Liberty - A Harry Potter fan fiction

Chapter 17 - Prisoner

I woke in a damp, dark dungeon - the Malfoy basement. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that I was in the basement of the manor. Everything that happened flooded back to me. I would have my revenge on that redheaded witch.

I tried everything I could to find a way out. My wand must have been taken as I fell unconcious because it was nowhere. I slept a lot for the next week. I heard plenty of screams from above and saw others being shoved below with me. I talked to none of them, not wanting to know who they were. Draco never came for me, as I'd hoped. My hands had been bound with twine at first but I was able to chew through it after the first few days. One meal a day was given, and even less to drink. Whatever scraps were given had to be passed between half a dozen people, and last all day.I kept to my corner, not associating with any of the others and growing weaker each day. They still had hope of escape but I knew there to be none.

I wanted Draco to come for me, I screamed his name in my head. I called him a coward, a liar, any name I could think of. I just wanted to hate him so I could stop loving him. It felt as if I was going crazy all over again.

One afternoon, as I lay in a stupor, the trapdoor opened again. I didn't even look anymore but when I heard their voices my head whipped around so fast that my neck was left sore. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were talking to one another. Harry's face was badly messed up but Ron was in one piece.

"Hermione!" The red head screamed and ran around looking for escape. They were wandless as the rest of us. "Hermione!"

I heard screams above and knew they were hers. I stayed silent, not knowing if I could speak anymore. I hadn't said a word since being locked up and with the poor conditions I knew I was worse for wear. I was severely malnourished and deprived of sunlight.

A loud crack radiated through the room and a house elf appeared. He spoke to Harry and Ron and they made plans for the elf to take all the prisoners somewhere and come back for the boys. I stayed quiet until he was back for the boys after 3 trips with the hostages.

"Wait," I croaked, moving from my corner. "Wait."

"Liberty?" Harry asked. I nodded and begged him with my eyes not to say anything. Everyone had to know by now that I carried the dark mark, but being down here had to suffice that I was no longer on their side. Thankfully he oblidged. "Dobby, take her to Shell Cottage."

"No," I shook my head and stumbled down beside the house elf, too weak to stand. "Upstairs. Please?"

The elf looked into my eyes and nodded.

"Miss is in love with Master Draco," He stated. "Dobby will take miss upstairs."

"Yeah, us too," Harry told him. If the elf's comment had caught him off guard, he had a great poker face.

Dobby grasped my hand in his and I was a bit shocked to see that his grip seemed stronger than my own. The scene upstairs was one that I'd seen many times before except this time it was Hermione Granger in the center of the torture circle. I put my finger to my lips and motioned for Harry and Ron to follow me. I was invigorated with new energy that surged me forward. They followed and I showed them where the death eaters stashed the captives wands. They were quite stupid, never keeping the drawer locked or monitored. We took all of them, Harry putting the extras into a pouch around his neck. 

We snuck through the hallway and were soon stopped by the redhead.

"You!" She said as she recognized me. "How did you get out?"

 After so many weeks of scattered emotions and being so weak, I couldn't handle anything she said to me. My rage simmered and before she could say another word, I heard the killing curse come from my mouth. She fell to the ground with eyes still open and mocking me. In a childish bout of glee, I kicked her for good measure.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered behind me. I'd forgotten about them.

I turned to look at them and heard a death eater behind me as he rounded the corner and saw the body of the dead redhead. Harry and Ron used this to their advantage and burst into the ballroom. I quickly followed.

Panic broke out into the room and spells flew everywhere. Death eaters were calling for the Dark Lord and Bellatrix was screaming for them to stop. I dropped to my feet and crawled over towards Hermione. She was unconscious and I could see that she had "mudblood" scrapped into her arm. I tried not to look as I imagined the pain. It looked to be carved into her skin by a knife rather than a wand. I shook her and shoved her wand into her hands.

"Hermione? Hermione. We need to get you to Ron and Harry. Hermione?"

She mumbled and her eyes opened the slightest bit. She was weaker than myself and I shuttered to think of what Bellatrix did to her. I knew from firsthand experience that she wouldn't be herself for a long time. Hermione mustered up enough energy to say a freezing spell. I hoisted her to her feet and drug her to Harry and Ron just in time. The room became alight with spells again but it was too late. The trio had disappeared with Dobby at the same exact moment my arm burned with the dark mark.   

Draco was across the room and I stumbled in his direction, attempting to run. I collapsed at his feet, the drama and exhausting all but killing me. Draco hugged me close, pulling the two of us into a corner of the room.

"Libby? Libby, can you hear me?" He whispered with a sense of urgency. I opened my eyes as much as I could and found his face. "I'm sorry things played out this way. I should have... I shouldn't-" He felt my body slacken against his and pulled me even closer, his lips touching my ear. "I love you."

A smile flitted across my face and the words were on my lips when I heard the Dark Lord screaming. I passed out, a feeling of contentment washing over me.