Destined for Darkness (A Draco Malfoy Fic)

Numb

"Stop! Please! Stop hurting them!"

I writhed on the stone floor, the rope tearing into my skin and my muscles screaming from strain as I tried and failed to break free of the binds.

"Please!" I wept, watching helplessly as my parents threw curse after curse at my friends. Their screams of pain echoed through the dark chamber, and I couldn't do anything but beg.

"Whatever you want! I'll do anything! Just please STOP!"

I screamed as loud as I could and finally drew their attention as my father suddenly whipped his head towards me.

"If you want to scream and yell like a child, then let me give you a reason to do so."

He turned his wand on me, and for a moment, I felt relieved that I had pulled his focus away from my friends, but in the next moment, my whole body felt like it was on fire.

I had never felt such excruciating pain in my life. As soon as the red streak of the Cruciatus hit me, I swore every muscle and tendon was being violently ripped from my bones. It felt like a letter opener was being dragged along the length of my veins and arteries, slicing them all open simultaneously. I was hyperaware of every cell and nerve ending in my body as I screamed and convulsed on the floor convinced I was being flayed alive.

There was a loud rushing in my ears, and I was sure it was the sound of my brain liquifying and pouring out into a puddle on the rough stone floor, but when another convulsion caused my head to jerk suddenly, the abrasive rock didn't tear into my cheek because my face was pressed against something cold and smooth.

My eyes flew open, and I gasped, drawing in a desperate breath as my whole body trembled with aftershocks of the curse that had felt all too real. My eyes quickly scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, and I started to panic, not knowing where I was until my eyes landed on a pair of black heels a few feet away. My eyes followed the legs up, past a tight pencil skirt and crossed arms, up to a scowling face surrounded by golden-blonde hair.

Katherine.

Everything came rushing back, and I quickly pushed myself up on my hip when I remembered where I was and why I was lying on the floor.

I cautiously rose to my feet, wincing at the throbbing pain in my head, and surveyed the room. Black marks streaked across the white tile, stretching out in all directions as if a bomb had detonated, and I stood at the epicenter. There was shattered glass and splintered wood lying in puddles of various colored liquids, and the smell of alcohol stung my nose. The modern art chandelier no longer hung from the ceiling but now lay broken and even more twisted atop a pile of shards that had previously been the coffee table. I peeked over my shoulder at the marble island and saw that the stone had been cleaved right down the middle.

An unexpected breeze ruffled my hair, blowing a few strands in my face, and I looked towards the wall of fixed windows in confusion. When I first saw the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, I had a fleeting thought about repelling charms to keep birds from flying into them because the glass was so crystal clear it looked as if it weren't there at all, but I suddenly realized I couldn't see even a hint of glare or reflection because the glass was gone. The entire wall, every inch, had been blown completely out.

This was so much more than an exploded coffee mug or shelf of potions.

I slowly turned to face Katherine, hoping she would have just an ounce of mercy and make my death quick and painless.

I met her eyes and kept my head high, refusing to cower under her glare.

She pursed her lips, staring at me for a few more seconds before she let out a long, annoyed sigh, and dropped her hands to her hips. "I should be furious right now. I leave you alone for five minutes, and you destroy my home." Her lip curled in disgust as she kicked away a piece of broken crystal with the pointed toe of her shoe. "But, I suppose that was my mistake."