A/N: Possible trigger ahead. Read at your own discretion.
Chapter Four: Refusal
"Control" -Halsey
Draco sat at the long table, Blaise and Theo on either side of him. Pansy sat on Blaise's other side, tapping her nails on the smooth wooden surface of the table, a nervous habit she'd had since they were kids. Lucius sat at the end of the table, Narcissa directly to his right. Yaxley, Dolohov, and the Carrows were lined down the table beside her.
They were supposed to be having breakfast, but no one was actually eating. Lucius kept shooting glowering stares at Draco, who was doing his best to ignore him. Of course Yaxley had told him what had happened the night before. He hadn't mentioned it (yet), but it was blatently obvious by the dirty looks he was throwing.
An owl smacking into the window startled them all. Lucius stood and crossed over to the window in three quick strides, flinging it wide and pulling the bird inside. He ripped the scroll from its leg before sitting it down on the counter and pushing a biscuit toward it. It hooted happily, turning to peck at its treat.
Lucius hastily unrolled the scroll, a look of excited expectation written on his face. It was quickly replaced by a stormy glare as his eyes roved over the parchment. He crumpled it in his fist with a roar.
Narcissa stood, crossing over to him to lay a gentle hand on his arm. "What is it, Lucius?"
He jerked his arm from her grasp. "They refused," he spat.
Narcissa's eyes began to swim with tears and Draco felt a wave of sympathy for his mother. His father had dug them both into this massive hole, making it impossible for them to claw their way back out. And he just. kept. digging, Draco thought, gritting his teeth together.
"Well, that's just great. Who wants tea, before we're all carted off to Azkaban?" he asked, reaching for the kettle and crossing over to the sink.
Theo snorted behind him, and Draco bit his tongue, hoping his father would focus on his jab and not his friend's laughter. Lucius suprised him by saying nothing, the quiet broken only by the sound of running water as he filled the kettle. He sat the kettle on the stove, probing it with his wand causing flames to flick out, heating the tea to boiling.
Lucius took his seat back at the table and frowned, his forehead crinkled as if in deep thought. "We have to show them that we mean it," he said, thrumming his fingers over the wrinkled parchment. "We could... persuade them all to write their own letters."
"That should be easy. Pansy could show Longbottom and Thomas the twins in exchange for a heartfelt letter, pleading for our pardons." Theo said, fighting hard to keep a straight face but breaking when Pansy threw a piece of sausage at him.
"Why me, moron?"
"Cause, you're the only female here. Aside from Malfoy's mom, but it'd be rude to ask her to do it." Blaise choked on a bite of egg and Pansy patted his back roughly until he'd settled.
Alecto glared across the table, "Excuse me, but she is not the only female here."
"Might as well be," Draco said, pulling the tea off of the stove as the kettle began to whistle. He crossed back over to the table, pouring himself a cup before placing the pot in the middle of the table. "You try and show them your knockers and they're likely to off themselves before we can ask them for anything."
Theo doubled over in laughter, emitting sounds that resembled a dying baboon. Amycus jumped to his sister's defense, overturning his pumpkin juice as he brandished his wand in Draco's face.
"Enough of this foolishness!" Lucius snapped, smacking the table. "We will ask them to write the letters, if they refuse, they'll be Crucio'd."
Draco bit his cheek, the look on Granger's face last night still fresh on his memory and another from a few weeks prior, when Bellatrix had carved her up after torturing her incessantly. He was not eager to see that look on her face again. She had been through enough. And so, he said, "Why not just Imperio them and have them write them?"
"We'd want the letters to be as authentic as possible. It needs to come from their own minds. It has to sound like them, or the Auror's will know something is off," Blaise said quietly.
Draco turned to glare at him. "Sorry, mate. It needs to be real. None of them is going to willingly take a Crucio. They'll write them for us no problem."
Draco wasn't convinced. None of them would break that easily. They hadn't made it out on the winning side of the war by being cowards. Bloody fucking Gryffindors and their courageous bull shite.
Harry sat in the garden, his arm around Ginny's shoulders as they watched the Gnomes try to catch worms. It had been two days already since he'd last seen Hermione. His stomach was in knots. On top of losing so many of his friends in the battle, now four of his friends were being held for ransom. He wanted to implore Kingsley to meet their demands, but he knew why he'd decided against it.
If they got their way, they would be roaming the streets, endangering society. They were killers. Evil, cold blooded killers. He didn't want them to walk among the rest of the wizarding population. What were they doing to them? Were they being tortured? Starved? They had said they wouldn't harm them, and Harry was sure that they'd meant that... to an extent. They wanted them alive to use for their bargaining chips. But that didn't mean that they were going to treat them well, either.
"Hey," Ginny said gently, pulling him out of his thoughts. "We are going to get them back. They are going to come back to us, Harry." Her eyes lit with a fierceness that was so familiar, so comforting. It was one of the many things that had prompted him to fall in love with her to begin with. She pulled his face down to hers and brought their lips together. She sighed against his mouth and he reached up to twine his fingers through her red locks, intending to deepen the kiss but a loud bang startled them apart.
Ron was striding across the yard, his face flushed red, the door to the Burrow hanging crooked where he had opened it so roughly. "Oi! I'm going to see Kingsley!" he shouted, closing the distance between them.
"Have they heard something new?" Harry asked, immediately jumping to his feet.
"Bugger if I know, that's why I'm going! They're not telling us anything. My bloody girlfriend is being held against her will by Death Eaters and the ministry's plan is to play it cool? Since when has the fucking ministry ever had a plan go right? Bloody hell, I mean, we've been fighting their battles for them since we were eleven! I'm not standing for it. Are you coming, or not?" He demanded.
Harry nodded, giving Ginny an apologetic look. Ron stormed off towards the gate and Harry bent down to kiss Ginny once more. "I hate to admit it: he's not wrong about the ministry, but I understand Kingsley's reasoning."
"Then why are you going?" she countered.
Harry ran a hand through his messy hair, and down over his scar. "I want my friends back where they belong. They should be here with us, rebuilding our lives from the ground up, not being held prisoner for things that are out of their control."
Ginny gave him a small smile. "I love you, Harry Potter."
He bent to kiss her forehead, "Love you, too, Gin," before hurrying after Ron over the hill so that they could apparate.
"I need you to write a letter for me, Looney, can you do that?"
Luna smiled at Theo, raising her tightly bound hands, "I don't think I could write anything like this, but I can try."
Theo grimaced, running a hand through his dark locks. "I'll untie you, Luna. But you have to promise to do exactly what I say. If you try anything funny... I'll have to hex you. I don't want to, but I wouldn't have a choice." This was disgusting. How could you ever attempt to harm some one so pure as Luna Lovegood.
Luna nodded and gazed at him with wide, moon-like orbs. "Who shall I write to?"
Theo hesitated, before rushing out with, "I need you to write a letter addressed to the Ministry. Beg them to give the Death Eaters immunity in exchange for your safe return."
She cocked her head slightly to the side and studied him. "That's why we're all here?"
He nodded, trying to gauge her reaction before she gave it.
"Well, that's a bit odd. If they wanted forgiveness, all they had to do was ask."
Theo snorted. "Yeah, I don't think it's that simple Looney. Not everyone would see it in the same light as you."
"What do you mean?"
He had to do a double take to ascertain that she was serious. "I mean that the Death Eaters don't deserve pardons. They're all evil, blood thirsty, predjudiced fucking murderers... except for Draco and his mom. They were unwilling participants."
She chewed her lip, her gaze never wavering from his. "Then why do want me to-"
"-Because it's the only way you and your friends are getting out of this... situtation."
"Why are you here, Theodore?"
Dammit all, she wasn't making things easy. "I was... coerced. Doesn't matter. You gonna write the bloody letter or not?"
She was quiet for a long minute, studying him before finally nodding. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes. I don't believe any one is truly evil."
He opened his mouth to disagree with her when she cut him off, "Oh, they have evil in them, alright. But they also have good. Can you unbind my hands? Do you have a quill?"
He shook his head in quiet disagreement and reached out with his wand to release her hands, digging around in his pocket before producing a quill and a piece of parchment.
Ron stomped out of the lift, his fury propelling his feet forward until he was slamming through the door of the Auror office. Several people jumped and looked up in suprise. "Where's Kingsley?" he demanded.
A stocky blonde wizard with a fading hairline stood cautiously, saying, "Auror Kingsley has been named temporary Minister until we're able to hold an official election. He's in the Minister's office."
Harry had just caught up to him when Ron turned and strode purposefully back towards the lift. "Ron, mate, you need to calm down. Kingsley isn't going to list-"
"Don't tell me to calm down, Harry! Your girlfriend's safe at home, while mine is being held hostage by murderous pricks, again!"
Harry grabbed his arm, jerking him around to face him. "She's my friend, too! They all are! You think it's not eating me up inside knowing that they have Hermione in their clutches? Why do you think I'm here?"
Ron glared at him. "You seemed perfectly content sucking face with Ginny until I decided to come."
Harry's hands clenched into fists and it took all of his willpower not to sock his friend in the nose. Instead, he turned and walked into the lift, jabbing the button for the floor they needed and waiting in silence for Ron to join him. After a brief pause he did. The ride was awkward to say the least, and Harry rushed out as soon as the doors opened.
"Harry, wait."
He tried to ignore him, unsuccessfully. Ron grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn.
"I know you care. I do. I'm just... worried. I'm sick with worry and I'm angry. Merlin's beard, am I angry. If I get my hands on those bastards, I'll-"
But Harry didn't get to find out what gruesome fate Ron had planned for Hermione's captors because they were interupted by the opening of a door. Kingsley stepped out, his eyes widening in suprise at the sight of them, before turning to some other emotion that wasn't easy to pinpoint. Kingsley cleared his throat and beckoned them into his office, stepping back to allow them entry. "I was just about to send for you. We've received another letter."
The sound of her door creaking forced Hermione's eyelids open. She didn't want to see him. She just wanted to be left alone. If she was stuck here, she was stuck here but she didn't need his Slytherin gloating right now. Her tears had barely dried from her on and off crying jag from the night before. The sky showing through the window proved that it would be dark soon. Nearly 3 days now, they had held her here. Ron and Harry had to know that she was missing now. There was no way they didn't know. They would come after her, and now she just needed to be strong until they figured out where 'here' was.
The door snapped shut and an unfamiliar voice spoke. "Hello, little Mudblood. Would you like to play a game?"
She sat up quickly, turning to face the door and immediately scooted as far away as possible. Yaxley, the man who had Crucio'd her the previous night stood beside another wizard she recognised as Dolohov, two of Voldemort's most loyal supporters, cornering her in a sound proof room. She bit back the lump rising in her throat and raised her chin in defiance. "I won't be playing any games with the likes of you."
Yaxley's face broke into a wide grin, while Dolohov scowled. "Oh, sweetheart..." Yaxley crooned. "I wasn't giving you a choice."
She slipped off the bed and backed farther away from him as he advanced. She had soon reached the far side of the room and her back bumped into the stone wall. Her hair stood on end as goosebumps erupted over her body.
"You're going to write a letter for us," Yaxley said, pulling a piece of parchment and a quill from his pocket and laying it on the bed.
She shook her head, "No."
"Yes," Yaxley snapped, moving closer to her and raising his wand. "You will write a letter to the ministry, begging for them to pardon us. You write them and ask them to give your friends your love. You will tell them that the only way you will be returned to your filthy, blood traitor home is if they agree to our terms. And if you refuse, I'll persuade you," he finished, reaching her and pressing the tip of his wand against her throat.
"I won't do it. You deserve to rot in Azkaban. They'll find us eventually and you'll get what's coming to you." Hermione growled before she spat in his face.
He stumbled back in shock, wiping spittle from his brow, and then he turned back to her with a wide sneer. "Oh, you shouldn't have done that." His hand made contact with her face before she realised what he'd intended and the pain started just as she hit the floor. She screamed, as the Crucio coursed through her body and she heard their maniacal cackles as they stood over her. The pain died out and she drew in a ragged breath.
"How about writing that letter now, love?"
"Go to hell," she said through gritted teeth, bracing herself for the next curse. It came swiftly and though she tried not to make a noise, a scream was ripped from her just the same. The pain eased once more and she whimpered as Yaxley said, "Where do you think I came from?"
"The letter, Granger. We haven't got all night." Dolohov snapped.
She clenched her teeth together, and shook her head.
Yaxley chuckled, leaning down to grab her arm and jerk her to her feet. "That's fine, sweet. An unbreakable toy is still useful for breaking other toys. Let's find out how well your friends fare, hm?"
Her friends? she wondered, her mind jumbled from the curses.
They dragged her out into the hallway, not bothering with a blind fold. Dolohov's long fingernails were biting into her arm, drawing blood from his death grip on her. They stopped three doors down from hers, banging it open and flinging her inside where she landed on the stone floor with a hard thump.
"Hermione?" a familiar voice cried out in suprise. "What did you do to her? You better not touch her or I'll-"
"You're in no position to threaten us, Longbottom." Dolohov snapped, and she heard Neville give a cry of pain. "Bring in the other, Yaxley."
Barely a moment had passed when a scuffle could be heard from out in the hallway. The door banged open again and someone landed next to Hermione. She cracked her eyes open and gasped. "Dean?"
"Hermione. I reckon you told these wankers to piss off?"
She smiled in spite of the situation and gave a weak nod.
"Good. They can fucking rot in their cells where they belong with the bloody Dementors sucking on their filthy, rotten souls- Oofmph!"
A swift kick in the ribs cut him off, and he curled into a ball clutching his stomach. "Put him on the bed with Longbottom and we'll see how long their resolve lasts." Dean was yanked out of her line of sight and she tried to sit up, to look for him and Neville.
"I expected as much from three bloody Gryffindors. Loyalty and bravery abounding and what not. Lovegood agreed almost immediately, proving that Ravenclaw's truly are intelligent."
"Luna?" Hermione croaked out. "Where is she?"
"Doesn't matter, Granger." Yaxley said, crouching down in front of her. "What does matter is she looks a damn sight better than you lot do, because she knows what's good for her. She's probably having tea in her room, right now." He reached out and twirled a strand of her hair.
Hermione flinching away, glaring at him and he grinned. "Now, let's see if we can come to an understanding. You two," he pointed his wand at Neville and Dean, "are going to write us some letters, hm? Or Granger here, is going to take your punishment."
Hermione shook her head, silently willing them not to give in. Dean's eyes hardened and he turned away. Neville looked shocked, torn between what was right and keeping his friend from enduring unnecessary pain. She shook her head once more, meeting his gaze. His jaw clenched and he looked right at Yaxley. "No."
Yaxley grinned, aiming his wand at Hermione. "I was hoping you'd say that. Crucio!"
Hermione let out an involuntary scream and she could feel the tears streaming from her eyes, though her lids remained shut tight, her whole body tensed against the curse. And then it was over and she could breathe again.
"Hm, how 'bout now?"
"Don't do it," Hermione said through gritted teeth. Yaxley chuckled, hitting her with a silencing charm.
"I won't stop. I'll do it over and over and over again until her brain turns to sludge. And you two will have to live with the fact that your friend turned into a fucking vegetable because of your bloody pride."
Hermione pleaded with them with her eyes. Say no, say no, say no.
Dean nodded once to her, turning back to Yaxley. "Write your own bloody letter, arsehole."
Yaxley's smile disappeared, and a thunderous look replaced it as he pointed his wand at Hermione.
She lost track of the number of times he hit her with the curse, every time Yaxley would ask the same thing of the two boys watching in horror on the bed, and everytime she shook her head at them, begging them silently not to give in. Her resolve was beginning to waver. Why was she fighting this again? Surely one little letter wasn't going to hurt as much as his curses did? The curse rocking through her body finally stopped, and Yaxley growled.
He grabbed her arm, jerking her up off the floor and flipping her around to face him. "If her pain's not enough to convince you, perhaps her innocence will be." She felt his hands at the waist band of her jeans and a silent sob escaped her as she tried to shove his hands away.
"What the hell are you doing?" Dean shouted. "Get you're hands off of her!" A flick of the wand and he was bound and gagged on the bed next to Neville, who followed suit.
"Quiet boys, I can't concentrate." Yaxley sneered, as he reached down to pop the button on her jeans, yanking them down over her hips. She tried to kick him as the tears streamed down her face, her cries going unheard because of the silencing spell. His hands tore at her shirt as Dolohov moved around to hold her bound hands over her head.
"You sure you don't want to help us out here? I really don't want to stick my dick in a dirty little Mudblood cunt, but I will for the greater good. Gonna write us a letter?"
Neville nodded frantically, his eyes hard as he glared at the two men holding her down. "Excellent. How 'bout you, Thomas?" Yaxley asked, bending down to plant a wet kiss on her pubic bone. "Gonna write us a lett-"
The door banged open and Yaxley was flung away from her. "What the fuck is going on?" Malfoy shouted, his wand moving from Yaxley to Dolohov and back again. Three people ran in behind him, but their faces were so blurry Hermione couldn't make them out. She only knew Draco by his voice.
"We're encouraging the prisoners to write letters for us. Do you have a problem with our methods, Draco?" Dolohov sneered at him. Draco shot a curse that knocked him back against the wall where he slid to the ground limp. He aimed at Yaxley.
"Not this way. You stay the fuck away from them from now on, and if my father has a problem with that I'd be happy to discuss it with him. Now get out."
Yaxley let out a humorless chuckle, before striding out of the room, mumbling about revenge.
Strong hands gripped her arms and Hermione flinched away from the touch. The ties binding her hands were gone and she flexed her wrists slightly. "Granger... it's okay, now," he said, looping an arm around her back and one behind her knees, pulling her up from the ground and cradling her against his torso. The rocking movements of him walking let her know that they were leaving the room, making their way back down the hallway to her room. Hermione let her head rest on his chest, and the tension started to ease from her body. He smelled nice.
"Draco..." she breathed as unconsiousness pulled her under.