Memory Of A Dear Place

21. Blood

TW: sexual scenes
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April, 1996

~\~ Draco Malfoy ~\~

I wait until I hear my parents leave and then quickly open up Bella's cell again. She's looking up at me as I enter. I can't read her face. I slowly walk up to her, not wanting to scare her. 

''Bella...'' 

''I'm so sorry...'' I whisper as I crouch onto her level. Bella stays silent. 

I reach out with my hands to pick her up and she startles and gasps by my movement. What the fuck did they do to her?!

''Bella don't be scared please... I would never hurt you...'' I beg her trying again to pick her up again. 

This time she lets me pick her up, she's to weak to fight it. I always knew I could carry her easily, but at this point she just felt weightless. 

As I walk out the cell, back up to the house she rests her head on my chest. She must be so exhausted...

I take her up to the bathroom and place her on a chair, because she's to weak to stand by herself. I turn on the faucet nice and hot to run a bath and fill it with soap. 

''Bella I'm going to take off your shirt now alright? I'm giving you a nice bath...'' I tell her to not scare her again as I proceed to take her shirt off. 

She tries to raise her arms with all the energy she has left to help me get it off her. I manage to take off her underwear as well. 

I see her ribs poking through her skin. There's bruises, cuts and scars everywhere. She's covered in dust en filth. It's unbelievable. It takes all of my strength to keep myself together for her. 

All I want to do right now is to place a bottle of alcohol against my lips and get myself so drunk that I don't feel anything anymore. The guilt is growing on me. 

But I have to stay strong right now...

I pick her up and place her in the running bath. Then I take off my blazer and roll up the sleeves of my button up shirt and place the chair next to the bath to sit on it. 

All Bella does is stare in front of her. 

I grab a cloth and coat it with soap as I start to carefully wash her body as the water slowly turns dirtier and dirtier. I pick up her tiny hands do remove the dirt underneath her finger nails. I then pick up her feet and slowly massage them with my hands. 

''What did they do to you...'' I whisper to myself looking at her dull eyes. 

I don't know what Bella is thinking right now. For all I know she thinks that I had something to do with this shit show. That I helped in kidnapping her. I can't bare the thought... 

I put a bunch of shampoo on my hand and start to thoroughly wash her long wet hair, which releases only more dirt. 

I empty the bathtub and rinse her one last time with the shower head. Then I proceed to carry her out again and dry her off with a towel. 

''D- draco...'' I hear her whisper.

My eyes widen.