In The End

Chapter 27 - Mudblood

"Come on, you need to eat something." Draco said, pushing Eliza's plate of food closer to her.

They sat alone in the dining room. Everyone else had eaten long ago. Draco had noticed Eliza's absence of mind at the table, and was starting to worry. It seemed that even when she did come to him in the middle of the night, she didn't sleep.

She would wake up in a cold sweat, screams building up in her throat. Draco was often forced to cast a Muffliato charm in order to keep her from waking the others.

She would burst into tears as he held her, but she would never tell him what she dreamt about.

By this point, he had been extremely worried, as she had now gone completely off eating; only eating if Draco put her food right in front of her and reminded her constantly to eat.

Eliza looked down at the plate of food Draco had asked the house elves to prepare for her. Her stomach churned at the sight of it. All she could think about was the woman who had died in front of her.

Over the past few weeks, the amount of screaming and violence had increased dramatically, as more and more wizards who associated with the Order were brought in and tortured, as well as wizards who supported muggle rights.

She was becoming jumpy, and paranoid. She didn't know how to act around people anymore. All she could think about was how she was going to one day be caught, and how her father would be next.

"Come on, just a few bites, for me." Draco asked gently, rubbing circles on her back.

She nodded, and lifted the fork to her mouth, slowly chewing at the food, before swallowing.

Draco smiled softly, relieved that she was at least eating something. He didn't know how much more he could take, watching her in this terrible state.

Eliza's hearing pricked up as she heard a commotion coming from the foyer. Immediately she jumped up and rushed out of the room, Draco close behind her.

They heard a girl screaming. For some reason, Eliza recognised the voice. Draco and Eliza burst through the doors into the foyer, where they found Bellatrix holding a blonde witch by her hair.

"We told him to stop writing those things in the Quibbler! Now you're going to pay for his ignorance!" Bellatrix cackled, as she yanked the witch closer to her.

"Luna?" Eliza asked in surprise.

"Eliza! What are you doing here? You need to help me!" She said frantically, suddenly looking at Eliza's attire.

She went still in Bellatrix's grip.

"You're one of them." She said weakly.

"I- I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Eliza said quietly.

"You know this girl?" Bellatrix questioned, looking at Eliza with menacing eyes.

"She's-"

"Eliza knew her from school. They were potions partners." Draco interrupted, looking as cold as possible.

Bellatrix looked suspicious.

"Well, I think I'll take our little prisoner for some questioning." Bellatrix said, yanking at Luna's hair again.

Eliza bit her lip, trying to stop herself from crying. Luna simply looked at Eliza with disappointment. She seemed tired, more than angry.

Draco watched as Bellatrix led Luna out of the foyer and down the stairs into the basement. Eliza was staring at the ground, her lip bleeding.

Draco threw his arms around her, letting her bury her head into his shoulder.

"She was my friend." She said, shaking her head.

"I know, angel, I know." He whispered, letting her fall apart in his arms once again.

---

Eliza sat on her bay window, staring out at the big English garden of Malfoy Manor. She had been having a rough few days. Hearing Luna screaming from the basement made her feel like dying, and she began to withdraw from Draco.

She tried to read to get her mind off things. Right now, she sat reading a muggle book Draco had snuck in for her, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

"Oh Sydney Carton, if only I had your problems." She mumbled to herself, as she continued reading.

Just then, she heard her bedroom door burst open, as many pairs of feet marched in. She quickly hid her book under a pillow and stood up. She walked around the corner and found Bellatrix, Lucius, Walden and Narcissa standing before her.

Lucius was holding Walden by his arm, rather tightly, if Eliza was seeing correctly.

"You." Bellatrix began.

"Uncle? What's going on?" Eliza asked in alarm.

"You're a filthy little mudblood is what's going on!" Bellatrix yelled, marching up to Eliza and tightly gripping her hair.

"Uncle!" Eliza asked desperately, starting to panic.

"I knew something was off about you! It was only a matter of time! The way you treated that blood traitor girl! I knew you weren't one of us!" She cackled.

Draco now walked into the room.

"What's going on here, Bellatrix?" Draco asked angrily, looking at Eliza as she was held in place by her hair.

"Draco dearest, I believe you have been deceived. As it turns out, Eliza here, is nothing but a filthy mudblood, and her good for nothing uncle!" Bellatrix continued.

Draco's facial expression changed to one of alarm, and then it became cold. Only Eliza had known the real reason why he was unsettled.

"I see." He said slowly, glancing at his father.

Eliza's heart raced as she anticipated how he was going to react. He couldn't give himself away. He promised.

"I think it's about time she catches up with her blood traitor friend in the cellar. What do you think, Draco?" Bellatrix said maniacally, yanking at her hair again.

Eliza let out a small grunt in pain but suppressed it. She needed to be strong. They both did.

"I don't care what you do with her. She's just a mudblood." He said slowly, keeping his eyes directly on Eliza.

His whole facial expression was as cold as ice, almost like his silvery eyes, but Eliza could see behind it all. He was afraid.

"Come on dearie, let's teach you a little lesson for lying to us." Bellatrix said, steering Eliza out of the door.

Mr Malfoy soon followed with Walden, and Draco was left alone with his mother. When she was sure they were gone, she wrapped her arms around her son. He let out a strangled sob.

"I'm so sorry, my love. I know this is difficult." She whispered soothingly.

"She's a good person. She doesn't deserve this." His voice shook.

"I know. We'll make a plan." She replied, patting his back gently.