Black Swan

The Beginning

Draco Pov =)

He is tired.
He is so very tired and so very scared. Scared of this unquantifiable darkness, scared of the snake-like man who is supposed to be his lord and scared of the monsters residing in the place he once called home.

He has no-one in this hell like limbo and so he does the one thing a coward like him knows how to do, he prays. He prays to Merlin and the witches and wizards above for salvation and most importantly, he prays for the sweet imbrace of death to relieve him of the burden that is his life.

He doesn't know how much time passes when he feels a rush of warm air enter into the desolate cellar which he currently "stays" in. He jerks his neck which is currently collared thus restricting his mobility up to try to figure out the source of fresh air into his damp and horrifyingly disgusting cellar when he sees the entryway being opened, signaling of someone's entry. He wonders if it is death who has finally found enough pity in his cold heart to let scum like him entry into the world of the dead.

Sadly, his thoughts are interrupted by a woman with jet black hair calling out his name, or his "nickname" to be specific.

"Oh Dracky~, Where are you? You do know that it is quite rude to keep your favourite auntie waiting~"

Oh, it's just aunt Bellatrix , most probably here for another hour or so of "tea". Maybe if it had been Death, he at the least wouldn't have to put up with her incessant shrieking as if he was the one torturing HER ," He thought spitefully.

"Y-es, Au-nt Bell-atr-ix," He croaked out.

"Finally Dracky, I thought I might need to give the ittle-bittle baby a little incentive to finally wake up~" She told him gleefully as she pointed her malformed wand at him.

He physically recoiled or as much as he could with the chains effectively locking his limbs chest and neck in place at the sight of the wand. No matter how many times it is inflicted on him, he can never fully get used to the unique way she cast her cruciatus curse.

"But I suppose your parents won't be too pleased to see you writhing in pain," She murmured with a thoughtful look on her pale face.

"M-y pare-nts?" He asked weakly.

"Yes, your parents Dracky or has ittle-bittle Dracky forgotten how to hear ?" She asked in her imitation of a baby voice.

"Wh-at ha-pp-ened to the-m? Are th-e-y o-k ?" He asked hurriedly.

"Now-now Dracky, don't interrupt me or do you need a few more hours of "tea time", She said as she bent her fingers in the shape of a quotation mark. "To finally get it in your dumb little brain." She sneered at him.

He replied with an adamant "no" in a matter of minutes. He hated those hours more than anything in his life. His discipline sessions organised by the Dark Lord himself or as his Aunt liked to call "tea time" as she would often be drinking a cup of her favourite blend as she beat, berate and subsequently torture him in a matter of a few hours.

" But I suppose we won't have time for such fun, your parents have called you urgently to the outdoor western balcony at half past three," She told him sorrowfully as if she was being locked in a dungeon with no food or water for days on end.

"Run along now, I am sure Cissy and Lucy won't be happy to see their oh so darling boy in such a state and I am franky annoyed at your lacklustre replies." She told him condescendingly as she unlocked the chains that bound him.

He quickly stood up on his bruised legs with the support of the walls. He found it to be quite difficult but it was to be expected as he was sure that he had not stood up in quite some time now. He hurriedly limped back to his quarters, afraid of being told to stay "for another cup of tea".

After quite a while, he found his way through the ever-changing winding corridors of the manor and back to his quarters. As soon as he opened the door to his private bedroom, he saw his house-elf, Mipsy, looking wistfully out the windows.

"Greetings Mipsy, how have you been ?" Draco inquired politely even though he was having quite the hard time standing up straight.

"Young Master you are ba-" Mipsy stopped in the midst of her sentence.
"What happened to you ?" She asked mournfully as she scanned her eyes over his bruised and battered body which had several infected torture wounds littered all over it.

He said nothing but his guilty facial expression answered it all.

"Please, have a seat, I will prepare a bath and fetch some healing potions for you," She informed cordially even though the pursing of her mouth and the crinkle in her forehead told him all about the worry and most obviously pity she was feeling for him as of now.

"Please- there is no need for such necessities to be brought for m-" He tried to explain but was cut off by the elf.

"The current state of your body says otherwise," She said as she gestured towards his arm and face which had several cuts and bruises all over them. "I am surprised that you could even stand given your current condition."

"We both know if that was the case I would not be standing here with you," He responded coldly with a distant look in his silvery-grey eyes.

Mipsy said nothing to reply but instead left with a pop, presumably to get the supplies to treat his many injuries.

He believed it best to take a seat because he was not aware how long she would take to find the right healing potions. It took her at least 29 minutes last time and he didn't want to be standing for that long and thus he took a seat in the armchair right beside his vanity containing his various self-care products and he fell into an uneasy sleep.

He was jolted awake by a sudden pop in his private chambers.

"It is just me Young Master, please calm your nerves," She comforted as she placed all the various items she brought onto the nearest table."I have also prepared your much needed bath and with all your soaps and oils already present in it."

"Oh my dear Merlin," He exclaimed at the prospect of a nice warm bath after hours on the freezing cold floors of the cellar."My dearest Mipsy, you are a lifesaver." He told her as he limped as fast as he could to his private bathing quarters.

"Please, do not take too long, we still have your injuries to attend." Mipsy relayed.

————————

He would go through all the torture once again if he was to feel such pure bliss after. The warm water and the undoubtedly many cleansing potions Mipsy had put in the tub soothed his aching bones and did quite a good job of removing all the dirt and grime on him over the few weeks he was locked in that wretched cellar.

He could not help but feel grateful to Mipsy and her genuine care for him. He was sure that she was one of the only people in this world that did not want to see him dead and decaying and he harboured the same emotions for her.

He was glad that she hadn't perished like so many before her and the only reason she hadn't was be that she came from a long lineage of house-elves that were taught how to read, write and communicate to better serve their masters in more difficult settings.

But for now he would not stress over their inevitable deaths and just succumb to the pure warmth that was eager to take him whole.

————————-

Thank you for reading
1365 words

————————-