The dim light in the cell flickered faintly, casting long shadows on the cold, stone walls. Hermione and Draco sat in silence, their bodies aching from the wounds that still throbbed and burned. The makeshift bandages they had fashioned from the tattered blankets offered little comfort, and the Dittany had only done so much. Their wounds weren't healing fast enough.
Hermione sat hunched against the wall, her arm still stinging from where the hateful word Mudblood was carved into her skin. Draco was across from her, his eyes closed, his face pale, but he was breathing steadily, trying to push through the pain. Neither of them had spoken for hours; there was nothing to say.
Then, suddenly, the heavy door to the cell swung open with a loud creak.
Hermione flinched, her heart leaping in her chest. The sound of boots echoed down the corridor, and two burly Death Eaters appeared in the doorway, their faces twisted into cruel smirks.
"Up," one of them barked, his voice harsh and cold.
Hermione's body tensed, but she had no choice. She could feel Draco's eyes on her, but he didn't move. He knew there was nothing he could do. Slowly, painfully, she stood up, her legs trembling beneath her.
The Death Eaters grabbed her roughly, pulling her toward the door. She glanced back once, meeting Draco's gaze for a fleeting second before they dragged her out of the cell and slammed the door behind them.
The cold stone walls blurred as they pulled her up the stairs, her mind racing with fear. She knew what was coming. Torture. Interrogation. They wanted information, and they wouldn't stop until they had it.
When they finally reached the top of the stairs, Hermione was thrown into a room that was dimly lit by flickering candles. She could see the dark figures of Death Eaters gathered around, their eyes glinting with malice. In the center of the room was a large stone basin filled with water, the surface still and ominous.
Without warning, they forced her into a chair, tying her arms and legs down so tightly that the ropes bit into her skin. She struggled, but it was useless. The binds held firm. Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced at the basin, dread pooling in her stomach.
"Now," a voice hissed, slithering through the room like poison. Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "Let's have a little chat, shall we?"
Hermione glared at her, refusing to show any fear. But inside, her mind was screaming. She had to stay strong. She couldn't give them anything. Not a word. Not a clue.
"Tell me, Mudblood," Bellatrix sneered, leaning in close. "Where is Potter? Where is the Chosen One hiding?"
Hermione said nothing, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Bellatrix's smile widened, and with a flick of her wand, the chair jerked forward. Before Hermione could react, her head was plunged into the basin of water. The cold, suffocating liquid filled her nose and mouth, her lungs screaming for air. She thrashed, panic surging through her veins as the world above the water became distorted and distant.
Just when she thought she would drown, they yanked her head back out, and she gasped for breath, coughing and sputtering. Her vision swam, but she could still see Bellatrix's face, twisted with cruel amusement.
"Let's try again," Bellatrix whispered, her voice dripping with malice. "Where is Potter?"
"I—I don't know!" Hermione gasped, her voice raw from the cold.
A sharp slap echoed in the room as Bellatrix's hand connected with her cheek, sending a fresh wave of pain through her body.
"Liar."
Without warning, Hermione's head was shoved back into the water. This time, the icy cold bit deeper, and her mind spiraled in a frenzy. She tried to hold her breath, but the panic was rising. She could feel her chest tighten, her muscles screaming for air as her body betrayed her, instinctively trying to inhale.
The world darkened around her, the water muffling the cruel laughter that echoed from above. She couldn't think—couldn't breathe—her body flailing in a desperate attempt to escape.
Finally, they pulled her back up, and she choked, sputtering as water streamed down her face. The pain in her lungs was overwhelming, and her heart pounded in her chest, barely keeping up with the desperate rhythm of survival.
"I'll ask one more time," Bellatrix cooed, leaning down close enough for Hermione to see the madness in her eyes. "Where is Potter?"
Hermione shook her head weakly, her vision blurring as she struggled to stay conscious. "I don't know…"
Bellatrix's expression darkened, and Hermione braced herself for another plunge into the water.
The torture continued on for hours, various questions getting flung back at her leaving her barely any time to recover from the sharp, cold plunges.
"Where is the order hiding?"
"What are the names of prominent figures from your traitorous organization?"
"I don't know" hermione shrugged away
"Let's move on to order plans, what are the dates of the next order recovery efforts? Are there any plans to invade and attack the dark-lords' efforts?"
"I have no idea"
And then the questions turned into harm for bellatrixs' enjoyment
"You are the filth of the earth aren't you mudblood?"
"I don't believe that to be factually accurate."
"Nobody wants you on this earth"
"Not true, it just isn't true"
"You are vermin, the dirtiest foulest creature to ever lay foot on this manor!"
"Whatever you say"
"I'm going to kill your parents"
"Good luck trying to find them," hermione spat out in the witches direction
Every statement made Hermione nauseated, she actively tried to swallow the bile that was rising in her throat.