Her Pale, Dark Saviour
AN: Hey, hope you all like this! Even though it's a drama, I couldn't help but put in a StarKid reference...sorry. If you're interested, the link for the cover photo is on my profile if you want to see it.
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would've put this scene in Deathly Hallows, or something similar. So I guess that means I don't own it.
The prisoners lurched into one another as they landed in a country lane. Hermione saw a pair of wrought-iron gates at the foot of what looked like a long drive.
"We've got Harry Potter!" Greyback roared triumphantly at the gates which promptly swung open. All four prisoners were tied back-to-back so she had to stagger sideways.
Greyback explained gruffly to a woman, that the snatchers and he had captured a person they believed to be Harry Potter and another who looked just like Hermione Granger.
"Bring them in." Narcissa said and they were dragged after her. "My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Harry Potter, he will know."
Harry's face had not recovered from the hex she used on him so the Snatchers and the Malfoys couldn't be absolutely certain it was him. They found themselves in a vast drawing room.
"What is this?" Lucius asked in his drawling voice.
"They say they've got Potter." Said Narcissa. "Where's Draco?"
"He's out helping Dolohov; he should be back in a few minutes." Lucius informed his wife. Hermione was relieved that he wasn't there to identify Harry; it would buy them time to come up with a plan. She felt pity for Draco, although he was a prat, she somehow knew he wasn't a murderer and it was unfair that he was forced into the Death Eater life. "Is it Potter?"
"We had better be certain, Lucius. If we are mistaken, and call the Dark Lord here for nothing…"
"What about the Mudblood, then? Growled Greyback, the Snatchers swivelled the prisoners around again, so that the light fell on her.
"Wait," said Narcissa sharply. "Yes it is her; I saw her picture in the Prophet."
"But then, that's the Weasley boy!" shouted Lucius, striding around them to face Ron. "Isn't it Arthur Weasley's son?"
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?" A woman's voice cried out.
Bellatrix Lestrange walked around the captives, then stopped and stared at Hermione. "But surely this is the Mudblood Granger?"
"Yes, yes it is Granger!" Lucius cried. "And that's Potter, we think, Potter and his friends, caught –finally."
"Potter? Are you sure? The Dark Lord must be summoned at once."
"I was just going to call him." Lucius grasped her wrist, stopping her from touching her Dark Mark. "I shall call him as Potter was brought under my roof and is consequently upon my authority –"
"STOP! Bellatrix shrieked after Lucius threw her off him and was about to call his master. "Do not touch it; we shall perish if he comes now!"
Lucius froze, his index finger hanging above his forearm.
"What is that?" She said.
"Sword." Grunted a Snatcher Hermione couldn't see.
"Give it to me."
"It's mine, I reckon. I found it."
There was a bang and a flash of red light signifying the Snatcher had been stunned.
"What do you think you're playing at, woman? Scabior drew his wand.
"Stupefy!" She screamed. There were four of them but she had no trouble finishing them off. Greyback was forced into a kneeling position as the others fell to the floor. She gripped the sword tightly and with the other hand she took his wand. "Where did you find this sword? Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"
"It was in their tent." She released him and he stood behind an armchair.
"If it is Potter, he mustn't be harmed. "The Dark Lord wants him for himself." She turned to her sister. "Put the prisoners in the cellar, I need time to think."
"This is my house, Bella; you don't give the orders –"
"Do it! You don't know the peril we're in!"
Narcissa turned to the werewolf, "Take them to the cellar."
"Wait," Bellatrix said suddenly. "Take them all except for the Mudblood."
"No!" Shouted Ron and Harry.
"Take them downstairs, Greyback, and make sure they're secure."
She cut Hermione's ropes and dragged her to the middle of the room. Hermione saw Greyback force the others to stumble to a door.
She heard the echoing bang of the cellar door and then a cry of "Crucio!" she heard herself scream from the unbearable pain. Harry and Ron were both shouting out for her. The fact that they were gave her hope, she clung to that hope as she screamed again.
"Where did you get the sword?"
"We f-found it." Hermione trembled.
"Liar! Crucio!"
Hermione was quivering with fear and the aftereffects of the curse.
"I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"
"We found it – we found it – PLEASE!" Hermione screamed again as Bellatrix cursed her again.
"FILTHY MUDBLOOD!"
Hermione's screams resonated throughout the large drawing room.
000000000
"Master Draco, it is good to see you."
"Good to see you too, Stinky." He patted the elf's head fondly and he tiredly shrugged off his cloak and gave it to the smiling elf.
"You is too nice, Master Draco. Master Malfoy is wanting to see you, Master Draco."
"Do you know what for?"
"Snatchers brought prisoners; Master Malfoy is wanting you to identify them."
Dolohov appeared at the doorway that Draco had just vacated and threw his cloak at Stinky. "Where's Rowle?"
"Mr Rowle is in the sitting room, Mr Dolohov." Stinky replied.
"Coming, Draco?"
"No, my father wants me to look at some prisoners."
Dolohov waked away and Draco turned to Stinky.
"So why does Father need me identify these prisoners? Do I know them?"
"Yes, they is Harry Potter and his friends."
"Stupid Potter is supposed to be fighting the Dark Lord and ending this war, what is he getting captured for?" He muttered before he realised something.
"Was there a girl with them? About my age, brunette?" He whispered.
"Yes, Master Draco."
"Where is she?" His heart dropped to his stomach.
"They took them all to the drawing room, I don't know if they is still there."
"Thank you, Stinky." He strode briskly towards the drawing room, he wanted to run but then people would wonder why they could hear running through the long hallways. She might not be hurt; it might even be someone else. Maybe she escaped to another country and the brunette might be someone else. Yeah, like she would run away from a war, I wish she had, she would be safe.
He heard a girl scream and he knew it was her; he cast a silencing spell on his feet and broke into a run. Oh Merlin, please don't let me be too late.
"You should've cracked by now! He heard Bellatrix shriek. "Crucio!"
Hermione screamed again.
"I'll kill you if you don't tell me!" Bellatrix shouted.
Kill me instead, please.
The door was ajar and Draco peeked in and saw that his father was sitting in an armchair, facing away from the door. There were only two other occupants of the room. His aunt was pacing the floor, circling a body that was lying motionless. She looked so pale Draco feared she was dead but he saw her chest rise slightly and he exhaled in relief and waited for the right time to attack. He crept silently into the room and strategically slunk behind Bellatrix.
Hermione lay on the floor, waiting for Bellatrix to strike again, she felt like there was nothing more to live for, and Harry, Ron and everyone else would be killed. A tear slipped down to join the many others that had accumulated on the floor beneath her head. She wish it would be all over, that Bellatrix would just kill her. It wasn't like Hermione to give up like this, but she felt as if Dementors were swarming around her, and that she'd never be happy again. If someone could save her, it would give her hope and she would fight this war until her last breath, and she wouldn't give up, if only someone would help them. But no one was coming; she let out a tiny sob and Bellatrix muttered "Pathetic Mudblood."
Suddenly, she saw black shoes attached to long legs; she looked up and saw the face. It was pale enough to be a ghost, yet the man had a dark aura. Malfoy, he won't kill me –he isn't evil, but he won't save me either. She looked at him and he raised a finger to his lips. What is he doing?
He stepped over the Sword of Gryffindor and closer to Bellatrix; he flourished his wand, guiding a pale blue light to hit Bellatrix's head. She dropped her wand, and fell to her knees, quavering with pain.
"Don't call her that name." He hissed, Bellatrix had a look of shock and fear as she looked shakily at her nephew who waved his wand and she collapsed on the floor, unconscious.
Lucius –in his inebriated state, had only just realised what was happening. "How dare you!" He pulled out his wand before Draco effortlessly stunned him. Draco then dropped to his knees and inspected Hermione; he was relieved that she had no external injuries.
"Granger, are you alright?" He asked; his eyebrows knitted in concern.
She couldn't find the words to say so she just nodded. She pushed herself up and almost fell onto the floor but Draco caught her.
"I've got you."
"Harry…Ron."
"Where are they?"
"They're –they're in the cellar."
"Stinky!" He called and she appeared. "I need you to go and release the prisoners in the cellar."
She disappeared with a pop.
Draco sat on the floor and pulled Hermione into a sitting position. "It's ok Granger; I'm not letting you go." She actually felt tremendously comforted by this.
They heard a pop and Draco raised his wand at the newcomer.
"Don't hurt Dobby!" He wailed.
"Dobby?" Draco lowered his wand, surprised.
"Hello, Master Draco. Mistress Hermione, is you alright?"
"Dobby, Stinky is freeing Harry Potter and the others in the cellar. Will you help her, please? I'll watch Granger."
Dobby disappeared and soon both the elves reappeared with all the prisoners.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted and he and Harry ran over.
"Malfoy, get away from her!" Harry ordered.
"It's fine, he's the one who saved us all." Hermione assured them.
"Oh, thank you." Harry said.
"Thank me later, Potter. Go grab some wands from over there."
Harry and Dean scrambled over to the other side to get wands lying on the table. Harry picked up the sword.
"Can you stand?" Draco asked her. She nodded and he helped her up, her legs were still wobbly so she leant against him and he wrapped an arm around her. "Is that everyone?"
"Yes." Luna said.
"Dobby, you have to disapparate them all out of here." Draco said to Dobby then turned to Harry. "Do you have somewhere safe to go?"
"The Shell Cottage." Ron said.
"Take them to the Shell Cottage and take Stinky with you, she can help you and if she stays they'll kill her if they find out what she did. Hurry, before someone comes here." He said, and then turned to Ron. "Weasley, take Granger."
"No, you're coming with us." She proclaimed, clutching him.
"I can't come with you. I'm a Death Eater."
"Who just saved our lives, you're coming with us."
"Everyone hold on." Harry said.
Ron wrapped and arm around Hermione's waist as Draco let go of her.
"Malfoy…" She said sternly.
Just then, Rudolphus Lestrange burst into the room. Draco stunned him but unfortunately, Rudolphus somehow managed to revive his wife before collapsing.
"Now Dobby!" Draco shouted; he was standing a few feet away, too far for Hermione to grab him.
"I'll kill that Mudblood!" Bellatrix shrieked and threw a silver knife.
Draco watched it cut through the air in slow motion; he leapt in front of Hermione who grabbed him as they all begin to spin.
He landed on a cold beach, he was lying on the ground and Hermione was crouching beside him, holding his hand.
"It's ok, I've got you. We're going to heal you." She soothed.
"We will help you, kind Master Draco." Dobby said and he and Stinky –who had apparated with them, started to work their magic on him. He glanced to his left and saw a deep wound in his left shoulder; his blood staining the sand, the knife was lying on the ground alongside him. That explains the pain.
"You should get inside, Granger." The elves had helped him to sit up so that they could heal him and he saw a cottage close by, two people were coming out of it towards them.
"I'm not letting you go." She repeated his words; he had never heard anything more comforting in his life.
"You should rest."
"Shhhh." She stroked his hair. "I'm staying with you, it's the least I can do after you saved all of us and saved my life twice."
"I'm sorry I couldn't get there earlier. You need to rest."
"It's ok. I'll be fine." She was sitting on the ground and put Draco's head on her shoulder.
Bill came running towards them. "Hermione are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"She's not, make her go inside." Draco groaned.
"I'm waiting here with him." Hermione stated.
"Master Draco, we can take you inside now. The wound is closed." Stinky said.
"Thank you, Stinky."
"Do you need help, Malfoy?" Bill asked as the two tiny elves helped Draco stumble to his feet.
"She's the one who needs help." He pointed to Hermione.
"Hang on, I'll get you both some potions." Bill ran back to the house. "I'll get Harry and Ron to help you inside in the meantime. Come with me Dobby." He called over his shoulder.
"Don't call them they're exhausted." She said but Bill had gone, along with Dobby and Stinky.
Draco ripped off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. She looked up at him from her seat on the ground.
"You were shivering." He explained. "Sorry about the blood."
"But now you're shivering." She argued.
Instead of replying he bent down, picked her up bridal style, and staggered towards the cottage.
"Malfoy put me down now. You're far too weak."
"Ouch, that bruised my ego. Do you not think I'm manly enough?" He smirked.
"Shut up and let me walk."
"Yes. When I drop dead."
"I don't have the energy to argue with you."
"Good." He smiled as he reached the cottage. "Where can I put her?"
"On ze couch, you should av waited, we would av helped you both." Fleur scolded.
"I'm fine; do you have a potion for her?" He put her on the allocated couch and covered her with a blanket.
"Yes, now lie down over there." Fleur commanded.
He obediently lay down on the couch next to Hermione's. Fleur gave her a potion and then to Draco, as well as another potion and a blanket. Draco smiled gratefully before Fleur left.
"Malfoy, I never did thank you."
"For what?"
"For everything, thank you." She smiled.
"Dobby would have saved you anyway." He shrugged.
She grabbed his hand. "But you did instead, and Dobby didn't jump in front of a knife for me, nor carry me when he was wounded, you did."
I'd do more if I could.
He smiled weakly at her before abruptly falling asleep.
She smiled at how peaceful he looked; he had giving her hope –her knight in black robes. She realised now that the darkness she had seen emanating from his pale face was not an effect of evil, but of anger. She kissed his hand and kept her hold on it as her eyelids drooped; the last thing she saw before drifting off was Draco Malfoy –her pale, dark saviour.
AN: Please review and tell me what you think. It is a one-shot, by the way.
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