Quick recap: Set in the midst of "Malfoy Manor" of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bellatrix, having seen and taken the Sword of Gryffindor, has just ordered Draco to move the Stupefied Snatchers outside. If he is unable bring himself to off them, he is to leave them in the courtyard. This is while Harry, Ron, Dean, and Griphook the Goblin are about to be placed in the dungeon at the manor while Bella "interrogates" Hermione.
I do not own Harry Potter and all his friends (and enemies).
Fear in the Room
How could he face this? Draco closed his eyes tightly as the men laid upon the ground in a neat little row, side by side. Besides his aunt not having much consideration for him, he figured that if he made the job easy for her, she would appreciate it. She was not very happy about the sword anyway. He knew what it was; he had seen it in the Headmaster's office. Draco had known Snape had put it in his aunt's vault.
Sitting heavily upon a stone bench, Draco watched the three men. They were silent and unmoving still, but breathing. Still Stunned, but Draco could not kill them. He had never killed anyone before, although he liked to boast about being a Death Eater. All the Slytherin gang had admired him - well, except Zabini of course - for his 'accomplishments'. The thing was, they had been things he had seen his father do. Not him. Never Draco. He got sick every time he had to face with offing someone.
I could not say that was Potter and his friends, I could not. He did not want to see the snake-like figure in his home anymore, nor the actual snake. Both terrified him to no means and wished desperately it had not been him to be given the task to murder Dumbledore the year previously. Everything would be fine, for the most part at least. The Dark Lord might not be punishing for his failure.
Slowly, Draco opened his eyes as the sound of a scream echoed through the open door. The silver orbs switched from the ground before him to the bright rectangle; the door he had left open. Granger, he thought suddenly. Draco stood and hurried back to see Hermione writhing on the ground, in obvious pain he had felt before. He began to shiver for the umpteenth time since the Dark Lord had begun to use Malfoy Manor as headquarters.
"A copy?" screeched Bellatrix. "Oh, a likely story!"
"But we can find out easily!" came Lucius's voice. "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!" (&)
The young blond took a shuddering breath but made his way to the dungeons quickly. His voice shook as he ordered the occupants back, threatening to kill. A threat that was empty. He entered and swiftly took the goblin by the arm, pulling him out and back to his aunt.
Things began to quicken in pace. Granger was unconscious, the goblin concluded the sword was fake, and Bellatrix called for her master. Draco stood close to his mother, terrified in everything. Shaking as if this was the end of any defiance.
Ron Weasley burst into the room, wild with anger over the beast approaching Hermione. Directly behind him was Harry Potter. The short confrontation, ending with him retrieving the wands, was actually satisfying. They would not give up and a swell of hope rose in Draco; however, he suppressed this. The Dark Lord could never know that he silently cheered Potter on. Everything seemed at a loss again, until the chandelier fell.
Pain erupted in his body, shards of crystal embedding into his skin. He felt the wands yanked from his hands, his mother's voice beside him, and her hands pulling him out of the way. After the sounds of Apparition, the only noises in the drawing room were deep breaths and the soft rustle of bodies moving after destruction. Draco was whimpering in pain while his mother tried to soothe him.
"What happened here? Why have you called me back to find your drawing room in ruins, Lucius?" the words were hissed in a deadly whisper. Every Death Eater raised slowly, their eyes upon their master in fear.
(&) indicates words directly from text: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, American edition, chapter twenty-three ("Malfoy Manor"), page 467. (c) of J.K. Rowling; used without permission. Don't tell on me, I won't tell on you. ;)