Author: Lee Velviet
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing-except maybe the stupid plot! ^-^ Don't blame that on her! (I Love You, J.K.! ^-^)
(A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is…odd. It just seemed to go that way. Let me know what you guys think. If I get lots of bad reviews, I'll rewrite it. Thanks for reading! ^-^)
3. A Curious Ailment
"Tonight is the full of the moon-and the night is near at hand."-Varney The Vampire, Or The Feast Of Blood, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny didn't know how she'd made it through the day. It had been both grim and evil.
She collapsed, exhausted onto the sofa she'd slept on the night before, and closed her eyes.
Honestly, would it have killed the Professor to act like a real human being for just once? He'd snapped at her time and again in class that day, until she hadn't known up from down and was trembling with nerves.
And Malfoy…. could he have acted any creepier? It had seemed like every time she turned around, he'd been standing there, staring at her. She saw in her mind again his eerie, pale gaze narrowing on her as he watched her walk by from across the courtyard earlier, and quickly re-opened her eyes.
"Ginny? Are you all right?"
She looked over and blinked, disoriented, and she noticed she'd practically thrown herself into Harry's lap without realizing it.
"Er-sorry…" Ginny bit her lip and edged away from him.
"What's wrong? You look pale…still. You were pale this morning…" He frowned at her, closing the book on his lap and setting it aside. "Maybe I should walk you up to the Infirmary."
"I'm fine, really…" Ginny yawned, and rubbed her eyes. She stretched and winced at the bruised feeling in her neck.
Harry suddenly caught her shoulder, and forced her arm down as she reached to rub the sore area.
"Harry!" Ginny protested.
His green eyes looked fierce and determined as he lifted the thick fall of her hair from her shoulder and pushed her chin to one side, exposing her throat.
"What are you doing?" Ginny felt the warmth of his fingertips slide across the sensitive skin of her throat and winced.
She heard Harry take in a shuddering, surprised breath, and then he released her.
Ginny turned a frown on him as she raised a hand to her throat.
"What is it?" The look on his face scared her-his narrowed eyes were glued to her throat, and they were a chilling, icy green.
"Harry?"
"Just-stay here…lay back and relax for a second…I'll be right back."
Shivering, Ginny did as he said-but only because she couldn't sit up any longer.
Harry returned with Ron and Hermione moments later.
Ron had a dark look on his freckled face as he dropped to one knee next to her and eyed her neck. Hermione looked over his shoulder and her face paled.
"Ginny!"
She blinked in confusion as her brother hauled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"Ron-what's happening?" Ron was not a hugger.
"You're scaring me!" The note of panic in her voice made Ron let her go and back away to look at her hesitantly.
"Gin-do you know where those… marks on your neck came from?"
"M-marks?" Her hand flew up to touch her skin. "What marks?"
She leapt up to go and find a mirror and had to sit right back down as her head spun.
"Have you eaten anything?" Hermione sat next to her and put an arm across her shoulders to steady her.
Ginny took several deep breaths. "No, I wasn't hungry."
"I think we should take her to Madam Pomfrey," said Ron shakily.
"No!" Ginny looked up at them wild-eyed. "Please-I just want to go to bed- I'm so tired…"
"Gin…"
"Please Ron? I know I'll be fine in the morning-I just really need some sleep."
She looked at him pathetically-it was the look she used back home to get him to
give her the last waffle at breakfast…and it had always worked.
Ron exchanged a look with Harry and sighed roughly. "All right…Hermione?"
Hermione nodded as if in instant understanding. "I'll stay with you tonight, Ginny-just incase you need me."
"Okay," At that moment she would have given anything to just get to the bathroom mirror.
As she turned to leave, she heard Ron pull Hermione aside and whisper something into her ear.
Harry just stared at her. She looked away from him, feeling oddly guilty.
Ginny walked up the stairs with Hermione slowly, her pulse beating in her ears loudly.
Hermione left her at the entrance to the fifth year girl's dormitories. "You go on and get ready for bed-I'm just going to go fetch my toothbrush-all right?"
Ginny nodded dumbly and let herself into the dorm. The large room was deserted, it still being early in the evening, and she was never more thankful for the privacy. She dragged off her school robes, and laid her wand across them on the trunk at the foot of her bed.
She walked slowly into the bathroom with a strong feeling of unreality, and approached a mirror with a thundering heart.
She looked ghastly. Her eyes looked fever bright, but sunken, resting in two dark circles in her paper white face. She watched herself as she swallowed, and licked her lips as she turned her head slightly and lifted her hair from her neck-
Her heart felt like it might explode against her ribs when she spied the two dark, angry looking puncture wounds in her throat, inches below her right ear. Just looking at them seemed to make her neck hurt more…the wounds throbbed angrily, and the picture of a pair of glittering crimson eyes flashed through her mind, nearly scaring her senseless, making her doubt her sanity…
A knock on the door made her nerves jump agonizingly. "Ginny?" It was Hermione.
"I'm okay…I'll just be a minute." She watched herself in the mirror with raising panic. What had happened to her?
"All right-I sent Ron to get us something to eat from the kitchens-I didn't think you'd want to go down to dinner."
The thought of food made her stomach churn. "Okay, thanks."
Ginny touched the wounds again with a morbid curiosity. She forced herself to look at them closely, and tried to convince herself that they weren't that bad-she'd fallen on something, was all. There'd been a sharp quill in the sofa cushions, yes, that's what it was…and she'd managed to jab herself with it deeply, twice, in the same area…
"Oh, God," Ginny murmured, going directly into a stall and sitting down on the commode. She was fairly sure she would have been ill if there'd been anything in her stomach.
She had her face buried in her hands when the scratching noise came from outside the bathroom window…
Horrified, Ginny got up and dashed out of the room as quickly as she could move, before her body had a chance to freeze up in fear.
Hermione was sitting on her bed, and looked up at her approach. She stood to grab her by the arms and lower her to the bed. "Ginny, you look like you just ran into a Mountain Troll," she exclaimed, and Ginny found this funny- Hermione would certainly know, wouldn't she?
"T-there was something-" Ginny bit her lip and looked away. They were going to think she was crazy-she'd been hearing things. It had probably been a-a tree branch, or a wayward Post Owl, or something-
"Yes?" Hermione looked at her seriously, still gripping her upper arms. "Did you see something?"
"No-I just thought I heard something…I'm just tired." She pulled her shoes off with a shaking hand and pulled her nightshirt from underneath her pillow.
"You can tell me anything, you know that don't you?"
Ginny looked up to see her friend watching her concernedly.
"I know."
Hermione helped her into her nightshirt without another word, and pulled Ginny's blankets up around her, smoothing them. It made Ginny feel better, almost like she was a little girl safe at home with her Mum again, dreaming of the day she could finally attend Hogwarts.
It hadn't exactly turned out to be what she had dreamed of-she'd struggled through the past years, and now, it seemed she'd be struggling through this one.
Suddenly she wanted her Mother's presence more than anything in the whole world. Her eyes stung with tears of self-pity, and she closed her eyes. 'Get a hold of yourself, Ginny,' she thought in frustration. 'You're sixteen years old!'
Hermione was uncharacteristically quiet, only patting her arm soothingly until there was a knock on the dormitory door, and Ron stuck his head in.
"I brought some dinner, Gin," he said, bringing in a tray.
Ginny wrinkled er nose as he sat it down before her. "Ron-you know I don't like a lot of red meat." Her plate was full of roast beef and gravy, potatoes and steak-lots of steak.
Harry walked in behind Ron then, hesitantly, his hands in his pockets, his hair badly ruffled. "You need some iron, Ginny…lack of it is probably what made you faint."
"Oh." She didn't like thinking about why he was talking about the state of her blood, and so simply thanked her brother for going to the trouble, and reluctantly picked up her fork. She poked the meat, grimacing at the pinkness of it…but then was suddenly, inexplicably ravenous.
She was oblivious to the looks her three companions exchanged, as they watched her devour nearly all the meat piled on her plate.
She felt better after she'd eaten, and she actually got up and returned bravely to the bathroom to brush and floss before settling into her bed for the night. Of course it was much easier that knowing large two boys were just outside.
She crawled into her bed, wondering why Ron and Harry were so intent on staying-and they did, sitting with her, playing chess on the end of the bed, saying things to try and make her laugh, until the other girls came and wanted to go to sleep, and practically had to throw them out.
Hermione curled up under the covers on the other side of the huge bed and Ginny soon fell fast asleep, still confused and frightened, but too tired to care.
"All was still-still as the very grave. Not a sound breaks the magic of repose-but it was, in very truth, an awful night." –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
The side of her neck felt as though an Ashwinder had curled up to nest on it.
Ginny rolled over and sleepily pressed a hand to the inflamed feeling area. She had the stray thought that the wounds were probably infected, and then sat up slowly.
The room was silent, and she could hear nothing save the breathing of the other girls in the room.
She held her aching neck gingerly, and slid off the bed, feeling fuzzy. She silently made her way into the bathroom and looked at her neck again in the lamplight-the marks were still there.
Ginny forced away the urge to cry and splashed some cool water on the wounds.
She was ready to go back to her bed when the same scratching noise she'd heard earlier came at the window.
Suddenly angry, Ginny marched right over to the ancient stained glass window, flicked open the antique silver latch, and pushed the window open, letting in the soft breeze of the night.
She almost shrieked when she saw Draco Malfoy directly outside-but she was too scared to make more than a squeak.
The cool breeze swept his moonlit hair across his eyes, shadowing them-he didn't say a word.
She was having a nightmare. She was waking up now…waking up…
Finally Ginny took a deep breath and tried to glare at him. " Er…Malfoy…you're floating."
He seemed to wake up a little at the sound of her voice. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and blinked at her-then he looked down before crossing his arms and sighing. "So I am."
" -Her eyes are fascinated. The glance of a serpent could not have produced a greater effect upon her than did the fixed gaze of those awful, metallic- looking eyes that were bent down on her face. Her bosom heaves, and her limbs tremble, yet she cannot withdraw her eyes from that marble-looking face. He holds her with his glittering eye…" –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny wanted to slam the window shut and run screaming-but everything about the situation was so ridiculous, she wasn't quite sure what to do.
"What are you doing here?" It seemed the most obvious question to ask.
He seemed to get an odd glint in his eye at this. "I don't think you want to know," he finally drawled heavily.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Ginny rubbed her neck again, trying to soothe the burn she felt there.
She watched as his eyes followed her every movement, turning darker and darker…
"Decidedly not. I wish it were as simple as that," he muttered, and she saw him close his eyes.
"I'm in no mood for jokes, Malfoy-"
His eyes snapped violently open making her gasp and jump back. "Do I look like I'm bloody joking, Weasley?" He snarled.
"You're eyes…" Ginny grabbed her throat and backed away.
His eyes were red-no, not just red, but a hot and glowing blood red…
He smirked at her as his brows drew low, and she saw sharp white fangs curving to needle-like points brushing his lower lip.
"What h-happened to you?" Ginny kept backing away, but he simply followed.
"What the hell do you think happened?" He snapped impatiently, his red eyes shimmering angrily in the pallor of his face. His usually combed back hair fell softly around his face, and he brushed a silken strand away impatiently. "I got bitten, you fool."
Ginny wrapped a hand around a sink to keep from falling over. "B-bitten? By what? A Vampire?"
He stepped onto the floor easily, and stopped a few feet from her. "No, by a bloodsucking Flobberworm…can't you tell?"
"C-could you just…go away, now?" Ginny knew she had to be dreaming-Draco Malfoy was not in her bathroom sporting fangs and red eyes, and an unusual new sense of humor.
"What? After all the trouble I obviously went through to get up here? You aren't the hospitable sort, are you Weasley?" He took several steps closer, and Ginny was backed against the door, his tall, black robed figure dominating the small room.
"I should go-you did me a favor waking me up…but since I'm here…"
Ginny's head was spinning. Waking him up? "What do you want from me? Why are you here?"
He took hold of her upper arms tightly so she couldn't move.
She was so busy staring at his eyes that it didn't occur to her to scream. They had a sparkly iridescent sheen that drew her gaze and made her mind oddly foggy…
"Isn't it obvious?" And then, he murmured, almost as if to himself, "I hadn't any idea it was you I visited last night-it's no wonder I've had such a hard-on to see you all day…"
He laughed humorlessly at her dazed look. "Oh, come on, Weasley-you don't suppose those little holes in your neck just appeared there all by themselves, did you?"
Malfoy leaned in, until she could feel his cool, hard jaw pressing against hers. "I'm sorry, pet…but I'm rather in a bad way...you don't mind, do you?"
She shivered uncontrollably as his breath brushed her ear, and one arm dropped curl about to her waist-she felt helpless to do anything at all…his lips touched the side of her neck, and she closed her eyes as she felt his mouth open over the tiny marks that suddenly felt on fire. His tongue soothed the uncomfortable burn, and Ginny sighed, relaxing against him as he pulled her body closer. Her head fell to one side, and he sighed against her skin in a way that made her weak, made her want to do anything he wanted her to…
"Yes, relax," he whispered. "Just let me take you, Ginny…I just need to taste you…so very, very badly…"
Ginny felt her racing heart pick up speed painfully as he murmured her name- vaguely she realized she hadn't even thought he'd even known it.
Wait-what had he said? Taste her?
Oh God-
Ginny realized his intention too late and didn't have the breath to cry out as he suddenly buried his fangs in her tender throat.
The blackness behind her eyelids turned gray, she barely felt the pain after a moment. Her fingers brushed his robes, and then his hand-he brushed his cool fingers along her palm before entwining them with hers and raising their clasped hands to press against his chest. She felt his heart pounding fiercely against her hand.
The feel of his tongue moving against her skin again made her head spin—and spin, and spin and finally she didn't feel anything but Draco Malfoy…
"The bed in that old chamber is occupied. A creature formed in all fashions of loveliness lies half sleep upon that ancient couch-a girl young and beautiful as a spring morning.
Her long hair has escaped from its confinement and streams over the blackened coverings of the bedstead; she has been restless in her sleep, for the clothing of the bed is in much confusion. One arm is over her head, the other hangs nearly off the side of the bed near to which she lies. A neck and bosom that would have formed a study for the rarest sculptor that ever Providence gave genius to, were half disclosed. How sweetly the long silken eyelashes lay upon the cheek.
Now she moves, and one shoulder is entirely visible-whiter, fairer than the spotless clothing of the bed on which she lies, is the smooth skin of that fair creature, just budding into womanhood, and in that transition state which presents to us all the charms of the girl-almost of the child, with the more matured beauty and gentleness of advancing years.
She has endured much fatigue… Now she awakens-that beautiful girl on the antique bed; she opens her eyes, and a faint cry of alarm bursts from her lips..." –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny awoke with a start.
It was morning. She could see the light pouring in around the bed curtains, and looked over to see that Hermione had already risen.
She sighed and rolled over, breathing deeply. She had the feeling that she had been dreaming again-and for some reason, she was sad that she had woken up, but also strangely relieved.
Ginny stretched, and then frowned, looking down as she felt her nightshirt fall free against her skin-the buttons on the front had all disappeared, and it gaped, falling off one shoulder as she sat up.
Slightly embarrassed, she drew it up, and then held the edges together as she scooted off the bed, parting the curtains, and stood, wincing at the sunlight pouring cheerily through the bay window-the strange dizziness that had been plaguing her returned full force, and she lay back down with a frustrated sigh, to wait for it to pass.
The other occupants of the room had already left, and she thought it must have been rather late in the morning.
The door opened, and Ginny turned her head to see Hermione walk in. She had another tray in her hands.
"Morning," she mumbled, unable to put much inflection into her voice.
"Good morning," Hermione pushed her hair behind her ear and came over to sit next to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," she lied.
"I'm glad…" Hermione's naturally inquisitive eyes kept straying to where Ginny's hair tumbled down over her shoulder. "Well…you better eat something. Classes start soon."
"Oh…" she barely held back a groan. How was she going to make it through another day? Just the thought of having to face Snape again-
"Unless, of course, you aren't up to it-I could always take you up to the Infirmary-"
"No!" Ginny looked down at the tray on her lap and swallowed. "I'm fine. I'll just eat and get dressed…"
Hermione looked doubtful. "Sure…er…did anything-weird happen last night?"
"What?" She looked over at the older girl with a furrowed brow. "No…I slept all night. Why?"
"Oh, I just wondered…never mind me." Her friend smiled and stood. "I'm going to go on-will you be all right?"
"Of course." Ginny caught at Hermione's hand. "Thank you, for staying last night."
"You bet." She bent and gave her a swift hug before turning and leaving the room.
Ginny looked down at the carefully prepared breakfast tray and forced herself to drink some orange juice. There was bacon and eggs, sausage and hot buttered strawberry scones…those usually made her mouth water, but she couldn't drudge up an interest in the fluffy things that morning.
After nibbling at the bacon and sausage, she put down her fork and put the tray aside. She stood, and the dizziness did return, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been.
She went into the bathroom, feeling very hesitant, and then came out and dressed with care, making sure her tie was knotted neatly, her hair was in some semblance of order, her shoes clean, and her robes unwrinkled-she had no desire to look at the marks on her throat-she didn't want to think about the mysterious things. They would eventually heal, and until then she would simply forget about them-or at least try to. The side of her neck throbbed like the very devil with every beat of her pulse, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it did scare her a bit.
She gathered up her things, and pulled open the door, walking slowly until she came into the common room.
Ron was there, waiting, as were Harry and Hermione. They looked troubled.
"Hey," Ginny came flush with them and smiled. "You guys ready?"
"Ginny, we want to talk to you, later." Ron said quickly. "Could you meet us in the Library? After dinner?"
"Okay…" She looked at them questioningly. "What is it?"
"We'll explain it to you tonight," Hermione said carelessly. "It's nothing important-just meet us there, all right?"
"Sure." Ginny fixed Harry with a curious stare, and after a moment he dropped his eyes quickly.
"How are you feeling?" He asked his shoes.
Ginny laughed. "I'm fine-we'd better go, or we'll be late."
"A pity, that," Ron said, mock mournfully as they moved out the entrance and into the hall. "I'd hate to have to miss Divination."
"Do you know that nutty old bat actually told me I had no future yesterday?" Harry exclaimed in an extremely offended tone.
"You know she says that at least ten thousand times a year," Ron said scornfully. "Honestly, Harry, if I had a Galleon for every time she said you were going to kick off-"
Ginny listened to them talk as they moved down the corridors, and felt a little better-she watched Harry smile and laugh at something Ron said, and grinned back at him when he caught her eye and winked.
Yes, the day was certainly looking up.
TBC
(A/N: I hope you liked this-let me know what you think! Don't forget to review you guys! I'd really really really really appreciate it! Thanks so much for reading! ^-^)
E-Mail: Vampslay@Bellsouth.net
Disclaimer: You know who this stuff belongs to-J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc-I own absolutely nothing-except maybe the stupid plot! ^-^ Don't blame that on her! (I Love You, J.K.! ^-^)
(A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is…odd. It just seemed to go that way. Let me know what you guys think. If I get lots of bad reviews, I'll rewrite it. Thanks for reading! ^-^)
3. A Curious Ailment
"Tonight is the full of the moon-and the night is near at hand."-Varney The Vampire, Or The Feast Of Blood, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny didn't know how she'd made it through the day. It had been both grim and evil.
She collapsed, exhausted onto the sofa she'd slept on the night before, and closed her eyes.
Honestly, would it have killed the Professor to act like a real human being for just once? He'd snapped at her time and again in class that day, until she hadn't known up from down and was trembling with nerves.
And Malfoy…. could he have acted any creepier? It had seemed like every time she turned around, he'd been standing there, staring at her. She saw in her mind again his eerie, pale gaze narrowing on her as he watched her walk by from across the courtyard earlier, and quickly re-opened her eyes.
"Ginny? Are you all right?"
She looked over and blinked, disoriented, and she noticed she'd practically thrown herself into Harry's lap without realizing it.
"Er-sorry…" Ginny bit her lip and edged away from him.
"What's wrong? You look pale…still. You were pale this morning…" He frowned at her, closing the book on his lap and setting it aside. "Maybe I should walk you up to the Infirmary."
"I'm fine, really…" Ginny yawned, and rubbed her eyes. She stretched and winced at the bruised feeling in her neck.
Harry suddenly caught her shoulder, and forced her arm down as she reached to rub the sore area.
"Harry!" Ginny protested.
His green eyes looked fierce and determined as he lifted the thick fall of her hair from her shoulder and pushed her chin to one side, exposing her throat.
"What are you doing?" Ginny felt the warmth of his fingertips slide across the sensitive skin of her throat and winced.
She heard Harry take in a shuddering, surprised breath, and then he released her.
Ginny turned a frown on him as she raised a hand to her throat.
"What is it?" The look on his face scared her-his narrowed eyes were glued to her throat, and they were a chilling, icy green.
"Harry?"
"Just-stay here…lay back and relax for a second…I'll be right back."
Shivering, Ginny did as he said-but only because she couldn't sit up any longer.
Harry returned with Ron and Hermione moments later.
Ron had a dark look on his freckled face as he dropped to one knee next to her and eyed her neck. Hermione looked over his shoulder and her face paled.
"Ginny!"
She blinked in confusion as her brother hauled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"Ron-what's happening?" Ron was not a hugger.
"You're scaring me!" The note of panic in her voice made Ron let her go and back away to look at her hesitantly.
"Gin-do you know where those… marks on your neck came from?"
"M-marks?" Her hand flew up to touch her skin. "What marks?"
She leapt up to go and find a mirror and had to sit right back down as her head spun.
"Have you eaten anything?" Hermione sat next to her and put an arm across her shoulders to steady her.
Ginny took several deep breaths. "No, I wasn't hungry."
"I think we should take her to Madam Pomfrey," said Ron shakily.
"No!" Ginny looked up at them wild-eyed. "Please-I just want to go to bed- I'm so tired…"
"Gin…"
"Please Ron? I know I'll be fine in the morning-I just really need some sleep."
She looked at him pathetically-it was the look she used back home to get him to
give her the last waffle at breakfast…and it had always worked.
Ron exchanged a look with Harry and sighed roughly. "All right…Hermione?"
Hermione nodded as if in instant understanding. "I'll stay with you tonight, Ginny-just incase you need me."
"Okay," At that moment she would have given anything to just get to the bathroom mirror.
As she turned to leave, she heard Ron pull Hermione aside and whisper something into her ear.
Harry just stared at her. She looked away from him, feeling oddly guilty.
Ginny walked up the stairs with Hermione slowly, her pulse beating in her ears loudly.
Hermione left her at the entrance to the fifth year girl's dormitories. "You go on and get ready for bed-I'm just going to go fetch my toothbrush-all right?"
Ginny nodded dumbly and let herself into the dorm. The large room was deserted, it still being early in the evening, and she was never more thankful for the privacy. She dragged off her school robes, and laid her wand across them on the trunk at the foot of her bed.
She walked slowly into the bathroom with a strong feeling of unreality, and approached a mirror with a thundering heart.
She looked ghastly. Her eyes looked fever bright, but sunken, resting in two dark circles in her paper white face. She watched herself as she swallowed, and licked her lips as she turned her head slightly and lifted her hair from her neck-
Her heart felt like it might explode against her ribs when she spied the two dark, angry looking puncture wounds in her throat, inches below her right ear. Just looking at them seemed to make her neck hurt more…the wounds throbbed angrily, and the picture of a pair of glittering crimson eyes flashed through her mind, nearly scaring her senseless, making her doubt her sanity…
A knock on the door made her nerves jump agonizingly. "Ginny?" It was Hermione.
"I'm okay…I'll just be a minute." She watched herself in the mirror with raising panic. What had happened to her?
"All right-I sent Ron to get us something to eat from the kitchens-I didn't think you'd want to go down to dinner."
The thought of food made her stomach churn. "Okay, thanks."
Ginny touched the wounds again with a morbid curiosity. She forced herself to look at them closely, and tried to convince herself that they weren't that bad-she'd fallen on something, was all. There'd been a sharp quill in the sofa cushions, yes, that's what it was…and she'd managed to jab herself with it deeply, twice, in the same area…
"Oh, God," Ginny murmured, going directly into a stall and sitting down on the commode. She was fairly sure she would have been ill if there'd been anything in her stomach.
She had her face buried in her hands when the scratching noise came from outside the bathroom window…
Horrified, Ginny got up and dashed out of the room as quickly as she could move, before her body had a chance to freeze up in fear.
Hermione was sitting on her bed, and looked up at her approach. She stood to grab her by the arms and lower her to the bed. "Ginny, you look like you just ran into a Mountain Troll," she exclaimed, and Ginny found this funny- Hermione would certainly know, wouldn't she?
"T-there was something-" Ginny bit her lip and looked away. They were going to think she was crazy-she'd been hearing things. It had probably been a-a tree branch, or a wayward Post Owl, or something-
"Yes?" Hermione looked at her seriously, still gripping her upper arms. "Did you see something?"
"No-I just thought I heard something…I'm just tired." She pulled her shoes off with a shaking hand and pulled her nightshirt from underneath her pillow.
"You can tell me anything, you know that don't you?"
Ginny looked up to see her friend watching her concernedly.
"I know."
Hermione helped her into her nightshirt without another word, and pulled Ginny's blankets up around her, smoothing them. It made Ginny feel better, almost like she was a little girl safe at home with her Mum again, dreaming of the day she could finally attend Hogwarts.
It hadn't exactly turned out to be what she had dreamed of-she'd struggled through the past years, and now, it seemed she'd be struggling through this one.
Suddenly she wanted her Mother's presence more than anything in the whole world. Her eyes stung with tears of self-pity, and she closed her eyes. 'Get a hold of yourself, Ginny,' she thought in frustration. 'You're sixteen years old!'
Hermione was uncharacteristically quiet, only patting her arm soothingly until there was a knock on the dormitory door, and Ron stuck his head in.
"I brought some dinner, Gin," he said, bringing in a tray.
Ginny wrinkled er nose as he sat it down before her. "Ron-you know I don't like a lot of red meat." Her plate was full of roast beef and gravy, potatoes and steak-lots of steak.
Harry walked in behind Ron then, hesitantly, his hands in his pockets, his hair badly ruffled. "You need some iron, Ginny…lack of it is probably what made you faint."
"Oh." She didn't like thinking about why he was talking about the state of her blood, and so simply thanked her brother for going to the trouble, and reluctantly picked up her fork. She poked the meat, grimacing at the pinkness of it…but then was suddenly, inexplicably ravenous.
She was oblivious to the looks her three companions exchanged, as they watched her devour nearly all the meat piled on her plate.
She felt better after she'd eaten, and she actually got up and returned bravely to the bathroom to brush and floss before settling into her bed for the night. Of course it was much easier that knowing large two boys were just outside.
She crawled into her bed, wondering why Ron and Harry were so intent on staying-and they did, sitting with her, playing chess on the end of the bed, saying things to try and make her laugh, until the other girls came and wanted to go to sleep, and practically had to throw them out.
Hermione curled up under the covers on the other side of the huge bed and Ginny soon fell fast asleep, still confused and frightened, but too tired to care.
"All was still-still as the very grave. Not a sound breaks the magic of repose-but it was, in very truth, an awful night." –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
The side of her neck felt as though an Ashwinder had curled up to nest on it.
Ginny rolled over and sleepily pressed a hand to the inflamed feeling area. She had the stray thought that the wounds were probably infected, and then sat up slowly.
The room was silent, and she could hear nothing save the breathing of the other girls in the room.
She held her aching neck gingerly, and slid off the bed, feeling fuzzy. She silently made her way into the bathroom and looked at her neck again in the lamplight-the marks were still there.
Ginny forced away the urge to cry and splashed some cool water on the wounds.
She was ready to go back to her bed when the same scratching noise she'd heard earlier came at the window.
Suddenly angry, Ginny marched right over to the ancient stained glass window, flicked open the antique silver latch, and pushed the window open, letting in the soft breeze of the night.
She almost shrieked when she saw Draco Malfoy directly outside-but she was too scared to make more than a squeak.
The cool breeze swept his moonlit hair across his eyes, shadowing them-he didn't say a word.
She was having a nightmare. She was waking up now…waking up…
Finally Ginny took a deep breath and tried to glare at him. " Er…Malfoy…you're floating."
He seemed to wake up a little at the sound of her voice. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and blinked at her-then he looked down before crossing his arms and sighing. "So I am."
" -Her eyes are fascinated. The glance of a serpent could not have produced a greater effect upon her than did the fixed gaze of those awful, metallic- looking eyes that were bent down on her face. Her bosom heaves, and her limbs tremble, yet she cannot withdraw her eyes from that marble-looking face. He holds her with his glittering eye…" –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny wanted to slam the window shut and run screaming-but everything about the situation was so ridiculous, she wasn't quite sure what to do.
"What are you doing here?" It seemed the most obvious question to ask.
He seemed to get an odd glint in his eye at this. "I don't think you want to know," he finally drawled heavily.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Ginny rubbed her neck again, trying to soothe the burn she felt there.
She watched as his eyes followed her every movement, turning darker and darker…
"Decidedly not. I wish it were as simple as that," he muttered, and she saw him close his eyes.
"I'm in no mood for jokes, Malfoy-"
His eyes snapped violently open making her gasp and jump back. "Do I look like I'm bloody joking, Weasley?" He snarled.
"You're eyes…" Ginny grabbed her throat and backed away.
His eyes were red-no, not just red, but a hot and glowing blood red…
He smirked at her as his brows drew low, and she saw sharp white fangs curving to needle-like points brushing his lower lip.
"What h-happened to you?" Ginny kept backing away, but he simply followed.
"What the hell do you think happened?" He snapped impatiently, his red eyes shimmering angrily in the pallor of his face. His usually combed back hair fell softly around his face, and he brushed a silken strand away impatiently. "I got bitten, you fool."
Ginny wrapped a hand around a sink to keep from falling over. "B-bitten? By what? A Vampire?"
He stepped onto the floor easily, and stopped a few feet from her. "No, by a bloodsucking Flobberworm…can't you tell?"
"C-could you just…go away, now?" Ginny knew she had to be dreaming-Draco Malfoy was not in her bathroom sporting fangs and red eyes, and an unusual new sense of humor.
"What? After all the trouble I obviously went through to get up here? You aren't the hospitable sort, are you Weasley?" He took several steps closer, and Ginny was backed against the door, his tall, black robed figure dominating the small room.
"I should go-you did me a favor waking me up…but since I'm here…"
Ginny's head was spinning. Waking him up? "What do you want from me? Why are you here?"
He took hold of her upper arms tightly so she couldn't move.
She was so busy staring at his eyes that it didn't occur to her to scream. They had a sparkly iridescent sheen that drew her gaze and made her mind oddly foggy…
"Isn't it obvious?" And then, he murmured, almost as if to himself, "I hadn't any idea it was you I visited last night-it's no wonder I've had such a hard-on to see you all day…"
He laughed humorlessly at her dazed look. "Oh, come on, Weasley-you don't suppose those little holes in your neck just appeared there all by themselves, did you?"
Malfoy leaned in, until she could feel his cool, hard jaw pressing against hers. "I'm sorry, pet…but I'm rather in a bad way...you don't mind, do you?"
She shivered uncontrollably as his breath brushed her ear, and one arm dropped curl about to her waist-she felt helpless to do anything at all…his lips touched the side of her neck, and she closed her eyes as she felt his mouth open over the tiny marks that suddenly felt on fire. His tongue soothed the uncomfortable burn, and Ginny sighed, relaxing against him as he pulled her body closer. Her head fell to one side, and he sighed against her skin in a way that made her weak, made her want to do anything he wanted her to…
"Yes, relax," he whispered. "Just let me take you, Ginny…I just need to taste you…so very, very badly…"
Ginny felt her racing heart pick up speed painfully as he murmured her name- vaguely she realized she hadn't even thought he'd even known it.
Wait-what had he said? Taste her?
Oh God-
Ginny realized his intention too late and didn't have the breath to cry out as he suddenly buried his fangs in her tender throat.
The blackness behind her eyelids turned gray, she barely felt the pain after a moment. Her fingers brushed his robes, and then his hand-he brushed his cool fingers along her palm before entwining them with hers and raising their clasped hands to press against his chest. She felt his heart pounding fiercely against her hand.
The feel of his tongue moving against her skin again made her head spin—and spin, and spin and finally she didn't feel anything but Draco Malfoy…
"The bed in that old chamber is occupied. A creature formed in all fashions of loveliness lies half sleep upon that ancient couch-a girl young and beautiful as a spring morning.
Her long hair has escaped from its confinement and streams over the blackened coverings of the bedstead; she has been restless in her sleep, for the clothing of the bed is in much confusion. One arm is over her head, the other hangs nearly off the side of the bed near to which she lies. A neck and bosom that would have formed a study for the rarest sculptor that ever Providence gave genius to, were half disclosed. How sweetly the long silken eyelashes lay upon the cheek.
Now she moves, and one shoulder is entirely visible-whiter, fairer than the spotless clothing of the bed on which she lies, is the smooth skin of that fair creature, just budding into womanhood, and in that transition state which presents to us all the charms of the girl-almost of the child, with the more matured beauty and gentleness of advancing years.
She has endured much fatigue… Now she awakens-that beautiful girl on the antique bed; she opens her eyes, and a faint cry of alarm bursts from her lips..." –Varney The Vampire, Preskett Prest, 1847
Ginny awoke with a start.
It was morning. She could see the light pouring in around the bed curtains, and looked over to see that Hermione had already risen.
She sighed and rolled over, breathing deeply. She had the feeling that she had been dreaming again-and for some reason, she was sad that she had woken up, but also strangely relieved.
Ginny stretched, and then frowned, looking down as she felt her nightshirt fall free against her skin-the buttons on the front had all disappeared, and it gaped, falling off one shoulder as she sat up.
Slightly embarrassed, she drew it up, and then held the edges together as she scooted off the bed, parting the curtains, and stood, wincing at the sunlight pouring cheerily through the bay window-the strange dizziness that had been plaguing her returned full force, and she lay back down with a frustrated sigh, to wait for it to pass.
The other occupants of the room had already left, and she thought it must have been rather late in the morning.
The door opened, and Ginny turned her head to see Hermione walk in. She had another tray in her hands.
"Morning," she mumbled, unable to put much inflection into her voice.
"Good morning," Hermione pushed her hair behind her ear and came over to sit next to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," she lied.
"I'm glad…" Hermione's naturally inquisitive eyes kept straying to where Ginny's hair tumbled down over her shoulder. "Well…you better eat something. Classes start soon."
"Oh…" she barely held back a groan. How was she going to make it through another day? Just the thought of having to face Snape again-
"Unless, of course, you aren't up to it-I could always take you up to the Infirmary-"
"No!" Ginny looked down at the tray on her lap and swallowed. "I'm fine. I'll just eat and get dressed…"
Hermione looked doubtful. "Sure…er…did anything-weird happen last night?"
"What?" She looked over at the older girl with a furrowed brow. "No…I slept all night. Why?"
"Oh, I just wondered…never mind me." Her friend smiled and stood. "I'm going to go on-will you be all right?"
"Of course." Ginny caught at Hermione's hand. "Thank you, for staying last night."
"You bet." She bent and gave her a swift hug before turning and leaving the room.
Ginny looked down at the carefully prepared breakfast tray and forced herself to drink some orange juice. There was bacon and eggs, sausage and hot buttered strawberry scones…those usually made her mouth water, but she couldn't drudge up an interest in the fluffy things that morning.
After nibbling at the bacon and sausage, she put down her fork and put the tray aside. She stood, and the dizziness did return, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been.
She went into the bathroom, feeling very hesitant, and then came out and dressed with care, making sure her tie was knotted neatly, her hair was in some semblance of order, her shoes clean, and her robes unwrinkled-she had no desire to look at the marks on her throat-she didn't want to think about the mysterious things. They would eventually heal, and until then she would simply forget about them-or at least try to. The side of her neck throbbed like the very devil with every beat of her pulse, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it did scare her a bit.
She gathered up her things, and pulled open the door, walking slowly until she came into the common room.
Ron was there, waiting, as were Harry and Hermione. They looked troubled.
"Hey," Ginny came flush with them and smiled. "You guys ready?"
"Ginny, we want to talk to you, later." Ron said quickly. "Could you meet us in the Library? After dinner?"
"Okay…" She looked at them questioningly. "What is it?"
"We'll explain it to you tonight," Hermione said carelessly. "It's nothing important-just meet us there, all right?"
"Sure." Ginny fixed Harry with a curious stare, and after a moment he dropped his eyes quickly.
"How are you feeling?" He asked his shoes.
Ginny laughed. "I'm fine-we'd better go, or we'll be late."
"A pity, that," Ron said, mock mournfully as they moved out the entrance and into the hall. "I'd hate to have to miss Divination."
"Do you know that nutty old bat actually told me I had no future yesterday?" Harry exclaimed in an extremely offended tone.
"You know she says that at least ten thousand times a year," Ron said scornfully. "Honestly, Harry, if I had a Galleon for every time she said you were going to kick off-"
Ginny listened to them talk as they moved down the corridors, and felt a little better-she watched Harry smile and laugh at something Ron said, and grinned back at him when he caught her eye and winked.
Yes, the day was certainly looking up.
TBC
(A/N: I hope you liked this-let me know what you think! Don't forget to review you guys! I'd really really really really appreciate it! Thanks so much for reading! ^-^)