Because You Love Me

95. Burning at Both Ends

 As soon as Harry was brought into Malfoy Manor, every hair on the back of his neck stood up. Voldemort marched him straight to the basement, but not before he got a chance to look around a little. The manor seemed to look like any ordinary place, except for the way it was decorated. The furniture was obviously expensive. It was no secret that the Malfoy family had money. Then, suddenly, something out of the ordinary caught his eye. He recognized it the moment his eyes rested upon it. It was the diary that Ginny had in the Chamber of Secrets, the one Voldemort had come out of in the first place. His eyes narrowed, as he wondered what it was doing there. There was some sort of magical shield around it too. It was a strange way to protect a book. Of course, the diary was no ordinary book.

Voldemort jerked him into the doorway of the basement. He sneered at Harry. It was then that Harry noticed he was wearing gloves. He hadn't noticed that before. He frowned, wondering why he would wear them. Not that it mattered. He just wanted to focus on anything other than the fear in his heart.

"You will stay down here, until I'm ready for you," Voldemort spat. "Draco has delivered the message I told him to. Severus should be here soon to exchange his life for yours. I will kill him and then I will kill you. I will be rid of both of the thorns in my side."

Harry glared at him. "Leave Snape out of this."

"How touching. You actually care for him. I could leave him out of it, but there's only one price for betrayal. It's death. Severus betrayed me. Now he must die. It's as simple as that." He drew his wand and Harry froze. His wand had been confiscated the moment he'd arrived. He was defenseless. "I could kill you now and get it over with. It would make it much easier. But I'm sure, as clever as he is, Severus will need to see you alive before he allows me to get close to him. That is the only reason you're not dead already."

He shoved Harry down the stairs. Harry tumbled down the stone steps, banging and bruising everything he had. He thanked his lucky stars that there were only six of them or Voldemort might have killed him right there. He landed, with a thud, in the pitch black of the basement. Cold air whizzed by him. It was cold enough that he could see his breath. He groaned. He was bleeding. He had to be. He felt something warm there on his head, but he couldn't check to see because he was still tied up. Voldemort let out a wicked laugh, the door was slammed shut, and he heard the lock click into place. It was completely black now.

Harry laid on the floor for the longest time, it seemed. He didn't move or say anything. He was barely breathing. He couldn't believe that he had been so stupid! How could he have been so naive as to trust Draco Malfoy? Because he had seemed so sincere, he told himself. Because you want to see the good in everybody. Harry sighed. Sometimes his good heart was a curse. At least, that was the way it felt to him at the moment. If it hadn't been for his stupidity, he would have never been in the present situation. He would have gotten to see his mother and Severus marry. Voldemort had mentioned something about a message that Draco was supposed to deliver. Did that mean that they knew he was being held hostage now? He had mentioned Severus needing to see him alive. What was his plan anyway? Was Severus supposed to bring something to exchange?

Then it abruptly dawned on him. Severus was going to give himself up to save him. Harry struggled against the ropes that bound him. He had to find some way out. It didn't seem like it should be over this quickly, not like this. He had to think of something to do. He managed to roll over on his back so he could think more clearly. He laid there and stared at the stone ceiling forever, but nothing came to his mind. He was stuck. Without his wand, there was no way out.

Upstairs, Draco was pacing back and forth. He had made it back to the manor and delivered the message successfully. He wondered what Voldemort planned on having him do next. He was worried about it.