Save Me

SECRETS

Draco apparted back to the Manor with Hermione's rigid body. He had apparated directly into their potions storage to find a muscle relaxant- she needed to appear dead, not cursed. Malfoy found what he was looking for and gently tilted the vile down her throat. He placed his hand on her chest to check that her heart was still beating, but other than that, you couldn't even tell that she was breathing.

He could feel his own injuries start to weaken him, and he limped into the dining hall, dragging Granger behind him on the floor. Her eyes were closed, and her arms rose above her head along with her hair as she slid on the floor. Malfoy was glad that she wasn't conscious and wouldn't be able to remember the dehumanizing way in which he was about to speak of her.

"My lord," Draco said, aggressively dropping Hermione's foot onto the floor with the rest of her body.

"Ah Draco, what a surprise! How ever did you find her?"

"She and Potter had been spotted in an inn near London and a local reported it. I caught them as they were heading into some forest, but obviously, I met resistance. They were well armed," he said as he nodded down to his leg, now with a small pool of blood compiling on the wood floor.

"And yet, Potter is not here."

"No, my lord. I apologize. After I hit the Mudblood with a killing curse, Potter hit me in the leg with a dagger and was gone. He left Granger's dead body behind."

"Come here." Draco nervously walked towards Voldemort. He almost tremmored as Voldemort held Draco's arm up and licked it. "Your own. Granger's. Potter's. Tell me Draco did it ever occur to you to leave my prize intact for me!?"

"Y-yes my lord. I was only trying to injure him enough to capture him so that I may have delivered him to you."

"Lies! You wanted him for yourself!"

"No my Lord! I swear it!" He struck Draco across the face. He was losing a lot of blood from the deep gash Harry had inflicted, and felt like he was going to pass out.

"Crucio," Draco knew the drill. He fell to the floor. Hold on for her, he thought. Hold on. After what felt like minutes, but could have been seconds, it stopped.

"That is a reminder to keep what's mine for me. Good work killing the filthy mudblood. Now get out of my sight, and leave her for Nagini."

"My lord if I may, I cannot in good conscious allow an impure witch the privilege of being consumed by a beastly creature such as Nagini. She doesn't deserve it. Let us throw her out like the trash she is."

"Ah- perhaps you are right. But why so quick to defy my order?" He dove into Draco's weak mind, and Draco tried his hardest not to crack. He was looking for what drove Malfoy's comment: why he said that she didn't deserve it. Afterall, Nagini had been fed purebloods, mixed, and even muggles before. Why was Hermione special?

Draco was prepared. He pushed forward all of his memories and emotions towards Voldemort: their academic rivalry, from which stemmed his jealousy, his loneliness, his inferiority, and his anger. He let her fire burn through his ice as he poured more and more into Voldemort's mind. Now, Draco had the upper hand. She was dead. He had won. She deserved nothing, because she was nothing.

"Ah. I see. Very well Draco, let us dispose of her rotting body and let your mind be free from peril, for I know how it feels to have a rival, and the consuming need for revenge. Do with her as you please."

"Thank you, my lord."

He dragged Hermione by her boot again on his way out.

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