"The bad thing about experience is that it teaches you the stuff you don't want to know."

-Unknown

Chapter Eighteen

"Traitor! You lying son of a bitch! You used me to get the information about the potion! God why was I so blind!" I screamed at the pale, blonde haired man before me. A small smirk lit up on the face of Draco's father.

"You didn't think that my son would actually care for a poor excuse of a witch like you, now did you? My son is destined to marry an upper class pureblooded witch, and carry on the Malfoy name in honor, by taking my place at our lords side, like he rightfully should." He said while smiling evilly. I looked over into Draco's pale gray eyes, I had to know the truth; I was dying to know it.

"Tell me the truth Draco." I stated sternly.

"Yes Master Malfoy, tell the witch exactly what you have been up to all this time. Tell her about how you were there the night her friends were killed in that pathetic Muggle bookshop. Tell her how they screamed at your bloodied hands and begged you for mercy. Tell her about the raids you have so happily partaken in. Tell her about the screaming voices and pain they went through right before you finished them off. And don't forget to mention how you followed her, everywhere, followed and listened. Foolish girl, Draco is mine and shall always be one of mine, he never loved you." Voldemorts voiced hissed from his place at the front of the room. Had the two Death Eaters that dragged me up not been holding my arms and body upright, I would have collapsed under my recent discovery.

He was there that night. He killed the only two people that ever meant anything to me. God how could I have let myself open to this again. How could I have been so naive, so stupid as to let myself believe that someone actually cared about me? "Bastard!" I screamed at him. I silently watched, not paying attention to Voldemort giving the other Death Eaters orders, as Draco reached towards his neck and touch the black stone resting there.

'I'm sorry.' I heard his voice whisper in my mind.

'Get away from me, traitor! Why did I believe that maybe for once in my life I finally found a reason to live, a reason to love! And you took that all away from me! Want to know what I think of this stupid necklace?' I screamed back to him telepathically. I reached under my robe and grasped the piece of hemp at the base of my neck and tore it off in one quick swipe. I heard Draco scream as the stone was flung off my skin. "That's what I think of it!" I hollered. All noise in the room fell silent as the emerald shattered into thousands of tiny splints among the rough stone floor. I glanced over to see Draco's reaction, however his face remained impassive throughout the entire ordeal, even though his inner voice was screaming in pain. Good, it serves him right.
"That was an...amusing display...Miss Weasley. But I do not have time to watch you tear apart every piece of jewelry that you own. I want the ingredients for your curse defensive potion and I want it now! I am not always such a patient man, Virginia. And those that do not obey me suffer dire consequences." Voldemort hissed. I knew I was in danger no matter if I gave him the potion ingredients or not. However even if I DID give him the ingredients, it would be of no use. The potion needed weeks to prepare and simmer and some of the ingredients were quite rare to find. This battle, or war, was not going to hold much longer and Voldemort would not have the time or the resources to complete even a small dose of my potion. So what should it matter? No...I couldn't betray the Headmaster that way, besides...what good was my life now anyway? My only reason for survival has betrayed me, far worse than any pain that was caused by Tom those two years ago. Tom broke my body, but Draco...Draco broke my heart, my soul. I was nothing anymore.
"You can torture me, you can kill me, but I will never tell you anything Voldemort. I won't give in to you. Your reign is over." I said as I looked straight into his glowing red eyes.
"Crucio!" He screamed as a white-hot fire raged through my body. I didn't cry though, I didn't scream. I just let the pain consume me as though it was something I was used, like it was a mere pinch on my skin.

I smiled. Draco blanched. Lucius was ragging mad and Voldemort arose in a billow of black robes with a look to kill etched upon his snake-like features.

"Nothing can hurt me anymore Voldemort." I stated with a smile.

"Then you shall die Miss Weasley." He replied with a sneer, and a smile of his own.

"Avada Kedavra!"

I watched as the green light neared me but I wasn't scared. A bright dark blue shield erupted as the green light tried to penetrate my skin and stop my heart. I smiled even brighter than. For I knew that the potion only worked once, but I knew for certain that Voldemort didn't know. Draco may have overheard our conversation to Dumbledore, but when I told the Headmaster it only worked once, I made sure my voice was soft enough not to penetrate the walls of the office. No one but a select few knew of the potions true qualities.

"If I can not kill you with magic, then you shall die like the mortal you are!" He shouted as he conjured up a long metal sword out of thin air. This was it; this was the final stroke, for there was no potion to protect me against the blade of a sword. I watched as Voldemort came near me but then stopped.

"No, I shall not be the one to kill you. Draco! Come here. You are the one she loves, and you will be the last thing she sees before she dies." He handed the sword to Draco who took it albeit reluctantly.

"I'm sure you will enjoy this." I told him as he neared proximity.

"You don't understand Virginia." He pleaded with me with his eyes, but I was not going to fall for his lies again.

"End it Draco Malfoy. Spill my blood the same as you have to my friends. Kill me, I dare you."

He raised the sword back in the air ready to strike through my torso, but I wasn't watching. I kept my gaze on his eyes as he brought the blade closer to my flesh.

"Goodbye lover." I whispered into his ear right as the tip of the sword neared my stomach.

"Stop!"