Disclaimer: JKR owns everything and I don't.

Chapter 1: Prisoner

The clear voice rang out through the packed stone chamber. "Next item, prisoner #164, Kathryn Elizabeth Patrice Bell, age 19, third child and only daughter to William Patrick Bell and Elizabeth Elise Davenport Bell, both deceased. Ms. Bell is a Hogwart's graduate, apprentice healer, and minor member of The Order of the Phoenix."

A few dozen hisses met the last remark and an amused smile skirted across Marcus' normally shuttered expression. He wasn't surprised in the least, seeing as Bell had been in both Potter's house at school and on the same quidditch team. Hell, she used to be best friends with both the Weasel twins! But here she was now, being auctioned off to the highest bidder, a gift from the Dark Lord to his trusted followers. Marcus shifted his weight, eagerly awaiting the bidding. He didn't care if it took all of his galleons in Gringotts, Katie Bell would be his.

The auctioneer continued, "She is a full pureblood but under new ministry laws all inheritance and family holdings have been revoked. Fertility has been determined as optimal."

Katie turned her head, trying to hide her tears. She could not show weakness, especially now. No, this moment in time was crucial. She must exude strength if she was to survive. Sucking in her breath, she tossed her head back and faced the gathering of Death Eaters with a determined appearance. Which one of them would be her new master? Master…oh goddess, it made her want to be sick! Even when she joined the order shortly after graduating Hogwarts, Katie never thought things would turn out like this. Of course, she had also truly believed that Harry would defeat Lord Voldemort, Oliver would finally profess his undying love for her, and they would live happily ever after. What a silly, naïve girl she had truly been.

The fantasy had collapsed with her capture and subsequent imprisonment. Rabastan Lestrange had caught her unaware as she was leaving St. Mungo's one evening, after a particularly grueling day. She was sent to Azkaban for holding until she could be processed. Katie shivered thinking of those days. The dementors had long abandoned the prison, now patrolled by Death Eaters, but their gloomy presence remained. Stuck in a solitary cell for 6 months, Katie had withered away, a brief shell of the smiling girl she once was. Once the rest of the resistance was eradicated, the processing and transfer of prisoners began. Haggard and thin, Katie had been shipped off to Hogwarts, where she was remanded to Ravenclaw Tower with the rest of the pureblooded females. Under the watchful eye of more guards, she found herself sharing a cramped existence with Ginny Weasley, Susan Bones, Raven Clearwater, and best of all, her two best friends, Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. Life was tolerable at Hogwarts and Katie found herself occasionally laughing again. That was until a burly matron had showed up two days prior and informed them of the auction.

"We'll start the bidding at 500 galleons. Do I hear 500?" the auctioneer cried, breaking through Katie's reverie. A number of shouts erupted around the room, quickly driving up the price.

"850!"

"900!"

"1000!"

"I have 1000, do I hear 1100?"

Katie glanced around nervously, anxiously trying to identify the different bidders.

"1050!"

"1100!"

"1150!"

Marcus quirked his eyebrow at Miles Bletchley, exceedingly annoyed. "3000," he answered calmly, knowing Miles wasn't planning on spending more than 2000 galleons today. The auctioneer waited for a rebuttal, but Miles just shrugged and shook his head.

"3000 going once, twice, sold! Prisoner #164 sold to Marcus Flint for the sum of 3000 galleons. Mr. Flint, would you please see the associate to my left for payment?"

It felt to Katie as if all the blood in her body, was at this moment, rushing to her head. Marcus Flint! Marcus bloody Flint, the troll of Slytherin had just purchased her and now owned her for the rest of her waking life! This had to be some sort of sick, twisted joke. Marcus Flint hated her! The only memories she had of Marcus were of him trying to knock her off her broom on the pitch, pulling her hair, or shouting horrible names at her in the halls. Why oh why had he gone and bought her? Oh my god, he is going to torture me! Katie couldn't keep the façade up any longer, and the tears that had been threatening to unleash, poured down her pale face in torrents. As she was led off the mock stage, she stumbled, her knees collapsing and slamming hard into the stone floor. Strong hands forced her back up and pushed her forward, straight into the broad chest of Marcus Flint.

Katie was crying. Merlin, he hated tears. He had hoped she would be strong in the face of adversity…that her stupid Gryffindor bravery would take over, but he supposed her 14 month imprisonment had taken its toll. Sighing, he grabbed her by the forearm and dropped his sack of galleons on the desk. Without another word, he steered her out of the room and towards the nearest apparition point.

"Bell, you'll need to hold onto my arm in order not to get splinched," Marcus said gruffly, still avoiding her gaze. There was something about those big blue eyes that always got to him. They haunted all the thoughts of his school days. Sapphire blue, Katie's eyes were always so full of life, especially when she had been sparring with Marcus or trying to fight him off on the pitch. It had broken his heart to rough her up back then, but he had a reputation to protect and certainly could not be seen mooning over some bint, especially a scrawny Gryff three years his junior!

His gravely voice sent chills down Katie's spine. She would never admit it, but back at school she used to provoke him just to hear him speak. Merlin's beard, his deep voice did things to her that were entirely inappropriate! Katie wrapped her arms around his burly forearm, awaiting the nauseous feeling that always accompanied side-by-side apparition.

The touch of her soft hands against his skin jolted Marcus into action. Concentrating, he transported them to the grounds of his estate in Cornwall. The wards surrounding the actual house would have never allowed Katie to enter and he mentally reminded himself to adjust them.

Katie stared grimly at the large Edwardian manor that was to be her new prison. More luxuriously by far, but still a prison in nature, she thought. What does he want with me? What does he have planned? Will I be sleeping in the dungeons with the rats or worse, does he expect me to be some sort of sex slave? Ugh! I mean not that he is ugly…the dental charms really helped, and back at Hogwarts it was rumored that he was a fantastic shag. What?? What on earth am I thinking? This is Marcus bloody Flint! You do not want to sleep with him…he is Death Eater scum!

Marcus watched curiously as Katie seemed to be waging some sort of internal battle. "Come on, let's go inside. It's getting cold out and you don't have an outer robe on."

Katie looked up him, surprise written across her face, and dumbly nodded her head. She followed Marcus through the front door and into the foyer. He headed up the marble staircase and muttered a terse "keep up" that couldn't help but remind her of Percy Weasley. Marcus led her through series of corridors before stopping at a set of double doors. Pushing them open he beckoned her into the room. Katie looked around in wonder. They had entered a suite of rooms, all beautifully decorated in shades of blue and expensive furniture.

"This is your private parlor, the bedroom is right through there with an adjoining bathroom," Marcus said as he indicated towards another door at the far side of the sitting room. "There are assorted clothes in the wardrobe. I doubt any of them will fit properly as I wasn't sure what size you are, but the houselves can help you with that. If you want to re-decorate anything they can do that as well."

"Re-decorate?" Katie whispered, still trying to comprehend the situation.

"Well, yes," Marcus replied awkwardly, entirely too aware of the way Katie's shoulder was rubbing against his arm accidentally as she surveyed her surroundings. "I had asked my mother to spruce them up a bit, but she hasn't been entirely cooperative." That was the understatement of the year. Ever since Marcus had informed Constance Flint that he had no intention of marrying his cousin Mariah, and he would in fact be making his own choice, she had been pretending her only son did not exist. Not that this bothered Marcus. There was no love lost between his mother and him. The bitch was hard as nails and had never shown him much regard until he inherited everything upon his father's untimely passing.

"I don't have to sleep in the dungeons?"

Katie's question caught Marcus off guard and he actually smiled and laughed. Seeing the surprise in her eyes, he schooled his emotions and answered gruffly, "This is your home now Bell…if you want to sleep in the dungeons you may. However, I highly suggest you stick to this room as it is far more comfortable."

Hope bloomed in Katie's chest with each word from Marcus' lips. Her own room! Maybe he wasn't so awful after all…perhaps she had been wrong all those years. Maybe he had changed or maybe he fancied her? Glancing at Marcus, she tried to find some reassurance, but his face was all angles and planes and his expression grim. No, there I go being silly, little Katie again, hoping for a fantasy to come true. The truth of the matter is no matter how nice this suite is it comes with a price. Now I just have to wait to see what that is exactly.

"Where do you sleep?" she asked quietly, slightly afraid of the answer.

"My rooms are across the hall."

"You mean…we don't have to, well, that is to say…," Katie stuttered.

"What…share a bed?" Marcus sneered, his blood beginning to boil. "Despite what you may think, Katie girl, I do not force myself on women. I have enough of them knocking down my door on their own. Besides, one might wonder why you think I would want to sleep with some scrawny, malnourished blood traitor like yourself?"

Katie felt herself wilting under Marcus' harsh gaze. His swirling green eyes, filled with malice, bored into hers. Tears leaked down her face as she cast her eyes to the floor. Why am I so weak? He must think I am absolutely pathetic!

Sweet Salazar, she was crying again! Where in Hades was that stupid Gryffindor pride when you needed it! Marcus knew the real problem was him…he had been alone far too long and forced to act like he cared for no one in the world. That was the only way to excel under the Dark Lord's rule. Now his natural tendencies were punishing the one thing in his life that was soft and sweet. Running his long fingers through his short, dark hair, he sighed. "Listen, today's been a long day. Why don't you take a bath and get some rest? I'll have a houself bring you up some dinner. We'll talk more tomorrow at breakfast." Without waiting for a response he turned on his heel and left the room. "Just so you know, I'm going to put some wards up around your doors...not that you would run away, as you have nothing to run to, but for your own protection."

"Protection from what," Katie called out, but he didn't answer.

hr

As if on cue, her screams woke him in the middle of the night. Cursing under his breath, Marcus rolled out of bed and grabbed his wand from its spot on the cherry bedside table. Stalking out of his room, clad in only a pair of black jersey boxers, he hurriedly dismantled the wards around her rooms. Her cries were becoming louder now and he threw open the door and raced through her sitting room. Moonlight poured through the large windows, illuminating a thrashing figure in the middle of the king size bed. Making his way quietly to her side, he sat on the silk sheets and gently shook her.

"Bell, wake up, your having another nightmare," he said. The pitch of her cries increased and she clawed at the air. A wave of sorrow washed through him as he watched her face contort in pain. "Katie," he whispered gently. "Katie, wake up luv, it's all just a dream."

Katie latched onto Marcus her eyes bursting open as he broke through her nightmare. Throwing herself at his chest she wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. He should be used to it now, seeing as this same scenario had played itself out every night for the past month, but he still hated to see her like this, reduced to her weakest state. Every time he awoke to her screams he froze in pure panic, afraid she really was being attacked. She was the one thing in his life worth living for…Marcus truly didn't know what he would do if he ever lost her. Drawing her into his lap, he smoothed one hand through her long, blonde locks and rocked her back and forth, as if calming a baby. After the usual fifteen minutes, she quieted down and Marcus eased her back down against the sheets. He got ready to head back to his room, when her hand grabbed at his.

"Stay with me?" she asked in a strangled voice. "Please…I don't want to be alone, Marcus."

Marcus remained frozen, her words washing over him. "Katie, I'll be right across the hall. I promise nothing bad will happen."

"Please?" she begged.

Her desperate plea broke through his last defenses and he climbed back into the bed. Marcus half expected her to scoot across the mattress and stay perched on the edge. But no, as he lay down, Katie rolled over and settled herself against his hard body, one arm resting across his bare chest. A deep sigh escaped from between her lips as she closed her eyes.

Marcus felt like every nerve ending in his body was on fire. He stayed awake like that for hours, barely breathing and aware of the rapid pounding of his own heart.