Inside Your Mind

lullaby

Lullaby - Sia

November 2nd 1999

'Kill him.' Dolohov said, breaking Hermione out of her thoughts, and all eyes turned to him. He had picked Hermione's wand up from the floor and was holding it out to her.

The clock struck midnight.

'Go on, I know you want to.' Dolohov said softly, menacingly. He was playing with her, enjoying the show, wanting her to commit this act while he watched. Ever the exhibitionist. 

Hermione stood slowly, Yaxley's wand still pressing and burning against her spine, and held out a shaking hand to take her wand. She couldn't do anything stupid like try and attack them, Dolohov knew that, so she took her wand and walked over to Draco.

For a moment Hermione thought she saw Draco's heart break behind those grey eyes.

'I want the ropes off,' Hermione said as she stood by his side. 'I don't want him restrained when I do it.'

The two Death Eaters nodded at her, smirks plastered across their faces.

'Who knew a Gryffindor Mudblood could be so ruthless, eh Draco?' Yaxley taunted.

Draco's heart stopped as the ropes disappeared from his body, the raw skin that had been trapped beneath the bonds stinging, and Hermione pushed her left foot onto his chest to hold him down.

Their eyes met and a hundred words were spoken while a thousand went unsaid.

Hermione held eye contact as her grip tightened on her wand and she pressed harder with her foot.

Draco was watching her, watching the thoughts in her eyes, and considered for a moment if she would actually do this. For a fleeting second he compared this moment to his Sixth Year, to the night on the Astronomy Tower where he held Dumbledore at wand point. He was a much weaker person than Hermione, could she do something that he had failed to do? Could she kill him?

Draco felt her foot dig even further into his chest as her eyes disconnected from his, flicking down to her shoe for the briefest of moments, before meeting his once more. His eyebrows twitched in confusion and she pressed harder with her foot before easing off slightly.

She was sending a message.

Draco moved his eyes away from her face and looked down at the dirty white trainer that she had borrowed from Ginny. The act of lifting her leg in order to place her foot on his chest had lifted the hem of her jeans enough to expose bare skin, just a sliver, but it was all he needed. Draco knew that he was the only one who could see this due to the angle but it was enough. Merlin knew it was more than enough.

Hermione watched as Draco's mouth twitched and she knew it was time. Throwing a quick glance at the Death Eaters she gave them the most sinister smirk she could manage, letting them know that she was about to do this. She steadied her wand arm and pointed it at Draco's chest as she moved her left foot to his other side. Hermione looked down at him as she loomed over his body, her left foot right next to his right hand, and spoke.

'I trusted you.' I still do. 'I thought you'd changed.' I know you have. 'I have to do this.' And you're going to help me.

Hermione took a deep breath as she felt Draco's cool fingers against the skin of her ankle.

In a flash of white light Hermione had non-verbally stunned Yaxley, throwing him back against the kitchen cupboards, sending another quick fire Stunning Spell towards Dolohov. He was quick to avoid her spell, raising his wand to retaliate, but Draco was quicker.