Author's Note: As promised, here's the next chapter!
Chapter 28
It's cold.
I slowly become aware of something that is restraining my wrists, holding them high up above my head. Something cold and hard.
Chains?
Oh, no.
The last thing I can recall is surrendering to Dolohov and several other Death Eaters… I can't even remember how many there were. Four or five, including Dolohov?
I don't want to open my eyes, don't want to know where I am.
I move my legs, placing my weight on them to take some stress off my wrists, and realize that there are cuffs around my ankles as well. How did I get into this mess?
Then I hear a male voice that I recognize but can't quite place.
"That Granger is… there's something odd about her," he says. "When we were fighting her, our attacks kept changing direction or simply dissolving whenever they went anywhere near her. It's unnerving."
The response comes from a very familiar voice—that of Lucius Malfoy.
"Yes, I heard from Bellatrix that even Dolohov's signature curse had no effect on her. Of course, I'm hardly willing to believe it unless I see it myself."
"Well, here is her cell," the familiar voice says.
Then I realize whose voice it is: Theodore Nott. I thought he'd died! Blaise hadn't been sure when we asked, but after so long, we'd all assumed that he was long gone.
I hear the click of a lock and a loud grating noise as the cell door swings open. I keep my eyes closed. Maybe if I pretend to be unconscious, I can overhear some potentially useful information. Although I'm not sure how that'll help me, at this point. I might as well accept defeat. The odds of getting out of here alive are ninety million to one.
No. I will not give up, no matter what happens.
I open my eyes and see that both men are in Death Eater masks and cloaks.
"Hello, Nott. Malfoy," I say, not allowing fear to show in my voice.
"Well, looks like our dear Mudblood here has an ear for voices," Lucius says, removing his mask. Nott does the same.
I just watch them, waiting for them to start whatever it is they're going to do to me.
"We're not hard to talk to," Lucius says. "If you agree to cooperate, we will allow you to return to the Order."
"Alive?" I say.
He laughs, and the sound sends shivers down my spine. Or maybe I'm just shivering because of the temperature.
"You really are a clever girl."
"Well, what is it that you want from me?" I ask. "Spit it out so that I can reject you, and then we'll get this show on the road."
Nott chuckles. "So impatient, Granger."
"It's simple," Lucius says. "We're merely asking whether or not you want to cooperate with us."
"I'm surprised you have to ask."
"We're just checking to see if you've gotten any smarter in all this time," Lucius says.
"Make your choice," Nott says.
"You two aren't very convincing," I say.
Then another Death Eater enters the room. "Nott, you're needed up top. I'll take over here."
Lucius turns and nods to acknowledge the newcomer. "Mulciber," he says as Nott leaves the room.
"Malfoy," Mulciber replies. He turns to look at me and smiles menacingly. "Well, well, well, she's finally here. The Dark Lord will be pleased."
He takes a few steps toward me, and I steel myself for whatever might be coming.
"So, Mudblood, I hear that you're somehow invincible to our spells. Tell me, how do you manage it?" he asks.
"I don't know," I say.
And it's the truth. I discussed it with McGonagall, and then Lupin, but neither had any idea of what it could be. I haven't been doing anything differently, so I really don't see why I've been protected.
"Do you think she's telling the truth, Malfoy?"
"I doubt it. That Mudblood has always been clever," Lucius replies.
"Well, let's see if there are any hints on her body, shall we?" Mulciber says with an evil grin.
He steps closer and reaches out to unzip my sweater.
Oh God, no.
Lucius moves to the side for a better viewing angle, and I find myself quivering in fear. Mulciber looks up at my chained wrists and frowns.
"That's inconvenient, isn't it?" he comments.
He draws his wand and flicks it once to Vanish my sweater.
"Would you like to tell us how you're doing it?"
"I don't know," I repeat.
"All right, then, let's try a different question. Which Death Eater has betrayed the Dark Lord?"
I don't answer, and he flicks his wand again, this time taking away my shirt. I shiver as the cold hits my exposed skin.
"Honestly, I'll enjoy it much more if you don't answer my questions, and we continue on like this," he says, leaning toward me.
I fix an angry stare on his face and spit at him. He points his wand at his shirt to remove the spittle and glares at me.
"You'll regret that, Mudblood."
With another flick of his wand, the rest of my clothing disappears, and I struggle vainly against my bonds, my body laid bare before these two evil men.
Mulciber is fumbling with his belt, and a wave of nausea comes over me.
"No…" I say, shaking my head.
He's sliding down the zipper on his pants when he pauses, looking at my chest.
My eyes are welling up, but though I'm shaking in fear, I blink furiously, trying to blink away the tears. I will not cry in front of these two monsters.
His fingers brush against my breast, and I try to pull away to no avail. But the contact is very short, and I realize that he's picked up the small charm around my neck.
"I thought I Vanished everything you wore, Mudblood," he says. "What is this?"
"Does it matter?" Lucius says, cutting me off before I can reply. "It's a trinket, nothing more."
"Quiet, Malfoy. If it resisted the Vanishing Spell, then it might be the thing that is protecting her," Mulciber growls. He turns his attention to me. "Where did you get this?"
I only glare at him.
He tries to tug the charm off, but the chain won't break, and he only succeeds in pulling my head forward. Frowning, he rotates the necklace, looking for the clasp, only to find that there is none.
I'm as shocked as he is. I clearly remember Malfoy putting the necklace around my neck.
He slides the charm over my head, but as soon as he does, it Vanishes from between his fingers and reappears around my neck. If I weren't so terrified—not to mention exposed, I would laugh at the bewildered expression on his face.
"Sod it," he mutters, stepping back over to me and lowering the zipper of his pants.
Oh, fuck. Please, no. This can't be happening.
I squeeze my eyes shut and plead in my mind for someone to come save me.
His rough hands pry my thighs apart, and I try to close them, but he's too strong. I let out a furious scream and try harder.
Then there's a strangled cry, and I open my eyes to see that Mulciber has backed a few steps away and fallen to his knees, bent over.
"Mulciber, what the hell?" Lucius says, alarmed.
"Fuck," Mulciber groans, a hand over his stomach. "It's that gold heart, I tell you. That heart—we have to get rid of it!"
Lucius helps his comrade to his feet.
"It was glowing—I saw it!"
Lucius only shakes his head, something akin to disgust on his features as he helps Mulciber out of the room.
A moment later, two more Death Eaters enter, both with masks on. I don't recognize either mask, and they don't speak to me. The taller one holds up a whip, the other a broadsword.
"Bring it on," I growl at them.
The tall man swings the whip at me, but it soundlessly hits an invisible barrier in front of me, and I'm surprised that there's no pain. It doesn't reach me. Am I protected from all attacks then?
I glance down at the charm that's still hanging between my naked breasts and see the two letters still engraved there—HG. Is this little golden heart really the reason why I've been untouched by attacks in the past few fights? If it is, then it means that Malfoy… that Malfoy is protecting me?
The shorter man swings the broadsword down, aiming at my shoulder, but the blade glances to the side and off the mark. Furious, he tries again, cutting sideways, but the sword swings downward and hits the ground by my foot. He gives a roar and tries again, attempting to shove the sword into my gut.
When the sword is within a foot of me, it slows to a stop, but I can tell from the way that the man's arms are bulging that he is attempting to shove the blade farther. He tries to pull it back, but it won't budge, and his eyes widen.
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" his comrade barks.
The short man releases the handle, and the sword stays in place for a moment, floating on its own, before clattering to the ground.
"There's some sort of strange magic going on here," the short man says.
The tall man tries his whip on me several times, but the weapon never reaches me.
The two Death Eaters exchange looks before exiting the room.
One of them pauses in the doorway, and I look up at him.
"Don't think we're finished with you, Mudblood filth," he says. "We'll be back."
I glare at him. "I'll be waiting, then."
The door swings closed, and I hear their footsteps fade as they walk away.
I wonder how soon they'll find a way to remove the heart charm. And is it really the only thing that's protecting me? I can't imagine why Malfoy would ever… and how could he possibly have come across something powerful enough to counter Dolohov's curse?
My body shakes in the aftershock of almost being raped and tortured—I can't believe my luck.
"Hermione?"
The voice that drifts in from the neighboring cell is much, much weaker than I'm used to, but I recognize it all the same.
"Blaise?" I call back.
"Fuck, it's really you."
"Blaise, oh my god! Are you all right? You sound awful."
"Thanks, Hermione. You really know how to make a guy feel better about himself."
I can't believe it. He has time for jokes, even in this situation. "Blaise, I'm not kidding," I say.
"Yeah, I know that. How'd they catch you?"
I sigh. "We were betrayed by Mundungus Fletcher."
"I always knew he was a sketchy guy, but I didn't think he'd have the balls to actually do it… Does anyone else in the Order know about it?"
"I don't know."
"Sounds pretty bad. Did anyone else get caught with you?"
"They subdued Lupin, but I don't know what happened to him afterward," I say softly. I fervently hope that he's all right. "Have you seen Lee or Alicia?"
"Not a sign of them. The Death Eaters haven't said a word about them. I asked, too."
"What do they want from you?"
"Compliance, another spy on the inside, nothing unexpected," Blaise replies.
After a short while, I ask, "What do you think the odds are of us escaping?"
"Honestly? Maybe one in a million."
"At least we have each other," I say quietly.
"Yeah," he agrees.
I stare at the ground of my cell and wish I had even a stitch of clothing to cover myself with. My arms ache from being held above my head for an extended amount of time, and my wrists are bruised by the shackles holding them in place.
I hope Malfoy got my message…
Author's Note: I'm having some trouble with the newer parts that I'm writing, mostly because I don't have good chunks of time to just sit down and write, so it's all done in snippets. I'll still be able to post a few chapters before running out of usable material. I'll try not to keep you guys waiting long.
Thanks for reading!
