Narcissa tended to Draco's shoulder wound, vanishing the blood from his skin using her wand. She clenched her jaw, seeing the ghosts of other marks Greyback had left on him over the last year. She said nothing as she let Draco slip his shirt back up, fastening the buttons closed. She was no healer, but she knew enough to help seal his flesh together again. Lucius now joined them in his private study. Dark shadows lingered beneath his somber eyes, his skin pallid, more than usual. He seated himself at his glossy mahogany desk. A short glass of Fire Whiskey nearly depleted, the decanter tightly gripped in his fist. Narcissa told Lucius what happened hours earlier. Of course she took care not to speak of the incident in front of Draco. It didn't matter, when she told him, Draco heard it from cracked door of their bedroom.
Draco couldn't meet his father's eyes. The shame of being a play toy for somebody like Fenrir Greyback was vile. Lucius didn't speak to Draco. Not out of humiliation of the Malfoy name or scorn. There were simply no words of comfort to offer. What could he say? Threaten to kill Greyback? An important puppet of Voldemort's that currently held fast one of the largest and strongest werewolf snatcher armies in history? Tell Draco he was sorry for his suffering? Not even one million apologies could ever purge the pain Greyback forced him to endure.
The Malfoys sat together in silence. Even the commotion in the manor grew louder. The Dark Lord was drawing together his forces here again, preparing to move the battle to Hogwarts.
….
Eventually, hunger drove the Malfoys to the dim kitchen. The light of the day was fading. Nobody here bothered to light candles or torches anymore. Passing through the threshold, they saw Dolohov, Scabior, Rowle and the Carrows rummaging for food. Lucius sighed quietly and left the kitchen, appearing to search for someone. Narcissa clutched Draco's arm out of sight. Dolohov and Rowle stuffed whatever food they could carry off with into their pockets and fled the room.
Abruptly, Bellatrix pounced on her sister from behind, seizing her arm and trying to drag her off.
"Cissy! Come here!" She urged, nearly yanking her and Draco apart.
"We can talk right here." Narcissa insisted softly, her attention stolen from Draco. Bellatrix leaned into her ear to whisper. Draco accidently caught Amycus's eye by mistake. Before he could look away and fade into the background, the Death Eater drew in close to his ear to whisper without being overheard, except by his sister.
"Grown any claws or fangs yet, puppy?" He sneered, his crooked teeth all on display. Alecto snorted and leered cruelly at him.
"How does it feel to be a dog's pet?" She hissed. Draco's gaze remained on the floor, his cheeks flushing. So everyone knows. Before Narcissa could turn around and see them, they ducked out of the kitchen.
"I can't leave Draco here alone." He caught part of the conversation Bellatrix and his mother were whispering about, his mother's voices growing in concern.
"Draco's not a child. He'll be fine. We need to join our Dark Lord on the eve of battle!" Bellatrix insisted, her eyes wide and her arms gesticulating madly. Draco turned his head to look at Scabior, who wasn't facing them, but obviously eavesdropping. A dark shape caught his eye outside in the gloom. Instantly, he recognized Fenrir Greyback furiously stalking around outside. No doubt he was enraged after being interrupted, being defied by the Malfoys and having Bellatrix take out all her rage onto him. The moon was half full tonight. Draco wondered if its shifting phases tugged and pulled on that lycan nature. His stomach roiled, catching the glint of the beast's eye.
Bellatrix left in a huff and stalked away. As she did, deciding the gossip was ending, Scabior opened the door outside and strode down the courtyard steps. He passed Greyback outside. It looked like neither acknowledged the other.
Lucius returned to the kitchen, relief on his face to find it empty except his family.
"The Dark Lord is back." He whispered. Narcissa's face tensed.
"In our home? Now?"
"Yes. He's rallying the Death Eaters. Severus caught me in the hallway and said he was looking for me. I haven't found him yet."
Amycus returned to the kitchen, his sister absent.
"Are you three going to hide in the kitchen all night like naughty children, or are you going to join us in the dining room?" Lucius grit his teeth and shot a nasty look at him. "We're all waiting for you."
At those words, Lucius's ferocity fell. He took Narcissa by the shoulder and guided his family out the other exit into the dining room.
The cathedral room with its towering windows was full of Death Eaters, Snatchers, even a stray werewolf or two. Some sat at the table, some stood. But huge gaps appeared in the crowed as Nagini traversed the floor. Seated at the head of the table was Lord Voldemort himself. Bellatrix sat close by his side, her eyes locked on him.
Draco's heart fluttered as he entered the dining room. That sensation of Greyback's body against his, pressing him into the wood of this table…his mouth on his, panting and coating his lips with blood. Draco's eyes shut, squeezing hard just as he squeezed his mother's hand. He grit his teeth and steeled his eyes. If many Death Eaters knew about Voldemort handing him over to Greyback to punish, he wouldn't let it show.
Draco mustered up the old Malfoy disdain and held a bored, imperious expression on his face. And then, he caught Greyback entering the room on his right. He shifted his head away just in time to avoid meeting his eye. Nagini slithered up the post of the table and coiled around her master's neck and shoulders, flicking out its tongue toward Bellatrix.
"Severus is late…again." Voldemort spoke, though his voice was soft, it cut through the low chatter like a blade to grass. Quick chuckles reverberated through the crowed. Draco focused on the heavy boot steps coming closer to his right side. His face burned hot, watching as some of the Death Eaters, the Carrows, Dolohov, Rowle were watching him with sneers on their faces, their eyes flicking back and forth between Draco and Greyback.
Only Narcissa dared to meet Greyback's eyes, craning her head over Draco's. Draco released her hand. Feeling childish and foolish for still holding it. He caught Bellatrix from across the room. Her doe-eyed glaze melted, giving way to inhospitable wrath as her gaze narrowed on Greyback as well.
Draco felt the werewolf finally become stationary, so close to him, his arm grazed his shoulder. I hate you. Draco seethed.
At last, Severus entered the room in a swirl of black robes. He breezed past everyone along Draco's side until he reached Voldemort's side. There was an oppressive pause in the room. Greyback bumped Draco's shoulder again.
"Tomorrow we march on Hogwarts." Voldemort's voice cut the silence, gaining everyones' complete attention. "Spare no one in your path. Leave Harry Potter to me." He bore down on Lucius and Severus.
"Lucius, Severus, you will apparate with me to the boathouse." He cut to Fenrir Greyback. "Greyback, take the snatchers and your werewolf army to march on the Western bridge leading into Hogwarts. The rest of you will apparate on the precipice of the lake, south of the castle." Voldemort's gaze swept over Draco, then became stuck on him. Draco swallowed. "Draco…" he said, nobody in the room breathed, "stay here." He turned back to face his followers. "When I arrive, we begin." There was a heavy pause. "Go, now." He commanded.
There was a pop, then two, then several more all at the same time. Death Eaters all around the room were vanishing. Others who couldn't apparate seized their port keys and disappeared.
Narcissa reached back for Draco's hand, clutching him rightly as she looked into his eyes.
Hide! She mouthed to him.
Draco and Narcissa startled when Voldemort, with Severus in tow, descended upon Lucius. The second he laid his hand down on his arm, he took him away in silence. Draco noticed Greyback had apparated away too, and was no longer behind him.
Bellatrix appeared beside her sister, separating her from her son.
"Cissy! We need to go! We've been commanded!" The second mother and son were apart, Bellatrix apparated, taking Narcissa with her.
….
Minutes crawled by. Draco hadn't moved from his spot in the dining room. It was abruptly empty and wholly silent. It was chilly too, and dark, the absence of candle or torchlight. No fire crackled in the fireplace behind him. His mother's words buzzed in his mind. Hide! Draco felt his trouser pocket for her wand. Her wand! He panicked. She had forgotten to return it to him after healing his wound. Damn! He cursed. Lucius had taken his spare one with him. Draco shuddered violently.
At last, his feet responded to his wishes, and moved him away. He prepared to hide somewhere in the manor, until his parents returned for him.
There was a pop behind him of someone apparating into the space. His veins iced over, the hair raising on the back of his neck as he turned around.
The sneering, cruel face of Fenrir Greyback returned to the dining room. A sadistic, wild glint dominated his eyes.
"Now there's nobody to stop me...you are all mine."