"Y-you?" Ginny stuttered in disbelief once more.
"Yes, I," he answered softly.
Ginny must have been wearing all she felt on her face, because Voldemort spoke swiftly. "He is the only one with the time and skills. You should feel honored to have a teacher such as him."
"Honored," Ginny breathed bitterly. "Right."
It seemed that her trainer had heard her, for he hissed: "You should learn to treat you superiors with respect," he stepped towards her menacingly. "You will treat me with respect."
Ginny, feeling a surge of rebellion and defiance sweep through her, stared her new instructor in the eyes and thought cheekily: Make me.
She wasn't sure if he had heard her though, for he just stood and stared at her before turning to his son. "Come, Draco. We're finished here," he made to the entrance of the tent and stopped upon noticing that his son wasn't behind him. "Draco," he snapped impatiently. Draco turned his apologetic eyes from Ginny to his father. "We're finished," Lucius stated again. Draco nodded and followed his father out.
Ginny looked around and found herself alone with Voldemort. Blaise must have excused himself earlier.
"I'm not going with him," she informed Voldemort defiantly.
"You will do as I say," he countered softly. Ginny thought she heard him breathe an 'or else' at the end of the sentence.
"I'm not yours yet," she argued hotly. "Not for two more days. I needn't do your bidding until then."
His eyes flashed dangerously. "Though bravery is admirable, you must be warned that your cheek will not be rewarded."
"You threaten the girl that's supposed to be this dark, powerful princess incarnate? Are you quite sure that's wise?"
Voldemort chuckled softly. The abrupt humor startled her, sending a chill down her spine. "Are you threatening me?"
Ginny knew she should stop. She didn't know why she wasn't stopping. She felt an undeniable urge to just royally piss off everyone, including the most evil wizard alive. In any case, she did not want to be his puppet, no matter what favor she was doing for Draco, and she most certainly did not want Lucius anywhere near her unsupervised. Or supervised, for that matter. "Perhaps."
He straightened and smirked. His menacing eyes narrowed slightly. "Very well," he put his wand to his temple.
They stood in silence for a few minutes until someone popped their head in. A blonde someone.
"M'lord?"
"Draco. Our princess is having trouble understanding her place here."
Draco gave her a furious glance. "I figured she might."
"Why don't you teach her her place?"
Draco looked at Ginny. Terror flooded through her instantly. She'd already had a taste of what he could do.
oO oo oO oo oO oo oO
She slept in a plain, white tent on a plain, white cot. She had an adjoining bath, a study and a full-sized kitchen at her disposal. Two bookshelves, completely packed full, a desk so big it seemed to swallow her, and the most beautiful chandelier she'd ever seen—but she slept on a plain, white cot.
She didn't sleep.
She laid on her stomach, turning automatically to find a more comfortable position before the lashes that covered her back screamed in protest and agony. She fell into a fantasy as she squirmed on her stomach; a fantasy that didn't involve her doing Voldemort's bidding, or being trained by Lucius Malfoy, or being punished for her tongue. A fantasy where Draco didn't whip her—that was where she found peace.
She awoke to a noise in her tent, which was when she realized that she'd been sleeping. She sat up slowly.
"What do you want?" her voice cut the stuffy silence. The figure paused its movements. She scanned the parts of the tent that were visible from her cot, but found no one.
"Lay down, Ginny, on your stomach."
So that was why she couldn't see the intruder: he was as black as the darkness around him. Recognizing the voice, she did as he asked.
"You'll need to take that shirt off as well."
Ginny nodded, though she knew that he probably couldn't see this action, and obliged, making sure to bring it around front quickly to cover her chest. She heard him move around as he grabbed a chair and sat next to her bed. He picked her wand up off of the nightstand.
"Lumos. Wow, Draco really did a number on you."
"He had to," Ginny replied, trying unsuccessfully to squash the resentment that was growing inside her. "Why are you doing this now, Blaise?"
"Because I'm not supposed to. I'm not going to fully heal them—just take away the pain."
Ginny closed her eyes as Blaise muttered a spell over her back. She felt a sensation spread through her wounds that was soothing and prickly all at the same time, and could almost see the path his wand was making.
"Why didn't you try to heal some of these?"
"I did try. Nothing happened."
"Ah, well, with training," he shuffled around a bit, probably pocketing his wand. "Done," Ginny felt better. The tension that had been stored in her back was gone, and she could shift around fairly well without discomfort.
From the corner of her eye, she saw him turn as she sat up and slipped her shirt back on. "Thanks," she whispered; he merely nodded.
He sat there for a moment, and when it seemed he was about to leave, Ginny spoke. "I don't want to go with him."
"Go where?" Blaise laughed. "He's training you here, love."
"I don't want to be near him."
"I know. But it's the way it has to be. You'll never be able to do much of anything without a proper teacher."
"You were a proper teacher," Ginny argued.
"Ha! Are you kidding me? I was a lousy tutor, and I was even worse at training."
"I thought you were good."
"Well," he sighed. "The compliment is a nice thought, but I know nothing about elemental powers," through the ghostly light cast from Ginny's wand, Blaise studied her crestfallen features. "I would in a heartbeat, if I did," he touched her cheek softly. "Believe me…I would jump at the chance to spend so much time with you."
And just as suddenly as it had all happened before, they were kissing. This situation was reversed, however, as Ginny was the one that had nearly caused Blaise to topple off his chair. He returned her kiss vigorously, pulling away only when he heard a noise outside the tent.
"Nox."
After a full five minutes of wary silence, Ginny decided to go out on a limb once more. "Can I tell you something?"
Blaise yawned. "Only if you move over."
Ginny laughed softly and did so, and Blaise collapsed on top of the bed, making sure to leave enough space for Ginny to have some moving room.
"I'm really scared," she confided in a shaky breath. She heard Blaise exhale slowly and felt the bed sink as she turned to face her.
"Have you talked to Draco about this?"
"No. I'm trying to be strong, I really am, but it's just so…hard," Ginny felt a warm tear trailing down her cheek to meet the pillow. "I tell him I'm not…I try to be brave and just accept what's happening. I mean I knew that I had to do it for him once he told me and I…I don't want to let him down."
"You're amazing, Ginevra Weasley," he brushed away another tear that had escaped from her hopeless eyes and leaned towards her and kissed her forehead lightly. "You are beautiful, and smart, and incredibly funny and talented. You've your own mind, your own thoughts, ideas, opinions…you're outspoken, no matter what the cost, and completely…outrageous," he kissed her forehead again, and then brushed his lips lightly over hers. "How could you possibly let anyone down?"
"I'm in love with him. I have to be with him. It's where I belong. Things are different when you're in love."
Blaise chuckled softly. "Says who, I'd like to ask?"
"I don't know, they just are."
"Ginny. I've been in love before, so I know a thing or two about the subject. You're right: things are different. Far different. Food tastes sweeter, air feels richer, sensations deepen and dreams become realities. Every thought has an emotion attached to it, one you can't name or even begin to describe. Every day I'm with you the world spins as fast as my heart beats, and when you're with him, a day is like an eternity. Knowing that it's possible for you to spend the rest of your life waking up in his arms, fathering his children, taking his name…completely destroys me. Knowing that if you two are truly in love you'll spend forever with him instead of me. And if forever starts tomorrow, I might as well kill myself tonight."
"I'm sorry, Blaise. You're wonderful. Amazing. If it had been yours and not his house that I had broken into things would be different."
"Maybe they would be the way they should."
"I'm so sorry."
"I understand. I understand the need you feel to be with him. I know it's where you think you belong."
"Am I thinking right? I'm not sure if I can do it all…the killing and betraying…I'm not sure if I can do it in the name of love alone."
"Then you don't belong here."
Ginny's heart nearly stopped. Blaise sat slowly, giving Ginny a small, meaningful look before turning to the entrance of the tent.
Ginny tried to decide what to do or say. Smile? Wave? She cleared her throat and managed to issue a single, breathless syllable. "Hi."
oO oo oO oo oO oo oO
Yes, yes, very short I know, but every time you hit the review button you get a rock to stone me with, so there you have it.
Just to clarify incase some people didn't catch it: Ginny equals UNDER covers, Blaise equals ON TOP of covers