Fatal Affair

Chapter 35: Final Plea

As Bellatrix and Nova apparated, the spell confining Nova wore off. Nova first noticed that she could move her fingers, then her face fell into a scowl. She stayed still as they landed in the dining room of Malfoy Manor. 

Nova continued laying on the ground while she took in the scene around her. Narcissa was there, greeting her son, arms gripping him tightly. Lucius stood a couple of feet away from them, watching his wife and son. Bellatrix stood, eyes going from Nova to her sister. 

"What is going on here?" Lucius asked, eyeing Nova.  

"Just having some one-on-one time with Nova." Bellatrix waved her arm, indicating Nova. 

"Bellatrix," Lucius said warningly.

"Lucius, mind your business."

Nova tried to slowly move her hand towards her wand, which lay in her jacket pocket. She inched her hand closer, hoping to not draw any attention to herself. As she did, she felt someone staring at her. She glanced around the room to see Narcissa watching her carefully. 

Nova wasn't sure whether Narcissa had seen Nova move, however Nova pleaded with her eyes. Please, please please, don't say anything.

Narcissa's mouth twitched, her eyes were unreadable. 

"Bellatrix, I doubt this is any fun for Nova," Lucius was saying. "Can you let her go and tell us what happened?" 

Bellatrix laughed and replied, however Nova was so focused on Narcissa, she didn't hear the rest of the conversation.  

She watched as Narcissa's expression softened ever-so-slightly. Hope sprouted in Nova's chest, but she dared not move. Narcissa's hand slowly reached for her own pocket, withdrawing a bit of fabric that no one but Nova noticed. The fabric was laced and pink. Fuck, Nova thought. Narcissa tucked the underwear back into her pocket. 

Nova cursed her own stupidity, angry for being so reckless. If she was being truthful, Narcissa finding the underwear never concerned Nova, but now that she needed her discretion, it felt like a weight dropping onto Nova's body. 

Nova watched as Narcissa turned her gaze to her husband, then returned her gaze to Nova. Her other hand reached into her opposite pocket, withdrew a wand and pointed it at Nova. The room fell silent as everyone realized what Narcissa was doing. 

"I don't think she's petrified, Bella," Narcissa said, expressionless. 

Nova jumped up before anybody cursed her, but the damage was done. Bellatrix pounced on Nova, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. They wrestled each other for a moment, but Bellatrix, maybe not physically stronger, was wilder in her movements, more unpredictable. She pinned Nova down on her back, holding her wrists by her head. 

"Stop fussing," Bellatrix said as Nova continued to thrash. 

Nova calmed, knowing she wouldn't be able to win in this position. Bellatrix stood, pulling Nova up and held her arms behind her back. 

"Lucius, get her wand, will you?" Bellatrix asked. 

Lucius hesitated, his lips pursed, contemplating what he should do. 

"Urgh, you're useless," Bellatrix hissed. "Cissy?" 

Narcissa approached Nova. She reached into her pocket and withdrew Nova's wand, all-the-while keeping eye contact with Nova. 

"Please," Nova whispered.

Narcissa remained stoic and took a few steps back, Nova's wand in her hand. "Draco, go upstairs." 

"What?" Draco asked, speaking for the first time. "I'm not going anywhere. I helped take down one of the greatest wizards of our time, yet you want me to go upstairs for this?" 

"Draco," Lucius said sternly, watching Nova. "Listen to your mother. Go. Upstairs." 

Draco watched his father in disbelief, then with a huff, turned to walk out of the room.

"Draco!" Nova shouted, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, Draco, help me. Aren't we friends? Do something." 

Draco never turned around. He stood, his shoulders shaking slightly with every breath he took. 

"Shut up!" Bellatrix shouted. "Draco, out!" 

"You're really going to let two people die tonight who tried to help you!?" Nova tried again. "Draco, you can't live with that on your conscious! I care about you, You-Know-Who doesn't. Yet your loyalties lie with him." 

"I said, shut up!" Bellatrix jammed her wand hard into Nova's side. 

Nova let out a cry of pain, tried to double over, however Bellatrix's restraint didn't allow her to. She let Bellatrix carry most of her bodyweight. Bellatrix had to readjust to hold her properly. 

"You don't need to be like your father, Draco!" Nova shouted to the back of Draco. "You aren't your father." 

Bellatrix jammed her wand harder into Nova's side and allowed her to collapse onto the ground. 

"Draco, go!" Bellatrix shouted.

Draco left without looking back. Nova watched as her final hope fleeted through the door. Her heart sank as the realization of her situation settled in her mind. 

The moment the door closed, Lucius spoke. "You're going to kill her?" 

"This doesn't concern you Lucius," Bellatrix said simply. 

"Why haven't you done it yet?" Nova asked from the ground, holding her side. 

"Bella likes to play with her food before eating it," Narcissa said calmly. Bellatrix laughed. 

"Lucius, be a dear and drag her to her feet, will you?" Bellatrix said, walking around Nova and pulling herself onto the table to sit, feet dangling. She looked ecstatic, her smile wide, her eyes alight with joy. 

Lucius bent down and pulled Nova up by her arms, holding most her weight. 

"Can you stand?" he asked.

"Yes," Nova replied. 

"Then do it," he said unkindly. 

"No," she hissed back. 

"Enough with your whispers," Bellatrix said lazily. "Just hold her still." 

Lucius held her up with some difficulty. "Why are you killing her?" 

"I'm just following orders, Lucius," Bellatrix said. "Now if you don't behave, I'll have to ask you to leave and you'll miss all the fun. Or," Bellatrix stood, stepping closer to Nova and Lucius, "do you care for the girl, Lucius?" Lucius remained silent. "You've grown weak, my dear brother-in-law. I'm disappointed." 

"I do not care for her," Lucius said through gritted teeth. "It is the human part of me that wishes you wouldn't toy with her before killing her." 

"But that's the fun part." Bellatrix smiled. 

"You're a monster," Nova hissed. "You're ruthless and evil." 

"You're going to make me blush," Bellatrix said, smile dropping from her lips.

"You disgust me." Nova spat at Bellatrix. 

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix said, malice burning in her eyes. "I know Lucius likes them feisty, but you are getting on my last nerves, sweet child." 

Bellatrix held her wand high, pointing it between Nova's eyes. 

"Bellatrix," Lucius said as Nova began to struggle against his grip. 

"Don't move, Lucius," Bellatrix warned. Nova closed her eyes tight, bracing for the impact. "Crucio!"