Chapter Six

Hi guys first of all a huge apology to everyone I love this story and it really guts me that I have had to hold it back for nearly two months. Unfortunately I had a (planned) trip to New Zealand in November as usual my intention was to post a few chapters before I went away and a few when I got back. However my computer broke, its ok everything was backed up, just before I left the U.K. After my return my Phd has gone crazy so I have struggled to post the next chapter. Please forgive me faithful readers. From today I plan I post once a week unlike before I can't promise which day but it will be every week.

Hermione woke up with a slight headache she propped herself up on her elbows and raised her head to look around her.

"Where am I?" She wondered for a minute. She appeared to be in an old building, the style seemed similar to a holiday flat Hermione had once stayed in Florence as a child on a summer holiday. The space had red brick walls and light flooded in a large window that almost took up the space of one of the large four walls. She looked around herself and realised she was on a large double bed, it wasn't dissimilar from the one she had spent six years sleeping on at Hogwarts but instead of the red and gold hangings green and silver were present on the bed and throughout the room. Slytherin. Malfoy. Death Eaters. In a flash of neurones her brain found the right memory. She slumped back onto the pillows behind her.

"Awake are you?" A voice said. It made Hermione jump because she hadn't been expecting it. She looked around hurriedly for the source of the voice and she saw him stood beside the window leaning against a wall so not one ray of light hit him.

"A vampire now as well as a Death Eater are you Malfoy?" Hermione asked acidly before clutching her throat.

"No," he replied coldly "you look sometimes Granger but you do not see and yes I did restore your voice whilst you were out."

"See what Malfoy? Am I missing something because I am pretty sure your daddy dearest said to break me in anyway possible except killing me. I know what that means you monster I am a healer I healed some of the girls your people left behind after the war. I have seen what you do to them." Her voice was full of venom a she stood up and starred at him. Alternatively he didn't move a muscle.

"Hermione I-"

"You what?" She shouted "you had nothing to do with it? You didn't know what your father and his cronies were doing that is a load of crap Malfoy and you know it."

"No I'm not trying to make excuses I knew exactly what my father was doing."

"Rape, they were bloody and broken when I saw them" she spat "you animal I bet you participated didn't you you." She stared at him in horror and revulsion.

"No Hermione I didn't participate believe me." He paused with his head turned down "but yes I did know what they were doing." He finished soberly.

"That is just as bad Malfoy I treated those girls and they were almost dead behind their eyes many of them live broken lives. There is no getting over something like that."

"I am not excusing my actions but-"

"But what? Go on," she shouted "I am here I don't have my wand I couldn't fight you, you have locked the door go on Malfoy make your daddy proud." She sneered. By this point they were barely a metre from each other.

"Granger," he raised his voice "I am not going to do anything to you. I promise."

"Wow a Malfoy promise I can put that in the bank."

"Granger," he shouted before quickly lowering his voice "I am not one of them. I want to be free of my father you have no idea what it was like growing up in that household to hear screams as background noise for as long as you can remember. Wanting for nothing except emotion and love. Merlin I envy you." He paused and this time Hermione did not respond she was too shocked by Malfoy's statement. "You knew love from being a child I never did."

"I shouldn't feel sorry for you," Hermione smiled "I'm the one kidnapped."

"I don't want pity Granger." His tone harsh.

"Good because I am not offering it." Hermione's voice responded just as venomously sat on the edge of the large bed and Draco sat beside her.

"Merlin Granger how are we going to get out of this?" He said exasperated.

"Are you serious?" Hermione said.

"Yes I have nothing to offer you but my word you will have to trust me.

"Trusting you Malfoy that isn't easy."

"I know and I haven't made it easy but I have nothing else."

"Yes you do." She said looking past him to a glass cabinet. Hermione opened the door and began looking through the small phials.

"Granger what are you doing?"

"You'll see. Got it." She turned around with one of the smallest crystal phials in her hand. "No good potions cabinet is without veritasium."

"You want me to take this?" He asked sceptically. She nodded.

"If you have nothing to hide Malfoy one small mouthful will last about thirty minutes."

"Ok," he nodded "but promise me one thing Granger."

"Yes,"

"Keep questioning relevant don't stray into grey areas."

"Ok." She smiled in spite of herself. "I promise." Draco pulled a face as took a small amount of liquid and drank it.

"Bad taste?" Hermione asked.

"Not awful just like lemons really bitter."

"Right Draco first question do you really want to escape here with me?"

"Yes I do want to escape this place. I hate it and I hate what my father stands for." He paused "I have for years its just I have no place to go to."

"You could have talked to me."

"No I couldn't," he smiled. "You were always there with Weasley and Saint Potter plus would you have believed me?"

"I don't know." She said.

"Thank you for being honest anyway Hermione."

"Next question do you want to hurt me?"

"No, I honestly have no wish to hurt you in fact I want to keep you far away from my father and anyone else who would hurt you. You might have seen those girls Hermione but I saw them too. I saw them whilst they were bloody after my father and his minions took their virginity and left them to die."

"Draco," Hermione said cupping his face "you didn't do those things you aren't him."

"I know but also I didn't stop him."

"Why now?"

"What?"

"Why do you want to escape now?" It was the first question that Draco looked horrified at, with the others he wanted to respond quickly and clear himself. This time he forced a hand across his mouth in a weak attempt to stop himself talking but one word creeped out anyway.

"You." Hermione stood up and backed away from him as though he was a demon. "I can't let them get you Hermione."