The Art of Betrayal by katehathaway

Turned Me to a Savage

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

A/N - While this story is mostly told from Hermione's POV, this chapter will not be following that format... enjoy!

24 December 1924

For all that Draco believed he was the brains of the Death Eaters – the one who thinks – he was beginning to realize he didn't have any brains at all. If he did have any, then he wouldn't feel utterly shocked and betrayed to discover who Penelope Clearwater is. She is nothing; not the love of his life, the voice of reason among a den of snakes, nor the one person he came to trust above all others.

Unquestionably, irrevocably, and foolishly.

There was a fire in his veins as the woman standing between him and several loaded guns answered to Miss Hermione Granger. It became clear that was her true identity and Penny was a facade. Penny was the woman on his arm and the light at the end of a dark and treacherous tunnel. Miss Hermione Granger was a lie and the burning star to which he, with blind adoration, flew too close to.

Miss Hermione Granger was, plainly put, a traitor.

Draco had just about convinced himself that if they made it out of here alive, then he would kill her himself. But then the tension in the room reached its peak and all hell broke loose. Through one black eye and one teary eye, he watched the violence unfold. It began, like most fallouts in his line of work, with the deafening boom of a gun being fired; a badass gun meant to blow Draco's head clean off.

Instead of ripping through Draco, however, it tore itself through Penny's – Hermione's – shoulder.

She fell in slow-motion; her small frame colliding with the cement floor and folding so unkindly it made Draco's heart stop. Her blood flooded from the massive wound, pooling around her body. It was in that moment he feared he would truly lose her, and every horrible fate he wished for her weighed heavily on his heart. Then, her breath hitched, her eyes met his, and hatred boiled in his blood once more.

Draco screamed for her to watch out; to get the bloody gun and shoot them. All that came out were strangled cries, scratching at his bruised throat. His gaze lifted from her small fists closing around the revolver to the dark abyss that was Commander Shacklebolt's eyes. The fucking scoundrel. A pathetic excuse of a man.

The end of his gun – with its enormous fucking bullet ready to go – was aimed at Draco's head again. Miraculously, when it went off, the bullet soared over his head and lodged itself in the wall, leaving a crater and simultaneously sparking a belief in God that Draco thought had been left in the trenches. Shacklebolt was on the floor; a gaping hole between his eyes.

Instinctively, Draco's widened gaze slid over to Penny – Hermione. She, however, looked just as shocked as he felt as they both stared at Shacklebolt's unmoving body. Her head whipped around at the same time that his lifted up.

Theo stood before them with a smug grin displayed across his face.

"Now, that's what I call good timing." He trilled, sending a wink their way before sobering up slightly and moving to free Draco from his binds. Over Theo's shoulder, Draco could make out Blaise unleashing the likes of a Tommy gun on the other men. His battle cry was shrill and definitely needed work. "He sounds like a fucking hawk. An injured, depressed, dying one." Theo mocked, making eye contact with Draco. Good to know that their bond was flourishing as ever. "Oi!" He yelled, finished with Draco and kneeling to survey Hermione. "Blaise, will you shut the fuck up! We have to get a move on before the whole fucking cavalry upstairs decides to come down here!"

"You never let me have any fun," grumbled Blaise as he slung the enormous submachine gun across his back. "Come on, Draco," he grunted. Draco leaned heavily on his friend, grateful for the support as they climbed the dark stairs. At the very top of the staircase stood Greg and Vince, each with their own Tommy gun glued to their hands. "Anything?" Blaise asked, pausing before rounding the corner.