wildflowers // dramione

Chapter 4

Inside the mansion, Bellatrix held Harry's head up by his hair. He was on his knees, in front of Draco.

"Well?" Bellatrix asked.

Draco's heart raced and his throat swelled. He knew it was Potter, and he so easily could have said it was.

"I can't be sure," he said.

"Draco," his father hissed.

Lucius walked to Draco, placing a firm hand on his neck.

"Look closely son," he whispered. "If we're the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiven. All will be as it was."

Draco shivered, then nodded. He looked back at Harry's swollen face. Before he could say more, Scabior interrupted.

"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy," he said, walking towards Lucius.

"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house!" Lucius yelled.

"Lucius," Narcissa whispered. She pulled her husband away from their son.

"Don't be shy, Sweetie. Come over," Bellatrix told Draco, who slowly moved closer to his aunt and Potter.

"Now," Bellatrix continued. "If this isn't who we think it is, and we call him.. he'll kill us all. We need to be absolutely sure."

"What's wrong with his face?" Draco deflected.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix repeated, now asking the snatchers.

"He came to us like that. Something he picked up in the forest I reckon," a snatcher answered.

"Interesting. So you did it?" Bellatrix said, turning to Hermione. "Give me her wand. Let's see what her last spell was."

Bellatrix walked towards Hermione and Ron, who both had looks of terror across their faces. Narcissa tapped Draco's shoulder. He joined his parents in a corner of the room.

"Ha! Got you!" Bellatrix laughed at Ron and Hermione.

Her cackle grew but was cut short by her sight of an object in one of the snatcher's hands. She stiffened her body, a horrified look grew on her pale face. She gasped.

"What is that?" she accusingly asked. "Where'd you get that from?"

"It was in her bag when we searched her, reckon it's mine now," the snatcher replied.

Bellatrix fired a silent spell at him, sending him flying across the room. She sent more curses at the other two snatchers, causing black ropes to wrap around their throats.

"Get out! Get out!" she screeched.

The snatchers ran out of the room, tugging at the ropes around their necks.

"Put the boys in the cellar!" Bellatrix demanded, grabbing Ron's collar.

She tossed him in the direction of Narcissa, who then handed Harry and Ron to Peter Pettigrew. He took the boys down into the mansion's cellar, which had become a dungeon for Voldemort's prisoners.

"I'm going to have a conversation with this one. Girl to girl," Bellatrix spat at Hermione.

Bellatrix slammed Hermione to the ground with one flick of her wand. Hermione groaned. Bellatrix pinned Hermione down with her body, crouching atop her ribs and stomach.

"That sword is supposed to be in my vault at Gringotts! How did you get it?" Bellatrix hissed, close to Hermione's face.

Hermione let out sobs. Draco winced the same way he did when he heard the sounds his father made when he was being abused by the Dark Lord.