Deal with a Demon
"Come here, Mudblood," Bellatrix called sweetly, as though she was speaking to a young child. Hermione looked at her warily and defiantly. "I told you we aren't going to hurt you, now come here," Bellatrix said a little more forcefully.
Draco shook a few stray blond hairs from his face and stood up, his shoulders broad and challenging but his aunt just smirked. Hermione gulped and got to her feet, gently putting a hand on Draco's shoulder. He looked at her in confusion and she stepped around him, walking toward Bellatrix with her head held high. There was no way they could escape the situation. She believed it would be better to face it and spare Draco the price of protecting her.
"Still so proud, are you? You can act as proud as you want, but it won't last. See, I think I understand you. I always assume people will respond as a Slytherin, but I forget that you're a mighty Gryffindor - stubborn to a fault and valiant, dauntless and heroic to their own demise."
Hermione fixed her stare upon the taller witch's dark eyes and stuck her chin forward. Her expression was the very definition of dignified and indomitable, but it took such effort that she had difficulty remembering to breathe.
"That's exactly what I mean," Bellatrix sneered in amusement. "You're dying to know what I'm getting at but you're too proud to ask."
"I just don't want to play your game," Hermione replied flatly.
"Draco... Your Mudblood thinks this is a game." Bellatrix's shill laugh chilled the room. "Do you think this is a game, Draco?"
"To you," he answered, his voice as intense as his grey eyes.
"Too right you are. But let's get down to it," she said, taking a step toward Hermione. Hermione did not step back, firmly holding her ground. "So, girl, when I came to the conclusion that you would be too stubborn to protect yourself over your friends, I decided that maybe you'd protect a friend over your secrets. And it seems to all of us here that you've grown rather attached to our Draco." A sly smile tugged at her lips. Hermione forgot to breathe and a deep crease lined her brow. She hadn't considered this position, but she knew that it was one she should have expected. She wasn't sure what to do.
"What to do..." Bellatrix taunted. "How will you respond to the torture of poor Draco, the only one who has tried to protect you? Crucio!" Bellatrix's cry was sudden and unexpected. Hermione whipped around, gasping a much needed breath as her eyes snapped to the corner of the room. Draco's screams rent the air as his body twisted unnaturally on the floor in excruciating pain. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, tears forming in them already. The curse was lifted as suddenly as it had started. "So what do you think, Mudblood? This can go on for ages, you know. Unlike you, Draco is completely expendable. I need not worry about damaging his mind or sanity as we have with you."
Hermione was torn. Her mind was racing faster than it ever had.
"Don't, Hermione. I've come to terms long ago that I wouldn't make it to the end of this war," Draco insisted. "Protect you-"
"Shut him up!" Bellatrix commanded. Avery all too enthusiastically stepped on Draco's broken foot.
Another scream ripped from Draco's throat. He willed himself into silence as soon as the man had stepped away, but his eyes watered involuntarily. His lips trembled and he took long controlled breaths through his nose. Hermione gulped and looked at him, anguish etched on her face. She had been dreaming of their escape, but they would surely kill Draco if she did or didn't give them information. It was the way they were.
"Didn't like seeing his physical pain more than the Cruciatus curse? Maybe visual evidence helps you grasp it." Bellatrix glanced at Avery with a wicked grin. Avery returned her smile, pulled a knife out of his robes, and knelt by Draco's head. Rabastan Lestrange flicked his wand and ropes shot from it, binding Draco's wrists in front of him. Draco remained motionless, glancing at the dagger out of the corner of his eye, his breaths shaking in his determination to remain still. Avery pressed the tip of the dagger against the side of his neck and blood gathered at the razor-sharp edge and dripped down to the floor. Draco gritted his teeth, shaking uncontrollably as the blade was slowly dragged across his neck. It was excruciating, but was not deep enough to be lethal.
Only halfway through, Hermione broke. "Stop! Stop! Wait!"
Avery finished his cut before standing to look at her. Bellatrix gazed at Hermione with a smug expression. "Anything you'd like to say?"
"I mean it, Hermione! They'll kill me if you talk or-" Draco shouted.
"I said shut him up!" Bellatrix snarled. Lestrange walked over and stomped on the side of Draco's face. Draco screamed through his closed mouth, humming one long flat note and moaning softly to himself. He wriggled onto his side in pain, a thin line of blood dribbling from his nose. Avery nudged Draco's shoulder with his shoe, pushing Draco onto his back. Draco continued his long moaning hums to ease himself.
"Well, girl? Do you really want to see your dear Draco suffer like this? With all he's tried to do for you..." Bellatrix paused. Hermione struggled with her thoughts. Was there any way out of this? She had to do something. There had to be some way to protect him...
"If you tell them, they'll kill you too," Draco mumbled in protest. Without waiting for an order, Avery kicked Draco in the ribs.
"Just go about killing him now," said Bellatrix, waving her hand in irritation. Her voice was so casual that one would think she was merely rejecting lukewarm tea. "But slowly," she added. "Let her see it."
Draco's body continued to twitch involuntarily. He took a deep steadying breath, his slate grey eyes staring resolutely at a single focal point on the ceiling. He'd been through many things, suffered the Cruciatus curse numerous times, accepted jibes, stares, and insults his entire life. He'd never been appreciated. There wasn't much to lose. At least this act of selflessness might protect someone, protect Hermione, Harry, and the Order until they could defeat Voldemort. He would die proud, something he never thought possible. Avery brought the dagger down, the tip resting over Draco's heart. Hermione stared on in utter terror as the blade very slowly began descending straight down, slicing into his skin and muscle. Her ears were deaf to his screams as her eyes focused on the expression on his face. It was nearly enough to kill her too. Her breaths were coming short and fast and the blood spilling from Draco's chest made her feel sick inside. I don't care if I die, but I can't let them hurt him. I have to-
"STOP! Wait! Stop!" Hermione cried, reaching out toward Draco, desperate for Avery to withdraw. The man pulled back his dagger and wiped the blood on the leg of Draco's trousers before returning to a standing position with a smug grin.
"You have something to say?" Bellatrix asked in mock surprise.
"I'll make a deal," Hermione said firmly, her nostrils flared with her controlled breaths. She refused to cry or tremble in the woman's presence. She had to remain resolute.
"I'm not sure you understand the situation. You are in no position to be bargaining." Bellatrix chuckled in amusement at the girl's suggestion.
"I beg to differ. I think that it is you who is in no position to decline," Hermione retorted, her chin raised slightly. Bellatrix's eyes narrowed and Hermione continued. "I'm not afraid to die. You can torture and kill me and get nothing from it. And you're going to kill Draco if I speak or not. What reason is there for me to reveal anything?" She paused, allowing the Death Eaters to consider her.
"And what is it that you propose?" Bellatrix scowled. It was apparent that Hermione had the upper hand and Bellatrix did not at all appreciate it.
"I will tell you the position of the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix and in exchange I want Draco to be unharmed," Hermione bargained. Draco looked ready to protest. "Shhh," Hermione pleaded to him.
Bellatrix looked down at Draco as she considered the offer. "I want to know how to get into the Headquarters."
"Fine. But I want your word. Draco goes unharmed and-"
"Yes, yes. My word," Bellatrix snapped impatiently.
Hermione straightened. Her heart pumped hard in her chest. She refused to be intimidated. "Talk is cheap. I will never trust your word without an Unbreakable Vow."
Bellatrix lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "You have a lot of gall to be-"
"If you were honest with your side of the deal, then there is no harm in an Unbreakable Vow," Hermione interrupted. She would not let Bellatrix take back control of the conversation.
Bellatrix regarded the other Death Eaters in the room, many thoughts being exchanged through their glowers. "Fine!" Bellatrix barked. Hermione glanced quickly at Bellatrix's outstretched arm before meeting the woman's face again. Her eyes were wild and her lip curled back to expose her yellowed teeth in a ferocious, animalistic sneer.
"I speak the terms. I don't want you making loopholes," Hermione said extending her arm.
"But wait," Bellatrix pulled her arm back a few inches and narrowed her eyes. "What if you are untruthful?"
"It's an Unbreakable Vow - if I lie, then I die," Hermione stated simply.
"But that's just it. You've already said that you don't care about dying to hide your friends' secrets. If you lie, you sacrifice yourself and I'm still forbidden to touch Draco. My terms to the agreement are that if you should lie, Draco dies too," Bellatrix added with a smirk.
Hermione looked over at Draco and swallowed hard. "Don't," Draco demanded, scowling darkly at Hermione.
Hermione took a deep breath, looked into Bellatrix's cold eyes and extended her hand further. "I accept." Bellatrix grasped Hermione's forearm as Hermione gripped hers. Rabastan Lestrange, Bellatrix's brother-in-law, placed his wand upon their hands and Hermione began to speak, choosing her words carefully. "I, Hermione Granger, do vow to truthfully reveal the location of the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix and the weakness in its magical barriers in exchange that Bellatrix Lestrange will do everything in her power to see that no harm be done to Draco Malfoy by any action or order of any Death Eater or Lord Voldemort. And if I should fail to truthfully reveal the location of the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix and its barriers' weak point, Bellatrix Lestrange will be released from the Vow." As Hermione spoke, tongues of red fire were released from the bonder's wand, twisting their way around both women's hands.
Bellatrix's cold, dark eyes narrowed further, searching for any holes Hermione might have left in the vow. "I do swear." The fire flashed and vanished and Bellatrix jerked her hand away. "Now tell me!"
Hermione took a deep breath. "The Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters is located at The Burrow, Molly and Arthur Weasley's home, on the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole."
"Yes. Yes. I know where that is. How do I get in?" Bellatrix demanded impatiently.
"Apparate to the orchard. Come down the hill toward the center of the hedge and you will come in contact with the barrier. It is at this point the barrier is weakest and can be broken with a few concentrated disarming spells," Hermione explained in monotone, looking anywhere but at the eyes in the room. She wouldn't dare make eye contact. Bellatrix and the two men stared at Hermione for a moment as if waiting for her to drop dead.
"She tells the truth. Let's go," Avery urged, already walking to the stairs. Lestrange waved his wand at Draco, releasing the ropes that bound him, and followed after Avery.
"I knew you'd come around," Bellatrix smirked and ran her wand slowly up Hermione's jaw and flicked Hermione's hair. "I'd think of ending your life, as it was never part of our little bargain, but you might just be of more use to us."
"What about Draco?" Hermione piped up.
"Do you see us harming him? We'll feed him. Maybe clean him occasionally. But I never said we'd let him free." With one last wicked grin, Bellatrix exited the room.
The door slammed shut and Hermione turned on the spot, vomiting to the side of the staircase. Her stomach was emptied the first time but her body continued to heave violently, causing her to cough up stomach acid that burned her throat and mouth. She steadied herself as quickly as possible, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. She looked around at the smokeless balls of fire still dancing near the ceiling in all four corners of the room. She assumed that they had just been forgotten during the Death Eaters' hasty exit, but the light and warmth were welcome. Hermione immediately ran to Draco's broken body. His foot was swollen more than ever, blood was dripping across his neck, his chest, and his nose as he lay on the floor, his face turned away from Hermione.
"Draco, a-are you alright?" Hermione knelt by his shoulder, placing a hand on his cheek. Draco pulled his face away and stared up at Hermione with a piercing glare that shocked her.
"Why did you do that?" he growled, his teeth bared. Hermione had seen him that angry before, but never with her.
"Draco… I…"
"I told you I was ready to die. I knew long ago that things wouldn't end well for me. This was my chance to redeem myself; to spare your life until the Order could reach you and then you all go off to save the world together. In choosing to save me over protecting your friends – the only hope this world has – you damn everyone!" Hermione began to cry at the way he looked at her: with absolute revulsion.
"Draco, you don't understand…"
"No. I don't. You're not the witch I thought you were." His voice was venomous. He turned his head, too angry and disgusted to look at her.
"Draco," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please. You have to listen to me."
Draco clenched his teeth, refusing to look at her despite the urge.
"Draco…" she pleaded. She paused, her heart begging him to look at her. After a moment passed, Hermione bent forward, her hand on his chest, her cheek pressed to his, her lips hovering over his ear. "Please listen to me, Draco," she whispered almost inaudibly. Draco wanted to pull away but felt rooted by her desperate plea. "It's not what you think." She continued to whisper in his ear, afraid of anyone somehow listening in. "I betrayed no one. The information was true, but no one will be harmed. It's a setup, our last-ditch safeguard, only to be used in face of certain death." Draco softened slightly, showing signs that he was listening and slowly tilted his face in her direction. Hermione kept her face pressed against his, still not daring to speak above a whisper, but she was encouraged by his response. "It is the Headquarters of the Order, but they only meet there on Saturday nights, and just so that it can still be called Headquarters. If they need to meet more frequently, they send a message of a different place to meet each time so that no other place can be called Headquarters. It is set up so that when anyone breaks through the barrier, shadows scurry in the house and appear as though they all have Disapparated, as though they'd just escaped. This way it does not look as though a person has lied. Then a signal is sent to each ring, like my earring, letting everyone know the Burrow is not safe and that someone is in mortal peril. They'll know it's me and they'll come as soon as they possibly can - plan or no plan." Hermione finally sat back up and looked down at Draco anxiously, tears slowly gliding down her cheeks. She spoke aloud now. "I would have stopped it as soon as it started, but I didn't know how to assure your safety."
"But an Unbreakable Vow?" Draco said incredulously, his eyebrows knit together in an emotion that Hermione could not read.
"I couldn't let them hurt you anymore," she wept, her tears increasing with vigor. "I didn't want them to hurt you at all."
Draco stared up into her deep brown eyes; they shined with such depth. When he stared into them he could actually see the intensity and honesty of her emotions. His expression softened. He never really understood until then, just how much pain they had caused her while torturing him. If they were to have killed him, it would have also killed a piece of her. Draco had become very possessive and protective when it came to Hermione, but it seemed that she also felt the same for him.
Her eyes just then were so pleading for his forgiveness and understanding. Draco reached up to her and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. She never blinked, her eyes never leaving his. He felt his heart begin to pound, his breathing becoming shallow. A new emotion was shining in her eyes and he felt so drawn to it. Slowly, as if an unknown force was tugging at their hearts, Hermione leaned down, guided by Draco's hand, and gently pressed her lips to his in a long but delicate kiss. Hermione reluctantly sat back up and returned her eyes to his.
Both of their minds and hearts were battling to properly label the bond that had grown between them over their imprisonment; something to call it; to express its boundaries, but neither of them could think of any other relationship they had seen or experienced in their lives that even remotely compared to whatever it was they had. Both wore soft shy smiles, uncertain of how to define their compassionate affections, but were unconcerned as they found comfort and contentment with each other. Hermione pulled him over to their corner once more, pulling him to rest between her legs, his head leaning back against her chest. She covered him in his robe as he had done to her.
Draco closed his eyes and continued to breathe slowly and controlled. Pain burned through his entire body, each heartbeat throbbing in every vein. Blood slowly trickled down his neck and chest, nearly driving him to insanity as he felt too weak to wipe it away. Almost as if reading his mind, Hermione reached forward and very, very lightly pressed her hand to his throat, the robe soaking up the blood. She repeated this action to his chest, holding her hand over it. Draco just moaned in appreciation. She bent her head to the side and gently kissed his temple.
"I've never met a braver witch..." Draco breathed.
"I've never met anyone as brave as you either," Hermione confessed, lightly kissing his temple again. "Please try and sleep, it will help the pain." Draco rolled his head to the side, allowing the steady beat of her heart to lull him to sleep.
My poor Draco! I'm sorry! I promise your suffering is almost over!
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