Masked

Chapter Twenty Eight

Bellatrix let out a cackle "good riddance." With a wicked smirk she left the room. Lucius stood there as his wife wept over the traitor. Their son. After a few moments Lucius had left the room and was upstairs. Snape remained and studies her with clasped hands.

"H-how long do we have?" She asked through her now lessening sobs. Draco's limp body was cradled in his mothers arms. This poor boy never had a real mother. Narcissa knew she wasn't a good mother, but when she saw Draco go against his family for that girl. She knew it was love.

"An hour at the most left." He replied slipping something from his hand into his robes. A clear vial. Narcissa held Draco's weak hand to her heart. "It worked. The potion worked. Thank you Snape. I, for a terrible moment, thought he was truly dead. My poor son. My poor Draco." The witch stroked his bloody hair. A motherly gesture.

"He must be taken to St. Mungos. Once the potion wears off and he shows signs of life again his torture will only continue. 15 Cruciatus curses he has endured. That will certainly have an effect on him physically or mentally if he is not treated soon. I will take the boy. Make sure he is safe and hidden while he recovers." The witch noticed he didn't say 'try to recover'.

Cleaning a spot on Draco's forehead she leaned down and kissed his forehead gently, like she used to do when he was young and pure. Snape had just watched this women grief one minute and show affection the next. All surprising the professor.

"You don't have to be doing this. I know you are his god father but you're on the orders side" she whispered. Snape had informed her of Draco's torture and that he was a spy for  the order. Still bound by the unbreakable oath he promised to get Draco out of this prison. To keep him safe. She kept her watery gaze on her son.

"He was forced down this path. To protect us and himself. And look what we've done to him. I never wanted this for Draco. I wanted him happy and I saw it. In the great room with that girl. The look in his eyes when he held her broken figure. My son is in love." She breathed out softly.

Hermione splashed cold water on her pale face and looked in the mirror. Her hands gripping the edges of the sink. A pale Hermione stared back at her. She didn't know this girl. The empty and numb figure standing in the mirror gazing back. This wasn't Hermione. This wasn't the Hermione Draco had fallen in love with. Draco needed her and she would be there. Squaring her shoulders she walked down the steps into the kitchen.

Ron, Harry, Luna, Bill and Fleur were seated around the small circular table. Mugs of what smelled like Luna's homemade tea sat in their hands. All chatting ceased when she entered and all eyes fell on her. The sadness and sympathy in their eyes was clear but she kept her head up. "I have a plan to find the other horcruxes."

Scrub. Scrub. Scrub. Back at the manor Narcissa  was on her hands and knees scrubbing her sons blood off the cell floor as soft tears ran down her face. She heard the door open but didn't turn to see. Her husband stood over her. "There are servants for that." Lucius said in his usual cold and empty tone.

The mother ignored him and continued to clean. She couldn't sleep or even think knowing that Draco's blood was all over the floor in her home. "Where is he?" This time his voice was low. Wiping a hand across her face she stood and faced her husband. "Snape is disposing of the body."

At that moment Snape carried in a limp and bloody slytherin at St. Mungos hospital. Upon seeing them healers rushed over and lead Snape to an available private bed. They began their work on cleaning and bandaging his godsons wounds. Which he had so many of.

Broken ribs, concussion at the least, possible internal bleeding, broken jaw, multiple lacerations, collapsed lung, dislocated shoulder, shattered knee and much worse was heard from the nurses who rushed around Draco. The results of Cruciatus curses can be terrible. Insanity, memory loss, loss of limbs, paralyzation and much more.

Once the healers had done all they could, Draco laid blood free and bandaged up looking like a mummy. His face was bruised as was his now wrapped torso and arms. Snape watched and waited from the foot of the bed. Finally the potion wore off and Draco's chest rose and fell weakly. A Sign of life.