A cackle. "Ohh… I think you do."

The edge of a blade caught the moonlight, and Hermione's chest locked in horror as the tip pressed against her skin.

Hermione thrashed wildly. Bellatrix laughed and moved one knee onto her chest, the other pressing her upper arm into the mattress as her blade dug into her arm.

She couldn't breathe. She screamed, knowing no one would hear her. No one—

"Aunt Bella," said a calm voice. "What are you doing?"

A wave of Bellatrix's hand, and the candles lit in her bedroom. She turned over her shoulder and smiled. "Draco, darling. Come to play?"

Hermione felt her pulse in the wound, her blood gathering.

Bellatrix dismounted, and Hermione scrambled to the side, stumbling into the wall. Her eyes darted to the bathroom with the door that she could barricade, but it was on the other side of the bed.

She held her arm close to her chest and looked up to see Draco in the center of the room, watching his aunt. He wore his trunks and a vacant expression. His eyes didn't search for her, he didn't move toward her. He just smirked at his aunt.

"Bella, you of all people know the importance of breaking in a toy. You'll ruin my process."

Hermione swallowed, her breath coming in sharp gasps, dizzying her. The wound… There was something wrong with her.

Bellatrix slid off the bed. "It's for your own good, Draco. She's poisoned the Malfoy name enough."

He stared back at her coolly. "The Dark Lord isn't finished with her."

Bellatrix pouted and whispered something against Draco's ear. Hermione felt like she couldn't hear normally; maybe her blood was pounding too loud. Draco said something in return, and Hermione watched as Bellatrix's palm slithered across his bare chest, dragging her nails over the skin. She slipped past him and hummed a happy little tune as she danced to the door.

The room spun, and Hermione braced herself on the wall.

Bellatrix said something to him in the doorway. Some mumbled melody. But Hermione stared down at her arm, blood starting to bead.

There was a squiggle and a dash. And she wished Bellatrix had thought of something important to carve. She had to look at it forever now. Just like the other marks Bella had made.

The wall behind her zoomed forward, smacking her in the head, her back solid against it.

She looked up to tell Bellatrix to come back and finish it. It wasn't fair to her to leave her with just a squiggle. But she was shutting the door behind her, and then Draco's bare skin was all around her.

Warm.

"Granger!" Sound floated into focus. Not the first time he'd called her name. She could hear the echoes of it now.

Draco was so warm. His hand held her wrist, blood starting to drip, and his other arm held her body up, wrapping around her waist. She pressed her head into his shoulder. Like they were dancing.