I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER….EVEN THOUGH I REALLY REALLY WANT TO
Narcissa Malfoy came around the corner. Three of them gasped and pointed their wands at her. However, Draco just pointed his head down and moved behind Harry.
"Draco. You must really love this," Draco flinched – expecting 'mud-blood. "Muggle-born. Enough at least to kill your mother."
"Wait! No! Lower your wands," says Ginny.
"What? Are you crazy?" asked Ron.
"No. I'm not. Look at Draco." They looked and he had his head on his lap, shaking. Ginny bent down and held his shoulders. "What's wrong? We won't attack her if you don't wish it."
"No. I don't want you to. Please spare her, Harry."
Harry considered it and nodded. Draco never used to address him as 'Harry' only 'Potter' – at least until recently. Perhaps all Hermione's love has changed him.
Harry and Ron moved aside and let Narcissa console for her son. Draco told them to into a spare room so he could talk to his mother. Alone. They obliged.
"Mum. Where are they keeping Hermione?"
"Down in the dungeon. You don't wanna go down there though."
"What? Why not? She's down there!" Draco did everything except shout that.
"Because then you'll see," Narcissa buried her face in her hands.
"See? See what?"
"How horrible they are to people who aren't followers." Narcissa was now crying.
"What do you mean?" Draco was now really confused.
"What I mean is, the attacked the poor girl. Raped, beat, abused, crushed. They've use the Cruciatis Curse on her so much that I don't think she feels anything anymore. She stopped screaming about one hour ago. I tried talking to your father about this. But he just told me to mind my own business and that if I didn't keep my nose out of it then he would do the same to me." Draco was furious by this point. "Draco, I need to tell you something. I'm not a pureblood." Draco looked at his mother, clearly shocked. "I'm like your Hermione. Muggle-born or as you and your father call us, 'mud-blood.'"
"I don't say that anymore," said Draco, ashamed.
"Well, when I was your age, my parents wanted the best and only the best. They didn't care for me or my well-being. When I had fallen in love with a muggle, they punished me by coloring my hair blonde and forced me to marry a pure-blood man. That way my offspring would be only the best – a pure-blood. They were muggles and didn't understand the concept of being a pure-blood as we do. I told them they were crazy and ran way to my lover's house. They had gone behind my back and told him who – and more importantly, what – I was. He was terrified of me. Then, when I went home, broken-hearted and defeated, Lucius was sitting there. In a pool of blood. He didn't even have the curtsey to kill them with Avada. At least with Avada, they wouldn't have felt as much pain. He forced me to keep dying my hair. Malfoy's must have blonde hair only. He then sexually abused me until I was pregnant. With a girl." Draco stood there. Dumb-founded. But he continued to listen to her story. A sister? "The second she was born, he gave her away. First because it was a girl and he wanted a male so that the Malfoy name would continue. And second because she was born with brown hair. I guess she grew out of the brown. Now she has beautiful blonde hair. Like yours, Draco."
"Who is it?"
"Luna Lovegood." (P.s. to all readers: this is my story and in my story, Luna is a year older rather than younger.) NO WAY! Loony Lovegood? "I guess your father has some kind of heart left in all the darkness. He could have killed her but didn't. Anyways, then he was determined to have a male heir to the 'Malfoy name.' He found out that I was muggle-born sometime after Luna was born and flipped out. He thought my parents were just the housekeepers. Then, he began torchering me until I got pregnant again. He went crazy with finding herbs and spells to make this one a boy. You. I figured you were a boy because Luna was never as rambunctious. And you used to kick – hard. But no matter how much I tried to convince him, he wouldn't believe me. Poison after poison. There was not stopping him. I think, however, you somehow learned some kind of compassion. You were the nicest little kid I could ever want. Then, your father took over. Soon I was no longer needed and he pushed me aside. As did you."
"I'm sorry, Mum. I'll make you proud. I'll set you free. You need to get out the house. Now."
"I can't. I'm bound here until that muggle-born gets out. It's a spell."
"Then hide in the attic. No one will look for you there."
Narcissa nodded and then smile. "I'm glad you've become friends with Harry Potter. And not for the reason your father did. Be safe." She kissed her son and disappeared out of sight.
Draco felt responsible for all the pain and hurt that have been suffered in the house of Malfoy. Draco knocked on the door to where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were hiding.
"Let's go. I know where she's being kept at. Be on your guard. Kill anyone on sight."
"Are you okay, Draco?" asked Ron. He could tell that Draco was royally pissed off.
"Yeah. Sure. Let's just get out of here and fast. It's depressing," answered Draco. He led them to the basement. Then attached to the bottom stair was a latch. They pulled on it and climbed into the dungeon. All four of them were silent. All the cells were empty. Except one on the end. Hermione's cell!
"Hermione! Baby!" yelled Draco. He ran to the bars. She turned her head to look at the big, silver eyes looking in at her.
"Who are you?" Draco's smile disappeared. "Have we met? Well, whatever do your worst. Pain is just a useless feeling."
"Baby. It's me. Draco." He watched her as she shifted into the light. Her body was cut, bruised, and bloodied. Her clothes were torn in many places to where her body was completely visible. She came closer to the bars so he could touch her face.
"Who? And who's your baby? Surely she's not here. I'm the only one down here."
"Hermione-"
"Is that my name?"
"Yes." He stroked her face. "We are getting you out of here. Here," he took off his coat and held it out to her through the bars. She looked at him questionably. "What?"
"Well, I know this is a trick. I'm not stupid. I'm staying here. However," she said, getting closer to the jacket. "I will take the coat. It's quite chilly down here with tattered clothes." Once she had the coat in hand, she walked all the way back to wall.
They all look at her with worried eyes. "If she doesn't recognize you then she sure isn't going to know us," whispered Ginny.
Obviously, it was loud enough for her to hear Ginny because she looked up and asked, "Who's there? I know that voice. It's Ginny. I know it!" She ran to the bars and looked around for her. Ginny came closer, wide-eyed. "Ginny! They are horrible here. You need to leave. Now! Who's with you?" Ron and Harry moved forward. "HARRY! You're back? Is Voldemort dead?" He also was shocked but shook his head no. "But your letter?" Harry looked at Draco then back at Hermione. "Well, whatever I'm glad that you're okay." She reached through the bars and hugs Harry as much as possible.
"Hermione," Harry says as he pulls away. "Don't you know who this is?" He points to Draco. She shakes her head. Everyone sighs.
Draco gives Harry a hurtful look.
"Sorry everyone. I shouldn't have come with you. She doesn't even know my name." Hermione looked at him. "Hell even if she said 'Malfoy' with the hatred, that would have be better than this."
Ginny look at the sad man and then at the beaten girl in the cell; then, she said something that would change the whole story.
