In The Dungeon

Chapter 5

*Hermione POV*

I was woken up by the sound of the cell door being slung open. I saw two Death Eaters standing in the door way and Lucius was in front of them. He stared at me making me nervous. I didn't know what was going on, nothing was really wanting to stay in focus for me. My head was still hurting, and I could feel the occasional twinge in my muscles.

He stood there until he motioned for the other two to come forward. Luckily, I had hid my wand before I fell asleep last and it was not on my person. I was too weak to do much anyway. I couldn't fight them off, so I was quickly lifted and pulled into the hallway. I was drugged up the stairs and back into that dreaded room that I hated.

I looked around to see who all was in there and my eyes froze on the body lying on the ground. Their face was turned away from me, but I could easily make out who it was just by their hair. Draco had somehow been discovered and I was petrified. This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to be getting out of here. He and his mother were working on a plan.

Merlin why am I so helpless! Why did I have to be captured? Why couldn't they have just left me alone. I bet Harry or Ron or even Ginny would have already been out of here. They aren't weak, they wouldn't have been caught unawares. I shook my head. I would let my mind wander to that later, now wasn't the moment to think about that.  

"As you can see Ms. Granger, my son here isn't in the best of shape. Would you like me to explain why? Or would you like to explain it?" Lucius said once his followers had thrown me onto the ground. I just looked up at him and saw him smirk. I bet he could see my fear. I have hidden it for a while, but I am just so tired of trying. Let him see my fear, just because he sees my fear doesn't mean he has seen me broken yet. I will not give him that satisfaction, at least I hope I won't.

"You know it is rude not to answer your host. Surely pathetic Mud-bloods have manners, or are all of you act like the filth you truly are?" Lucius said with a kick at my ribs. I let out a small groan against my will. "So, filth, I am going to inform you on why we brought you out. You see, Draco here was discovered on the way out from the dungeons. So, I had some people check each cell for a reason that he would be down there, then they came across you. At first, I didn't think that he was helping you, but the evidence was there. The food and clothes that he had just left were there. We took them of course, filth like you don't deserve it. Especially since you have somehow charmed my son into doing things for you, to help you, to befriend you. It makes me sick."

He spat at me and I felt numb. I didn't want to feel numb, if I felt numb then I wouldn't be able to do anything to help myself or Draco. I didn't have much more time to think before he continued speaking.

"But then we brought Draco up here to ask a few questions. Of course, he decided to tight lipped about things and I had to remedy that. I know he is my son Ms. Granger, but you see everything is fair in love and war and that includes family. Just look at the spasms he must endure because he would tell us anything. So, we had to force our way into his mind. I will say I am impressed, Severus has taught him well, but I know how to make a person weak. We learned the truth then. We learned that he cared for you, that you were friends. My own son a friend with a Mud-blood." As he continued speaking he kept getting louder and louder until he was screaming in anger. He turned toward Draco and pointed his wand at him. He didn't say a curse, and I watched for a second before Draco started thrashing around. I could see him grit his teeth to not let the screams out. For a second I couldn't help but be envious that he could hide the screams from the Cruciatus curse but then reality jumped back to the forefront of my mind. 

"Leave him alone. It's me you want, Draco just had a lapse in judgement. Who would want to help me, I'm nothing compared to the rest of the Wizarding World. I'm just a mud-blood. Even my own friends haven't come for me, so what does that say about me?" I said, my voice hoarse from the lack of use and the lack of water. 

Lucius spun like snake to face me and I couldn't read his face. I didn't know why I had said what I said but sadly I could tell that is how I really felt right now. My friends haven't come for me, I wonder if they have even tried to. Before I knew it, I could feel multiple cuts along my back and I screamed because one curse just wasn't enough. 

"How dare you speak to me filth? You may have spoken the truth, but I won't have the likes of you speaking to me unless I ask you a question are we clear?" and before I could even answer I was screaming again. 

"If you want to curse someone curse me, just leave her alone. She didn't do anything." Draco coughed out and I worried at the little trail of blood running down the side of his face. I couldn't make out many details with things being fuzzy and I couldn't see where the blood was coming from. If he wasn't coughing blood, we were okay.

"Exactly Draco! You are finally starting to learn. People who don't do anything are disposable. Don't worry about her Draco, you should worry about yourself. Goyle, hold him down left arm out." 

~DH~

*Draco POV*

When I woke up I was in the Drawing room lying on the floor. I tried to lie as still as possible, so I could get some of my bearings back. I took a deep breath as if I was asleep and thought quickly. I had been discovered, how could I have been so reckless to have been caught? I made sure no one was around when I went in. Did I not check clearly? I couldn't think too much about that because as we have been caught now I have no plan for us to get out of here. Unless my mother pulls through then Hermione and I are done for if we weren't already. I had to focus, I couldn't let anything out. I had too much to give away. I have been hiding so much for years that if it got out everything would be hell.  

"Are you done pretending or should we come back?" I heard Lucius speak and I knew the gig was up. I opened my eyes and looked straight at him. "Aw, I was hoping we would have to do it the hard way, but you know I still feel that way. Crucio." 

I gritted my teeth and could feel them grind together. I wouldn't allow him to hear my screams again. I took a deep breath once he ended the curse. He had said the unforgivable so causally that it makes wonder if the unforgivable curses were addictive. Lucius has used them so much, the Cruciatus curse in particular, that he can say them without the feelings needed to say them. Unless, he really is just that cold of heart now. 

I watched as they dragged Hermione into the room and watched, too weak to do anything, as they cursed her. I couldn't even speak when she spoke bad about herself. She knew her friends were worried, I told her that a few weeks ago. I understood how she could think like that though. I wondered if my loving father ended me here if anyone would even care. The thing is the people who could even help me are stuck here with me. I have no friends, but I didn't know if this was truly my thought or if my house and father was finally making me crazy as well. 

I tried to get him to stop cursing Hermione and it surprisingly worked, but then he told Goyle Sr to hold me down. I didn't know what he now had planned for me. He walked over to me and I saw him pull out a blade and I couldn't stop my eyes from widening. I remembered that blade and from Hermione's gasp she did too. 

Lucius smirked as he spoke, "I see you both remember this, hm? Today is your lucky day filth, you won't have to feel it. For you Son, today isn't your lucky day. Today you get to feel how it is to be a blood traitor." 

I tried to jerk my arm away. I tried to kick and buck, but I couldn't move. I was so weak and Goyle Sr had meaty hands that were relentless. Unlike with the curse, this time I couldn't hold back the screams. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I will say, I feel like this chapter is slightly darker compared to the others I have wrote so far. Let me know what you think. 

Poor Hermione and Draco, are they ever going to get out? Wait for the next part to find out. 

Comment Replies from Last Chapter:

ruby123_1: Sadly you were right. However, the story isn't over. . . yet. ;) 

affi324: Hope this filled your need to know what happens! Hope you enjoyed this update!