"Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.

If I cannot bend heaven, I will raise hell."

— Virgil

[WARNING: Violence, threats of r*pe, gore]

The wind continued to howl like a dying hound as the leaves shivered in the cold damp air. Hermione remained still, crouched behind the bushes, Draco on her left and the dark-haired Italian siblings, Luca and Gina, to her right. With Hermione as lead, their group was tasked with a simple scouting mission of a pureblood countryside manor in Italy that they suspected held prisoners from the True Order.

"It seems deserted, no?" Luca whispered, still keeping his eyes on the perimeter. Aside from the unusually thick layer of wards, there seemed to be no one occupying the home.

"Most pureblood homes have enchantments that allow the owner to make it seem like the home is unoccupied. It's commonly used when purebloods want to go into hiding, but more often when they require... discretion to indulge in their," Draco's face twisted, "carnal urges."

Despite purebloods boasting about their elitism, from a young age, Draco had found that they too were slaves to their baser desires. His father had never participated in such acts, finding them lewd and primitive — he worshipped Narcissa. Nevertheless, Draco had not been saved from bearing witness to the self-pollution of upper society.

"Draco's right about the enchantments. Watson had mentioned it in the blueprints. Let's circle around the perimeter as planned and look out for any signs that it is being used. But, to be safe, I'd prefer to keep our distance — we can come back with a larger team if we must," Hermione said.

The other three nodded in agreement then continued to their task. It was a starless night, only the moon hanging heavy and full in the sky.

"There on the steps," Gina pointed. "It is blood, sì?"

Hermione looked closer at where Gina was pointing. True enough, dark liquid was smeared over the steps as if someone had been dragged over it. Under the grey moonlight, the blood looked black.

"There was an attack a few days ago on a muggle town not too far from here where some of our members were hiding," Hermione murmured. "There were no bodies left so we assumed they must have been captured."

Before the group could investigate any further, a growl reverberated from the shadows of the forest. Hermione immediately lifted her wand, a spell halfway formed on her lips before a bright yellow light seared her vision then the world went dark.

***

Hermione cracked an eye open and winced at the sharp pain at the back of her head. It was dark and cold wherever she was except for a sheet of moonlight streaming from a high window. She made to move her arms and reach for her wand but found the heavy weight of manacles cuffed around her wrists and ankles, chaining her to the floor. Although she felt weak and drained, she still tried to summon her magic. There was no response. It was as she expected — the restraints were enchanted to suppress her magic.

"Shit," she cursed softly, her throat feeling raw. Her vision finally focused, zeroing in on the dirt and blood caked beneath her fingernails. Hermione grimaced as she pushed herself upright into sitting position, noting the scars and injuries on her calf and chest as well as bruises trailing up her arm that she didn't remember receiving. A rustle of chains immediately drew her attention and she managed to lift her head, searching the darkened dungeon.

"Don't make too much noise," a low voice rasped. After her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, she noticed a figure across from her.

Draco.

"Where are Gina and Luca?" she croaked, leaning back against the damp stone wall for support. Before he could answer, a blood-curdling scream reverberated through the cell. Hermione inhaled sharply at the sound, Gina's pained cries piercing into her chest.

"Hermione," Draco hissed, "stop struggling! You'll draw attention!"

Hermione blinked back the tears pricking her eyes and tried to calm herself. I'll get them out, I'll get them out, she chanted again and again in her mind. She would get them all out. Alive.

Finally, the screaming stopped, instilling both a relief and a deep foreboding.

"They took Luca first," Draco began, interrupting her thoughts, "then Gina after she clawed out one of the eyes of the guards."

"How long have I been out?" Hermione started to shake as the screams started up again and echoed through the cellar walls. She tried to calm down — she couldn't let herself feel. Not now.

"About an hour after the rest of us awakened." Draco's jaw clenched, his eyes glazing over. "You wouldn't wake up so they... beat you." His tone was dark, calm but an undertone of restraint. Hermione's eyes widened, unable to remember what happened while she was unconscious. She quickly glanced around the cell, trying to think of a way out.

Another scream pierced through the darkness, followed by heavy footsteps.

"Granger, listen." Draco shuffled forward, the beam of moonlight falling on his pale head matted with sweat and blood. Hermione sucked in a breath at the sight of his face — it was bruised and bloodied, the marks stark against his once smooth skin. His lip was bleeding, but he looked unconcerned at his state. "They took our shield cloaks with the emergency signal. Our best bet is to — "

He was cut off when the door to the cell banged open and four Death Eaters barged in.

"Look who's awake." The leader, Hermione assumed, sneered as he eyed her. His scarred face was defined against the milky wandlight. Dark greasy hair hung limply from his balding head as he grinned with yellowing teeth. "Looks like the fun is about to begin," he chuckled, grabbing her chin as his breath blew over her face, smelling like curdled milk and beer.

Hermione refused to flinch, staring straight into his beady eyes.

"I've heard of this mind of yours, little mudblood. I look forward to breaking it." Hermione snarled as he straightened. "Crucio!"

Hermione had no time to react as pain seared through her body. It was as if her veins were being fried by lightning. Her eyes rolled up as she spasmed on the ground, only distantly recognizing her own scream.

When the pain finally stopped, she remained twitching on the ground, a white noise ringing in her ears. Vaguely she heard chains rattling and hoarse shouting. It felt like the world was underwater. From where she lay on the damp stone floor, she vaguely noticed shapes and shadows dancing. The lights and shapes began to focus and, across from where she lay, she managed to make out the source of the commotion — it was Draco. Two guards tried to hold him back as he snarled and fought against his chains, a wild murderous look in his eyes. Another guard tried to subdue him, casting spell after spell, but he managed to stay conscious.

"What's this?" Their leader chuckled, a manic glee in his eyes. "The blood-traitor fighting for the mudblood?" Suddenly, Draco was flung against the wall by an invisible force. "What you say, Malfoy? Do you think it would be more fun to have her unconscious when we fuck her? Or have her screaming?"

The guards laughed, one of them sending a kick to her stomach, causing her to cough up blood. Something changed in Malfoy's face then — a blankness falling across his features as he lifted his head slowly. He blinked at the man, his pale battered face even more terrifying in the waning wandlight.

"You'll regret that," he whispered.

The guards went quiet, his words cutting through the space.

"It's ready, General," another guard interrupted upon entering the cell. A wide smile spread across the general's features.

"Excellent. Take the mudblood bitch and the blood-traitor," he commanded as he turned from the room.

Draco and Hermione were dragged out of the cell, still chained. Hermione tried to focus on her surroundings, but her vision was hazy. The cuffs continued to chaff her skin as the guards continued to drag them through the mansion. It was only when fresh air blew across her face that Hermione finally mustered the energy to look up. Before them, torches were lit, illuminating a pentagon painted in blood.

Hermione was shoved to her knees alongside Draco, the chains linked to their cuffs embedding themselves into the ground with magic. They were at the edge of the pentagon and in the middle, nailed and splayed out on the grass was Luca.

"No!" a female voice shrieked. To their right, Gina was being dragged by her arms, her face sobbing at the sight of her brother's body. The shrieking abruptly cut off when Gina was backhanded to the ground.

"This is the cost of all your hope, of all your fighting. Is sacrificing for your Order worth it?" the general said. "So much death and all for what? Give us the information and we'll make it easier."

"Never!" Gina spat.

"Very well — we have other uses for you lot anyways," he smiled. Gina was dragged forward to the middle of the pentagon, brought to kneel before her brother. A masked Death Eater approached her, a black knife glinting in his hand. Hermione almost emptied her stomach as Gina's neck was slit, the fight leaving her eyes as her body went limp. The image was seared into Hermione's mind perfectly, of the two siblings laying limp, side by side, lifeless. Dead. They were her responsibility, her fucking responsibility and this whole time what did she do? Lay useless on the ground while her whole team got tortured and killed.

Suddenly, green flames erupted from the lines of the pentagon. From the forest, two large werewolves with red eyes dragged in another werewolf, which looked beaten and severely injured. With a growl, they flung the limp wolf into the pentagon to join the Death Eater with the dagger. An unintelligible chant thrummed through the air as the wolf was circled by the man with the knife. Suddenly, the Death Eater grabbed the wolf's forearm, cutting a figure Hermione could not make out. The wolf in the circle let out a shuddering howl, causing Hermione's skin to prickle. From where they knelt, Hermione saw the wolf's yellow eyes bleed into a dark red, the bleeding symbol on his forearm flaring an inky purple light before sinking into his skin. It was then that she noticed the marks on the other wolves.

Hermione watched in horror as the wolf rejoined the others. They all bowed submissively to the Death Eater wielding the blade. Somehow, they had found a way to control the werewolves using blood magic and the marks.

"Now, I'll give you two options," the general began, "die like that stupid bitch. Or spare yourselves and give us information."

When neither Draco nor Hermione responded, the general simply smiled and lifted his wand. A spell formed on his dry lips, but suddenly he froze, eyes widening before he fell to the ground. Noise broke out as True Order members emerged from the forest. Hermione sagged in relief as the battle broke out.

The smell of sulfur invaded her senses as flashes of spells seared through her foggy vision. Screams melded with the howling and snarls of the werewolves under the Death Eaters' control. To her right she could make out a blur of white-blond hair. It seemed Draco had managed to grab the keys off the general's body that had landed closer to him. He snatched up their wands from the general's pocket and immediately conjured a shield, narrowly deflecting the spell that came his way.

Hermione watched as he duelled with two Death Eaters then a werewolf. Attacker after attacker fell as he deftly moved and struck, not hindered by his injuries. When the sixth Death Eater fell, a cold smile graced his features along with a rogue look in his eyes. His teeth were bloodied and his arms spread wide like an avenging angel.

"Who the fuck is next," he roared.

As if in answer, lighting shot through the night sky followed by a deep rumble. A harsh downpour rained upon the battlefield. Just as the first drops touched Hermione's brow, the world went dark and she saw stars. Her ears were ringing as the side of her face began to throb. She heard a hard crack from nearby but her vision was still too unfocused to identify the source.

"Hermione," a voice rasped as gentle hands prodded her temple. Briefly, the touch left her and in the next moment she felt the manacles on her wrists and ankles disappear and her magic flare to life. Strong arms lifted her onto her feet and she leaned heavily on the solid support. "Hermione, wake up."

Hermione lifted her lids, fingers curling around the cool wood of her wand that was slipped into her hand. "Draco?"

"We have to move," he said, pulling her along. Hermione almost stumbled on the bloody body beneath her, immediately recognizing it as the guard that had kicked her earlier. Before she had time to process his state, Draco brought her past the circle of torches, his solid arm around her waist as he used his free hand to shoot spells.

From her proximity to him, she could feel his magic enveloping them. His magic felt like cold fire — so cold it burned. There was a sharpness and potency to it, but at the same time an underlying darkness that only came when one was familiar with the Dark Arts. The intricacy in which he wielded his magic, swiftly cutting those in his path mesmerized her in her daze.

"Fuck, the wards are too far out!" he growled. As Draco erected a shield to deflect a curse aimed to his side, another hex shot at the opening, hitting Hermione on the chest. Hermione hissed and almost doubled over. But, just then, a figure popped before them.

"Suri is here to help," said a little elf with large green eyes. It was a house-elf from the Order. All around them house-elves apparated in, grabbing True Order members before disapparating. Hermione sagged in relief as Draco took the elf's outstretched hand and they disappeared.

***

Draco and Hermione were apparated into the middle of the headquarters meeting room, which they found in disarray. Witches and wizards were running about as Moody barked out orders. Before she could thank Suri, the elf disapparated, likely to rescue more members.

"Granger, Malfoy," Kingsley's deep voice greeted them. Relief washed over his expression at seeing them alive.

"Gina and Luca are dead," Hermione croaked, staggering forward as a new pain bloomed in her chest. Before she could get another word out, a blanket was thrown over her shoulders just as Draco stepped slightly in front of her with one arm steadying her as he began filling Kingsley in on what happened. It was only then that Hermione realized that her top was soaked in blood and sliced cleanly down the middle, revealing a deep gash between her partially exposed breasts.

By the time Hermione got her bearings, ready to hold accountability for the lives lost under her leadership, Kingsley had just turned away while a firm arm guided her out the room and into the infirmary.

The next few moments were a blur with healers running around the room, dousing her with potions and treating her with spells then rushing away as more victims apparated in. On the cot crammed next to hers, Draco was getting treated for an infection on his back. The house-elves popped in and out, bringing in more members, some clawed and sporting werewolf bites. Some dead as they arrived. Hermione's eyes prickled, the image of Luca and Gina vivid behind her lids. They had been new recruits, so young and ready to fight after having lost their parents in an attack. And now they were dead.

"Daddy! Mini!" a voice shouted. To her surprise, Hermione watched as Scorpius Malfoy began running on his little legs with his hand clasped tightly around a pinched-face Watson.

"Scorp, what are you doing here?" Draco said with his eyes narrowed.

"The young Malfoy refused to sleep," Watson said grumpily as they wove through the throng of people. "When Suri informed Watson of your escape, the young Malfoy insisted on finding you."

Draco nodded at the elf in understanding, sighing as he picked up the little boy currently reaching his arms out expectantly.

"Watson must be going now. He must be helping other elves."

"Thank you, Watson," Draco said as did Hermione. Scorpius cheekily waved at the elf and leaned back against his father.

"Is you okay, Mini?" Hermione looked over at the boy's wide concerned gaze. Before she could muster out a response, Scorpius wiggled out of his father's arms and, with some effort, heaved his body up on her cot.

"Scorpius, Hermione needs rest," Draco reprimanded lightly.

Hermione laughed at the sour look Scorpius gave his father.

"It's alright, he can stay," Hermione murmured, brushing her fingers through the boy's soft locks. Scorpius' head whipped in her direction, a beaming smile on his face as he leaned in to her touch.

Draco exhaled in defeat. "Be gentle, Scorp."

"Of couwse!" Scorpius said with an offended look. "I take care of Mini." Hermione's heart stuttered as he snuggled next to her and lay his head on her shoulder.

"You go sleep now, daddy, I watch Mini," the boy said with a determination in his brows despite his evidently drooping lids.

Choosing not to argue, Draco shook his head, pretending to shut his eyes until moments later the sound of his son's soft snores reached his ears. Draco opened his eyes only to see brown ones gazing in his direction. Despite the gaze trained on him, there was a vacant distance to them. He knew what she was thinking about in that moment. He knew that she was running through a million decisions she could have made to prevent the loss of Luca and Gina's lives. He knew that she was adding on this additional burden, as if she could carry the weight of every death on her shoulders, as if she owed the world or anyone that. He could see these thoughts in the solemn set of her face, the worry in her brows, and the fear she always kept buried for the sake of being brave for everyone else.

"Really, Granger, I don't know how I could possibly sleep with you ogling my body."

Hermione blinked, a fierce blush blooming over her cheeks upon realizing where she had been staring. She cleared her throat lightly and shot him a glare.

"I wasn't ogling you, Malfoy," she said in a clipped voice. "I was just... inspecting that gash on your abdomen."

Draco hummed, raising a pale eyebrow. She scowled.

"Anyways," she murmured, avoiding his gaze, "you should get some sleep too." Carefully she put the blanket over Scorpius, her gaze softening at the sleeping child.

"Is that a command, Granger?" Draco replied. It came out softer than he intended.

"And if it is," she said, meeting his eyes again with her nose turned upwards in that swotty way of hers.

"I know I'm quite the temptation but let my body heal before you try to take advantage of my weakened state and have your way with me, yeah?" he drawled, shutting his eyes. Even with his eyes closed, he could see her fuming face behind his lids, her lips forming into that angry pout and her brows furrowing. His lips twitched at the image.

"Just fucking sleep!" she whispered harshly before sending him a stinging hex that had him hissing.

"Ms. Granger, I've got the potion for your head here," the healer's exhausted voice intoned. "A sleeping drought as well."