Something Golden

68.

"What about Hermione?" Potter asks. "She still hasn't spoken."

"I'll take care of that." I say.

As I'm walking up the stairs and close in on my room I can't help but think over all of the ways this could possibly go wrong. I've never heard of a man telling their girlfriend to essentially, get a grip, going well but it has to be done. She needs to get out, they all do.

Stepping inside of my room, Granger still in the same spot as when I had left, I approach the side of the bed and let out a deep breath before saying "I've given you your space but it's time now, you need to get up Granger." My tone is stern and borderline harsh but it's what's necessary. Her head slowly turns and her stare meets mine, she's angry and annoyed and honestly, I don't care. She can be mad and curse me out all she wants but she'll only be able to do so if she's still alive.

"Up we go Granger." I say as I lift her up into my arms.

"Stop Draco." She whines.

I shake my head. "Sorry love, no can do." She weakly kicks and slaps at me as I carry her down the stairs, I only set her down once we've rejoined the others. "Right, now that the lot is back together, you all need to get the fuck out of here."

"Where are we even supposed to go? Our campsite is compromised." Potter says.

"I know somewhere." Weasley adds. "It's-"

I raise a hand to stop him. "Don't tell me. It's better if I don't know."

As they all begin preparing to leave I step over to Granger, crouching down to meet her level. "I know it's not fair for it to be asked of you right now but you need to be strong." I say, brushing my thumb against her skin as I caress her cheek. "You need to be your brilliant minded self, we both know they're hopeless without you."

She rests the weight of her head into my palm and says "I'm not like you, I can't just turn it all off."

"You don't want to be like me, love. I'm not asking you to turn off the hurt and pain you're experiencing, I'm simply asking that you use those feelings to fuel that fire of yours."

"What if I can't?"

"Can't has never been a word within your vocabulary before."

"It hurt." She admits, her voice cracking. "It still hurts."

"I know." I sigh. "And I wish I could make it go away but I can't. What I can do is make sure that nothing like that happens to you again but in order to do so I need you to leave. I need you to go with your friends and get as far away from here as possible. Can you do that?" Slowly, she nods her head. "Good girl. Let's get up then?" I say, standing and holding out my hand.

Once I help her up to her feet the others gather. I inform them that I'll find them when I can but to at least attempt to stay under the radar for now. Doubtful they'll do that, they seem to always do the complete opposite of what I say. I call for Mippy and instruct her to take them to whatever location Weasley provides. I steal one last glance at Granger, memorizing every detail of her face and then, just like that, they're gone.

About an hour has passed when the fireplace erupts and Voldemort steps out, his eyes darting over to the blood stains on the floor where Bella's body once laid.

"I believe explanations are in order, Lieutenant."

"She stepped out of line, my lord." I tell him.

"And that warranted her execution?" He asks, walking over to me. "A member of the Supremes?"

I nod. "I did what was necessary."

Now he's circling around, positioning himself behind me. "There were others here. The boy."

Inhale.

Separate.

File.

Build wall.

Exhale.

"And a girl." He continues. "A mudblood."

My jaw clenches as my wall cracks – a subtle movement but enough to give myself away. The back of my leg is kicked in and I drop to my knees, a crucio immediately following.

I've never experienced the full cruciatus curse, not physically at least. Even though my occlumency was never enough to fully protect me it still offered a barrier, a cushion, but not this time. It's too weak, I'm too weak. I can feel it. All of it. It's the most unimaginable pain and I find myself wishing it would just kill me already but of course it doesn't, that's far too easy for him. Voldemort enjoys efficiency which usually results in swift deaths but if you betray him... he prefers for you to suffer and that's precisely what I'm doing. Suffering.

The small crack in my wall is now large enough to cause the entire thing to fall. The bricks crash to the ground, the steel door blown in and every thought, memory and emotion is dug from the ground and released. The physical pain is no match for the mental. Every inch of my body is burning as I break. My brain is on fire while he claws his way through every last bit of information. When he reaches Granger's box I try. I try to fight back but I fail. I've failed her again. I keep fucking failing her.

"Pathetic." He scoffs. "Pathetic and a disgrace to your bloodline and to our people. Falling for a mudblood? Have you no shame Lieutenant? No disgust for yourself?"

Everything is being ripped open, shred to pieces and I'm tired. I'm tired of constantly fighting, of doing everything that I can only to continue to be met by defeat. Everything I have done... it's been a waste. I can't do anything right. I thought I could do this, I thought I could be both who I am and who she needed me to be but it's finally catching up.

"You were meant for great things." Voldemort whispers against my ear. "Together we were to lead but it appears you are not worthy of such."

The excruciating pain begins to subside as my mind slowly becomes a foggy haze. My body feels disconnected from me and I feel... nothing - everything. I'm in pain but I'm numb, I'm scared but I'm calm. It feels like I'm trapped inside of my own head, screaming to get out, but I can't.

A muffled voice and suddenly I'm standing. I didn't do that but I did? I'm trying to turn my head but I can't. I hear the voice again and now I'm pivoting. My left foot steps forward and then my right, neither movements voluntary. I'm told to kneel and I do.

Strange. This isn't how I expected being under an imperio to be. I'm conscious, aware of what's happening but I can't do anything about it. I always thought my mind would shut off completely, that I would be a vegetable of sorts but nope. Here I am. Fully aware of everything and in control of nothing.

Theo and my mother step into the room and I'm screaming at them to leave but no words are coming out. They need to go. If he makes me hurt them... I just- this isn't a good time for them to be here. My mother is explaining to Voldemort what happened and I wish I could laugh right now because of course she chooses the worst time to finally try and be of any help or support to me.

Theo remains quiet as he stares at me. He's studying me carefully, trying to search for any signal from me. Yeah mate, the signal is that I'm not fucking blinking. Something finally clicks for him, I can see the shift in his stare when he realizes. There's panic now. He's remembering what I asked of him if this was to ever happen to me and I can tell that he's considering his options which makes me want to strangle him. There are no options. He has two jobs. Protect Granger. Kill me. And I swear if he doesn't follow through with either one...

"Stand." Voldemort commands and I shoot up to my feet. "Locate Harry Potter and bring him back to me alive." He says. "Execute everyone else."

No. No. No. Go fuck yourself, I'm not doing that. I'm not hurting her, I'm not killing her. No. I refuse. You can take your wand and shove it so far up your-

"Yes, my lord."

fuck.