[EDITED and REVISED 2/19/21]
FULL SUMMARY: Anything could go wrong in the middle of a war. In the brink of the Golden Trio's cessation, Hermione Granger protected their secret. That is how she found herself saved and held captive by the family who wanted her kind eradicated from their world.
A Dark!Dramione fanfic set in TDH when Harry, Hermione, and Ron were captured and brought to Malfoy Manor. A story of battling not only the Dark Lord but also the centuries of taught hatred, prejudices, and discrimination. A battle of right and wrongs, doubt, and forgiveness.
"You don't get it, do you? Nothing you say could change the fact that you're in my house, and I could kill you any moment. You have no friends to save your pathetic arse because they left you here to die." He spat at her before pushing her against the cold floor. In that moment, Hermione had wished for death to come and take her.
A/N: Hello! and Welcome to my first ever Dramione fanfiction! I never wrote my own story before, but because of my undying love to Harry Potter, and Dramione ship, it resulted to this! First and foremost, I wanted to say sorry if you're going to encounter a lot of grammatical errors because English is not my first language. However, I will try my very best to give you a good quality story. This is going to be a long journey for me, and I hope you will be able to stay with me until the very end. That's it for now!
I do not own Harry Potter.
CHAPTER WARNINGS: Graphic depiction of violence, mentions of torture and death.
Draco stood beside his father, his body stiff and cold noting the tension around the drawing-room. He took in his surroundings and assumed, given their dress and appearance that snatchers had been welcomed in. His eyes quickly scanned the room again and he felt his breath hitch as he noticed three civilians being held. Lucius moved closer to him, while keeping his scrutinizing gaze on the man in front of them.
"Well, Draco?" asked Lucius. Draco could feel the excitement and desperation in his voice. "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"
Draco swallowed, as if there were a lump in his throat, his fingers trembling at the sight of the monster in front of him — Greyback. He tried his best to mask his fear, silently building the familiar walls to shield any unnecessary thoughts, ensuring his face remained composed and void of emotion. He stared at the man in front of him, taking in his entire appearance. The man's face was distorted, clearly. His right eye puffy, black hair reaching his shoulder and there was a dark shadow around his jaw. If he had not known better, if he wasn't sure who he was looking for, Draco was not entirely sure he would recognize the man. Draco could feel all eyes directed towards him, awaiting his confirmation. But, the man's all too familiar eyes that made him answer with an unsure tone.
"I can't – I can't be sure," Draco said.
The man bit his lip, relief etched in his face. Thankfully, the people around them were too focused on Draco for them to notice it.
"But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!" He could feel his father's cold hand on the nape of his neck. He had never heard Lucius sound so desperate before.
"Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiv –" Lucius' sentence was cut short by Greyback, reminding his father not to forget who found and brought the three of them to the Manor. He felt his father's hand release his neck as he slowly marched his way towards the man, scrutinizing his face closely, seemingly searching for obvious identifiers that this was who they had been looking for.
"There's something there," Lucius whispered, pointing at the man's forehead. "It could be the scar, stretched tight. Draco, come here, look properly! What do you think?"
"I don't know," he said and walked towards the fireplace where his mother stood watching.
"We had better be certain, Lucius," he heard his mother call to her husband in a cold, clear voice. "Completely sure that it is Potter before we summon the Dark Lord. They say this is his" – she was looking closely at the blackthorn wand she was holding – "but it does not resemble Ollivander's description. If we are mistaken and we call the Dark Lord here for nothing..." She seemed to drift off in thought. "Remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov?"
Draco saw the hesitation in his father's face, silently considering his wife's words, when Greyback growled, "What about the Mudblood, then?"
Draco paled. The snatchers brought another familiar face to them and this time, he was certain that he knew her. Her hair was still bushy but the color had a slight crimson tint, just like the stains in her clothes. Blood, Draco assumed. They stared at each other for a moment, her lips trembling with the fear evident on her face. It was the complete opposite of her over-confident demeanour that he always hated back in Hogwarts.
"Wait," he heard his mother say. "Yes – yes, she was in Madam Malkin's with Potter! I saw her picture in the Prophet! Look, Draco, isn't it the Granger girl?"
He contemplated for a moment.
"I . . . maybe . . . yeah…"
Draco was sure that was the best answer he could give.
"And then! that's the Weasley boy!" shouted Lucius, striding around the bound prisoners to face another man that Draco knew well. "It's them, Potter's friends – Draco, look at him, isn't it Arthur Weasley's son, what's his name – ?"
"Yeah, " he answered again, his back to the prisoners. "It could be."
He didn't know why he was reluctant to identify them, and worse, lied for them in front of his parents. If they knew that he had lied even though he completely recognized them, Merlin's beard, he would be damned. Thanks to his occlumency skills, he managed to shut down some of his thoughts, hide them and lock them in place, or else, he will be the one who would die tonight, rather of the three whom he loathed throughout his life.
The drawing-room door opened behind Harry, revealing his aunt who Draco feared as well. Draco could feel his heartbeat racing through his ribcage, anxious about what could happen next.
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?" Bella screeched.
Bellatrix Lestrange walked slowly around the prisoners and stopped on Harry's right, staring at Hermione through her heavily lidded eyes. Draco was scared for them. Bellatrix was second in command to the Dark Lord, a Death Eater. She was just as powerful as the Dark Lord, albeit slightly insane, which only made her even more frightening and unpredictable. His aunt was known for despising muggles and muggle-borns, even blood traitors.
Draco could hear his father and Bellatrix's exchange about summoning the Dark Lord, confident that they had Granger, Weasley, and Potter, but his eyes were fixed on Granger's, staring at her as she trembled within the snatcher's grasp.
"I shall summon him, Bella. Potter has been brought to my house, and it is therefore, upon my authority –"
"Your authority!" Bellatrix sneered, attempting to wrench her hand from his grasp.
"You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"
"This is nothing to do with you, Bella-"
They continued quarreling but Draco didn't pay attention, their voices muffled in his ears. The words gold, and filthy scavenger were the only ones he recognized until Bellatrix shrieked, telling the snatchers to stop. She strode towards the snatchers, pointing at the sword in their bag, asking where they got it. It is only a matter of seconds before Draco hears stunning spells and hexes being thrown at the snatchers by Bellatrix herself. He was stiff in shock seeing the snatchers lying on the floor, and Greyback kneeling in front of Bellatrix.
"Answer me, you filthy scum, where did you get the sword?!" Bellatrix asked, her wand pointed to Greyback.
"It was in their tent!" He answered, "Release me, woman, I say!" Bellatrix huffed and waved her wand, releasing Greyback.
"We must not harm Harry Potter, he belongs to the Dark Lord, therefore we cannot summon him as well, this is graver than we expected. He must not... he must not know." Bellatrix said, mostly to herself, her eyes still on the three prisoners.
"The prisoners must be placed in the cellar while I think what to do!" she screeched at everyone.
"This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my –" Lucius was cut off mid-sentence when Bellatrix spoke again.
"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we're in!" shrieked Bellatrix. She looked frightening, mad; a thin stream of fire issued from her wand and burned a hole in the carpet. Draco's mother hesitated for a moment, then addressed the werewolf.
"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. Draco could see the hint of wickedness in his aunt's eyes. "All except…. except for the Mudblood."
Draco's heart hammered in his chest, too loud for him to hear Weasley's screams asking his aunt to exchange his place for Granger's. He saw how his aunt dragged Granger's worn body, struggling and pleading as she was pinned on the cold floor, Bellatrix hovering on top of her.
"I'm going to ask you, mudblood, and do not try to lie to me, where did you get the sword?!"
"We f-found it, I swear— "
"You're lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" Bellatrix's voice was deafening, and he could feel his own body trembling from what he was currently witnessing.
"W-we f-found it— please"
"CRUCIO!"
Draco's eyes widened seeing Granger's body writhing as she cried out in pain, her voice becoming cracked and hoarse. Bellatrix gleamed, no end in sight of releasing her and ending the torture.
Draco stared, completely numb. As the walls he built earlier started to crumble away, he could feel raw emotion while his mind tried to absorb the scene happening in front of him. A year ago, he may have laughed at this. Merlin, he was sure the scene in front of him would make him happy because this is exactly what he wanted, wasn't it? To see this particular girl suffer for beating him in everything, for being an annoying know-it-all swot that he couldn't stand, for simply breathing the same air as him because he always thought that she didn't deserve it. After all, she was just a filthy Mudblood who was better off dead. He hated her, Weasley, and Potter. He loathed them for being the center of everything, for simply existing. Ever since he was a child, he was taught that he was better than them, better than everyone. That he always deserved the best and needed to be treated as superior to the rest. He was a Malfoy, he was above all of them.
But seeing this, he didn't feel certain anymore, he didn't feel any kind of satisfaction. He should be happy, right? Because the mudblood finally got what she deserved. But why did it feel wrong?
Because he had felt the same.
He felt the same pain of being tortured in front of the Death Eaters when he failed to kill Dumbledore. He felt his body being torn apart as if all his muscles and bones were being cut at a slow, torturous pace like there are hundreds of daggers being stabbed in every part of his body. It hurt like hell. He thought he was going to die, and seeing it happening again to someone he had shared six years of school with felt like he was experiencing it all over again.
If he's superior to anyone, why did they do the same thing to him? He's a pureblood, a Malfoy but he experienced the same thing for his failure. He shouldn't have received equal treatment or punishment because they are not equals. He is not her equal.
Draco came out of his reverie when Bellatrix shouted another crucio at Granger, making her squirm again. He could see blood oozing on the corners of her mouth and nose. She had wounds on her face and forearms, making her look like a ragged doll.
"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!" Bellatrix's voice was becoming darker and darker. He could see Bellatrix's eyes filled with rage but he also noticed slight… fear?
"W-we didn't t-take a-anything, t-that's a fake, please b-believe me. It was fake, we didn't take anything. P-please." Granger's voice was weak, but the fear and pleading were still there.
"Liar."
What Bellatrix did next was straight out of a nightmare. Draco saw his aunt withdrawing a small knife, like a dagger. Based on its appearance, he was positive that the knife contained venom, or a curse, as the knife's sharp tip was glowing with a green light.
He watched in utter horror as his aunt pinned Granger's left forearm with her arms as she started to carve into her skin with the knife. Granger's screams were the most harrowing thing Draco had ever heard in his entire life and would surely haunt him in the nights to come. He saw crimson blood dripping from her forearm. Crimson, just like his. Just like his father and mother. Her screams dissipated and she was no longer writhing on the floor. Bellatrix released Granger's body revealing a word etched on her forearm.
d
Draco saw the satisfied smirk tugging at the corners of Bellatrix's lips as he stared at Granger's body. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.
Fuck. Is she dead?
In the blink of his eye, Potter and Weasley emerged from the dungeons. Time seemed to slow in confusion as spells and hexes were thrown around the room. He saw his parents and aunt dueling Potter, Weasley, along with a woman and Lupin. Professor Lupin who had taught those ridiculous classes at Hogwarts.
Granger was still lying on the stone floor while Draco just stood, staring at her figure. She was pale, as if all the color from her body disappeared. Her hair was drenched with blood and her clothing was tattered. He was certain she was dead. Fuck. Was he supposed to join the fight or find safety?
Before he could even move, he saw his mother walk towards Granger's body, kneeling beside her.
"Draco! Come here! Quick!"
Draco quickly approached his mother at her command as if she had used Imperio on him. Narcissa checked Granger's neck for a pulse. The act bewildered Draco.
"She's alive. Take Miss Granger in your room, Draco, make sure you tend to her wounds. You have all the necessary potions in your room, correct?"
Draco, who felt as if he was no longer in charge of his own motions, absentmindedly nodded his head.
"Good, call Pippy if you need some assistance. I'll cover for you both. Use a disillusionment charm so that no one notices you. Now go." His mother demanded in one breath.
"But Mother -"
"Not now Draco, I'll explain it to you later. Priorities."
Draco whose confusion seemed to triple, only nodded, as he scooped Granger's limp body into his arms without another word. He stared at her face for a moment and was sure his mother was mistaken when she found a pulse.
"Go Draco!" He heard his mother yell as she blocked another spell sent by Lupin. He stood on wobbly feet as he quickly scanned the room. He made quick eye contact with Weasley, his eyes widening at Draco as he aimed his wand in their direction.
"HERMIONE!"
Weasley's voice was loud, but not loud enough to drown out the sounds of spells and hexes in the room. Weasley sent another spell that was effortlessly blocked by Narcissa.
"Draco!" He heard his mother call. He quickly cast a disillusionment charm on himself. Walking toward the entrance of the drawing room, he silently cast a protego and tried his best to stay out of the line of fire. He was near the door when he heard Weasley shouting at Potter. Potter's appearance was, confirming that it was indeed The-Boy-Who-Lived.
"Malfoy has Hermione, Harry! I saw them! We can't leave her here!"
"I know Ron, but we need to get out, Bellatrix will summon You-Know-Who any moment now and we're all gonna be dead!"
"WE CAN'T LEAVE HERMIONE! NOT WITH THOSE BLOODY DEATH EATERS! FUCK NO!"
"Come on Ron, Dobby's here! I can't leave you too!"
"No! I won't leave without Hermione!"
"We'll get her back, Ron, I promise. Just not now. Please."
That was the last thing he heard before he saw their chandelier coming out from the ceiling. He saw his aunt throwing a knife as Potter and Weasley apparated with everyone, including Dobby, the only house-elf he played with when he was a child.
He exited the room with Granger in his arms. He still hadn't realized what he just did, and what just happened; he was too astounded to keep his thinking straight. Rushing to the bedroom, he was overcome with a feeling of dread and impending doom. His mother was trying to hide Granger. Trying to hide a Mudblood in their home, a frequent place the Dark Lord resided.
Head-fuck.