Disclaimer: All original Harry Potter characters and storylines are not mine. For this story, I have adjusted and changed everything that happens starting book 7, chapter Malfoy Manor. I try to stay true to the original characters, though with changing events there are also different reactions and emotional impact to be expected.

I do write as an outlet for myself and not to please others. So if you don't consider this a good read, well-meaning and helpful critique and pointers are always an option or simply moving on, if you can't find that within you.

For everyone else, I do enjoy your reviews, favorites, and followers.

Enjoy your read.


Another ending to "Malfoy Manor"

April 1998

There were screams around her. Some panicked, others angry and then there were those indicating pain. She could only hope those didn't belong to Harry or Ron. She felt someone pull on her arm and groaned as her cheek caught one of the sharp shards of glass that once belonged to a chandelier.

Hermione went in and out of consciousness, but she could feel the change in atmosphere. It got colder. It wasn't simply the cold marble floor underneath her. Everything around her was different. The person pulling on her arm seemed to have given up. A shiver ran down her spine and She had the distinct feeling of running away, but with a heavy chandelier on top of her, passing out was all she could do.

"I'm so sorry."

She didn't know where the words had come from, she wasn't even sure if she really heard them. Everything around her felt like it would burst into a thousand pieces. How she managed to open her eyes, she did not know, but she wished she hadn't.

Some ways from her, she saw a group of people. Three of them with blonde hair, so she figured it must have been the Malfoys, crazy black curls, which must belong to her torturer and of course Greyback amongst all of them. She quickly shut her eyes as they met the horrifying snake-like ones she hadn't quite been expecting. Still, she couldn't stop the groan from slipping past her lips.

"How does it feel?" She didn't as much hear his voice as she could feel it. "The great Harry Potter has abandoned his dearest friend."

Hermione could only whimper as her body was slowly swallowed back up in the lingering pain of the Cruciatus or was it the weight of the chandelier? She didn't know and at this point, she also didn't care. However, she was too scared to let herself pass out.

"Don't you think it's funny, Lucius?"

"Very much so, my Lord." His voice didn't sound like he found anything funny at this very moment. Hermione couldn't blame him. All he had left to present to Voldemort was her. A fairly broken girl, who in this state was not worth much to anyone besides Greyback. She shuddered. Why was the werewolf still present?

"May I have the pleasure of questioning her some more and finishing her off?"

Her whole body tensed as Bellatrix's shrill voice echoed through the drawing room.

"You promised her to me."

"Hush."

Suddenly being killed by Voldemort himself almost sounded merciful to her. Whether it was preferable to be left to Lestrange or Greyback, she didn't want to find out. She drew in a labored breath. Trying to not drift into the pain-free unconsciousness.

She could feel the shuffling of a robe around her and waited for the next of Bellatrix's curses to hit her. Surely Voldemort would grant her the pleasure, after all, she wasn't Harry Potter and she might still have answers. Might know where Harry had gone too. Although she wasn't sure about this one. There were new safe houses they had never learned about. Voldemort seemed to take his time though to consider her offer.

"No."

Hermione was not the only one to be surprised by his words. She could hear a muffled shriek from Lestrange and a low growl from Greyback that had her almost opening eyes in disbelieve.

"Narcissa, show her to your finest guest room."

His request was met with silence. It took a moment before the witch seemed to be able to react. There was another robe brushing by her side. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, but she was almost at the point beyond caring as unconsciousness once again tried to claim her.

"Stand!"

Hermione almost laughed. She was barely able to open her eyes, how was she supposed to stand? However, she didn't want to end up in Bellatrix's or Greyback's hands after all. With all the strength she could muster she tried to push herself into a sitting position, but the chandelier pushed her back down immediately. Pain shooting through every inch of her body, her face hitting another shard.

She could hear Voldemorts cackle. "Oh if the great Harry Potter could see."

The young witch didn't have a chance to focus on him though, as she suddenly felt the weight on top of her lift, just to float off the floor herself. For the shortest moment, a blissful memory from the first year at Hogwarts filled her tired mind: innocent children learn the spell to lift things up. It didn't last. As she felt her body drift through the manor she couldn't help but open her eyes. She floated past the portraits they had seen on the way in and left the general area available to visitors like the snatchers.

The other hallways seemed just as dark and uninviting as the few she had seen. Large portraits and old sculptures lined the way. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up in such a building, or if it had only recently turned into this waste. She groaned as her head collided with one of the statues before her path was adjusted. Narcissa Malfoy seemed to try a little harder after that. She could hear a door open, and with a fling of her wand, she lay on the bed.

"You don't have to try anything. After your friends' escape, there is no in and out without Him knowing about it." The older witch stared at her from the doorway. "Besides, you have no longer a wand."

Finally, she seemed to decide that she wasn't quite done yet, and with another fling of her wand, Hermione was now under the most expensive covers she had ever known.

"I recommend you rest, while you can."

Then she was gone. Hermione once again became aware of all the pain that was within her. She needed to use this time though, to think everything through. She had been in and out of it when Ron and Harry had stormed into the drawing room. Only faintly she could remember that Bellatrix had dragged her up and dropped her with a scream as the chandelier had come crashing. Hermione identified the pain in her back as the outcome of that event. There had been a goblin if she wasn't mistaken. A little further away from the center of the destruction. Who had caused the chandelier to drop?

She then remembered briefly opening her eyes and hearing Ron call out for her. It was the last thing she could place before it appeared that Voldemort had arrived. She could see the fear and pain in Ron's eyes and was finally able to identify the "I'm so sorry". It hadn't been her imagining. It had been him before he disapparated without her.

As she closed her eyes, the pain became unbearable and she finally let unconsciousness sweep her away again.