Days in the Malfoy dungeon went by slow and unnoticed. Draco and Addie could sometimes go hours without talking, and other times would perpetuate vapid conversation only to pass the time. They rarely heard footsteps, and twice a day two sparse bowls of soup appeared before the pair. A small bathroom presented itself when there was need, and the two teenagers waited patiently for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to contact them. In what Draco could only figure must have been a week Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only contacted them once, and the conversation had been brief.
"How are you?" Hermione's voice had called, somewhat static, through the locket.
"We've been better," Draco drawled.
"They've locked us in the dungeon under Malfoy manor until He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returns and decides what to do with us." Addie said quickly.
"So he isn't there?" Harry asked.
"No," Addie replied, "it seems that he may be abroad."
There was muttering amongst the trio that Draco and Addie could not make out.
"We're about to embark on a mission. When it is completed, you will hear of it. Do not contact us until it is over." Hermione instructed.
"But what if—"
"Good luck, Addie," The trio called, and communication between the two parties was cut off.
"I'm going to leave them a message," Addie said suddenly one day.
"Do as you please," Draco replied, uninterested.
"You don't think I should?" She asked.
"I don't think it matters," He replied. "Neither of us has anything to say to the other."
"Just that we're safe—"
"We're not safe," He laughed.
"Just to see if they're okay—"
"They're not okay," He cut in.
Addie fiddled with the locket, "I have to see if Harry is alright."
"Harry?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
"And Ron and Hermione," She added quickly. The dim light in their cell prevented Draco from seeing the red that had flooded her cheeks.
Draco laughed, "You still love him."
"I—I—do not!" She nearly shouted. "I just care about him! He's our only hope!"
Draco laughed again, "You don't have to justify it to me. I've loved someone whose treated me poorly before."
What followed was a hard silence, punctuated by the sound of footsteps outside their cell. The door opened and light flooded the small crevice where Draco and Addie had stayed. The light burned his eyes so badly, that it took Draco a moment to realize that Yaxley and Amycus had returned to free them from their cell.
"The Dark Lord should be here soon," They said. "He's told us to have you ready for his arrival."
Addie and Draco got up quickly and followed Yaxley and Amycus out of the dungeon back into the parlor of Malfoy Manor. The two teenagers remained silent as to catch snippets of the Death Eaters' conversation.
"You'll be rewarded for this, Yaxley," Amycus smiled. "It was good thinking to grab onto the girl."
"Still," Yaxley lamented, "if only I had captured them."
"Yes well, now that we can get into their headquarters, who knows what we will find?" Amycus said. "Pity, I spent so many days outside on that muggle street only to have you find them in the ministry."
"So the Dark Lord is sure that it was Potter?" Yaxley asked.
"From what Bellatrix told me the whole scenario was distinctly his style," Amycus answered.
Addie sneezed, and the two Death Eaters were reminded of their presence. They were much more careful in their conversation after that point.
Draco and Addie were brought upstairs, their arms were then magically bound, and they were told to remain silent until the Dark Lord arrived.
"This very well could be your last night," Alecto sneered. "Hope you enjoyed yourselves in that cell."
The Death Eaters laughed uproariously.
"He's here!" Bellatrix shrieked down the stairs.
The air was tense and Draco felt Addie begin to shake violently next to him. This was the moment where their fate would be decided. Could the two teenagers really fool the Dark Lord?
Bellatrix rushed down the stairs and the looming shadow of Lord Voldemort followed behind her. The room immediately grew still. The remnants of the Death Eaters' laughter vanished and what replaced it was only fear.
"Buisness first," The Dark Lord's high pitched voice announced, "then we'll deal with our guests."
He was going to try to wear them down. The longer he kept them, the weaker their defenses would be.
"You've done well tonight, Yaxley," The Dark Lord said. "You know how long I've wanted access to Grimmuald Place."
Yaxley bowed, "I live to serve, my Lord."
"Potter and his friends will be on the run," Voldemort said quietly. "They have nowhere to go where we cannot find them, however, new methods of detection must be put in place."
He threw a significant look at Yaxley, who once again bowed his head. "I will make sure the minister sends through the appropriate legislation."
"Excellent," The Dark Lord's smile was cold and terrible to behold. Addie began to quake harder drawing his attention to the two petrified teenagers in the corner.
His terrible smile grew wider as he glided over to his prisoners. He stopped only inches from Addie's face.
"What do you see when you look at me, Addie White?" He asked.
Addie couldn't speak. She only shook harder.
"Do you see death?" His voice was little above a whisper. "I am death, little girl. Look at me."
She looked up into his red eyes and Draco found himself, for the first time, praying. He was praying that Addie's defenses would hold. He was praying for both their lives.
Their eyes remained locked for several painful seconds. Draco couldn't tell by the look on her face whether or not her defenses had fallen in the face of such terrible power. The room held its breath.
"You loved him?" The Dark Lord asked.
Addie nodded.
"You will answer when spoken to, Miss White," He commanded.
"Yes, my Lord," She replied feebly.
The Dark Lord reached out a thin white hand and cupped it under Addie's chin.
"Such a beautiful girl," He sneered. "Almost perfect, wouldn't you agree, Draco?"
Draco's head snapped up at the sound of his name, "Yes, my Lord."
"It is lucky that you brought her to us," The Dark Lord said, baring down on Draco. "She could be useful, but then again, that's what we thought about you."
It was at that moment the Dark Lord locked eyes with Draco, and he felt the pull of Legilimency on his mind. Draco pushed the truth out and replaced it with the lies that he had practiced. In the face of the Dark Lord, his defenses held.
"You were wise to escape," The Dark Lord said. "We're very close to total dominion over the Wizarding World. Soon enough, Harry Potter will be nothing more than a fairytale."
"From what I hear, Miss White, you are a witch of some skill," He flicked his wand, and Addie's bindings were removed.
"I've done well thusfar, my Lord." She replied.
Draco smiled. She was adjusting well.
"However," He sneered, "before I can allow you to be granted the mark, there is training you must undergo."
"Yes my Lord."
Voldemort reached over and pulled up Addie's sleeve to reveal the place on her skin where the mark would be burned.
"Such a beautiful girl," He said, allowing his fingers to rub against her arm. "Such soft skin."
Addie remained still.
"You do not wish to be touched, Miss White?" He asked.
Addie looked frightened, she could not think of the appropriate response.
"You are young yet," He sneered.
"Just seventeen," She said.
"We will allow you solace from the world of men, Addie," The Dark Lord said, "because I am a kind and understanding master."
"Thank you, my Lord," She sounded sincere.
"However, when your training is complete it is from one of these men that you will choose your husband," the Dark Lord added.
Addie and Draco made eye contact, and Draco's heart leapt at the thought that had just entered his mind. Addie would choose him, surly, but maybe, just maybe it would be for more than just protection, maybe she had really grown to love him.