"Well, well, well," said Bellatrix rather slowly.
Hermione pushed herself up against the large support beam in the centre of the room, attempting to look unbothered by the immense danger of the advancing witch.
She ,however, did in fact look extremely bothered, and Bellatrix knew that.
"I still don't get why they let filthy mudbloods like you wield such power," said Bellatrix pointing her wand at Hermione.
She watched as the young with rose to her feet, half terrified half determined to announce her bravery. Yes she was scared of her current situation, terrified in fact, but she wouldn't give Bellatrix Lestrange the satisfaction.
"You say that word as if it's meant to hurt me," said a shaky Hermione, trying to cover up her frightened face with sheer bravery. Bellatrix let out a cackle...no surprise there.
Bellatrix and Hermione stood face to face. The older witch could only admire Hermione's stupidity to talk back, of course this only made it more enjoyable for her.
Narcissa, Lucius and Draco still all remained in the room, watching on from a distance with Greyback cowering in the shadows by the stairs towards the cella.
Draco looked ill. He had for almost a year now. Hermione had noticed. Draco watched the intense stair off between the two witches across the room from him, he knew, however, that it would soon take a violent turn. He knew just as much as the rest of them what his sadistic aunt was capable of.
Lucius had the same old expressionless face he wore practically everyday since his 'holiday' in Askaban. No one knew what had happened to him in there, not even his wife, but his witty sarcasm had been replaced with dark grief and complete depression.
Narcissa's eyes never left her deranged sisters. She watched her fury and anger bubble away inside of her ready to explode at any given moment. Narcissa knew her sister better than anyone, they had grown up together of course, so when she saw Hermione stand up to her she knew Bellatrix would only strike back stronger.
Only seconds has past before Bellatrix broke the eye contact between her and Hermione. She sent her hand across Hermione's face, fast and sharp. This sent the young witch to her knees, with a small bruise forming on her cheek, Hermione was too focused in her thoughts to remember who she was in front of...she was very much aware now.
"How did you get the sword?" Asked Bellatrix bluntly, as she began pacing around Hermione who'd not dare to move from her spot.
No reply.
Hermione's eyes only stared straight in front of her towards the malfoys, and away from the prying eyes of Bellatrix who grew more furious by the second.
Bellatrix wasn't one to be kept waiting. She grabbed Hermione's hair violently as she stood behind her. This was even more frightening for Hermione, who let out a whimper of pain, she couldn't see the witch but could hear her piecing voice whispering into her ears.
"I know your smart, and of course you'll know your odds aren't looking too good," said Bellatrix menacingly, "but they could, if you just tell me how you got my sword!" Bellatrixs tone started getting louder with every word she spoke.
"Your sword?" Said Hermione suddenly, filling the room of silence with two words Bellatrix certainly didn't want to hear. Hermione wanted to take it back, she never meant to say anything out loud only in her head but...
A searing scream rattled the manor.
The thoughts of Hermione Granger had been cut off violently by a pain like no other. A pain as if thousands of knifes drove into someone's body at once. A curse only used by those of the cruelest most sadistic nature, intending on torturing their worst enemies into insanity.
Hermione Granger had been struck by the cruciatus curse at the will of Bellatrix.
Harry and Ron felt hopeless. They had been thrown into the cellar by Greyback and rushed to the already locked doors giving them a pointless rattle for extra effect, as if they'd magically open on their own. But no, Harry and Ron were well and truest stuck.
Ron began pacing around the room rather distressed and extremely uncomfortable. Harry haded moved from his standing position in the middle of the room, as if he was deep in thought.
"Harry what are we going to do!" Exclaimed Ron in an extremely stressed manner, "We can't leave Hermione alone with her! You heard about Neville's parents!" Harry did not reply.
"HERMIONE!!!" Screamed Ron with his face pressed against the bars of the cellar door. Ron had shouted a few times before Harry intervened.
"That's not helping her Ron!" Said Harry rather suddenly, "Hermione's strong and much smarter than us, we've just got to think of a plan to get out of here." Ron looked at Harry, he was still just as concerned.
"Harry Potter," said a withered and rather tired looking figure in the very distance of the cellar. The room was very long so the voice was quiet at first before the man began approaching the boys.
"There is no way out, I've tried," said the same voice, "It's enchanted!" This of course did not help Ron's emotions, as he began to pace the grounds of the cellar once again.
"Mr Olivander?" Asked Harry. As he spoke these very words two more figures emerged from the darkness and made their way over to Harry.
"Harry?" Said a soft voice, he instantly recognised the girl walking towards him. Luna Lovegood.
Luna was followed by the goblin grip hook, his face rather worn and expressionless.
"Luna," said Harry, a small smile grew gently from his lips as if a tiny sense of hope had awoken deep within him.
"We have to save Hermione!" Said Ron rushing over to the group, "She's all alone up there with Bellatrix and the Malfoys!"
Just as Ron had finished his sentence, that's when they heard it. The very sound Ron had dreaded. Hermione's piecing scream filled the damp walls of the cellar as the vile sound echoed through the manor. Ron's face turned pale white.
"Let's try this again shall we," said Bellatrix as she towered over Hermione, "HOW DID YOU GET THE SWORD." Bellatrix screamed louder than ever, as if she had been asking Hermione for a few hours...this was the third time.
Hermione's limp body layed across the cold floor, she tried to curl up as tight as she could but her muscles were extremely weak and tired. She could only watch as the old witch looked down upon her, screaming words that Hermione just couldn't hear anymore. She didn't know if it was her mind playing tricks on her or if the effects of the cruciatus curse were beginning to show but Hermione could barley answer Bellatrixs question even if she had wanted to.
Bellatrix, as much as she didn't want to admit it, was impressed by the young witches ability to withstand the curse for so long. And of course Bellatrix was experienced in that particular area of magic.
With no reply once again, Hermione tensed as she braced herself for the excruciating pain of the cruciatus curse upon her body once more. Tears had streamed down her face from the sheer torture she had endured, but she never muttered a word. The only noises that left her mouth were from sobs of discomfort and torment as her muscles shook with agony.
But Hermione felt nothing. She had squeezed her eyes shut so much that when she opened them to see what was happening everything was a blur.
Her eyes adjusted to the light of the room, that's when she saw it. Bellatrix couldn't get her to talk from the cruciatus curse so she had to resort to her other plans.
Narcissa, as well as Hermione, had also noticed the sharp dagger that her sister held proudly in her hand. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the mudblood upon the floor, he motherly instincts had kicked in.
The dagger glistened against the dark walls of the room. It emitted mysterious wisps of what appeared to be magic, the dark kind, the type that could inflict the worst kind of pain imaginable and leave it upon someone's skin forever. Bellatrix had acquired it especially.
Hermione's heart raced even faster, attempting to turn away from the witch but her body was unable to co-ordinate.
"Last chance mudblood," said Bellatrix threateningly, as she twirled the dagger against her fingers, "That sword is supposed to be in my vault at gringots, HOW DID YOU GET IT!"
Hermione took one look at the dagger and glanced back over to Bellatrix, her hair wilder than ever and her eyes burned like flames fuelled by fury and rage.
"We found it I swear!" Sobbed Hermione, as if she were pleading for her life, "It's not the real sword..it's-it's just a copy!" This was her last chance , every inch of Hermione's body hoped that Bellatrix would believe her. This was Bellatrix after all, this was not the answer she was looking for.
"I don't believe you," she replied through gritted teeth. She suddenly darted over to Hermione and pinned her against the floor, one hand holding her arm with the other pushing her head down into the floor.
Bellatrix pulled the dagger from her cloak and used the hand near Hermione's arm to begin carving into the girls bare flesh. A scream louder than anything anyone had ever heard before left the young witches mouth. It was as if the manors walls rattled as the sound of Hermione's terror and discomfort shocked the Malfoy house. Hermione's head was forced to look the other way, the way directly towards the three Malfoys across the other side of the room.
Draco watched on. He had never felt this disturbed by torture before, in fact he was so used to it in his own house by now that he simply learnt how to ignore it, but not this time. This time it felt different.
He glanced over to his mum, who refused to look at the poor girl across from them but instead looked around the room aimlessly, their eyes locked as they both shared the same uneasy looks of distress.
Lucius however watched on intently, in fact he had barely blinked in the process. Like a brick wall he stood, neither enjoying or feeling uncomfortable by the sound of Hermione's agony.
"p..le..a.s..e." sobbed Hermione as loud and clear as she could given her circumstances. She directed her words onto someone as if they were the only person in the room. The only person she had hoped would stand up for her. But more notably the only person she knew felt just as uncomfortable and distressed as her.
Their eyes connected.
A single tear fell from his eyes.
The girl he didn't know he cared so much about, at the mercy of his wicked aunt.
His choices made for him...
...he could do nothing.
Wow that was a lot
also the title of the fanfic isn't exactly relevant but will be in the next chapter or 2 depending how in-depth I go haha
please review and let me know if you want to me change anything for the future or if I'm actually doing okay hahahaha