Posted: April 12, 2005
Chapter Twenty-two: The Bonds that Break
Draco laid, breathing shallowly, on the dirty cold stone floor of the dungeon. He was awake, but his eyes remained closed, for he was too tired to open them. His mind had become detached from the world and he had lost track of time. He didn't know whether he had been here for weeks, months, or just mere days. He just didn't know anymore as his broken body laid still on the floor.
Voldemort had come in numerous times and had beaten the chained Draco, not for information, but just for the amusement of it. Draco had become his toy, his instrument of sadistic pleasure, and there was nothing he could do. It seemed that Voldemort didn't prefer using his wand when torturing his victims, Draco realized as he recalled when Voldemort had, on more than one occasion, grabbed a handful of Draco's hair and slammed him up against the wall, far too many times to count, before letting him fall to the floor like some ragged doll. He would then proceed to kick Draco around; his shouts of pain and groans of suffering only edged Voldemort on, rekindling his need for play with his toy.
Draco would fall in and out of consciousness during the time consuming ordeal. There was even once, not that long ago, when a warmness fell over his body and all the pain melted away. He found himself standing, freed of his chains, but immersed in darkness. Then all of sudden, out of nowhere, there appeared a sky-bluish light that beckoned him. And as he approached, he heard the sweetest sound his ears had ever heard, it was a chorus singing the most beautiful song and it, for some reason, made him feel safe.
But as he got closer, some invisible force tugged at him, slowing down his pace. There then came a buzzing in his ears that wouldn't go away as he continued to walk. But soon the buzzing sound faded away and it was replaced with a soft, sweet voice. I need you to live. Draco cocked an eyebrow curiously; he knew those words, he knew that voice, but from where, he couldn't remember. So he decided just to shake it off and continue towards the light.
Will you live for me, Draco? There it was again, that strange voice, but the tone was different than the last, this one held a hint of desperation. Will you live for me? Draco then took a staggering step back from the light and then another. What was he doing? Escape from his torment was right in front of him, yet he was going in the opposite direction. I love you, Draco Lucius Malfoy. And all of sudden he knew, it all came back like a flash of lightning in the night sky.
"Angelina," he said breathlessly to himself. Draco then turned around and started running into the darkness, away for the warmth, away from the comforting light that beckoned him. He headed back at full speed towards the engulfing coldness, towards a world he knew would cause him pain, but he knew he would endure it, if only to see her face. . . one more time.
How long ago had that experience been, Draco could no longer recall, he couldn't even remember if it was real, or just a really cruel dream, because as he laid on the floor he began to doubt if he would make it out of this room.
Ginny had come in on a few occasions with her husband. At first she looked absolutely mortified at the lashing he was receiving from Voldemort, but soon clapped her hands and laughed along with her husband. "Sick bitch," Draco said to himself as he remembered her joy filled face.
But then after one excruciating thrashing Ginny had witnessed, she did something strange. Later on in the day she came back down to the dungeons and rested silently next to Draco on her knees. Draco, involuntarily, jumped when he felt the touch of her hand on his face. She recoiled a bit at the suddenness of movement of someone who had been lying so still. She then swept his matted, blood stained hair from his face.
The next thing Draco knew was the sensation of a warm wet towel on his forehead. Ginny was tenderly cleaning the dirt and dried blood from his wounds. His cross like scar on his left cheek, which had been long healed, had violently been ripped open during his trial with Voldemort. Ginny had even been able to get passed Voldemort a morsel of food for him.
But Ginny's rare lapse of kindness did not go unpunished. When Voldemort came back down to play with his toy he noticed Draco's clean face. He marched right back up the dungeon stairs. He returned yelling and dragging an unwilling Ginny with him. If Draco had been more than halfway conscious, he would have noticed that Voldemort's usually emerald green eyes had been red and brighter than fire. But Voldemort's eyes were not a concern to Draco who had received another beating more vicious and frantic than the last. But the beating had not been fun for Voldemort, for it was a punishment for Ginny to watch.
Draco also noticed a third person coming down to visit him, but the person always came when it was too dark to make out anything. The person would say and do nothing most of the time as they kept their distant. It was as if the person came in just to witness Draco's fallen state, as if satisfied with his harmless position.
Only once did this mysterious person come close to Draco and only close enough so that they could spit in his face before leaving. Draco was then left alone with his own unforgiving thoughts. All he wanted to know was if his wife and child were all right and every unbearable moment he didn't know just tore through him worse than any thrashing he could receive. But he knew he had to stay strong, because he would be damned if he let Voldemort break him.
All of sudden, Draco thought he heard a faint explosion as the ground underneath him seemed to shake. He soon heard the rustling of feet and mumbled voices from outside the dungeon door. There was then a loud thud and Draco being curious opened one eye to see what was going on. It was still dark and all he could see were garbled black shadows coming down the stairs and approaching him.
"Malfoy!" someone said loudly. Draco opened his other eye and tried to concentrate on the person saying his name, but couldn't.
"I got you," Draco felt someone pick him up. "I got you." The person had strong hands, but they were gentle as they lifted him off the floor and he could hear the rattling of keys in the background.
He then felt cool air on his wrists as he became free from his chains. "Vince?" he said weakly as his eyes finally focused upon Crabbe's face.
"Yeah," he answered as he had Draco put his arm around his neck. "Can you stand?"
"Barely," he confessed as he staggered to his feet, hanging on tightly to Crabbe. He then looked around and realized that it was more than him and Crabbe in the room. He looked at Lawson, who was putting a ring of keys back into his pocket before he came up on Draco's other side to help him up the stairs. "Let go of me," Draco demanded. "I can do it on my own."
"Now is not the time for pride Malfoy," Crabbe stated.
"I can walk myself," he told him.
"You just admitted yourself that you can barely stand," Crabbe tried to reassure him. "No one will look upon you differently, so let us help you."
"I will not appear weak," Draco said stubbornly.
"No one will think you weak, Malfoy," Lawson spoke up. "Many would not have lasted as long as you did down here."
Draco turned his head towards Lawson. "Let me go." Lawson looked to Crabbe, who merely nodded his head for there was no reasoning with Draco.
"As you wish." And Lawson pulled.
Draco turned back to Crabbe. "Now you." Crabbe gave him one more pleading look. "Please." Crabbe dipped his head and then slowly pulled away from his friend. It then took a moment for Draco to gain his footing as he braced himself against the wall, when he did he started shakily up the stairs. "Crabbe, where are my wife and child?" he asked as Crabbe and Lawson followed him up.
When they reached the top and exited out the door Draco stood before several of his followers. He also found several Death Eaters lying motionless on the ground. One of his men then handed him his wand. "Crabbe, status report," he asked again as there was another faint explosion followed by a soft trimmer.
"She's on the other side of the castle with Goyle." Draco's head swiftly turned towards him. The living quarters of the Voldemorts were on that side. "They went for-"
"I know what they went for," Draco cut him off as he headed down the hall towards the stairs that led above ground. He then stated. "You've initiated war."
"We had no choice," Crabbe explained as he continued to follow. "They discovered where the others were when they had you followed there."
"Shit," Draco said softly to himself. "You just had to go see them didn't you?"
Crabbe continued, not hearing Draco speak to himself. "The majority of our people are posted outside, where most of the battle is taking place. The only people who are inside are those who were already in here and those who apparated in before the wards went up."
"Right," he said as the approached the bottom of the stairs and started their trip up them. "Was anyone able to locate my dagger?" he asked feeling a strong need for it, but no one responded. "No matter, I can do without it."
OoOoO
On the other end of the castle Angelina and Goyle, had been traveling a while, as they made their way down the darken hall. Angelina gripped her wand firmly in her hand and swallowed hard as their soft steps could be heard on the ground below them. Then all of sudden, the only steps Angelina could hear were her own. She turned around to see that Goyle had stopped and that he was merely staring at the floor. "Greg-"
Goyle, with a harsh expression on his face, quickly brought his index finger to his mouth to shush Angelina. He motioned for her to stay where she was. She looked at him curiously as he checked the doors in the hall. He peeked his head into an unlocked room and then ushered Angelina into it.
Angelina followed Goyle's silent instructions and hid with him in the room. She watched as he closed the door, but left it opened just a crack so that he could peer out of it. Close to a minute later, Angelina heard the sound of footsteps as they approached and passed the door.
"They must be here for Malfoy," came the voice of a man.
"Of course they are you idiot," declared the other. "Now quiet, we do not want to be snuck up on." Angelina's face immediately scrunched up, she could have sworn she recognized that voice, but that was impossible, he was dead. . . or so she had been told.
Another minute passed before Goyle moved a muscle. He turned around to see Angelina looking a bit ill. "Angelina?" He approached her cautiously. He then lightly took her arm. "Angelina?"
Angelina looked up into Goyle's black eyes. "Montague," she whispered. "He's alive isn't he?" She waited for Goyle's response, but he seemed a lose for words. "Gregory, I know his voice. So just tell me that was David." Had Draco lied to her? "Gregory please, tell me that was David."
"No," he finally confirmed. "Montague is dead. Draco saw to that."
"Don't lie to me, I heard his voice."
"No," he shook his head, "you didn't."
Angelina looked angry as she swatted Goyle's hand away. "I know what I heard. I have only ever mistaken his voice with one other person and that was-" she cut herself off, because what she was about to say, sounded just as unlikely. "And that was Harry," she said slowly. "How?" She shook her head not knowing how to begin. "I know Harry's dead. The Dark Lord would not have kept him alive."
Goyle exhaled. "You should have been told, I'm sorry, it escaped my mind, or else I would have said something sooner," he began. "As we all learned too late, the Dark Lord was able to gain a body during the year of the first Triwizard Tournament in a century. But his new form did not please his Queen-"
"Who is his Queen?" she cut him off. "Who has my child?" She demanded.
He then said slowly, "You called her once, Ginny Weasley."
Angelina shook her head back and forth. "You're mistaken, she died with George. They were killed by Montague."
"Yes, Montague killed Weasley, but it was Lady Dark Lord who gave the order," he explained, for he was there that day.
Angelina took in a silent breath and froze at Goyle's words. She just couldn't get her head around them. Ginny? Sweet Ginny? The same Ginny she had taken under her wing during Ginny's fourth year? The same Ginny she let onto her beloved Quidditch team? The same Ginny she mourned over alongside Fred. "I'll kill her," Angelina whispered.
"You know you can't. You read the inscription, that's not how T.A.S works."
"Nevertheless," her face was determined as she continued in a harsh tone. "I will see her die this day." She stepped around Goyle and headed towards the door. "Now come on, I refuse to sit in a room and cower like some worthless dog." She then walked out the room as if she owned the place.
OoOoO
Draco felt light-headed, but shook it off as he and his group made their way out of the dungeons. "Lawson, go west and take the others with you, I want to know the status of our forces outside," he demanded.
"Yes, sir." Lawson nodded his head and started towards his new destination with the others.
"Crabbe," he called quickly. "You're with me, we're going east." And so the two traveled along the corridors of the great castle heading east. Fortunately they ran into not one soul, because all of a sudden Draco's wand clattered to the ground and he grabbed the wall before falling to his knees. That dizzy feeling had returned and his vision was once again blurred.
"Draco," Crabbe called as he went to him. "You are not up to this," he told him. "You've been in confinement, without food or water, for over a week. You can not afford to push your body beyond its limits," Crabbe explained worriedly to his pale and weakened friend.
"What I can't afford," Draco began angrily as he unsuccessfully tried to push Crabbe away. "Is to not to be able to protect my family."
"You can not protect them if you are dead," Crabbe told him callously. "Your stubbornness and your pride, if not controlled, is what's going to do you in. Now please, put them aside and let me get you out of here."
"Do not lecture me, Vincent." Draco picked up his wand and finally rose back to his feet with no assistance for Crabbe. "If you want to be of help to me then tell me how to destroy the Dark Lord and his Queen."
"Fine," Crabbe spat. "To destroy the Dark Lord, he must have broken the only thing which is his own and it must come from the very one that ties him to this world."
Draco, still leaning on the wall, clutching his side, looked to his friend curiously. "What?"
Crabbe sighed. "As you know The Attachment of Solum, binds two souls who love each other. And its destruction must occur within a moment, but because the charm was lost long ago, we had mistaken this 'moment' to be an actual time period, but it is not," he explained. "It is an instant."
"Vincent, English please."
"Right," Crabbe said and then thought, And they thought I was the stupid one. "The thing which is his own, is his heart. The one that ties him to this world, is his Queen," he clarified. "The only way to destroy them is if one betrays the other and kills them, thus severing their bond which destroys them both."
"That can't be right." Draco shook his head. "I've been with Ginny plenty of times during the last few years. I'm not sure if he knew, but I always had the feeling he did," he said as he recalled his beatings were always more brutal when the Dark Lord had her watching, it was almost as if he was trying to prove something.
"There's a difference between thinking you know and actually seeing it, Draco," Crabbe told him. "Which I believe you can vouch for yourself," he added.
Draco's eyes shot towards Crabbe. "Why don't we just keep moving?" he said bitterly as his face winced in pain as he pushed himself off the wall. As he did this, his ears unexpectedly peaked up, he thought he heard something and turned his head to look along the grim hallway.
"Avada Kedavra!" Draco heard someone yell.
There was a ray of electric green light and Draco, forgetting his pain, leaped out pushing Crabbe out the way of its path. The curse had missed them, but only by a small margin; it was still able to clip Draco's shirt, deteriorating the fabric to mere dust.
Draco had been bruised and beaten, but his reflexes were still faster than any normal man. His wand was at arm's length before he and Crabbe even hit the floor. "Stupefy!" he yelled out in the direction the curse had come from and then he crashed to the floor along with Crabbe.
The wind had been knocked out of Draco as the pain he was feeling came back three fold. He opened his mouth and loudly gasped for air as Crabbe got back to his feet and walked over to inspect their attacker, his wand ready in hand.
Draco sat up slowly, trying to push through the pain. He then, with a little more effort, got to his feet and shuffled over to Crabbe standing over the man he had stunned. Before he reached him, he heard Crabbe mumble to himself, "You surprise me."
"Who is it?" Draco's voice cracked as he closed his eyes and rubbed one with his hand, his vision once again hazy.
"Doesn't matter," Crabbe said as he pointed his wand downward. "Avada Kedavra," he said softly, but with a hate that was all too apparent. "We should keep moving," he said seriously, as he took Draco above the elbow and lead him down the hall. A moment later, Draco tore himself from Crabbe's hand and then proceeded to smack him upside the head. "What the hell?" He turned to him angrily. "What was that for?"
"One, for treating me like a invalid. Two, for being a slow retard and not getting the fuck out of the way," he simply said and continued walking, holding his torso even tighter.
Crabbe smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. "You do know, 'slow retard' is redundant, right?"
"Shut up," Draco said annoyed. "And move your lard arse, I don't have all day."
Crabbe gave off a low, deep laugh before saying, "Aw, I love you too, Dray."
"Oi," he smiled as Crabbe walked by his side, "you're worst than Greg."
OoOoO
"No," Crabbe stated as he shook his head. "As in, 'hell no'. If we do that you'll only end up getting yourself killed. It won't work. We'll think of something else. We'll work around it," he voiced his opinion about Draco's newly devised plan.
"You know very well we can't work around it and we don't have the time to think of something else." Draco pointed ahead, indicating the east wing was fast approaching.
"Draco-" Crabbe began to protest again, but was cut off.
"Were you stationed in-house tonight?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Then I know it'll work, he doesn't know. So go don your robes," he told Crabbe, but he still looked doubtful as there was another explosion. "I'll be okay," he reassured him with a tired smile.
Crabbe looked at him for a moment longer nodding his head as he hide his overcoming concern. "Fine," he finally told him. "Will an hour suffice?"
"Yes," Draco confirmed. "Keep out of sight until then." Crabbe once again nodded and then began going down the north corridor. Draco watched him enter into the blackness of the hall and then turned around to begin his journey south.
This was not the first time Draco had walked down the south corridor of the east wing. He had made this trip many times before in the past, but little did he know then, that doing so would help him now. All of a sudden Draco heard a familiar sound and it made his heart soar. They were the cries of his only child and despite the soreness that burned his body he picked up his step.
He was headed towards Ginny's bedchamber, he had a mission, and it had to be completed. "Ginny!" he said hoarsely, out of breath, collapsing outside her open door. The long journey from the dungeon to here, fighting off Death Eaters at every other turn, was finally taking its toll.
Ginny gasped as she turned her head quickly towards the voice, holding the squirming child in her arms even tighter. "Malfoy! How did you escape?"
"Ginny, please." Draco reached for her from the floor. "Please."
Ginny looked at Draco seemingly helpless on the floor. "If you wish to harm me," she began. "You can not pass these wards. They are strong and as old as time." Draco didn't wish to harm Ginny, not physically anyway, so he put one arm passed the threshold of her door, showing her he meant her no harm. Ginny's eyes held tight on Draco as she rocked his child, debating her course of action. Tom? She mentally linked with him, her thoughts shaky.
Make it quick my Queen, he told her hurriedly, for outside the castle walls he was on a killing spree and was very much enjoying himself. But Ginny didn't answer him right away; instead she was still staring at the defeated looking Draco. Beloved? Voldemort called worriedly before snapping the neck of a blonde traitor to him and letting him fall ungracefully into the snow. Beloved, is it the child? he asked.
No, Desamona is fine, she said referring to the renamed Rosalina. It's just that-
Ginny! he called loudly when their connection broke. Ginny what's wrong?
Nothing. Never mind. I can handle this on my own. . . for now.
Are you sure?
Yes, my love. Now have your fun. She ended their link before resting the now calm Rosalina into her crib. She then rushed over to Draco and helped pull him to his feet. "If Tom finds you here, he'll kill you for sure."
"Your heart is still kind, Ginny," he told her as she placed him gently onto her bed.
"An amusing thought, but no," she said sadly. "I turned over my heart a long time ago."
"It doesn't stop you from being who you are. You are a kind soul, Ginny." He reached out for her face. "No matter who your husband may be."
"Why did you come here, Draco?" she asked. "You're in a weaken state. I could easily kill you right now, you know."
"Yes," he dipped his head, "but you won't."
"How do you know?" she asked.
Draco smiled as he brought her face closer to his and then whispered. "Because you never could resist me."
She chuckled softly. "Nor you I." She then slipped away from his touch and lifted herself from the edge of the bed. "You're safe here for now." She looked over him. "I'm going to run you some water. It seems you're due for a long bath."
Draco merely nodded. When she entered the adjacent bathroom Draco, as swiftly as he could, rose from the bed and walked over to the crib, which he couldn't see from the bed, where his daughter rested peaceful. "Thank you," he said particularly to no one as he rested his eyes on his child whom he had not seen since he left Percy's. Where is Percy? Draco thought for the first time, but then realized he didn't care, for he only wanted to concentrate on Rosalina.
He stroked her soft curls dotingly as she stirred and looked up at him. She smiled and cooed at the friendly face she had not seen in a long time. She reached out her chubby arms for him, longing to be picked up by the man she once used to see everyday and Draco complied. "My precious flower," he spoke as he held her. "Daddy has missed you so much." He smiled down at her. "Now don't worry, we're going to get out of here and we're going to see mommy very soon. She's with your godfather, so I know she's safe, for Greg has never failed me." Draco then softly began to sing to her and soon she closed her eyes and happily went back to sleep.
"Your bath is ready, Draco," he heard Ginny say as he was putting Rosalina back into her crib. "Come let me help you." She smiled as she took Draco's hand and led him to the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom Ginny striped Draco of his dirty and tattered clothing. She gently touched the dark black and blue bruises that littered his body. Draco lowered his head in shame, feeling vulnerable under her scrutinizing hazel eyes. "Ow!" he yelled out, before he could stop himself, when she pressed a little too hard on a bruise.
"Sorry," she whispered before helping him down into the bath that was built into the floor. Ginny then took off her own clothes and lowered herself beside Draco in the bubble filled water. She picked up a clean wash towel and lathered it with soap before she then, for second time since his arrival in the castle, cleaned his face. When she finished with his hair, face, and neck she moved on to his shoulders and the rest of his body above and below the water. "How's that feel?" she asked.
Draco's eyes had been closed as he felt the steaming water engulf him and ease the aching wounds of his body. He smiled in response to Ginny's question, her gentle touch sending a pleasurably chill throughout him. He then opened his eyes, she had not noticed as she was once again cleaning his chest. Draco then lifted his hand out the water and stopped her hand.
At this she stopped and allowed her hand to rest gingerly, so not to hurt him, upon his chest. She returned his smile before he pushed himself forward off the bath wall and without hesitation claimed her lips with his own, as if he didn't do so that very second, he would no longer be able to breathe.
She smiled against his mouth and giggled before pulling away. "Come, let's get you dry," she told him and rose from the bath allowing the water to rush down her small frame. She summoned a large blue bath towel as Draco rose from the water. She then helped him out of the bath and proceeded to dry him off. When she was finished she summoned a couple of housecoats before drying herself off and getting into one.
Silently, hand and hand, they made their way back to the bedroom. While resting in the bed, Ginny heard Draco's stomach and knowing Draco would never admit he truly needed anything, she ordered a few House Elves to bring them some food.
With a full stomach and with the leisure of a hot bath, Draco was feeling better than he had in days. "So," Ginny ventured. "Is there anything else you need?" She smiled knowingly, licking her lips. "Anything else you want?"
Draco's eyes sparkled as he gave off a low chuckle as he eased Ginny onto her back and untied her housecoat and then his own before positioning himself between her legs. She wrapped her arms tenderly around his back as she explored the concave of his mouth with her tongue. "Tighter," he ordered her when they parted for air and she did as she was told. She noticed his body tensed in pain, but he said not one word, for there was pleasure in it.
Draco then continued to kiss Ginny's delicate soft skin, in all the places he knew she liked. She moaned under the touch of his lips on her neck and at the cool palm of his hand as it fondled the supple flesh of her breast, making her nipple hard in reaction. She then felt his long fingers glide down the side of her body and over the curve of her hip. It was followed by the feel of his nails digging into her thigh as he dragged them down her fair skin, leaving red burning marks in their wake.
Ginny gasped at the speed he used as his hand cupped under her knee and forced it up the side of his body. Draco grinned at the expression on her face as he entered her just as suddenly causing the same one to appear. She then giggled contently as she pulled him closer, wanting to feel the heat of his body on top of her.
They made love quietly, lost in the escape of the other's essence when Draco heard the loud, sharp intake of air from a man. A smug expression appeared on his face as he thought, Right on time. But then he heard something strange. "No. Wait." That wasn't Voldemort's voice.
Draco quickly rose off of Ginny and turned his torso around. His eyes grew wide as he saw Goyle on the other side of the open doorway. . . which only meant one thing. "What do you mean 'wait'?" Angelina pushed passed Goyle and froze where she stood as the sight of Draco and Ginny came into her view.
Draco felt his stomach drop as he saw his wife's inconsolable face. "Angelina-" he said quickly wanting to explain, but was cut off.
"Well, hello Angie. Long time no see," Ginny said in her sickly sweet voice as she sat up and wrapped her arms back around Draco's neck. "We've been expecting you."
"Yes, we have," came the deep voice of Voldemort, whom Draco couldn't see because he was out in the hall with Angelina and Goyle.
Angelina took an impulsive step back, as if seeing the dead walk when she looked upon Harry's face, and ran into Goyle, who quickly shove her protectively behind him. "Run!" he yelled at her, but she hesitated, griping her wand, ready to fight, but Goyle shoved her again. "Run!" And so she did.
"Not so fast, dearest." Voldemort pulled out his wand and pointed it towards Angelina's retreating form. "Avada Kedavra!" he yelled and a gust of green light went shooting out of the end of his wand, but it never reached its intended target.
"GOYLE!" Draco yelled out as he watched his best friend drop to his knees, his eyes roll into the back of his head, and then the rest of his body collapse to the floor. Draco fought like a wild animal to get out of bed, but found that he couldn't.
"See Malfoy," Ginny whispered harshly as she held on, unnaturally strong, to a struggling Draco. "I told you, I turned over my heart a long time ago."
To Be Continued. . .
Preview of Next Chapter:
And all that once used to taste so sour, will be made sweet, with the gift of a flower's flower.
A/N: Recognize that line from the preview? You should, it was that odd thing that Draco said in Ch.12 when he was holding Rosalina, didn't anyone wonder what it meant?
Ch. 23 will be posted later today as promised, but be warned, it won't exactly follow this chapter.