-1Malfoy's POV
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Stop it… I can't take it any more…
The pain stops. The imaginary knives stop digging into my flesh. Tears course down my face, but no one sees them because of the skeletal mask that covers my face. A mask I never really wanted to wear. I look up at him, into his burning red eyes, and see my own thoughts reflected in them. He can sift through every memory I've ever had, feel every emotion. I tremble with the pain that sears through my body, begging with my mind. I've never felt worse. I've never wanted to escape more…
"There is no escape from Lord Voldemort, Draco…"
"Master," I breath against the cold floor. "Master, forgive me…"
I want more than anything to sever my gaze with him, but Voldemort will never let that happen. Only he looks away. If I stop staring, he will see it as unacceptable weakness. I nearly convulse with the thought that if I let go of the gaze, he might set the Cruciatus Curse on me again.
"You supplied me with false information, Draco," Voldemort's gaze lingers on; impenetrable, perpetual. "For this, there can be no forgiveness."
"Master…" I plead. I never knew that Potter would escape like that. I never knew they would be that prepared. They must've known that I knew to escape so easily…
"You are lucky, Draco. You know this."
"Yes, Master…" There is no other type of answer to Lord Voldemort.
"I would not have wanted to kill Potter there, anyhow. A killing on Hogwarts ground for such a rival seems most inappropriate. A killing that would have meant some of the most choicest recruits for my own band of death eaters would have died defending him."
He really thinks that much of Potter? I look up at my master, truly believing with all of my heart that I am lucky. He seems to be sparing me. I couldn't feel more happy in his presence…
"Yes, Master…"
"However," Voldemort says, finally severing the connection between our eyes, "I would have taken this opportunity to kill Potter, but yet again he escaped from my grip. Draco, you have been taught a valuable lesson, today…"
"I have, Master…" I respond without even questioning him what this 'valuable lesson' is. Finally, I can shut my eyes to the world, just for a few seconds.
"Don't you want to know what the lesson is, Draco?"
No.
"Yes, Master…"
"Very well," says Lord Voldemort. "The lesson is to never be careless or foolish enough to let your thoughts go to other people, or try tricks that are above your ability. Ignorance is a curse, Draco, but over-confidence… that is dangerous."
"Yes, Master. Forgive me…"
"You see, if you let these things happen, failure is inevitable. And so is punishment."
"Yes -"
"Crucio!"
No… stop it… I can't take much more! ARGHHHHHH! Pain… didn't… do anything wrong… don't… deserve…
"Ah, well, I had best stop if you don't deserve it." I raise my head, knowing more pain may soon be coming my way. Best to face it properly, without begging or whining. But I have forever been a whiner, like it or not, and Voldemort despises me. I know it… I can feel it…
"But be well aware, Draco. This time I spare you, next time a mutinous thought comes to mind, I will not be so sparing…"
"Yes, Master! Thank you!"
XXXXXXXXXX
I lie awake, eyes looking up to the darkened bunk on top of my own bed. I don't know where I am, or why I'm here. After Voldemort… dealt with me, the Death Eater's split up. We're to find Potter, wherever he is. Story of my life. He's like a needle in a haystack, and he can apparate now. So, their stupid Phoenix lot has lost Dumbledore; big deal. Potter forever has been, and always will be, the boss of that gang, whether they like it or not. So, maybe he's not a senior; but he's got them all eating out of his hand.
I can't believe they got away with it. And here I am, paying for it because they escaped and Voldemort wasn't quick enough to catch them. He gets slower with his old age; just like Dumbledore did. And look what happened to him - killed by the Potions Master. So I guess there's no reason why Potter can't kill Voldemort. And it's strange, because if he does ever defeat Voldemort, I won't feel in the slightest bit sad…
Keep your mind closed, keep your mind closed… if Voldemort can't sense anything from you, maybe he'll think you're just sleeping.
Lucky Potter. The Dark Lord daren't use Legilmency on him anymore, because he knows how those type of plans always backfire. Potter always finds out stuff. If only I could use it… but I can't. I don't know how, but they've blocked their minds. I don't know what they're doing.
I can imagine, though.
Maybe Potter's fallen off a cliff, and Weasley and Granger are trying to help him up. Maybe a bolt of lightning just lanced down from the sky and caused him to fall off the cliff, with Weasley with him. Maybe Granger's mourning, wishing they were both back with her. Maybe she's finally realised she can get so much more with me…
Grieving, wishing they are there.
Is that what real friendship is like?
I can only speculate. I don't know what it's like to have real friends, that stand up to you and laugh at your jokes without feeling that they need to because they're intimidated. I've always preferred being superior, but now I look at it, it got me nowhere. Potter, Weasley, and Granger; those are examples of real friends.
I've never envied Potter more.
A/N: There you go. Malfoy has feelings too… R and R!