Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/9579869. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage Category: F/M Fandom: Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling Relationship: Hermione_Granger/Draco_Malfoy Character: Draco_Malfoy, Hermione_Granger, Narcissa_Black_Malfoy, Bellatrix_Black Lestrange, Lucius_Malfoy, Harry_Potter, Ron_Weasley Additional Tags: dramione_-_Freeform, Eventual_Hermione_Granger/Draco_Malfoy, AU, Alternate_Universe, Book_7:_Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows, Deathly Hallows_AU Stats: Published: 2017-02-05 Words: 2318 ****** The Manor's Dungeon. ****** by TheLadyClegane Summary Hermione has been captured, and now has to spend some time as Draco's guest at Malfoy's Manor... AU, Rated R for later chapters. Hermione woke up with a sharp pain in her left forearm. She blinked a few times, trying to see in the deep dark. The floor was damp and cold, rough to the touch, and not a single sound broke the unnerving silence. It took a few seconds for her to remind where she was. Memories rushed to her mind, and for a second she wanted to scream. The manor. She was still at the manor. She jumped to her feet, and began to walk around, trying to find a way out. Instinct made her look for her wand, but found her pocket empty. The memory of Bellatrix smiling face when the snatcher gave her Hermione's wand hurt, but not as much as her forearm. Her fingers moved almost unconsciously, and felt something sticky and wet in her skin. She moved her fingers closer to her face, and felt the unmistakable metallic smell of blood fill her nostrils. Mudblood. Had the snatchers managed to catch Ron and Harry? She was almost certain she was alone, but why would the Death Eaters put them in the same room? If they found out they were after the horcruxes... She took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself. If they knew, she would be dead by now, wouldn't she? Why keep her alive? Besides, they weren't even sure she was Hermione. For all she knew, they could be keeping her here only to ramson her. Penelope Clearwater's parents would be very surprised indeed when the snatchers approached them to ramson her daughter, specially if the real Penelope was right next to them at the time. She pulled her handkerchief from her pocket, and tied it around her forearm. She flinched a little from the pain, and proceeded to tightening the knot. If they had somehow managed to get Harry and Ron, would Bellatrix torture them as she had tortured her? And if not, would they try and come rescue her? At least Harry wouldn't be alone. He had Ron once more, and they moved swiftly they could track the rest of the horcruxes and for once make Voldemort mortal, and end this war. She just hoped she was still alive by then, and not among the list of the war's victims. A sudden loud noise made her jump. Clear light found his way inside the room, and she could hear voices approaching. "Come with me, little liar" said Bellatrix' voice, followed by a sharp whistle that could only be a wand. Hermione felt hard ropes binding her hands behind her back, as an invisible force pulled her forward, and dropped her on her knees before Bellatrix Lestrange. "Well, Draco?" asked Bellatrix in a sweetly, caressing Hermione's hair. Her voice made a shiver run up her spine. Hermione tried to say something, only to find herself under a silent spell. "Is she? Is this one of Potter's sidekicks?" Hermione felt panic creeping up her throat, as one of Bellatrix' pale hands grabbed her by the jaw harshly. She had Bellatrix' wand a few inches from her nose, blinding her, and from the heat Hermione knew she wasn't using a common lumos to light her face. "I cannot see properly" said Malfoy's voice, somewhere next to Bellatrix. "Oh, for Merlin's sake, Bella" said an unknown voice. Suddenly, the room illuminated with the yellow light of torches. Hermione blinked a few times, trying to adapt to the light. "Why does everything have to be so dramatic with you?" A blond woman Hermione recognized as Narcissa Malfoy was behind Bellatrix, wand in hand. "Cissy, dear, I've never once met a situation where a little fear wouldn't be of help." "A little fear? The child is terrified. And Draco won't be of help if he mistakes the girl from someone else." Hermione's eyes wandered until she found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. She felt his hard grey eyes upon herself, and Hermione held her breath. She should have known something like this would happen. There was no way Draco Malfoy wouldn't recognize her. "Not this time, I sure there has been no mistake" said Bellatrix, playing with Hermione's curls. Hermione felt her skin crawl. Malfoy's eyes wandered on her face, without giving out a hint of recognition. He looked somewhat thinner, older, but aside from that he looked exactly as hermione remembered him. "We've been wrong before." "This time I'm sure we have her" said Bellatrix with a sly smile "She is the right age, she has the hair, and the eyes... Last one was a long shot. The redhead's eyes were the wrong color..." "Is not her" said Malfoy in a low voice, so suddenly that Hermione jumped, startled. "What did you said?" asked Bellatrix, incredulous. Malfoy met his aunt's eyes, and repeated slowly "I said is not her. Your snatchers got the wrong girl, again." "Are you sure, Draco?" asked once more Bellatrix, pulling Hermione's hair so she would raise her face. Hermione felt the same invisible force holding her up in the air, until her eyes were of height with Malfoy's "Take a good look. Isn't this the mudblood? Are you completely sure?" he shook his head again. "Where did your snatchers find her?" "The Forest of Dean" "That's not where her family lives." "Of course is not where the muggles live. They weren't home, remember? The little bitch managed to hide them before we fund her little house." Hermione felt as if a stone was lifted from her heart. They did not know where her parents where, and even if she died tonight, her parents would be safe from the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange. "What did she said she was called?" asked Malfoy, looking at his mother. "Penelope Clearwater" "She's on our registry. A halfblood" added Bellatrix. "And yet you gave her one of your famous tattoos, aunt" said Malfoy. "Yes, I remember Clearwater. A Ravenclaw, a couple of years older than me" said Malfoy, straightening "Well, this isn't Granger, but she is not Clearwater either." Silence followed. "Draco, are you sure?" asked his mother in a low voice. "An unregistered!" said Bellatrix, clapping. "Shall we send her to the ministry?" said Malfoy, pulling his wand from his robes. Bellatrix laughed. "Draco... could you think less like a Malfoy and more like a Black?" Malfoy seemed to be taken aback. "What do you mean?" "I say we are keeping the plaything. I grow very bored locked up in your Father's manor." "Then why are you still here, Bella?" asked Malfoy's mother, softly. Bellatrix gave her a hard look. "I do as the Dark Lord commands, sister" she replayed with a poisonous smile. "You'll do well to remember his orders. Do not disappoint me, Cissy, two treacherous sisters is more than my heart could take." "Do not threaten her" mumbled Malfoy. Bellatrix turned and gave him a strange look. "You both well remember who you are talking with. I keeping the little liar." "My father said he did not want more prisoners in the manor" threw Malfoy back. "Draco, dear, I could not care less about what your pathetic father has to say" Hermione saw Malfoy's knuckles go white, so hard he was holding his wand, until his mother's finger locked around his wrist. He put the wand away. "That's better. At least you still listen to your mother." Hermione fell to the floor hard. Bellatrix smiled again at her. "We will see each other soon, little mudblood." The woman began to climb the dungeon's steps, and Hermione glimpsed the warning look Malfoy's mother gave to her son, before she ran after Bellatrix. Somehow Hermione managed to lift herself from the cold floor, back to her knees. She was now alone with Malfoy, which did not feel any safer. Malfoy was pale with anger, his fist shaking. "I see we were both branded by war, Granger" said Malfoy with a low voice. "What did you call me?" asked Hermione, without realizing for a second she had her voice back. "You didn't really believe I did not know it was actually you" he raised an eyebrow "You are supposed to be smart, for mudblood." Hermione ignored the insult. "Then why you did it?" she asked, as defiantly as she could managed being on her knees. Malfoy simply stared down at her, and shrugged. "I've been mad with my aunt of late. Maybe I just wanted to annoy her." He waved his wand, and Hermione's boundaries disappeared. She grimaced and rubbed her wrists. "Still, my aunt can be very dangerous when angered. So, keep your name to yourself. " "Why would I risk myself by doing something that stupid?" Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Just don't do it" he snapped. "What did Bellatrix meant, when she said 'this time' there was no mistake?" "What do you think, mudblood? The death eaters have been tracking the three of you. Obviously, they have never achieved anything. Mother thought you could have left the country, but I knew otherwise. The Choosen One would never run, and you puppies would follow him anywhere. Well, at least you had the sense not to show up at King's Cross." "Why? Were you spying for Voldemort there?" Malfoy flinched at the name. "Spying?" he asked, raising an eyebrow "Merlin, you really have been living under a rock this months. There were dementors looking for the three of you at King's Cross." Hermione froze, and Malfoy chuckled. "There is a thought to keep yourself busy for a while." He made a round motion with his wand, and the fire of the torches began to die. "Wait!" called Hermione, watching Draco climb the stony stairs. He stopped, and turned to face her. "What?" he asked, and Hermione felt herself reddening, part angry and part shamed. "Could you please leave me a torch?" she asked, in a low voice. "Are you scared of the dark, Granger?" he asked, softly. He laughed, and Hermione felt anger creeping up her throat. Malfoy smiled at her, and with a flick of his wand guttered all the fires, but one "It's ok, I would be scared too. I guess it's not nice, being trapped by your enemies." "Leave me be, Malfoy" she threw, against the best of her senses. Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think you should be thanking me? If it wasn't for me, you could be in the Dark Lord's hand by now." "Then why don't you do it?" she yelled at him "Tell them, turn me in!" "Shut up, Granger!" he threw back, looking behind his back. "Do you want my aunt to come back here?" "I don't care" "Well, you should" snapped Draco at her "If the Dark Lord gets hold of you, he would use you to get to Potter. And what do you think Potter would do, if he hears you are to be burned at the stake or some crazy shit like that? Either he gets himself and Weasel captured, or killed. And no matter the scenario, you die." "Fuck off, Malfoy!" "How long do you really think they will last, without you leading their way? Because, lets be honest, the only way I can imagine you all have avoided the snatchers is because of you." Despite herself, Hermione felt hot tears rolling on her cheeks. "I always thought you were only an asshole" she said "But since Dumbledore, I realized you were truly a bastard." "And still, this bastard didn't turn you in to Bellatrix Lestrange." He turned his back to her and left her alone, slamming the hatch behind him. =============================================================================== Draco left the dungeons feeling his anger quenched a little. Yelling at the mudblood had helped him get off if only a little, calming his desires to crucio Bellatrix. The woman had always creeped him, being so different from his mother. When she came back from Azkaban, she had given him a training of sorts in the dark arts, to Narcissa's displeasure. Draco had liked it. But ever since he and his father had failed the Dark Lord, her attitude towards Draco and his family had taken a big turn. And now she dares to threaten even mother, thought Draco, anger filling him again. Maybe he should have left her have the little mudblood. Had he made a mistake? Perhaps that would convince Bellatrix that the Malfoy's faith was still on the Dark Lord. Well, it didn't matter now. He crossed the drawing room, and walked down the hall that led to his chambers. He had just passed under the judgmental gaze of his grandfather's portrait when he heard a voice calling him. "Draco" called his mother in a low voice, and Draco stopped. His mother was waiting for him, holding the door of her chambers open. Draco rolled his eyes, and entered his mother's room. "What is it, mother?" he asked, Narcissa closed the door with a wave of her wand. "Not yet" she mumbled a couple spells towards her door, before turning to face his son. "What ate you playing at, Draco?" she whispered, holding his wrist. "What do you mean?" "Don't pretend you don't know what I am talking about. That was the mudblood. I remember her." Draco shook his mother's fingers off his wrist. "How could you know? You've never met her." "We saw her, at the Diagon Alley." "You saw her once. I've suffered her for six years, mother. Don't you think I would know if it was truly her?" He saw doubt crossing his mother's face. "Just be careful, Draco. Bellatrix might be my sister, but she would never doubt turning us to the Dark Lord if she happens to believe us traitors." "I know that. I heard her threat. Now, if that was it..." "Draco, please!" called his mother "Promise me you are not doing something stupid, over a mudblood." "Of course I'm not, mother. Why would I?" Why would he, indeed? Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!