The room was dark and my aching skin froze along with it as my half bare body lay on the stone cold floor.

I pulled at the small amount of dress that was left, attempting to tug it to below my knees - but it was no use.

I felt myself whispering his name into the abyss of the chamber without even thinking about it. Even with all the torture I'd been through, I still hoped that Severus was in a better condition.

Someone rattled the door and soon it was unlocked, a pool of light filling the centre of the room where I lay, the chains around my ankles and wrists coming from all different corners of the room. They weren't completely restricting, but I couldn't get my hands low enough to try to free my legs.

"It's time, you filthy girl!"

I recognised this voice, but I didn't know who they were. It was a woman with mad, bushy hair, and I knew I'd seen her somewhere before.

Along with all the beatings and the countless number of times my head had smashed against the floor, many of my memories had shattered.

She unshackled me, dragging me up by my hair. She began to speak, a low, disgusted hiss in my ear, "I bet you think you're great. Melted Severus Snape's heart! Fancy that! But, girl, you're as good as one of those filthy mudbloods!"

The woman erupted into a fit of maniac-like laughter, and her fingers slowly released me from the strong, harsh grab that had held me from running.

I considered taking my chance for a few moments.

And I did.

I ran up the stairs. I tripped on my own feet a little - I hadn't walked far, let alone run in months - but the woman was too busy laughing herself into tears that she didn't notice my absence for a minute or so.

"You stupid girl!" I heard her screech as she approached me from behind. Giving me some sort of adrenaline rush I didn't know I had, I began to run faster than I ever had before.

"Severus!" I yelled out, my voice hoarse and my throat dry from the endless amounts of screaming that these people had driven me to, "Draco! Anyone, please help!"

"Verita!"

It was Draco. I spotted him, and I turned to see the woman with an evil smirk forming on her lips.

"Draco, darling! Why don't you take over for me?" She offered, her cheeks popping out from the enthusiastic smile plastered on her lips.

"Of course," Draco smirked back. I knew what he was doing.

The woman soon left and Draco sighed in relief. He led me to his room then he talked.

"You're alive," he breathed. "Verita, you need to see him."

"Where is he?" I questioned. I was desperate.

"That's the problem..." Draco said sheepishly, "I... I don't know."

My whole world crashed down with those three words. If Draco didn't know where Severus was, the situation wasn't good.

"I'll help you," Draco added quickly, "He's got to be somewhere, right?"

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I held them back. I couldn't cry. I'd cried enough during the weeks I'd been locked up - was it weeks?

"Draco, how long was I down there?"

"Uh..." Draco was hesitant. "Maybe a month?"

"A month?!" I repeated.

He nodded.

"How long has he been gone?" I urged, gripping my friend's wrists.

Draco gulped, "Maybe the same amount of time."

"What? Draco, is he here?"

"I'm not sure," he told me, "Stay here, okay? I'm going to investigate."

"Shouldn't you put me back in the dungeon?" I inquired, "If that woman sees I'm gone-"

"This'll be the first place Bellatrix looks for you. That's why I'm going to charm the room so she can't get in no matter what."

I felt my eyes begin to droop, but Draco protested. He moved towards a wardrobe and pulled out a long, black robe.

"This'll have to do," he said, handing it to me. He turned around and I ripped what was left of my dress away from my body and slipped the robe over my undergarments.

Draco grabbed my shoulders lightly, making me face him. "There's no promise that this charm will work, but it's the best I can do. There's no way I'm sending you back down there, okay? I'm going to find Snape."

"Severus," I corrected him. "What if he's not here, Draco?"

"I think he is. Before I go find him, I think it's best you know that he..." Draco paused, giving me a solemn look. "Severus was tortured too. But he was fine the last time I saw him."

That was when I began to cry, and Draco left the room in search of my only hope of survival.