Chapter 14: Tortured
Author's Note: Here I am again, lol. Don't kill me please. Hope you enjoy this chapter, it's shorter than my others but like I said, I planned on doing that anyway. Especially now since I'm having to dive back into this story after so much time. (I'm sorry! eek.)
Disclaimer: Ya'll know the deal.
Tortured
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"Don't check out on me now, little bitch."
Those terrible words penetrated through Hermione's consciousness, tugging at her spirit to bring her back into this living nightmare. She wanted to refuse; didn't want to be aware and a part of this disgusting violence. Her soul was hurting.
"Look at me, you pathetic cunt!" Blaise demanded in frustration. He didn't want the Mighty Granger to hide away from what he was going to do to her. Oh no, he needed her focus front and center for the grand finale, when he would finally plunge into her depths and take everything from her that mattered. Her happiness, her pride, her self-worth. He wrapped a hand around her throat and squeezed, bringing his face down until their noses brushed, green reptilian eyes boring into her dulled browns. He growled and bared his teeth a little, anger sweeping through him at her lack of response. He could feel his cock start to soften which spurred his hand to wrap tighter around her neck.
"Can't even keep a man hard can you, sweetheart? Not much of a woman are you, tch.." Keeping his hand on her, he tucked himself back into his pants before resuming his close proximity. Maybe he could still rile her and get what he wanted after all, "You know why Purebloods can't stand you, Granger? You're a symbol of our fucking failure. You're the heroine, the Martyr, the beacon of hope for muggle born trash around the world. The Pure should have reclaimed our magical birthright, and could have, if our great 'esteemed' leader hadn't been as fucking polluted as you and your ilk."
Hermione concentrated on her breathing, which was difficult beneath his bruising fingers while she silently bore through Zabini's monologue. Her eyes burned with the need to shed their tears, but she steeled herself against them. She was at her weakest moment, but she wouldn't give him that, not when she'd survived worse.
"It's not the end though," Blaise laughs softly, grinning down at her, "Don't think you've won just because Voldemort is dead. There are always others to take his place…"
The Gryffindor's eyes suddenly hardened and a renewed sense of strength imbued her spirit as her chapped and bleeding lips turned up into a smirk.
"If that's true," she whispered, voice slightly cracked but firm, "Then you would do well to remember that for every hundred of you, are a thousand of me ready to fight for what is right and good, and you will go the same as your Master did. That I promise you." She coughed as his fingers twitched around her throat, almost hearing the grind of his teeth before he calmed enough to laugh joyfully. His smile was too beautiful for somebody as evil as him.
"Granger, your stupidity is astounding," he laughed even harder, those unstable green eyes fevered. "I'm going to be there to watch you dying in the street like the filthy mongrel you are. It's inevitable."
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Pansy smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in her dress, her dark eyes furtively glancing around the slowly emptying ballroom as couples began to head back to their dorms to call it a night. Blaise seemed to have disappeared without so much as a word to her and she was feeling a bit embarrassed to be seen alone, as well as humiliated at how inattentive he had been as her date that evening. It was becoming painfully clear just how on her own she was here at school, her only allies being the same girls that she now knew were just as cruel towards her as they were to everyone else.
"Oh, Parkinson! All by yourself? Must be terrible to be dumped once again, isn't it." Daphne cooed, her arm wrapped around Draco's as they were in the process of strolling by. "If you're looking for Zabini, he's gone and left a while ago." She pauses to giggle and gaze up at Malfoy teasingly, "Whatever did you see in this wretched thing, Draco?"
Pansy's fingers clenched into fists at her sides, her face flushing with anger and pain at her former friend's mockery. So many feelings and memories rushed to the forefront of her mind, and could feel a prick of tears burning her eyes. Standing straighter, she was glad her dress could hide the trembling of her legs that threatened to collapse her from the strain of keeping herself together. While deciding whether to open her mouth and fire back or walk away, Malfoy stepped in.
"Never mind her. Let's get you back to your dorm, you look…tired." His lips quirked just the slightest at one corner. Daphne beamed up at him before smirking over at the other Slytherin, not noticing the sly look Draco shared with Pansy.
"Such a gentleman," she sighs prettily in a very practiced way, "always taking care of my needs."
Parkinson felt a mix of confusion when she'd caught that look from the tall blonde. Had she imagined it, or had he actually been that cheeky to insult his date without her knowing and then…do that for her. No way would he care enough to do such a thing for someone else. Right?
The dark-haired girl forced a serene expression on her face and spoke in a dry, neutral tone, "I so do hope you get plenty of rest Daphne dear, we wouldn't want those bags under your eyes getting any worse, would we? Goodnight, Malfoy." She felt a tiny bit grateful towards Draco, but it would take her a long time to forgive him for everything he's done. With head held higher than a Queen's, she walked from the ballroom alone.
After her departure, Draco made swift work of hustling Daphne back to the Slytherin dorms, noting that he didn't see Parkinson at all during their journey there. He didn't wonder about it, but instead focused on getting rid of the Greengrass twit quickly. She had been quite a drag all night with her dramas and shite attitude, wanting to whine and complain about other girls and continuously touch him and vie for his attention, it had been fucking exhausting to attempt an interest. Daphne leaned against the wall with a provocative smile, her body posed in a way to entice him closer. Draco bit the inside of his cheek, his brain screaming in frustration; needing to rid himself of her! He took a quick second to reason with himself on what he was in such a hurry for. Just to get back to the space he shared with Granger? He was realizing just how addicted he was to being around her. It didn't matter they were always such at odds and at each other's throats all the time, despite the clash it was that energy about her. It felt so good to wrap himself in it; so different from these other girls just like the one in front of him. Malfoy took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm the stirrings within his body. That hot desire that never failed to flood him when he thought about that little brunette.
Daphne had been perceptive to notice the change in Draco's behavior, but not in the way she thought. She gave a cat like grin and pressed close to him, biting her lip and peering up at him coyly. "Do you…want to spend the night with me? We could…you know, take things further if you want," While speaking, she snuck a hand up his inner thigh to rub slowly over his groin, "It certainly feels like you do." She giggled, until vise-like fingers wrapped around her wrist like a manacle, removing her touch.
"Go to bed, Daphne, you're acting sloppy." Draco hissed, unamused by the whole ordeal and far past his patience. She gasped, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment and indignation. Her mouth opened, ready to let loose a stream of screeching un-pleasantries, but ended up stuttering like a dumbstruck fool when he turned his back to her and began striding away down the hall.
"Draco?! DRACO!"
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After leaving the ballroom, Pansy wandered listlessly through the hall; her left hand lightly clutched the fabric of her dress as she passed some students milling about while they procrastinated going to bed, their laughter and giggles breaking the otherwise winding down silence falling over the castle. Red cheeks and sparkling eyes adorned the merry partiers, such joy so infectious amongst themselves. She couldn't feel it. She wasn't a part of it. Almost unaware, her other hand crept up to curl over her heart while it shuddered inside her chest painfully. Her steps quickened as she hastened to get away from everyone and everything; she had no particular destiny in mind, but her subconscious brought her to the steps leading up to the Astronomy tower. She ran up, her breath coming out in short, labored pants; her cold cheeks wet with the fiery flow of tears she had been holding back. Bursting through the door at the very top, she finally halted in the stillness of the chilly night air, the moon bright and full, illuminating the scenery around her. Staring up at it, she cried silently as her bare arms wrapped around her for a semblance of warmth.
"Mother…I miss you so much," Pansy gasped brokenly, slowly walking forward until she reached the stone railing, placing her hands on it. "I need you so badly; without you I have no one. I have no friends, I lost Draco, Father hates me…you were the only one that cared about me. With you gone…I don't know if I can do this. I don't belong here and I can't take this anymore, Mom." She hunched over as grief welled up inside her, her tears making dark splotches against the gray stone beneath. "I hope you can forgive me."
Pansy straightened, and swiped the wetness from her cheeks, sniffling as she carefully hoisted herself up onto the railing, her arms held out from her body to steady herself. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what waited for her below; she trembled and her heart pounded with the fear and despair of her decision. Would she finally see her mother again? Nothing in the world felt better than imagining being able to run into those comforting, loving arms once more.
"Please, forgive me." She whispered.
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Draco reached the portrait and was quite pissed that he had to stand there and yell at it for a full minute before those drunkards in the painting woke up to let him in. He was in a right fucking mood, that's for sure, and wanted only to collapse in his own bed and sleep it off. Stomping into his room, he stripped off his costume and threw on a pair of black silk pajama pants and black form fitting shirt. He was about to toss back his covers and climb in bed when he heard a muffled curse that sounded suspiciously male and then...
"HELP ME!"
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A/N: Yep, I'm a slut for them cliffies. Deal with iiiiit!
Soooooo, whatcha think? Will Pansy do it? Will Draco save Herms or join in? *le gasp*
Please Review! xoxo ~Raevyn