The Abuser

The Room of Hidden Objects

"I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth. There's you in everything I do. Now remember when I told you that that's the last you'll see of me? Remember when I broke you down to tears? I know I took the path that you would never want for me. I gave you hell through all the years."

- I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons

....

"AVADA KE-" My face contorts as I scream the curse, trying to quell the trembling in my hand.

The Death Eater before me simply grins, his teeth glinting beneath his ornate mask. "You can't do it little girl. You will never be a master of the Unforgivable Curses. You're too weak."

I stop, keeping my wand raised and staring at the tall man before me. "You're right. I will never be a master of the Curses—but that isn't because I'm weak. It's because I'm strong; stronger than you will ever be! Incendio!" Fire billows from my wand as I scream the hex, lighting the Death Eater like a torch. With my stomach churning, I stumble through the halls of Hogwarts, dodging Death Eaters and fellow students. I can't find the Golden Trio or any of the other D.A.'s, but that's not my main concern. After the Battle of Hogwarts broke out, I've been thinking of one person—my fiancé Draco Malfoy.

I hope that he's all right. I can only assume that he left with the other Slytherins at the beginning of the war, but even if he did I have no way of knowing if I'll ever see him again. I wipe a tear from my grimy cheek and careen down a dark corridor. "Lumos!" I'm immediately bathed in blinding white light of my wand. I continue along the hall at a slightly calmer pace. I don't think that I've been down here before... but then again, I have no idea what part of the castle I'm even in.

Footsteps echo through the stone walls and I freeze in sudden fear. There seems to be more than one person approaching and I certainly don't want to have to square off against multiple dark wizards. Three figures stumble into the range my light and I lower my wand slightly in recognition. The boy on the right is burly and square jawed, the one on the left is enormous and beefy. Behind them a slight figure with white hair cowers, his face covered and blood dripping from his hands.

"Draco?" I choke, actually shoving Goyle and Crabbe to the side to reach him. "What happened?"

He grabs my wand from me and whispers "Nox." I blink in the inky darkness, trying to ignore the spirals of light that are flashing across my line of vision from the sudden change. I feel arms encircling me and Draco tugs me along the hall, with the heavy footfalls of Crabbe and Goyle echoing a few feet ahead of us. "I didn't run." He whispers hoarsely into my ear. "Are you proud of me now? Is anyone proud of me? I deserve this!" He laughs almost manically, and I try to push him off of me.

"Are you all right? You haven't been- been drinking, have you?" I say in a hushed voice as we rush through the cold halls. Draco seems to know where we're headed... though I'm not sure if I should trust his judgment.

"No! Of course not- I only drink when it gets really bad." He snaps, jerking me around a corner.

"Well that's reassuring." I pant, as we screech to a stop in the middle of a seemingly empty corridor.

Draco ignores me, but from the soft sound of footsteps I can tell that he's pacing. "I need the Room of Hidden Objects where I can find Potter's secrets and access the Vanishing Cabinet... I need the Room of Hidden Objects where I can find Potter's secrets and access the Vanishing Cabinet..." He mutters, and I realize that we must be outside of the now vacated Room of Requirement.

Draco makes a noise of happiness, and then slams me against the wall. "Sorry... didn't mean to be so rough. Stay here- don't you dare even think of leaving! I'll be right back for you... We'll get Potter back to the Dark Lord, then you and I can go anywhere you want. Anywhere in the world! If you want to get married in France, then I'll take you there tonight- we can get a hotel by that funny Muggle thing that everyone thinks is so romantic." He mumbles, forcing me down to the floor. "Everyone will be so proud. I didn't run... they'll never be able to forget that." He releases his grip on me, and I promptly spring back up to my feet, frowning at him in the dark.