Broken Bits

23. Breaking Routines

Hermione soon discovered that being in prison meant you lived a very strict routine everyday. She'd be woken early in the morning, usually by the sound of a guard banging his hands on the steel bar door.

Then she'd be guided down the long hallways, between other female prisoners, until they found themselves in a cafeteria. She never spoke a word anyone, and no one spoke to her. She was easily one of the youngest in the prison, and was often stared at.

She found out a few months in that she was in a muggle prison, which explained the dazed looks when guards looked at her. They had been spelled to simply accept her position within the prison, and not berate her or ask her questions.

She found herself living in the shadows.

After breakfast, she'd be guided to a large shower room. Where she would strip among the other female prisoners, and take a short five minute shower before putting on another ashen gray jump suit. Hermione had started to suspect that they were never really washed, just simply traded each day.

After showering, they were allowed a few hours of outside time, then lunch then in their cell until dinner time. After dinner time they had mingling hours in a large sort of game room. Most of the other prisoners played random card games, or muggle board games that Hermione faintly recognized.

Hermione however, would usually wander by the small library in the corner. It was mainly muggle textbooks for prisoners who were trying to get some sort of diploma in prison, but Hermione took whatever she could.

In only three months Hermione had read every single textbook, so she simply started over. Reading them one by one, going down the shelves.

She hadn't seen or even heard from Mr. Yukon since the day she had been placed in her cell. She felt her magic slipping everyday. It was being suppressed inside the steel walls of the prison, and her fingers were itching to cast a spell.

She was only three months into her ten year sentence, and yet not a day didn't go by that she didn't think of Fred's warm smile greeting her. Or his large hands caressing her cheeks as they laid in bed together. Or Fred's loud laugh when Hermione stumbled or told a lame joke. Or the way Fred's lips felt pressed against hers.

In the three months she had been locked away, the image of Fred's crest fallen face as she threw herself into the green flames of the fireplace would not leave her mind.

She had hurt him. Just as Ron had hurt her.

It took Fred and Ron a few weeks, but eventually apologies were made, forgiveness was granted and they sealed it all off with a proper hug. Ron about nearly cried, but when George told an ill timed joke he found himself instead wrestling him to the floor. The three laughed until their mother tore them apart, and dragged them into the kitchen for a meeting.

It was like the Order all over again. Harry found it rather strange he wasn't the topic of conversation, or that his life didn't come into play. Instead it was all about Hermione, and what she was possibly thinking.

Fred at first, was entirely livid with her. Heart broken that she hadn't told him, or even bothered to leave a note of explanation.

She instead left her ring with Ron, and let herself be dragged away to be thrown behind bars. Completely disregarding the pact they had made with one another.

Everyone else was simply confused. This wasn't the Hermione they knew. To make such a rash, unfortunate decision. To not even ask for a second opinion. To just simply dive head first.

Hermione didn't dive head first. She thought through every outcome, every consequence and every reward until she found the best possible path.

It was half the reason Harry was alive. It was half the reason Voldemort had been defeated. It was the entire reason why Fred loved her.