I only own the plot.

Chapter 2

I awoke suddenly with a cramp in my leg, a pain in my neck, and the unnerving feeling that someone was watching me. Even in my drowsy and disoriented state, I knew exactly where I was. There was no way I could ever forget the horrors of being taken captive the day before; not unless someone were to cast the strongest possible memory modifying charm on me.

My neck and my leg were hurting but the feeling that I was being watched bothered me even more. Despite the fact that Malfoy had told me only he could enter my room, how was I to know if he was telling the truth or simply trying to lure me into a false sense of security; as much security as I could hope for being held prisoner in the Malfoy Manor anyways.

I slowly stretched out of my curled up position facing the wall, uncoiling my muscles from their cramped position. I didn't even have the energy to get off the floor to sleep in the bed after Malfoy unchained me last night. I turned over and sat up to lean against the pure white wall. The action gave me a dizzying head ache and I leaned my back and closed my eyes. I knew it would be awhile before I could stand up on my own.

"Finally up I see Granger," I heard Malfoy's voice from almost directly across from me, "I was wondering how much longer I would have to lie here and stare at you until your subconscious picked up on my presence."

Despite the unnerving feeling I'd been experiencing that told me someone was in the room with me, I was still startled when I heard that voice speaking to me. I kept my reaction in check though, thank goodness. The last thing I wanted was for him to think he can scare me, although I did in fact find him downright terrifying at times.

With a sigh, I lifted my head, which felt like a ton of bricks resting on my shoulders, off the wall and looked directly across from me to see Malfoy lounging comfortably on the bed, leaning against the numerous white and mint green pillows with his hands behind his head, smirking as usual.

"Why did you choose to sleep on the floor Granger? You do realize I took the chains off you so you wouldn't have to sleep on the floor don't you?" He drawled.

I refused to answer his questions because I could not stand to voice my obvious weakened condition, and a strained silence lapsed and I could feel Malfoy's anger rising.

"Well Granger? What's your reasoning? I expect an answer when I ask a question."

He was getting increasingly angry at my silence. For once, I was not denying him what he wanted completely out of spite, but instead for my own self interest. Nothing good could come out of exposing how weak I was at the moment.

"I think I see how it is," he started as my silence continued. "Your damn pride won't allow you to accept any kind of generosity from me. You'd rather die than accept help from me wouldn't you?" he sneered. "Well, let me tell you Granger, you had better start accepting any favors you get from me because they will be scarce and you sure as hell won't be getting help from anyone else around here."

My heart leapt in fear and joy. He was going to be letting me out of this place meaning that I could hopefully devise an escape plan. The downside however is that I would come into contact with whoever else was living in Malfoy Manor. I shuddered at the thought of what Malfoy's followers will do to me when, or if, I am released from the confines of this room.

"Well, is that you reasoning Granger, for not accepting the bed?" Malfoy asked impatiently snapping me out of thoughts.

I decided to find my voice and answer his questions. I was certain he would not leave me alone until I had answered his questions.

"No Malfoy, my damn pride did not keep me from taking the bed," I said with more attitude than I thought I had in me at the moment.

"Then what was the problem?" he replied unpleasantly.

"I was too damn tired and weak to get up to the bed thanks to your ever so kind treatment of me last night," I answered irritably. What did it matter to him anyways? Why should he care whether or not I was comfortable where I slept. I would have expected him to be happier about my staying on the floor. He probably thinks the floor is my "rightful place" as though I am some animal.

He merely snorted at my response and I was so irritated I asked, "Why does it matter to you where I sleep? So what if I didn't sleep on the bed. I don't understand why you are questioning me like the inquisition just because I didn't sleep on some damn bed!"

"When I give someone something, in your case a bed so you might sleep comfortably, I expect my favor, or my gift to be accepted."

I was completely shocked by his response. Here was the most selfish man in the world and he was, dare I say, hurt by my supposed dismissal of his "generosity". How could it be that although he wanted nothing more than to take over the world, and killed innocent people without a second thought, he also desperately wanted to be accepted and be able to feel that he is of some value to the people around him? Well if acceptance was what Malfoy was looking for he certainly would not find it around me, no matter how "generous" he may try to be.

"Now just get up off the floor and get on the bed Granger", he demanded.

I blanked and must have looked horrified because he immediately added,

"The last thing I'd do is force myself on you Granger. Surely I don't give off the appearance of someone who would just up and do that to a woman. I am neither that desperate nor that cruel. There are some lines I would never cross." The lousy hypocrite looked offended that I expected him to jump on me.

"It's difficult to imagine that you have any morals at all considering the way you murder innocent and unprotected people." I replied snarkily.

"Just get on the bed," he spit out angrily, as he glowered at me.

"I'll be damned if I get in that bed with you."

"Well you are going to whether you want to or not," he replied cheekily as he started getting off the bed, "it's only six in the morning and time for both of us to go back to sleep."

"Well what the hell are you doing awake and in here anyways?" I asked.

"Just checking up on my spoils of war, Granger," he replied as if it was nothing to interrupt his sleep just to see if I was sleeping or comfortable, or God knows what.

And with that said, the crazy bastard actually picked me up and carried my thrashing form and threw me on the bed. It was instantly comfortable, and I wanted nothing more than to relax into the soft mattress and plush pillows, I rebelled against being put somewhere by force. I tried sitting up multiple times only to be roughly pushed back down repeatedly, until my arms and legs began lashing out at him in an attempt to swat his body away. I continued fighting him off until he brutishly grabbed both of my arms and straddled my legs so I could not move them anymore.

He had my arms pinned to my sides and I just laid there underneath him catching my breath while glaring up into his angry face. We just stared at each other, catching our breath until he finally rolled off me and laid on his back beside me. A few minutes passed in total silence, aside from the sound of our breathing and I dared to try getting off the bed, not yet willing to admit defeat.

I had hardly sat up when his arm slithered across my waist and pulled me backwards until my back was flush against him and I released and angry cry.

"You will stay on this bed Granger. I gave you this room out of generosity and you will accept it, and by accepting it, you will sleep on this bed. I will do whatever I must to keep you on this bed," he growled in my ear from behind me, and I shuddered in response, driving him to tighten his hold on me and he pulled me closer against him.

The man was nuts, that much was clear. All of this, just to have his generosity appreciated? I decided that I didn't want to see what he would do to make me stay on the bed, and this was hardly a battle worth fighting.

The minutes lapsed and as he continued holding onto me tightly, I felt my anger fading away.

"You can let go of me now Malfoy. I'll stay on the damn bed," I said, infusing now mostly false irritation into my tone.

"I'm taking your word for it Granger, but if I find that you've moved, you will pay for it," he said, but didn't make any effort to move.

"Okay, Malfoy. I'd just really like to sleep now, so I'll stay and you can get off the bed."

He didn't say anything, and I don't think he liked the idea of me, the prisoner, dismissing him. He was slow to pull his arm away, and I couldn't help but shiver as his palm pressed against my stomach and side as he withdrew his arm. Was he doing that on purpose just to get under my skin?

I wasn't completely comfortable with Malfoy feeling me in that way, but I couldn't be totally ignorant of the way his body felt behind me. Was he aware of mine beside his in the same way? Whether it was him trying to irritate me or him feeling an inkling of attraction for a female body laying against him, I didn't care to know. Neither was particularly welcome. So as he slowly pulled his body away from mine and then got up from the bed, I didn't turn to look at him. I refused to acknowledge him as he left, choosing to act as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

I was lucky to be so tired that I didn't remain awake any more than a minute dwelling on what just happened.