"Dobby!" Exclaimed Harry almost with a sigh of relief.
"Harry potter," said Dobby softly as he looked around him, "Dobby has come to save his friends."
"How did you know I was here?" Asked Harry feeling a sense of hope build up inside of him.
"Dobby is an Elf sir, he can know the whereabouts of all witches and wizards if Dobby pleases," he replied, "Dobby thought it was strange that Harry Potter was at Malfoy Mannor."
"We have to save Hermione!" Said Ron interrupting the conversation.
Harry looked over at Ron then back to Dobby as if an idea was brewing in his mind.
"Dobby," said Harry inquisitively, "does that mean you can apparate in and out of this room?"
Ron's face lit up in hope.
"Yes of course I'm an Elf sir," replied Dobby politely.
"Could you take Luna, Mr Olivander and Grip Hook too..."
"Shell cottage," said Ron interrupting Harry, "It's Bill and Fleurs new place." Harry nodded back to him and Dobby did the same.
"Whenever your ready, sir," said Luna very politely.
Dobbys smile beamed back at her, he had never been called sir before in fact he had never been spoken to so politely before either.
"Meet me at the top of the stairs in 10 seconds." Said Dobby as he took hold of the 3 prisoners and vanished with a crack of light.
Bellatrix looked rather pleased with herself. Not only did she believe the sword of griffindor was still in her vault but she had captured Harry Potter ready to hand over to the dark lord. He would be so pleased with her. It was perfect.
Her thoughts were interrupted.
"What was that noise," she barked.
"It sounded like it came from the cellar." Replied Narcissa finally with a sense of life in her voice. It was as if she wished something had happened, so she didn't have to endure this sickening experience any longer.
"Draco..." ordered Bellatrix.
"No!" Replied Lucius, firmly but obviously frightened by his sister in law, "Run along wormtail,"
Wormtail did exactly that as he scurried down the stairs and too the cellar door.
"Harry someone's coming, now's our chance." Whispered Ron.
They stood either side of the door just so that the darkness of the room engulfed their faces in an attempt to not be seen by an advancing wormtail who unlocked the cellar door and watched it swing open. He walked forward slightly and to his surprise, saw no one around.
That is until Ron and Harry sprung out of the shadows in opposite directions. Wormtail didn't react quick enough to send a spell so was taken down to the ground by Ron rather easily.
Ron held the man down whilst Harry wrestled for wormtails wand. Harry seized the wand and made his way to the door as quick as he could.
Ron jumped off wormtail and followed Harry quickly. He felt wormtail grab his leg behind him so Ron turned abruptly and pushed the man back to the ground. He stood over wormtail feeling victorious before kicking him right across the face.
"That's for Hermione," he said proudly. Harry couldn't help but smile at his friend as Ron walked over to the cellar door which they shut closed behind them.
Just as they began their climb of the cellar stairs Dobby appeared, he stood over a petrified body just inside the first couple of steps and out of sight. Greyback's cold frozen face looked back at the two boys, but he didn't move.
Harry and Ron looked in amazement at the small house elf, they couldn't believe Dobby had stopped such a powerful death eater on his own without alarming any of the other house members. Of course the boys were most grateful more than anything, they finally had a chance of saving Hermione and getting out of this hell hole.
Hermione would be so proud of them. So proud if she could only hear, see, touch or even smell any scent of hope that may appear before her. But she couldn't. She could only watch as her tormentor paced the room like a predator with its prey.
"I guess we have no use for you now my dear," said Bellatrix standing directly over Hermione's weak body spread across the floor, "Though it would be fun to have you watch my next round of questioning, I think you know the special guest quite well..." she couldn't help but cackle after every word, as if she found herself utterly hilarious.
Draco still stood next to his father, too afraid to move incase he was summoned yet also too afraid to stay incase he had to watch something he may regret. And yet he still endured the most painful hour of his life, watching her get tortured by his own family.
As for Narcissa, it were as if someone she cared about deeply had been murdered in front of her. Her face pale with fear and lifelessness. It's ironic as this is exactly what had happened to Narcissa in the form of watching a sister she once loved so deeply transform into something of a monster in front of her very eyes.
"How does it feel mudblood," said Bellatrix crouching down to Hermione barley conscious layer out across the floor. Bellatrix had complete control of her sisters manor and she was loving every second of it. She drew out her wand again and placed it against Hermiones cheek where it caught a single tear that fell from the poor girls weak eyes. "How does it feel knowing that precious Harry Potter will soon be dead, along with you and the rest of your filthy excuse for magical blood. Especially Weasley, in fact you can watch if you like. You can watch the light slowly leave his eyes as I drain the life out of him." Bellatrix was enjoying this too much, her wicked smile grew as she watched the girls eyes flood with tears. Hermione can withstand physically torture to the best of her abilities but the thought of Ron or Harry in pain reduced her to a full on sob.
"EXPELLIARMUS!!" Screamed Ron running from their hiding spot in the stair well. He couldn't listen to the evil witch any longer.
Due to his anger, the spell didn't entirely go to plan. Bellatrix no longer had her wand but neither did Ron. The wand rolled across the floor, but out of reach for now.
Hermione's face instantly looked brighter, as much as it could do anyways. She had heard his voice, a voice that even when angry brought Hermione so much reassurance and comfort.
Harry had taken the wand found by Dobby off of a random death eater he'd come across a few days ago. It wasn't his, but would do the job for now.
"Stupefy!" Commanded Harry at an unarmed Lucius, who had taken too long to equip his wand out of his rather over-accessorised handle. He was sent flying backwards.
Narcissa and Draco responded by firing curses at the two boys, it became a duel.
Everything had happened so fast that the boys had almost forgotten poor Hermione on the floor.
Except she was no longer on the floor.
Bellatrix Lestrange had used the distraction to her advantage. She grabbed the barely conscious girl by her hair and lifted her so she was forced in front of the witch in a hold.
Bellatrix fiendishly pulled the dagger from under her cloak and up against Hermione's neck causing bead of blood to form almost instantly.
Hermione couldn't see what was happening. She had one of Bellatrixs cold hands holding her head upwards expoing her neck and the other wrapped around her so she couldn't strain.
This could truly be it for Hermione Granger.
"DROP YOUR WANDS NOW!" Screamed a furious Bellatrix, "OR WE'LL SEE EXACTLY HOW FILTHY HER BLOOD IS!"
This gave the duo a chance to look up and witness the very sight they will never forget. One that would haunt them forever. Even Draco and Narcissa turned pale.
The boys dropped their wand's immediately.
"DRACO! Pick them up!" Ordered Bellatrix fiercely. But he was hesitant. To hesitant in fact that it almost felt like he had listen to his aunty yet decided to disobey. A mistake that he knew would be costly, but why he had done it was unknown.
Lucius, who had gotten up from the floor, shot daggers at his son for not complying. He instead picked up the wands and shoved them aggressively into his sons shaky hands.
"SHES DONE NOTHING TO YOU!" shouted Ron, rather fed up of having to listen or watch the girl he loved in pain once again, "JUST LEAVE HER ALONE."
Bellatrix couldn't help herself, she cried out in laughter.
"You hear that mudblood," said a patronising Bellatrix directly into the girls ear, "maybe someone does like you after all. Not sure why though." She added that last bit as she knew it would get to Ron. Which is most certainly did as Harry had to hold him back slightly. Harry hated how smug the evil witch appeared, even without a wand Bellatrix only radiated fear.
"Now everyone can finally see the real Harry Potter," said Bellatrix almost mockingly, "All bright, shiny and new again ready for the dark lord...Call him." Bellatrix grew a very crooked and dangerous smile across her withered face. She had completed the Dark Lords ultimate request, capturing Harry Potter.
Once again Draco didn't move. It was down to his father to fulfil Bellatrixs orders. He rolled up his sleeve revealing the dark mark engraved into his skin. Lucius began muttering spells animating the tattoo that stood out against his pale tone.
Before he could finish however, the most aggravating noise filled the room.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Hermione was the first to notice the small house elf on top of the chandelier above her. He was unscrewing it from the ceiling.
Harry and Ron forgot about Dobby.
But before they could look relieved, the huge glass light unattached itself from hold. It began to fall.
Shock and horror filled EVERY face in the room.
Before the chandelier came crashing down on them, Bellatrix dove out of the way, pulling Hermione backwards with her. The pair came crashing to the floor, one more trapped than the other.
It all became a blur for Hermione, whose legs became trapped and cut from the piles of glass that had fallen on her.
Harry immediately ran to snatch the wands off of Draco, which he did with ease due to Malfoys vulnerable state.
Ron, however, sprinted directly over to Hermione without thought.
"Come on Hermione," said Ron desperately, "we have to go now while we still have a chance."
Ron tried to pick her up but Hermione cried out in pain. Whether it was pain from Bellatrixs torture that weakened her or the shards of glass blanketing her lower half, Hermione couldn't move.
"you have to go, Ronald," said Hermione weakly.
"No!" Replied Ron sharply, "we're not leaving you here, we...I need you Hermione."
Hermione couldn't help it, "I love you," she said faintly, as she leaned in for a kiss.
The moment was short lived however, before their lips made contact Bellatrix regained consciousness and began heading over to the pair.
"Go Ron! Please!" Said Hermione desperately with as much emphasis as she could, "She has a horcrux in her vault! Go there and destroy it..." Ron looked in amazement at Hermione, she really was brilliant. "...for me" These were the last words Ron heard from Hermione Granger before she was violently assaulted by a furious Bellatrix Lestrange who had heard the girls whole confession. Hermione's plan had worked, sort of...
Ron knew he had to leave her, as much pain as his caused he knew she was smart...smartest he knew in fact. He was sure she would still be there for when he returns to save her. Well, as sure as he could be whilst fleeing from aggressive spells from an angry Lucius Malfoy.
Harry chucked Ron his wand as the duo began firing spells back in an attempt to make their way over to Dobby.
Harry didn't question Ron over Hermione. He trusted that his friend was doing the best that he could. He was also sure that Hermione had a plan.
Hermione was now at the brink of collapsing. Her head only barley lifted off of the floor. She could just about make out the boys in the distance, the noise of spells muffled but clear enough to determine.
She did know for sure however that her friends were loosing and sooner or later would loose their chance at escaping. As she heard Bellatrix order for her sisters wand, Hermione knew she had to do something.
She began looking around as far as she could until her eyes layed upon a wand. Not just any wand, but the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange disarmed from her only minutes ago, it was buried slightly under some rubble which Hermione lifted off with the last remains of strength she had.
With hold of the wand, she immediately knew what to do.
"Nebulus." casted Hermione as quiet as she could.
Suddenly, thick white fog emerged from the end of the wand beginning to fill the room up rather rapidly.
No one had expected this. Ron and Harry had little time but they just about saw Hermione's body collapse in exhaustion before she was enclosed by the approaching fog.
It was fast. Fast enough for Harry and Ron to reach Dobby and the familiar cracking noise signalled as they began apparating away. Not fast enough to stop Bellatrix from releasing her dagger towards the three escapees like a canon ball. It was as if she had performed this a million times before.
Just before the room filled with fog completely, the apparation had complete. Dobby, Harry, Ron and Bellatrix Lestranges dagger all merged into a shadow of light.
Hermione, however, did not see this. Exhausted, she had collapsed and let the fog engulf her. She really was the smartest witch of her age.
Hermione had sacrificed herself.
The sacrifice that saved them all.
My favourite chapter so far!
So fun to write, let me know if you want more or if that's a good place to end :)