When everyone else told me
I was destined to be a forgotten nymph
That nurtured flowers and turned meadows gold
You saw that the ichor that resides in me
Demanded its own throne.
'Persephone to Hades' by Nikita Gill
Her bedroom is large, and beautiful despite the location. The basalt walls are carved with columns and reliefs, intricate artwork from floor to ceiling. Delicate white hangings give respite from the darkness and soften the harshness of the rock, and her bed is large and plush. She collapses into it, but the tears will not come. She feels the weight of him next to her, and suddenly all she can think of is him, in her bed, and she's glad he cannot see her face.
"It won't be so bad, once you get used to it," he says, and her rage flares hot and violent inside of her.
"I'll never get used to it," she screams, sitting up to give him the full strength of her ire. "You bewitched me and stole me and I want to go home!"
His face may well have been carved out of the same stone as the walls. "You made your choice," he says coldly, standing to take his leave. "You will stay, and you will be my Queen."
As he exits the room she lets loose a piercing shriek of grief and anger, but he doesn't return.
She doesn't see him for days. She will neither eat nor leave her room. Mostly she sleeps, fitfully and plagued by nightmares. The trays of food that appear in her room grow ever more elaborate and tempting, but she refuses to touch them. Finally, on the seventh day of her captivity, he returns.
She refuses to look at him, only stares at the wall where she imagines a window would have been. The silence drags on, and his presence seems to grow until it fills the whole room.
"Why do you not eat?" he finally asks, and the gentleness in his voice surprises her.
"I wish to die," she says simply.
"You cannot die," he answers contemptuously.
"I know. But I wish to, and the food and drink would be ash in my mouth." She turns to him imploringly. "Please, my Lord. Please let me leave."
"I will not," he says with finality, and rage flashes through her.
"My mother will find me-"
"And?" he says harshly, lip curling in a dangerous sneer. "If she comes, what will she do here? What can she possibly do to me here, in my Kingdom, where the very stones will conspire against her?"
She sobs, burying her face in the bedcovers, because she knows he tells the truth.
—
When Ginny woke, yawning and stretching, she opened her eyes and had a moment of complete disorientation. She felt panic well inside her at the sight of the unfamiliar room, and then she remembered everything. The party, the flowers, the stupid gate that hadn't let her leave. She was still at Malfoy Manor, probably wearing one of Narcissa's nightdresses, sleeping in a ridiculously opulent guest room that could have fit nearly the entire ground floor of the Burrow. She continued to lie there, wondering if perhaps cursing Draco would help her situation at all, but ultimately decided that it wouldn't. Unfortunately.
The sudden appearance of a house-elf near the foot of her bed startled her so badly that she grabbed her wand and nearly cursed the poor thing.
"Runky is sorry, Miss!" she squealed, wringing her tea towel anxiously. "Master Draco has sent Runky to ask the Miss if she would like breakfast."
"Sorry, Runky, I didn't mean to frighten you," Ginny said gently, putting her wand down again. "Breakfast would be lovely," she smiled, hoping the poor elf would calm down.
"Thank you, Miss! The Master is waiting for you in the drawing-room!" Then she bowed and disappeared again before Ginny could protest. She hadn't wanted to eat with Draco, and she briefly considered summoning the elf again, but decided one last thing before this hellish ordeal was over couldn't be too bad, and she didn't want to upset Runky again.
Once she was dressed casually in clothing the elf had brought and had left the room, Ginny encountered a problem. She couldn't quite remember where, exactly, the drawing-room was. She hovered at the bottom of the stairs - a grand staircase, as rich people called it - looking down the hallway at the many doors, and chewed her lip in indecision. What a ridiculous house, she thought, not for the first time. She heard voices and headed in that direction, but stopped when she realised that she was hearing Narcissa and Draco in the midst of some disagreement.
" - and it's not as if he's been forthcoming," Narcissa was saying.
"I know, Mother," Draco replied, sounding irritated. "I've half a mind to go there-"
"You can't," Narcissa pleaded.
Ginny took a few more loud steps and then entered the room, doing her best to look oblivious. Draco's mouth was open, about to argue with his mother, but he snapped it shut and quickly opened his copy of the Prophet. "Good morning," Ginny said hesitantly.
"Good morning, Ginevra," Narcissa said politely. "I've just finished my meal, but I'm sure Draco will be happy to keep you company. I'm going to contact the Healer and see if she's learned anything."
Again Ginny felt the absurd urge to curtsy. "Thank you, Mrs Malfoy. I appreciate that." The stiff formality in the air after the previous night's arguments didn't dissipate with Narcissa's departure, and as Ginny sat at the small table and Draco flicked his paper, it almost seemed to grow. She eyed the impressive spread in front of her, determined not to let Draco's horrid attitude ruin her appetite. There was a basket of pastries, bowls of fresh fruit, and a steaming plate of eggs Benedict with smoked salmon in front of her. Her mouth began to water and she tucked in with abandon, ignoring her tablemate, who was still resolutely hiding behind his paper.
Arse, she thought angrily at him, but the breakfast was far too sumptuous to entertain those thoughts for long.
"My god, you chew like a cow," Draco murmured from behind his paper.
Ginny sneered at him with her mouth full, just as he lowered a corner of the paper with a raised eyebrow and she nearly choked on a bit of melon. When had he started wearing glasses? He probably just started wearing them so that people would think he was smarter, the arrogant sodding prick.
"Close your mouth, that's disgusting," he sniffed, and she snapped her lips together with a glare.
She swallowed forcefully and was about to give him a piece of her mind when a horrid screech sounded from somewhere outside the house. In an instant they had both leapt to their feet, wands in hand, looking around for the source of the awful noise. They ended up staring at each other, and then somehow Ginny knew, and she let out a gasp and began to run with Draco hot on her heels.
She didn't know how she even remembered the way to the front door, but somehow a moment later she was flying outside and running down the drive, just as a massive fireball engulfed the front gate. "Mum!" she screamed as she ran towards the inferno, and Draco grabbed her bodily and yanked her to a stop. Ginny screeched in indignation, twisting and clawing at him until her nails dug into skin and he released her with a yelp. She had only managed a few more steps when he grabbed her again, fingers closing around her wrist before he pulled her back, wrapping her tightly in his arms.
"Ginny, no!" he yelled in her ear. "Wait!" He held her there, both of their chests heaving with exertion, until the fire had faded to black smoke rippling into the sky. Another crash and an awful metallic noise set Ginny off running again, and although he followed Draco didn't try to stop her.
"Malfoy!" they heard Molly roar. "Give me my daughter back!"
Then she was through the smoke, coughing and choking, and saw her mother in her dressing gown, face puffy and eyes rimmed in red, hurling every hex she could think of at the gate.
"Mum!" she cried again, getting as close as the magic would allow her.
"Gin!" Molly said, stumbling towards her in desperation, grasping the bars and reaching towards her daughter, but Ginny could get no closer and tears welled in her eyes.
"Mum, what are you doing?" she finally asked, but of course Molly didn't look the slightest bit abashed.
"You didn't come home, and that elf showed up and I didn't know what to believe, so as soon as I woke up and saw you were still gone..."
"What is going on here?" a shrill voice interrupted, and they all turned to see Narcissa coming down the drive as well. Somehow, even furious, she was elegant and refined.
"Give me back my daughter, you bitch!"
"Mum!" Ginny gasped. "It's not their-"
"As if we wanted to keep her-"
"Mother," Draco interrupted firmly, and Narcissa ground to a halt with her lips pressed into a white line and her eyes full of fury.
For a moment, nobody moved or spoke.
"Mum, the Healer doesn't know what's going on and neither do the Malfoys. I'll be home as soon as I can," Ginny explained gently, hoping her mother believed her despite the fear that wobbled her voice. Her mother's face was determined and grim, but then she softened and smiled.
"Of course, dear. We're all just doing our best." The hardness remained in her eyes, and Ginny felt her stomach sink. "Mr Malfoy, please take care of my daughter as best you can."
"Of course Mrs Weasley," he said, giving a little half-bow that made Ginny stifle hysterical laughter.
"Reducto," Molly cried, aiming her wand further down the fence. It shuddered and quaked, but didn't fall.
Narcissa shrieked wordless rage and Molly unleashed another series of fireballs, this time over the fence towards the house, but they landed in the grass, sputtering and dying. Everyone was shouting, at Molly and at each other, so they nearly didn't hear the series of pops as people Apparated to just outside the property line.
Arthur and Harry were suddenly there, rushing to Molly. Arthur grabbed her wand neatly and she shrieked her indignation, trying to grab it back as Harry wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug. She immediately began sobbing, collapsing into Harry's arms and clinging to his shoulders.
Ginny laughed with the absurdity of it all, feeling the edge of hysteria. Harry looked bewildered, Arthur looked sad and diminished, and Molly's sobs wracked her entire body. "I j-just want G-Ginny home!" she cried, and Harry shifted uncomfortably, patting Molly's back.
"Has there been any news?" he asked, looking at Draco, but Narcissa answered.
"I just got off the Floo with the Healer," she said with a sniff. "They don't understand what's happened, but Ginevra is still unable to leave."
Molly's wails doubled in intensity.
"They're doing the best they can, and I was just composing a letter to my husband to attempt to find out what I can about the flowers-"
"Daughter-stealing flowers-"
"Now, Mr Potter, I'd like to speak to you as an Auror about this assault on our home-"
"Mother!" Draco cut her off harshly, and Narcissa went paler than Ginny thought possible. "Go back to the house and send that letter. The quicker the better."
"Fine," she bit out, and turned on her heel to return to the house. Even in a snit she was graceful and unhurried, her spine stiff and her chin high.
"Now, Mrs Weasley, if you can promise to be on your best behaviour, Ginny and I were just having breakfast and we would like to invite you to join us. All of you, if you so wish."
Ginny bristled, ready to protest the implication that she would willingly do anything with Draco, but the tear-stained look of joy on her mother's face stopped her. "Oh, yes, please Draco. That would be lovely," she beamed before Ginny could deny them. He nodded shortly and the gate creaked open, sounding more worn than it had the night before.
"I'll, er, just be going," Harry said awkwardly. "Malfoy," he nodded his goodbye.
"Potter," Draco returned coolly.
"Thank you, Harry," Arthur said wearily, and grasped his shoulder for a moment.
"Anytime, Mr Weasley. Er, let me know if you get any news?"
"We will, Harry, thank you," Molly said tearfully as she stepped through the gate, and Harry Apparated away. "He's such a sweet boy. Ginny, it's such a shame-"
"Drop it, mum," she hissed, catching an odd look from Draco before he turned and led them all up the drive to the Manor.
Arthur sheepishly cast an Aguamenti on a flaming hedge as they passed, but Draco said nothing. He showed them to the drawing-room, and for a few minutes they sat in awkward silence, until Arthur cleared his throat.
"I wanted to apologise," he began hesitantly. "Both for my behaviour last night, and for Molly's this morning." Ginny raised an eyebrow, expecting a protest from her mother, but Molly was examining the breakfast spread with a little too much attention.
"I appreciate that, Mr Weasley," Draco said solemnly. "And I do apologise that I'm currently unable to be more helpful with finding a solution."
"Ah, well… Hopefully St Mungo's comes through for us, hey?" Arthur said with an attempt at levity. He couldn't seem to bring himself to admit that Lucius might be their saviour. "So, Draco, I hope Ginny hasn't been too much trouble?" he asked with a glint of humour in his eye.
"Very little," he grinned wryly. Did he have a dimple? Ginny shook her head. What is wrong with me? she wondered. She felt vaguely like she was in some strange alternate universe where Draco and her father made jokes and they all had breakfast together.
Ginny's mother set her fork down and gave Draco a level look. "I do hope you'll do all in your power to get Ginny home," she said, her voice wobbling slightly at the end.
"I promise I will," he said solemnly, not breaking eye contact.
Ginny felt a surge of gratitude. At least he was willing to take it seriously, if only because he wanted her gone from his house.
It wasn't until later, when she had said goodbye to her parents and watched them go until they were outside the gate, that Ginny felt sadness overwhelming her. Her eyes prickled with tears, and she blinked furiously, angry at herself for feeling so hopeless. She was used to being away from home, why did this feel so different?
Draco was still behind her; she could feel him there, a looming presence. "What?" she finally snapped, turning from the door and expecting him to mock her emotions.
He looked stunned. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he bit out, "but clearly that's unnecessary. I'll send an elf to find you if we hear anything from my father." Then he turned on his heel and was gone.
Ginny sunk to the floor, let the tears come, and sobbed.