I had been quiet and obedient for the past few weeks, too afraid of Draco to go against anything he said to me.

"I was thinking about having a dinner party tomorrow night," he said to me during lunch one day.

"Okay honey," I replied quietly. "What should I tell the house elves to cook?"

"Well what do your friends like to eat?" My head snapped up. This had to be joke!

"Don't you mean you're friends?"

"No. I meant yours. You know, Rivers, Brustman, Henry...although I refuse to have any of the Golden Trio set foot in this house." I nodded.

"Okay well I'll tell the elves what to cook. Should I send Angelus with the invitations?"

"No I've already taken care of all that."

"I thought you said you made it so they could never come here."

"I undid the spell. Just this once."

"Draco...this is...why are you doing this?" Draco got up from the table and touched my shoulder.

"I just want you to be happy luv."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

The whole next day I instructed the house elves on what to clean and what to cook. At five o' clock I went upstairs, took a hot shower, and got dressed in my favorite green and silver dinner gown.

"Schyler they're here!" I hurried downstairs and saw Draco and the others standing in the front hall glaring at each other.

"Hi guys," I said coming down to meet them.

"Schylerrrrrr!" Heather cried. I grinned and hugged them all.

"Schyler you look great," Becky said.

"Yeah. You didn't flinch for once," Mitch added. I shot him a warning look.

"You guys look fantastic," I said. "Oh! Do you like my dress?" I spun around so that the dress flared a little at the bottom.

"It's beautiful," Becky said.

"Draco bought it for me."

"It brings out the color of her eyes," Draco added.

"Is that before or after you..." Mitch began. Thankfully, a house elf came in at that moment.

"Dinner is ready Master, Misstress," she said.

"Thank you Tara," I replied. The elf bowed and scampered from the room.

"Let's go eat then, shall we?" Draco said. We walked into the dinning room and sat down at the long table as the house elves brought out the food.

"Midge these are all our favorites!" Becky said.

"Well yeah," I replied. "What's the point of having a dinner party with a bunch of food that no one likes?" Heather squealed happily as a bowl of several different types of apples passed her.

"Oh my God! APPLES!!!" I laughed.

"I made sure there were a whole bunch of different types." Heather grabbed two different apples and began munching them.

"Hey look, orange chicken," Mitch said grabbing the plate. Becky grabbed the plate of stuffed cabbage. I grinned.

"I'm glad you all like it." Draco put an arm around my shoulders.

"So Draco how have things between the two of you been going?" Becky asked as she took a bite of her food.

"Fine."

"No anger management problems?"
"Becky I don't think we should be talking about this right now," I said as Draco's grip tightened painfully on my shoulder.

"Why not? I mean if he's done nothing wrong then he has no reason to get upset."

"Becky please just drop it." Draco's nails were literally cutting my shoulder. I wished he would let up before I started bleeding. Becky's eyes narrowed and Draco let go immedietly.

"Why don't you tell them about our new manor?" Draco suggested glaring at Becky.

"You're moving Schyler?" Heather asked. Mitch's head snapped up and he and Becky exchanged glances.

"No," I said. "We got a manor in Japan for vacations. We're not moving."

"Good," Mitch said.

"What's it to you Brustman?" Draco demanded.

"Stop!" I cried. "All of you stop! I want this to be a nice dinner! Could you please stop!? Just for one night?" Draco turned to me.

"How many times have I told you..." Suddenly, an apple flew across the table and smacked Draco in the side of the head.

"What the bloody hell was that!?" he shouted.

"That was an apple bitch!" Heather snapped. "Don't make me throw another at you!"

"I think it's time you all went home," Draco replied.

"And I think you should shut the hell up," Mitch growled.

"Are any of you even listening to me!?" I cried. "I want this to be a nice dinner! Just get along this one night!"

"Schyler be quiet," Draco snarled. "Or I'll shut you up myself." I shut my mouth and looked down at my plate. The room went completely silent.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" Becky asked slowly.

"Becky please let it go..." I whispered.

"No! He..."

"Becky please!"

"Rives if you think you can attack me in my own home...Put down that apple Henry before I blow it up!" He drew his wand.

"Oh just try me," Heather sneered. By now everyone but me had gotten to their feet and taken out their wands.

"Stop!" I cried getting up. "Stop! Stop!"

"Sit down and shut up!" Draco hissed.

"Everyone just calm down!" I pleaded.

"I said shut up!" Draco's hand slammed across my face and I felt my lip split and blood begin to slid down my chin. I reached up with a trembling hand and wiped it away.

"You son of a bitch!" Mitch shouted. The three of them pointed their wands at Draco.

"No!" I screamed standing in front of him.

"Schyler get out of the way," Becky ordered.

"No," I replied. "No. That's enough. Everyone stop fighting!"

"He hit you!" Mitch yelled.

"I don't care!" I yelled back. "Honestly right now I don't care!" I didn't care because this didn't even hurt. What would come as soon as they left would hurt. I knew that.

"Schyler..."

"Get out," I said quietly fighting to stop the tears from falling from my eyes. "Get out all of you. Now."

"Midge..." Becky began.

"Go!" I cried. The three of them walked from the room. I heard the front door close and I hung my head.

"Get downstairs," Draco ordered. I nodded and walked slowly down into the basement. Draco came down after me.

"Draco, I'm sorry," I said weakly. "I shouldn't have..." Draco backed me into the wall.

"I don't care if you're sorry," he replied. "Obviously those three are a bad influence on you. They make you too defiant. You won't be seeing them again."

"Draco I just wanted the dinner to be nice!" Draco grabbed my throat and lifted me off the floor.

"It would have gone fine if those three would learn to be quiet and you should never have kept talking after I told you to shut up!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Sorry," Draco scoffed letting go of me. "You're always sorry!"

"Please Draco..." I begged. Draco walked back up the stairs. I was confused. Wasn't he going to beat me? Draco turned and flicked his wand. My gown turned into a pair of old jeans and old tank top. He smirked at me.

"Inccendio," he drawled. The far corner of the basement caught on fire. I screamed.

"Draco no! Don't do this! I'm sorry!" Draco laughed.

"Maybe now you will learn," he said. "Accio wand!" Once he had my wand he walked out slamming and locking the door behind him. Smoke began filling the room and the flames were coming closer. I pulled my collar up over my nose and mouth. I ran up the stairs and banged on the door.

"Draco! Draco let me out! I was wrong! I never should have spoken after you told me shut up! I'll never go near the others again! I swear!" The smoke came up the stairs and I had nowhere to go where there was fresh air. I was getting light headed and the heat from the fire was too hot for me to stand. I banged weakly on the door.

"Draco..." I gasped. "Please..." I coughed as the smoke filled my lungs. I fell against the rail and then I fell down the stairs. I hit the floor and felt blood begin to pool around my head. I shut my eyes. I was going to die. There was no point in fighting it anymore...

I opened my eyes and sat up only to fall back again.

"Easy there luv," Draco said setting somthing cold on my forehead. I struggled to draw in a breath but found that it was nearly impossible. My throat was raw and it burned almost to the point where I would have given anything to be knocked out.

"Dra..."

"Don't talk baby," he said. "Here. Drink this." He helped me sit up and held a cup to my lips. I took a sip and closed my eyes as icy liquid slid down my throat, soothing it.

"You tried to set me on fire..." I said slowly. "Why...?"

"Don't think about that. I was...I was just out of my mind with anger. I was just so angry at your friends..."

"You tried to set me on fire!"

"You're not burnt. I made sure the fire never touched you. As soon as you fell down the stairs I went and got you." I looked at him.

"You can't possibly think that that makes it okay," I said.

"Why wouldn't it?"

"Draco, smoke from fires can kill people too...you have to know that."

"Of course I do."

"So you see why I think it's not okay?"

"Look, you're fine now shut up and drink that stuff. Otherwise you won't be able to breathe, let alone talk." I sighed and continued drinking the liquid.