Safe

Chapter 2: Fights

"Crucio!" Bellatrix yelled, extending her wand.

Granger started screaming. She writhed in pain and fell to the floor, shaking in fear. Bellatrix kicked the Gryffindor onto her back and held the point of her wand to Granger's throat.

"I'll ask you again," Bellatrix hissed. "What else did you take from my vault!"

"Didn't... steal," Granger panted. "Please..."

"Tell me the truth, you filthy Mudblood!" The wand pressed into her neck.

That word sounded awfully familiar to Draco, and he wished it wasn't. He had not called Granger a Mudblood to her face since third year, and that was because his blood prejudices started to fall away. Narcissa had told him her side of the argument with Andromeda, and that she regretted what she had said ever since. Draco had even seen a muggle-born bleed, and saw that their blood was the same color as his.

Bellatrix placed her knees on either side of Granger's slim form, weak and unable to fight. Draco saw his aunt extract her silver knife and swing it tauntingly above Granger's face. Draco didn't hide his nervousness at another death taking place in his house.

"We didn't take anything!" Granger cried as Bellatrix rested the blade of her silver knife on Granger's forearm. "The sword's a fake!"

"I don't believe you," jeered Bellatrix as she bent over Granger's left arm. There was a petrifying sound of cut flesh and a scream that reverberated through the manor that made Draco's stomach clench.

Granger slammed her other palm on the ground, twisting and jerking her body, making Bellatrix's knife enter further into her skin. Draco knew she was telling the truth. Hermione Granger never lied. He tried to avert his gaze elsewhere, but the wailing made him watch, traumatized.

When Bellatrix was finished with whatever she was doing, she spat in Granger's face, hissed "Mudblood," and sauntered away. Only then was Draco able to see what sickening game his aunt played that time. The word was carved into Granger's skin, blood seeping from the letters. The Gryffindor was looking at it, tears of pain slipping off her face and onto the polished floor.

"Wormtail!" Bellatrix called. "Get the goblin!"

The stout man ran down to the cellar. There was the sound of the cellar gate opening, then shutting a few moments later. Wormtail returned with the goblin in his wake, trembling. Bellatrix stepped in front of the goblin and handed him the sword of Gryffindor.

"The Mudblood told me that the sword is a fake," she growled. "Tell me the truth."

The goblin looked at the sword for a split second and looked back up at the Death Eater. "It is indeed a fake."

Bellatrix cried out in frustration and sliced a cut into the goblin's gaunt face. She took the sword back and threw it off to the side. "Now you both are going to die!" She came so close to calling out the Killing Curse at Granger and the goblin. The only interruption was a loud sound coming down from the cellar. "What now? Wormtail, go look!"

Wormtail did not come back that time. Instead, a loud and pronounced "Expelliarmus!" was all Draco could hear. He saw that Bellatrix's wand left her hand and rested in the palm of who other than Harry Potter. Draco stood in awe as Lucius raised his wand, and Potter hit him with a double Stunning Spell. Potter passed a wand to Weasley, and they began to duel Narcissa. She was a match for the both of them, and Draco couldn't do anything.

"STOP!" shouted an angered Bellatrix Lestrange.

Draco turned around sharply when the excitement ended. Bellatrix was humming happily to herself, gripping Granger by her hair. The latter was still, dangling from Bellatrix's hold as if she was unconscious. The silver knife was almost cutting into Granger's neck.