Draco Malfoy, Broken

Chapter 5 - Seeking the Truth

"You should have seen him, Hermione," Harry said, taking a deep drink of firewhiskey. "He was... shit. There aren't words. He was so scared... and he was afraid... of me. Me, Hermione. He'd start shaking every time I even mentioned the dementors, then he'd just faded out... lost in whatever they were forcing him to relive. Someone put a dementor right outside his door."

"That's... not right. He's only a medium security prisoner. The dementors only are put on surveillance over the worst criminals... murderers and torturers. The ones with the knowledge and ability to escape," she said, holding Harry's hand supportively.

"I think it might be that guard Vance... you know Emmeline Vance's brother. He's tormenting him. Malfoy said that his voice had been gone for over a week. He just took it. Malfoy said he did it in honor of my birthday!"

"That's illegal, though!" she gasped.

"I don't think Vance cares. Malfoy had a cut on his head, too. And the verbal abuse. Vance said Malfoy tried to kill himself."

Hermione clamped her hand on her mouth. "Really?"

"Stopped eating. He's not going to last. He's spent and there's nothing left in him to fight back. He was just dead inside and all he would say is that he deserved to be in there."

"He said that?"

"He plead guilty Hermione. He hasn't forgiven himself. Even with all the bullshit at the prison, he doesn't want my help to get out," Harry said, putting his head in his hands.

"Well... maybe you should respect his wishes. He wants to atone for what he's done."

"He wants to die. He's traumatized and on the edge. I won't let him jump off."

"Okay... what are we going to do? Did you get anything out of him?"

"No... not really. Voldemort sure tortured him though. And he didn't want to talk about what happened during the Battle of Hogwarts... after we saved him and Goyle."

"You think there's something there?"

"I have a feeling. He shut down after that. But someone has to know something. I should've gone to see Malfoy's mum first. But I just don't know about her. Anything she says will immediately be discredited."

"Alright, how about this: there were other people at the Battle. You could ask those who were there."

Harry smiled. "You're right... it's a start. But what? Track them down one by one?"

"Or... ask Professor McGonagall to call a dinner party where she will invite our year back to Hogwarts."

"Brilliant Hermione! I'll owl her right, now!" Harry said, scribbling down a note, and went to his new owl, Adalynn. Soon the black owl swooshed out the window toward its target.

"Alright... should hear back from her soon... what else can I do?"

"Go tell Narcissa that you saw her son. She'd want to know."

"You think so? She might go charging into Azkaban."

"At least tell her he misses her and that you are still trying to release him. She goes to the Ministry every day."

"Okay... okay. It's just... I'm actually afraid of what she's going to tell me."

"Malfoy's already convicted, it can't be any worse."

"No, I mean... I'm already torn up about him being there, now. What if there's more? It took all of my self-control not to bust him out right then and there."