AN- Good Gracious! I had not expected any reviews for the last chapter, purely because I had been gone for so long. I was worried you all had forgotten about this story of mine. But then all of the sudden I had like 5 fantastic reviews within the first couple of hours after I posted. It was all very exciting. And then I got a wonderful review from HornyCorny and I decided I would post the next chapter early. Although you may hate me once you get to the end… Anyways…

Enjoy!

Chapter 7

The next morning came bright and cold, a perfect winter morning, with fog hanging low on the lake and grounds. Draco was currently in the library, a large armchair pushed into a corner so he could see the rest of the room with one glance. It had been two days since the last letter and he had been able to turn his panic level down to only slightly worried. Though he still felt as if he was being watched, thus the positioning of his chair.

Draco looked up from his book to scan the room, just as Fred and George walked through the door. Draco watched them as they made their way through the empty library and towards the chair in which Draco resided.

"Hello Draco." Said Fred quietly as if trying not to scare him away. Fred knelt in front of Draco's chair and placed a hand on his knee.

George took up position on Draco's left. "You know you can tell us anything right?" Questioned George.

Draco had no words to formulate a response, so he just nodded.

"Then what's wrong Draco?" pleaded Fred worry evident in his tone "You've been avoiding us for a week now, and you've been jumpy and scared. Just tell us what is wrong so we can fix it."

Draco just stared at the floor, unable to meet either of the twins' gazes. He had to do this. He had to be strong to keep them safe. And the only way to keep them safe was to keep them away from him.

Strengthening his resolve he finally answered after a period of silence. "I'm fine. I don't need any help."

"You obviously aren't fine, Draco." Responded Fred anxiously, "Just tell us how we can help you!"

"Draco you know we can protect you. Whatever is happening you don't have to be scared we can handle it." Added George.

"I don't need your help!" Snapped Draco, finally jerking his gaze off the floor. "I am quite capable of handling myself! I was getting on just fine before the two of you came along and I do not need you now. I can take care of myself!" Draco's voice had escalated throughout his outburst until he had yelled the last sentence into the death-like silence of the Library. Fred jerked his hand back from Draco's knee as if he had been burned. George came up behind Fred and laid a silent hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"Well if that's how you feel about it then." Said George after a tense moment, breaking the heavy silence in the room, "Come on Fred, let's just go."

George pulled a hesitant and hurt looking Fred up and drew him towards the door. Fred glanced back over his shoulder once more at Draco before being pulled out into the hall. It was all Draco had in him not to break down and call the twins back. Call his twins back.

In the once again silent library, Draco finally let his icy mask fall to reveal the torn features beneath. A couple of tears silently trailed down his face as he thought of what he had just done.

"It's the only way." Draco whispers to himself almost silently "I can't pull them into my problems, they will only get hurt. I work better alone anyways. It's easier to take care of only yourself"

It was as if saying the words out loud had finally made them real in Draco's mind. His face crumpled and his tears started to fall more fiercely, falling on the pages of the open book in his lap. As he looked down in an attempt to rub his eyes, his heart froze in his chest. There, lying atop the open book in his lap, was a letter.

With shaking hands Draco slowly picked up the letter and read it. On the card were just two sentences.

Don't Cry, My love. Now you are all mine.

A

Draco forgot how to breathe. He crumpled the letter in his fist and slammed the book shut, leaving it behind in the chair as he fled the library.

Without much though as to which way he was going, Draco sped down corridor after corridor, trying to escape an enemy that he hadn't even seen. He finally managed to calm himself down enough to slow his frantic pace to a quick walk before stopping all together. He glanced around himself for any indication of where he might be.

One moment Draco was looking around trying to decide where to go and the next moment his had been grabbed from behind and pulled into an empty classroom. With a yelp Draco was pulled off his feet and he almost hit the ground, but the arms holding him jerked him upright and backwards before shoving him against one of the classroom walls.

"Hello, My beloved"

Draco stiffened in surprise and fear. This must be his stalker. This must be A.

Draco could almost hear the smirk in A's tone. He shivered as his attacker breathed in his ear. And then began to nuzzle his neck. Draco struggled to break free of A's grasp, but his efforts proved to be futile and A just tightened his grip on Draco's arms. Not able to stand his touch any longer, Draco slammed his head back at just the right moment and smashed into A's face with an audible thud. He then used that moment to break free of A's arms and Draco tried to reach the door. The door frame was almost in his grasp, but A casted a spell and the door slammed shut in his face.

Draco had a stunned moment of frantic thought before he felt a hand knot in his hair and pull, hard. He was yanked backwards and slammed into the wall again, this time facing his attacker. He struggled harder, trying to break away. He twisted this way and that; trying not to panic, but his fear was almost tangible as his mind raced for something, anything to do. But A's grasp was iron tight as he jerked Draco's arms up above his head, almost hard enough to dislocate them.

Holding Draco's arms up with just one hand, and holding Draco against the wall with the force of his body, A leaned in close once more. And then he smiled.

"Now that wasn't very nice Draco. You very nearly broke my nose." A hissed between clenched that comment Draco's mind stopped speeding along for a second, just long enough for him to notice the trickle of blood running down A's face.

"But now we're alone at last. No twins to take you from me." A continued, using his free hand to stroke Draco's cheek.

Draco flinched away from his touch, but A forced Draco to look at him with a tight grip on his chin. Then he jerked closer and attacked Draco's mouth in a harsh kiss. Draco tried to break free but A held him in place as he continued to ravage Draco's mouth, his teeth ripping at Draco's lips till they bled.

Draco knew he had to do something to stop the attack, so he went for the only part of his attacker that was unprotected. Draco slammed his knee up into A's groin as hard as he was able.

A jerked back and crumpled to the ground in one fluid motion. Draco who had suddenly been released once more, wasted no time in backing towards the door, too wary to let his attacker out of his sight. He was stopped dead by the most bone-chilling and soulless laugh he had ever heard, coming from the hunched form on the floor.

"You look like a Damsel in Distress, My love. All ravished and beautiful. Such a worthy prize to possess." hissed A, before resuming his laughter.

Draco stared in pure terror at the hunched form, a shiver running up his spine. He had thought maybe such an outright display of rejection would at least make his attacker think twice before pursuing him again, but his actions had only made Draco a more desirable object in A's eyes.

Draco whipped his previously forgotten and unreachable wand out of his pocket, and sent a curse flying at A. A countered the curse with a wand that Draco had not even realized he'd had, before standing back up to his full height.

"You are mine now, My love."

AN- Oh No! A cliff-hanger. I feel so evil, but I have to keep you guys interested in the story. I hope you like it so far! I try not to disappoint. Also apologies for any grammar or spelling errors. I tried to catch as many as I could, but some always slip past me.