The secrets we keep

Chapter three

Quick trigger warning this chapter may include/mentions past abuse. This is Draco centred. Flashbacks and dreams are in italics. 

Draco stood leaning heavily against his cane in the doorway as the golden trio just gawked at him. He let out a shaky breath. "S-So can I s-sit with you p-please?" Draco asked stuttering heavily. Harry quickly came back to his senses and replied. "Uh yeah go ahead Malfoy." Draco flinched at the use of his last name but didn't say anything. He slowly walked into the compartment and took a seat wincing as he did. His damaged knee was throbbing with pain.

Ron whispered under his breath. "Bloody hell what happened to him?" At that, Hermione elbowed him in the side. "Hey!" Ron cried, rubbing his side. Draco sat the in silence, his cane grasped in his hands and his eyes were cast to the floor. "You alright Malfoy?" Harry asked, trying to make conversation. Draco flinched again at the use of his last name. "Draco." He said softly. "P-Please call me D-Draco. I-I don't w-want to d-deal with m-my family's p-poor reputation a-anymore..."

Hermione took the chance to repeat the question as silence fell over them again. "So Draco are you alright?" She asked. Draco cautiously lifted his gaze from the ground and looked at Hermione, though he didn't meet her eyes. "I-I'm as ok as I c-can be in my c-current state." He said shakily. Harry looked like was going to say something but Ron beat him to it. "You look like you're in pain Mal-Draco." Draco just nodded and didn't say anything in response. They all sat in an awkward silence for about ten minuets, the trio looking at Draco in varying amounts of concern when Draco suddenly spoke up.

"I-I'm sorry." He said shakily. All three of them turned to looked at him. "What?" Harry asked smartly. "I-I'm sorry for e-everything I did t-to you three. I-I just wanted t-to please my f-father... and I-I couldn't e-even do that." He continued. "You d-don't have t-to accept it, I-I just wanted to let y-you know." As soon as he finished talking his gaze fell back to the floor. "It's alright Draco. We know you didn't have a choice. We accept your apology." Hermione said smiling sympathetically at him. Surprised, Draco looked at Hermione, shock clear on his face.

"Thank you." Draco whispered ever so softly. Hermione nodded at Draco in acknowledgement. Draco let himself relax once he knew that the trio weren't going to hex him. He leaned back and allowed himself to fall asleep...Into the world of nightmares.

Draco let out an ear piercing scream as the group of deatheaters laughed as he writhed on the ground as waves of pain flooded over him. "That's it little Malfoy! Scream! Scream! I want to hear you scream in agony as you beg for death!" One of them cried laughing manically. Another wave of the cruciatus curse struck Draco's body and another shrill, painful scream ripped from his mouth. And then suddenly one of the death eaters brought a metal bat down on Draco's knee, audibly shattering it, coating the bat with blood. The deatheater grinned in satisfaction and brought the bat down on Draco's knee and leg over and over again. Mangling it beyond repair and the scream that followed was the most horrifyingly delightful scream they had heard.

"Draco!...Draco! Wake up!"