Days had passed and Draco felt more at ease in his new 'home'. Although the other family members were slightly more reluctant, there was a sense of sanctuary and safety being with the Weasleys. Growing up, he was familiar with all pureblooded families in the British wizarding world and some beyond but the Weasley's were always the black sheep of the community. They seemed too kind and friendly towards outsiders than the other pureblood.
Draco spent the first night laying in bed and thinking about how this was the first time he actually felt at home. Even his home in Malfoy Manor didn't even shine a candlelight on what he felt in this home. Malfoy Manor felt more like a live-in museum with the most expensive of family heirlooms and wizarding antiquity stuffed into a magically large palace made of stone. It didn't have a warmth to him like he felt in this tiny home that housed practically a small village. That night was also the first night he ever truly allowed himself to cry.
On his 5th day, he was sitting with Fred and George Weasley, as requested by their mother, and playing a surprisingly civil round of cards. The trio, when all else put aside, was friendly and for the first time in a long time, they felt like the young men enjoying each other's company instead of family-made enemies. An owl tapped on the back door glass with an envelope in its beak, waiting for someone to invite it in and feed it a snack for its delivering services. George stood and let the owl rush in and drop the letter in Draco's side of the table, the sat down in front of Fred awaiting its reward. All three boys instantly recognized this to be a common owl from Hogwarts and felt no need to be alarmed by the letter.
Draco opened the stiff and thick yellow envelope to reveal pages of a handwritten letter in the handwriting of Dumbledore, and curiously his father as well. He looked at the two Weasley starting at him, asking him what the fuss is about, and excused himself to his bedroom with the letters. He sat down on his blanket covered mattress and began to inspect the letters.
Dumbledores letter came first.
Greetings , I trust that all is well in your current living situation. I have been informed by Molly Weasley that you have been nothing short of a perfect guest. I am pleasantly surprised to hear this. I trust that you are feeling secure and had time to relax upon your arrival. As much as I would enjoy talking about pleasantries, there is a more important task at hand.
As you will find out further detail in your father's attached letters, there has been a change in wind pertaining towards your father's loyalties. Upon much consideration and support from the Order, we have convinced your father for his benefit and your own to join us. As you can imagine, there was hesitation and reluctance but with the promise of safety he took up the position of spy, the same as your godfather Snape.
We place our faith and trust into your father to be loyal to the Order of the Phoenix but you must speak with him and allow him to come to terms with his predicament. Allow him to discover the error in his ways with gentle pushes and suggestions. So far he is cooperative but we aim to reform and to gain his commitment.
This will not be the last letter you receive from me Draco, we will keep you informed of anything of importance.
Signed Professor Dumbledore.
Post script: Miss Granger cannot be located through any sources and our top priority is to locate her. if you have suspicion or suggestion as to her whereabouts, please inform us.
His father's letter seemed like it had been through hell and back. Ripped and torn in certain places, stained and the scent of spilled fire whiskey smudging certain words.
My son Draco:
I will aim to keep this correspondence short and blunt. When I see you again, then I can explain to you what happened, man to man. I have decided to join the Order of the Phoenix for your protection and now my own. I will still continue my duty to the dark lord but will relay the information to fellow order members.
I am doing this not because I want to. I am doing this because your safety is my priority. I think I can confidently say that the odds the Dark Lord will win are starting to dwindle. Despite your actions throwing our lives into a whirlwind of chaos, I have proud of the bravery and courage you displayed.
Signed your father Lucius Malfoy
Draco laid both the letters underneath his pillow and thanked whatever being was watching over him for his fathers slow but sure change of allegiances. He went back downstairs and asked the twin brothers if they would like to resume the game, Molly watching happily as the blonde boy allowed himself to be just a young man and not forcing himself to act touch and thick.
It has been days since Lucius Malfoy has spoken to Dumbledore or Snape. The confines of Malfoy Manor seemed to become colder and haunting with every passing day. Echoes of screams and yelling seemed to also be embedded in the walls, causing his to wake up every day since from nightmares leaving him in cold sweats. His wife did not sleep in the same bed as him, thankfully not witnessing his horrible physical health lately but that didn't matter since Narcissa hasn't been seeming since the incident and when asking fellow death eaters about it, they refused to speak about it.
Almost a week since the infamous incident, Voldemort called a meeting with all his followers. As usual, being kept in a large ballroom of the Manor, Lucius has to make sure the house elves kept is up to by one, members entered his home all dressed in the usual black. As the dark lord usually does, he does not appear until everyone is present. Taking his usual seat at the head of the table, Lucius listened with a stone cold exterior to not give away his crumbling interior. His paranoia must have set in, he felt like everyone in the room knew of his association with the Order and it was only a matter of time before he was hexed or killed on the spot.
His trance was broken by the raspy voice of his 'dark lord'.he was now talking about the muggle born. Granger. He remembered her quite well. He remembered entering the room as his sister in law tortured her, his gut telling him to stop what happened but instead, he just kept his gaze elsewhere. He refused to look at her for longer than a few seconds at a time because every time he saw those eyes, they bore into him like a red hot iron. That has what caused him the most distress over the week. Her screams were the voices that echoed through the halls, her eyes were the last thing he saw before waking in a fit.
But why was he feeling such distress towards this one specific mudblood? He has seen countless horrors and atrocities yet this one was the one that destroyed him day by day. It wasn't worth a second thought, he attributed all these gut splitting feeling to the newfound stress of working two sides.
"Antonin, how is your prize?" Voldemort asked. That word. prize. It got under Lucius's skin and made him want to single handily rip the table to bits. Instead, his fingers gripped into his armrests so hard a slight splinter was felt.
Antonin smirked to himself and replied "she is a very disobedient brat. Keeps on rambling about the Order saving her, recently she has not said a word. I am sure with enough time I can bend her to my will."
Voldemort asked his most loyal servant to fetch his 'prize' and within moments, Hermione appeared before everyone.
Lucius was petrified by the girl before him. Hermione laid once again on the long dining table. She looked like death and the pain she felt in her throat was keeping her from speaking.
"Hello Miss Granger, a pleasure to see you again" The snakelike man taunted her. He pointed his jagged wand at her and she was thrown harshly in front of him.
Voldemort grabbed her bloodied face and brought it inches away from his gray paper like skin.
Lucius stared at Hermione and took in every gory detail. Her signature frizzy hair looked like a birds nest with dried blood and chunks clustered in certain parts. She was dressed to a bare minimum with a torn camisole top exposing her stomach and panties that were bloodied and brown from dirt. Her skin was scattered with gashes and bruises that looked severe enough for medical treatment. His stomach churned and the temptation to curse Antonin grew with every injury he saw.
Hermione turned her head painfully to lift herself off the table but the stare from Lucius Malfoy stopped her in her track. Her face had a layer of dirty and speared with dried blood which covered her bruised cheek. Hermione's neck was practically black from the choking she suffered on a daily basis. Her eyes pleaded with him and his breath began to fluctuate. It was painfully hard to stop his hand from grabbing her and apparating away.
Antonin grabbed her by the neck and dragged her off the table and onto her knees before Voldemort.
"As I was going to say, before your little display, your living arrangement for the time being seem to suit you. If you are willing to cooperate I am sure Antonin wouldn't mind making your stay more welcoming if you cooperate with us."
Hermione managed to speak "I would rather die"
His haunting laugh echoed through the stone room and the rest of his minions joined along.
"What a ferocious little lion. Truly a Gryffindor. As satisfying as it would be to take your pathetic life, you are needed for later. I am sure a few more weeks with Dolohov will break you"
Hermione grew furious and the hand around her throat wasn't enough to keep her from spitting on Voldemort. Malfoy cringed and tried his hardest to avert his eyes. The most gut-wrenching scream filled the room and flashes of violent red light from a wand filled the room. Antonin was allowed to take his 'prize' out of the room and apparate back to his home. That night was the first time Hermione passed out from the pain while Dolohov found pleasure in it.