Chapter 38
For the next four days Draco endured rounds of torture from Aron Greengrass. Some sessions were very close together, with him coming once every hour. Other times he had left him alone nearly all day or all night. He was given one cold meal a day and water. He was getting weak, and he was always cold. He kept fighting though. Greengrass must have been particularly frustrated with Draco's lack of cooperation today, since he had resorted to physical violence. Draco was restrained to a chair, his arms and legs bound to the chair by Magical bindings.
Greengrass watched as Macnair physically beat him, that same repulsive smile on his face. Alternating between physical pain and the cruciatus curse, Draco didn't know how much more he could take.
"Stop resisting! I've grown tired of this little game." He stepped towards Draco with his wand pointed at him. "You will asssist me!"
He reached out and backhanded Draco across the face. Draco looked him right in the eyes and spit blood onto his shoes.
"You never learn. Let's see how you like this one, I believe you're familiar with it. Sectumsempra!"
Draco instantly felt like knives were slicing his body everywhere. He cried out in pain, he knew exactly what this curse did. If he survived this one it would be a miracle.
Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Theo were all at Draco's library, looking for any clues that would lead them to Draco. Hermione had been in a constant state of panic for the last five days.
"This isn't helping, I don't know where to look!" She slammed her book down on the table.
"We're going to find him. I've checked all of the safe houses the aurors have and everyone is out there looking."
"And there hasn't been any movement from them since his disappearance. This could work to our advantage." Theo said.
"How do you figure?" Ginny asked as she came over and wrapped Hermione in her arms.
"They've never stayed in one spot long enough for us to track them. He's been gone for five days, we should to start trying to track dark magic. I know they have him." Theo said grimly.
"He's right!" Harry jumped up. "Okay, we need to-"
Just then Hermione started screaming out in pain. Horrible, unbearable pain. It was coming from everywhere.
"Hermione?! HERMIONE!" Theo shouted running to her side when she fell on the floor. "What is this, what's going on?!"
"I don't know! I've never-" Then Harry saw all the blood coming from gashes forming all over her arms and torso. "Oh my god. Step back!"
Theo did as he was told, he'd never seen this before.
"Vulnera Sanentur"
Theo watched in horror and awe as Harry repeated the incantation three times, each time healing Hermione a little more. She had stopped screaming, and was crying. Theo wasn't sure if it was out of fear or pain. "Hermione?" He said, his voice broken. "Hermione, love, what happened?"
"I don't know" she whispered. Her eyes tightly shut. "But I could hear him."
"Hear who?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry who just shrugged.
"Draco. He's hurt. They're hurting him."
Draco suddenly felt something warm come from his arm. It wasn't pain, but soothing, healing. Soon it went through his entire body, healing his wounds, and then bleeding had stopped.
"What is this?!" Aron shouted.
Draco was panting, his body slowly giving up on him. "I-I don't know." He cried.
"What have you done?! How have you healed yourself?!"
"I don't know!"
"Sectumsempra!" Aron shouted again.
"NO!" Draco cried.
As fast as they came on before, the cuts reappeared. Hermione screamed out in pain again.
"Damn it! What the hell?!" Ginny cried, clutching Hermione's hand.
Harry murmured the incantation again, three times, slowly making the cuts and blood disappear.
"Harry." She sobbed.
"I'm here, I'm here."
"Harry, we have to find him."
Again, Greengrass watched as Draco's cuts disappeared. Draco was panting, tears running down his face. He had no idea what was going on.
He nodded to Macnair, who magically unbound Draco, kicking the chair, making Draco land on the floor. Draco just laid there, lifeless, not daring to move.
"What game are you playing?"
"I-I don't know what happened!" He panted.
Greengrass watched the broken man before him. This was a new development. He would have to rethink his strategy. "I think it's time you thought about cooperating, Mr. Malfoy." He turned and walked out, taking Macnair with him.
Draco laid on the floor, crying. What was happening? The first time he thought he was going crazy because he thought he heard Hermione screaming. That he was beginning to lose his mind from the constant torture. He had never been able to heal himself. Suddenly the pain just went away. When he was hit with the curse a second time he knew he had heard her. She somehow could feel his pain, could feel what they were doing to him. He cried even harder. How had they managed that? Had she been suffering this entire time as he was?!
"Tell me exactly what happened, don't leave anything out." Harry said to Hermione once they healed her again and moved her to the couch. Harry kneeled down beside her as she laid on her side. Ginny had given her a strengthening Potion Theo knew Draco has in his stock.
"I don't really know. It all happened so fast. I felt pain, it started in my arm, then went everywhere."
"Which arm?"
She held out her left one. "I heard him." She whispered, slow tears running down her face. "I know he heard me too."
"How?" Theo asked.
"Revelio" Harry whispered, pointing his wand at Hermione's arm. Thin, bright white strings of light appeared on her hand and went halfway up her forearm.
"Oh my god." Ginny whispered.
"What is that?!" Theo said in shock.
"They're bonded."
"Bonded? What? That looks like an unbreakable vow!" Theo was starting to panic.
Ginny walked up to him, sliding her hand into his, guiding him to a chair next to the sofa where Hermione was. "It's sort of like an unbreakable vow, without the threat of death."
"In a way..." Harry said.
Ginny shot him a glare. "When two people become bonded" she continued on, looking at Theo. "They are then married. They are magically bound to each other for life. Their souls connected for as long as they live through magic."
Theo looked at Hermione. "When did this happen? You- you're married? To Draco?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"When?" Harry asked sternly.
"One week ago."
"Bloody hell." Harry muttered. "When were you going to tell us!"
"Harry-" Ginny started to say.
"Hermione, you could have been seriously hurt! You could have died! If we weren't around, if I wasn't around... Hermione... I can't lose you." Harry held her hand tightly.
"I'm sorry, Harry." She opened her eyes and looked at Ginny and Theo. "I'm sorry. But... but I love him. Things were getting so bad, we wanted to be together. Now. We didn't want to wait for a better time when..." she began to cry. "When there might never be one."
"What was that spell?" Theo asked.
"Sectumsempra." Harry answered, kissing Hermione's forehead. "It's vile, I've used it... On Draco as a matter of fact."
"You what?!"
"Sixth year." Harry continued. "I didn't know what it was at the time. The only reason he survived was because of Snape. I learned the healing incantation after watching him almost die at my hand."
"Christ." Theo said to himself. "What does that mean for Draco?" He asked grimly.
"I don't know. I've never heard of anything like this before."
Ginny was pacing back and forth. "They're bonded... Harry! They're bonded!"
"We're quite aware." Theo said.
She ignored him. "What if you healed him! What if the only reason he was hit with it twice was because you healed him! There's no point in using it again, right?! The damage is already done! Maybe they can communicate!" Ginny ran over to Hermione. "Hermione? Hermione, love, I know your tired. I need you to try something."
"Okay."
"I want you to concentrate really hard. Think about Draco. Think about your love."
Hermione nodded closing her eyes. Theo and Harry watched, neither of them had any idea if this would work.
"Do you feel anything?"
"No."
"Okay, it's alright. We're going to figure this out... your arm! It started in your arm right? Touch it. Hold it tight and think about Draco."
"Okay." She breathed. She grabbed her arm that held the bonding spell. She thought about Draco, as she closed her eyes. Pictured his face, his hands in hers. The way he was so gentle on their wedding night. The way the love poured out of him while they were bonded.
Draco?
Draco shot up. He heard his name. She said his name. He had to be losing his mind. "Hermione?" He whispered.
Draco? Can you hear me?
"Yes, love! Yes! Where are you?!" Nothing.
"Nothing's happening." Hermione said sadly.
"That's okay. This is new to all of us, he might not know what to do either. You didn't feel anything? Do you think he could even hear you?"
She closed her eyes again, thinking only of Draco. She took a deep breath. This had to work.
Draco?
"Yes, I'm here!" He was crying again. Just the sound of her voice healed his soul. Even if he was going crazy, he would gladly accept it if she just continued to talk to him.
"Ginny!"
"What? What!"
"I felt something!"
"What?" Theo said from behind her.
"I don't know." She said sitting up on the couch. "I can't explain it."
"Humor me?" Theo said desperately.
"I felt him. In my soul. I felt him smile. I feel better, stronger. Not much, but a little bit."
"Do you think we could relay instructions on how to communicate back?" Harry asked, looking at Theo.
"I honestly don't know. Worth a try. Hermione." Theo said, sitting next to her on the couch. "I want you to think of whatever you were thinking before, can you do that?"
"Yes." She said, some hope returning to her.
"Okay, now while thinking that, try to tell him to grab his bonded arm and hold it tight."
She closed her eyes, remembering her wedding night.
Draco.
"I'm here." He said smiling, lying on the cold floor.
Draco, if you can hear me, touch your mark. Trust me. Trust us.
Well that didn't sound right, but he trusted her, even if it was a figment of his imagination. "Okay." He grasped his arm tightly, thinking of her voice, begging her to talk to him again. She was the only light in his life.
Draco?
Hermione.
"Draco!" Her eyes snapped open. "He heard me! Harry, he heard me!"
DRACO!
Hermione, I'm here.
Where are you?
I'm with you, love. You keep me alive.
"He doesn't realize it's me! Damn it!"
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"I think he thinks it's just a voice in his head. That it's not really me talking to him. How am I supposed to convince him that I'm real?!"
The room went silent. No one had any ideas.
"Tell him something only you would know! No wait, only him and someone else would know, maybe?" Ginny suggested. She looked at Theo.
"What? I have no idea!"
"You can't think of a single thing that only you and Draco would know?!" Ginny said frustrated.
Theo thought about it. "Umm... ask him... ask him who my first boyfriend was."
"I'm not sure if that will work, but I'll try anything." Hermione said desperately. "Wait, I have an idea. Who was your first boyfriend?"
"Anthony Goldstein."
"What? From the DA?" Harry asked.
Theo waved his hand. "Way before that. What, expecting a Slytherin, were you? Slim pickings, my friend."
Ginny tried not to laugh.
Draco, I'm here with Theo. I need you to believe that this is real, and not inside your head.
Hermione, I know you're not real.
Damn it, Draco! Listen to me for once! If I'm not real how would I know that Theo's first boyfriends name was Michael?
I don't know why we're having this conversation, but you're wrong, it was Anthony.
Yes! Anthony Goldstein! How would I know that if I weren't real and he wasn't sitting next to me?
Because I know it, and you're just a voice in my head, trying to keep me sane.
"Ugh! He's so bullheaded! He's not understanding!"
"Ask him about the attack, maybe? Ask him if he's healed?" Harry said.
"No, ask him about the bonding." Theo said. "Something logical, questions only Hermione Gr- Hermione Malfoy would ask."
She smiled at him.
Draco, can you hear me when you remove your hand from your Mark?
Yes.
Can you respond to my questions? Why do you think you have to touch your Dark Mark to talk to me? You hate that mark, Draco.
That much was certainly true. He hated that Mark. When he and Hermione were bonded they had purposely connected their left arms so their scars were touching. To always remind them that their love was stronger than anything that would try to keep them apart. It brought a smile to his face, knowing that she was his wife. A bonded marriage was old magic, but it just seemed so right with them.
Why did he have to touch his Mark to talk to her? Why did he hear her when that curse hit him? He tried to think back to when he first was hit with it.
You were hit with the Sectumsempra curse. I felt it. I heard you scream. You didn't know how you had healed.
I still don't know.
Where did the healing start?
He thought about it. His... arm. His arm healed first, then the rest of his body. How was that?
Hermione?
Yes, Draco?
We're bonded.
Yes! Yes we are!
This is real? I'm really talking to you?
Yes! Yes! Draco! It's really me!
"He understands. He- he gets it! I think he gets it!" Her voice got higher as she started to cry.
Draco, I miss you! What's happening? Are you hurt?
Yes. I am hurt, Hermione. Very hurt.
Oh, God. Do you know where you are? Who is keeping you?
Aron Greengrass.
Her eyes snapped open. "Harry!"
"What?"
"Aron Greengrass! That's who is keeping him captive. He has been hurting him!"
"What? Greengrass? No one has seen him in..." Then it hit Theo. No one has seen him in years. He had never defected, he stood loyal until the end. Theo had assumed he fled the country to avoid Azkaban.
Draco, what has he been doing to you? What does he want?
Draco considered lying to her, she didn't need to know he'd been tortured every day since he got here. But if he felt it did that mean she did?
Hermione, you said you felt the curse when it hit me. What happened exactly?
Yes, I heard you screaming, I felt your pain. Huge gashes appeared everywhere and I was bleeding.
Draco closed his eyes tightly. She really felt everything he did.
Did you heal yourself?
No, Harry and Ginny are with me, too. Harry knows the healing incantation. Did he heal you, too?
Yes. How?
We're not really sure, a cut must have appeared on your arm where we're bonded, so I felt it too. I'm really not sure how this works.
So you didn't... You haven't felt... anything else?
She didn't respond for a minute.
Hermione?
Draco, what is he doing to you?!
He could hear the anger in her voice.
Love, I'm tired. I'm scared. I've been tortured. He wants me to make the final potion for him using blood magic, but I refused. He's got to be the leader of the Militum Sanguine. You didn't feel the cruciatus curse?
Please say no, please say no. He couldn't take it if she felt everything that happened to him.
No. Oh, Draco. I'm so sorry. I love you! Im going to find you!
"He's being tortured. The cruciatus curse." She said quietly. "Greengrass wants him to make the final potion using blood magic. He's the one behind the Militum Sanguine. Draco is refusing and he's... being tortured because of it."
The room got quiet. "No wonder he thought you were just a voice in his head." Theo said. "He's-" he cleared his throat. "He's probably having a hard time holding on." Theo hung his head. Why was all of this happening?
"We're going to find him. Hermione, you need to start asking him as many questions as you can. Try to find out where he is." Harry said, grabbing some paper and a pen and sitting down next to her. "Tell me everything he says, even if you think it's not important."
"Okay." She said. She closed her eyes.
Draco, do you have any idea where you are?
No. It looks like a dungeon, or something. A basement? It's cold and wet and there's no windows.
Did you apparate there?
Yes, I'm surprised I didn't get splinched. I was... not in a good state.
She took a deep breath. "He's being held in a dungeon or basement he thinks. It's cold and wet and there's no windows. He has no idea where he is."
Harry looked at Theo. "Do you know how many properties the Greengrass's have?"
"I couldn't even begin to guess. The Malfoy's alone have like fifteen, spread across England and France. Greengrass has just as much money. He just never flaunted it like Lucius did."
Hermione?
"Wait, we were talking about tracking dark magic right? Before... all this." Ginny said, waving her hands. "Can't we still do that?"
Everyone looked at Ginny. "What?"
"Would they have to continue to torture him?" Asked Hermione. "The cruciatus curse is strong... isn't that how they found Neville's parents?"
"We can't ask him to do this!" Theo said to Harry. "No, there has to be another way!"
"I don't know how much time we have, we're fighting the clock, and we need to get to the Ministry now." Said Harry.
Hermione, are you still there?
"Harry?" Hermione whispered.
"It might be our only chance! One time! That's it! One time, then we tell him to comply with their requests to buy us some time to get to him."
"I can't tell him that!" She cried.
"Then don't." Ginny said softly, coming over to sit next to her. "Tell him that were doing everything we can. That we're trying to track where he is, and that you will be with him now. That you are here, and it's going to be okay."
Hermione nodded.
Hermione, please don't leave me.
Draco, I'm here, I'm sorry. We're trying to figure out how to get to you. I'm going with Harry to the Ministry. To... to see if we can track where you might be.
I don't want you to be alone, ever. Do you understand me? If something like this happens again... I need you safe.
I will not be alone. I promise.
"Mione, we have to move. Now. We have to be able to track their magic when they... visit Draco again." Harry said, interrupting her thoughts.
"I know, I know. Okay."
Draco, I'm here, okay? I'm going to floo to the Ministry.
I love you, Hermione. I love you more than anything else.
I love you too, Draco. I will find you.
"Let's go." She said grimly. Without another word everyone got up and went to the Ministry.
Once there they headed straight to the auror division. Harry had a map of all of the United Kingdom that they used to track dark magic.
"I can narrow this down to a specific area." Harry said ripping the map off the wall and putting it on the long conference table.
"How?" Ginny asked. Harry stopped and just looked at her.
"Damn it, Harry Potter! This is a hell of a time to hold out now! I'm here, I know what's going on, deal with it!"
Theo could not be prouder in that moment to consider this woman his friend.
"I love you." Harry said looking at her. Turning back to the map he aimed his wand at it and pieces of it seemed to disappear, making the area he pointed to larger.
He removed Scotland and Ireland. "I don't think they would have left England."
"And I know a lot of their properties are coastal. Astoria and Daphne always liked the water." Theo added.
Hermione closed her eyes, and tried to contact Draco again.
Draco? Can you hear me?
I'm here. I'm tired.
I know, sweetheart. I really do, I am too. I just need you to think for a moment, okay? Can you describe the place you're in?
There isn't much here. It's cold and dark. Worse than the Manor dungeons, really.
How big is it?
Big. There's several cells in the back. They keep me in the front though. More fun to hit me with a curse as they walk down the stairs I suppose. I don't know if any of this helps.
Okay, great. You did great. I love you. You can sleep... please... I love you.
I love you.
Tears ran down her face. Everyone was watching her.
"He's sleeping now." She said when she opened her eyes. "He described it as big, with prison cells in the back, but they leave him in the more open area in front of the stairs."
"As kids we all went to the more grand locations. I can't see Greengrass bringing him to a family estate we frequented." Theo thought aloud.
"Use that then!" Ginny shot up and went to the map. "Where are the bigger properties? If you think he would be in a place you've never been to, then let's watch for those first. Harry, can you make more than one map? If we each take a section, we can enlarge it even more and then we could try to watch multiple properties!"
"That is only a guess, I doubt they would take him to some grand mansion, but you never know." Theo stated.
"It's the only lead we have, let's just go with it." Hermione said quietly.
They worked through the night, not hearing another word from Draco. Theo transfigured a few chairs into a couch, and his jacket into a blanket for Hermione. Her shirt was still covered in blood, so he gave her his dress shirt to change into, leaving him in his white undershirt. Theo watched her sleep. She was exhausted, and brave, and scared all at the same time. His heart broke for her.
"She's always been the brave one." Harry came up and sat next to him, watching Hermione. "She was the one that figured out there was a Basilisk loose second year. She was the one who thought of starting Dumbledore's Army. She figured out how to destroy the horcruxes. She wanted to go with me when I was summoned by Voldemort into the Forbidden Forrest to die, knowing she would die to, just so I wouldn't have to go alone." Harry swallowed against the emotions boiling to the surface. "She was always the brave one."
Theo nodded. "She is unbelievable. The way she defended me, to everyone, I've never met anyone more passionate than her. It kills me to see her like this."
"Harry?" Ginny whispered. "What does it look like when Dark magic is being used?"
"A spot on the map will glow a bright red." He said as he stood. "Did you see anything?"
"I don't know, it happened so fast, I'm not really sure if I'm just tired, or if I really saw something." Ginny said frowning, doubting herself.
"Where did you see it?"
"Dover."
Harry looked at Theo, who just shrugged. "Makes sense."
"It wasn't bright." Ginny added.
"I don't think it would be, she would be awake if something was wrong." Harry said to her. "You lay down, I'll watch for a while. It's okay. Hermione might need you when she wakes."
"Okay." Ginny kissed his cheek and curled up into a reclining chair Theo had transfigured for her.
"I hate this waiting game. I feel useless, sitting around waiting for them to make a move." Theo said as he came and sat beside Harry at the table.
"Me too."
Draco laid on the floor, dreaming of Hermione. He felt better now that he knew he had really talked to her. He fell asleep and stayed asleep until he felt that familiar pain at his sides. He was jerked awake by Macnair kicking him. Draco immediately went to cover his arm, but thought better of it. He didn't want to put Hermione in any danger.
"Get up." He growled.
Draco tried to stand but his muscles betrayed him. He fell to the floor then, a pathetic mess. Everything hurt, but he tried to stand again. He slowly crawled up the wall, leaning against it. "What do you want?" Draco said hoarsely.
He heard footsteps coming from the corner of the room where the stairs were. "Have we learned our lesson yet, Mr. Malfoy?" Aron Greengrass strolled in, a smug smile on his face.
"What do you want from me?" Draco pleaded.
"I told you, I wish for you to brew the final potion for me. That is all, it's so simple. Then all of this" he waved his hand. "Will end."
"The final potion is all you need?"
"Ahh, we are considering it."
Draco didn't argue. He wanted to go home.
"I have most of the ingredients already, I just need you to perfect it."
"I told you that I will not be a pawn for Dark Magic anymore. That's not who I am." Draco tried to sound strong, but his knees buckled as they threatened to give out.
"You will be whatever I need you to be." Greengrass said with venom. "I do not have time for your games. You will comply." He turned to leave, with his back turned to Draco he spoke. "Don't make me have to resort to... threats."
"What more could you possibly do to me?!"
"So much." He turned to look Draco right in the eyes, the evil pouring out of him.
They both left, slamming the door as they did. Draco slid down the wall, he should really start to think about brewing that Potion.
"He's stubborn! I've grown tired of his resistance!" Greengrass slammed his hands down on the table.
"He always was." Lucius Malfoy said. "Patience, my friend."
"I am running thin on patience! I don't know what he is up to, but he thinks he can out smart me. I told you how he healed himself."
"Draco is smart. He adapts under pressure."
"It's been five days, we are running out of time."
Lucius sighed. "Fine. If you feel he is taking too long to come around..."
"I do."
Lucius smiled then. "Then motivate him... move forward with our plans. Make it known what... could happen."
Greengrass smiled as well. "Right away."
Lucius watched Greengrass floo away. He had interrupted him during his experiment. This Potion was nowhere near what they needed. They needed blood, and they needed Draco to brew it. According to the book Lucius had next to him, the Potion needed to sit under a full moon for six hours exactly before the blood from each could be added. He hadn't expected Draco to resist for this long. Greengrass was right. They were wasting time. Everything still needed to be extracted, the blood collected, and then everything brewed properly. He decided to cease with this concoction. It was not what they needed.
He stepped outside into the lawn of Greengrass's Dover estate. It was a beautiful night, he watched as a rabbit bounced across the lawn. Things needed to happen, and they needed to happen now.
"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius walked right passed the now dead rabbit. A beautiful night indeed.