Draco sighed as he heaved the trunks into the closet. Hermione was scanning the desolate room that they would have to share. Two identical beds were placed at either ends of the room, night tables on the right side of both the beds. The walls were a crimson red which matched the red sheets on the bed; there was one large dresser to the right of the doorway. Hermione trudged over to the left side of the room and flung herself on the bed. It was surprisingly comfortable. It adjusted to fit Hermione's every curve, she felt like she was floating on air. Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. This was the first time since she left Hogwarts that she actually felt completely relaxed; nothing this good ever lasted this long. Draco walked over to her bed and sat down at the end. Hermione propped herself up and waited for him to speak.

"You probably want an explanation," Draco stated. Hermione nodded in agreement. "Well, I should start off by saying that Bella isn't as horrible as you may think, or rather she isn't now." Hermione cocked her eyebrow at him but waited for him to continue. "It all started when the Dark Lord first began to gather followers. Bella's family had always been against muggleborns, but there wasn't any organized group of people who spoke out against it. The hate was mostly passed down from generation to generation of purebloods and kept in pureblood families. Its nearly impossible to go against what you have been taught your whole life," He said hinting at his predicament. Hermione frowned and rolled her eyes at him. "Bella was no different; her family was the first to sign up for it. Almost without a choice, Bella and her husband joined as well.

You know the story with the Potters and most of the middle stuff. The lessons of a Death Eater and all hope, of her learning the real lessons in life, disappeared. She worked her way up in the Death Eater circle, everything was going great until she got caught and sent to Azkaban. She rotted there. Until that mass break out a few years ago, where she was freed. She reentered the Death Eaters, even higher up because of her loyalty. That's when my father started to hate her, he was punished because he turned away from the Dark Lord when he disappeared. She was rewarded and was able to participate in the task of getting the prophecy. She had the prophecy within reach and she lost it, and the Dark Lord punished her. He punished her beyond what any other person was punished; he cursed her with one of the most deadly and unknown dark curse. Ruoy Esimed. It means "your demise" and that's why she is the way she is.

The curse is slowly eating her alive, from the inside out. There is no way to stop it, she's slowly wasting away. She went to my father for help but he wouldn't do it. He felt she got what she deserved and turned her away. She built this house and I am the only one in the Malfoy family that knows about it," Draco finished. Hermione stared at him open mouthed and teary eyes.

"Wow," Hermione gasped. "I never knew, I… I…" She couldn't get the words out.

"It's ok," Draco said moving closer to Hermione. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up.

"How could Vol- he do that?" Hermione asked astonished.

"Come on Hermione, you should know he's heartless. One Death Eater is nothing to him, especially a woman. He thinks they are worthless in battle, they are only good for one thing in his opinion," Draco stated. Hermione nodded, she knew what he was talking about. A wafting smell engulfed Hermione's nose.

"Mmmm, that smells delicious. I didn't know she could cook," Hermione said smiling slightly.

"Don't be so quick to judge. It may smell good but it probably tastes like bricks," Draco said nudging Hermione softly in the side and smiled at her.

"Wow, Draco Malfoy actually smiled instead of smirking. I am impressed, your smile is… it's really nice," Hermione said laughing.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it. This is a one time thing," He said smirking again.

"Aw, and there it is again, the signature smirk," Hermione sighed.

"We should go see what's for dinner," Draco said noticing the awkward closeness between them. They stood up, neither looking at each other and they walked towards the door. Both stopped waiting for the other to go through the door first. Draco motioned for Hermione to go first, she paused a moment before smiling politely and walking forward; Draco followed after her.

They walked down the hallway and back into the living room, Hermione waited for Draco to show her where to go. He turned to the left and opened a wooden door. He again waited for Hermione to enter.

"Thank you," She said to him. He nodded and followed behind her.

The kitchen was small and cozy. There was a stove at the far end of the room, with counters lining the walls on either side of it. A large white fridge was at the end of the counters on the left side of the room. A table with four chairs was set in the middle of the room. Bella was standing over the stove cooking. Draco and Hermione sat down at the table, where there were three places set. Bella picked up the pan she was cooking in and turned around, smiling broadly. She pushed a brown piece of meat on to each of their plates, turned and put the pan on the counter. She sat down across from Draco and to the right of Hermione.

She smiled before picking up her knife and fork and began eating. Hermione eyed the meat carefully before looking at Draco. Draco leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Careful, it might be deadly," He said playfully. Hermione smacked his arm lightly before responding.

"I am sure it's fine," She said picking up her knife and fork. She cut a small piece and put it in her mouth. She had to stifle her gagging. It was atrocious. Hot on the outside, nearly frozen on the inside, blood dripping from the inside. She pretended to wipe her mouth with her napkin as she spit the piece of meat back out. Bella looked up just as Hermione put her napkin back down. Hermione smiled at Bella.

"It's wonderful, Bella," Hermione lied. Draco began to laugh but turned it into a fake cough.

"Drink some water Draco," She said sweetly. Hermione had to think quickly on how to get out of eating this. She pushed her plate away and spoke in a sick sort of tone.

"I don't feel well. Draco, you really shouldn't say such things at the dinner table. I really wanted to eat this, but your comment has just made me lose my appetite," Hermione said sickly. Draco looked at her in a quizzical tone. "but please don't waste my food. Draco should have it, he was telling me how great your cooking was, just before we came to dinner." Hermione suggested slyly.

"Of course dear and thank you Draco, I had no idea you liked my cooking so much," Bella got up and pulled out Hermione's chair. Hermione stood up and headed out of the kitchen, she paused at the door to see Bella, pushing her food onto Draco's plate. Hermione turned and walked out of the kitchen, suppressing, the best she could, her laughing. She stumbled back into their room and shut the door. She broke out laughing as she flung herself onto her bed.

About twenty minutes later Draco stormed into their room, looking rather livid. He tried his best not to slam the door in his rage but failed miserably. Hermione sat up and smiled at him innocently.

"You…you…"Draco stuttered in rage.

"Me… me…" Hermione mimicked.

"I can't believe you did that!" Draco said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't eat that stuff," Hermione said still smiling.

"And you thought I could handle twice as much?" He said storming over to his bed.

"Well, you are the big man at Hogwarts, I thought a little meat would be no problem for you," Hermione said walking over to his bed. She plopped herself down next to the distraught Draco. She put her arm around his shoulders. "now, it couldn't have been that bad?" She said sarcastically.

"I'll make you pay," He said in a fake evil tone.

"Sure," She replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Oh, now your in for it," He said. She just smiled. He pushed her back on the bed and began tickling her. She tried to fight him off, but he straddled her and made it so she couldn't move. She couldn't stop laughing. Finally, Draco thought he had made his point, he leaned in close to her ear and whispered in it. "I told you I would make you pay," He pulled way and just stared into her eyes. Without realizing it he was leaning closer, and closer. Hermione watched him come closer and closer. Finally after what seemed like an eternaty their lips met, in that moment, time seemed to stop. Hermione couldn't help but be into it, it was incredible. A kiss like that coming from her worst enemy, she would never live it down. There is no way that moment could be ruiened, Hermione thought, just before a loud crash sounded through the house. Draco jumped off of Hermione. Hermione sat up and straightened her clothes out.

"What was that?" She asked; Draco shook his head. They walked out into the hallway and towards the living room, nothing. No sound any where, the house was completely silent. They walked into the kitchen. On the floor by the sink were Bella, and her cooking pan all soapy beside her. Draco rushed to her side. He picked up her head and rested in his lap.

"Bella? Bella? Wake up," He spoke softly, as if the world consisted of just the two of them. "please wake up, please," He pleaded. No sound except the sound of the running water was heard in the kitchen after that. Draco didn't know what to do. He lay her head back on the floor and ran out of the kitchen. He rushed back into their room and pulled the trunks out of the closet.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"We have to go, now. The Dark Lord will know that she's dead. He keeps tabs on all his Death Eaters and former Death Eaters. He will find her, and if we are here, we are as good as dead," Draco said dragging the trunks out into the living room. "wait here," He commanded to Hermione; she nodded. He rushed down the hallway past their room and into another room. He came back out with a box. "money," He explained.

"Ok, now where is that portkey?" Draco said frantically searching the room.

"Is this what your looking for?" A slithering voice spoke from the shadows of the room. About eight Death Eaters stepped out from all different corners of the room. Draco pulled Hermione behind him and held her close.

"I'll protect you," He whispered to the quivering Hermione. She nodded slightly. A menacing laugh sounded through the house, as a cloaked figure walked down the hallway Draco was just in.

"Shit," Draco swore.

"It's not polite to swear in front of a lady Draco, I'd say your father didn't teach you well," The figure began circling them.

"Well, you should know," Draco snapped. That's when Hermione realized who it was, Lucius Malfoy.

"Tsk, tsk, Draco, you shouldn't speak to your superiors like that," He said snaking his hand around Draco's throat. Hermione gasped.

"A mudblood, Draco? I hope she is worth dying over," He said lifting Draco off the floor and tossing him into the arms of two Death Eaters.

"Take him away," Lucius ordered.

"If he goes, I go too," Hermione said with a false confidence.

"Hermione, no," Draco said through his coughing fit.

"Let the mudblood speak," Lucius said. "being brave are you? Think you will save Draco's life?" He laughed again "such ignorance, Dumbledore's teaching methods sure have gone down the drain. Take her away as well," Lucius ordered. Hermione felt two Death Eaters wrap their arms around her and drag her away.

"Well, aren't you a little pretty," A sly devilish voice whispered in her ear. "I'm glad you will be under my watch," He laughed coldly. Hermione gulped; what had she gotten herself into.

Black. The only thing they ever saw in their dark dungeon room. All track of time had been lost. No light was ever emitted into the place they now called home. Silence; was the one thing that rung in their ears, night and day. Hunger plagued both of them, since food was only brought in once a day and usually consisted of rotting apples or bread. The small ten foot cell was made of cold stone on all four sides, except a little slit at the top in which the food was slid through. They suspected they were underground because of the lack of heat. Hermione and Draco weren't even sure there was an exit from their cell. A small hole in the corner of the room was the bathroom. Hermione and Draco hadn't actually seen anything since they were dragged off from Bella's home. The only thing that was said to them as they were thrown into the pit was "Welcome to Hell,"

The end

authors note: Well that's the end of welcome to hell... I know it seems sudden, but I do have reasons. I am writing a sequal, because I know there wasn't a lot of real Hermione and Draco romance... but it has to end here... for reasons beyond my control... I hope you liked this chapter. The sequal should be up in about two days... and all will be explained... please keep reading! thanks to all who reviewed!