I sit leaning on the headboard of my bed. I'm calmed by the softness of the comforter, I lay immersed in it's clean scent, breathing in and out so slowly. I just sent Oakey to deliver my Christmas gift to my father, and I'm now alone again. All my things have already been brought into my room, so I'm finally able to change out of my gown. Some plain black jeans and a white tee shirt.

I'm trying to let my mind wander off as much as possible, from my clothing, to the weather, to my homework I have to finish by next week. I try to let my mind wander because it distracts me from the pains of my life. I run my hand over my other arm, the hexes of my previous torture has made outlines and vague scars. I'll have to get the directions for that spell to get rid of them. You know, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I ever died. If something went wrong, like a rogue spell or my father just went to far, what would happen? To all my friends, to my possesions, even to Draco. What would become of him? Who would I leave my wealth to, all the jewels and gowns in my Gringotts vault lay untouched, undisturbed. If I was to die this very minute, just pass away in my thoughts, I'd want to have my body layed in a coffin filled with roses. I wouldn't want to be buried, I'd be thrown into the ocean. To sink in the endless deep, to be surrounded by calm waters. Thats what I want. But fortunatley, I'm not going to die anytime soon.

The sun moves position and is directly glowing into my eyes. Before I go blind by light, I lift myself of the large bed, and onto the polished floor. A loud crack appears, and Oakey is standing in front of me once more. Phew, she didn't die.

"Mistress Gardner, Oakey delivers gift from Dark Lord" She lays out her wrinkled hands, holding a long box.

"Thank you, go as you want" I say, and Oakey disappears.

It looks like a box meant to hold a wand, but I don't have any need for a new wand, my 13" inch Willow with a Phoenix feather core is perfectly fine for me. I progress to open it, preparing myself for a dementor to pop up. Instead, a blindingly shiny silver blade lays before me. Theres a red snake going up the handle with diamond eyes. Etched into the snake are the words

miƱa querida

estamos fortes

unha familia

It translates to My Dear We stand strong One family in Galic or at least that's my best translation of it.

What he would want to get me a dagger for, I have no idea. Although in technical terms, it's most likely to come in handy.

I embed the dagger back into its box and stuff it in the bottom of my trunk.

Beside my trunk, there lay a few more wrapped boxes. I hadn't noticed them before, they must be Christmas gifts from others in the Manor.

The first ones tag reads from Narcissa and Lucius. I open it and find a golden quill. It's a special kind, expensive I'm guessing for you don't have to write with it, it just hears words and copys them down, perfect or lectures. Then a pair of Colette's Specialty Walk on Shoes. Walk and hard and fast as you wish and never feel a footache! Most likely from Narcissa, not Lucius. I open the other boxes, most of them from random deatheaters trying to gain my friendship, trying to gain protection from Voldemort. I even get one from Bellatrix. I open it as carefully as possible, I know something is going to come out and attack me. Sure enough, as soon as I get half-way through the lid, a full size dementor bursts out. But to Bellatrix's stupidity, she did not realize that I was one of the top people on the Dementors list of neutral people from my father. Yeah I know demetors are said not to be able to be told who to kill or not but my father is Voldemort and he has his doesn't prevent me from falling under a dementors aroma of fear and depression.

The chill in the air is terrible, almost indescribable. Think of standing in a graveyard on an overcast January day with no clothes on, looking down at the grave of someone you love. That's what having a dementor near you feels like.

"Expecto Patronum" I scream as strongly as I can.

A transparent shark appears out of my wand, chasing away the lone dementor. Soon, it disappears as well.

I put all my gifts where I put the blade and close my trunk.

I hear a timid knock on my door, but it doesn't sound like Draco's usual banging.

"Dear are you in there?" Comes Narcissa's voice.

"Yes, I'm here" I respond. "Are you alone?" I add.

"Yes, I'm alone. Your father has summoned you"

Oh shit.

I slowly approach the door, trying to hear any sort of sound that might be Draco, having his mother open the door for him.

To my relief, it's just Narcissa. We head down the stairs together and towards a large set of doors. They open themselves, and I go in. Narcissa does not follow me, so I'm figuring this is just going to be us.

The doors close with an awful bang. We're alone.

"Happy Christmas Katherine"

"Merry Christmas" I mumble.

"Yes, I know, last night did not go so well" He says, no ounce of love in his voice.

"Really? Did you just figure that out?"

He looks at me, his eyes becoming increasingly narrow.

"You have no respect for me" He says suddenly.

"I don't respect murderers."

He doesn't say anything now, just simply looks away from me.

"Did you get my gift?" Now he's just completely avoiding the subject.

"Yes, the dagger was very nice. Thank you. Did you get mine?" I say, smirking.

"Yes, I did. I put them in my room to have later"

I laugh, just the idea of him eating pickles late at night when everyones asleep cracks me up really bad.

"What's so funny?" He says, a rare smile coming across his face, a genuine smile.

"Oh, nothing"

I walk up to where he's sitting and take the seat next to him. He takes my hand and holds it very tight.

"You know, no matter how I act, your the only person I'll ever be there for" He says, his voice seeminlgy warm.

The chances of that seem very slim, but I won't cause another conflict.

"..I know"

"Your lying to me, aren't you?"

I should have known he'd catch my lie, he's very talented at doing it.

"It's hard to belive your going to be there for me when you hurt me" I say quietly, cause thats the real truth. How can he be there for me when he hurts me?

He doesn't answer me, but just grips my hand tighter. Wow, he has long fingernails. Whats that all about?

"Hey can I paint your nails?"

"No"

"What if it's just clear, so they won't be protruding, but they'll look nice"

"No"

"I think I will"

Really though, they're crazy. He really needs to take better care of himself.

"Whats wrong with you?" He whispers. Thats a good question.

"A lot" I say smiling. He laughs and nods his head, still avoiding my eye contact.

"How are you with... Draco"

The wind leaves my lungs, and I all of a sudden feel dizzy.

"Uhm.. good." I know he'll catch my lie, but I'm not going to tell him what happened, he might do something.. drastic.

"Really, Katherine, has he done something to you?"

Oh shoot, he's going to find out. Oh God...

"Nope"

"If you don't tell me I'll kill that woman you like in the dungeons, Susan Bones, the ministry worker" He sneers. My own father, putting murder on my shoulders.

"You would kill her anyways, I'm not stupid"

Silence.

"I'll obliviate her memory, I swear. Now just tell me Katherine".

"Why do you care? you never cared before" I say, pushing up from my seat.

I storm away from him, but the room is elongated, and it's still a few more steps to the door.

"Imperio" He snarls.

I can hear voices in my head.. his voice..

Stop walking, your being commanded to stop walking..

tell what he did to you.. you must tell me...

No.

No.

No. I won't.

I put my focus on just getting out of the room, just get out of the room..

I take one step, then another. Searing pain enters my body, but I keep walking.

He'll never control me, he can't.

I reach the door and slam it behind me. I hear his wand drop to the floor.

I notice something dripping onto the floor, blood.

My resistance of the curse backfired a little, and I have gashes in my arm. I seriously need to get that spell for scars though, this is ridiculous.

I pick up my pace and turn the corner, Narcissus is standing there.. with Draco.

When Narcissa see's me, her face drops dramatically, but Draco stands like a stone.

"Are-are you alright dear?" She says.

"I need to go to my room" I say quickly, avoiding being near Draco at all costs.

She nods, but I see her catch Draco's eye. She turns around and walks away. Yet Draco stays.

"Kady..." He mutters.

"What" I snap.

He pauses, unsure of what to do next.

"... You're bleeding.." He says quietly.

"Really? Would have never known"

Now his lips curl, and a snarl comes clear across his face.

"You don't have to be such a bitch you know" He says looking me in the face.

"Of course I don't have to. I'd rather be a bitch than a fucking pushover, I don't want to talk to you, get near you, I don't want to see you. I'm leaving Malfoy Manor tonight. Merry Christmas you lying jerk."

I push past him, the sensation of his body against mine sending chills down my spine that I quickly dismiss and continue down the hall. Yes, that's it, I'm leaving Malfoy Manor tonight, as soon as I get back to my room. I don't know where I'll go, probably just some dinky motel in London, but thats better than here.

Oh and while I'm at it I'll rescue the prisoners in the basement.