I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. I own plot and anything unknown thrown in there. Thanks! :)

"What did you take?" Hermione trembled beneath Bellatrix as she screamed. She felt her tears pouring down her cheeks. "What did you take?" she gripped Hermione's neck, nasty breath spilling across her face.

"N-N-Nothing, I didn't take anything." She cried. "Please." Bellatrix stood from where she sat on Hermione.

"You did take something, now what was it?" she drew her wand pointing it at Hermione's heart. Hermione stay silent, letting the tears pour out. "Nothing to say mudblood?" she kicked Hermione's gut, flipping her over. "Come on, tell me." she screamed. She needed to know what the runts took. Hermione gained Gryffindor bravery out of nowhere. She leaned up on her elbows.

"I wouldn't touch anything that's associate with filth." She spat at Bellatrix.

"Stupid little bitch." Was the last thing Hermione heard.

…

Hermione's eyes opened cautiously. She felt her arm burning, she traced her eyes to the source. There, carved into her arm, was the word mudblood. More silent tears fell on her cheeks while Bellatrix interrogated the banker. "Was it her?" she screamed, hitting the poor little man.

"No, it was you." He insisted, backing up slightly. Bellatrix roared with anger, the banker looked at Hermione where she laid in pain.

"Take him back to the dungeons." Bellatrix rushed to Hermione, grasping her throat and yanking her to her feet. "We'll have a girl to girl talk." Hermione tried to fault her hold, but she couldn't. "You're weak for a Gryffindor." Hermione met her freaky eyes. "Passing out after a little Cruciatus." She shoved Hermione back. She staggered, but somehow kept standing. "Tell me what you took and it'll all be over soon."

"Even if I did what you think, I wouldn't tell you. I'm dead either way." Hermione spat. She was wavering, her stance weak.

"Fine. Draco." Hermione's eyes flitted to her old lover, pain and hatred evident on her face as he stepped forward. "Mark her as yours Draco. She's your filth, no one else can hurt her but you." Hermione just stared at Draco, noting the bags beneath his eyes and pained expression. "Call her what she is." Bellatrix whispered in her nephew's ear. Draco didn't want to hurt her, he loved her.

"What am I Bellatrix?" Hermione angrily snarled. "It's not me that's filth, it's you."

"Crucio." Draco watch her dropped to her knees, pain obviously overcoming her. His aunt didn't let up, he wanted to stop her, but he was stuck. He watched Hermione twitching on the floor, her veins popping out on her slender neck and her screams scarring his soul. As he was about to stop her he felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. His mother knew now why he didn't like what he became. She realized the girl before them was the one that made Draco happy. "Ready to tell mudblood?"

"Why will it matter? I'm sure you're somewhat intelligent enough to know what we supposedly took."

"Crucio." Hermione's body burned, knives stabbing her over and over. She shook violently with anger and pain. She sobbed in relief as Bellatrix stopped. "Tell me." She bent to her level. "I can make it stop." Hermione looked at Draco, his eyes contorted in pain. She noticed how his mother was holding him back.

"I'm not weak." She spat.

"Fine, have it your way." Hermione closed her eyes, readying herself for the pain. She heard a tiny gasp, she looked where Ron and Harry stood watching her. Ron looked pissed beyond belief and Harry looked terrified for her. "One last chance." She warned. Bellatrix was right in front of her face. She spat on her face.

"You're the filth."

"CRUCIO." She screamed. The pain had somehow increased. Hermione screamed out in pain, trying to reach for Draco. He stood there shaking, silent tears in his eyes. Hermione cried for him to make it stop over and over again. She wanted it to be over with. She wouldn't betray her friends though. She stopped begging Draco once she realized he really wouldn't help her. Her tears and screams increased. "Begging a pureblood is how you should be." Bellatrix snarled at her. The pain had stopped. Hermione rolled over, holding her stomach, trying not to empty its contents. "Perfect place, on your knees before us." The other death eaters laughed at the comment. "I'll make it all end, just tell me what you took." She wasn't sincere.

"My mother always told me not to interact with filth." She knew she was pissing her off, she wanted to annoy her. Bellatrix kicked Hermione, throwing her a few feet. She gripped her by her neck lifting her. She stood once more, trying to stay that way.

"Tell me what you took." Hermione looked past her shoulder at Draco. He looked pained, like he wanted more than anything to step forward and help her… but he didn't. "I know you were the ones." She told Hermione in a whisper. "Maybe I should go grab the weasel… maybe torture him in front of you."

"Fine." She said. "You win." She didn't want her friends to suffer this. Bellatrix threw her to the ground in front of the Malfoy's.

"Tell me."

"I was the one that snuck into your vault. Not them. I left them behind and I stole from you." Hermione told her strongly. "Leave them out of this."

"What did you take?" Bellatrix ignored her plea.

"I took a horocrux and destroyed it." She lied easily.

"No." Bellatrix insisted, she had fear on her face.

"I've destroyed all but two… your precious master is near to his end." Hermione told her smugly.

"Crucio." Hermione twisted in pain, screeching until her throat coated in blood. "Which ones?" Hermione stayed silent, knowing Harry and Ron would come soon to her rescue. "Crucio." She screamed, crying out her pain.

"NO." Ron ran out. Hermione was faintly aware of the magic being exchanged. She laid there in a pile. She let Bellatrix lift her up, putting her knife to her throat. Hermione couldn't feel her body, she moved her eyes to Draco. She didn't hide the love and hatred she felt for him. He met her eyes with love and sorrow.

"I hate you." She whispered with venom, trying to force the love she felt for him away.

"Stop." Bellatrix yanked Hermione forward. She coughed at the pain on and in her throat. Blood leaked over her lips. "Put down your wands." Harry and Ron stood there hesitantly. She pressed the knife harder against Hermione's neck, blood trickling down her skin.

"Please." Hermione whispered. She felt so tired, so weak. Harry and Ron dropped their wands, watching her with sorrow for not coming up with a better plan. Hermione coughed harder this time, Bellatrix loosened it slightly. She didn't feel sorrow for the moodblood, just knowing she was her only chance of knowing how close they were to destroying her master. Hermione felt the blood coating her lips. Maybe this is what it felt like to die.

"Call the dark lord. Harry Potter, defenseless over a mudblood." The death eaters laughed. Hermione's chest heaved as fear crept into her. Bellatrix looked at her fearful nephew. "Draco, call him." Hermione looked at him, capturing his eyes. He had tears leaking over the edge. Hermione felt immense love at that moment for him, she wanted to hold him while he cried… but it wouldn't change the fact that he didn't help her. Draco made no move to call the dark lord, his father stepped forward. He lifted his sleeve, Hermione didn't look she just shared a silent message with Draco. As Lucius moved to call him a faint squeaking sounded. Hermione tore her gaze away, looking where Dobby sat on the chandelier, unscrewing the screws. Bellatrix looked up as it was falling. She shoved Hermione forward and herself back. "You could have killed me." Bellatrix screamed at the elf, totally unaware of his freedom.

"Dobby not plan to kill, just maim or seriously injure." Hermione smiled as Ron held her tighter to him. Dobby shot out a silent disarming spell as Cissy lifted her wand to them.

"How dare you!" Bellatrix yelled. "How dare you disarm your master."

"Dobby has no master. He serves himself. Dobby is here to help Harry Potter and his friends escape." Ron released Hermione, turning to the now evident scene before them. Bellatrix lifted her wand, Dobby disarmed her as well. He handed the wands to Harry and Hermione, knowing they were the best. Hermione cast silent spells at the group, distracting them all. Harry told her to get their wands from Malfoy. She never even saw him get them. She gave Ron Bellatrix's wand and they continued to fight. No one paid attention to Draco and her as she approached him.

"Hermione…" Draco whispered. She held her hand out, betraying her by trembling. He didn't put up a fight. He handed her the wands. "I love you." He whispered as she turned away, walking out of his life for what he was sure as to be the last time.