Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognized character or depictions in this piece. This is just my lovely brain experimenting. Happy Reading!
A/N: WARNINGS! Dark violence, torture, character death, abduction, and the possible need for tissues.
Bitter Beauty
Prologue
Morning light flickered in the curtains, causing streams to dance on the sleeping couple. An arm flew up to block the glare and groan escaped pitifully, causing a chuckle from another.
"Morning, Love," Hermione whispered dreamily against his chest.
Ron curled into his wife, back facing the light. "Morning, Beautiful."
The two curled into each other, enjoying the quiet of the morning. Hermione was thankful to have him home after a week long mission tracking down their latest sightings of Fenrir's followers. Their two-year-old daughter, Rose, was currently staying at the Burrow to allow her parents some privacy. Hermione was all too happy for the opportunity. Merlin knew, two months from now there would be a second bundle of joy to dote on.
"When does Mum expect me?" he asked.
"Around 10, I suspect. I have to be at work in an hour, so you have the whole day to spoil her like a princess," she responded.
He snuggled in, "Like you'd have it any other way," he quipped.
"How about dinner tonight and extra dessert?" Hermione whispered against his chest.
"Sounds delicious, Mione," he said, as his fingers stoked her shoulders and protruding belly.
Her kissed his chest and shoulders before asking, "My maternity leave begins in about six weeks. No more missions until after the baby is here, right?"
"Harry has assured me that he and the team can handle them. I'm restricted to paperwork and court dates until our son is two months old. Perks of being a war hero, eh?" he chuckled into her hair.
"Speaking of your son, he needs a name, ya know." she sighed.
"I still want Hugo," Ron replied, laughing.
She groaned, "Fine. Hugo. But Hugo what?"
"I let you decide the middle name. I'll take a win when I can, Love," he relented.
She made to swat him, but gripped her belly instead, gasping loudly. Ron kissed her forehead, while massaging her hip.
"Bloody hell, I detest these false labor pains," she groaned. She sighed heavily before leaving the warmth of their bed and waddled to the bathroom.
"Merlin, that's a rather fanciable sight. Mione, I do believe I hit the jackpot," he flirted, eyes glued to her naked form.
She disappeared into the bathroom, but not before flipping her curls flirtatiously, winking, and beckoning him to join her in the shower. The ginger flipped out of the bed, chasing his wife. Echoes of giggles and moans filled the hall and bedroom.
Later that morning
A little girl ran from the fireplace, her doll at her side. Flaming red, wild curls bounced around her beautiful face, as her blue eyes sparkled.
"Daddy, Granddaddy gave me this really cool toy that flew across the room if I pulled this stick. He told me it was holo...holocepper," she prattled.
Ron followed her inside, smiling at the toddler as he sealed the floo. "Helicopter, sweetheart," he corrected.
He took a step, and instantly bristled at the atmosphere. Something was off...deeply wrong.
"Rosie," he called. He tried to keep his voice level, hoping to keep his daughter calm. He knew it was imperative to get her out as soon as possible. He quickly sent a distress patronus to Harry and the rest of team, hoping they would be there momentarily.
Rose stood frozen at the kitchen door, eyes wide with horror, unshed tears gleaming in them, and scream threatening to pierce the air.
"Rosie, baby, come to Daddy," he urged.
Her lip quivered, and she gasped as a shadow emerged from the corner. She ran to her father, hiding behind his legs. Ron stood face to face with the very demon he had spent his adult life hunting.
"Heard you were looking for me, Weasel. Delicious smelling spawn. I'm sure she'll make an excellent snack later," a cruel voice rasped, before cackling.
"Fenrir, you filthy bastard!" Ron seethed.
The werewolf sneered and licked his lips, as he inhaled deeply. Ron's fingers grasped his wand tightly, ready to protect Rose, no matter the cost.
"Boys, take the young lass for a play date. I'm sure she'll behave until I return," Fenrir growled.
Four pack members stood behind the auror, crouched and prepared to pounce. An illusion charm sparkled in the air, giving their position away. One boldly approached the child, and Ron silently blasted him against the wall. The man collapsed against the wall, neck broken and limp.
"Touch her and you will suffer the same fate," her father snarled. He flicked a shield around her and she was instantly surrounded by an impenetrable bubble that would last until he cast the key spell or it would dissolve in the event of his death.
"So you want to play, do ya? Bad choice, boy!" Fenrir roared.
Hexes began flying, destroying the Granger-Weasley home. Rosie's bubble evaded the jets of light, as she watched her father battle against the four invaders. Ron swiftly takes out two of them, resorting to brute force to snap the neck of one. He was now up against Fenrir and his last lackey. His chest was heaving and blood and sweat blurred his vision from the various slicing curses that struck him. Fenrir launched himself at the exhausted wizard, toppling over the overturned furniture. Ron tried to blast him away, but he was struck with a cruciatus curse from the other wolf.
Rose shut her eyes and covered her ears, as her father's agonizing wails bounced along the walls.
"Daddy!" she screams, hot tears raked across her little face.
The auror writhes on the floor, until he is able to gather his strength to fight the boiling torture in his veins. His raw magic bursts from him, ending his pain as Greyback and his lackey are flung across the room.
The demon crouches once more, the lunges once more. Ron dodges his attack, but is blind to the other behind him. Greyback's follower transfigures four broken table legs into steel stakes and crucio's his prey once more.
Ron collapses to his knees, convulsing from the electricity frying his body. He tries to fight off the seering pain, but the blinding agony coursed through his soul, ripping him apart. Darkness threatened to overtake him, but he forced himself to stay aware of the situation at hand. His daughter was at stake. A sickening blow was delivered to his skull, knocking him unconscious.
Fenrir laughs cruelly as the toddler cowers behind her shield, wailing distraughtly for her Daddy to wake up.
"Harper, drag him over there and prop him up nice and straight. I want that little pup of his to see him perish," he ordered.
The wolf obeyed his alpha's command, propping the auror against the far wall. Fenrir prodded the protection shield, eliciting a series of electric surges.
"Must admit, the bitch of his had a hand in this. Our toy is very protected by this," he said, enjoying the terrified expression of the child before him.
Ron stirred groggily, blood rushing over his ears and face, soaking his shirt and jeans. He instantly remembered his predicament and reach for his wand, only to find it missing.
"Na ah ah..." Fenrir tutted. "We're going to have little chat, you and me."
"Like hell we are!" Ron gritted.
Fenrir smirked, then swiftly kicked his prisoner in the abdomen.
"Respect, surely your mother taught you better." He began pacing the room, relishing in the pained breaths and whimpers of his prisoners.
"Now, you are going to tell me how you and your team somehow got so close to your goal of arresting me. I have been uprooted from my home and hunting grounds for the last ten years, thank to you and bloody fucking team. I am aware that you pitiful excuses are clever, but never that clever. You had locations of acquaintances of mine and my moles were suddenly being snuffed out. Now you will tell me your sources, and maybe I leave only infecting you daughter with my gene, understood?" he threatened.
"Over my dead body," Ron growled darkly.
A sneer ran across the werewolf's face, "Harper..." he said simply.
The wolf took on of the steel stakes and drove it in Ron's left thigh, nailing it to the floor. Ron roared from the pain, as dark red stained seeped into the carpets below. Rosie clung to her doll, wailing uncontrollably.
"I'll ask, again. The name of your source...who is it? I do not like to be kept waiting, Weasel!" he roared.
Ron gagged, but he only glared at the alpha. He refused to reveal their mole and inside man. A decade of trust rode on this and he would not betray them. Fenrir grew impatient at his silence, and nodded to Harper once more. Harper drove a second stake in his left thigh, essentially rooting the auror to the floor. Agonizing roars bounced off the walls, as Ron vomited from the blinding pain. His chest ached dangerously as he gasped through the waves.
"Close your eyes, Rosie," he rasped. "Daddy is going to be fine," he called, "Just close your eyes, baby girl."
"Awww...how utterly weak," Greyback taunted, before nodding his head once more to Harper.
Fire lit inside his veins once more. He seized against the walls, legs rattling against the stakes, and arms curling inward instinctively. He eyes rolled back as the electric current threatened to take his sanity. He tried not to scream, but lost the battle, as a fresh wave of torture overtook him. His chest pain became unbearable and he though his heart might burst from the abuse. His body began to flail uncontrollably, until the last waves ran their course. He instantly spewed vile down his shirt and coughed blood up before spitting on the floor.
His eyesight was blurry, but he still remained determined to keep his oath and protect his daughter. He was no fool. No matter the outcome, Fenrir would kill him the moment he received the intel. Ron knew his daughter's only chance at survival was his survival and he could not crack.
"The name, blood-traitor!" Fenrir roared.
"Go fuck yourself, dog!" Ron spluttered.
Fenrir clawed Ron's chest open to drive his claws into his slashed skin. Ripped flesh hung, as battered, torn muscle was exposed and destroyed. Ron's raw magic threatened to burst once more, but Fenrir delivered a harsh, bone crushing blow to rib cage, piercing a lung. Ron began to gasp for air, fighting off the darkness that loomed over him.
"Clo-ose...eyes...Rose. I lo-ove you, ba-" he gasped.
"Daddy! Noo...leave my Daddy alone, monster-man! NOOOOOOO!" Rose screamed hysterically.
A green flash erupted from Ron's stolen wand, leaving the slumped form of the father behind. The shield faltered and disappeared, betraying the small child.
"Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Now to enjoy the reapings!" Fenrir whispered.
A screech of horror escaped Rose as she clambered away from the demons in front of her. She couldn't understand why her daddy was no longer moving, talking, or why his eyes no longer blinked. She screams for her mother, hoping for her safe embrace.
"Come here, ya little brat!" he commands.
"No! Daddy wake up!" wailed the girl.
Fenrir grew tired of the game and nodded to Harper to restrain the girl. The wolf gripped the child harshly, causing her to panic. Wild, raw magic burst from her as she screeched in distraught room instantly erupted in a blaze that engulfed the entire house. Broken glass and charred flesh filled her nostrils. She searched for her father, but the smoke and flames made it difficult to see or breathe.
Faintly, she could hear someone calling her name. She tried to crawl closer, but her arms shook to much, and her legs seemed frozen in terror.
Sharp claws dug into and a bloody hand smothered her scream. She felt herself ripped from her home, twisting into the air, and taken captive by the very monster that left her father slumped against the wall.
"Rosie! Ron! Rosie, sweetheart! Unc-" Harry called, before stumbling over debris.
His eyes focused once more to find the lifeless form of his best friend, beaten, tortured, covered in blood and deep purple bruises. Aurors were storming the remains of the home, wiping the memories of the neighbors and extinguishing the flames.
"No! No no no no NO! Ron wake up! Fuck! Hermione is going to fucking lose it!" he cried, his chest constricting painfully with grief.
"Potter! We found this," said the investigator.
Harry took the ragged item from him, flipping it in his grasp. He wiped the soot from the surface to find a familiar doll in his hands. He instantly scanned the room for the remains of a small child. He found relief and grief to discover Ron's daughter absent.
"Find Rosie! She's two years old with bright red curls that resemble her mother's. Find her!" Harry ordered.
"Sir, the other bodies are confirmed to be members of Fenrir Greyback's pack. Should we expect the worst?" asked an auror.
"Fenrir?" Harry croaked.
"Missing, Potter." they answered.
Harry became all too aware of the reality of this nightmare: Ron was dead, Rosie was missing and possibly abducted by the most dangerous and notorious werewolf, and he must be the one to tell Hermione. His heart sunk his chest as he nodded his understanding and collapsed to the floor, holding the tattered doll to his chest.
A/N: Please, leave a review and any predictions you may have! You guys are AWESOME SAUCE!