Lies Laid Bare pt. 1

The manor was silent, the eerie stillness settling like a shroud over the empty corridors. The only sound was the faint, distant hum of wind rattling against the windows, a low, mournful whisper that seemed to echo the turmoil raging inside Draco's chest.

He moved silently through the halls, every muscle tense, every nerve on edge. His wand was clutched tightly in his hand, hidden beneath the folds of his cloak as he slipped past the deserted drawing room. He hadn't told anyone where he was going, hadn't stopped to think about what he was doing. He justhadto see her.

To make sure she was still breathing.

The dungeons loomed ahead, cold and oppressive, the darkness swallowing everything in its path. Draco swallowed hard, his pulse thundering in his ears as he approached the iron door. The guard—a hulking, brutish figure with a mask obscuring his face—looked up as he approached, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What're you doing here?" he growled.

Draco's hand tightened around his wand, his gaze ice-cold. "Move," he snapped, his voice low and dangerous. "Now."

The guard hesitated, his gaze flickering between Draco's face and the wand hidden beneath his cloak. But he knew better than to argue. With a grunt, he stepped aside, muttering something under his breath as Draco pushed past him.

The door creaked open, the icy chill of the dungeons wrapping around him like a vice. The torches lining the walls cast long, flickering shadows, illuminating the rows of cells filled with empty-eyed prisoners. The smell of damp stone and fear hung heavy in the air, suffocating, oppressive.

And then he saw her.

She was huddled in the farthest corner of the cell, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head resting on her arms. Her hair was a wild, tangled mess, her clothes torn and bloodied, and the deep, ugly gash on her forearm stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Mudblood.

The word seemed to burn itself into his mind, the image of his aunt carving it into her flesh seared into his memory. He gritted his teeth, his chest tightening painfully. She was shivering—her entire body trembling uncontrollably as if she were fighting to keep herself from falling apart completely.

"Hermione."

Her head shot up at the sound of his voice, her eyes wide and glassy. For a moment, she just stared at him, as if she couldn't quite believe he was there. And then, slowly, her gaze softened, a faint spark of something like hope flickering in her eyes.

"Draco," she breathed.

Rage and relief warred inside him, a violent, uncontrollable storm that threatened to tear him apart. He strode forward, his heart pounding furiously, his breath coming in harsh, ragged bursts. He grabbed the iron bars, his knuckles whitening as he glared down at her.

"What thehellwere you thinking?" he hissed, his voice trembling with fury. "You—you—youpromisedme, Hermione! Youpromisedyou'd be careful!"

She flinched, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I—"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he snapped, his voice rising with each word. "Why didn't youwriteto me? Why didn't youwarnme that you were coming here?"

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, I—"

"Sorry?" he spat, the word laced with venom. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you have any idea howstupidthis was? You—" He broke off, his voice cracking. "You could have died, Hermione."

Her shoulders slumped, her expression crumbling. "I know."

"No, you don't!" he snarled, his chest heaving. "You don't, because if youdid, you wouldn't have come here in the first place! You—" He shook his head, his grip on the bars tightening painfully. "You—you broke your promise."

Hermione's eyes widened, and she recoiled as if he'd struck her. "I didn't—"

"Yes, you did!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "You said you'd be careful, you said you wouldn't do anything reckless, and then you—" He choked, his hands trembling. "Youliedto me."

She stared at him, her lower lip quivering, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't—"

"Don't say you're sorry!" he snapped. "I don't—I don't want to hear it."

"Please," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, Draco, I—"

"I don't want to talk to you," he snarled, turning away. "I—I can't look at you right now."

"Draco, wait—" Her voice was choked with desperation, and she reached out, her fingers brushing against his sleeve. "Please, just—just listen—"

"No," he growled, wrenching his arm away. "No, I—"

"I didn't want to risk you getting hurt or worse killed, you couldn't know, I needed to keep you safe."

"Why granger, why couldn't you tell me, why did youhaveto keep me safe?" He parroted back to her with annoyance.

"Because I love you."

The words hit him like a physical blow, knocking the breath from his lungs. He froze, his entire body going still, his mind reeling. For a moment, he thought he'd imagined it. Thought he'd heard her wrong.

"What…?"

"Iunfortunatelyfell in love with you," she repeated with a small smile, her voice trembling. "I—I should have told you sooner, " She swallowed hard, her gaze locked on his. "But it's true. I—I love you, Draco."

His heart stuttered, his chest tightening painfully. No. No, she couldn't—shecouldn'tmean that. She couldn't—

"Don't," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Don't say that."

"It's true," she insisted, her eyes pleading. "I—I love you. I do."

"Stop," he growled, his throat constricting. "Just—juststop."

But she didn't. She kept going, the words tumbling from her lips in a desperate, breathless rush.

"I love you, Draco. I—I've loved you for a while now, I just—" She shook her head, her shoulders trembling. "I was too scared to admit it, I—"

"Stop," he snarled, spinning to face her. "You don't—don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying!" she cried, her eyes wide and earnest. "I—I'm not, Draco, I—"

"Stop it," he shouted, his voice breaking. "Just—juststop."

But she didn't. She just kept repeating it, over and over, the words washing over him like a tidal wave.

"I love you. I love you. I love you, Draco."

He stared at her, his chest heaving, his vision blurring. She was crying, her face streaked with tears, her eyes shining with so much pain and so much hope it hurt to look at her.

And then, slowly, something inside him crumbled.

"You…" He swallowed hard, his throat raw. "You really…?"

"Yes," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Yes, I—I love you."

His heart twisted, his chest aching. He couldn't—he couldn't believe it, couldn'tunderstandit—but…

But she wasn't lying.

"Why?" he choked, his voice shaking. "Why—why do you—"

"Because," she murmured, her gaze soft. "Because you're—you."

He shook his head, his eyes burning. "No. No, I—this is—this ismy fault, Hermione. This—" He gestured wildly, his hands trembling. "All of this is my fault, I—I should have—"

"Draco, no—"

"Ishould have stopped her," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I should have—should havedone something."

"Draco—"

"I love you," he choked, his eyes blurring with tears. "I—I love you, and I—I should have stopped her."

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Hermione's gaze was locked on Draco's face, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts as she took in his words. He looked so broken—his eyes dark and stormy, filled with so much guilt and pain it made her heart ache. She didn't know how long they'd stood like this, separated by the iron bars, voices hushed and raw. Everything else seemed to fade into the background—the chill of the dungeons, the oppressive darkness, the lingering agony throbbing through her body.

All that mattered was Draco.

"I love you," she whispered again, the words trembling on her lips. "And I—I'm so sorry, Draco, I—"

Her words cut off abruptly as a sharp, cruel laugh rang out from behind them, echoing through the dungeons like the crack of a whip. Hermione's heart lurched, her body stiffening in fear. Slowly, she turned her head, dread pooling in her stomach.

Standing at the top of the stairs, silhouetted against the dim torchlight, was Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix purred, her voice dripping with mockery. "Isn't this justprecious?"

Hermione's blood ran cold. She hadn't heard Bellatrix approach. She hadn't even realized there was anyone else there. But now, as she looked past the madwoman's twisted smirk, she saw another figure standing just behind her, watching them silently.

Narcissa.

Her face was pale and expressionless, her gaze flickering between Hermione and Draco. But she didn't say a word. She just stood there, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, the faintest hint of something unreadable in her eyes.

"Aunt Bella" Draco's voice was low and dangerous, but Bellatrix cut him off with a derisive snort.

"Save your breath, nephew," she sneered, stepping forward, her dark eyes blazing with fury. "You filthy littletraitor."

Draco's jaw clenched, his shoulders tensing as he moved in front of Hermione, shielding her from Bellatrix's view. "What do you want?"

Bellatrix's smile twisted, her gaze shifting to Hermione. "This?" She gestured to Hermione with a flick of her wand, her lip curling in disgust. "This is what you've been hiding? This…mudblood?"

Hermione flinched at the word, the memory of the jagged letters carved into her arm searing through her mind. But she forced herself to lift her chin, meeting Bellatrix's gaze defiantly.

"Leave her alone," Draco growled, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "She has nothing to do with this."

"Nothing to do with this?" Bellatrix laughed—a harsh, shrill sound that grated against Hermione's ears. "Oh, but she does, Draco. She haseverythingto do with this." Her smile faded, replaced by a look of cold, deadly anger. "You've sullied our family's bloodline, boy. You'veshamedthe entire Malfoy and Black lines with this disgusting… infatuation."

Draco's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I don't care what you think."

"Don't you?" Bellatrix's voice was soft, almost silky, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "You should. Because you—" She pointed her wand at him, her eyes narrowing. "—are going topayfor this. You and your filthy littlemudblood whore."

"Don't you dare call her that!" Draco shouted, his face flushed with fury. "Don't you—"

But Bellatrix wasn't listening. With a wild, furious scream, she lunged forward, her wand slashing through the air. A jet of red light shot toward Draco, crackling with raw, dangerous energy. He barely had time to react, whipping his wand up in a desperate attempt to deflect the curse.

Their wands clashed, the force of the spell sending sparks flying through the air. Draco stumbled backward, his face twisted with concentration as he struggled to hold off Bellatrix's relentless assault. Hermione's heart pounded wildly in her chest, terror gripping her as she watched the two of them duel.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix shrieked, her voice high and manic.

Draco barely managed to dodge the curse, the beam of crimson light missing him by inches. He spun on his heel, his wand slashing through the air as he countered with a curse of his own. But Bellatrix was faster—she batted the spell away with a flick of her wrist, her lips curling in a vicious smile.

"Is that the best you can do,Draco?" she taunted, her eyes gleaming with sadistic glee. "Pathetic.Weak.Just like your father."

"Shutup!" Draco roared, his voice hoarse with rage.

"Why?" Bellatrix's smile widened, a cold, twisted mockery of amusement. "Does the truth hurt,nephew?"

Hermione's chest tightened, her breath catching in her throat. She had to do something. She couldn't just stand here, watching Draco get torn apart by his own aunt. But the bars of the cell were unyielding, trapping her inside, leaving her helpless and useless and—

"Miss Granger."

The quiet, urgent whisper made her head snap up. Narcissa had moved closer, her gaze locked on Hermione's face, her expression tense and… frightened?

"What—"

"Take this," Narcissa murmured, slipping a small, silver key through the bars. "Quickly. Unlock the door."

Hermione stared at her, her mind reeling. "But—"

"Now!" Narcissa hissed, her eyes flashing. "If you care about him, then you'll do as I say.Get him out of here."

Hermione didn't need to be told twice. Her hands shook as she grabbed the key, fumbling with the lock in her haste. The metal clicked softly, and then the door swung open, the cold air of the dungeons washing over her. She hesitated, glancing up at Narcissa, uncertainty warring with desperation.

"Go," Narcissa whispered, her gaze flickering to where Draco and Bellatrix were still locked in a deadly duel. "Protect him. Get him back to the Order."

For a moment, Hermione could only stare. There was something fierce and unyielding in Narcissa's eyes—something that sent a shiver down Hermione's spine. And then, slowly, she nodded, her resolve hardening.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Narcissa didn't respond. She just stepped back, her face pale and drawn, as if she were fighting some internal battle of her own. Hermione took a deep breath, her pulse racing, and then she darted forward, her wand clutched tightly in her hand.

"Draco!"

Draco's head whipped around, his eyes widening in shock. "Hermione—"

"Stupefy!" Hermione shouted, aiming her wand at Bellatrix.

The spell shot toward her, crackling with energy. But Bellatrix was too fast—she spun on her heel, deflecting the curse with a sneer. "Oh, look," she purred, her smile widening. "The littlemudbloodwants to play."

"Leave him alone!" Hermione yelled, her heart pounding wildly. She threw herself between Draco and Bellatrix, her wand raised, her body trembling. "If you want to hurt someone, then hurtme."

"Hermione, no!" Draco shouted, his voice raw.

But it was too late. Bellatrix's smile twisted into something dark and terrible, her eyes blazing with madness.

"Withpleasure," she whispered, her wand slashing through the air.

A blinding flash of light erupted between them, and Hermione staggered backward, the force of the spell knocking her off her feet. Pain seared through her body, white-hot and unbearable, and she bit back a scream, her vision blurring.

"Hermione!" Draco's voice was a desperate, anguished roar, but she couldn't—she couldn't see him. Couldn't—

"Draco, run," she gasped, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Please.Run."

But he didn't. He just dropped to his knees beside her, his face twisted with grief and fury, his hands shaking as he tried to shield her from Bellatrix's relentless onslaught.

And somewhere, high above them, Narcissa stood watching, her face as pale and cold as the moon.

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"Crucio!"

The pain was unbearable, sharper than any blade, tearing through Hermione's nerves like fire. She screamed, the sound wrenched from deep inside her, and her body contorted as if it was trying to tear itself apart. But still, she forced herself to stay upright, her gaze locked on Draco's face. He was shouting her name, trying desperately to shield her with his own body, his wand flashing as he hurled curses at his aunt.

But Bellatrix was relentless.

The madwoman's laughter echoed through the dungeon, high and shrill, a twisted melody that sent shivers down Hermione's spine. "Look at you!" she jeered, her eyes wide and gleaming. "Pathetic littletraitor, throwing away your life for this filthymudblood."

"Stop it!" Draco roared, his voice breaking. He lunged forward, his wand slashing through the air, sending a jet of blue light hurtling toward Bellatrix.

But she deflected it effortlessly, her smile widening. "Is this really what you want, Draco?" she taunted, stepping closer, her wand still trained on Hermione. "Is this what you're willing to die for?"

"Leave heralone!" Draco shouted, his face contorted with rage and desperation.

"Thenmakeme," Bellatrix hissed, her gaze narrowing. "If you can."

Hermione's breath hitched. She could see the anguish in Draco's eyes, the frantic, desperate need to protect her warring with his fear. He was shaking, his chest heaving, and for a moment, she thought he might snap—might do something reckless and foolish that would get them both killed.