Chapter 17 (Ava)
It had been at least a week since I had seen Draco. Another Death Eater had been bringing me my food, and that was the only company I'd had. I had assumed that they had all grown bored of me. To them, I was simply a plaything. They couldn't use me for information- surely they had figured that out by now.
I had taken to pacing about the cell, trying to stretch my aching limbs in order to soothe the leftover pain as soon as possible. Other than that, there was nothing much for me to do.
I was leaning against the bars of the cell when I heard the creak of the door at the top of the stairs. I glanced up quickly, straightening up and trying to identify who it was.
"Potter, looks like you'll finally get another trip out of the cell," The figure sneered. I recognised the voice instantly- it was the Death Eater that had tortured me so terribly the week before.
"Another trip?" I stepped backwards to allow him to open the cell door, "What a treat."
"Don't try anything sarcastic with me, Potter. Otherwise I can remind you of our last encounter. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, would you?" He pulled me towards him and breathed in my ear.
I took a shaky breath, and decided to keep my mouth shut. He seemed disappointed as he dragged me up the stairs towards the main hall of the house.
As expected, Bellatrix was standing in the middle of the room with a smirk on her face. I raised my eyebrows.
"I haven't seen you in a while- I thought you'd all forgotten about me."
She snorted, "Unlikely, Potter. Stand in the middle."
Reluctantly, I walked towards the middle of the room and placed my hands on my hips, "What will it be today?"
As I asked, several other Death Eaters filed into the room, including Draco and his parents. I glanced away from Draco quickly and back towards the floor.
"I've grown rather tired of torturing you, Potter. You're so... dull. I'd much rather watch someone else torture you instead."
I gulped, attempting to keep my gaze steady, "Your idea of entertainment sickens me, Bellatrix."
"That's why we're so different, deary," She spun around to inspect the other Death Eaters in the room, "Now... who is it going to be today?"
She stepped towards the line of Death Eaters with a sly smile on her face, as if she were picking out a present.
"I'd be happy to," The Death Eater who had brought me into the hall sneered. A shiver ran down my spine. I didn't want to witness pain like... that again.
"Shut it, Dolohov." Bellatrix hissed.
She had walked along the line of Death Eaters two times before she finally stopped in front of someone.
"How about Draco, here?"
My heart stopped in my chest, and I watched in silence as he stepped forwards with trembling hands.
"It would be my pleasure, Auntie." He muttered with a smirk, reaching into his pocket for his wand.
Slowly, he stepped into the middle of the room and finally raised his eyes to meet mine. He appeared to be on the verge of tears, his lip trembling slightly. I decided to delay him.
"Have you ever cast the Cruciatus curse before, Draco?" I asked quietly.
He frowned at me as he shook his head, "There's a first time for everything, Potter."
I stepped forwards and raised my arms, "Take your hit, Malfoy."
Slowly, with a trembling arm, he raised his wand and pointed it directly at me, "Crucio."
Nothing happened. I gulped, raising my eyebrows at him. I knew the way the Cruciatus curse worked- you had to really mean it. And if Draco Malfoy loved me, then he wouldn't be able to cast it. Not without being provoked.
Although it pained me, I knew that I would need to hurt him. I would need to say something to really hurt him. If I didn't, the others would view him as weak or cowardly.
"Oh Draco," I muttered with a false smirk, "You know you have to really mean it, don't you?"
He stared at me silently, and I shrugged my shoulders, "I wouldn't be surprised if you had it in you to torture me. There's always been something about you that has been incredibly two-faced. You don't have a kind bone in your body, not really. You've always managed to make me feel so small, and yet you're always the big one- the one in charge that benefits out of everything the most. You sicken me to the core, Draco Malfoy. How could anyone ever love you? Or care about you?"
Draco's face twisted into a grimace, and I inhaled sharply just before he whispered the spell.
"Crucio."
I fell to the floor, my bones twisting and writhing as I let out an ear-piercing scream. The pain was agonising, and not just because my body was twisting but because Draco had found the hatred in him to torture me.
"Tell me where Harry Potter is," I heard someone demand.
"I... don't... know..." I managed to spit out in between screams. For a week I had managed to forget the agony of the Cruciatus curse, but now it all seemed to come back at once.
I could feel the tears on my cheeks and hated myself for appearing in such a weak manner before the enemy. I despised it.
The pain suddenly stopped, and as my eyes focused I saw everyone pulling their sleeves up to reveal their Dark Marks. Several of them were wincing, and I realised that Lord Voldemort was calling them to a meeting. And this time, it was real.
Bellatrix was grinning as she turned to face Draco and I, "Finish with her, Draco. I'll tell the Dark Lord that you'll be late because you were dealing with Potter. You know he won't mind- he loves to know that we're still torturing her."
She flashed me a smile before running out of the door with the other Death Eaters. None of them looked back.
Something clattered onto the floor beside me, and I reached out for it to pick it up. It was only when my hand closed around it that I realised that it was my wand. I gasped, glancing up at Draco.
"Where did you get this?"
He started to walk towards the door of the hall, "I was supposed to keep it safe. Now I'm giving it to you. Now come on."
I tried to get up, but my bones still ached from the curse. Draco came sprinting back and wrapped his hands underneath my arms as he pulled me up into a standing position. When I was fully standing, he grabbed onto my wrist and tugged me towards the door.
"Where are we going?" I asked him, but he didn't respond. His expression was stony.
It was only when we reached the bookshelf that Fred had escaped through the other day that I realised where we were going. I stopped, pulling my wrist out of Draco's grip.
"No- no, Draco. I'm not going to escape now- you'll get into trouble for it. I don't want you getting hurt-"
"Just get out," Draco muttered. I looked at his expression, but it was difficult to read. I started to protest, but he threw the bookshelf aside and shoved me towards the passage.
"I just tortured you, Ava. And you provoked it. I can barely look at you, knowing that I caused you such immense pain-"
I stared at him in disbelief, "Draco- I provoked it so that you wouldn't get into trouble for not being able to do it."
"I know," Draco hissed, "You care too much about other people, Ava. You're too brave- sacrificing yourself for those you care about. I am nothing like that. I would rather torture someone I love than die for them. How is that right?"
My eyes widened. I was speechless.
"Draco-" I began, but his shout cut me off.
"Get out! I don't want to see you again, Potter. Just get out of my sight. I don't deserve you."
When I didn't move, he raised his head for me to see his tear-filled eyes, "GET OUT!"
I fell away, as if his shout had hit me physically. I turned away quickly, holding my wand tightly as I sprinted down the tunnel. The bookshelf fell shut behind me, and I carried on staggering down the tunnel, slipping and tripping across the rocky floor.
When I finally reached the wooden door at the end of the passage, I tore it open and ran into the sunlight. I tried to catch my breath as I reminded myself how Apparition worked. I had always been terrible at it. I just had to focus.
Aunt Muriel's, I thought to myself as I still tried to catch my breath.
I closed my eyes as I started to spin, and I felt the ripping sensation of Apparition. After a second, I doubled over and vomited on the grass. It took me a few minutes to stop the dizziness, and as I straightened up and began to walk towards the small cottage in front of me, I heard a shout.
There was another shout, and just as I stepped into the porch the front door of the cottage flew open. There was someone standing in the doorway, and several other people appearing behind them.
"Oh my god." Someone seemed to say, and I glanced up.
Remus stood there, his eyes wide with surprise before he moved into action and rushed forwards.
"Remus," I whimpered softly, "Remus-"
"I've got you, Ava. I've got you," Remus whispered as he reached out and wrapped his arms around me to hold me.
"Am I free? Am I really free?" I asked, studying his face, "Or am I dreaming?"
Remus shook his head firmly, "You're free, Ava. You're with us now. This is no dream."
I rested my head against his shoulder and finally allowed myself to cry. Sobs racked through my body as Remus held me and stroked my hair soothingly.
I was free. I was finally free.