The Spring of the Satyr

Hermione opened her eyes and groaned. She felt as if she’d been beaten by a whole herd of Hippogriffs. Her hand gingerly rose to the knot on the back of her head and she winced at the pain. Looking around in confusion, she tried to make sense of her surroundings. She seemed to be in a small, but not unpleasant bedroom, lying on an unfamiliar bed. There were no windows, or doors either if she were seeing things correctly. The whole room seemed to be just a box of four plain, undecorated walls, painted a light robin’s egg blue. The only object in the room besides the bed was a small, flimsy looking nightstand with a white ceramic lamp that gave off a dim, yellowish glow. How did she get here?

The last thing she remembered clearly had been walking up the path to Hogsmeade. Had she fainted? Was Lucius here somewhere? Carefully, she rotated her legs off the bed and tried to stand. The dizziness forced her to sit back down. She scanned her room for her bag containing her wand. It wasn’t there. She felt the first real stirrings of apprehension.

“Hello!” She called feebly, the sound of her own voice making her head hurt intolerably.

A light shuffling could be heard outside one of the walls. Hermione held her breath as a black-robed figure melted through the wall. Hermione’s eyes flew open in horror. A short, frightened whimper escaped her lips as she saw the face of her visitor. Bellatrix LeStrange!

Narcissa gazed at the horrified girl on the bed with hidden amusement. Obviously, the polyjuice with a bit of her sister’s hair she’d saved had been a stroke of genius. “Hello little mudblood.” She said menacingly. “I see you remember me! I’m so flattered!”

Hermione shook her head in terrified denial. “You are not her! I saw her die!” Tears poured unnoticed down her cheeks and her body shook uncontrollably. The person with Bellatrix’s face sat calmly beside her on the bed, causing Hermione to shrink against the headboard. The woman’s hand reached out and gently caressed her face. Hermione thought she would go mad. “Why am I here?” She sobbed.

“Why do you think you are here Miss Granger?” Narcissa asked in a dark, level voice. When Hermione didn’t reply, she let her fingernails graze the girls face, drawing four bloody streaks down a tear-moistened cheek.

Hermione jumped back, falling off the back of the bed, holding her injured face in her hand. She looked around in panic. There were no weapons to be seen, and no apparent escape route. She ran at the place where Bellatrix had appeared. She crashed hard into the wall, which felt like stone against her body and fell to the floor. She looked up at the hated witch, still sitting calmly at the bed. “Please let me go!” She begged.

“I asked you a question Granger!” Narcissa asked, her anger growing apace with the girl’s sniveling.”Since you won’t be kind enough to tell me, then I will tell you. You are here because you have had the audacity to not only seduce my sister’s husband, but to pollute my nephew with your filth as well.” Her expression was deadly. “I think that deserves some,, punishment don’t you?” Narcissa pulled her wand from a pocket in her robes and pointed it at the girl. “I believe you are familiar with the Cruciatus curse are you not?”

**

Lucius felt the eyes of the room on him, questioning. He saw Draco’s smirk and was suddenly certain. The boy knew where she was! His eyes blazed as he stared at his son. He turned to the two professors. “Leave us!” He demanded angrily.

McGonagall huffed. How dare the arrogant bastard order her from her own office! “Mr. Malfoy, I don’t know where you think you are, but here at Hogwarts,,,”

Lucius sighed in desperate frustration and grabbed Draco’s arm in a strong, iron grip. Roughly, he pulled the boy out the door. In the circular stairwell, he pushed Draco against the door to the office, blocking it from the two trying to follow. With shaking fingers, he grabbed his son’s face, holding it to meet his. With the other he pulled out his wand. “Where is Hermione?” He demanded, squeezing Draco’s jaw tightly. “Where is she goddamn you!”

Draco grinned, though the fingers digging through his cheeks and into his gums hurt dreadfully. “I don’t know father. I haven’t seen her since I finished fucking her in the library after class.” He almost laughed at the shocked expression on his father’s face. “Oh dear, I’m sorry father, but you didn’t think you were the only one she gave it to did you?” He laughed harshly. “Hot little thing like her,,, you know she’s wanted it a lot more than usual lately. Said something about needing a man who could actually get it up,,,” His words were silenced as a large, powerful fist hit him squarely in the nose. His head flew backwards, hitting the hard wooden door. Blood poured from his injured nose.

Lucius held tightly to the small bit of sanity that remained in him. His voice was deadly. “Where is she Draco?” He asked the boy, who now shook with angry tears of rage. “Where is she?” He held up his wand. “Legilimens!”

As Draco felt the spell weaving into his thoughts he thanked Severus Snape. He’d spent hours with his old potions master, learning Occlumency, preparing for an occasion just like this. He felt his father’s frustration as his probe was met with a solid, impenetrable wall. Draco pushed the defeated older man away with all his strength. He stared at Lucius, covered in his blood, sagging against the wall. “I am finished with you.” He said shakily. “You no longer have a son.” He made his way down the staircase, refusing to look back.