Of Butterflies in a Hurricane

*

All was dark as Draco woke late in the night. An odd smell met his nostrils and he recoiled, immediately awake. He sat up quickly, looking around him. The room in which he was was small. The only furniture was the bed on which he sat and a small bedside table. The door that was across from him was shut tightly.

Draco reached over for his wand, using it to light a small candle that stood on the table. He sighed to himself, remembering where he was and why the room smelled so foul.

There was a creaking sound and the door was thrown open. Draco's heart jumped in his throat for a second but left once he saw who it was. He sneered at the hunched form of a man that entered the room.

"What do you want?" he sneered in disgust.

The man scowled at being addressed so by such a younger person. "Severus wishes to speak with you. You will come with me."

He led the way out the room and Draco followed cautiously. He knew it couldn't be good. They had been holed up in Spinner's End for the past few weeks. Many times, Draco had thought about escaping, but he knew he would be dead before he even got out the window.

He followed Wormtail down a narrow staircase and out the bookcase that concealed the door. The bright light of the living room was almost blinding as they emerged into it.

Draco looked around and saw Snape standing by the fireplace, looking into it intently. He looked up when they entered and gestured for Draco to sit, which he did carefully.

"That will be all, Wormtail," Snape said coldly to the hunched man, who bowed and retreated from the room. He turned back to Draco, who was watching him apprehensively.

Ever since that fateful night when Snape had committed the murder of Albus Dumbledore, they had stayed in that putrid house. Draco knew nothing of what was going on. Snape did not tell him what was happening. Draco knew he was not safe, nor was he out of danger. He knew the Dark Lord must be angry that he had not completed his mission.

When he had promised Harry, so many months ago, he had not thought of all the consequences. He had no idea of what fate awaited him, but he knew it could not be good.

At night, he lay awake in his bed, wishing that Harry would appear outside his window to take him away. He knew he should have left Snape and gone to Harry when he'd had the chance back at the castle. Draco was waiting for Harry to come for him. He knew he would. He knew.

"Draco," Snape said, breaking into his thoughts and bringing him back to reality. Snape had sat down in the adjacent chair and fixed him with his black eyes. "We cannot hide forever. The Dark Lord knows. He wishes to see you."

"We can't do that!" Draco exclaimed. "He's going to kill me, Severus."

"He may not," Snape said quietly. "He may... keep you."

"What do you mean, 'keep me'?" Draco asked carefully, not liking the sound of it.

"I can't tell you what he will do, Draco. Only he knows what punishment he may inflict upon you."

"And you're just going to let him?" Draco asked, growing worried. Oh, how he wished he was with Harry at that very moment. Harry would protect him. Harry loved him.

"I cannot control the Dark Lord, Draco. You very well know that," Snape replied, his voice becoming quieter and more dangerous.

"But I--I failed my mission. Surely, he doesn't want to praise me," Draco said scornfully, his anger covering up his immense fear at facing Voldemort.

"You are in no position to be angry," Snape said in a cold voice. "The Dark Lord will deal with you as he sees fit. You would do best to remain silent and take that punishment."

Draco was silent for a moment. As he saw it, there was no possible way out of this situation. He would face Voldemort and take what he got. He only hoped it would not be as horrible as he imagined.

"But, sir?" he asked in a whisper, looking up at Snape carefully. "Couldn't I... I could leave."

"And go where?" Snape replied coldly.

"There are... places," Draco said slowly, hoping he would catch on.

Snape's eyes widened as realization dawned. "Do not mention that again. No one would take you after what has happened. The Dark Lord would kill you instantly."

Draco sighed, wishing he could tell Snape all that he knew, but it was too dangerous. What if the Dark Lord broke through his defenses and saw what Draco could tell him, about Harry, about their relationship? It could be damaging to everyone.

Instead, he remained silent, knowing that, unless Harry showed up right at that very moment, he was about to face his doom.

Snape stood up and walked around the back of the chair, looking agitated, rubbing at his left forearm unconsciously. All of a sudden, a sear of pain ripped through both of them. Draco clutched instinctively at his arm, gripping it so hard his fingernails left marks on the skin.

When it was over, he looked up at Snape, who appeared to be steeling himself. Snape looked down at him. "It is time."

He walked around the chair and grabbed Draco's upper arm, leading him out the back door. Once they were about fifty feet from the door, Snape stopped, still gripping Draco's arm.

He looked at Draco for a second and Draco thought that, maybe, he might just let him go, run away and try to save himself. But a moment later, it was gone. Snape took a breath, and in a crack, they were gone.

They reappeared in a pitch black room. Draco could see nothing at all in the darkness. There were no windows, no lights of any kind illuminating the room. He felt Snape release his arm and step back from him.

He was looking around in the dark, hoping his eyes would adjust and he would be able to see something. It was no use, though. Everything was infinitely dark.

Suddenly, a torch flared up behind him. Draco whipped around but saw nothing but the torch. He turned back to the front and gasped.

There, standing in a small doorway, was a tall figure swathed in black. The man moved forward, lighting one more torch with his wand. Draco remained rooted to the spot.

"M-my lord," he stuttered, remembering the proper respect the Dark Lord demanded. He bowed forward slightly, keeping his head upward, watching Voldemort closely.

"Draco," a voice hissed, cold and high from the figure coming closer. "You have failed me."

Draco said nothing. He had nothing to say. He couldn't defend himself without revealing everything.

"Let's see why," Voldemort said softly, and Draco knew what was coming.

He was actually prepared for this. For weeks in his solitude, he had concentrated all his energy on it.

He felt Voldemort enter his mind, bringing memories to the surface of that night. There was Dumbledore, weak and wandless, slipping down to the ground as Draco stood there, wand in hand. Suddenly, a Death Eater appeared beside him, shouting something about killing Dumbledore.

Draco had told him angrily that he would do it. He had raised his wand to perform the curse when members of the Order had broken through the defense. Draco flung himself into a dark corner and watched as they rushed past, following the Death Eater, taking no notice of the hunched figure on the ground.

Draco came out of his place, staring at the crippled figure. Another Death Eater had come running up the stairs, knocking him to the side. That was when Snape had appeared. He wasted no time in killing Dumbledore and dragging Draco away.

The Dark Lord came out of Draco's subconscious looking less than pleased. This was not the situation he had imagined.

Draco waited, wondering if he would believe what he'd seen. That had not been what had occurred at all, but in the darkness of his room, Draco had fabricated the memories to protect himself and Harry.

Voldemort's scarlet eyes narrowed as he looked at Draco. "Never mind what happened," he said finally, his voice cold as ice. "You have failed me. You will be punished."

He raised his wand and, as if an invisible hand was pushing him backwards, Draco was shoved back and down into a wooden chair that stood in the middle of the room.

As soon as he sat down, clinking chains appeared from nowhere, snaking up his arms and binding him tightly. Draco's looked down at the chains, panicking slightly. What was he going to do to him?

An evil, twisted smirk appeared on Voldemort's face as he watched the struggle in Draco's face. Draco looked over to where Snape stood, his face cast into shadow by the flickering torches.

His head snapped forward as Voldemort approached him. He tried to recoil as Voldemort reached out a finger, drawing it down the side of his face.

Voldemort gave a low chuckle, not at all amused sounding. "Draco," he whispered. "Perhaps you need some time."

Yeah, some time to figure out how to kill you, Draco thought vehemently. He didn't say anything to Voldemort as he stood in front of him.

"I will give you time," Voldemort said in a soft and menacing voice. "But I am not a patient man."

Draco said nothing, heeding Snape's advice. He wondered exactly what the Dark Lord meant by "time".

"Perhaps a few days without food will do the trick," Voldemort hissed. "Normally, I would not resort to something so Muggle but certain times call for certain acts. If that does not soften you up, I fear wizard tricks will come."

He turned and walked toward the door. He opened it and Draco had to stop himself from crying out in surprise and shock. A humongous snake slithered through the door and right up to Draco. Its tongue flicked out, smelling him.

"Nagini, here, will keep you company, won't you?" Voldemort added, a cruel smile twisting his face.

The snake let out a low hiss, and Draco's eyes widened. He looked back over to where Snape still stood. He hadn't said a word during the entire meeting. Draco half-hoped that maybe he would help him. His hope was short-lived, though, as Voldemort called for him to come.

"Severus, come with me. I have something to discuss with you."

Together, they left, slamming the door behind them, the torches flickering and dying, leaving only the soft sounds of Nagini slithering over the floor around Draco's feet.


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A/N: Now, I know someone is reading this... or at least clicking the link, but no one is reviewing. What does this tell me? Well, initially, it tells me nothing, because you are telling me nothing. It also tells me (by way of induction) that you aren't liking the story. I'd like to know either way, thanks :)