azkaban. I hope you enjoy your stay."

Hermione groaned and lay back down on her cot. She closed her eyes.

"The food is shit, and the front desk was down right rude. Not to mention, I think the security here are perverts. Who do I complain to?"

Bellatrix let out a pearl of laughter. She hadn't done that in a long time. The dementors would probably suck the fun out of the memory when they fed later that week.

"You're alright, Granger."

"That is so very comforting coming from a woman who tortured her husband into insanity." Hermione sighed. "Not that I can speak."

Bellatrix ran her tongue across her teeth.

"Soooooo…"

"Yes?"

"You killed a pureblood. Your husband, I'm guessing. Anyone I'd know?"

"Ugh. He was my fiance, not my husband. His name was Ronald Weasley."

Bellatrix let out a snort. "A Weasley? Well that just doesn't count! No one cares about Weasleys."

Hermione didn't respond, but a small smile did curve over her lips.

/

They spent the rest of the week alternating between chatting quietly and ignoring each other. Azkaban bought out everyone's darkest thoughts. Hermione told the story of her life, and it blurred so much that sometimes she couldn't tell if the story was from her original life or this one. Sleep deprivation did that to you. It didn't matter though, they were truly one and the same now. Perhaps it was unfair to the Hermione that had lived this life previously, but really, she'd done this to herself.

Well, no that wasn't quite fair. It seemed in this world, without Voldemort to focus on, her two best friends were a little more ready to discard and ignore her. She wanted to say it was unreasonable, but really Hermione didn't blame the other her as much as she should. She had been pushed to an edge, and she had refused to jump alone.

Bellatrix didn't like to talk about herself, but Hermione was able to pull some stories out of her. Eventually she told the story of her husband's torture. It wasn't pretty, but all it left Hermione with was rage for Rodolphus Lestrange. If the man still had half a mind she'd have been tempted to escape Azkaban just to torture him herself. How dare he try to touch her soulmate?

"We're going to have fun today, pet!"

Hermione groaned and shoved a hand at where she was sure Bellatrix was leaning over her. She was correct, and a hand roughly hit Bellatrix in the face, causing her to fall over.

"Why do you insist on waking me up each morning?"

"I get bored. Besides, today is the day that we get walkies!"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Black?" Growled Hermione.

"We get to leave our comfy little cell and play with the others."

Any response was interrupted by a loud announcement that filled the whole of Azkaban.

"Rise and shine, dunderheads. Cell doors will open in five minutes. Time for showers and then social time."

"See?" Bellatrix hissed.

Shower time was as awkward as Hermione expected. She was watched, and not in a good way. She was very clearly fresh meat, and several people wanted to take a bite. It was also freezing cold, which most certainly did not endear Hermione to it.

Hermione stuck close to Bellatrix, once they wandered into the communal social area. It was really just large room with a few tables and sofas. There were no books, or games. They'd probably been removed after a violent incident.

Bellatrix proudly whispered in Hermione's ear about her first social time, when some guy had tried to hit her. He'd been sent to the mediwitch with one ear missing. It was probably why no one bothered her while she hid in Bellatrix's shadow.

But Bellatrix couldn't be there forever. She didn't mind Hermione following her, but she did have her own shit to deal with. One of Bellatrix's more friendly fellow prisoners tilted her head at her. Maya was one of the few people she trusted to watch her back in the showers. The girl got teased for having a crush on her, but it was better than getting beaten up. Bellatrix had started a rumour that Maya looked just like her little sister, and that she couldn't stand the idea of her being hurt. There was an understanding within the prisoners, to take comfort where you could. Fuck buddies were common enough to see in communal time, as well as people curled up on sofas together, sharing intimacy in a place where it was hard to find. No one begrudged Bellatrix Maya's protection because they understood it.

"You'll have to stay here, Granger. I've got someone to talk to."

With that, Bellatrix was off. She curled up on a sofa with Maya, while Maya whispered in her ear.

"I noticed a mark on the back of your neck. I think it's your soul mark."

Bellatrix's breath stopped. She wanted to demand that Maya look, but if it were true then there was only one person it could be. There was only one person new in her life, and if the warden found out he would definitely take Hermione away from her.

"I'm going to plait your hair, Bella." Whispered Maya. "Get a better look."

Maya was a smart girl, Bellatrix liked that about her. She was only serving a three year sentence, it was likely that she'd leave Azkaban and be able to start up a whole new life. Bellatrix hoped she did.

They sat in silence as Maya worked, scraping her fingers through Bellatrix's hair to separate it since they didn't have a brush.

"It's black." Maya snorted. "Appropriate."

Bellatrix bit back a giggle. The wardens didn't like it when she laughed, it unnerved them, and she really didn't need to be separated from Maya right now.

"A sword, wrapped in a crown. I've seen it on someone else here, you know."

Bellatrix did know. Her eyes hadn't left Granger since they'd sat down. The woman was currently sitting in an armchair while a large man by the name of Charles stood over her. They had a disagreement, obviously, and then Granger stood, shoved a knee into his groin. Charles collapsed and Granger was on him, punching him a few times in the nose before grabbing his head, her thumbs digging into his eye sockets. She's pulled off by three guards, still kicking and screaming.

Bellatrix let out a cackle, and Maya chuckles softly behind her.

"She'll do, I think."

Maya nods and rests her head on Bellatrix's shoulder.

"Have fun with her once she gets out of solitary."

Blood status meant shit all when you had a life sentence in Azkaban. Her parents would have been furious to find out that her soul mate was a mudblood. Good.

/

Hermione didn't like solitary. She didn't mind being alone, but she didn't like the cramped quarters or the frequent dementors visits. They hadn't been this frequent back in her shared cell.

Dementors were horrible. Hermione hadn't lived a bad life, there had been happiness. In between feelings of being used and betrayal, but it was there. Well, no so much anymore. She struggled to remember the happiness. It was mostly bitterness now.

Two weeks of solitude and then she was dragged back to her cell and dropped on her bed. Bellatrix didn't even wait for the guard to leave before she crawled onto Hermione's cot.

Hermione felt another body on top of hers, heavy, but not too heavy. A sharp finger poked her cheek and she grumbled. Breath brushed against her nose and she sighed. It wasn't until fingers peeled back her eyelids that Hermione slapped Bellatrix's hands away.

"Do you mind?"

Bellatrix giggled softly in her ear. "Not at all. How was your stay in solitary?"

"Five stars, big rooms and great room service."

Bellatrix giggled again, this time louder. Hermione shifted underneath her. This Bellatrix obviously wasn't all there. Just a touch insane. But she was nothing like the Bellatrix from her world. Had Voldemort twisted her that much?

"You took out one of Charles' eyes. What did he do?" Bellatrix whispered.

"He recognised me."

Hermione wasn't exactly happy being left alone by Bellatrix, but despite the fact that she was in Azkaban, everyone seemed to be rather well behaved. Then again, losing social time was likely not something anyone wanted to face.

"I know you."

Hermione startled. She hadn't even noticed him approach, so focused on watching Bellatrix getting her hair plaited.

"I don't know you." Hermione snapped.

Lie. Charles Gilbert. He stole an artifact from a Muggle museum, and used it to go on a murdering spree. Hermione had been tasked with retrieving it. She had been so close. She had filled out all the stupid paperwork, and gone through all the right Muggle channels, only for Charles to steal it.

"You put me in here, you ministry whore!"

Hermione managed not to jump at the sudden shout.

"I was never a field operative, I had nothing to do with your arrest."

"You were at the trial, bitch. You testified against me."

"Yes." Hermione said cooly. "And your stupid burglary cost me three months of work."

He rushed her. She reacted. Knee up, fist to face, bring him to the ground and then thumbs digging into his eyes.

"Where did you learn all that, pet?"

"I was an Unspeakable. We have to pass Aurora training just to do research, including the hand to hand stuff." Hermione sighed. "I was half way through my field work training. It's … intense."

"Good. I'd hate to have to fight off the whole prison for you."

Hermione froze as Bellatrix's tongue pressed against her neck. She was still for several minutes while Bellatrix lapped at her pulse point.

"Ask, pet."

Hermione barely heard Bellatrix speak.

"Why would you fight them for me?"

Bellatrix's hand snaped out and curled around her wrist. The wrist that bore her soul mark. She held the wrist tightly, almost bruising it.

"You're mine."

Bellatrix sunk her teeth into Hermione's neck. Hermione jerks but doesn't let out a sound. Bellatrix started licking at the wound. They stay like that for the rest of the night. Bellatrix licking and nipping at Hermione's throat, and Hermione letting her. Slowly, Hermione drifts off. Neither witch wants to admit it's the best sleep they've both had since arriving in Azkaban, but each night afterwards always finds them sharing a bed.

/

It goes on for months. They whisper to each other, curled up on the same cot together. They tell each other everything. No judgement, just truths. They take what little comfort they can.

"Why did you kill him, pet?"

"He cheated. Got her pregnant, and then told me we could raise the child together."

Hermione isn't even angry when Bellatrix laughs about it.

"Idiot boy. He deserved it."

"Yes."

It turns physical only when they've said everything they can. Stroking, squeezing and gasping. They're always quiet, not wanting the warden to know. He might separate them, and that just wasn't something they were willing to risk.

The dementors steal it all away as soon as they can, so they make more warm memories to tide them over.

They have a visitor one day. Bellatrix almost expects it to be Narcissa, but surely it hasn't been a year yet? No, it's Hermione who recognises the man at their cell door. Bellatrix has Hermione in her arms. It's not a protective embrace, but a possessive one. Fingers hold too tightly, for too long. To Hermione it's the same thing though. She doesn't feel much anymore, she needs the extra pressure to know that Bellatrix is there.

"Hermione."

Hermione looks up at the man blankly for a few seconds. She had forgotten his face.

"Oh. Harry." Her voice is rough. She hasn't spoken in anything but a whisper in a long time.

Bellatrix's dark eyes dig into him. This … boy is the infamous Harry Potter. Hermione had told her much about him. Quidditch prodigy, one of the youngest auroras ever. Bellatrix flexed her fingers, digging them deeper into Hermione's arm and side. Hermione gasped at the pain. She didn't mind the pain, not really. It grounded her. It made Harry uncomfortable though, and the thought almost made Hermione laugh. Bellatrix did laugh.

Harry turned to the warden. "Can I talk to just Hermione? Not … her? I'm here on official Aurora business to get a statement, after all."

The warden licked his lips slowly.

"I wouldn't recommend it. Ninety-three is the possessive sort. She's not pretty when you take away her toys. Might not get one-oh-nine out in one piece."

Before Harry could respond, Hermione spoke up.

"I don't want to talk to you anyway."

The warden shrugged. "You heard the lady. She doesn't have to have visitors. Prisoner rights and all that."

"Wait!" Harry grabs the bars to their cell.

Hermione can feel Bellatrix growl behind her. She doesn't like it when people enter their cell, or touch the bars.

"I need to know that you feel sorry for what you did. I need to know you're still the girl I grew up with."

"Why?" Hermione hissed. "Because you still fight for me? You think I'm too stupid to realise that it was you that stopped them from giving me the kiss. I'm a muggleborn, who killed a pureblood, I know what they wanted from my trial. I know that Molly wanted to see me soulless."

Then Hermione laughed. Bellatrix started to cackle, and that started the whole wing up. Laughter, shouts and screams echoed down the hallway. The warden pulled Harry away from the cell door and started him towards the exit.

"I don't regret a thing, Harry Potter! He deserved it!"

It was the last thing Hermione would say to him.

/

Both Hermione and Bellatrix knew it was coming. There were only a few reasons that someone like Harry would come and visit when he never had before. Someone had appealed her case, and not for the better. They wanted a different sentence.

Bellatrix held Hermione closer to her. Never letting go, and always leaving terrified bruises or cuts. Hermione didn't mind. She felt alive for the first time in her life. Truly alive, and truly free. This wasn't what she had expected when she tried to find Bellatrix back in her own world, but she didn't regret it.

One morning Bellatrix woke up and Hermione was gone. She knew what it meant. They'd given Hermione the kiss.

Bellatrix screamed for three days straight. By the end her voice wasn't even working anymore.

/

Narcissa arrived to her yearly visit not knowing that anything was wrong. She soon realised that something was. Bellatrix was slow, paler than normal and she spoke in nothing but hushed whispers. She whispered to herself constantly, and almost didn't notice Narcissa at the bars to her cell.

"Oh, Bella. What happened?"

Bellatrix stared at Narcissa blankly for a long moment before suddenly moving. She scrambled to the cell bars and reached through, cupping Narcissa's cheek.

"I found her, Cissy." She whispered harshly. "My soul mate. I found her and they took her away. Gave her the kiss."

Bellatrix let out a long keening moan, and it was everything Narcissa could do not to sob at her sister's pain.

"I need you to do something for me." Bellatrix whispered, even quieter than before. "I need a mandrake leaf. Just one."

Narcissa didn't say anything about the request, she didn't show any emotion on her face.

"I miss you, Bella. Draco sends his love, as always. He's expecting his first born soon. I'll bring pictures when I can."

With a kiss to Bellatrix's forehead, through the cell bars, Narcissa was gone.

/

Getting the mandrake leaf had been the easy part. Narcissa had never let her down. Seeing photos of Draco all grown up with Scorpius had given her hope. She could do this, and not even the bloody dementors would stop her.

Keeping the mandrake leaf under her tongue for a month wasn't too difficult. There was a learning curve when it came to eating and drinking, but at least no one talked to her anymore. Maya had left three weeks ago, her sentence over.

The hard part was performing the spell. With no wand. In the dead of night. Unable to concentrate due to the screaming. She did it though. Her bones breaking, and skin ripping hurt enough to make her scream, but she'd felt worse.

After it was all over, she stood in the middle of her cell as a jackdaw. It would do.

Bellatrix hopped around a few times before fluttering her new wings. Flying would be interesting, but no time like the present to learn. She hopped up to the small window, high in her room. Even as a bird she struggled to squeeze between the bars, but she managed.

Where to go? She couldn't go to Black or Malfoy Manor. They'd expect that. She did need some supplies though, she couldn't go straight to her target. Lestrange Estate would have to do. No one would expect her to go back there, especially if Rabastan now lived there. They didn't know that Rabastan had hated his brother just as much as Bellatrix had.

/

The Lestrange Estate had been empty. It had made it easy for Bellatrix to retrieve the wand she stashed there after cursing her husband all those years ago. She had eaten, and bathed and slept until she felt ready.

For a month she hid, and not once did she see Rabastan. Bellatrix wondered if he still lived. Perhaps he knew she was there and left. It was the sort of thing he would do.

Eventually though, she had to move on with her plan. She flew to Diagon Alley as a jackdaw, and perched across from her target's shop. She was noticed a few times, but while he may of been suspicious, he most definitely did not think the jackdaw was Bellatrix. She held no ill will towards him, after all. It was almost a shame that he was so well respected in the wizarding world.

She spent days watching him. At one point she even built a nest just so he'd stop staring at her so carefully. Then her chance came.

It was the middle of the week, and the middle of the school term. There weren't too many people milling around Diagon Alley. Mr Ollivander dropped his newspaper, and when he stood back up he came face to face with Bellatrix.

She grinned down at him and gently placed her wand under his chin.

"Mr Ollivander. It's good to see you again. Back inside now. We have business to discuss."

Ollivander nodded and quickly turned, unlocking the door to his shop. Bellatrix followed him inside, her wand still pressed against Ollivander's back.

"Put your wand on the counter, Mr Ollivander. I just want a talk. Anywhere out back where we can sit and have tea?"

Ollivander nodded, retrieving and gently placing his wand on the counter. He led her out back where there was a tiny kitchen with a small bench for sitting at. There were only two seats.

Bellatrix took a seat, and gestured for Ollivander to take the other. He did.

"I don't intend to hurt you, Mr Ollivander. You are, unfortunately for yourself in this situation, rather important to the wizarding community. Therefore I'm afraid I am going to have to take you hostage in order to get what I want."

"Ms Lestrange…"

"Black, please. I know the paperwork likely wasn't filed, what with me being in Azkaban, but I will be addressed as Bellatrix Black."

Ollivander nodded. "Of course, my dear. You'll have to excuse me, I didn't think of it."

"You're excused." Bellatrix said with a raised eyebrow.

"Right. Ms Black, why am I being held hostage?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "I told you, you're important. Because I have you, they'll give me what I want."

"Ms Black, they'll kill you."

"Eventually, yes, but I will get what I want first."

"What is it you want, Ms Black."

"Simple. I want the world to know that Harry Potter killed my soulmate."

Ollivander's eyebrows shot up. "I'm sorry to hear that, my dear. I assume we will be staying in this shop a fair bit?"

Bellatrix nodded and stood. With a few flicks of her wand she moved several large boxes of wands out of the way, clearing out what had been a rather cramped dining room. The siding table became a comfortable enough bed and Bellatrix gestured towards it.

"That's yours."

"And where will you sleep?"

Bellatrix cackled. "I don't sleep anymore."

/

There were a lot of knocks on the shop door the next morning. Some more insistent than others. Bellatrix spent the early hours of the morning setting up charms and hexes. She covered every exit and entrance and made sure to inform Ollivander of each one. Just to make sure that he knew not to try and escape.

Ollivander had been exceedingly cooperative, and had even made them scrambled eggs for breakfast. It was one of the reasons that Bellatrix had picked him. Ollivander was a mysterious man, but he had known her father for a long time. She had been told the story of Ollivander's lost soulmate. A girl killed shortly after they met, from a stray spell in a duel. The man responsible had never been caught. Not by Auroras anyway. Cygnus Black knew how to look after his friends, and after the Auroras failed, he didn't.

The knocks on the door didn't become insistent until late in the afternoon. Bellatrix assumed that someone had reported that Ollivander's wasn't open, the first patrol hadn't gotten any response at the store, and a search had commenced. Eventually someone would have come back to the store and realised that there were two people inside. Homenum Revelio is a fantastic spell, as long as people remembered to use it.

"Mr Ollivander? We're with the Auroras! Can you open the door please?"

"Ms Black, what is your plan now?"

Bellatrix frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Mr Ollivander."

She raised her wand. "Imperious!"

/

Auroras Betty Francis and Gary Bernstein stood outside of Ollivander's. There had been concerns since the shop did not open that morning. No one had been able to find Ollivander. Now they knew that there were two people inside the store.

A shadow could be seen, slowly making its way to the door. The lock clicked and the door opened. A figure stood in the doorway.

"Mr Ollivander!" Gary said brightly.

Betty narrowed her eyes. Ollivander didn't look normal. His eyes were glassy and his wand was pressed tightly against his wrist. Betty pulled Gary back slightly and raised her wand.

"Ohhhh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Itty Bitty aurora." Ollivander said in a mocking tone. "I can slice open his wrist much faster than you can cast me from his mind, and that would kill him."

A cruel smile pulled across his lips, nothing like the happy smiles he gave so many first time wand owners. He raised his arm up, wand still pressing into his wrist. He looked down at his arm fondly. There were black tendrils swirling underneath his skin.

"See, what I've done is a very rare type of blood magic. The creature in him is contained, for now. The moment I cut his skin open though…" Ollivander cackled. "Well, that's when things become fun. Ollivander no longer has an arm, you no longer have faces and no one can control the little blighter. Not even me."

Betty grit her teeth. "May I have the pleasure of your name?"

Ollivander chuckled. "You're a polite one. Yes. You can call me Bellatrix. Bellatrix Black."

Gary's eyes widened. "You're in Azkaban!"

"Sure about that, newbie?" Ollivander said with an eye roll. "Anyway, I intend to stay here for a little while. Good old Ollivander is my very … accommodating guest and will remain so. I know you're going to have this place surrounded soon enough, but this shop is locked up tighter than Azkaban. I should know. Ta ta for now!"

Ollivander stepped back and the door slammed shut in the aurora's faces. Gary gaped at the door.

"We need to get in there!"

Betty snorted. "We need back up. Black is insane, we cannot take her alone."

/

When Ollivander came to he was sitting at the kitchen bench.

"Did it go as intended?"

Bellatrix nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Ollivander rubbed his wrist, wondering why it ached. He saw darkness move beneath his skin.

"Ms Black? What have you done to my arm?"

"What?" Bellatrix said distractedly as she applied just a few more security charms to the room. "Oh. Right. It's just a temporary tattoo. It'll fade in about a week. It's meant to be a squid, I just did it badly. Say, do you have an owl? I really need to send my sister a message."

/

Rita Skeeter stared down at the letter in her hands. Hand delivered by Narcissa Malfoy herself it was a goldmine of gossip and truths unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Laid out in front of her was the life story of Hermione Granger. Murderer. Any article she wrote from this would upset a heap of people. Everyone wanted to feel bad for Ronald Weasley. The pureblood with a crazy muggleborn fiancé, it practically wrote itself. It was a golden opportunity to destroy that idea. She'd be hated and loved in equal amounts. Just the sort of publicity she needed with a new book coming out.

A fantastic opportunity, but the postscript did terrify her.

P.S I may currently be holding someone hostage, but don't think for a second that I can't still get to you and make you very sorry if I don't like what I read. This is still my soulmate we're talking about, Bug.

/

They had been camped outside of the shop for two days, and the only thing that Black had asked for was a copy of the Daily Prophet each morning. Ollivander would walk up to the door, open it and take the newspaper while insisting he was being treated just fine.

They had tried to grab him once, only to find that their were wards to stop them. Very painful wards. Painful wards seemed to be the way Bellatrix did things. So far no one had been able to gain access to the shop. They even had a few of Gringotts' best curse breakers have a look. Still nothing.

Some of the older auroras remembered why it had been so hard to arrest Black the first time.

Today, when Ollivander took the morning newspaper he glanced down to check it like always. His eyes caught on the headline.

Golden Boy Ronald Weasley a Cheat?

"Well," Ollivander said quietly to the aurora handing over the paper. "I've a message to pass on from Ms Black. She'll negotiate with Harry Potter only. Two hours."

He shut the door.

Bellatrix was ecstatic with the article Rita had written. She didn't mind it having taken longer than expected when she found that it involved extra interviews with Hermione and Ron's school buddies that made Ron seem like an idiot, and a particularly damaging quote from Draco as one of Hermione's work colleagues.

"I can't say I ever understood their relationship. As far as I could tell, he always seemed to take her for granted. There was even a rumour going around that Weasley was given a warning after showing Granger confidential files in order to get her help on an active case."

Merlin she loved that boy, always so fiesty.

/

Two hours went quickly, and Ollivander found himself at the door, gesturing for Harry to enter. Harry paused at the door.

"The wards have been taken down, Mr Potter."

Harry nodded and entered the shop. Ollivander watched him until he was behind the counter before speaking.

"Good luck, Mr Potter. I think you'll need it."

With that he stepped outside of the shop and shut the door behind him. It locked, and no matter how hard Harry jiggle the door knob, it wouldn't open.

"Come now Potter! It's time we had a talk."

With no other choice, Harry headed deeper into the shop. His wand was ripped from his hand the moment he entered the back room.

Bellatrix sat at a small dining table. There was one free chair opposite her.

"Sit, Potter."

He sat. "You wanted to negotiate, Black?"

Bellatrix snorted. "There's nothing to negotiate. Ollivander is free. In fact, the only hostage I have now is you."

"I think you'll find I'm a poor hostage to have." Harry spat.

"I imagine you're poor at a lot of things, Potter. Keeping your friends alive is somewhere near the top of the list."

Bellatrix twirled Harry's wand in her fingers, watching it absentmindedly.

"What do you want?"

Bellatrix met Harry's eyes. "I wanted to look you in the eye. I wanted to see the boy responsible for my soulmate's death."

"She bought it on herself!"

"She wasn't the one that used a faulty, inadmissible statement to give herself the kiss! No lawyer, no preparation time and asking while her mind was still messed up by dementors? You wanted her to be given the kiss, don't deny it!"

"She deserved it! I have no friends anymore! Everyone treats me differently. I thought if I saved her from the kiss it would be fine, but it wasn't. Making sure she got the kiss was the only way to make sure my life went back to normal. Everyone judges me now, I just want to leave it behind me."

Tears welled up in Harry's eyes, but Bellatrix had no sympathy for him.

"You made her life horrible. You used her for her intelligence and then threw her away once you were done. You used her as homework help and that's it. I doubt you'd have even become an Aurora without her help. You encouraged her to say in an unhappy and unhealthy relationship because it made your life easier. You're a weak, and pathetic man."

Bellatrix raised her wand to her temple and drew out a memory. She quickly bottled it in a vial pulled from a pocket. She held the vial up.

"When they find this on me, it's going to become evidence. Your life will never go back to normal. Just be glad I'm not planning to track down your soulmate for revenge."

"What happens now?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Now I beat you bloody and toss you out the front door." Bellatrix cracked the knuckles on one of her hands. "History will remember Hermione for her crimes, but it will also remember you and Weasley as the ones that pushed her there."

Bellatrix grinned. She couldn't help it. She was so going to enjoy hurting Potter.

/

Hermione jerked awake when she heard knocking. She looked around and recognised the inside of the Hogwarts Express.

"Yes?"

The door to her compartment opened and a young Neville stuck his head in.

"Have you seen a toad? Only I've lost one."

"Um, no sorry." Hermione rubbed her eyes. "I'll keep a look out though."

Neville grinned. "Thanks!"

The door slam shut and Hermione quickly looked at the window. Staring back at her was an eleven year old Hermione. She didn't even have her gryffindor colours yet.

"Shit."

Hello readers. I started this when I should have been working more on Lady Magic, but I had a really bad week and this is what made me happy, so here we are.

Updates for this story won't be regular as the chapters will tend to vary in length, but I'm going to have a lot of fun with it.

Anyone is more than welcome to suggest various AUs for Hermione to find herself in, though I already have a few. I just love the idea of world hopping soulmate love.

Also, no, not every chapter will be as bleak as this first one, though they did meet in Azkaban, so it was a little expected.