"I'm Sorry."

by Lady Draco

dayna_scully@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: They aren't mine. Wish they were but they're not. They belong to some lass named J.K. Rowling.

SUMMARY: Draco POV; angst.

RATING: R - Swear words and implied rape.

NOTE: This is just a spur of the moment story that really hasn't had much thought put into to it. So there really isn't much editing or accurate spelling. Enjoy though.

*~*

It was like a gameshow. Except not what you think. The crowd cheers when the 'contestant' is beaten, cursed or mutilated and then the crowd boos when the 'contestant' fights back. It's wrong. It's totally wrong. This whole situation is wrong and at this point, I am in no position to rectify it.

I was at a meeting. My first meeting at that. And I was hardly enthralled about attending it. I used every excuse in the book to try and get out of it but it was a no go for me. My father said that it would be a learning experience. Fuck that, I said to him and he hit me across the face. But that's how it is. That's how I am. Well, how I am suppose to be anyway.

I am only a child. Well, although I may argue at other times that I am an adult, when I see this, I know that I am still a child. I cringe in shock at what these people are subjected to and I cop a bloody nose. I have never seen such horrifying images in my entire life. I have been forced to watch innocent people being beaten and mutilated whilst others, like my father, cheer it on. I am utterly horrified. But I am not as horrified at the beginning as I am now.

A young woman is being brought into the meeting from a side door. Her head is hanging limply on her neck and she is being dragged by two men. The crowd around me cheers, hooting and wolf-whistling this girl. My father is looking smug, a smirk playing on his lips. I don't know what he is up to but I am immediately frightened for this woman. So far, all the victims have been males. This is the first woman and by the sounds of it, the crowd haven't been given a treat like this in a long time. I shudder inwardly. These people ... my father enjoys this type of torture.

Beside me, my father stands and makes his way through the crowd. I am unsure of what he is going to do until he removes his jacket. The two men beside the woman lift her arms and tie her to manacles. The crowd cheers. I hear men screaming 'Take 'er clothes of!' and 'Give it to her hard, Malfoy!' I block out the sounds painfully and look at the woman.

She has a thick wave of brown hair which is now knotted and tangled. Her dress which once seemed white is now brown and tattered. Her arms and legs are bloodied and she doesn't seem to be able to stand up. All I want to do is run down there and hold her, telling her that it will be alright. But I can't. If I do, I'll be in her place.

'Gentlemen. Ladies.' My father is standing in front of the woman now, looking into the crowd. 'Welcome! Tonight we're in for a bit of a show...' The crowd cheers. 'Settle, settle. Tonight my son has joined us for the first time. As of today, he will join us and be like us. Son, will you come down here.'

I have shrunken into the back of my chair. All eyes are on me now. My father is looking at me expectantly but still with the evil gleam in his eye. He beckons me, muttering under his breath. I am unable to stop myself. I stand awkwardly to the cheers of the crowd and walk unsteadily down to my father. He clasps my shoulder and whispers in my ear.

'She's yours, Son.'

I am probably the most shocked that I have ever been. Mine? What am I supposed to do with her? Keep her in a cage and teach her tricks. I shake my head. For that, I recieve a sharp blow to my temple. I can see stars now and I shake my head quickly to clear it. My father is muttering under his breath, looking sharply at me.

Unable to resist, I reach into my pocket and pull out my wand. I hold it limply in my hand as I look at the woman. Her head is still down and I can hear her cursing softly. She is evidently in a lot of pain and I am to invoke more on her. I try to walk away and leave but I can't. My mind is telling me what to do.

//Hit her. Beat her. Fuck her.//

The words just run around in circles in my head. With what is left of my sanity and control over my body, I reach forward and lift the woman's head up. She looks at me in the eye and I crumble. My heart breaks and screams for help. It is her. A classmate; an enemy but still a classmate. This is all my father's doing, I know it.

I turn to my father and tell him that I want to speak with the 'Mudblood' alone. The word hurts to say it. He looks at me intently and then nods, pointing me towards a room to the left. The two men un-manacle her and drag her into the room, with me following. The crowd behind me boo and hiss and I can just hear my father telling them that his son wants a moment alone.

The room is bare. They have dropped her on the floor like a sack of potatoes and she lays crumpled on the ground, groaning. I move quickly to her. Kneeling beside her I raise her head off the ground to look at me. Her eyes search mine weakly.

'Granger...' I say softly, a tear trailing down my cheek. She looks at me sadly, knowing what is going to happen next. I pull her close to me and I let the tears flow. I sob into her hair, the evil in me evaporating in every tear. She holds me softly around the waist. I can feel her chest hacking under me and I pull slightly away from her to look at her. She too is crying but there is a sort of light in her eyes. She knows me. From this small moment of anguish, she knows me. She can see into my soul and she can feel my pain. There is a small smile on her lips as she leans forward towards me, mustering every bit of strength that she has, and kisses me softly on the lips. And then she falls back slowly, her eyes flickering upwards as she draws her last breath.

I hold her, not letting her go, apologising through tears and sorrow. I look up towards the sky and say my final goodbye.

'I'm sorry.'

*~*