Chapter Twenty-Five

Everything He Betrayed

"When it comes to you, I will fight with the fangs of a wolf and the claws of a dragon and nothing will stop me from protecting you"-Anon.

Snape didn't come that night.

We sat in silence for most of it, Malfoy occasionally moved to the window and sighed heavily. I sat, unmoving and stiff on my small bed and tried not to ask the thousand questions that were floating around my head.

What the hell could Snape do to help us? He was one of them, had he made a deal with Malfoy to get me out of here? Did I want to leave without Malfoy?

I shuddered because I didn't know the answer to that last question. When I'd first come here, I'd been determined to love him and stay with him to the end but now...

Now my feelings were far more selfish and I wondered if I would have the strength to leave him behind and save myself.

About 4 in the morning I fell asleep and at about 6 I woke up feeling like somebody had stuffed my head with cotton wool.

Malfoy had moved an armchair over to the window and a part of me wondered if he was really waiting for Snape or avoiding talking to me. His last words to me hadn't exactly been kind

"My patronus is an otter...now, thanks for that by the way".

I had been nothing but trouble for him.

"Malfoy?" I was surprised at how weak my voice sounded, how pathetic it seemed.

He grunted to show he had heard me but didn't turn around.

"Do purebloods have arranged marriages?" My voice was slightly stronger this time and my question succeeded in capturing his attention.

"What?" He asked me incredulously turning his head to look at me, for a moment his face smoothed and it looked as if he might laugh.

"Do purebloods have arranged marriages?" I kept my face calm, my voice devoid of emotion as I shut everything down. I'd always wondered and now seemed as good a time as any to ask.

"What year do you think it is?" he chuckled softly and my heart melted for him just a fraction. He sighed, "No, well not really. Your parents basically put you in the path of people they think would be most suitable and hope for the best I guess".

"So they don't actually arrange anything officially".

"No, I mean probably once but not now. Not since...well not since...there were so many who began to rebel so I guess they figured to be a bit more discreet about it and let the child think they had chosen for themselves when in reality it had been just subtly planted".

He turned fully now, directing his body towards me not just his face, "Why?"

I shrugged, "I've always been curious. It's like social history isn't it? I mean you have so many traditions and if purebloods had let go of their prejudices towards people like me, I'm sure we could have learned a lot from them".

"There is a lot of it you wouldn't understand. A misguided sense of duty and honour ruling most of the decisions we make. It wouldn't make sense to muggle borns", he replied gruffly turning back to the window.

"No, I suppose not", I conceded.

We lapsed into silence again and Malfoy continued his brooding by the window until he was summoned downstairs around 9.

I slept fitfully; my head was full of Harry and Ron and where they were now. Were they looking for horcruxes? Had they found any? Did anyone wonder what had happened to me?

When Malfoy returned he looked so drawn and old that I started at his appearance. He stared at me for a few seconds before lowering his gaze.

"I don't know why he hasn't come". His voice was almost an apology and I wondered if the anger that had been so dominant in his attitude last night had dissipated.

"Why did you send for him?"

"I can't tell you", he replied without looking at me.

"What's going on?"

"You're to go to Fenrir tonight, I just got the order", the words were bitter as they came out of his mouth and he spat them out quickly.

Malfoy moved away from me and sat down by the window again. "I've asked the elves to bring up some food". He threw the last remark over his shoulder and I marvelled at his lack of humanity.

I moved over to the chair where he sat and stared at him, "You say something like that and your next sentence is about food? Have you lost your mind?"

"No", he growled lowly hating the accusatory tone in my voice. "You better hope I haven't anyway".

"You promised you wouldn't give me to him, you said it was the last thing you would do. What's changed?" My voice was rising, I was becoming hysterical and I knew that this was the last attitude to present to Malfoy. It would make him angry.

"Stop", he said warningly, gripping the edges of the armchair but I was too far gone to stop now.

"You lying bastard, you're going to give me to him and let him rape me and touch me and...and...!" I was screaming now and the tears were rolling down my face.

He was on his feet in a flash, his hands gripping my arms tightly as he shook me, "Stop it now or I swear".

"What?! What could you do to me now? You've already raped me!" I gasped after I'd said these words.

He dropped his hands as if I'd burned him and took a step back from me, "I have never".

I was breathing heavily, the tears stopping in my shock, "I know...I know you haven't. I think I know...I'm sorry".

"Hermione, I have never...those memories...they aren't real", he was watching me tentatively now but as he reached out to touch my cheek I flinched and he looked as if I'd stabbed him in the heart.

"How can I trust you?" I sank to the floor and pulled my knees up to my chest; the memories and images scrambling forward and dancing in front of my eyes each one more horrifying than the last.

Malfoy let out a breath and stumbled backwards. He ran a hand through his hair and I caught the look of heartbreak on his face before it was replaced by blind fury. Malfoy was never one to dwell in sadness, he always allowed his anger to come forth and override everything else.

"I've lost you forever", he said his voice raw and full of hatred. He left and slammed the door roughly, I heard him roar in anger and several other noises that I could only attribute to smashing glass.

The elves brought food but I didn't eat, I didn't move. The sun moved around the room steadily until gradually I was shrouded in darkness and all I could do was try to remember which memories were real and which were planted.

Malfoy didn't return.

The memories receded after a time, my crying stopped and my mind emptied.

"...it is he whom it will hurt the most. Indeed, I worry that it may destroy him".

I sat up abruptly, my legs screaming in pain as I stretched them out in front of me. The voice...Dumbledore's voice had been so clear. I had heard it as if he was in the room. I was breathing heavily as if I had been running for miles.

"Forgive him for all that he has done and all the follies he has still to make...he will need you before the end".

I got to my feet and searched the room wildly; pinching myself as I went to make sure it wasn't a dream. I slumped onto the bed when I came to the realisation that his voice had been in my head but that didn't make it any less real. It gave me resolve and a pinch of strength I had long since thought gone.

I wouldn't give up on Malfoy, I would go to Fenrir and I would submit but it would be the last time. It was as if I'd been asleep for these past nine months, I had been behaving as if I was already dead but the reality couldn't have been further from the truth. I would trust that Malfoy had one more trick up his sleeve for me. I would trust him; time would tell me if I was misguided in my trust.

The elves dressed me for Fenrir. I hadn't eaten all day; the urge to vomit had been overwhelming.

Malfoy had stayed away and even now as they walked me to the bedroom that had been assigned us, he didn't materialise. My legs wobbled as the elves opened the door and pushed me inside.

"Evening", Fenrir growled at me when I walked in the door. His face was grotesque and animalistic as he gazed at me up and down. The red dress I'd been dressed in suddenly too tight and I fidgeted. The fire had been lit and the room really was impressive but all I could focus on was the disgusting animal opposite me.

"It took a lot of persuading for me to get you, you know. Malfoy is very protective". He was slouching across the chaise, a glass of red wine in one hand. At least, I hoped it was wine.

"He's given a list of things I'm not to do to you".

I let out a small sigh of relief but he laughed.

"No, the most important thing isn't on it. I'm merely not to bite you, however, Malfoy isn't here and what exactly would he do to stop me?"

"You don't know Malfoy then".

"And you do?" He sneered, taking a drink and the way it dribbled on his chin made me realise with a sickening jolt that it wasn't wine. I had to be more careful about what I said.

"My Master doesn't like to share and I've seen his wrath and experienced it first hand for myself".

"Still", he finished his drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, grinning at me with those sharp teeth. "He isn't here".

I trembled and grasped the nearest table for support. He was on his feet in no time, his rough, calloused hands wrapping themselves around me; he smelled of sweat and earth and rotting flesh.

I retched as his long claw-like nails gripped my waist and he threw me roughly to the floor. He licked my neck savagely and his tongue was rough like sandpaper. I whimpered and began to fight to get away from him but that only made him laugh as he pinned me down.

His hands yanked my dress up and he licked the inside of my thigh. This time, I cried out. I was crying now and screaming to be released but he paid me no mind; I think he enjoyed the fact that I was fighting back. My brain screamed at me to lie still, telling me it would be over soon but I couldn't hear anything beyond my own pain.

When the explosion suddenly shook the entire house; his pants were down and he had been getting ready to nestle between my legs. The blast smashed the windows of the room we were in spectacularly and he was thrown off of me. I covered my eyes and took the opportunity to roll away from him.

The screams were deafening as death eaters ran towards the source of the blast. Fenrir looked for me but by now the smoke was so thick and the debris everywhere that he gave up quickly; running off to help.

I was dazed, my dress was torn and I tried to get to my feet but the relief that was coursing through me, made anything else impossible.

I lay back down not even feeling the broken glass on the floor and the next thing I knew Malfoy was shaking me roughly, screaming at me to get up but I could barely register his presence.

He dragged me upwards and I noted that he smelled strongly of gunpowder and smoke. His face had several black marks streaked across it and there was a nasty burn on his cheek.

He brought me to the edge of the room and motioned for me to grab an ugly looking ornament sitting on the mantelpiece. I looked at him warily and he rolled his eyes in frustration; a look that I knew so well that I was immediately chastened and I threw a hand onto the ornament.

Nothing happened.

He pulled me closer, planted a kiss on my forehead and suddenly the portkey began to work.

"We're getting out of here, please trust me one more time", he whispered.

"What happened?"

"I told them I don't fucking share", I felt him smile in my hair.

"Snape..."

"Don't worry about Snape, he came through for us".

The last thing I heard before passing out was the crashing sound of waves.

Where were we now?