𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐀

☾ Chapter 24

☾

When Draco dropped her off at the cell that afternoon, she'd broken down in silent tears.

She didn't tell anyone what had happened, nor did she explain why she'd been kidnapped by a group of death eaters at 10AM the next morning.

Little did Hermione know she would never lay eyes on her school friends again. Her hope for Draco's so called plan created the expectation that she'd return to her bed with her black blanket the very same night.

She was incredibly wrong.

After a long, taunting walk of brutality to a part of the camp she'd never seen before, they'd tied her to a chair and thrown her in the middle of an arena, screams and growls of the Dark Lord's followers crying out, hungry for death.

Her palms were sweaty against the ropes of restriction; if she wasn't killed soon, she was sure the electricity in her heart would give out before they were able.

The ring of a Sonorus spell pierced the air, voice booming in her exposed ears.

"You are all here today to witness the execution of Prisoner 451208, Hermione Jean Granger, Muggleborn, the infamous Ronald Weasley's playtoy. Supposedly she's the brightest witch of her age; well, we can all see how that turned out for the bitch."

Evil laughs erupted from the crowd, shame coursing through her veins.

The Dark Lord continued his speech from his high throne, the rattlesnake gliding around his blackened robe in a taunting manner, threatening to spit poison at any chosen enemy should they rebel.

She searched for him in the crowd, but could not find him.

"Nagini..." His wand pointed towards her menacingly, wrists struggling against the ropes as pleading whimpers began to leave her lips, panic taking over the majority of her body. "...Eat."

The snake began to slither across the ground, towards the tips of her feet.

It was all too close.

Where was he.... Damnit, where was he?

She could hear the rattling of it's tail, the licking of its tongue against her ankles. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, accepting her fate.

"Sir."

The yells of encouragement from the death eaters came to a halt, and Nagini slowly retreated At The Dark Lord's command.

"What is it, Corporal?"

The tears brimming in her eyes glimmered with hope as she looked to the voice; him. He had stepped forth from the crowd, mask hiding his jaw, but she could see those grey eyes from a distance.

"If allowed My Lord— I'd like to take full custody of Miss Granger."

Murmurs of disapproval began to echo throughout the small arena.

"For what reason, if I may ask, Corporal?" His voice hissed out, wand still raised towards Hermione, bound in the immovable chair.