Playing for Time

Chapter 5

Tonks stared at Hermione. A voice was screaming in her head: "No, no, not this. This is too cruel, too unforgivable. Not Hermione, not a child, she is just sixteen, for Merlin's sake."

Hermione stared back for a moment, a look of total bewilderment in her eyes. Lucius was almost upon her and Tonks nodded her head in a mute warning. Hermione spun around, her wand already in her hand, but the wizard had his wand ready as well. Before Hermione had had time to utter a word her wand flew from her hand and disappeared into thin air.

With a small cry Hermione dove for the book she had dropped. She threw it at the man when he reached for her and tried to dodge his arm. He caught her and wrenched her to her feet in a flurry of robes. For a moment Tonks lost track of flailing limbs, the wild hair of the girl falling like a curtain over her face as she fought Lucius. But it was a short fight; soon Lucius had caught Hermione's wrists in one hand. His other arm was around her shoulders, holding her close to his chest. To Tonks it looked like an awful imitation of a lover's embrace.

"There, there," he murmured into the hair of the still fighting girl. "Don't struggle so, Miss Granger, there is no point in doing it." He smiled at Tonks over Hermione's head.

"You see that the explosion served its purpose, my dear Nymphadora. As it happened, not at all by chance, it's a Hogsmeade weekend today. Imagine the distress when the news of this dreadful deed reached the village. Imagine the panic, the confusion, the mindless running around.

Then picture little Miss Granger here. Calmer than most, I think. After all, she has no relatives at Diagon Alley. But still, this terrible tragedy must affect anyone who hears it. So when someone drops a book just in front of her, perhaps she won't think much of it. Oh, and when did Miss Granger ever pass a book laying around without picking it up?"

His smile deepened with satisfaction. "Only, this particular book happened to be a portkey. Too bad, wasn't it? Too bad that silly little Mudbloods think they are safe just because they are close to their precious school." His voice that had sounded amused when he started to speak had hardened and turned cold, dripping with contempt.

Hermione had stopped struggling, but she kept her head turned away from Lucius, keeping eye contact with Tonks. To Tonks, Hermione's eyes seemed to accuse her and she cringed in guilt. It was her fault that Hermione was here.

"So, where were we, Nymphadora? I believe you were about to change your hair colour, wasn't it?"

"Why don't you just use Imperio and be done with it?" Tonks asked instead and Lucius laughed.

"Oh, I could. But it wouldn't be as interesting. I think we have a very nice little constellation here that remove any need for curses. Do as I say and Miss Granger here will not suffer as much as she could. Disobey and I will use the Crucio. Of course this mean that the Mudblood will have to do what I say as well, doesn't it? I think I managed to pull it all off quite neatly."

Tonks swallowed; they were both trapped now. She concentrated and let her hair turn into the almost bluish black colour that was her heritage from the Black family.

"Longer," Lucius said. "I don't hold with women who keep their hair short."

Tonks obeyed, her hair soon fell in a shimmering wave down to her waist and Lucius watched it with satisfaction. Hermione, who until now had not said anything, suddenly spoke;

"People will come looking for us, Mr. Malfoy. Professor Dumbledore will find us."

"Such beautiful beliefs you have, my child. I'm sure they will look for you as soon as they realise you are gone. Only, it will probably take some time and where will they look? Trust me, you are both quite impossible to find." He let go of Hermione and took a step back. She looked down and he wrenched her head up with a hold in her hair. Hermione's face had gone white, but two red spots burned high on her cheeks.

"You are indeed pretty, Miss Granger. You would have grown up into a beautiful woman. It is almost regretful that you will not be able to."

Hermione made a small gasp and Tonks took a step forward, once again forgetting the chains. The cuffs had started to chafe on her wrists, but she barely registered the pain Lucius turned his head and looked at her, his eyes glittering strangely.

"Satisfied, half-blood? Or perhaps this wasn't exactly what you had in mind when you tried to deceive me? I don't need you anymore - I have what I want right here. But consider this; I don't think I would have done so, had you not showed me the way. You did this, isn't it so?"

The shame Tonks was feeling grew and she could feel tears start to prickle her eyes. "No!" she gasped. "Don't say that."

"Don't be stupid Tonks." Hermione's voice sounded much more collected than Tonks would have expected of her. "He is just trying to put a glamour on you."

Tonks shook her head and some of the overwhelming guilt disappeared, but not all of it. She should never have used Hermione to begin with. She had woken Lucius's wrath when she exposed his weakness for Hermione, and now the girl would have to suffer from Tonks's mistake.

Lucius looked annoyed, twisting his hand harder into Hermione's hair. A small pained noise escaped Hermione's lips and Lucius smiled.

"Now let's see," he said. "I believe you said that you would do anything to save your precious behind, Nymphadora. Only that wasn't true, was it? But would you do it for the Mudblood here?"

Tonks nodded miserably.

"Oh yes you would." Lucius voice was low and deceptively soft. "You would be noble and sacrificing, do you best to save her. But I don't think I care for that. It will amuse me so much more to have you were you are right now. Powerless. With no way to stop what will happen now."

Still with his hand in Hermione's hair he stepped close to the girl, whispering into her ear. "I am not letting you go. I'm not going to let you live. But I am giving you a chance to live in some comfort the short time you have left . At least some time without pain for you and the half-blood. You do what I say and I may be gentler than you would expect. Doesn't that sound good to you?"

He raised his wand and Hermione's robes disappeared, leaving her naked in front of him. The red patches on her cheeks spread, she blushed deeply, but she remained unmoving. Lucius put his wand away, leaning the cane against the wall, too far for Tonks to reach. He walked around Hermione and came to stand behind her, both of them facing Tonks. Tonks closed her eyes when his hands started to roam the girl's body.

"Open your eyes!" Lucius voice has lost its softness, now it sounded harsh and triumphant and Tonks obeyed him. She looked at Hermione, trying to give her strength just by a look.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered and Hermione nodded back, a small almost unnoticeable bow of her head. Tonks blinked, for a moment she thought she had seen the shadow of a smile on the girl's face. Lucius continued to touch Hermione, cruel hands that pinched her and made her blush deeper. He held her by one of her hips, his other hand delving downwards, between her legs, forcing them to spread apart.

Then Lucius screamed. He let go of Hermione who quickly moved away from him. The wizard raised his hands and Tonks saw that they were on fire. White flames that seemed to burn fast, making the man scream over and over again.