"Crucio!"

Hermione screamed and writhed in pain as Bellatrix circled her, laughing.

Bella lifted her wand, stopping the spell. "Come, mudblood, fight back!" She aimed again and the spell instantly renewed, sending Hermione writhing again.

"Stand!" Bella barked at her. "Come now, if you fight back, I'll consider telling you what I've done with your little red-headed girlfriend."

Hermione looked up, fire in her eyes. "What have you done to Ginny?"

"Crucio!" Bella barked. Letting the torture continue a minute or so, she let up. "Tsk, tsk. Manners, mudblood. Hasn't your precious Dumbledore taught you anything? I shan't tell you nothing if you don't ask nicely. Now, stand!"

Hermione fought to stand on shaky legs.

"Beg," Bellatrix sneered. "I've changed my mind. I want you to get on your knees and beg. Beg for mercy. Beg me to tell you what I've done with the Weasley girl."

Hermione glared at her.

"I said Beg! Crucio!"

Hermione's legs buckled, sending her to the cold, hard, stone floor where she lay, moaning and writhing in pain.

Bella lifter her wand and stepped closer. "Not tired yet are you?" Bella asked, in a baby voice. "I had some manual torture planned. Only after will I tell you what I've done with Weasley."

Hermione rolled to her side, "Tell me."

Bellatrix walked to the table and picked up a pair of metal tongs before walking to the wall and removing a lit torch.

"Manners, mudblood," Bella reminded her as she heated the end of the tongs.

Bella kicked Hermione to her back and she straddled her, throwing the lit torch against the wall. "Be nice! Your Weasley would hardly be impressed with your resilience."

Hermione spit in Bellatrix's face. "Fu--"

Bellatrix slapped Hermione with the white-hot tongs. Hermione's scream of unbearable pain brought a wicked smile of pleasure to Bella's face.

"you've been such a bad little mudblood," Bella said, throwing the tongs. She stood and walked to the staircase.

"Rodolphus! Come and help me!" Bella called gleefully. Bella whispered in his ear when he arrived and he nodded and left.

"Now," Bella cooed, "stand."

The tears streaming down Hermione's face burned at the burn mark left by the tongs. Fear shining brightly in her eyes, Hermione fought for energy to stand.

Rodolphus returned and handed something to Bellatrix, which she gratefully accepted. Right after, Rodolphus left, smiling.

"Come now, it's just us girls. Don't be modest!" Bella sneered.

Kneeling over Hermione, Bellatrix tore open Hermione's shirt.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, clinging to consciousness.

Bellatrix stripped Hermione completely of her shirt and bra and grinned evilly as she pulled the weak, frail girl to her feet.

Hermione was now half-naked and barely managing to stand.

"I want to see the blood begin to flow… See the cutting," Bella grinned hungrily. She pulled the thing Rodolphus had handed her from her back pocket. Stepping back, she drew her arm back before slashing it forward, slicing it through the air.

Hermione cried out in pain, instantly falling to her knees.

Bella continued whipping Hermione and reached into her other pocket with her free hand. "Crucio!"

Hermione longed to slip into unconsciousness but the biting whip and renewed spell kept her awake.

Bella stopped short. "Weasley!" she gasped in shock.

A red-haired figure dove into Bella, punching her to the floor before straddling her and continuing the beating. "Stupefy!" it finally yelled.

"Hermione! It's okay! I'm going to rescue you!" the figure told her.

"Ginny!" Hermione thought, slipping into unconsciousness. "She's come to free me from this horrid woman!"

Hermione's savior, Ronald Weasley, picked her up and held her close.

"I'll take you out of here," he told the unconscious Hermione soothingly before apparating out with her in his arms.