Chương 19: Azkaban
AZKABAN
Harry and Ginny watched from the doorway of the Malfoy's living room as Draco sat alone on the sofa, flicking through the pages of a photo album, one of the numerous scattered around him. He had been like a ghost ever since Hermione had been missing. He hadn't left the house and barely did anything whilst he was there. He hadn't been eating properly and the only reason he was getting any food at all was because Pansy and Ginny had been coming over every day and had been pretty much force feeding him food he could easily swallow because his throat was so choked up from sobbing and gasping he couldn't swallow properly.
That's why Harry and Ginny were here today. Eva and Hyperion were coming home early from Hogwarts today because McGonagall thought it would be best for them to be with Draco in this situation. Ginny understood this completely but was still wary of the idea after seeing the state Draco was in.
Quinn and Astrum had moved in with them two days after Hermione's kidnapping because, like Draco, they weren't getting fed properly. The two girls were crying every night because their mummy wasn't there to tuck them in and Draco felt that he couldn't handle it anymore. Ginny had accepted his offer almost immediately, knowing it was best, but still felt awful that Draco had to spend long days and nights by himself in the huge house, whilst also worrying about his wife.
Eva and Hyperion were to use McGonagall's floo network to arrive at the Manor and would be here any minute according to the large grandfather clock in the entrance hall. The two Potter's had decided that Harry would meet the children whilst Ginny got Draco to eat and drink something in order to meet his children.
Harry checked the battered watch on his wrist which used to belong to Ginny's uncle.
"They'll be here soon, I better head into the other room so I can greet them," he kissed her cheek before walking off towards dining room on the other side of the hall.
Ginny peered through the door again and her face crumpled as she watched Draco's face screw up before he broke down into sobs, gasping and gulping for air as he clutched a picture to his chest. Ginny had never seen Draco Malfoy act like this, neither had she ever expected him to. She had always thought that he would be the angry kind, who yelled when something bad happened, like her brothers. However, he seemed to react very differently and every time Ginny had been over to see him he had either been crying his eyes out or just sat in absolute silence, staring into space. Both Ginny and Pansy had been worried that he might turn to drink so to make sure, had rid the house of all alcohol. However, he hadn't asked about it or tried looking for it so Ginny had returned the weaker stuff, just in case he ever needed a pick me up.
She picked up the tray of coffee that was on a nearby table and pushed open the door before walking in. Draco looked up when he heard the door creak. Dropping the photo as if it had scolded him and wiping the tears from his eyes.
Ginny smiled weakly and sat down next to him.
"Don't worry about letting it out, do what you feel is right," she said softly, rubbing a hand up and down his back soothingly.
"Are they here?" he asked, so quietly that Ginny only just caught it.
"They will be soon," she replied "So before they arrive I recommend that you clean yourself up and prepare for their arrival," she cooed, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and giving him a small squeeze. There was a whoosh from across the hall and both Ginny and Draco lifted their heads to the sound of 'Uncle Harry!'
"Come on Draco, let's go see your children," Ginny said reassuringly before standing up and bringing Draco with her.
Hermione groaned as she forced her eyes to open. The light was dim and she was hurting all over. Her back was stiff and all she wanted to do was stretch out, she went to reach up her arms but was shocked when she realized they were bound to the wall by heavy chains. She blinked, clearing her blurry vision, and then looked around the dull room she was in. She was sat on the floor and chained to the wall opposite a small window, the only light source in the room. The floor was grubby and a plate of half eaten bread lay next to her, a rat nibbling at the remains. Next to the plate was a tankard of water, she longed for the water to touch her lips but the chains around her hands prevented her from being able to reach it. She groaned again and ran her tongue around her parched mouth, her teeth were gritted and her lips dry. She licked them but it didn't help due to her lack of hydration. Shaking her head she saw that her hair was matted and had clumps of what looked like blood in it.
Suddenly remembering something, Hermione frantically peered down at her slightly protruding stomach. She felt helpless, not being able to even shield the baby that was growing inside her. She wanted to stroke her tummy, sooth the baby so that they thought nothing was wrong but she couldn't even do that.
A door slammed, she started and scrambled around; desperate to drive herself closer to the wall if that was even possible. The next minute the door to her cell opened and a figure stepped in. They weren't tall or short and masses of facial hair coated their face but Hermione knew who it was.
"Ah Mrs Malfoy, you're awake, water?" he pointed at the tankard before laughing as she rattled her bound hands.
"You're a sick man Dolohov," Hermione spat, suddenly finding some courage. But Dolohov only raised an eyebrow tauntingly before walking over to her and kneeling in front of her. She backed away from him as much as she could but he didn't approach her, instead he picked up the water and held it to her lips.
"Can't have you dying on me now can we, that wouldn't be part of my plan,"
He forced her lips apart with the rim of tankard before pouring the clear liquid all the way down her throat. She coughed and spluttered but finally managed to swallow it all down. He put the tankard in the breast pocket of his dirty coat before wiping a dribble of water from her chin. She tensed.
"And what plan would that be," she spat, her teeth snapping, causing him to withdraw his hand.
"Well it's funny you should say that because that is precisely why I came in here," he sent her a malicious grin before standing up and pacing up and down the cell. "You see, in exactly..." he looked at a battered watch on his wrist "Four minutes, a group of former Death Eaters will break out of a blown apart Azkaban and dark wizards will be loose around the streets of wizarding and muggle London,"
Hermione gasped, she had not expected him to tell her that much already or for it to be so horrid.
"Why?" she managed to get out "Why would you do that? Voldemort is dead; your master is dead,"
"YOU DARE SPEAK HIS NAME!" Dolohov shrilled, spit flying from his mouth and landing on Hermione's shocked face. He calmed slightly before smirking.
"Because of you my dear,"
"Me?"
"You see, I'm sure your precious friends and husband are beside themselves with worry about where you are. In fact I reckon they are probably on their way to find you right now. They will most likely leave Mrs Zabini with the children thinking that I'll not go back to the Manor but really I won't be going there at all. Whilst Draco, Blaise, Harry Potter and his wife are on their way to rescue you, here, my fellow Death Eaters will break into your Manor and capture Mrs Zabini and all your children. When Malfoy, Zabini, Potter and his wife come to rescue you I'll show them that I have their children as hostages, as well as you. They will do exactly what I say and then I'll get rid of them altogether. After that the Death Eaters will rise again," he finished with a crazed laugh. Hermione looked at him in horror.
"You're insane, you need a doctor,"
"Of course I'm insane! Because of your stupid husband I was thrown in Azkaban for twenty years. Lucius went mad within a few months but I lived on, as did the others! But now we are back and we will make the people who did this to us pay!"
He shuddered slightly and drew back his sleeve to reveal a winding dark mark on his arm "It's time. The fight has begun."
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