Chapter 8- How could I not love you?
Voldemort did not take the risk of allowing either of them the opportunity to use a wand this time. Hermione was bound as soon as she entered the room. Aside from those small precaution today's 'audience' followed much the same pattern as the last one. Once again Voldemort used the curciatus curse until Draco was on the brink of unconsciousness. Draco fought so hard not to scream. He must have bitten the inside of his mouth in the effort to hold back the pain. A thin trickles of blood marked the corners of his mouth. Painting him slack jawed, a wooden marionette whose master jerked the strings as Draco mimed a silent scream. Hermione thought the sight of him, as his back arched off the floor, head thrown back as every tendon in his neck strained to fight the pain, would haunt her for a life time. His agony burned onto her retina. Worse though was the knowledge that Voldemort was using Draco as a play thing.
Her blood roiled with anger. Struggle as she might she could not free herself. She wanted to scream at Voldemort. She wanted to eviscerate him. He was going to kill Draco. Damage him beyond repair but she dare not show him it mattered. She had a feeling that was exactly what the bastard wanted. He wanted her to react. Surely he will stop? After what seemed like an eternity Hermione began to panic.
As suddenly as he had begun the torment it stopped. Draco lay totally still. She wasn't sure he was breathing. If she didn't get to him now, she realised, it might be too late.
Nonchalantly Voldemort toed Draco's prostrate form. As if he was a piece of discarded rag. A mere curiosity.
"You will make a suitably tragic widow." He consoled Hermione with faux sympathy. She snapped. Her hair crackled with raw magic, power hummed through her limbs somehow, in a burst of accidental magic, Hermione threw off her bonds.
Heedless of what Voldemort thought she threw herself across the room, almost skidding on her knees as she finally reached Draco. He wasn't breathing. Hermione tried an enervate spell. It didn't work.
"Don't you dare leave me," she yelled at him as she slammed her fist into his chest attempting muggle CPR. It was enough Draco suddenly gasped, and drew in a rattling breath.
Voldemort watched, a macabre voyeur. He neither helped nor interfered. Hermione wanted to wring his pale scrawny neck.
"You may go," he dismissed,"and take him with you."
Hermione looked at him as if he was insane. How did he expect her to get Draco out of here without her wand?
"Mipsy," she whispered.
The little house-elf's ears were trembling as she entered the presence.
"Help me get master Draco to his room." Hermione requested. How she remained calm she didn't know.
It was seconds before they reappeared in their suite. Draco was still unconscious.
"He needs a healer,"Hermione said her calm shattering. "Get Mistress Narcissa too." She commanded.
She knew he was in a bad way. She wasn't sure, even if they could revive him if he would be the same. Without her wand there was little she could do to help him. Nothing she could think of to do but try to sooth his pain.
His head cradled in her arms she gently brush the soft tresses from his forehead.
"Hang on, please," she begged in a strangled whisper, "I have lost everyone else who ever meant anything to me. I can't loose you too. Please," she sobbed, pressing a gentle kiss to his brow, remembering how her mother used to kiss her better, wishing kisses were cures, knowing that she would kiss him until her lips bled if they were.
It seemed like an eternity before she was joined by Narcissa and Mipsy.
"A healer is on the way." The Malfoy matriarch reassured her as she turned her attention to her son. She didn't need to ask how her son was it was all too plain that he was severely injured.
Neither woman spoke. Both lost in their own fears, both knowing if Draco survived this he could not take much more. Both desperately trying to find a way to protect him.
It was some hours before Draco regained consciousness.
"He's been lucky this time," the healer advised, "as far as I can detect there is no brain damage." The healer shook her head as if she was about to say more but realised it was futile.
Hermione knew it was futile too. Futile to say he should avoid the curse again. Who in their rightful mind would seek it out? Who amongst them did not know that exposure to the curse again might kill him? Hermione had no idea how he had survived unharmed this time.
Hermione looked at her husband. Noted the deep shadows under his eyes. Gods he looked wrecked. She had to get him out of here some how. Ideally it should be now whilst most of the house still slept but he was in no state to travel. Then there was the question of where would she take him?
Narcissa had left them alone some hours earlier. Hermione, her mind restless with plans of escape, had barely noticed.
"What are you thinking?" Draco had barely spoken since he had woken.
"That we need to leave here." She told him bluntly
"You understand what will happen if we do?"
"What do you mean?"
"He will kill my parents in retribution..."
"They will come with us." Hermione insisted.
"My father will never abandon the manor it is more than a home it is the seat of our power and my mother will never abandon my father."
"You can't continue like this," Hermione spoke desperately," he will kill you, it's a miracle you are not already dead. How is your mind not completely addled?"
"Occulumancy," he told her, "without it I would be insane but I can shut out the pain."
"Still your mind will not survive if you are no longer breathing. You died in there..." Hermione began to sob.
"It will be worth it to know at the end you truly cared." He said stoically.
"I won't let him do this to us, I won't," she finished as she drew a shuddering breath. "There has to be a way."
"If there is I am sure my brilliant wife will find it." He said with a soft smile on his lips.
-o0o-
Though Hermione lay cradled in her husbands embrace sleep would not come. She told herself there must be a way out but she could not find one and she feared they would be trapped in some horrific Ground Hog day until either Voldemort tired and killed them or Draco's heart gave out under the strain. She knew she had to save him but she could think of no means to do so.
As the sun finally began to encroach upon the darkness she finally drifted off to sleep. But what ever ease sleep brought her it did not last long. Soon she was rudely awakened as Voldemort demanded their presence again.
Just like previously he began to torture Draco almost before the doors had closed behind them. Just like previously Hermione was powerless to stop what was happening and as Draco slipped once again towards unconsciousness, his breath becoming laboured she could stand it no more.
As Voldemort prepared to cast the curciatus again Hermione threw herself across Draco's prostrate form.
"Strange," Voldemort paused as if considering her actions, "You would give your life for them all but you can only give it once."
"What do you want to know?" Hermione pleading desperately hoping that at least she could buy Draco some respite.
"Where is the Order's head quarters?"
Though Hermione didn't know she wondered if she would have told him.
"I don't know!" She gritted out.
"Where is the Weasley boy?" Voldemort asked. Again Hermione did not have an answer. Had this been his game all along? Make her fall in love so she would divulge her secrets? But then Voldemort could have asked her this at anytime. He knew she didn't know otherwise why wait until the information was so out of date it would be useless. There must be something else something she wasn't seeing.
"What do you want from us?" She shouted at the mad man in desperation.
"Nothing," he hissed but some how Hermione knew this was a lie. Perhaps he sensed Hermione's suspicion for suddenly, as if he were bored, he dismissed them.
What was his game? Hermione wondered for the nth time as she apparated Draco back to their room.
Though Draco was pale he quickly recovered once she had given him some pepper up potion.
"What are you thinking?" He asked her once again.
"That Voldemort wants something from us but I can't work out what it is."
"Perhaps my father had a point. Perhaps he is fascinated by love."
"But why?"
"Because it is a source of power that might destroy him."
Hermione looked at her husband as if she had never seen him before.
"Have I ever told you that I think you are brilliant?"
Had he not been so weakened Draco would have preened at that compliment. Coming from his brilliant wife it was praise indeed.
"What does your father know?" She continued.
"Perhaps you should ask him." Hermione swallowed. "You are scared of him aren't you?" he said chuckling.
"Frankly, yes," she admitted although she laughed along with him.