Right, Deathly Hallows, Harry, Hermione and Ron get caught by snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor, remember that bit? Let's see what would happen if only Draco had jumped in to protect Hermione from being tortured by evil aunty Bellatrix. I obviously change it as it progresses though.

Of course, I own absolutely nothing.

'"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."

"Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. "All except… except for the Mudblood"'

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', J.K. Rowling

…

Hermione Granger was trembling uncontrollably as she stared up fearfully into the demented face of Bellatrix Lestrange. From the cellar she could hear Ron screaming her name, sounding as terrified as she felt.

She watched as Bellatrix leered down at her, her grin menacing, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Draco Malfoy creeping nervously back into the room. She saw his eyes widen when he saw her laid there.

"Right," Bellatrix spat down at her. "Let's make this as easy as possible, shall we." She leaned in close to Hermione, who shrank back from her. "Where did you get this sword?"

Hermione stared at her, hopelessly, willing her to stop there. Bellatrix laughed maniacally at Hermione's pitiful, tear-filled eyes.

She lowered her wand painfully slowly until the tip was pointed directly between Hermione's eyes. Hermione began to sob.

"Please… please, we found it. We found it."

A deathly silence fell across the room, with the only sound being Hermione's cries. Bellatrix raised her wand, and swept it through the air.

"Crucio."

A piercing scream rang out in the silence, and Draco felt it shoot down his spine. He shivered and tried his hardest to cover it up. This was hardly the company to be in when showing signs of weakness and compassion. He watched as the muggle-born writhed, shrieking all the while. He clenched his fist against the humane instinct to stop it from happening.

Bellatrix lifted her wand off Hermione, and kicked her hard. A cry from the Weasley boy rang out from beneath them, answering the girl's scream.

Hermione moaned as the pain coursing through her body doubled as her nerves began to recover.

"Not nice, is it?" Bellatrix began to circle her, tapping her wand against her palm so that red sparks flew. "Not nice. So, tell me the truth. Why were you in my vault?"

Hermione's voice broke though her tears. "I've never been to your vault before."

"You lie." Bellatrix flew down at her like a bat, until her face was barely an inch from her prey's. "Don't lie to me, you filthy, stinking Mudblood." She breathed, running her hands across the girl's hair in an almost motherly fashion, before slapping her hard around the face.

For the second time, Bellatrix Lestrange pointed her wand at Hermione and tortured her. Hermione's screams filled the room with such an intensity, that Draco had been sure he'd even seen his father twitch in discomfort.

"Bella, I think that will do. She doesn't know anything. You were mistaken." Narcissa's calm, cold voice was barely audible above the shaking sobs of the Granger girl.

"SHE KNOWS!" Bellatrix shrieked at her sister. "I KNOW SHE KNOWS! AND SHE WILL TELL ME!" She brought her wand down for a third time, and this time Hermione was silent, passed out, her body saving her the pain.

The Malfoys huddled together, the unease in the room doubling with every contortion of the muggle-born's body.

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Draco Malfoy, unable to take it anymore, stepped forward, brandishing his own wand at his Aunt. "Exactly what information do you intend to retrieve from her when she is unconscious?" He asked, coolly.

"But she will wake up." Bellatrix hissed.

"And when she does, you will no longer be here." Draco told her. "Get out."

"HOW DARE YOU?" She cried, hysterically. "IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

"BUT THIS IS MY HOUSE, AND YOU ARE NOT THE AUTHORITY HERE." Lucius Malfoy stepped forward to join his son. His breathed heavily, facing Bellatrix. "You may take her with you, and the other too, but leave here. Now." His eyes bore into hers and she span around, grabbing at the girl's hair and pulling her with her.

"Stupefy!" Draco's stunning spell hit Bellatrix squarely on the shoulder, and she collapsed to the floor in an undignified heap.

The unconscious bodies of Hermione Granger and Bellatrix Lestrange lay, side by side, begging him to choose between them.

"Get rid of the ones downstairs." Draco instructed his father. "I don't care what you do with them, but get them out of this house." His voice was stern, and his eyes burned into Lucius'.

Lucius, in a rare show of agreement and willing, and respect for his son's show of power, nodded, and headed towards the door leading to the cellar.

"Pettigrew, Greyback, get out." Draco snarled across the room. "And if you breathe a word…" His threat, though baseless, seemed to work, and both men backed, albeit grudgingly from the room.

Narcissa's eyes met his. In her eyes he could see she knew nothing of what was oing through his mind. "Get rid of her." He muttered, gesturing to his mother's unconscious sister. "I'm sorry, mother, but Bellatrix said the situation was more grave than we knew, but that… display she did, felt to me far more dangerous than any…stolen sword could be."

Narcissa nodded, her face expressionless, and headed towards Bellatrix. She gripped her sister's wrist with one hand, and was gone with a small pop.

Before he knew what he was doing, and before any of the others could return, Draco bundled the unconscious Mudblood into his arms, and ran with her upstairs. He took her to his room and lay her down on his bed. She seemed to relax in her dead state, and her expression softened. Draco stopped at the door as he went to leave, and looked back at her, before heading back, locking the door with his wand behind him.

Downstairs he found his mother and father stood side by side, waiting for him. "What have you done with the girl?" Asked Lucius, smoothly, his wand dancing between his fingers as he spoke.

"Left her at Hogwarts." Draco lied easily. "Snape and the Carrows can deal with her." He fell down onto a hand backed sofa and looked up at them. "You know I did the right thing." He said, blankly. "The more damage that… Bellatrix did here, the worse the situation was going to be for us."

"He won't be happy about this." Lucius breathed. "She'll tell him the second she gains consciousness."

"Not if she has sense." Narcissa broke in. "She said there was trouble with that sword. It didn't sound as though she wanted Him to hear about it." Narcissa said, her calculating glare never leaving her son as she spoke.

Lucius' shoulders dropped in slight relief. "That buys him time if nothing more." He addressed his wife, his back turned from Draco.

"Him?" Draco shot back. "What do you mean, 'him'? You were both there too."

"It was you who instigated the attack." Lucius pointed out. "So you He will be after. But, if what Cissy says is accurate, you may possibly be alright."

"Well, we shall just have to wait and see." Draco murmured sarcastically. He did not like the way his father was dismissing him as disposable, a decoy in order to secure safety for himself and his wife.

"We stay inside." Lucius instructed, ignoring his son. "We maximise protection around the house. We do not take messages from the outside. We send the house elf to do anything that needs doing." He looked around at his family. "If we do not, the danger we will be in will be unimaginable."

Draco stood, and turned, intent on going back to his room to decide the fate of the creature lain upon his bed. His had reached the bottom step before a hand caught him roughly by the shoulder.

Narcissa gripped him tightly, her nails digging in painfully. "Your instincts served you well today." She breathed. "But they will not always. Think about what you are doing."

Draco nodded, understanding more from his mother words than she could possibly imagine, and headed back to his room.

So, that's basically where I'm going with this.

I went in with the intention of this being a one-shot, but that's so not happening.

I know, those who are waiting on me updating 'I Bet you can't Fall in Love' and 'When it all Get's Better' will resent this new story, but I'm afraid I go where the mood takes me.

Please Review

JustADoll

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