Day 11 Prompt:

Secret Santa / "Ho, Ho, Ho, motherfucker!" / "What? You thought we'd give each other nice things for Christmas? We're Death Eaters, love."

word count: 825

(sequel to the scene in ch 7, prequel to ch 5)

They Apparated into the parlour but the travel dislodged Thorfinn's mouth from the little witch. Rodolphus heard her quick inhalation of breath as she realised the predicament she was in and he held her more securely to his chest, palming her wand out of her pocket even as he whispered into her ear. "You're fine, little witch, we're not going to hurt you unless you try to hurt us or attempt escape." He enjoyed the way she shivered in his hold as he burrowed his nose into her hair and his breath ghosted over her ear.

"Is this my Secret Santa?" Bast said from the settee where he was lounging, holding a wine glass.

Thorfinn, still no doubt exhilarated from the snowball fight and their kidnapping of the girl, turned and laughed before exclaiming, "Ho, ho, ho, motherfucker!"

Rodolphus stood up straighter and looked over at his brother. "Of course not. It's a toss-up between a date with Argus Filch and a box of entrails from a half-rotted Samhain goat. Your choice."

Bast and Thorfinn cackled and the little witch in Rodolphus's arms shivered. Bast noticed and approached her, letting his fingers trail along her jaw. Her hat had fallen off with the Apparition and he plucked it from where it lay on Rodolphus's arm. "Granger, isn't it?" he asked her, though his eyes met Rodolphus's for confirmation when she didn't do much besides jerk away from him. "What? You thought we'd give each other nice things for Christmas? We're Death Eaters, love." He brushed his thumb against her lips and then her cheek, which made her push back into Rodolphus's arms. "You're a pretty one, aren't you?"

"Stop scaring her, Bast," he said.

Bast gave her another soft caress, all the while looking at her like she was something he wanted to devour. Finally, he swallowed and looked away. "So this is the student you decided to kidnap? Why this one? Surely another would have been easier to snatch. Don't you think Dumbledore will retaliate now that his pet's Mudblood is missing?"

The little witch in his arms still hadn't said anything, it seems they'd scared her speechless. Rodolphus wasn't sure he liked that. "Nothing to say, little witch?"

"Let me go," she whispered. He bent and tipped his head to look at her face; she looked frightened.

"I'm going to get her situated. Wouldn't want her damaged before the Dark Lord knows we have her and succeeded in our mission," he said, he manoeuvred her a moment and without trouble, hoisted her up to lay over his shoulder. Her feet and legs kicked out to try to wiggle out of his grip and Bast reached out and spanked her hard on the arse. She sucked in another quick breath but settled. "I'll be down shortly to return to the Dark Lord with you, Thorfinn."

The other man nodded even as his gaze was focused on the girl's rump. Roldophus turned and headed out of the room and up the stairs. He had intended for their kidnap victim to be kept in the cells in the basement but he changed his mind as soon as they'd arrived. Instead, he took her up to his room. After he shut the door and locked it, he set her on the bed. When he stepped back from her, she looked terrified. She glanced at her surroundings and then returned her gaze to him.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked. He could see her swallowing down her fear and replacing it with calculations and logic and he wondered what other sorts of emotions he would be able to read on her face.

"Nothing. Yet," he told her. "The Dark Lord wanted us to capture a student. Any student. I'm not sure what plans he'll have for you when he finds out that it was you we caught."

At his dark promise, she shivered again and brought her arms forward to wrap around herself. "Can I have my wand back? Please?"

He chuckled. "Of course not, little witch." He glanced around at his room and wondered if mentioning that it was his would stop her from or encourage her to destroy it. He decided he didn't care that much for his belongings and if she wanted to pitch a fit, it would probably exhaust her. "This is my suite. Bast doesn't have access to these rooms. I'll be back later. Make yourself comfortable. I'll have our house-elf bring you some dinner."

He turned and left, locking the door. He wasn't sure why he had told her Bast couldn't disturb her though he figured it had to do with the way Bast had looked at her. Rodolphus didn't like it. He didn't acknowledge to himself that she stirred something in him, something even Bellatrix hadn't stirred in him when she was alive.

There was something about the little witch that made him want to protect her.