Vacivitas

Chapter Twenty

As time goes on, Hermione can't stand for a second more. She's in too much pain. Her legs are like jelly and her ankles feel like they've been snapped even though they haven't.

She collapses onto the floor.

The dinner conversation lapses for a moment. Malfoy's glaring down at her with his fork halfway to his mouth.

I'm sorry, she thinks, hoping he's listening to her thoughts. I tried but I'm too weak. I'm so sorry.

"Draco, what are you doing?" One of the Death Eaters Hermione doesn't recognize says. He's right across the table, and one seat over. "Beat the Mudblood bitch. I wanna see her bleed again."

Malfoy stands up from his chair, his glare still fixed on her.

Hermione starts to scramble backward, holding one hand up in defense over her head. It's no use. She's dragged up onto her aching feet and before she can blink, he's striking her across the face. He does it again. He backhands her. He slams her against the wall and ignores her scream as he continues to hit her. Again and again and again. Until blood comes from her nose and fills her mouth.

There's a barren wasteland in his eyes.

When Hermione's dazed and at her limit, she pushes at his chest with feeble hands. She can't speak. She's in too much pain.

Malfoy lets her go, and she drops to her knees again, her hands on the floor between them.

"Do not disobey me again," he says, and then he returns to his meal.

Hermione holds onto his whispered words from the door, grips them tight and close to her heart. He's doing what he has to. After this, the Dark Lord will believe the false memories. She'll get to stay at the manor with Pinky and the library and her dresses and her big bed. She'll get to have her friends.

She'll get to stay with him.

She has to stay strong and make it through this.

Gathering up her strength, what little is left, she gets to her feet and takes her place at Malfoy's side.

After some more conversation and eating, Bellatrix makes a loud, annoyed sound.

"We were promised a show. I want a show."

Several Death Eaters speak up their agreement, including Lucius. Hermione's skin crawls and she wills her heart to slow down. She has to breathe.

This is it.

Malfoy finishes his bite, chewing slowly before reaching for his wine. "What would you like me to do, Aunt Bella?"

"I want to see what the Dark Lord saw."

"Yes," Carrow says. His gaze is intent upon her, watching her with a greed that she doesn't want to understand. "You made it very clear that you've broken her. We'd like to see what that looks like."

"Oh, I did," Malfoy says, taking another leisurely bite.

"Then let's see it." Cassius Warrington says this. "Fuck her like the Mudblood animal she is, bent over the table like a whore."

Disgusting.

Malfoy takes another bite, and it feels like every movement of his jaw stretches her dread. The pit in her stomach is as deep as the pit he bought her from. She can't tell if he's taking his time because he wants her anxiety to increase, or because he's taking extra time to strengthen his Occlusion.

When he stands up and faces her, she can see it's the latter.

He wraps his hand around the back of her neck, bruised from his beating, and slams her facedown on the table. Immediately, she starts to fight, trying to push herself back up, trying to move backward, fingernails clawing at the wood. Her struggles causes the nearby wine bottle to spill dark red liquid that reminds her of blood.