Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 78

I watch in anguish. Draco looks fretfully at me and turns to his father. 'Not here.'

'Yes, here. Here and nowhere else - show her.' Lucius spits.

'No.' A hand flies out and hits Draco sharply across the face - I gasp and try to reach out towards him, as his face washes over with a look of fear and hatred. 'Do it!'

Draco looks at me, lying on the floor, then looks around the dungeon slowly. I turn around, startled to see faces looming in the darkness, one of which is the face of Luna Lovegood. 'Luna?' I whisper into the darkness, before being forcefully tapped on the shoulder. 'You'll have plenty of time to catch up later.' Lucius sneers.

Reluctantly, I turn my attention to Draco, who glances at me, swallows, and rolls up his sleeve, to reveal his pale flesh, and the dark, dark incision on his inner arm, a Dark Mark. Internally, I give a long, loud wail, but on the outside, I show nothing. Slowly, Draco presses down on the marking, and winces slightly as the snake begins to move and slither around. He looks down at me, pained, but I do nothing. 'Good. Leave her.' The Malfoys hurriedly turn and walk away.

'Luna?' I call, as soon as they are gone.

'Alyssia, it is you! What are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same thing. '

'They took me from my home, because they didn't like what dad was writing about Harry in "The Quibbler". They will not hand me back over.'

'That's terrible. Your eye . . . is that not sore?'

'It is, but there is nothing to be done about it.' Luna's eye is swollen to twice it's usual size, and is black in bruising. 'Now, why are you here?'

'I got caught by the Ministry whilst on the run.' I reply, looking around at the other jail memebers, Ollivander and a goblin. Unable to be sure I can trust either of them, I approach Luna and hug her. 'We'll finish that discussion later.'

Loud footsteps can be heard from above. 'I hate you!' I hear Draco shouting, sounding utterly furious.

'Is it like this all the time?' I turn, asking everyone in the dungeon.

'Oh, yes.' Ollivander replies in a low and quiet voice, looking up at the ceiling. 'Someone is always coming and going in Malfoy Manor, it's the headquarters for the Death Eaters. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named visits frequently, along with his closest companions. They meet every now and then for various reasons.'

'Draco, calm down, please. He'll be here any minute, if we could save this until later -'

'No, mother. How dare you make me do such a thing in front of her! How dare you make me look at her!'

'How are you still behaving like this even when she is in league with the Potter boy?! She's an enemy and a traitor.'

'She can't stay here, I can't see her like this. Take her to Azkaban or something, just get rid of her.' A silence. 'You thought I'd gotten over her? You both make me fucking sick.'

A loud boom sounds from outside, and Lucius whispers, 'He's here.' I hear one set of footsteps run to the staircase and bolt up it, the other two in the direction of the hall.

'Lucius.' A voice sends chills down my spine, and I scramble away from the front of the cellar. It's him. 'My Lord, we have a significant capture.'

'Yes, I heard so from Yaxley. Come, where is she?'

'Downstairs, My Lord.'

'Narcissa, would you be so kind as to fetch Draco for me?' Footsteps rush up the stairs and along an upper corridor, whilst another set makes its way towards us. I hurry to the very back of the dungeon, whilst everyone else also snakes into darkness. My hands trembling, I press myself up against the wall as close to it as I can, clinging on, as the dungeon door flies open, and Lucius steps into the darkness, and begins to look around, his eyes resting on me. He starts towards me, and grabs me by the collar, pulling me from the wall.

Voldemort sneers as I am brought forward and pushed onto my knees, and Narcissa and Draco join at Lucius's shoulder. I wish I could stop seeing him. 'Has her memory been restored, to that day I last encountered her?'
'N-no, my Lord.'
'That must be done, immediately. I'll do it myself.'

Voldemort points his wand at my head. I glance up at Draco and prepare myself for the worst. But all that happens is a small, dim light floats towards my head, and enters my skull. Suddenly, I see images of myself, floating, sobbing, and Draco beneath me, as I am racked with pain. I allow myself no show of emotions, not a single feeling of despair passes over my eyes, as the red orbs gaze into mine.

'Do you see it?'

'Yes, I do. I thank you for restoring me of my ignorance.' I reply, monotonously. Voldemort sneers and turns to Draco.

'She's a feisty one, isn't she?'

'Sh-she certainly is ... my-my Lord.' His voice trembles as he mutters the words.

Quickly, before I so much as have time to think, I have been swept lightly from my feet, and am floating alongside the Dark Lord silently.

'You must understand, Miss Dolittle,' he begins, softly, 'that the last thing I want to do is kill you. No, you're far too valuable to me for that. However, I need something from you -'

'If that is information on the whereabouts of Harry, then I cannot help you. If I could, I wouldn't.' I spit.

'You're lying.'

'Try me.'

'My Lord, I believe her honest. Yaxley said he grabbed her during an apparation that she was not leading. The boy could be anywhere.' Narcissa reasons, tensely.

Voldemort gives me a long look and I feel his gaze reach beyond my irises, and search the corners of my mind for an answer. He smirks.

'She will be of great use to me.

'Draco,' Voldemort beckons and Draco steps forwards. 'I have a job for you. I want you to make her suffer for all she has done against us.'

Draco looks up sharply, and turns instantly pale. His bottom lip quivers as he looks towards his parents and back at Voldemort. 'Do it.'

I am dropped to the floor, glaring up at Draco in fury and dislike. He aims his wand, and mutters the words, clearly. The spell is cast. My body is wracked with pains of hot pokers, the piercing of flesh via needles, and the dipping of the body into fire, until I can hardly bear it. I attempt to stifle my screams, unsuccessfully and wait for the next load. Again. And again. Stopped.

Draco isn't looking. In fact, he is walking away slowly, without looking back. I collapse into a heap on the floor, panting, and wishing that I could have held on to my friends just a little bit tighter.