**SOME QUOTES ARE STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THOSE OF HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PAGES 457-9. THEY HAVE BEEN PARAPHRASED AS TO KEEP FROM COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, BUT WERE INCLUDED AS TO GIVE THE MOST ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF THE SITUATION THAT OCCURS IN THE SCENE. CHARACTERS ARE PROPERTY OF JK ROWLING. THIS STORY IS PROPERTY OF LILY'S FIREFLIES. I HOPE YOU ENJOY! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUALMS ABOUT COPYRIGHT ISSUES PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO FIX IT.**
Draco exhaled heavily, bracing himself for what he was about to reveal to Hermione. Sharing personal details of his life was not Draco's strong point and his past was probably one of the few things he vowed to never reveal to anyone. However, Draco only found it right to share his past with Hermione after she shared such intimate details of her life. Strangely, he felt he could trust her. If anyone had to know about his past, he'd want it to be Hermione because he knew that she would not judge him.
Hermione stared at Draco, anxious for him to speak. She wanted to know what had been causing his nightmares. She wanted to see what made him feel so vulnerable that he had to put up so many walls. When Draco was finally at ease, he opened his mouth to speak.
"A lot of my past started just after Professor Dumbledore was murdered. He... Voldemort… found out that I didn't actually kill Dumbledore myself. Obviously, he was angry….
"I gave you one task, Draco Malfoy, one task to prove yourself. Now tell me, why should I let you live?" the Dark Lord asked Draco.
"Erm… well… he's dead isn't he? Dumbledore is still dead. You got what you wanted," said Draco.
The Dark Lord thought for a moment. It was true. Dumbledore is dead now. Years of planning Dumbledore's death finally came together and Voldemort would be indestructible. Harry Potter would no longer have the protection of the old wizard. Taking over Hogwarts would be a simple task and all the young witches and wizards would bow down to him after he mercifully let them live and serve him. However, Draco would still have to be punished.
The Dark Lord spoke with inappropriate laughter, "Yes, I suppose Dumbledore IS dead. I did get what I wanted, but I gave YOU the task of putting an end to his life and you failed. You are lucky Severus was there to complete the task instead. I shall spare your life like the merciful lord I am, but you shall be punished still. Now bow to your Lord."
Draco hesitantly bowed to the Dark Lord. Draco was happy that his life has been spared, but he feared what his future may hold.
Draco looked up at Lord Voldemort and whispered, "Thank you. It won't happen again."
"No. It won't happen again. I won't be so kind next time," Lord Voldemort assured Draco.
Standing in the corner of the room was Bellatrix Lestrange. Although Draco was her nephew, she still found a sick sense of humor in the idea of Draco being punished. Anyone who would dare disobey the Dark Lord deserved to be punished in her eyes. How anyone could betray a man with such power and honor was bewildering to her.
Lord Voldemort called for Bellatrix, "Bella, show your nephew what it means to complete a simple task."
"Of course, my Lord. Just what would you like me to do with my darling nephew?" asked Bellatrix, with a slight snicker.
"A little torture should be good. Do not disappoint me," answered the Dark Lord.
A huge grin crossed Bellatrix's face as she squealed with excitement, "Do I ever dissapoint? Hehe this should be fun. Come, nephew of mine, let me teach you a little lesson!"
Fear filled Draco's body as he tried to mentally prepare himself for the torture that was about to be performed. No amount of preparedness would ever stop the pain, however. Before Draco could blink, Bellatrix aimed her wand and shouted, "Crucio!"
Pain shot through every limb, every muscle, every vein of Draco's body. Never in his life had Draco felt such pain. Only one thing ever came close and even that didn't hurt anywhere near the pain he was feeling now. Screams began to fill the room and it took Draco a moment to realize the screams were his own. He wanted it to end. The pain was all becoming too much to bear and at this point he believed he would've been better off dead. At least death would've come quick. Soon, Draco's body had enough and his mind shut down. Peace overtook his body as he slipped away gently into the darkness of his mind.
"Oh my God, Draco, that's terrible! I'm so sorry!" Hermione shouted out.
Hermione never imagined what Draco went though could've been so terrible. There were only a few people Hermione would ever dream of torturing and Draco was never one of them. Draco was far from perfect, but even he didn't deserve to experience so much pain.
Draco stared at his hands and spoke, "Don't be sorry. I did it to myself. I should've just killed Dumbledore like I was told to."
"Don't say that! I doubt you had it in you. I think even you had enough respect for Professor Dumbledore to know that killing him wasn't right. You were just scared!"
"You can see why I've never told anyone this right?" asked Draco.
Hermione quickly answered, "Of course! I don't blame you at all. I'm just so sorry that you went through that. Bellatrix was insane."
Draco couldn't deny that his aunt was crazy. She always seemed to have an odd obsession with Voldemort to the point where some would say it was unhealthy beyond all means.
"Yes. She was. However, there is more. I woke up in my room after being out cold for a couple of days. Voldemort forced his way into our manor and claimed it as the official meeting place for all business. There were plenty of other homes he could have selected, but he chose my home so he could keep my family under close surveillance. He didn't trust us. I spent the rest of the summer watching strangers being tortured and killed. It got worse though. Eventually I started to see Hogwarts Professors in my home. Professors that I had at some point… they were just hanging there hopeless and defenseless. They cried out to me for help, but I couldn't do anything. I just sat there and watched them die. Going back to Hogwarts was a blessing for once."
Draco paused. He began to get the feeling that he was sharing too much information. Draco hated feeling vulnerable and that was about all he was feeling at this point. Hermione and Draco sat in the silence until Hermione finally broke the tension.
"No wonder you try to block out the past… no wonder you have nightmares. You poor thing. I never knew… is that all? Or was there more?" asked Hermione, concerned.
Draco's memory shot back to the time Hermione was tortured by Bellatrix.
"There was more."
"Draco, come here," said Narcissa.
The snatchers claimed to have captured Harry Potter and his companions. Draco walked into the room and saw the three prisoners awaiting their fate. First appearances suggested the trio must've been mistaken for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but upon further inspection it was clear there was no mistake.
"Well, boy?" asked Greyback.
Draco approached the trio.
Lucius Malfoy was looking eager as he waited for Draco to unmask Harry Potter.
"Is it him, son? Is it Harry Potter?"
"I can't… I can't be sure," said Draco.
Draco was hoping if he only made it appear as if he got a good look at the three then he could leave in peace and maybe he wouldn't be the cause of the trio's pain. Although he would give anything to bully them more, he believed he was the only person entitled to abuse them. Unfortunately, Draco wouldn't get off so easily. As he was about to leave the room, he heard Greyback's voice calling for him.
"Draco, come and take another look! Look properly this time and tell us what you think!"
Draco took another glimpse at Harry. It was obvious the snatchers caught the right person. If he told the snatchers it was Harry, the Dark Lord would be pleased and the Malfoy family would be rewarded and forgiven. However, Draco was fearful for not only himself, but his peers too.
"I don't know," he said.
Just as Draco thought he was safe, he heard his name called out once more.
"Son, isn't that the Granger girl? The Mudblood you've mentioned that hangs out with Potter?" asked Lucius.
"Maybe… I don't know…"
Lucius pleaded with his son, "Please, Draco, be honest. Is it Granger?"
Draco couldn't lie to his father. As much as he wanted to protect Hermione, he couldn't deny that she was one of the prisoners when his father asked.
"Yeah…"
Hermione interrupted Draco, "I already know this part, Draco… I was there… It's really not something I was to be reminded of."
Hermione didn't understand why Draco would bring up that time at the manor. It was obviously a difficult time for both of them, but she didn't understand why it was necessary.
Draco spoke softly to Hermione, "I know you know, 'Mione… but it's still a part of my past. It's still a part of my pain."
Hermione was brought into the room separate from her companions. Bellatrix had been waiting for this moment for years since she found out about 'Mudblood Granger'. Having the opportunity to inflict pain on a girl unworthy of her magical status was one of the greatest achievements for Bellatrix.
Bellatrix snickered, "Well, if it isn't the little Mudblood! Come to play, have you? We should have a bit of fun!"
Draco was forced to stand with his parents as Bellatrix made her way towards the defenseless Hermione Granger. Although he wasn't particularly fond of the muggle-born, he didn't think it was right for her to be treated so terribly. Draco made fun of Hermione for years and even wished terrible things for her, but he never would have physically harmed her himself.
Bellatrix's laughter filled the room as she lunged herself at Hermione's arm.
"I think the Mudblood should be reminded of how unworthy she is! Don't you think so, little girl?" Bellatrix cruelly asked Hermione.
Hermione's screams filled the air as Bellatrix began to carve into Hermione's skin. Draco began to crack. Too many people had been murdered or tortured in his presence and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. The urge to shout out and shove Bellatrix off Hermione was overwhelming. Unfortunately, too many people were watching. If he jumped to save Hermione, a Mudblood, he would be called a traitor immediately and he would be locked up himself. His parents would be ashamed and his life would definitely be over. Silently, tears fell down his face. Draco inhaled deeply and tried to cover up his grief as Hermione's screams continued to torture his soul.
When everything was over, the screams turned into whimpers. The scent of fresh blood was evident as Hermione's arm read 'Mudblood'. Draco felt relieved when the snatchers finally removed Hermione from the room.
"You see, Hermione… I know it doesn't make a difference, but it killed me to see you that evening. It killed me to know that I couldn't do anything because I was too selfish. I should've done more. I'm a terrible person," cried Draco.
"Don't. Please, don't blame yourself. You're not a terrible person for that no matter what anyone tells you. You were being threatened by Voldemort. I think everyone would have done the same."
Draco began to cry harder, "I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. Hermione, why are you so kind to me? I've been a terrible person to you. I don't deserve to have you as a friend."
Hermione let Draco cry as she reached out to hold him. Never had she seen Draco in such a vulnerable state. It was strange, but she wasn't about to give an even bigger blow to his pride.