I'm not best pleased with this chapter even though I know where I am going with the whole story. I hope it isn't too much of a disappointment to you...please review anyway!
PurelyPoison
Chapter Two
Lies
A true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything-Friedrich Nietzsche
"Hi Granger", he whispered, smiling coldly revealing straight white teeth; "Did you miss me?"
"Breathlessly", she replied smiling back.
His hands encircled her waist, pulling her closer to him so that their hips ground together and his bare chest pressed against her own. She let out a soft moan, a sigh of relief almost that this was finally happening. He trailed feather light kisses along her jaw line, relishing in the slow guttural sounds she was now producing. He pressed his hips harder against hers, moving his hands to cup her bottom tightly, "I want you", he whispered, half-pleading nibbling her ear-lobe with his teeth. She pulled back her head so she could see Ron properly but it wasn't Ron. The stormy grey eyes and the white blonde hair were unmistakable. In that moment, when she realised she was in the wrong hands she waited to scream, shout, anything. Instead, she grinned back, "I want you Draco Malfoy".
Hermione woke in a cold sweat, sitting up so violently that for a moment between gasping breaths she forgot where she was. But the imposing darkness of the cell suddenly reminded her, she was in Malfoy Manor and she was a prisoner.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and stared down at her feet, her chest still heaving trying to bring her breathing back to normal. She gripped her head in her hands, squeezing tighter willing the image of a shirtless Draco pressed against her, to go away. When it didn't, she glanced up wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand willing her mind to come back to the situation at hand.
The only furnishing in her room was a rather small bed that barely protected her from the cold, the sheets were black silk but torn in several places and she presumed must have been the Malfoy's cast-offs. On the wall opposite, two unlit candles had been placed in expensive black holders but without a wand to light them, she had no choice but to remain in darkness.
After Malfoy had dragged her here kicking and screaming and flung her mercilessly on the floor under the watchful eye of Lucius and Naricissa, Hermione had been left to contemplate her fate. She had banged and pounded on the door until her hands were bleeding and her throat was raw but nobody had come or even answered her pleas.
Suddenly she found herself wishing that the dream had lasted longer, even if it had been...disturbing, it had been a welcome change from this frightening cell.
She had no idea where they had put Ginny and the idea that something had happened to her, gnawed at her insides. Hermione bit her lip to stop from crying out, it wasn't going to help her now but if they would only reveal their plan she might be able to bear it better. This suspense was even more terrifying.
She sighed and stretched her legs. She had held off from collapsing into the bed for as long as possible but exhaustion had overruled her. The dream...it had to be down to the exhaustion and trauma. She shook herself and hugged her shoulders, yes-that had to be it.
She had no idea what time it was or if anyone from the Order would even know she was here. Her mind wandered back to Mr Weasley telling Harry they had searched Malfoy Manor twice and come up with nothing; which meant, that these cells had gone unnoticed wherever they were located.
Hermione tried to quell the horrible little voice in her head that said all hope was lost. It couldn't be, this was a magical world and stranger things had happened than being found in a secret dungeon no matter how long it took.
Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here.
Hermione had no idea how the phrase from Dante's Inferno had entered her head but she was sure it was very apt considering her circumstances.
Her stomach rumbled loudly and the sound gave her some comfort because it meant she was still surviving, still feeling even in her fear. She walked steadily towards the outline of the door, wishing she could see in the dark, holding her hands out in front of her regardless of the lack of furniture.
There was one square hole that had been roughly cut out in the centre of the door. She supposed they would shove food through it. All Hermione could see when she looked out was a single flaming torch that barely even lit up the dark hallway. She sighed heavily, sliding down the wall and remaining by the door, where the flame was. The light gave her hope, one light in a dark place.
That was when she heard a small cough and a slight shuffle coming from somewhere to her right.
"Ginny?" she asked tentatively leaning forward towards the square hole in the door, "Ginny, is that you?"
Several minutes passed during which Hermione barely breathed, waiting and praying that her friend was close-by.
"Hermione?" she heard finally and exhaled in relief.
"Ginny, are you okay?" she could tell that Ginny had moved possibly to sit at the same square opening in the next cell because suddenly Ginny's voice sounded a lot closer.
"I'm fine, I think. What happened?"
"We're at Malfoy Manor, we were captured", Hermione sighed her shoulders slumping slightly as she said the word...captured. It sounded so final.
"We're being kept prisoner?" said Ginny, the incredulity in her voice painstakingly clear.
"I suppose so", said Hermione, leaning back against the wall the little bubble of hope swelling slightly at the sound of Ginny's voice.
"Why?" came the horrified response.
"I don't know", said Hermione, "I just don't know".
Silence for several seconds when only the sound of their breathing was audible.
"What's your cell like?" said Ginny, sounding confused.
Hermione shrugged and then remembered that Ginny couldn't see her, "It's like any cell I suppose, dark and damp with one small, cold bed. What about yours?"
Hermione waited for Ginny to confirm the same surroundings but instead more silence followed her question.
"Ginny?" Hermione wondered had she passed out.
"My cell isn't really a cell. It's got a roaring fire, a large four poster bed, a rug and tapestries on the wall. In fact, it reminds me of Hogwarts".
Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, why were their cells which were only a few feet apart so different?
"I don't understand that", said Hermione finally trying not to allow feelings of disappointment and jealously to overcome her. After all, Ginny was a prisoner just the same as she was, right?
"I don't either, I'm sorry", Ginny whispered.
Then Hermione felt bad, "It's hardly your fault now is it? Perhaps, you're a more valuable prisoner than I am".
Ginny said nothing because Hermione knew there was nothing she could say, neither of them knew the reason but it managed to separate them all the same. Suddenly, they weren't going through the same experience and perhaps that was just what Voldemort wanted. To ostracise them from each other, to take away any empathy or unity they might have had in being treated equally.
Hermione wondered briefly why he would bother, what could he gain from this.
"Do you think they will feed us?" she eventually asked.
She heard Ginny shuffle, "Erm...I've already got food", she said nervously.
"What?" this time Hermione couldn't contain the anger from her voice.
"I've got some chicken, fruit, cheese and bread. I think there is butterbeer here too", Hermione heard the clink of several bottles.
"You've been given food?" Hermione was envious and in response her stomach growled again.
"Shall I try to throw you some?" Ginny said but before waiting for an answer, Hermione could hear her attempting.
"It won't let me put anything through the square hole. There is like an invisible barrier on it or something".
Hermione didn't need to wonder why, "It's to stop you from doing exactly what you were about to I'm supposed to be starving. They are torturing me and pampering you. They are breaking us up", Hermione said angrily unable to keep the steel out of her voice.
"Don't say that, I don't want any of this", Ginny began to cry.
Hermione felt suddenly guilty for saying what she had, Ginny hadn't asked for any of this either, it wasn't her fault.
"Ginny, please don't cry, I'm okay really. It isn't that bad, at least we can talk", Hermione tried to sound soothing and she heard Ginny sniffle and stop sobbing.
Suddenly before another word could be spoken, a door opened somewhere at the end of the hall to Hermione's right. Light flooded in and lit up the dark hallway as well as Hermione's prison cell. She shot to her feet and heard Ginny do the same.
"Go and get her".
"Are you getting yours?"
"No, I'm not supposed to take her out yet".
Hermione moved quickly away from her door, wondering who the two voices belonged to. She was sure one of them was Malfoy.
She clenched her fists and steeled herself to make a run for it, as soon as he opened the cell door. But her door never opened, instead Ginny's door swung open and she heard her friend's call of surprise which quickly turned to a scream.
"HERMIONE", Ginny's call was one of sheer terror and Hermione found herself rushing back to her own door.
"GINNY, DON'T TELL THEM ANYTHING. WHATEVER YOU DO, SAY NOTHING", Hermione screamed clutching and scraping at the door.
She could hear Ginny struggling and screaming against her captor, "HERMIONE!" the call was still filled with terror and Hermione had never felt so helpless.
Suddenly, she heard the main door swing shut and whatever light had been there was extinguished and Hermione was plunged back into darkness once more.
She didn't realise that she was crying until the hot angry tears were blinding her and she sank to the floor, clutching her knees up to her chin and allowing the despairing, shuddering cries to wrack her body.
"Are you finished yet?" came an impatient voice after what had to have been several minutes.
Hermione started, the cries coming to a halt abruptly and catching in her throat, "Whose there?" she whispered to the darkness.
She heard a soft chuckle, "If you can't tell after seven years then I suppose I haven't made any impression at all", she heard a shuffle outside, "I'd move away now if you don't want to be crushed the doors are quite heavy".
"Malfoy", she whispered disgustingly, the images of her dream flooding back to her.
"Move Granger", he said again this time far more threateningly.
Hermione found her legs moving of their own accord, until she was huddled on the bed as far away from the door as she could get in the confined space.
The door creaked open heavily and a brief flicker of light entered the room only to disappear as quickly as it had come when the door swung shut.
She heard a soft murmur and the candles ensconced in the intricate gothic black holders on the walls light up, basking the room in a soft, warm glow.
Hermione looked at Malfoy through her tear-filled eyes. He was exactly as she remembered him, tall and lean with muscular arms that were visible through the black t-shirt he was wearing. His blonde hair was slightly longer, falling into his stormy grey eyes which were watching her carefully. His cheekbones were very prominent against the pale colour of his skin, she had the impression he had lost a lot of weight very quickly.
"Are you done surveying me?" he asked menacingly.
"What do you want?" it came out a whisper but there was no mistaking Hermione's fury. All thoughts of attempting to escape had fled, something was wrong with this visit. She could feel it. Why had he waited so long so make himself known, instead choosing to listen to her cries? Even then, his wand wasn't raised in her face but lax at his side. There was something missing here, if she was a prisoner why wasn't he treating her like one?
"Where is Ginny?" she asked, ignoring his question.
"She's fine, believe me. Nothing is going to happen to her", he said moving to lean against the wall, twirling his wand in his hand the trademark smirk back upon his face.
Hermione didn't like the way he had said nothing would happen to Ginny, it made her own future seem questionable.
"Why are we here?" she asked tentatively, finding the courage to unfurl her body from its huddled position and moving to sit on the bed properly.
"I'm not here so you can ask me questions", he said his brow furrowing in annoyance.
"Why are you here then? Get on with it", said Hermione moving to stand up.
Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her, "I don't think you're in a position to order me around".
"You haven't killed my spirit yet", she replied folding her arms, suddenly feeling as if they were back at Hogwarts arguing and emboldened by the feeling of familiarity that it brought.
"I'm here for one reason only, Legilimens", it happened before Hermione could even set up some defences in her own mind, Malfoy was delving into her thoughts, probing and searching for something.
He saw childhood memories but she could feel him brush them aside as unimportant. He rifled through them like one would files in a filing cabinet, saw her friendship with Harry and Ron, years of torment at his own hands and Hermione saying goodbye to her two best friends when they left her to go to an unknown destination.
Malfoy couldn't find what he was looking for, she didn't know where Harry and Ron were and that was no good to him. She could feel the probing ease and his obvious disappointment at not having found what he was looking for.
As he began to remove himself from her mind, Hermione felt with horror the dream she had had only a few hours before come to the fore of her mind's eye.
She felt Malfoy still as she tried in vain to stop him from seeing something she would've died rather than reveal. She fought against it but he was the one holding all the cards in this fight and he won.
He saw himself shirtless, kissing her and feeling her and her taking it and enjoying it.
He pulled out of her mind, panting and exhausted. Hermione found herself vaguely realising he wasn't that skilled at Legilimency but had taken advantage of her weakened and vulnerable state.
Hermione was on her hands and knees on the floor, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. Her brown hair acted like a curtain on her face and she was glad Malfoy couldn't see the tears of shame spilling thickly onto the floor.
"Well Granger", he said still panting, "That was...interesting".
She didn't answer, what could she possibly say?
"He won't be happy when he finds out that you don't know where they are", Malfoy took a step towards her, until she could see that he was standing in front of her.
Hermione pushed herself off the floor and quickly stood to her feet, squaring her shoulders and looking Malfoy dead in the eye, their noses almost touching.
"Tell me why I am here", she said commandingly.
"I would if I knew", he shrugged, breathing lightly onto her face.
"You don't know?" she was surprised, her eyes narrowed searching for a lie.
"I do as I'm told and I was told to go and get you", said Malfoy still making no move to back away from her.
"What's going to happen to me?" Hermione's shoulders slumped in defeat.
Malfoy raised his hand as if to brush the hair from her face but then, as if, realising what he was about to do his arm stopped mid-air and he took a quick gasping breath finally taking a step back averting his eyes and staring at the floor.
"I guess, you'll find out soon enough but all I know is that it won't be good", Malfoy stared at her again and for the first time he looked solemn.
He opened the door, allowing the light to flood in once more, "I'll leave the candles lit for you, no need for you to be in utter darkness".
Hermione said nothing, still standing where he had left her.
"Oh and Granger, about that dream", he turned back to her.
Hermione looked up the confusion and shame etched on her face.
"I don't do dreams like that. I'm the stuff nightmares are made of, I'm the bad guy remember", he moved quickly out of the door which swung shut behind him and left her alone with her thoughts and the overwhelming feeling of emptiness.
"She is breaking?" Voldemort sat in the large winged back, leather armchair surveying Draco through his locked fingertips.
"I think she will, my Lord. The resolve won't last I can see that myself", Draco shuffled, still uncomfortable from having Voldemort sift through his thoughts about her.
"Very good Draco, the next time you visit her I want you to gain her trust further".
"My Lord?"
"It seems we won't need to try very hard, the poor mudblood is already fantasising about you. We can make light work of this".
"Yes my Lord, and what of the other girl?"
"Blaise is working on her, she will be harder to crack but we don't want to kill her. She will make a valuable asset to our side and I have no doubt she will be one of us in a matter of months".
Draco didn't move, he was rather unsure of what to do next. He still had no idea of the Dark Lord's plan and he still wasn't sure if he wanted to be part of it. All he did know was that she had dreamt about him and he had liked it.
He shuddered in disgust.
"Something troubling you Draco?" said Voldemort watching him carefully.
"Nothing my Lord, I just don't relish allowing a mudblood to fall in love with me", he said raising his eyes to meet his masters.
"I understand my dear boy, but if we are to break Harry Potter once and for all we must first break two things he cares most about. Two things he left behind".
Draco nodded, "I understand".
Draco turned to leave, "One more thing Draco", Voldemort hissed behind him.
"Yes?"
"You must keep your emotions in check, if I find you are falling for this...thing...then you will be beyond saving. I understand the tumultuous emotions that you are feeling since your failure to complete the task I appointed you. Do not fail me a second time", Voldemort was staring at him so intensely, Draco felt sure he could see his very soul, his completely intact, precious soul.
"I understand, it will not happen", Draco turned and walked away keeping his back straight and his fists clenched knowing that while he wouldn't consider falling in love with that mudblood, he had already lied.
His emotions were running riot and the image of her pressed against his chest in her dream was burned on his memory.
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PurelyPoison
