Hermione pulled away and looked at Aurora and couldn't help let out a muffled sob at the sight of her. There were bloodstains on her face and underneath that a big bruise on her cheek. Her whole body was trembling and her voice was too. Her eyes looked heavy and had dark rings around them, her leg was injured in some way or another and she was clutching her side. Hermione enveloped her in another hug, pulling her close and crying into her hair.
Aurora held Hermione close, reveling in the feeling of having her in her arms. She stroked Hermione's hair with her free hand and to her surprise it was still soft. Hermione looked drained from energy, exhausted and tired, but still smiled at her. Aurora did the same.
"I can't believe you're finally here. I've missed you so much." Aurora said breathlessly, trying to formulate full sentences, reaching out for Hermione's cheek and brushing away her tears. "You were the only thing keeping me alive down there you know, the thought of life after school, after the war. We lived in a cozy house by a forest and looked at the stars at night. You read your books while I painted you." she whispered.
Hermione gave her a teary smile. "That sounds lovely, Rory. I look forward to it." She whispered back, tears still falling. They both lent in at the same time and shared a long awaited kiss. Hermione's lips were soft, but she knew hers weren't. That didn't stop her from enjoying it and they held each other close.
"Err...girls?" A voice interrupted them. They broke apart and looked up at a sheepish Harry. "We have to heal you, both of you. Bill here is a great healer according to Ron, he can have a look at you." Harry motioned to the long haired ginger behind him who was watching the whole encounter curiously, but nodded at Harry's words and stepped forward, not saying anything to what he just saw.
"I can start with any one of you, just lay down on the sofa." Bill said, looking between them. "I'd actually best start with you, your leg doesn't look too good." Bill said motioning to Aurora, who he had noticed was also clutching her stomach and wincing. Hermione nodded and carefully got up and took the armchair Ron offered her. Aurora lay down on the sofa and looked over to Bill who knelt down beside her.
"I'm gonna lift up your top to see the damage, okay?" he asked professionally. She nodded, knowing it had to be done, but still not entirely comfortable with it. He lifted it and the whole room took in a sharp breath at the sight that reached them. There were a few very big and painful looking bruises on her stomach and peeking out from her chest. Dolohov's kicks and the Cruciatus curse combined made lovely bruises. Also the ones from when she had tried to escape were almost healed, just not yet.
Bill muttered a few spells that removed the pain almost instantaneously, letting her sigh with relief. She thanked him profusely and he just nodded and moved on to her leg which still hurt from falling from the tree. It had not been healed and although it was just a sprain, she must have ripped something in her foot because Bill could not heal it completely. He took a deep breath once more before an even more serious look took over his face.
"How do you feel?" Bill asked, addressing the fact that she looked half asleep, eyes half open and head lolling on the armrest.
"I feel...tired. Heavy. Scared." She closed her eyes and didn't open them until she answered his next question.
"Did they use the cruciuatus curse on you?" he asked solemnly. She nodded tiredly, eyes still closed..
"How many times?"
"Today or in total?" She asked quietly as she slowly opened her eyes. She received looks of pity from the entire room and Hermione looked horrified. Bill whispered in answer. "In total." she had to think about it, counting the times. It had been two today, and those few times with the Dark Lord had been bad.
She tried to shrug, but ended up wincing instead. "Five maybe, I can't really... remember?" A collective gasp went around the room. Bill's eyes widened but he cast a spell that had the effects similar to the one Draco had done, but this one was stronger and helped a lot more. She didn't feel so heavy anymore.
"Aurora, how long where you there for?" Hermione asked, a horrified expression in her eyes, her hands were up covering her mouth.
"A month...I think." she swallowed. It had felt like longer, like an eternity of pain, loneliness and fear. She could see Hermione was about to say something, but was interrupted by Bill who seemed very focused on the medical aspect of her condition.
"Did they feed you? Hurt you in any other ways that may have injured your body?"
"Draco got me food once every day or two. He was really nice." She said absentmindedly. The others in the room could see she was not entirely present due to her short replies. They waited for her to answer the next question, but she said nothing.
"Did they hurt you in any other ways that may have injured your body?" Bill asked again.
"Not really. They...kicked me and...and-" she hesitated for a long time, thinking about whether fear and emotional trauma could be seen on the body? Whether what Dolohov was about to do counted. She decided it didn't, and besides she didn't want to tell them. "- and scared me." She said instead with a heavy sigh avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. If she hadn't she would have noticed Hermione tearing up or Bill who nodded and reached for her stomach once more. She flinched terribly and open her eyes wide.
He must have noticed her reaction because he explained what he was doing. "Sorry for shocking you. I'm just feeling for any signs of malnutrition." He pulled out his wand and began to scan her body. As his cold fingers grazed her ribs again she had to stop herself from frantically pushing his hands away. Dolohovs hands had been there no less then an hour ago and she had been so scared, terrified he would go further. She glanced up at Hermione and judging by the look on her face, she had seen her attempt at masking her fear at Bill's touch.
"You are severely malnourished and will need to eat often. Fruits and carbohydrates are recommended to gain weight again." He explained, looking intently at her. "Anything else that could have an effect on your body?" She shook her head and looked over to Hermione who was staring at her open mouthed, a sad expression on her face. Before she could get up and tell her it would be okay Harry interrupted her.
"Did you fix her rib?"
Bill nodded and Harry continued. "It was very cold down there, wasn't it Ron? That must have had an effect on her." He said thoughtfully. She hadn't considered that, but didn't think it would matter or leave any injury per say. Bill turned on her and looked at her with a thoughtful look.
"You don't remember all the specific details, correct?" Bill asked. She hesitated, not quite sure how to answer his question. All the days seemed to merge in the dungeon, there weren't many detail to remember. At her hesitation Bill asked her another question.
"How many times did someone come down to the dungeon last week?" he asked. She tried to think back, but realized she wasn't sure. There had been food there sometimes, but she couldn't always recall Draco coming down to give it to her.
"I'm not sure." she answered hesitantly. Bill nodded and continued.
"You're trembling a lot. Are you feeling tired?" At this she nodded immediately. She was exhausted.
"Drowsiness, confusion?" he asked. She nodded but added, "I- I hit my head a few times, it could just be that." Bill sighed and stood up.
"You have all the symptoms of hypothermia and hitting your head probably didn't help." he said standing up and turning to Ron. "Get her a blanket and a warm drink of sorts. We'll have to get you a potion to help with the aftereffects of the Cruciatus curse and something for those bruises as well. But first, you." Bill then turned to Hermione who had been watching the entire thing.
"Would it be okay if you lay back in the chair. It's important she doesn't move too much." Bill said gesturing to Aurora. "There is only so much magic can heal." Hermione did not have a problem with it and nodded furiously. "Of course."
Bill then cast the same reliving spell for the cruciatus curse he had on her. Aurora felt terrible that Hermione had to endure something so awful and she hoped it would never happen again. It was when she spotted the cut out word on Hermione's arm that she almost lost it. There on the pale skin of Hermione's forearm was the word mudblood carved into her skin. Aurora felt like screaming, tearing down the house and going to find whoever had done that to her sweet Hermione who was almost incapable of harming a fly. Bill made short work of it and the blood disappeared, but it still looked inflamed and painful. Ron had at this point brought her a thick woolly blanket and she wrapped up in it, gladly accepting it's warmth. She realized that all the trembling she had been doing was also due to the cold and she had not thought about that being a problem.
Once Bill had finished helping Hermione he turned to the boys who both shook their heads, they were okay. He then went to the kitchen to sit down and rest.
It was just as Aurora had placed her head in Hermione's lap with the blanket covering them that there came a knock on the door. They all jumped and sat up in fright, but Bill was there to open the door and greeted Professor Lupin. She had not seen him since third year and had missed him, he had been a great teacher, but why he was here she could not say. He seemed surprised to see her and shocked at her condition, but also cautious as to why she was here.
"Aurora Snape?" He asked curiously. She nodded tiredly, not liking the way he was acting so cautious around her.
"Is she part of the Order?" Lupin asked turning to Bill with an uncertain look. Bill shook his head. Aurora had no idea about what they were talking about. "Then why is she here?" Lupin asked, turning to her. She felt incredibly inconvenient and useless in the moment and for some reason had the sudden urge to cry.
"Uh- they- they rescued me from Malfoy Manor." she gulped, motioning to Harry and the others. Lupin's presence had made her uncertain. Maybe she was taking his bed for the night. It seemed like a very small cottage. What if they wanted her to leave? The Death Eaters might find her again.
"What were you doing in Malfoy Manor?" Lupin asked as he sat down in the armchair across from the sofa. Aurora gripped Hermione's other hand under the blanket as the other one was stroking Auroras hair.
"They-they took me....so that dad would do as He said." She felt like squirming at everyone watching her. This was news for everyone. She could see Lupin raise and eyebrow in her direction.
"You-Know-Who?" Lupin asked to be clear. She nodded.
"Was he there? In Malfoy Manor?" He looked at her curiously but also with excitement as if finally finding His hideout would be helpful to him in some way. She shuddered and nodded once more, preferring not to speak.
"Did you meet him?" Again she nodded after swallowing harshly, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Hermione gripped her hand tighter. Aurora squeezed back for all it was worth.
"How did He make your father listen? Surely the Malfoys have ties to your family, you might have almost been considered a guest there?" He asked in question. She felt like trembling even more as she remembered the cold basement.
"I wasn't safe there." She said, shaking her head, letting the silent tears fall. "Not at all. " The room went tense and Lupin became aware that she was silently crying and looked very worried. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Dad finally came after three weeks and...and You-Know- Who tortured me in front of him... so that he'd do You-Know-Who's bidding. Then they tortured me again when I tried to escape." She furiously wiped away the tears. "Please believe me, sir. If dad has done anything bad, he- he didn't want to, he isn't a bad person, please believe me." She said desperately, praying her father wasn't in trouble. Lupin let out a sigh, watching Aurora's trembling form and running his hands through his hair.
"I suppose this explains some of your father's behavior." he said. At the mention of her father she sat up, leaning forward to hear it, blanket slipping off her shoulders in the process.
"Aurora, you have to keep the blanket on. I know your trying to defend your father and we believe you, but your words are beginning to slur." Bill said, Hermione who was sitting beside her placed the blanket around her shoulders where it had fallen of. "She's got hypothermia. Apparently the Malfoy's dungeons are quite cold." Bill explained to Lupin who was frowning, looking to be deep in thought, but he continued none the less.
"Snape's been furious, and everyone's been wondering why. I guess now we know." he said with a sigh. " As I'm sure you probably know he's headmaster and it hasn't been a walk in the park to put it that way."
She took a moment to soak in the information. Her father had done what You-Know-Who said, and he was angry. Angry because she was still gone.
"Your going to have to go to Hogwarts so that Snape knows your alive. He's been wrecking havoc and the Carrows sure aren't helping. I'll take you to the apparation spot in the morning." Lupin sighed.
"No, I'll do it. I know where it is." Hermione spoke up suddenly. Lupin watched her curiously but nodded. "Very well. You leave first thing in the morning."