Burn Me Down

XVI_ Dying Inside

It was driving me crazy being stuck in the dark manor again. What made it worse was that the other Death Eaters were there along with Dark Lord himself, who would come and leave as he pleased.

It was slowly killing me inside that I had broken Hermione's heart.

I should have told her from the beginning about what was going on, but I didn't want her to get involved and ending up getting hurt or worse. I just couldn't bear to see her look at me the way she did when the truth finally came out.

I just prayed that one day she would be able to forgive me. I glanced at the Dark Mark. A constant reminder of my betrayal.

"Suck it up, kid," Greyback had told me the day I became a Death Eater, "You're playing with the big boys now." He patted my shoulder with his massive hand.

I sat in my room alone until I heard noise from down the hall. I got up and went to go see what Bellatrix was cackling about.

XVII_ Lions Den

We got caught by some thugs that worked for the Death Eaters. They had been hunting us for days.

They dragged us to the Malfoy Manor. I felt my heart race. I didn't know what they were going to do to us, but I knew this was my chance to save Draco.

The searchers or whatever you want to call them took us to Bellatrix and Draco's parents. I jinxed Harry with a stinging jinx so his face would swell up and they couldn't recognize him before we were captured.

One of the guys showed the Gryffindor Sword to Bellatrix. She grabbed me and started demanding me to tell her where I had gotten it.

We all looked across the room when the doors opened. Tears filled my eyes when I saw who it was. He froze in his tracks when our eyes locked.

"Hermione..." He was shocked to see me.

"Draco!" I ripped free of Bellatrix's hold on me and ran to him. I threw my arms around Draco and hugged him to me with all my strength. I cried into his chest, "Draco..." I didn't care who saw. Draco was back in my arms.

"Hermione," Draco held me to him and buried his face into the side of my neck. He tenderly kissed my flesh. Draco shushed me as I sobbed his name again, "Shhh. It's ok, love. It's ok."

I looked Draco in the eye when he slipped a balled fist under my chin and made me look at him. He gave me his infamous smirk as he caressed my cheek.

I smiled back at him, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Draco whispered huskily against my lips.

We kissed like it was the end of the world.

"Draco!" Bellatrix snarled. We both looked at her as Harry and Ron came running over to us. "What the hell are you doing?!" Bellatrix asked.

Draco made me stand behind him as he pulled out his wand. He aimed it at Bellatrix. "I'll die before I let you touch her, you psychotic bitch!" He snarled. Dobby appeared on Harry's shoulder. "Dobby, get them out of here," Draco ordered the Elf.

"No, Draco! I'm not leaving without you!" I grabbed his hand. Draco looked at me. I gasped when I saw a crooked grin on his aunt's face. "Draco, watch out!" I told him.

Draco didn't have time to defend himself from Bellatrix's attack. He was knocked unconscious and badly wounded by the spell. He fell back into my arms. Harry and Ron grabbed hold of me and Draco as Dobby snapped his fingers. We apparated to the Shell Cottage.

We were finally safe away from the Death Eaters. Yet Draco was still bleeding.

Ron brought me my healing potion. I poured some of it in Draco's wounds. They slowly healed up into scars.

Bill, Ron's eldest brother, came out with his wife Fluer. Bill gently took Draco from me and carried him inside. We followed behind along with Dobby.

Draco was finally back with me, but the war was far from over.

To Be Continued...