(and I'm eternally grateful for Airy's translation! You rock, girl!!!)

CHAPTER 17. Whether you what this or… not.

*At the same time*

Hermione was lying helpless and pitiful on the frozen ground. The snow melted even before reaching her burning hot skin. Her vision blurred, Hermione looked up – sparkling white spots were falling down from the night sky. Then she heard somebody applaud. The girl turned her head slightly and saw Lucius.

- Bravo! Marvelous! Well, I didn't actually hope that you'll make such progress so soon.

- I have a good teacher, - murmured Hermione weakly.

Lucius didn't answer; instead he raised one of his perfect eyebrows. In several seconds he approached Hermione and whispered some spell in a very low voice. The girl could see small clouds of steam come out of his mouth. She twitched, instinctively trying to block and stop another torment that would follow, but then she discovered that she was dressed again… In the clothes which had been taken away a few hours before.

*The previous day*

"If you really want it", - was he mocking? -  thought Hermione. Still, in this situation she should be thankful that Lucius was only mocking… But this was only the beginning…

Hermione closed her eyes: either being too tired or trying to escape from the horrible reality at least for a minute.

- When I am talking to you, you are forbidden to close your eyes.

The next second her eyes were magically opened so that Hermione couldn't even blink. Her eyes immediately watered because of the unbearable bright light, but as they were now also paralyzed, hated and probably reflectory tears were just running down Hermione's cheeks.

- That's better. Now I hope you're listening to me very attentively, - Lucius leant against the stone wall  and with an elegant gesture (A *Malfoy*, isn't he?) straightened out his very expensive cloak.  – We must finish with this as soon as possible. In short – your paralysis is a result of a magical mistake and it can be cured only with magic and psyc….

He suddenly stumbled and for the first time stared at the girl very attentively. At the same time he removed the spell from her eyes and Hermione was able to blink. Lucius was already sitting by her side and tenderly whipping off her tears with a soft silk handkerchief.

- Firstly, I must check something out.

Hermione stopped blinking and stared at him. Although he said these words in a surprisingly tender, almost soothing voice, the girl felt as if he signed her death sentence.

-     What shall I choose –a way of pleasure or pain, dear?

Hermione shut her eyes in horror.

- Yes, you're right. I must support my *reputation*. As you wish, it will be the way of pain. And – what I told you about attention a minute ago?

The girl quickly opened her eyes wide in reply. Lucius sighed and stood up.

- Let's begin then.

He took the wand out of his cloak and said a very strange (even to Hermione) phrase. He put back his wand and slowly turned to Hermione…

He was holding a ball filled with shimmering pearly- blue liquid.

He slightly  tossed  the ball and it rose for several cm, freezing in the air. Only Lucius' hands were covered with an almost invisible silver substance.

Lucius bent down to Hermione and said softly:

- Everything will stop as soon as you wish it.

And the terrified girl saw small pearly needles appear at the edge of his fingers. They were very thin, like a hair, those tools of torment. The girl blinked quickly. The idea of bursting into tears didn't seem so humiliating to Hermione any more. In this condition she'd at least have misted with water eyes and she'd not see the slender sparkling fingers reach her face. The next moment her face was captured in the grip of pain, which appeared in those parts of her lips and cheeks where Lucius touched.

Malfoy looked right into Hermione's wide with suffer and horror eyes. The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile and Hermione understood that this was the end… She wasn't far from truth… Lucius traced the line of her lip with a finger. A small stream of blood began running down her chin and her neck, making her itch with its unpleasant warm touch.

In a moment something unbelievable happened: the pearly ball  exploded and vanished in the air; the needles on Lucius's fingers disappeared, as well as the deep cuts on her face. Only blood remained there.

Malfoy's smirk broadened.

- that's just what I thought. I'm sure …

A noise in the far corner of the room distracted him. Malfoy turned his head angrily, ready to send his house elf  to hell. His soft hair fell on Hermione's face. She was quite amazed  with its softness. It appeared to be a very great contrast – first a terrible pain, then the warmth of his hair… besides it smelled, um… it smelled good – of snow, street, air… freshness… freedom. But this peasant feeling didn't last for long – Lucius stood up quickly.

The small elf murmured in fear:

- the Great Master is waiting for you, my lord.

-  Tell him I'll come in a minute.

Lucius turned to Hermione once again:

- As I was saying before this stupid *thing* interfered – I'm sure you'll recover soon. Being a Mudblood is better than just a squib, isn't it, Granger? Only a wizard, even such unworthy as you can destroy the magical spell of pain. When I return we'll begin real cure…

Malfoy stopped in the doorway and smirked:

- Whether you want this or…not.

…Hermione wanted to die…