Pain pricked her temple as he led them out the drawing room doors, towards the marble staircase. They closed, sealing Ginny away from her like a coffin. Hermione swallowed, trying to be strong—

"Lucius!" a voice called, just as he put his foot on the first step. They swiveled around to find Yaxley, leaning out the cracked door of the small sitting room tucked behind the staircase. "Come join us. We were just discussing Geneva."

"Of course. Give me a moment to put my pet to bed," said Lucius smoothly. He moved to the second stair, tugging Hermione behind him.

"Bring her," said Yaxley, and Lucius froze. He turned around slowly, and Hermione followed. "I was just about to come looking for you. We have the other one in here, too."

Hermione's breath was tight in her chest.

Ginny.

Alone in a room full of Death Eaters.

Lucius hesitated, and Yaxley lifted a brow. "Don't be stingy. Your guests want to see the finest horses in the show." He smirked. "Maybe we'll let them wrestle."

Hermione said a silent prayer, begging. And then—

"Just for a few minutes, I suppose," said Lucius stiffly.

Her skin shivered, and then her heart beat out of her chest as Lucius led her to the sitting room. With each step of the marble, she concentrated on binding her emotions into books — pushing Draco into a far corner of her mind and covering him with other texts, folding the pages of Ginny into another book altogether. The doors pushed open just as she lost them somewhere in the stacks.

Her eyes caught on the white dress immediately. Ginny had her back turned to the door, Avery at her side with his hand on her backside. Hermione drew a sharp breath, but her Occlumency held. She looked away. Dolohov, Rookwood, Mulciber, Crabbe Sr., Parkinson, and the Lestrange brothers stood in a lazy formation, sipping drinks and chuckling with each other. It was odd to see them in the bright candlelight of the Manor, without a slave on their arm or in their lap.

Their eyes drifted over her, but they looked away without leering — all except Dolohov.

"So, this is where you all disappeared to." Lucius shook Mulciber's hand and promptly took a path through the room towards the drinks trolley in the corner, pushing Hermione to stand against a wall behind a chair.

"Your wife throws a fine party, Lucius."

"That she does." Lucius sipped his brandy and moved to shake Avery's hand. "Didn't expect to see you here, Aron. Welcome."

"I got permission to let her out of her cage." Avery chuckled, and Hermione watched his hand slide up from Ginny's backside and curl into her ginger locks. Swallowing, she quickly looked away.

"However will the Dark Lord amuse himself on this New Year's Eve?" Rabastan murmured, and Mulciber hid a smile in his glass.

Avery sneered. "It's an honor to be of service to the Dark Lord. I consider myself lucky to have a pet who holds his interest."