The Seductress

Part XV

The Healer

The knife lay at it's target, right in the middle of her chest. Her red, satin dress stained with seeping blood that crawled through the fabric.

"I'll come back for you, my love."

~

"How could she? How could she?" Ginny repeated, her voice filled with utter embrace of disbelief.

"She had to, Gin. Virginia processed her mind so she could control it completely," whispered Harry, his voice cracking ever so softly. She could see he was trying hard to hold back tears.

"Can't we do something?" asked Draco, squirming. He and Granger had never been on friendly terms, as mudbloods in their family were discriminated against. However, he never exactly wanted her to die.

"Where's Mandy?" Ginny suddenly interrupted, and a few moments later, her question was to be answered. The thick, blinding pain shook her heavily as the knife pressed against her throat.

"Don't come near her, or I'll kill her! Don't think I won't. Back away! Now!" Mandrine Murphy was barking murderously at them from behind frightened Ginny, who's eyes were closed tightly shut.

"You don't know what you're doing, Mandy," Draco said, his voice quivering.

"I don't?" her eyes flashed dangerously toward him and he backed away a few inches. However, Harry was not to be controlled.

"Mandy, let go of her, please, you don't know what you're doing," Harry pleaded, his voice comforting and assuring.

However, Mandy paid no such attention to him, but turned toward Draco in a menacing way.

"Tell me you'll marry me, Draco," her voice softened, her eyes wistful with hope. Draco eyed and noticed that the knife she clutched against Ginny's neck loosened a bit.

"No, don't, please," Ginny whispered, shaking her head frantically toward him.

He hesitated. "If I do, will you let her go?"

Mandy's expression brightened as she grinned a sinister smile.

"Of course. If you say you'll marry me, it creates a legal Wizarding bond between us that I will never let go. Tell me you'll marry me when we turn seventeen, Draco, tell me," she commanded, her voice raising in a demanding tone.

"No, Draco, don't," Ginny suddenly cried out, and as she did, Mandy put a tighter grip around her arm to restrain her from getting away.

"Heal her."

The words were spoken by Harry, who was looking at Draco, dazed.

"Excuse me?" Mandy and Draco both questioned curiously at the same time.

"Heal Hermione, Draco, before it's too late, don't you remember what we learned in Charms? If a witch or wizard isn't healed with special physics or spells and potions that he or she needs within five minutes upon bonding into death, he or she will permanently die," Harry finished with flourish.

"No! I am not letting you be distracted Draco...according to my calculations anyways - one more minute, and her soul will be prevail to die," Mandy stated, her grin growing wider as she spoke, a glint in her eye twinkling.

"You're sick!" Draco suddenly yelled. Mandy's smile flickered slightly.

"Heal her, now, Draco!" Harry's voice interrupted.

"I can't, Potter, you dim-witted prat, I am not the healer anymore..."

There was a long silence that lasted several seconds before Harry responded.

"When did you receive these healing powers?" he merely asked, his face blank and his voice expressionless.

"What does that matter?"

"It matters," Ginny suddenly spoke, but then her mouth dropped closed as Mandy dug her nails into her flesh.

"Nine, I suppose. It was weeks before Ginny and I met..."

"What do you mean? You really are the...boy?" Ginny finished lamely, her mouth agape.

"Well, of course, who do you think? Took you long enough, didn't it?" he said playfully, managing a weak grin. Ginny blinked and gave a small smile back, that was quivering slightly.

"It didn't...I suppose I didn't...I made myself not think about the similarities, because, well, that boy seemed so right for me, and I didn't want to risk it by comparing him to you," she admitted, looking down.

"What are you two talking about?" Mandy asked. Harry looked just as confused.

"I healed her at her eighth birthday party...it's a long story," Draco stated, his smile weakening.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Well isn't that lovey-dovey? Get out of your frigging romance trance, because I am tired of this. I want you to do what I asked."

"Draco, don't listen to her," Harry pleaded.

"Heal Hermione," Ginny whispered finally.

"If you don't do what I ask, I will kill her," she threatened menacingly.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Draco asked reluctantly, ignoring the protests of Ginny and Harry.

"You have my word. Now say it, Draco, say you and I will marry at age seventeen. Tell me you love me," Mandy demanded.

"We - will marry at age seventeen. I love you," Draco repeated soundlessly.

Ginny lowered her head, trying to restrain from crying. Of course he only did it to save her life, but that was besides the point. The fact that he had given love for her before he told anything like that to Ginny even if it was not true caused a sudden ache in her chest to unwind.

"Good," Mandy said approvingly.

"Let her go now," Harry said slowly, motioning Draco to go over to Hermione.

Mandy laughed, and a sudden pang hit Ginny's chest.

"I don't keep my promises," she merely said, and began grinding the knife further into her skin.

~

WELL THAT SUCKED! But bear with me all, the sixteenth chapter is the last...I am just glad I got more than four or five reviews for the last chapter (seriously) it seems as if whenever I have a smut-filled plot with hurried acts, I get more reviews but when I have a good story that I approve of, with a good plot and great grammar, I get less. Hmm...

Remember to review,

love,

-Court