Arlene POV

I could hear him downstairs in my kitchen, getting something to eat. He had beaten me until I saw stars. He also decided that I would look better with a tight one piece of black lingerie, so he forced me into it. The corset was so tight, my ribs were aching. Taking deep shuddering breaths, I tried to think. It wouldn't be long until Hermione came to call, wondering about me. And then my boss, and even my brother. This can't last much longer. I told myself, trying to ignore the pain. "ARLENE?" A voice suddenly bellowed from outside, and I recognized it instantly as Harry's.

"Harry!" I screamed back as Malfoy thundered up the stairs. "Harry, help-" My scream cut off sharply as Malfoy seized me around the throat.

"Arlene? Arlene!" Harry yelled, sounding panicked. When I didn't respond, I heard him curse. "Malfoy, I know you're in there! Let her go!" He yelled, and Malfoy froze.

"You contacted him, didn't you, Arlene? You bitch!" He bellowed the last part, and backhanded me again, making me cry out, falling hard to the floor. He kicked me hard in the ribs, seized my hair and bowled me over with a punch right to the eye. I felt my heart swell with hope. I hadn't contacted Harry, but somehow he knew what was happening.

"Don't you dare hurt her! I'll kill you!" Harry shouted, sounding furious after I cried out when he kicked me right in the spine.

"Good luck getting around the wards, Potter!" Malfoy shouted, and my heart sank. Oh, God, oh, Merlin, I was going to die here. He put wards around my house, I really was trapped. "I can't let you watch the rest of the show, you'd only ruin it, so I'll have to let you listen, won't I?" He called, going to the window. I struggled fiercely behind his back, desperately trying to get away. Malfoy walked away from the window and gagged me, then hauled me up, dragging me to the window. I fought him hard, but only got a glimpse of Harry before Malfoy threw me back into the room. There was horrified silence from outside as with a smirk, Malfoy vanished the gag. "He has to hear you scream," He purred, kissing me roughly. "Crucio!" Malfoy spat with vicious pleasure and without warning. None of the beatings compared to pain like this. It felt like I was being turned inside out, that I was exploding. The bonds only made it worse. I knew I was screaming my lungs out, thrashing like a fish out of water, praying, Please, let it end!

"STOP IT!" I heard Harry roar outside, and there was a cracking noise as he tried to break the wards. Draco lifted the curse, leaving me gasping and trembling on the floor.

"Your Mudblood looks awfully sorry for herself, Potter. I suppose the beatings helped." Malfoy went to the window as he goaded Harry, kicking me on the way past making me cry out as he hit my lip.

"FUCK YOU, MALFOY!" Harry snarled, then, "I'm coming, Arlene, hold on!"

"Crucio!" Malfoy yelled with more force, and then the pain was back, wrapping around me, crushing me yet ripping me apart at the same time. My voice was raw from the shrieking, but I couldn't stop, it hurt so bad, please, let it stop. I don't know how long it lasted until he dropped the curse. The whole world was spinning, and I felt disconnected from myself, as if I really was ripped to shreds.

"Stop hurting her!" Harry bellowed, his voice cracking from the force of it, sounding terribly angry.

"How's this, Potter? A little payback for me! Sercumsemptra!" He shouted, and I cried out only once as my flesh erupted in cuts, blood was pouring everywhere- "Episkey." Malfoy said coldly, and they stopped bleeding. "Don't think I'm done yet, Arlene. I've only just started." He said in my ear, then started to beat me by hand again, throwing things on me, throwing me around the room, punching, kicking, choking- and all the time I could hear the repeated cracking noise as Harry worked on the wards. I tried not to cry out, for Harry's sake, but Malfoy realized what I was doing and only beat me all the harder, until I was crying out, whimpering and sometimes screaming as he abused me without pause or hesitation. Malfoy muttered a spell and the cords vanished. I shakily bolted to my feet, swaying. I didn't even have a chance against him. He instantly tackled me and started punching my face, starting to laugh. It sent shivers up my spine, it was a deep, dark laugh full of power and bitterness. In a lucky move, I head-butted him so hard he fell to the floor with a shout. Wasting no time, I dashed for the door on wobbly legs. "Crucio!" Malfoy panted, and I crashed down to the floor, screaming again. My screams started to die as the world grew darker. "She's dying, Potter!" Malfoy called gleefully. Was I really? It was hard to tell.

"I'm not," I croaked, and Malfoy lifted his curse, his face filling with rage. "I'm not dying!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Don't listen to him, I'm not dying!" I called, my voice weakening.

"I guess I really do have to kill you. My father was right, you really can't train a Mudblood." Malfoy spat, shaking with rage. "Take this, bitch. Suffoco suus!" He roared, just as the door burst open on its hinges. A rope appeared from nowhere and wrapped tightly around my throat and chest, suffocating me, twisting like a snake. A fight raged between Harry and Draco as I fought the rope as hard as I could on the floor, gasping. "Avada-" I heard Draco start, and then bellow in pain. The room filled with grunts and the sick smack of fists hitting flesh for awhile longer. For a moment, a hand joined the pressure on my throat before there was a loud crunch, and the sound of wood splintering. I could hear tiny whimpers and I knew they were from me as I rolled and writhed, trying to free myself. But I was hurt, sore and so tired I was trembling. I wouldn't be able to hold it off much longer, my eyes were closing without my permission…

"Stupefy!" I heard Hermione shout, and a body dropped. Then strong hands were trying to rip the rope away.

"It's not coming off!" I heard Harry shout, panicked, as I start to jerk more than writhe. I had no oxygen left, the ropes were cinching tighter than I could bear, I was dying-

"Laxo Eximo!" I heard Hermione shout, and the terrible pressure lifted; the hands were free to tear the rope off of me.

"Arlene? Arlene! Come on, Arlene, say something!" I heard Harry begging, smoothing my tangled and bloody hair out of my face. I tried, but my chest, lungs and throat were searing with pain.

"Harry, there's no time. She has to get to St. Mungo's," Ron said, the sound faint to my ears.

"Harry," I managed to gasp painfully, trying to force my eyes open.

"Thank Merlin," Harry breathed, and I felt lips on my bruised forehead. "It's ok now, Arlene, you're safe." He choked, sounding like he was crying. Finally, I dragged my eyelids back, feeling a twang of pain from a black eye. Harry's face looked so helpless, his eyes were traveling all over me with such sadness it hurt my heart.

"I'm sorry," I tried to say clearly, and groaned, my eyes closing as my throat erupted into flames. That was a really bad idea…

"Arlene, it's ok, Arlene, it'll be alright," Harry's lips pressed to mine, making my split lip ache. But the feeling turned to an unpleasant stinging and started to fade away all together as I began to loose consciousness. "Arlene?" I heard Harry ask from far away, and then I didn't hear anything at all.