Always. (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Trust Me, Part 2

Pettigrew and Greyback threw Harry and Ron into the basement and locked the gate that led upstairs to where we were.

"Harry, what are we going to do?! We can't just leave Hermione up there alone!" Ron cries out.

"...But she's not alone."

Harry and Ron look further down the basement and saw a timid blonde girl hiding behind a pillar. "Luna?"

"Are you alright, Harry? You look strange." Luna emerges from behind the pillar and walks towards the boys.

"Luna, what did you mean Hermione's not alone?" Harry asks.

She smiles sweetly, "Joy is up there with her, isn't she? Joy will keep her safe."

Ron was shocked, "Joy?"

Luna nods, "Joy Deveroux."

Harry and Ron's jaws both drop. "What did you just say?!" They both exclaim in unison.

"That was Joy Deveroux you just saw. Don't you remember?" Luna asks.

They both shake their heads. "Thought as much. Hermione will probably remember though." Luna begins to play with her hair.

"You'll start to hear her screaming soon, but don't worry... Joy will let it happen on purpose." Luna explains.

Ron yells, "You really are loony, Lovegood! She's gonna kill Hermione!"

Luna giggles, "Joy just needs Hermione to be tortured enough to remember everything she's forgotten."

Right on time, they began to hear the blood curdling screams of Hermione coming from one floor above them.

-

"This sword is supposed to be in my vault at Gringott's! HOW DID YOU GET IT?!" Bellatrix was straddling over Hermione's body, as Hermione whimpers in fear.

She begins to beg, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Bellatrix screams, "LIES! What else did you take?!"

Hermione began to scream in pain and fear.
I tried my best to not kick Bellatrix off of her, so I had to sit the the nearby chair and act as if I was bored of this conversation.

-

"What are you talking about, Luna?" Harry was more confused than ever.

"We're under a memory charm. No one remembers the real Joy unless it's tortured into you," Luna smiles,
"Joy has been taking care of me since I got here. She hasn't changed much... besides being You-Know-Who's heir."

Harry knew he was right.. that they were the same Joy. He just needs to find a way to remember everything... without being tortured.

Dobby suddenly appears in the basement shocking Harry. "Dobby?!"

"Dobby is here to help his friend, Harry Potter." Dobby announces.

They hear Hermione scream even more.
Ron cried out, "We have to do something! Joy is gonna kill her!"

Dobby speaks up, "Miss Joy? Oh, she wouldn't hurt a fly."

Harry and Ron both look at Dobby, "You know Joy, Dobby?"

Dobby nods, "Binky talks about how kind Miss Joy is, and how Miss Joy never hurt Binky. Miss Joy is a nice master, the nicest of all! Binky even stayed with Miss Joy after Miss Joy set Binky free!"

Harry and Ron look at each other then to Dobby. Harry shakes his head and realizes something, "Dobby, you can apparate us out of here?"

Dobby nods. "Great," Harry cheers, "Take Luna out of here to..."

Ron interrupts, "...Shell cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth." Ron looks to Harry, "Trust me."

Dobby nods and apparates Luna out of the basement.

Harry turns to Ron, "Luna said it's her! It has to be!"

Ron laughs, "Honestly, you'd want to believe Loony Lovegood? I'd much rather wait until Hermione says so."

-

Hermione screams began to grow louder and more disturbing the longer that Bellatrix put her under the Cruciatus curse.
I just need to wait long enough to make sure that Hermione can remember me.

Bellatrix began to have the word 'Mudblood' scratched into Hermione's arm, causing me to stand up.

I dramatically sigh, "Bellatrix... that's enough."

Bellatrix defies my orders and continued to have the line etched into Hermione's skin.

I bark, "I said ENOUGH!" I sent Bellatrix flying back across the room, making her hit the fireplace behind her.
She groans as the impact hurt her deeply, "Perhaps I got a bit carried away."

I huff, "No shit. Now go, I'll bring her to the basement."
Bellatrix dusts off her dress and disapparates.

I run over to where Hermione lays on the marble floors and crouch down, "You're ok, Hermione. She's gone."

Hermione clings onto me, barely breathing. "...Joy?"

I nod, "Hermione, you need to say my full name so I know."

She whispers out, "Deveroux. Joy Deveroux."

I smiled and held onto her tighter, "You're alright Hermione, I got you." I whipped out my wand and healed the scratch on her arm that Bellatrix was unable to compete.

I could hear Ron and Harry run up the stairs from the basement.

Ron throws a curse at me, which I easily blocked.

I laughed, "You gotta do better than that, Weasley." I go back to tending to Hermione as I could feel the boys eyes on me.

"Where's Pettigrew?" I ask them.

Ron keeps his wand pointed to me as he answers my question, "Stunned at the bottom of the steps. Want to join him?"

I scoff, "I could kill you in a blink."

Ron yells out, "Like hell!"
He began to say a curse, when Hermione musters up the needy to speak, "Ron, stop it. You could hit Hermione."

Harry's eyes widened, "It was you. The letters."

I helped Hermione up to her feet as she thanks me. I reply back to him, "I don't know what you're talking about." I walk across the room away from them.

Harry steps forward as Ron hold Hermione, "You wrote the letters I have."

I reply, "I know nothing about any letters." I picked up the sword from the floor that Bellatrix has forgotten about when she left.

I need to think of the most effective way to tell them who I am, without actually verbally confirming what my real name is, or else the Dark Lord will become aware of me telling someone who I really am. Make sense?

I pass off the sword to Harry. "Word has it that Bellatrix's vault holds another horcrux. You'll need that to find a way in." I point to the sword.

"How did you—" Harry looks at me confused.

"Visions... You'll understand later." I begin to hear Pettigrew coming back to consciousness, "You should go, I'll deal with Pettigrew."

Harry nods and walks towards Ron and Hermione. "Why are you helping us—"

I hold my hand up to stop him from talking, "Just... trust me."

I look to Hermione who mouths 'thank you' before they disapparated.

I quickly flicked my wand and made myself look ragged, as if I've been overpowered by the Trio as Pettigrew runs up the stairs.

"Wha-what happened?" He mumbles.

I wiped fake sweat off of my forehead and began to huff loudly and dramatically.
I yell at him, "Wait until Voldy finds out you're the reason why they got away, Pettigrew."

He began to bite his nails as the thought of his punishment comes to mind.

I roll my eyes and began to disapparate of the room, "Fucking dumbass."