As The World Falls Down

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS

Summary: Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

A/N: Sorry this took a little longer than I thought it would to get posted. I came down with an awful flu that kept me from doing anything for a couple of days. This chapter is sorta short, but I didn't want to cut off mid-action scene, so this is where I decided to cut it.

The next chapter should be either tomorrow or Thursday. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!

ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Chapter 8 – For Your Life

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Heard a cry for mercy,
In the city of the damned
Down in the pits you go no lower
The next stop's underground
Wine and roses ain't quite over
fate deals a losing hand
And I said: didn't mean to…did not mean to fail

For Your Life by Led Zepplin

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"Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"

"Lucius Malfoy. Your name is Lucius Malfoy."

"She saved your life Malfoy, Merlin knows you didn't deserve it."

"Same dream again…I keep reliving it…Harry it's awful. I keep feeling him grab me, I feel him rape me all over again."

"I can feel him raping me still Harry… I just wish I could forget…"

"Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"

A look of honest terror in her eyes.

"As Voldemort's power increased he began recruiting other wizards and witches who felt the same way he did about muggles. They were called Deatheaters. …. They would rape…."

"You were not just a Deatheater, Lucius. You were Voldemort's right-hand man. The most feared of all Deatheaters."

"You were raped by a Deatheater, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was."

"Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"

"…. The night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"

"…..Lucius Malfoy raped you!"

The glass vase slipped from his fingers before he could grab it. His head spun and he clutched the wall in an effort to stay standing. For her sake he couldn't fall now. He didn't hear the glass shatter. He could only hear her voice echoing through his head.

"I can feel him raping me still Harry… I just wish I could forget…"

He had to focus. He still didn't know who this man was, and Hermione could still be in danger.

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When the glass shattered, Hermione became aware of two things at once. She realized the shower was no longer running, and she remembered the man who had carried her from Malfoy Manor that night. Until now she had believed him to be a hallucination.

"It was you?" she whispered.

"Yes Hermione, it was me," Severus replied, looking towards the hallway. "Is there someone here?"

"No, it was Crookshanks," she replied.

"Didn't you wonder how you made it back to Hogwarts?" Severus asked her.

"I don't know. I passed out as soon as Malfoy left the room, and when I woke up I was with Harry and Remus at Hogwarts," she replied, her voice soft.

"Wormtail came back to the meeting that night and let us know Lucius had you. I had to wait until Voldemort was done with us before I could act, and it proved to be to late. Lucius had already raped you before I got to Malfoy Manor. I sent an anonymous message with a fake location to find Draco at. He left Wormtail in charge of watching you and I easily got past him and carried you out," Severus explained.

She heard the honesty in his voice, along with the regret at not being able to prevent her attack. She looked into his eyes. "Tell me what to do."

"I am going to make this as easy as possible, but the success of this will rest on you. I am going to disable the wards around Malfoy Manor, but only for ten minutes, any longer than that and someone will notice," Severus explained. "I can't help you any more than that, I can't let Voldemort know I am still a traitor, not yet."

Hermione nodded. "How do I get in?"

"If you enter the manor through the old servants door and go up the back staircase, they are in the second room to the left. They were moved from the dungeons just before I came here," he said. "You do not have to worry about Lucius Malfoy. I will explain more later, but he is dead. Get them out as quickly as possible. The guards will be watching the front door, and I will be there with them. I will try my hardest to keep their attention away from the back of the house."

"When?" she asked.

"As soon as possible. He hasn't killed Potter yet because he is weak. He used most of his strength up torturing Lucius just a few nights ago, and he hasn't regained all of his energy, but it won't be long until he does," Severus said.

"I will leave now," she said, her shoulders squared.

"I will aid you where I can. Be safe," he said as he stepped out on the porch and reached for his wand.

With a final nod he was gone, and Hermione grabbed the doorframe for support. She took a breath to steady herself and turned around to enter the flat again.

Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the hallway. His face was pale and she could tell his hands were shaking. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered.

"I can't do this right now," she replied, brushing past him. "I have to get Harry."

"It was me… you should have told… why did you save…" he stuttered, not sure what he really wanted to say.

Hermione shut her bedroom door, reaching for the first article of clothing she could find, fighting the tears back. She pulled her hair up in a messy ponytail and quickly stuck her wand in her back pocket. She reached for her coat as she left the bedroom again.

Lucius was sitting on the couch, holding his head in his hands. When she stepped into the living room he looked up at her.

"I am going with you," he stated, standing up.

"No, you will wait here. You can't be seen. Clearly Voldemort believes you are dead," she replied.

Lucius stepped closer to her and Hermione saw the familiar expression of anger in his eyes, one she hadn't seen since he had stepped out of the alley with no idea who he was. She quickly understood this anger was directed at himself.

"You cannot go alone."

"You don't have a wand and you can't be seen. Lucius, you must wait here," she said, stepping around him again.

Lucius reached out and grabbed her arm gently, stopping her. "You will not do this alone. I can help, wand or not," he turned her slightly so that he could look her in the eyes. "I want to help, I need to help. I will wear a mask if I have to."

She sighed. "There is not a mask anywhere that would hide you from Voldemort, and a glamour wouldn't last for more than a couple of moments. Even if it did it would take to much of my strength to cast it and maintain it."

"Then let them see me," Lucius said, his jaw set.

She looked down where his hand still rested on her arm. "I saw no reason to tell you…" she said in a soft voice. "Why cause you anymore pain right now?"

"Why worry about the pain you are causing me, when clearly I caused you more pain than any woman should ever know?" Lucius asked her, his voice softer.

"I know a way you can go and not be recognized," she said, shaking his hand off of her arm and going to the small bathroom.

She returned a moment later with a small vial. "Polyjuice potion. We keep a couple bottles in our supplies for emergencies."

Lucius took the small vial. "What does it do?"

"You put a part of someone into the potion and drink it. You will look like them for an hour. It should give us enough time to get in and out of Malfoy Manor with Harry, Ron and Ginny," Hermione explained.

"Malfoy Manor, is that my former home?" Lucius asked her, staring at the vial.

"Yes."

"So, who will I look like?" Lucius asked.

Hermione looked around the small flat. "I can't use Harry or Ron's hair because we will be going in to get them out, and we might be seen," she said as she quickly walked over to the couch. She examined the couch for a moment before pulling a hair off of the fabric. "I think this belongs to Remus, it's about the right length and it looks like the right color."

Taking the vial back from Lucius, she added the hair and watched the liquid boil and foam. She handed it back to him. "Are you sure you want to go with me?"

Lucius took the vial and drank it without answering her.

Hermione turned her head and covered her ears. The sound and appearance of Polyjuice potion at work always made her sick. After a moment, she turned back around to find Remus Lupin staring at his own hands.

"I can't believe this stuff…" Lucius muttered, but it was Remus' voice that came out.

Hermione felt a wave of courage and determination flow up her spine. "Are you ready?"

Lucius nodded. "How will we get there?"

"I will apparate us, just grab my hand," she replied, reaching for him.