40 – Undone
"Miss Granger, I know you have had a . . . difficult day, but we may not have much time."
A difficult day? Just a bit of torture?
Lucius Malfoy was standing in her cell as though nothing could be more natural. Then Hermione remembered. Draco had said his father was insane now. Did insane mean dangerous? Her wand was gone. Everyone was dangerous. That included Draco. Why did she have to keep reminding herself? Maybe he had lied. Maybe his father had been fine all along. But why would he lie about that?
She clenched at the blanket covering her, but her hands passed right through it. She glanced down, then remembered. It must just be a charm, no actual blanket. She looked back up at the elder Malfoy and sat up, backing away from him. She felt so exposed.
He obviously noticed her discomfort and held up his hands, showing her that he wasn't holding his wand.
"Can I get you anything? Tea? Whiskey?"
A bark of a laugh escaped her. Get her anything? Sure. Her wand. Failing that, a machine gun would help.
As though he read her mind he stated calmly. "I cannot retrieve your own wand, but I will get you a wand. There is to be a battle and you should not be unarmed."
"Then do it," she snarled, surprised at how harsh and rough her own voice sounded. Her throat ached, damaged from screaming.
"I will then. I will be right back. Perhaps once you have a wand you will be able to . . . approach this situation with more . . . strategy. I think you should have some tea, with honey, also. It will help your throat."
She didn't respond. She didn't move. What madness was this?
Lucius left the cell. She heard his footsteps echoing up the stairs, then a 'pop.' He must have passed through some anti-apparition wards. She was alone. She glanced around. Definitely a dungeon. He didn't seem to have locked her cell door, but what could she do? She was weak and wandless. She tried to stand up, then leaned against the wall when she found that her balance was off. She was in her own clothing, although it appeared to have been cleaned, maybe pressed too. Did Nappy do that? Why?
Where was Nappy? At least she knew who Nappy was, or did she? A house elf followed its master's orders. Maybe the elf had just been part of the deception. Tricking her into . . . into what?
That was the most maddening thing. She couldn't figure out what Malfoy was up to. This morning she had been sure, or almost sure, that he still wanted to bring Old Ugly down, even if he wasn't what she had thought he was. But now? What had changed? She had seen him, seen his fawning, seen how close he was to his Master.
She frowned. She had known that Snake Nose trusted him, believed him to be loyal. Was he that good of an actor? He had to be a good actor, had to be able to deceive his Master, who was not only very intelligent, but also fairly paranoid.
The only difference was that she had seen him. Also – he had crucio'd her, but even that had been strange. It had started with all-consuming pain. Even though she had experienced it before, she had been unprepared for it. It had seemed different. Was it always different? Then, under Malfoy's wand, it had stopped hurting. Had she blacked out? Was there something wrong with her nerves? She flexed her fingers. They felt normal. No lasting . . .
She heard the 'pop,' up the stairs, causing her to jump. Her nerves were so taut. She sighed. What if that had been her only chance to escape? Lucius walked in, holding a tea tray, which he set down on something invisible.
"I startled you. Forgive me. Perhaps this will begin to make amends."
He picked up a thick pale wand off the tray and it out to her. She didn't move. Could this be a trick? A trap?
He sighed. "Miss Granger, I know you have no reason to trust me, but we don't know how much time we have. I know Draco has probably told . . . ."
"It doesn't matter what he told me. He's a monster too." Her throat hurt so much. She could barely speak.
Lucius winced at the pain her in voice. "I brought you some tea. It is Earl Grey Lavender, with honey. It will help." He put down the wand and lifted a delicate porcelain cup. "Here. I can drink some. It is safe."
After taking a sip, he held it out to her.
She stared at him. What choice did she have? Her eyes snapped up. "Do you have dreams about sex?" she asked.
"What?" His eyes widened with shock. "Why would you ask . . . oh, of girl. I promise. There's no veritaserum. "
He hadn't answered the question. It wasn't strong veritaserum then, but it might be the weaker sort. "What was your wife's name?"
"Do you want me to lie to you? It was Veronica."
He could lie, but he could have taken an antidote.
"Please. Miss Granger. I need you to trust me, at least enough so that we can work together today."
She stared at him. He seemed sincere, but he was probably a good actor. He had to be. He had been pretending to be little more than a fool, or was that even true? She moved the tea cup to her left hand and snatched up the wand. It felt heavy, slow, awkward, but she could feel the buzz of magic. It was definitely a real wand.
"There are anti-apparition wards," Lucius pointed out.
"Sure there are," she replied then sighed. She knew he was telling the truth. They were probably a standard dungeon feature.
"Where is Nappy?" she rasped out. Could she trust the elf? Her throat hurt so badly.
"Nappy!" Lucius called loudly. "I must warn you, she may not come immediately. I have freed her. She can still hear my beckoning but she may be otherwise occupied. While we wait, let me explain myself. I'm sure my son has told you that I am . . . addled now. It is what he believes. It was necessary to protect him. I had to be alive to keep him from the hazards of being the Malfoy patriarch, but it had become apparent that I could not stomach what was being asked of me. This was Narcissa's brilliant solution. Among other benefits, it is the reason the Dark Lord moved his abode from our home."
"That makes no sense," Hermione snapped. "You're lying. There's no reason you wouldn't tell him you were fine."
The elder Malfoy sighed. He seemed genuinely grieved. "Perhaps you are right. Unfortunately, at first Narcissa and I were not sure that Draco's legilimency was strong enough. I now know that it is, and yet . . . I have been unwilling to require Draco to be part of this continuing masquerade. I was afraid that the shock of finding out that we deceived him would be too much for him. He carries such a heavy load already." Hermione was surprised to notice how old, how fragile Lucius Malfoy seemed. Could that kind of frailty be faked?
"But how have you . . . ." Hermione's natural curiosity propelled the question, then she bit it back, unsure of how to proceed. Who was this man? Where were his loyalties?
"It is a long story, but Nappy has helped me, casting a very powerful Confundus on me when necessary. When the Dark Lord entered my mind, he found it to be complete chaos. Of course, only Nappy could then reverse it. We eventually decided it was safer for her to be free so that her own judgment could determine when the spell was lifted. That and, after you saved Draco's life, I realized that it would better for all of us if Nappy did not need an order to act."
"And you claim Draco doesn't know any of that." Again, she spoke without thinking first. Her brain must still be muddled from the Dreamless Sleep, or whatever Nappy had given her.
"That Nappy is free? No, although he might suspect it. Again, he doesn't need more that he must hide from the Dark Lord."
Hermione took a deep breath.
"I know you don't trust me, but you know as well as I do that Potter will be coming to save you. The Dark Lord's plot is nothing if not simple. If you, if Potter, if any of us are to survive until tomorrow, we need to put certain protections in place. They will, however, require me to wield my wand in your direction."
"What sort of protections?" Could she allow this? Did she have a choice?
"First of all, we need to . . . ."
There was a 'pop' up the stairs, followed by heavy uneven footsteps. Lucius froze, stopping his sentence and gazing up and to the left, listening. "Whoever that is . . . will most likely turn back. There are wards, charms, . . . ." But the plodding steps continued to grow closer, echoing in the stone dungeon. Whoever it was, it wasn't Harry. This wasn't good.
She looked at Lucius, whose eyes were wide with concern. He knew this was a problem. He frowned then, faster than she would have thought he could move, he flicked his wand at her. She didn't even hear the spell before she collapsed back onto her magically faked bed, unconscious.
She wasn't sure how long she was out, but it must not have been long. There was someone here in the cell with them. She kept her eyes closed, straining to listen. Who was it?
". . . he cared so much, he wouldn't have left a retard like you to guard. Step aside. I'm here to pay the prisoner a visit." Whoever it was reeked of alcohol, his words unfocused. He was obviously blotto. Hermione rolled her still shut eyes. They did not have time for this.
"Well, I guess, okay, but I'm not sure . . . ." Hermione was shocked to hear how weak Lucius' voice was. What had happened?
Her heart was pounding. What had happened to Lucius? She heard someone approaching.
"Is that a wand she's got?"
There was a flash of magic. Hermione felt it, as though she'd been slapped, and her eyes flew open. She sat straight up as there was a thud from a body collapsing on the stone floor.
A filthy looking Death Eater lay on his side on the floor, his eyes surprised and frozen open in the tell-tale mark of a Petrificus Totalus.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Granger," Lucius' voice was completely different now – strong and firm. "This is Rosier. Apparently being seriously inebriated helps one ignore the various protection charms on this dungeon. Oh, well. He won't be troubling us anymore. My apologies for the shock wave. My wandless spell was a bit unfocused."
Hermione nodded, not sure what else to say. She was shaking. She couldn't help it. This was ridiculous. Nothing had happened. And so much worse was sure to come.
"You need a calming draught. I don't know where Nappy is. I'll get it. And some more tea." Lucius turned and once again was gone.
She lifted the wand. The tea cup she'd been holding was broken on the ground. "Reparo." The shards of china reunited themselves, perhaps a bit slower than when she had her own wand, but the cup looked fine. She summoned it and examined it. It looked perfectly fine, like it had never been broken.
"Wingardium leviosa." She levitated Rosier. Her magic was working. That was good. She heard a 'pop' up the stairs and dropped the Death Eater. Strange that Lucius hadn't killed him. Did that mean she couldn't trust the elder Malfoy? Or did it mean that she should?
This time when Lucius returned, she drank the tea. It felt so soothing that she barely contained a moan. The calming draught was perfect also.
"I hope that the tea will heal your throat, Miss Granger. Forgive me, but we do not have enough time for me to let you enjoy it in peace. I have considered several protective measures that we might take. Of course, we do not know exactly what we will be facing, but both of us can make educated guesses. It is one of the Dark Lord's preferred tactics to torture a loved one in order to break another. I assume he plans to torture you in order to torment Mr. Potter."
Hermione's eyes closed. She wanted to hate Lucius Malfoy for what he was saying, but she knew that he was speaking the truth.
"I'm sure that's what he would like to do, but Harry is not so foolish as to just hand himself over. He knows that any promises the Dark Lord would make are useless." Hermione wondered if someone was reminding Harry of this. Kingsley would. Maybe Ginny would. Ron wouldn't. He, like Harry, would be too wound up, too anxious, angry and irrational to think things through.
"So you don't think he will try to rescue you?" Lucius quirked an aristocratic eyebrow at her. "If he doesn't come, Bellatrix has already suggested sending your body parts, one by one, until he has to come."
She had to sigh. "No. He will. But he isn't stupid. And the Order will not let him come alone." She stopped. Should she be saying any of this to him? Was she betraying Harry, betraying the Order? Surely, those were not secrets.
"The important thing is to try to predict what dangers you may face, and to plan the best way to protect you. If you yourself were going to be tortured for information you held, the Confundus is a good . . . ."
"No, I need to . . . he won't be torturing me for information."
"Possibly not, although if Potter doesn't come quickly, . . . "
"Will you have a wand?" she asked him without thinking, then realized that was a fairly offensive question.
"I have become fairly adept at wandless magic, but tonight, I believe I will bring my wand. Would you like me to confound you if it becomes necessary?"
"Is there a counter-spell?" She frowned. She should know this.
"Yes. I can simply use finite incantatem . . . unless I have been incapacitated. Someone else could do it, but they might not know that they should."
Hermione sighed. Her head was aching now. Should she trust him?
"I don't suppose you could just get me out of here and return me to the Order? It would save us a lot of trouble."
"Unfortunately, no. The Dark Lord doesn't trust anyone. The dungeons are warded so that no one can leave except by going through the cave. And the cave, of course, can only be entered when one is summoned."
"So Harry will be brought by portkey?"
"Yes, and I am not at all sure that the Order will be able to come with him. Perhaps if he is holding onto someone when . . . ."
There was a loud 'pop' in the middle of the cell and suddenly Nappy stood there, wringing her hands furiously.
"Master! Young master be broken! The Evil One smashing him!" She was distraught, now clenching at her own ears. "I is not saving. Is not knowing. Plans is gone. All bad. I is . . . not knowing."
Hermione was on her feet, the sudden intrusion having startled her. Her reflexes were apparently improving.
Lucius dropped to one knee in front of the elf and interrupted her panicked sputtering. "Nappy." His voice was firm and she silenced at once. "Where is Draco?"
"Cave," Nappy answered then stood, taking large gulping breaths.
"Were you there? How do you know?"
"Was with Potter. Taking too long. Went to check."
"You can get into the cave?"
Nappy's eyes grew even wider as she shook her head. "Nappy can go where Master is. Nappy was no can see. Master is bleeding, parts is broken. Plan is broken. All is broken. Nappy is . . . ."
"Nappy." He interrupted her again. "You've done well. You came to me. That was the right thing to do."
He turned to Hermione. "Our time is up. We need to act. The most important thing is to get Potter there and I am supposing that the Dark Lord won't be summoning him now. I am virtually certain that Draco's spying has been discovered."
Hermione could only nod. Her mind was reeling. As much as she tried to tell herself that she didn't care, that she shouldn't care, the thought of Draco broken, as Nappy had said, had knocked the air out of her lungs. He'd already been through so much.
"We will be summoned soon. He will use you now to torture Draco. We have to assume that he will break through Draco's occulemency. When the Dark Lord is determined, no one stands a chance."
Hermione's breath caught. Suddenly, her fear was not just for Draco. She nodded again.
"Nappy, can you take Miss Granger to safety? Do you know if you could get her out of here?"
"No, sir. Dungeons is being sealed. Is not like ward. Is Dobby . . . "
"What? No!" Hermione interrupted. "I'm not going to go hide away. Draco needs help. Harry needs help."
"You are much more of a danger to both them than a helper. If the Dark Lord can use you . . ."
"What if you hide me? Hide me in the cave. Take me with you, disillusioned. He won't think to look for me there. I can help, but he won't know I'm there."
There was silence for a moment, broken only by Nappy's sniffling. "Is good plan. Young master is telling Nappy to make miss no see. Nappy can do. Master be saving young master."
"I fear that I cannot save Draco, but I can stall for time. Nappy, I need you to go back to Potter. Tell him what has happened. Tell him that he must come, with as many reinforcements as he can. It would be best if we could signal him when . . . "
"Be using coin." Nappy held a gold coin out to Lucius, but he gestured to Hermione for her to take it.
"Hermione, I will be occupied. You will need to signal to Potter to come. He has a portkey?" Lucius directed the question to Nappy.
"Yes. Nappy can trying to make portkey go. Is not being sure can do."
"Do your best. If you can't do it, ask for help. Potter must get there. Everything depends on it. Hermione, I am about to be summoned. I need to prepare you. You will need to trust me."
Hermione nodded. She felt numb, almost as though she were no longer within her body, but watching from outside. Draco was broken. What did that mean? Was it her fault? Was he dead already?
"Nappy, I want you to disillusion her. That will make it more difficult for the Dark Lord to remove the enchantment."
Nappy flicked a finger at Hermione and she felt the cold wash over her, but it barely penetrated her thoughts. She listened without reacting, almost without hearing, as Lucius cast several spells over her. "Secura, Salvio Hexia, Repello Inimicumm, Imperturbatus."
Hermione watched his wand moving without registering what he was doing or why.
"Miss." Nappy clutched her by the shoulders and turned her body to face the elf's. "Miss." Nappy was looking oddly over her shoulder and it took a moment for Hermione to remember that she had been disillusioned and the elf couldn't see her any more. "Miss." Nappy spoke again, more urgently, this time shaking her a bit.
Oh. She should answer. "Yes. What do you need?"
"Miss be waking now. Miss be needing thinking."
"What? I'm awake." But that was off. It was as if part of her was missing.
"Miss? Nappy need be slapping Miss. Will be waking. Master?" Hermione heard her voice, but it echoed in her head. The words were just sounds.
"Nappy. Do it."
She felt Nappy's cool fingers on her face, finding her. Then the slap came without warning. Hermione's head was jerked back by it. She tasted blood.
But the fog was gone. She shook her head, causing the ache in her cheek to grow. Her eyes watered. She almost smiled. She was back.
Lucius knelt down in front of her. He was also off, looking just over her head. "Hermione? Are you okay? Did that help?"
"Yes. It did. I'm ready. Or almost ready."
"When I am summoned, hold my robe. I'm almost certain that will bring you with me. Actually, just to make certain I will grasp your wrist too. Where is it?"
She reached out, still disillusioned. When her hand touched his, he turned his and grasped her awkwardly, half on her hand, half on her wrist. She moved her arm up and his fingers closed just below her palm.
"You have the wand?"
She nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see her and said "yes."
"Nappy, if you should have extra time, see if you can get Miss Granger's wand to her. But get Potter there first. You should go now, Nappy. Wait for Miss Granger's signal for Potter to use the portkey, although – if it doesn't come in an hour, come to the cave and check."
Lucius was talking faster now. He still sounded calm and composed but Hermione could feel his tension as he grasped her tightly, maybe too tightly, but she didn't want to slip out of his grip, so she didn't protest.
"Are you ready? You need to find Draco. Check him. Stabilize him. Make sure his head and neck are . . . Oh. There it is. It is time. Hold on. Be silent. I will . . . "
"Wait. Get rid of my scent."
"What?"
"Nappy do. Abolesco olere. Praesudo. Master, last one was for you. Give you back smell."
Lucius gave a wry smile. "I guess that is good. Wait. There is something I should do." He turned and murmured a spell towards the unconscious Death Eater still lying there. "Also . . ." He closed his eyes and moved his wand from his head to his foot. When he opened his eyes again they had an odd dreamy look, as though he was no longer fully aware of where he was and what he was doing.
Nappy spoke to her, again looking slightly off to her side. "Miss, you is no can see. Master will take you. Nappy will go to Harry Potter and find you later. Nappy will . . ."
She never heard the rest. Lucius' pull came. They were going into the cave.
AN – Keeping up the slow but (relatively) steady pace. The delay is my fault – my beta was amazingly fast. Thanks, Hesaluti!