Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Charlotte is going to her sixth year. Just letting you know...

AHH! Alphachick, I'm so so so so so so so sorry! You haven't read the books? *angry face*

The question is left hanging in the air until Snape realizes what's happening and nods quickly. The crowd of Death Eaters sigh sadly. All want to be the one to cause the pain of getting the dark mark. Even my the center of the crowd, Voldemort lays a hand on my shoulder and I contain my shaking. Snape strides to the center and the room is deathly silent.

"Your sleeve, girl." Snape hisses, whipping out his wand. Slowly, I grip the edge of my sleeve and pull it upwards, revealing my white flesh. Who can blame me for taking in every moment of the little sanity I had left. Snape's wand jabs into my skin and I wince painfully. His face is blank, emotionless, as it is always. But, when we meet eyes, I can see pain deep in his eyes, under the curtain blackness.

There was a slight twitch of Snape's wand and a burst of white-hot pain. Uncontrolled screaming leaves my throat. Vaguelly, I hear cackles of pleasure in the back ground. Snape removes his wand with a jerk as I fall to my knees, clutching my arm and watching in horror. My breathing is hard, my heart is racing, and sweat builds up on my bold lines of a skull appears on my skin. The skull widens his mouth and a snake slithers out like smoke. It's black as ink and hurts like I broke my forearm.

The mark doesn't stop hurting, and the color doesn't fade.

With shaking knees, I get back on my feet and fight back the tears. "I'm so... honored." I whisper and bow my head to Voldemort. He nods and tells me in a forceful tone to look up.

"You will be useful in the future." There goes the 'useful' comment again.

"My lord, how...?" I ask. The rest of the Death Eaters go silent thinking that I'm going to get tortured or punished. But all Voldemort does is laugh- or what is close enough to laughter, since he's incapable of doing anything positive with his face.

"Aren't you a curious? Going around questioning me." Voldemort stares at me intently, his beady red eyes glowing maliciously. "There are things you are yet to know, Johnson. But soon enough." I nod. That's the answer I expected anyways.

X

I can't stop staring at the mark. The orange, full moon outside lights up my wrist.

Someone knocked on my door. Getting up from the kneeling position I haven't left for nearly three days on my messy bed, I attempted to calm my frizzy hair and wipe away the tears. "Who's there?" I called out. My voice sounds painful.

"Draco."

"What do you want, Draco?" The door to my room is pushed open revealing Draco. Quickly, I turn to hide my face. "Go away. I don't want to deal with you."

Obviously ignoring my comment, Draco steps inside my room and shuts the door quietly behind him. "I was wondering if you were... okay." Instinctively, my right hand goes to my left wrist.

"Of course I'm okay. I just got branded a Death Eater for life." I retorted, sarcasm heavy in my rough voice. "Perfectly fine." The rug beneath my feet burns my soles.

"I'm going to have to be branded too." Draco said. I opened my mouth to say that he had no choice, but then I realized, I had no choice either. My mind fleeted to how he had Death Eaters parents. Wait- I had Death Eater parent's who cared nothing about me as well. Damn, we have a lot in common.

"Well, at least there's a reasonable reason behind your branding. I mean- what am I good for?"

"There is no reasonable reason to become a Death Eater."

"I know," I finally turn to face him, tears welling up in my eyes. "It hurts, Draco. It fucking hurts." His silver eyes are understanding. I wasn't expecting any comfort from a man like him, but surprisingly, Draco walks forward slowly and embraces me.

It's a fire in the middle of winter.

I press my forehead against his chest. Tears are flowing freely now.

Who are these strangers?

A/N: Sorry, short chapter...

Oh gosh! Thanks to EVERYONE who put this story on alert, who put this on their favorites, and who reviewed- it makes me happy! 13 reviews! I'm really happy ! *sigh* I don't like to say this but: will someone PLEASE review to get this count out of the cursed 13 zone? But only if you wanna. I mean... :-\ If you wanna review, go ahead and make my day by not making this story cursed.