Damaged Goods by slytherin_after_dark

Chapter 36

- NOT MY STORY!! ALL CREDITS TO @slytherin_after_dark ON A03!!

There was nothing that could have prepared her for this. Even with everything that had happened during the war—this was a new form of pain she hadn't experienced before. She stared at him in disbelief, hoping for some warmth to return to those icy eyes. Hoping for a sign that this was all a nightmare. But she found only depthless coldness.

One hand was leisurely in his pocket, the other flipped the wand through his fingers elegantly, as if it wasn't a deadly weapon. Saevus Mors—cruel death. She saw it on him now in ways she had never before. Cruelty that he wore so effortlessly. So casually. As though he wasn't destroying her entire world.

Harry had warned her not to trust him. Ron had said he would break her heart. She knew he would but even then, she had never imagined it would feel this way. This shattering.

He was using his black wand and suddenly it felt so obvious that he had two separate wands—like two personalities. She had wanted to believe in him but Slytherins were cunning and he had her fooled; told her what she wanted to hear; made her feel seen and understood when nobody else seemed to. It had all been a lie.

She couldn't help the tear that escaped her eye and Bellatrix chuckled.

"This one is attached to you, Draco."

He smirked. "So it seems."

"Mudbloods do appear to be rather obedient little creatures, with the right training of course."

She felt so hollow, she wasn't sure if she could even speak anymore. If there was anything left to say. Or do. Her arm burned with increasing pressure. Her heart was shattered.

Part of her still held on to the increasingly fading hope that this was all an elaborate scheme; that she couldn't have been this wrong about him.

"I knew you'd destroy the wand for me eventually," he said with a voice that seemed devoid of any human emotion.

She was getting smaller and smaller while he seemed to loom increasingly larger over her. Her nails were digging into her arm but she barely felt it. She was numb.

"I have to say," he continued, "I always had this twisted curiosity. To some, it might seem rather repulsive to take your kind to bed but I always wondered if it was true what they say about Mudbloods being easy."

Ron had said Malfoy just saw her as a kink of his to fulfill. She was about to be sick.

If she was waiting for a sign from him that this was all a ruse, she was waiting in vain because his features had only hardened further into something masklike.

"I just needed you to destroy the wand but..." he caught his lower lip suggestively, "the rest was a rather pleasant bonus I must admit."

"Please stop," Hermione managed to say, feeling like the life was slowly getting drained from her.

Two of the most powerful Death Eaters in history had her cornered wandless like an injured animal. She knew one thing; she couldn't be the one that gave Bellatrix her power back. She couldn't be the reason they started another war.

The door was blocked by Bellatrix but there was one window. She didn't know how far the fall was. Perhaps there was a roof she could climb down? But as the two of them moved in closer, the sliver of blue sky seemed like the better alternative than a life as a power source for Bellatrix. She'd rather die trying than give in without a fight.

Draco's silver eyes narrowed. He knew her too well. Quickly, he pulled his wand and sent a shackle spell her way. But it bounced off her.

Seeing genuine emotion on his masklike face was rare but now she saw the flicker of surprise. Just for the briefest moment, his eyes widened.