Wanting Something More
Chapter Twenty-Three: Wanting Aid
Malfoy Manor was as beautiful and magnificent as houses came. Narcissa Malfoy demanded t he very best in her home. Brittany still could never shake of the shiver that ran down her spine whenever she entered the residence. She felt cold and out of place in the sudo-palace the Malfoy's had made for themselves. Nothing had changed too drastically except for the lack of light. The gray sheen over the main hall was more creepy than she had ever remembered. The home looked straight our of a horror film from her Muggle Studies class.
Narcissa must be furious with her elegant home in such a state. Brittany thought to herself with triumph. She looked down to here big eyed companion and whispered. "You must be very quiet and stay invisible. I'll say raspberry is things get too dangerous alright. Even if she slams me around it's alright. I am going to try and get her hair so I want her to at least slap me." Brittany handed Dobby her wand. "Take this I want her to think I'm unarmed."
Dobby looked up at his friend and closed his eyes. He took the wand gingerly. He felt ashamed he had even brought her here. "Dobby should take you back. This is too dangerous."
"Harry would have come here. He would have been in more danger if he had come. I promise this will be just fine. Now, I may say things about Harry to Bellatrix that I do not mean. I'm going to lie to her about my feelings towards him to put her at ease. I promise I am still coming home, and I love Harry more than anything. You must stay invisible and quiet."
Dobby nodded his head and vanished before her eyes. "Just be careful Miss Brittany."
Brittany nodded and opened the door. She crept towards the middle of the main hall and announced her presence. With any luck Bellatrix was alone in the house. She should have asked Dobby to check first. Brittany decided for future dangerous situations she would start using her brain more. Harry seemed to be rubbing of on her. "Hello," She tried her best to sound annoyed, "I'm standing her in the middle of the main hall and not even a house elf has greeted me. How is Malfoy supposed to convince me I'm better off here if the service is so abysmal here as well."
Brittany smirked as she heard a crash from the upstairs and female shrieking. Oh yes, Bellatrix is home.
Three minutes passed as the crazed woman made her way down the halls of the third floor to the main hall. Brittany stood studying her nails, looking as annoyed and board as she was able. "What are you doing here?" She sneered from the landing.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to renegotiate the terms of my betrothal to Malfoy." Brittany snorted.
Bellatrix moved towards her wand drawn. "I don't believe you. You chose that half-blood Potter."
"I'm able to admit that I may have made some miscalculations." Brittany relented and tilted her head to the side in a half shrug.
Bellatrix began laughing. "A few miscalculations? Dearie you're going to be Draco's little plaything for the rest of your life." She walked around the female and studied her.
"Not if, with some concessions, I freely submit." Brittany pointed out with a Malfoy smirk.
Bellatrix reeled back as if burned. "Liar." She hissed. "You don't love him so why do this?"
"My friends." Brittany kept her head high. "I'm going to ask Malfoy to protect them from the Dark Lord's (of kicking puppies) wrath. In exchange I will become his, no more fighting, no more rejecting. Giving in to the inevitable as it were."
"Why would you abandon Potter?" She sneered lowering her wand and grasped the female's hair tightly tilting her head at an uncomfortable angle.
"He abandoned me, for three months after the night Malfoy attacked me. No goodbye, nothing. The house was honestly the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life. He leaves me with his old house elf for three months. He came back today for some medical aid and barely said three sentences to me. He was cold and distant. He kept me locked up and imprisoned, and on his return treated me as if I were a lowly house elf meant to be at his beck and call."
"You're here because your precious feelings were hurt. I don't buy that." She hissed as she pulled on Brittany's hair and pulled her towards a wall.
Brittany wrested herself free of the grasp loosing a few locks in the process and turned and glared. "He and his friends were injured, severely. They haven't even been facing the Dark Lord's elite Death Eaters. How the bloody hell is he going to come home that beaten up from a few lowly supporters and not die when he face the Dark Lord? He has no chance. If I'm supporting him when he falls, Draco is the least of my worries. The Dark Lord will throw me to the wolves, and he'd never let me die. Draco would torture my friends, Nix, Scarlett, Seth, Serena, Gabriel, slowly in front of me until I went insane. This is much about placing myself on the winning side as it is about protecting them, whether they know what I've done or not." Brittany finished with a stomp of her foot and her hands on her hips.
Bellatrix was almost swayed and asked. "Do you still love him?"
"Love has nothing to do with this arrangement, it never has and it never will." Brittany shot back.
Bellatrix's lips curled into a sadistic smile two seconds before she launched herself at the woman and grasped her fully by the hair and began dragging her towards the basement stairs. Bellatrix was slamming her into furniture and just before the stairs she threw the girl down and sat on top of her. "You know what I think?"
"What the hell are you doing?" Brittany yelped as she saw a knife in the female's hands.
"I think you love Potter, and you've finally decided that in order to save him you're going to stay here with us where the Dark Lord won't use you against him. All of that may even be true. I'm going to rough you up a little bit. Make sure dear sweet Draco feels sorry for you. I'm going to be watching you though. You step out of line and I'll send this pretty head of yours to Potter personally."
Brittany shivered in fear and then glared. Now was her chance. She threw her hand up and grabbed a fist full of hair and yanked hard. "Get your hands off me. You are not going to torture me. Draco has made it clear any punishment I deserve should be dolled out by him and him alone." Yes. I've got a few.
Bellatrix screamed in outrage and pressed the knife to her arm and began to carve into her arm with the knife. "You ungrateful little bitch!"
"Bella!" A woman's voice shouted. Both females turned and saw Narcissa Malfoy glaring down at her elder sister. "What are you doing? Get off her!"
Bella blanched a little and tried to reason with her sister. "She's a lying little spy. I'm teaching her her place."
Narcissa shook her head. "Through her into the basement and go fetch Lucius. Draco will be infuriated with you if he learns you've harmed her."
Brittany wanted to shout for joy. In that moment, Narcissa had unknowingly saved her life. "Thank you Narcissa." Brittany whimpered.
"Don't thank me just yet. When Lucius fetches my son he may do worse than Bella could ever do." She warned. "You'd do well to make sure you submit to my son no questions, or between him and Lucius there will be hell to pay."
"Why does Lucius get to have fun with the little tramp." Bellatrix huffed binding Brittany with a spell and floating her down the stairs.
"Because Draco would never question his father." Narcissa replied with ease. "Now put her down there with the others and go fetch Lucius."
Others, Brittany thought. They have more prisoners? Well well this must be our lucky day? "Don't keep me locked up, please." She begged.
Narcissa frowned for a moment and Bellatrix saw the look in her sister's eyes. "Not until you've seen Draco. It might put him at ease seeing you down here. Right Cissy?"
Narcissa relented and nodded. "For your own safety."
Bellatrix smirked and as she brought her down into the dark basement she slapped Brittany again and whispered. "I'll be watching you. You'll be sure to tell us where the injured Potter is when Lucius gets here, won't you."
Brittany flinched and then nodded. "If it helps keep the others safe."
"I'm sure the Dark Lord will be willing to forgive you for your miscalculations eventually." Bellatrix's lips curled into a sadistic sneer as she slammed the girl down onto the ground. "Be a good girl and stay put."
Bellatrix left and after a few moments she blinked and looked around the room. The Body Bind still in full effect. "Well looks, like they've caught someone else?" A gravely voice sneered.
"Oh you poor dear. Are you alright Miss Zabini?" A voice she recognized called out.
"Mr. Ollivander?" She whispered.
"Yes my dear child. I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I would undo the spell if only I had a wand." He whispered.
"She may as well stay that way. It would be better for her anyways." The other voice snorted.
Brittany was able to move her eyes and located the source of the voice. "You work at Gringotts!"
"Yeah, what of it?" He growled out.
"How would you feel about being rescued? Also I'm afraid I do not know your name, sorry." Brittany purred out with glee. This was the best idea I've ever had.
"Griphook. No matter to me. They'll just catch me again or another Goblin. They treat me alright." Griphook snorted.
"They keep you in the basement!" Brittany growled. "It's barbaric."
"My dear girl, it's no use trying to reason with him." Ollivander pressed.
Brittany thought about it for a few moments then smirked. "I will possess a Goblin treasure the day of my wedding. The Necklace of Amishait. A necklace made of the fire ruby for the Fire Veela Sibohan, for which I am named, on her wedding day. Goblin crafted by those she subjugated five hundred years ago. It passed along the line to the first born daughter upon her marriage. Promoting passion and children in her line."
Griphook stared at the female with a glint in his eyes. "Why are you telling me this?" He attempted to seem disinterested.
"I will give it to you for both cooperating with our escape, joining us, and helping my love Harry Potter in a task of his choosing. After I wear it at my wedding of course. It is not mine to give until that day anyways. I promise you this on my honor as the heiress to the Zabini's."
Griphook milled over the offer for a few minutes. That treasure had been out of their hands for nearly four hundred years. The family kept passing it down to their daughters to keep it's purpose alive. If he returned from his capture with that necklace he would be a hero to the Goblins. "The day of your wedding you will invite me to the ceremony and hand if off before you and Mr. Potter take leave of the festivities."
"Agreed. It is a piece of the old world, and with luck we can start new traditions moving forward. Should he or I perish in this war Ollivander will stand as witness to this promise and you may have it written up in a contract and I will sign that the necklace will pass to you. So long as in the task he asks for aid you do not let him fail."
"Deal." Griphook smirked. This girl still needs to get us out of here first. "How are you going to get us out of here?"
Brittany smiled. "Raspberry." Dobby appeared right next to here and was about to vanish with her when she called out. "Hand Ollivander my wand. We don't want Harry seeing me appear in the Foyer, bound by Bellatrix. Also make sure you take these to with us. I'm sure they can help. No one wants to be a captive of the Malfoy's."
Dobby smiled at her and nodded. "Of course Miss Brittany. Dobby will make sure to not tell Harry Potter, just how you got those bruises or that mark either. He would be very cross." Dobby handed the elderly wand maker Brittany's wand.
Ollivander waved the wand and the Binding Spell was lifted. He very carefully helped the woman to her feet and handed her back her wand. "You know, I knew you were destined for great things the moment you walked into my shop Miss Zabini."
Brittany grinned. "I'm just a girl in love giving aid to her stubborn boyfriend." She motioning to Griphook's hand with the one holding the precious hairs. " Grab on tight Griphook. Let's go home Dobby."
"Of course Miss Brittany. I never want to be here again." Dobby began the Apperating just as she heard footsteps and Malfoy's voice in the foyer.
"Where is she mother?"
Hah. You lose again Malfoy! Brittany cheered in her head.
Snape could not believe what was happening. How could the younger Zabini have been so stupid. Surely she did not come here to give up herself to save her friends. It was plausible, but he had thought the girl understood the risks of war. He knew she loved Potter as much as he loved her. He also knew she loathed his godson with ever fiber of her being. Perhaps he should have made Potter go back for her. Clearly leaving her on her own for three months had made her unstable enough to walk right into the Dark Lords plans. He would have to work very hard to get her out of the manor. If Harry ever learned he let the woman he loved knowingly be trapped in that place with his worst nightmare. Snape shivered. The boy would fly off the handle and get himself killed trying to rescue her.
"Where is she mother?" He heard his godson as with barely contained joy.
"I saw fit to throw her into the basement with the others." Narcissa replied with a smile. "I wanted to leave her punishment up to you."
Draco just shook his head. "Why would I punish her. She's willing to be mine. I can finally make her see how much she loves me and I love her." The boy was practically giddy. "No, send the house elves to go and prepare some food and have them send it to our room. I want to reward her for finally coming to her senses."
Snape wanted to glare at Lucius for the state he has put his godson in. Draco was so wrapped around this girl he had to wonder if Voldemort had been giving him something to increase the effects of the botched potion. "Perhaps I should gather her for you so you can make a grand entrance?" Snape offered, wanting to steel the foolish girl to her temporary state while he figure out how to get her out of Malfoy Manor.
"No need Severus. I'm going to go down there and save her from the basement and take care of any wounds Aunt Bellatrix gave her." He turned hard eyes onto his Aunt. "You'll never touch her again. I'll go to Lord Voldemort and make sure he punishes you accordingly for harming her. She came of her own free will. She may even be scared. If she's too hurt or scared I can't love her properly tonight. You better hope I can convince her she's safe."
Draco was already halfway down the stairs and the rest followed his lead. "I will to my best to make her feel at ease. She learned to come to me with her issues long ago. I just hope your Aunt has not made her want to flee. If so I may need to ward your room." Snape offered with a glare at Bellatrix as well.
"Good idea." Draco turned and looked into the darkness. "Lumos." He scanned the area and wondered where she was hiding. It took them a few minutes of searching before Draco screamed. "What have you done! He moved to Bellatrix and hissed. "Crucio!" He watched with glee as his Aunt flailed and screamed. "Tell me what you did to her!"
Narcissa, not wanting her son to continue this path called out to him. "She was bound she never pulled a wand so she did not think she had one. Ollivander and the Goblin are missing as well. Bella scared her with a knife and hurt her a little. She was only trying to punish her for upsetting you!"
"You carved up my fiance?" Draco's voice was calm. He ended the curse and glared at the woman he called an Aunt.
"Only for you Draco dear. She said she still loved Potter. That he had become cold towards her and she was only here to save her friends! She was not willing to love you!"
"Silence!" Draco began shaking. "I could have made her love me. I could have made her see I am the only one for her. You probably sent her right back to Potter! Now I'm going to have to work that much harder for her to realize it's okay for her to love me." He turned to Snape and sighed. "Take me back to school. I need Pansy to work out this stress before I kill my Aunt her her supposed Aid. Father you'll make sure Auntie Bella faces [punishment for not only letting my fiance go, but the other prisoners as well. Lord Voldemort will be most displeased at her failure."
Lucius wanted to smile. His son was embracing the future path he needed to take to make sure the Wizarding world righted itself. "Of course my son."
Snape could not believe what was happening once again. He looked towards Bellatrix with a scrutinizing eye. "Did she fight back?"
"She grabbed my hair, I never thought to check her for a wand Severus." Bellatrix pleaded.
"She probably did not want you to kill her. Had she you may well have." Snape supplied easily. "Come along Draco. Let's get you back to school before the end of lunch. You'll be excused from detention for the day."
Snape was over the moon with pride. Brittany Zabini did not come to Malfoy Manor to surrender. She came to get hair for a Polyjuice Potion. She was clever enough to manipulate Bellatrix and Narcissa. She even escape with Ollivander and the goblin. Potter had no idea how valuable this girl was for him. He once again lamented Dumbledore not seeing this option. If Potter was not willing to let his lover help him, Snape would make sure she did. Her own aid might just make all the difference.
Harry was about to lose his mind. Not only was Brittany missing, Kreacher had no idea where she had gone. Dobby had taken her somewhere. Harry began to realize he had asked the house elves to give her whatever she wanted. Had she left him? Was his distance from her too much. He wanted nothing more than to take her to his, no their room, and tell her how much it killed him inside to not be with her. He wanted to tell her he loved her every minute of every day.
Hermione kept glancing at him and it was driving him insane. "I told you Harry, Dobby would never take her somewhere unsafe!"
"Everywhere is unsafe! Voldemort's followers and spies are everywhere. If she's not back in five minutes I'm going looking for her. Dobby's not even answering my calls. Clearly something is wrong!" He was shouting and eventually he fell into a chair in the living room and began sobbing. "I just want her to be safe I can't loose her Hermione. I love her more than anything."
Harry was yelling to loudly to hear the pop. She had only been gone half an hour or so. He was so frantic he'd nearly torn apart the house looking for her. Hermione had set about cleaning up after the destructive male.
"Well that would have been nice to know earlier." Brittany called from the foyer.
Harry was up and running to the foyer as fast as he was able. "Britt, oh thank Merlin." Hermione called out.
"You came back?" Harry whispered. He looked confused at the dirty Griphook and Mr. Ollivander. "What?" He was sorely confuse.
"Dobby can you take Mr. Ollivander and Griphook upstairs to clean themselves please?" Brittany smiled. "I'm sure they want to get the Malfoy off of them."
Harry froze at that statement and just watched as his house elf led them upstairs silently. Hermione was quick to move to check on Ron. She did not want to be around for the ensuing throw down. "What do you mean Malfoy off of them?"
Brittany looked abashed and held out her hand. "Bellatrix's hair for the Polyjuice Potion to break into Gringotts to get another Horcrux." She smiled weakly.
Harry stared at her hand for a few more moments of silence. Brittany summoned a jar from the kitchen and placed them inside and set the jar on a table. "How?" Harry half growled have whimpered.
"I went under the false pretense I was going to surrender to Draco to protect my friends. Riled her up, got her to hit me, grabbed her hair. Then Narcissa came downstairs and demanded the she devil stop hurting me. They put me in the basement with Mr. Ollivander and Griphook and left to get Lucius and Malfoy. We then escaped with Dobby's help and they are none the wiser. Well they may know I've escaped with their former prisoners, but they don't' know how why, or if they are even going to stay with us."
Harry began shaking. "Why didn't you stay here?" He moved towards her but dared not touch her yet. If he held her he would stop being so furious with her putting herself in danger. He save her arm and the healing cut, as well as the healing bruises. She must have taken a potion with her.
"I wanted to help. Going to the manor was suicide." Brittany argued back. I expected he'd be a little upset.
"Which is why you should have stayed here, where you are safe!" Harry shouted.
"I told Dobby to take me away if things got out of hand. I was just fine. I expected to get banged up a bit. Nothing serious I promise. I was careful." Brittany reached out to him and Harry flinched back.
"Careful, you put your life at risk! Do you know how worried I was for you? I thought you had left me? I didn't think you were stupid enough to put your life at risk to go to Malfoy's house!" Harry hissed. He stopped and wanted to take the words back the moment he said them. The hurt in his eyes made his heart clench.
"I was not being stupid. Reckless maybe, but so are you! I know exactly how you feel because everyday I wonder if you're safe. If you're hurt. Hell I wonder sometimes if you're even alive! I wanted to help you. I had a way in and out without them suspecting you. Had you shown up you would have been killed on sight, or taken to Moldybutt. I wanted to be of some value to you!" She was crying now. She refused to wipe the burning tear tracks from her face.
Harry hung his head a little. "You are the most valuable one in my life. If I lost you, I would die." He whispered.
Brittany hung her head as well and wanted nothing more than to run into his arms. "I'm locked up here. I know it's so you can focus, but it's driving me insane. I just wanted to do some good. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew if you found out you'd never let me do it."
Harry begrudgingly admitted she was right. He had enough of this fight and in one move was holding her in his arms as tightly as he was able. "I'm sorry. You just scared me so much. I should not have yelled. I love you."
Brittany kissed him with all the passion she had. "I love you too. She whispered against his lips as she pulled herself into his arms even more. One of his hands moved to bury itself in her hair, while the other held her to him like a life line. She in turn caressed the nape of his neck with the other dug into his back so hard her nails stung a little. Their lips were locked together as they pushed out all the pent up emotions they had been holding back for three months. Long after the had taken several breaths for air they parted slightly.
Harry looked at the tiny woman and began leading her up the stairs. "Where are we going?" Brittany whispered to him breathlessly.
"Our room. I'm taking the day off saving the world and spending sometime with you. I'll talk with Ollivander and Griphook tomorrow. Then we'll be leaving. You'll be staying here, but I want to make sure you remember how much I need you the next time you think about running off to help me without saying anything." Harry explained as they entered their room.
Brittany blushed at the causal way he called it their room. "What about Hermione?"
"She and Ron could use some alone time as well." He carried her to the bed. "Now let my show you just how much I've missed having you by my side." He purred to her.
"Were not going to." Brittany trailed off, too embarrassed to talk about it.
"Nah, got to have something special to look forward to once the war is over. Other than just having you forever." Harry teased as he laid on the bed with her and held her in his arms. The last time he was on this bed with her she was covered in blood and looked so fragile he wanted to hide away with her forever. Now she was fresh and full of life and he somehow was going to find it even harder to leave her.
"Well whatever brings you back to me." Brittany smiled.
"I'll always come back to you." Harry promised with a kiss to her forehead.
"I'll always be waiting for you." She promised back with a smile, and a peck to his cheek.