Ch.7 Eternity
Disclaimer: this story is based on characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling no money is being made off of this story. Sara, Sharen, and Suki are mine. Special thanks to Morrigan my co-author and beta reader.
Lucius entered again, this time with Draco in tow. "I hope you don't mind an audience, but he needs to learn timing. Crucio!" her world narrowed to the pain, it would end, it had to, she would die, pass out. She wouldn't give in she wouldn't, she wouldn't, she wouldn't, she wouldn't, she—. It stopped. " Who is your Lord?"
"Go… To…Hell." She managed to gasp out between breaths glaring up at him, "I…Wont…Give…In!"
His smile was feral, "We'll see about that, soon enough. In the mean time I have a little gift for you." He pulled her wand out of his packet and laid it just out of her reach on the floor, then, as an afterthought, he lit it. "You will get it back when you change your mind." Both left her, staring into the feeble wand light.
Dear God let me die! Whether through neglect, or pain LET ME DIE! If they won't feed me then they might not give me water. If I'm lucky these people will have no concept of hydration and I may just be able to die of dehydration. I should be able to hold out that long. She was apparently to have no such luck as just then a house elf came into the dungeon carrying a small cup, "Great Miss must drink." the little elf said succinctly. Hermione tried to avoid the cup but was hindered by the chains and the elf's persistence. Finally the elf managed to get her to drink. Hermione had not realized how thirsty she was until she took her first sip of what tasted like honeyed water. She reached for the cup but was stopped, "no, no, Miss must not drink fast, you will be making yourself sick you will." the elf scolded. Hermione sighed and grudgingly let the elf tend to her. As the house elf went to leave Hermione asked, "what's your name?" the elf bobbed a curtsy and replied, "Suki, Miss."
"thank you, Suki", Suki merely bobbed another curtsy and left.
It was a long time before anyone came down again and she dozed fitfully.
Her world narrowed to pain, taunting, and the few, brief visits of mercy when she was given water. During all this time she had to look at her salvation just inches from her reach, and yet no matter how hard she tried she could not reach her wand. She had ceased to think coherently consistently a long time ago, although she still had her lucid moments. She had no concept of time, whenever she managed enough strength to ask, she was either mocked or flat out refused. All she knew was an eternity of pain, both physical and emotional.
My wand, I need my wand……Acio…. Need…I… Need…Acio…THINK Hermione…Acio.. Acio- then unbelievably her wand started rolling toward her Yes! Yes, come on now come on triumphantly she snatched up her wand and, "Alohomora!" the manacles opened soundlessly. She spent a couple of moments just enjoying having a free range of motion again, since she didn't know how long. She crept to the door and listened for sounds coming from the stairs. She heard nothing.
Lucius Malfoy was very nervous. Voldemort was coming to judge his progress with the Girl, and the going had been slow. A week had gone by and she still fought verbally. He had hoped to have her docile enough to bring her into the manor by now, for Voldemort's inspection.
"where is she?" Lucius turned and bowed.
"in the dungeon my Lord, I fear that progress is slow with her." As they made their way to the dungeon Lucius outlined what he had been doing to her thus far. As they reached the door it swung inward.
Nothing for it but to try "Alohomora." The door swung inward, she shakily walk ed forward, only to come face-to-face with Voldemort. Oh, Hell. Somewhere behind Voldemort Lucius voiced the same opinion, "Bloody Hell!" Hermione backed into the dungeon in horror, her wand in a defensive position. This couldn't be happening, not now, not when she had been so close. "My Lord, I have no idea how she could have— it was out of her reach the whole time I-"
"Enough.", Voldemort addressed Hermione, "Going to use that on me child? I think not expelliarmus." Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and she backed even further into the dungeon. Voldemort slowly advanced into the room forcing her to keep backing up until she hit the wall. "Easy, now, easy. I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to see you. Now, why don't you come away from that wall; you hardly have to worry about me attacking you from behind, surely you see that." She eyed him fearfully for a minute, then took a reluctant step forward. here was no point in resisting, he would make do it anyway, but she preferred to be in some control of her body when she did, and she would make him work for every step. "Yes, yes that's it come on now it's all right." Talking to her as if he were soothing a nervous horse he was training he talked her step by step to the middle of the room. He slowly walked around her, "you've been starving her, smart. So long as it doesn't kill her."
"I have been very careful my Lord."
"See that you continue to do so, this girl WILL be my queen, I want her sane and whole. Chain her." Lucius hastened to obey and before she could consider resisting she was chained to the wall again. Hermione slid down the wall and huddled on the floor shivering with fear and cold. "Remove her wand from her sight. The next time she manages to call it you may not be on the stairs." He turned to Hermione, "I must say little one, you impress me. We will have to think of a suitable name for your re-emergence in our world. A goddess of destruction, perhaps, and definitely some physical changes, not much, just enough. Come Lucius, we will call a meeting." They left her crying silently in the dark.