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Chapter 12 – In the Pines, in the Pines
The forest of Malfoy Manor dissolved into another forest in the north of Scotland, where I had briefly stayed with Harry and- Where I had briefly stayed a month ago. But I didn't have time to look at my surroundings. I immediately took shelter behind a large tree, not a second too early because I felt the swish of a punch narrowly miss me. I whirled around, only to find a blur of black and white hurling itself at me, and with a painful thump I was thrown down. I instinctively moved my head to the side and yet another forceful blow missed me. Lucius Malfoy was now kneeling on top of me, his face distorted in anger, his body tensed and his hands shooting toward my throat. I didn't have the freedom of movement to get out of his way, now, and for the second time he was choking me, this time furiously, the intent to kill written all over his face. I struggled fruitlessly – he was a great bit taller and stronger than me, as well as in a favourable position.
But the torture and constant fear of the past weeks had made me desperate and reckless, and I had come too far to give up now. I would rather die than go back, and I'd rather kill than die. With his hands around my throat, he had left my arms free, and my fingers shot up to his contorted face, aiming for his eyes. He barely got his eyes out of the way of my hands, but I heard him hiss as I scratched his face, tearing his skin open. His rash movement and the pain distracted him enough for me to land another hard blow in his face, and as his balance shifted away from me. I managed to break free. Within a split second I had crawled out of his reach, turned around and yelled: "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" and like this, the fight was over.
It still kind of left me with the problem that I had an unwanted prisoner to take care of, now, one I could hardly send back or leave to himself. As if I haven't had my fair share of Malfoy already, I thought, more than annoyed.
On the other hand side, there were certain vantages to a wandless hostage. He was lying at my feet now, an image I quite happily recognized from countless daydreams. I would have been ovejoyed to never have to see his arrogant face again, but as I saw him bound on the floor, with the blood on his face a glorious reminder on the punches I had landed, I couldn't help to think that this might not be half bad.
"For a prejudiced Pureblood supremacist you're sure keen on spending time with me, Malfoy," I stated drily. As he opened his mouth for some hateful remark or another, I quickly cast a Silencing Charm at him.
"I don't think so, you annoying inbred bastard. I believe I have endured enough of your conversation skills and... hospitality over the last weeks. I think it's high time I return the favour, don't you agree?" and I kicked him into the ribs with full force, again and again until I felt satisfied. I quickly healed his broken bones. He would slow me down if he was injured, so for now I had to take a minimum of care of his physical state.
"I'd rather take a Hungarian Horntail out for a walk than be stuck with you, but do try to not make this unnecessarily unpleasant, will you?" I added, conjuring a rope that I bound tightly around his hands and torso, leaving him in a kind of straitjacket. I lifted the Body-Bind Curse, but kept the Silencing Charm. I could see his lips moving, no doubt spouting some profanity or another at me. I didn't really care anymore.
With him at the tip of my wand, always where I could see him, I started walking through the forest in silence, always watching my surroundings carefully, listening for the tiniest of sounds. I had to find shelter, soon. I was lucky to have made it so far, but I was still extremely weak. I had to eat something, too, and my ragged dress was hardly covering me from the cold winds that crept through the trees. Soon I found a small abandoned stone cave, where I guess some large animal had lived, judging from the little skulls and bones lying around in the corners. It was hardly a welcoming place, but it had to do for now. The sun was slowly setting and I needed to find some food.
I quickly went over my usual cluster of Wards and Protection Spells, adding a strong barrier to the entrance and another set of tight ropes to Malfoy's feet, just to be sure. Then I left.
I returned an hour later with a rabbit I had killed and a couple of roots I had managed to find. Hardly a full meal, but I was already starting to falter in my steps. Malfoy had looked at me when I had returned, half expectantly, half frowning, but he had stopped to move his lips and his face was once again controlled and stand-offish. I lifted the Silencing Charm and shot him a last warning glance before turning away from him to sit down.
With a flick of my wand I conjured a knife and started skinning and gutting the meagre rabbit, I didn't quite trust myself with Slicing Spells right now. My hands were shaking and I could hardly concentrate. In the end though I was successful, and conjured a small fire over which I had impaled the poor rabbit.
I looked up to find Malfoy looking at me, with a sightly raised eyebrow, something like disbelief hidden behind his neutral expression. I realized then I had made a bit of a mess of myself, my hands and arms soaked in blood (how can such a miserable little rabbit contain so much blood, I wondered) and a fair share of it had splattered on my face, mixing with the still-fresh blood of the fight and the torture. I had developed quite the casual relationship with blood and gore.
Without really feeling like it, I cast a wide grin in Malfoy's direction that was part warning, part threat and part promise. His eyes seemed to widen for a split second, then he was back to his usual self, but I was confident he had understood me perfectly well.
We shared our meal in silence.
Only when I lay in my uncomfortable, makeshift bed, pressed against the wall as far away from my safely restricted prisoner as possible in the small space we shared, the events of the day started to set in, and I began to tremble from a cold no Hot-Air Charm could diffuse.
