Written for the Hogwarts Forum, Gryffindor.

- 72hours Speed Comp: Dare - (Pairing)AliceLucius

- Hogwarts Gym, Madam Pomfrey's Fun Fitness, (Emotion)Angry

Lucius couldn't bear watching this. It was one thing to fight against Alice, but seeing her like this... He swallowed and tried to tell himself that he had to be reasonable. Alice was fighting against them, so she deserved to be treated that way.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix shrieked again, "C'mon, you can't stay that stubborn forever, tell me what you know!"

Alice cried out loud and squirmed on the ground.

Lucius swallowed.

If she's dying and you did nothing...

So what? She chose him anyway.

Because you never revealed your feelings to her. She might never know what you truly felt.

She'd never love me.

Who knows? After all you pretend to be in love with Narcissa...

Bella would be furious.

Who cares about what Bellatrix thinks? The girl you loved for years is lying on the ground, about to break down.

Maybe she'll give in and tell us what she knows before she is seriously injured.

Lucius looked at Alice as she was struggling on the ground. Her face was full of tears. He didn't know what to do.

"Bellatrix," he finally said, but his voice was so quiet she didn't hear him. She was fully enjoying the torture.

"Bellatrix!" he said louder.

"What is it?" She asked without looking up from her victims.

"Let go of them, Bellatrix."

"What?" she asked.

"Let go!" he said and tried to take her wand away. Confused, she turned away from Frank and Alice for a moment.

"What's the matter?" she asked irritated.

"Stop your torture."

"Are you mad? What has gotten into you?"

Lucius felt himself blushing and he didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her the truth, so he merely said, "Let me question them. You have to fulfill your duties with the Dark Lord."
"Excuse me?" she snapped. "What duties? We don't know where the Dark Lord is, that's why we're here in the first place!"

She turned her wand her wand on Frank and Alice again. "Tell me, or I'll make it worse," she threatened. "Tell me what you know about the Dark Lord's whereabouts. Now!"

Neither of them spoke, and mercilessly, she shouted again, "Crucio!"

"Hold on, Bellatrix," Lucius said desperately.

"What?" she hissed furiously.

"Let me question Alice, you can take care of Mr. Longbottom. Let me talk to her, I think I know how to … persuade her."

He looked at the woman on the ground. She looked like she was about to pass out, her face was red and her eyes swollen.

"Fine, take her," Bellatrix spat, "I'll have him! We'll see who of us gets the information we want first!"

And with that, Frank Longbottom started squirming once more.

Lucius supported Alice a few meters away from her husband and helped her sitting down. She just looked at him, her face was pale. "Let me go," she said, panting. "Let me go to my husband. If he's about to die, so will I."

Lucius stared at the woman. She was so brave, so courageous. It was admirable, especially in her current state.

She coughed. "I won't give you what you want," she said tiredly.

Lucius hesitated. "Well," he said, "maybe I could give you something, instead."

Alice frowned. "I don't think so," she said sharply.

Lucius looked at her. She had beautiful eyes and looked beautiful even now. But there was no love in her eyes.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she said.

"I..." He hesitated. "This is not a very opportune moment, but if not now, when? Alice, please, I couldn't bear watching Bellatrix torturing you, it … you lying there, it was horrible..."

"Well that's your thing, isn't it?" she said hard. "Torturing people who don't fit into your idea of pure rule. I'd guessed you would have gotten used to that by now." Although she was weak, she also was very furious, and turned away to walk over to Bellatrix and her husband.

"I – Alice, will you please just listen for a moment?" he said and took her hand. She looked at him coldly.

"Listen, Alice, I... I love you. I remember at school, and I tried to think I was just a teenager fancying a girl, but it never stopped. Every battle I thought against you was... horrible." He took a deep breath. "I know this is... complicated. But I saved you from Bellatrix tonight and I – I would always try to protect you." He swallowed. "I'm sorry for every time I hurt you, it's just hard in my position -"

Alice had been quiet until now. Now she started to shout. "What?" she asked, and her eyes were filled with hatred. "How dare you – fine, you fancy me, and now you want to be praised for taking me away from one of your maniacal friends? And you're 'so sorry' – are you – are you insane?!" She made a step backwards. "I don't know what you expect me to answer, I don't know where you got that mad idea from that it could work out. Don't touch me and leave me alone. I'd rather take the Cruciatus than listen to this nonsense."

Lucius swallowed. "Look, don't you understand? I wish I didn't have to fight against you! It was so much easier in school, don't you remember, when we went to that ball together and -"

"In our second year," Alice said. "When I didn't know Frank yet and when you were... different." But her voice had gotten a bit softer now. She looked over her shoulder to her husband who was still screaming. "So you couldn't bear watching me being tortured, but watching Frank is fine?"

Lucius didn't know what to reply. No, it wasn't fine, but this was war, there had to be torture. At least if you listened to Bellatrix.

"You're despicable," Alice said. "You have changed so much since school, Lucius. I always thought you were kind of odd, but I just figured that you were brought up like this and you'd turn out okay. But it showed pretty quickly what kind of a person you are. And it shows right now as well."

She turned around. "I'll go to Bellatrix, and if she kills me – kills both of us – with her curse, don't you dare feel sorry or anything."

"Wait," Lucius said desperately. He ran after her and took her arm.

"Let me go," she hissed furiously. "Here," he said, out of breath, "take my wand. You can try to get Frank away before Bellatrix notices you're armed."

She stared at him. "Why would you do that?" she asked, eyeing the wand suspiciously.

"Believe it or not, but I would do anything for you," Lucius said sincerely. She hesitated.

"Come on, take it," he urged, "make it look like you disarmed me, and see that you're out of here. Your husband doesn't look good."

She glared at him and took the wand. "Don't think this changes anything," she said through gritted teeth, before she pushed him away and ran towards Bellatrix. Lucius staggered and fell down. When he sat up again, all he heard were furious shouts from Bellatrix and a little Crack as Alice and Frank disapparated.