When the three arrived downstairs, Lucius and Narcissa were already sitting opposite of each other at the heads of the smaller dinner table, with Draco sitting on the longer side between them and Wormtail bringing the large plates with food from the kitchen to the table. There was only one empty chair left, indicating that they had only been expecting Bellatrix to join them for dinner and no one else, since Wormtail was never allowed to sit with the Death Eaters.
"Barty!" Narcissa said, trying to sound surprised. "We didn't expect you, please take my seat. I'll let Wormtail find two chairs!"
Narcissa quickly stood up and she offered Barty her chair, but he waved her away.
"Don't bother, I'll sit in the middle," he said, while Wormtail immediately rushed to fetch two chairs, desperate not to let anyone wait for too long.
"It's not that we didn't expect you," Lucius told Barty gruffly. "We consciously didn't invite you."
"We?" Narcissa laughed nervously. "No, no, that is not true… Of course you are welcome to join us."
"Don't worry, Cissy, I believe you," Barty smiled, though his eyes weren't smiling with him. "I think Lucius is entirely to blame for this rudeness."
"Rudeness?" Lucius sneered. "I let you stay in my home!"
"Here you are, sir," Wormtail muttered from behind Barty, offering him a chair.
With a smug smile meant for Lucius, Barty sat down as Bellatrix did the same. When Hermione sat down as well, Barty called Winky. She appeared immediately after her name was called.
"What can Winky do for master?" she asked with a bow.
"Oh, maybe you could… fill my plate for me,"
Barty glanced at Lucius, and it was very obvious that he was only summoning Winky to annoy Lucius.
"I've told you…" Lucius started.
"… to keep that filthy thing out of your house," Barty finished with a manic grin. "Well, I guess you didn't really make an impression on me, did you?"
"Don't think you can scare me, Crouch."
"Don't think you can give me orders, Malfoy," Barty shot back, giving Lucius an intense stare.
After a very uncomfortable silence, when Barty had finally sent Winky away, he broke the silence.
"So. Where does Aberforth Dumbledore live?" he asked to no one in particular.
There was a painful silence again.
"Granger?"
Hermione had been trying to stay invisible, but when Barty asked her a question, she almost choked in a piece of bread. But she didn't know the answer. So she just shook her head.
"You know what happens when you lie to me, don't you?" Barty asked her softly.
"I know where he lives," the voice of Draco suddenly sounded in a tone Hermione had never heard with him before. He didn't sound as posh as he used to be. He sounded nervous, and scared.
Barty leaned forward on his elbows, clearly amused and interested and interested in what the younger Malfoy had to say. Draco became even paler when all the eyes rested on him.
"Do you?" Barty said. "Tell me then."
"He- lives in Hogsmeade. I don't know the exact address but… he lives there."
"Good. I'll visit Hogsmeade tomorrow," Barty said as his grin widened. "And you, Draco, can accompany me."
"What? No!" Lucius interrupted.
"The boy needs some experience, he needs to prove himself," Bellatrix said, clearly choosing Barty's side.
"He is not going anywhere with that lunatic!"
Barty's expression now darkened, and the whole room seemed to darken with him.
"You can't protect him forever," Bellatrix told Lucius airily, as if they were merely discussing the weather.
"Why do you want to take Draco, Barty?" Narcissa asked softly.
"Like Bellatrix said, he could use the experience. He has been nothing but a failure so far," Barty answered.
"Nonsense. You want to use my boy just to punish me! You never liked the Malfoys, and now you just want to bring my son in danger! We know exactly how you work, Crouch, and I won't allow it!" Lucius snarled.
"Danger?" Barty scoffed. "There is no danger in Hogsmeade. He will be with me. He can get the truth out of this Aberforth. If not… I shall punish him for his failing personally. If he doesn't give me the location of Potter, then I see that as treason to the Dark Lord."
"Who says Aberforth knows Potter's location? We don't know anything about that man! You might be luring my son into a trap! I don't give a damn about you, but if my son is harmed in any way…"
"You'll do what?" Barty asked Lucius, standing up slowly.
Draco was as pale as a ghost, and Hermione could see the sweat on his forehead.
"Let's… ask Draco what he thinks, Lucius. If he wants to go, then he should," Narcissa said, looking expectantly at her son.
"I- eh…" Draco stammered nervously, but he didn't have to make a choice, because his father interrupted him.
"OF COURSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO WITH THAT PSYCHOPATH! HE IS NOT GOING!" Lucius yelled over the table.
"ENOUGH!" Barty screamed, slamming his right fist down on the table, making the cutlery and plates clatter. The sudden rage in his voice made everyone in the room flinch, including Bellatrix. They probably all knew what Barty was capable of in a fit of rage. Even the worst Death Eaters felt some fear for him. Especially Draco, who was now fighting back tears.
"The boy is coming with me, whether you like it or not," Barty added with a calmer and colder voice. "We'll leave tomorrow morning."
He sat down again, but no one dared to speak a word to break the painful silence. Draco was trying not to show fear, but even Hermione could see his trembling hands. And if she could see it, then Barty could definitely see it. And he enjoyed other people's fear. Lucius was just looking angry during the whole dinner, and Narcissa was almost as scared as her son. Only Bellatrix seemed to enjoy everything. But of course, she was just like Barty. She also hated disloyalty, she also enjoyed other's fear, she also enjoyed inflicting pain on others… Hermione was only glad that Barty's attention was now not entirely with her, but she knew that he would be terrible company if he stayed in this mood. And she was the one who had to stay with him the rest of the evening.
The evening was tense indeed, to say in the least. Barty had been grumpy the whole evening, and his mood had not lightened since dinner. Hermione thought it best not to talk to him, in the hope he might leave her alone. Because if he would snap, then she was the nearest in his reach. There was no telling in what he would do.
"You have finally learned to shut up, haven't you," Barty suddenly remarked when he had her chained with one leg to the bed.
She still didn't want to answer him back. Although something told her that he wanted her to provoke him.
"Tell me, are you finally seeing who is in charge?"
Hermione kept quiet, not even looking him in the eyes.
"It is quite rude not to answer someone's question, you know? Come on, look at me, pet," he said, though it wasn't really a suggestion. It was more of an order.
"Don't you want to be loved?" Hermione asked suddenly, in the hope that maybe there was something human left in him. She didn't know why she was still trying. When she saw his face, with his tongue flicking and his wide eyes that made him look like a maniac even the Death Eaters feared, she knew that it was no use. He was broken beyond repair. He was insane.
"Pardon?" he asked her dangerously.
"Don't you… ever wish to have someone like Elora?" Hermione clarified.
"I never wanted someone like Elora, I only want Elora," he answered. "In fact… as soon as the Dark Lord has taken over the world, I will become one of the most powerful men on this Earth, I could do whatever I like. I could get her back. With me, where she belongs."
Hermione snorted, although she knew he was being serious. He really would try bringing back the dead. He was crazy enough for it.
"And you… you'd do well to keep one of the most powerful men as your friend… Or at least not as your enemy… I could protect you, you know?"
"You haven't got the world yet. And you never will."
He chuckled in the most cruel way Hermione had ever heard.
"Of course we will, you silly girl… The Order won't last for long. We have an overwhelming majority," Barty sneered. "Now go to sleep. I don't want to talk anymore."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, but she didn't say anything. She hadn't expected him to let her go to sleep so early. She had expected him to touch her, but he didn't. The man was really too unpredictable. The biggest question was still why he would keep her alive. He could have killed her already so many times, especially after her 'betrayal'. He was furious, yet he didn't kill her. She was secretly very happy that he allowed her to have some sleep, because she was very tired. Maybe he was too, maybe he just needed to have some sleep. He laid down next to her, clad in only his boxer, while Hermione turned her back towards him. She almost fell asleep, she was almost capable of ignoring his presence next to her. Until she felt his breath in her neck.
"You remind me of her sometimes…" he murmured. "Pretty, talented, clever, very rebellious… almost fearless... Shame you are a Mudblood."
Hermione shifted away from him, trying desperately to ignore him in the hope he would think she was asleep.
"… the Dark Lord won't approve… I can't keep you…" he continued. "I can't protect you, little Gryffindor."
He is just trying to scare me off, Hermione thought.
"I haven't forgotten what you tried to do to me. I still have your scars on my chest. Yet you still refuse to apologize… Have you forgotten what I promised you after your little act of violence?"
Just pretend you are asleep, Hermione thought nervously. He is just trying to scare you… he wants to break you, he wants to see you being hurt, he wants you to apologize so that he will be in charge again.
"Do you need a reminder?" he asked with a menacing edge in his voice, his hot breath against her ear.
"I will kill everyone you love for what you have done." She could hear his voice saying in her head again.
"No," Hermione whispered.
She immediately shut her eyes tightly, cursing at herself for blowing her cover. Now he definitely knew that she was awake. But she couldn't answer the question that was now in her head. If he had threatened to kill everyone she loved, then why hadn't he? He had the chance with her parents. He had the chance with Neville, with Ginny... Now that she thought of it, he hadn't actually carried out any of his threats.
"Master Barty is starting to like you, Miss Granger," Winky's voice sounded in her head.
"Master is protecting Miss Granger…"
"… he needs people to care for him…"
A thought struck Hermione suddenly. He was threatening her… because he wanted to control her? So that he could keep her with him? He loved her? Not that he would ever admit it… Was it even possible that he was capable of loving someone? No, stupid idea. He had hurt her, not only threatened her, he had actually used Unforgivable Curses on her. Although… it would explain why she was still alive. Because there was no one really stopping him from killing her. He didn't need her for his 'plan' anymore, there were plenty of ways to find Harry. Maybe Barty truly thought she resembled his old lover. And in his own insanity, maybe he thought that if he could keep her frightened of him, she would be too scared to try anything in order to escape. And so far, he was succeeding in that. She still felt whenever he rested his cold, dark eyes upon her that he was capable of things far worse than she had experienced. Maybe that wasn't even true, but it worked on her. It even worked on his fellow Death Eaters. He had her in his control, whether she liked it or not. And she knew how mad he would become when she would ask him if he cared for her. He would deny it, he would torture her.
Maybe he was afraid to ever love again.