Draco was trapped in a nightmare. A prisoner in his own mind, stuck in the shell of who he used to be, who he should have been, and who he had no desire to be any longer. After his failed attempt at Dumbledore's life, he had hoped to return to the Manor and be left alone to process what had happened, what he had done.

How wrong he was, Voldemort was not forgiving, it was at that moment he realised being a Malfoy didn't mean a fucking thing, all that arrogance he had throughout his life was gone, he was worthless. It had been weeks since the torture started. Voldemort had insisted he be punished, not content with only destroying him mentally through endless hours of Crucio. He was also left for days in the dungeons with no food or water, drifting in and out of consciousness. Sometimes he woke up back in his room, he suspected this to be the work of his mother, and that was where he found himself now. He stood looking at his reflection and he barely recognised himself, his eyes were bloodshot and surrounded by dark circles. This alone was the evidence of the endless flashbacks that terrorised his sleep.

Draco could feel his body shutting down, bit by bit, and he was hopeful that today something would change. Maybe today was the day it would all end and he would finally be free. The air was heavier today; the sky looked menacing with the clouds swirling tempestuously and the Manor felt more menacing, filled with a dark crackling energy. Without warning, his door flew open and in walked Bellatrix, that maniac smile in place, evil in her eyes.

"Come now darling Draco, you know what time it is" she called as she walked away. Wordlessly, Draco followed her out of his bedroom.

Today they were joined by Lucius and Draco was allowed his wand. It was frequent that they would dangle this chance in front of him, giving him a glimmer of hope. It never lasted long.

"Draco" Lucius drawled "I hope to see some fight in you today; it's so disappointing when you give up." Draco turned to face Lucius preparing to do the customary bow before a duel. Immediately he was hit with the Sectumsempra curse. The curse violently slashed across his side and abdomen. Lucius laughed as Draco fell to the floor before Lucius muttered the counter curse.

"Vulnera Sanentu," he hissed while sneering down at his son. "Come on now Draco, you can do better than that!" Lucius continued taunting the small boy beneath him.

Draco glowered at his father, his brain ticked manically thinking of a spell to fire back. If today was to be the day it would end, he would go down fighting. As he stood, shaking severely, Draco felt his rage building, helping him stand up straighter and face his father.

"I despise you" Draco said coldly "I see now what I was too blind to see before, you are a weak man, Lucius, I would rather die than turn out like you! Expuliso!" Draco roared, as the wall behind Lucius exploded, his father's face illuminated by the harsh blue light of the curse.

Draco found himself flying backwards from the force of the explosion, smashing into the wall behind him. He slid down the wall confused with lights popping in front of his eyes. When his vision began to return he was greeted with Bellatrix towering over him, he saw her raise her wand and was hit once again with a vicious Crucio. As he convulsed on the floor, his head cracking against some loose rubble, he felt his recent wounds opening, and didn't care much about the blood spilling from his body. The darkness was rushing up on him now and he didn't care to stop it. Maybe this was it, Draco thought hopefully, maybe now he would be free.