Okay guys, here's the chapter as promised! I didn't get my 10 reviews, but the ones I got were so heart warming I had to update. I will properly thank everyone at the end of the story. Oh and I read a really great
DISCLAIMER: Characters, settings, and song lyrics are not mine.
HARDCORE VIOLENCE, ANGST, and SENSITIVE ISSUES are portrayed in this chapter. Viewer beware.
Chapter Lyrics:
I'm not perfect, but I keep trying
'Cause that's what I said I would do from the start
I'm not alive if I'm lonely, so please don't leave
Was it something I said or just my personality?
- Perfect, Hedley
Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down her face. Her breathing was heavy. Hollow. Hands snapped out and fingers curled around the bed sheets, twisting them as her head snapped back and forth franticly. The comforters were long gone, bunched at the end of the bed. Hermione's heart beat rapidly in her cheat as the nightmare became more and more pronounced. Arching her neck to utter a painful scream, nothing could help her. The man was back, he was brutal, and he was ready to kill.
Hermione opened her eyes to a dark cellar. There were no light, everything was left unseen and she found herself shivering against the wall as sobs wracked her body. Chain burns were raw on both her ankles and wrist. If she were to move either, she would hiss as the ropes dug deeper into her swollen flesh. She produced a deep groan when lights flicked, then turned on. Although the light was dim, that of a dying candle, it felt like she was starring straight at the sun.
Trying and failing to keep her sobbing quiet, the floor boards screeched signaling that something. . . someone. . . was coming. Hermione cowered against the far wall. Please, please, don't, Hermione thought. She pressed as far into the wall as she could, hoping that she would blend in with the gray. A chuckle was heard and Hermione looked up slowly. He, her abuser, was a monster. Half his face was burned, causing the skin to sag and melt. One eye looked like it just held a dilated pupil. The other a metallic blue. He was heavy set, probably not all mustle like it looked.
All in all; he was scary. And she found herself clutching onto her baggy shirt as if it would protect her.
"No need for that, pet. I'm not going to hurt you. Unless you give me reason otherwise. Now, stand up and face me." He cooed in a heavy Scottish accent.
Hermione shook her head franticly, refusing to stand up. She would stop doing as he said, stop obeying his orders. No matter what fate her choice may come.
"Come one now, stand up," Hermione shook her head once more. "I said; Stand. Up!"
He reached down and grabbed her by her throat, causing her to gag. His grip tightened as he pulled her to her feet. He growled and Hermione cried. Her airways were constricting, her lips turning a deep purple.
"You don't know who you're messing with, girly. You're playing games, I see. Well, I love games because, you see, I always win." He snapped, letting go of her throat. "When I say stand, you will stand. And when I say jump you will say. . ."
Hermione swallowed harshly.
"How high?" Her voice was horse and dry from the lack of water.
"Good girl." He praised. "Now, because you disobeyed me, you must be punished."
Hermione groaned, what was he going to do this time?
The man smirked and grabbed her hand roughly. Twisting it, Hermione gave a hiss through clenched teeth. Her capture untied her bonds and even let Hermione rub them to sooth the rawness. The soothing didn't last as he grabbed one of her hands and pulled her to the other side of the cellar where a machine of sorts was propped on the wall. It was shaped as and X with leather cuffs on each point. He shoved her onto the object and attached her to it.
"This, my pet, is a devise that was use to torture Romans long ago. The machine will pull at your limbs until they dislocate."
Hermione gasped and tried to wiggle her way out of the bonds that held her in place. Suddenly, he flipped as switch on the wall and the machine came to life. Hermione screamed as the object started to pull and-
"Granger! Granger! Hermione!" Someone was whispering franticly, trying to shake her awake. Hermione woke with a gasp and sat straight up, clutching her arms and legs, trying to see if the dream had been real. She hissed as she realized the raw burns had in fact not been real, but still felt the burn.
"What happened? Why did you wake me?" Hermione asked, her voice just as horse now as it was in her dream.
Draco reached for the glass of water next to her bed-side and handed it to her. Hermione nodded her thanks and took a long sip. Coughing softly, she took a look at the man who saved her. He had gotten more handsome, he had stopped gelling back his hair and left it falling in his eyes. He has slimed quite a bit and filled out with muscle. His jaw had become stronger and firm, giving his a gruff look, along with the scar that ran down the left side of his face. Hermione's hand itched to run her finger down the scar.
"You were crying in your sleep, screaming about some torture devise. . um, I was in the bed next to you and it woke me. So, I decided to wake you, you know, so I could get my sleep."
And to make sure you were okay, Draco added in his head.
Hermione smiled slightly. Not matter how thoughtful Draco was, he was always the pompous, arrogant boy he had always been. Only more matured.
"I want to thank you for saving me Mal-Draco."
Draco rubbed his neck and smirked.
"It was no problem, really. But, you do owe me." He said, a serious look plastered on his face.
Hermione took a deep breath. She knew where this was going. He was going to ask her not to tell anyone that he saved a mudblood. Just the thought hurt her deeply. He didn't have to save her. He chose to, he could have walked away. But, he didn't. He saved her and now he didn't want any of his friends to find out.
"What is it you want?" She huffed.
"Tell me what your dream was about. Why you were thrashing about." He replied, determined.
Hermione turned shock faced to him. Out of everything you could have asked for, could have humiliated her with, he asked her about a dream?
Hermione raised her eyebrows, but didn't ask questions non the less.
"I guess if you want to know the whole story I should start from the beginning. . ." Hermione then jumped into the riveting story of the capture and how he would appear in her dreams nightly.
By the end of the tale, Draco was stricken. He didn't know any dream could be so graphic that you could actually feel the pain. That must have been excruciating for her and he felt his heart twitch with remorse for even thinking of leaving her there to die. He was snapped out of his thinking by Hermione yawning.
"You're tired." It wasn't so much a question, more of a statement.
Hermione nodded, but forced to keep her eyes open.
"I'll head out then and you can-" Draco stood up, but was stopped by Hermione grabbing his sleeve.
"No! Please, I can't go back to sleep, can't have that dream again. Can. . you sneak me out?" Hermione begged and Draco couldn't refuse.
Making sure the matron was asleep, he snuck Hermione out of the wing and into the cool hallway. He watched as she walked away, her bare feet lightly tapping the floor. He stood there in the September night, hoping that tomorrow Hermione Granger wouldn't forget their talk.
Draco walked back to the Slytherin common room, his broom clutched in his hand and soiled robes folded in his hands. After Madam Pomfrey had taken care of Hermione, she gave Draco a pair of clean robes to change into and permitted him to spend the night in the hospital wings, as to not get caught after curfew.
"Aesthetic." Draco whispered to the portrait of two men drinking brandy while playing poker.
The door swung open to revile two figures on the couch, heavily kissing. Draco snickered as he realized the face of Blaise and an unknown Slytherin. Draco cleared his throat and the couple broke apart. The girl yelped and ran up the stairs to her dorm, worried that the head boy would reprimand her for staying up after hours with his mate. Although Blaise stayed put. With a nonchalant look on his face he nodded his greetings to his friends.
"Who's the bird?" Draco asked, taking a seat next to his Italian friend.
Blaise scrunched up his face and shrugged.
"Some 4th year. Never had a first kiss, so I took it upon myself to help her." He smiled, taking a sip of water from the glass on the table in front of the fireplace.
Draco raised a brow elegantly. "You sold you mouth?"
Blaise chuckled "Non esattamente, not exactly."
Draco groaned and cover his face with his hands.
"Dear Merlin, my best friend's a harlot."
Blaise laughed loudly.
"Non sono prostituta, Draco." He said in his thick italian voice.
"You know one day you're going to find a girl that won't be a silly conquest." Draco pointed out.
Blaise looked thoughtful for a minute. Of course Draco was right, they were both destined to marry to continue their family name, but they were both only 16 and not nearly ready for a serious relashionship.
"Why aren't you at the heads dorm? You're head boy, it's your written right. . . and my un-written blessing." Blaise teased.
Draco thought for minute. He could tell his best mat about how he thought it was best to leave Hermione the common room because her nightmares would keep her awake all night and he didnt want to dusterb her, or he could concocked a lie that Blaise would believe. He chose the later one.
"Just thought Id sleep here tonight. I kind of miss sleeping here, its more. . . homely?" draco chuckled at his joke, as did Blaise.
"Well, then I'm heading up to bed. Goodnight, Dray." Blaise bid him a goodnight.
"Oh and Blaise?" Draco asked, stopping the said man in his tracks.
Blaise raised his eyebrow and Draco took that as a continue sign.
"Stay out of my head."
And with that, the two Slytherins made their way up to bed.
AND DONE! Woo, that took me all day to finish! Okay, so here's my thanks.
Twilight Gleek- Aww! Why thank you! I'm soo glad you liked it~ XD
Faerie Kin- I'm super glad you liked it! Your review was probably one of my favs :) I totally get what you mean, they just have Draco run in and save the damsel in distress, but I wanted a bit more suspense XD
Natasha- Even though you don't have an account, I hope you read this! :P I'm so glad you liked it! And you'll just have to wait and see ;) Anyhoo, I love you name! it's Russian right?
dizzy4eva- As you wished ;)
collapsing world of glass- Thank you! I promise I'll finish this fic and I love your name also ;P
Rachel Salvatore- Thanks! XD and thanks for reading! It means soo much to me!
kmwilson- I can tell you that Hermione did in fact not do this to herself:) hope that's what you wanted XD anyway, yes it would create conflict. Perfect! And thanks for reading!
PazzSkittles- It's actually ironic because at the time you wrote your review I was reading one of your stories! ;P And thanks sooo much!