Disclaimer: Not my characters. Don't sue.
A/N: I was unhappy with chapter six, so I deleted it completely. I only wanted to delete from fanfiction, but I forgot I don't have it on this computer. I was going to wait until I could get to my other computer, but then I decided to rewrite the whole thing and take the story in a slightly different direction. Hope you find this chapter better than the other chapter six.
Draco was back in his cell, and his tormentor was approaching again. He tried to scream for help, but no sound would come out of his parched and bleeding mouth.
Suddenly, Draco felt hands clutching at his arms, hands that did not belong to him. The memory was jerked away from him. He found himself in another cell, but this one was well-lit and not meant for him. The hands helped him to his feet and led him outside.
Draco stood outside the cell with Harry. They stood in silence, Draco unable to speak and Harry unwilling to.
Finally, Harry broke the silence. "I'll take you back to your room."
After Harry left, Draco felt tears of shame coursing down his cheeks. Now they knew, and soon everyone would know. He had been tainted, and they would be disgusted with him.
Goosebumps covered his body and he began to retch at the memories of what had been done to him. He sank to the floor in the middle of the empty hospital wing.
He jumped when he heard a soft knocking on the door. He slowly got to his feet and went to answer it. Harry and the girl…Hermione?...were on the other side.
He felt his cheeks go red with shame and turned from them.
Again, uncomfortable silence filled the room. This time it was Hermione to shut out the deafening noiselessness with the careful comment, "Are you alright Draco?"
Draco nodded in response, his back still to them.
Harry spoke next. "I'm sorry." At this Draco turned around, unsure of what Harry meant.
Harry continued, "If I had known what that monster did to you, I never would have let you anywhere near him."
Draco searched around for a quill and some parchment.
Why is he here?
Hermione answered, "He was captured in the same raid where we rescued you."
But why is he here?
This time Harry answered, "Because Hermione is the only who can be spared who can get into his mind."
Get into his mind?
Hermione took the reins of the conversation once more, "I'm using a branch of magic called Legilimency, the power to extract emotions and memories from other people's minds. I can also see when other people are lying. Except of course when a person is a skilled Occlumens. Occlumency is the defensive counterpart to Legilimency. The skilled Occlumens can block his or her mind against magical intrusion. Does any on this sound familiar?"
She had given Draco so much information in a short amount of time that the introduction of a question almost went unnoticed. He didn't recognize anything she was saying, so he shook his head.
Harry spoke next, "Wormtail has basic Occlumency skills, but Hermione has a Legilimency skill of her own. She can break through a person's barriers. It just takes time."
Draco nodded slowly, absorbing the information. He needed to start learning things, and perhaps something might jog his memory.
"We just wanted to make sure you were okay. We need to go back now, I haven't gotten anything from him yet, but it's only been a few days." With that Hermione left the room.
Harry stood at the door, his hand on the door knob, looking as if he wanted to say something but was unsure of how to phrase it. Finally he spoke.
"Draco, I don't know what you've been through, and I couldn't even imagine. But I do know you were hurt, and I want you to know I won't ever let anyone hurt you again."
He turned to Draco. "Do you understand? You are safe with me."
Draco nodded, a small smile crept onto his face. They weren't ashamed of him. Now if only he could not be ashamed of himself.
Harry gave Draco a half smile before exiting the room.
Draco was tired. He hadn't been doing much but sleeping, however, the mental strains he was going through proved to be too much for him. He quickly changed into pajamas and settled into bed. For the first time in a long time, he felt at peace. That feeling did not last long.
He fell asleep, and, as often happens when one sleeps, he began to dream.
It's dark, so dark he thinks he is back in his cell. A small light starts in the distance, and grows brighter. He can see, and with this sight, he almost wishes he were in his cell. At least he knew what to expect in there.
He is surrounded by cloaked and masked figures. He can feel their amusement and disgust. They perceive him as weak.
"You will kill." The words are being repeated around him. They are a sickening mantra, an order he will fulfill, whatever the cost.
He feels a caress on the back of his neck. The figures around him start to spin, until they blend together to form the walls of his cell.
He is standing in the middle. Chains from the ceiling lower to snake themselves around his wrist, an event he is familiar with. This is how the executioner always worked. This time however, she is not the one with him in his cell. He is there, and Draco shudders. At least this time he has clothes. He is still in his pajamas. Tears start to flood down Draco's face as he realizes he is not in a dream. He has just been caught again.
He feels the presence of a figure behind him. Arms circle around his torso, but they are not the arms of a bloated and disgusting man. They are slender, pale. The hands begin to unbutton his shirt. Such delicate hands, quite unlike his mutilated ones.
The figure stops and Draco feels warm breath on his hear. The figure whispers, "You deserve what will happen to you." Harry. It's Harry's voice. Again, the words are repeated over and over, and again, the scene changes. He is standing in a high tower. It is night. He cannot name where he is, but he knows this place. It is a place that scares him. Green light surrounds everything.
Draco woke to the sound of his own screams.
A/N: It's a little shorter than the other chapter six, but I like this one better. Do you? And if you didn't read the other chapter six, don't worry, just let me know how you felt about this chapter!