Disclaimer: Another chapter that contains scenes and dialogue from HPatDH, Ch. 23 (Malfoy Manor). JKR gets the credit for writing it first.

-\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/- -\?/-

They lurched to a stop on what looked like a normal country lane. Hermione immediately righted herself and surveyed their surroundings. The only thing out of place was a pair of intricately designed wrought-iron gates at the foot of a long drive that led to the place where she was going to die.

One of the Snatchers strode forward and shook them, "How do we get in? They're locked, Greyback. I can't… Blimey!"

He jumped back as the iron started to contort, twisting itself out of the abstract curls and coils into a frightening face, which spoke in a clanging metallic voice, "State your purpose."

"We've got Potter!" Greyback roared triumphantly. "We've captured Harry Potter!"

The gates swung open.

"Come on!" Greyback ordered his men, and the small group of prisoners was pushed through the opening and up the drive. High hedges muffled their slow progress and Harry tripped when he noticed an albino peacock perched above them. Greyback roughly pulled him back to his feet, their little group was shuffled around so that she was forced to walk backward and watch as their last chance of freedom grew smaller and smaller.

Eventually, they made it to their destination and bright white light spilled out into the night. A cold voice broke the long silence, "What is this?"

"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" Greyback answered the request.

"Who are you?" The woman's voice asked. Hermione tried to look over her shoulder to see who the owner was, but Dean's height blocked her view.

"You know me!" There was resentment in the werewolf's reply. "Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Harry Potter!"

Harry was pulled forward so that his face was directly in the light from the open door. Finally Hermione was able to look into the stoney face of Narcissa Malfoy as she scrutinized the wizard in front of her.

"I know 'e's swollen, ma'am, but it's 'im." Scabior piped up. "If you look a bit closer, you'll see 'is scar. And this 'ere, see the girl? The mudblood who's been traveling around with 'im ma'am. There's no doubt it's 'im, and we've got 'is wand as well!"

For a split second, a pair of unrelenting blue eyes found hers before returning to the more important face. Narcissa Malfoy raised a meticulously sculpted pale eyebrow as she studied Harry. After a few seconds, she stepped back. "Bring them in."

Hermione couldn't breathe. Each time her lungs expanded it felt like fire until she was near hyperventilation. How had this happened? Less than an hour before they had been safe inside of the tent…

It took longer than it should have for the group of hostages to make their way up the polished steps. The Snatchers pushing and kicking at them did not help to keep Dean and Ronald balanced. The two taller wizards already struggled to stay upright and the added blows caused them to trip and stumble.

In the end, the mass of dirty bodies defiled the poised witch's pristine entrance which was lined with portraits of various Malfoy ancestors, and by the look of disgust on her face, she was none too pleased with the unexpected direction her night had taken. "Follow me… My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Harry Potter, he will know."

No, no, no, no, no, no!

Every muscle inside of her body stiffened at the off-handed declaration. Draco was right there… In the next room, waiting for her… Would he relish in her demise? Or would she be forced to watch the silent struggle with his morality in her last moments?

She tripped as she and the rest of the prisoners were rushed into the drawing room. Dazzling after the darkness outside, the expansive room was lit by a large crystal chandelier. More portraits of Malfoys past covered the dark purple walls, Hermione knew it was her imagination but each inhabitant looked to be sneering down at her from their places of prominence. Two tall figures rose from the chairs that sat in front of an ornate marble fireplace and the older wizard drawled, "What is the meaning of this?"

"They say they've got Potter," Narcissa informed her startled husband before turning to their son. "Draco, come here."

Unable to bring herself to look, Hermione kept her eyes on the intricately designed rug underfoot. She listened to the all-too-familiar gait as he approached. So close that if her arms were not tied tightly to her sides, she could reach out and touch him…

Greyback reached over, took hold of the rope that held them, and wrenched Harry to the front, making sure to position him directly in the light from the sparkling chandelier. The werewolf's voice was raspy with his excitement over the prospect of his reward, "Well, boy?"

There was a long pause, in which the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the labored breathing of the occupants. Eventually, the eager voice of Lucius Malfoy filled the room, "Well, Draco… Is it… Is it Harry Potter?"

"I can't… I can't be sure." The wizard's guarded response caused her heartbeat to quicken. She risked a glance in his direction and saw her own fear reflected in the depths of the swirling gray storm.

"Come closer and look carefully!" Lucius instructed enthusiastically before leaning down and whispering so only those closest to them could hear. "Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord everything will be forgiv…"

"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy?" Greyback's threat was filled with menace.

"Of course not, of course not!" The inquiry was waved away as Lucius stepped so close to Harry that Hermione could smell his cologne. He leaned down and studied the swollen face in front of him carefully. "What did you do to him? How did he get into this state?"

"That wasn't us."

"Looks like a Stinging Jinx to me." Lucius pondered more to himself than the werewolf, his eyes moved up to Harry's forehead. "There's something there… It could be the scar, stretched tight… Draco, come here and look properly! What do you think?"

During the short exchange the younger wizard had stared at her in horror, unable to articulate his feelings of disbelief at her sudden appearance in his home. Summoned from the spiral of terror, Draco stepped forward and looked down into the face of his nemesis. After a few seconds, he finally answered his father. "I don't know."

Without another word he walked over to where his mother stood near the fireplace. She scrutinized her son's face before calling to her husband, "We had better be certain, Lucius. Completely sure that it is Potter before we summon the Dark Lord…"

Beside himself with excitement, Lucius nodded absentmindedly as he stared down at the precious prize that stood directly in front of him. The key to their absolution.

"They say this is his…" Narcissa continued, looking closely at the blackthorn wand Ron had stolen and then gifted to Harry. "But it does not resemble Ollivander's description. If we are mistaken, if we call the Dark Lord here for nothing…. Remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov?"

Seeing the doubt start to creep in and his chance at a substantial fortune start to slip from between his fingers, Greyback spoke up. "What about the Mudblood, then?"

Hermione gasped as the entire group was once again swiveled around and she was thrust into the spotlight. She tried to duck her head but the werewolf grabbed a fistful of her curls and forced her to look into the faces of her captors.

"Wait…" Narcissa snapped sharply. "Yes… Yes! She was in Madam Malkin's with Potter. I saw her picture in the Prophet! Look, Draco, isn't it the Granger girl?"

"I…" His voice shook as he looked anywhere but directly at her. "...Maybe…"

Hermione felt hollow. She had stupidly held on to the tiniest bit of hope that he would outright deny her identity. That whatever had happened between them had meant something to him. Enough to give them the smallest chance at survival, at the very least.

"But then… That's the Weasley boy!" Lucius shouted, nearly delirious in his elation. He stalked around the group of bound prisoners to face Ron. "It's them! Potter's friends! Draco, look at him, isn't it Arthur Weasley's son… What's his name?"

"...Yeah…" Draco said, turning his back to her silent begging for help. "It…It could be."

Before he could be questioned further the door to the drawing room opened and a high-pitched voice rang out, "What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"

Bellatrix Lestrange walked into the room and made her way around the other prisoners until she stood next to Harry. She ignored his distorted features to stare at Hermione through heavily lidded eyes, "But surely…. This is the Mudblood girl? This… This is Granger?"

Draco bent his head as his father cried out, "Yes, yes, it's Granger! And beside her… Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"

"Potter?" The insane witch shrieked and took a step back to look at the disheveled wizard that she had previously ignored. "Are you sure?"

Lucius nodded but otherwise stayed quiet as Bellatrix searched Harry's face for clues to his identity.

"Well then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!" Her devotion to the maniac caused her eyes to brighten with anticipation. Bellatrix reached down and dragged her left sleeve back to her elbow, displaying the Dark Mark burned into her skin. She went to press the tip of her finger to the hideous representation of her hate and call forth her equally deranged Master.

Hermione blinked back the tears that formed as the realization she, and her dearest friends, were minutes away from death. No one was going to come and save them…

"I was about to call him!" Lucius snapped and grabbed the witch's thin wrist. Preventing her from touching the Mark. "I shall summon him, Bella. Potter has been brought to my house and it is therefore upon my authority…"

"Your authority?" The witch sneered as she attempted to pull her hand from his grasp. "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off of me!"

"This has nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy…"

"Begging your pardon, Mr. Malfoy," Greyback interjected. "But it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold…"

"Gold?!" Bellatrix laughed, still trying to throw off her brother-in-law. Her free hand was in her pocket, searching for her wand. "Take your gold, filthy scavenger, what do I want with gold? I seek only the honor of his… of…"

She stopped struggling, her dark eyes fixed upon something Hermione couldn't see. Jubilant at her submission, Lucius threw her hand away from him and ripped up his own sleeve…

"...STOP!"