Word Count: 885
"He lost a friend but gained a memory."
-Rocky Mountain High
This goes so far beyond fear. Pure terror grips Daphne as Alecto Carrow raises her wand. How long has this been going on? It feels like an eternity. All Daphne knows is that her body is weak from the torture, and she doesn't know how much more she can take.
She will not crack; she cannot crack.
"Crucio!"
She screams. Her throat is raw from all the screaming, but she knows it will do no good. There will be no mercy for her, no relief.
Daphne's mind is clouded with pain, but she recalls Pansy's face with pure fury. They were supposed to be friends. So many people referred to them as Slytherin House's dynamic duo, and they were queens.
But Pansy has betrayed her. An admission of doubt and guilt found the Carrows' ears, and it's all Pansy bloody Parkinson's fault. Maybe friendship means nothing in the end.
"You will submit to the new order, girl," Alecto says with a sneer. "I should have known a Greengrass would cause us trouble. Crucio!"
Slowly, the world grows black around her, and she escapes the pain only when she loses consciousness.
…
When she wakes, she is chained to the wall. There are others around her, those who have also earned the Carrows' wrath. The dungeon is too dark; she cannot make out any of their faces, but she can hear sobbing and babbling.
"Second star to th-the right," someone says with a quivering voice. "And straight on til morning."
"I want my mummy."
She closes her eyes, trying to tune it out, but there is so much noise.
"Have you seen my kitten?"
"What if we starve."
And then it's dead silence, and the door creaks open. Daphne feels sick. The Carrows have come back. They've decided to have a little late night torture session.
But it isn't Alecto or her filthy brother who speaks. "Come on. We have to act quickly!"
"Longbottom?" Daphne opens her eyes, squinting against the wandlight. She can just barely make out his face.
"Greengrass?" He approaches her lowering his wand so that he can better study her. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Oh, just hanging out. Someone told me they had wonderful margaritas down here."
"Sarcasm not needed," Neville says. "Let me get you out of these chains."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" someone asks. "She's a Slytherin."
Slytherin. The world is hurled like an insult, with so much venom behind it. Daphne sniffs, maintaining as much dignity as possible. She may be in a dismal position, but she will still hold her head high.
"It would be awfully suspicious if everyone was gone but her," Neville says. "Come on. I've got you."
…
They call it the Room of Requirement. Daphne doesn't understand the name, but everyone seems content with it. There are beds and books and so many lovely things. She thinks she could maybe get comfortable here.
Then again, it looks like she doesn't have much choice. If she leaves this place, the Carrows will find her. She imagines the torture will be so much worse next time.
"I found you some clothes," Lavender Brown says, dropping the clothes on Daphne's bed. She offers her a quick smile before rushing off, joining the Patil twins on the other side of the room.
It's going to be a lonely existence; Daphne can already tell.
…
The curse hits again and again. Daphne has never known pain like this. How is it possible the agony to seep all the way through her bones, into her marrow?
Every nerve is on fire. Every inch of her aches and she knows there will never be any relief.
Daphne bolts upright, breathing heavily. She's covered in a cold sweat, and her stomach churns violently. Breathing deeply, she swallows. She won't throw up; she won't allow herself to be week.
"I had nightmares my first week here," Neville tells her.
Daphne jumps, swearing under breath. "Real funny, sneaking up on people," she snaps.
He sits beside her. In the dim candlelight, she can see the blush creep into his cheeks. "Sorry. Wasn't trying to sneak. I… Well, I was worried about you."
His response catches her off guard. Daphne opens her mouth, but she isn't sure what to say. There are far too many questions she would like to ask. Finally, she settles on, "Why?"
Neville's cheeks grow darker. "Don't make me say it."
She knows that embarrassment too well. "Oh."
Neville as certainly grown up. He is no longer that awkward, fumbling idiot she laughed at in her first year. He is handsome, but it's his newfound confidence that makes her really take notice.
"I see," she says before leaning in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
She isn't sure if she feels anything for him, but she thinks she could so easily. There is something about Neville that makes him easy to like. Those feelings could grow.
With that, she lays back, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. Maybe she doesn't have Pansy as a friend anymore. Maybe the dynamic duo has fallen apart, never to be reunited. But it doesn't matter. She still has the memories.
More importantly, as Neville lays beside her and holds her hand, she realizes she has a future.