Childhood Fancies

Epilogue I

Epilogue:

Screams clawed at the long withstanding walls of Malfoy Manor. The very echoes of terror as it rippled through the revere that was typical in the old home. Now it was splintered with the sounds of war. Torture at the hands of a deranged witch with storm blown curls of darkness and madness, greyed from age, but none the less deadly.

A blade in her hand stuck into perfect creamy flesh, marking it forever with her evil.

It matched the dark ink of binding inside Draco's forearm. Done under the same hand as Hermione was under now.

Her dirty trainers kicked as she screamed. The motion moved his aunt back and forth, losing her focus on the task. She snarled. Her nails dug into Hermione's length and smashed her head against the floor.

A flick of her wand forever quieted the witch as Bellatrix continued her work.

Mudblood.

The sounds that echoed around them now were the rattling of iron bar doors from their basement. Weasel's voice frantically crying out for Hermione. Her name repeated, over and over, for Draco to hear. The sound of another wizard screaming her name was agony. It clenched the quivering of his heart that near falter at the sight of her near death.

All at once, he knew what it felt to be in her shoes that day in the Hogwarts loo. To watch blood seep from her flesh onto the floor, to be forced to be helpless to stop it as her body endured so much pain at the hands of another.

His heart throbbed in want. The want to go to her and make it better, as she had done for him.

If it was to be the last moment of her life, he wanted to be there comforting her.

Bellatrix offered up Hermione as a toy for the werewolves. The largest, gnarliest looking beast stood in the corner, with claws and sharp teeth. Savage in his love of blood. He'd tear Hermione's soft parts to bits, leaving only her bones to endure what would happen in the pack.

Draco stepped away from his position. His father's hand on his shoulder the only thing that withheld him.

"Son. Think of your life," he whispered low enough for only them to hear.

Bellatrix stepped away from Hermione's body. The frozen gaze from the floor caught hold of Draco in direct sight. He swallowed down the rising sick in his throat. A hoping attempt to show just how much he was not apart of what happened within his family home.

"You think I want to live after seeing all this?" Draco shrugged from his touch. "I can only hope I'm slain to save myself the nightmares of this night."

They were caught off guard when Harry Potter and Ron Weasley emerged from their cells. Wands were in their hands. A stunning spell caught Lucius in the chest. It blew him backward against the wall.

The surge of air as his father flew away caught in Draco's throat. It was relief it was not him, farther away from Hermione.

He whipped around, intent to go toward her, when Ron sent a spell his way. Draco narrowly blocked it. The wand produced from his pocket as his weapon against their onslaught.

Sense was lost. Harry dueled with Narcissa while Draco was caught dueling against Ron. He did not fight to win. He fought to ensure that he was not rendered unable to aid in their escape.

Should Hermione remain and they go, the fate that awaited was not pleasant.

He glanced down at the floor. Hermione's body was no longer there. His eyes jumped around. Where could she have gone?