Heather

"Oh how cute, Claire. You've found yourself a boyfriend." Said a voice behind them. Claire would know that voice anywhere. Lately it had only appeared in her nightmares. Draco saw her eyes open wide, and saw the fear that he had never seen in those beautiful eyes before. She did not turn around, she stayed on top of him, almost like she was protecting him.

"Is that Heather?" he mouthed

"Yes" she mouthed back. Suddenly his expression hardened and he tried to get up, but he was pinned down by Claire. There was no fear in her eyes now. It was hard hate.

He suddenly understood that she needed to do this alone, but would not let her get up, not wanting her to get hurt.

"Let. Me. Go." She growled. "This is between me and her." The hate had taken over any other emotion. He knew he had to let her go, before she throttled him. He gave her a quick kiss of encouragement. Her expression softened and she smiled at him. He let her go, and she quickly got up and turned around.

"You are supposed to be out of my life, Heather." She spat the last word out.

"Oh am I now?" asked the older woman. She was wearing the tattiest, dirtiest clothes Claire had ever seen.

"How about a little surprise for my favourite niece?" Heather said. Claire looked at her, daring her to surprise her. But she WAS surprised. Heather pulled out a wand.

"But…I thought…I thought you didn't have magic!" Claire stammered, the fear showing in her eyes again.

"Well you thought wrong!" her Aunt yelled. And before anyone had any time to stop her, she muttered a single word, with the wand pointing straight at Claire.

"Imperio." Draco gasped. This psychotic woman had used the Imperius curse on Claire, one of the three unforgivable curses. Immediately Claire began hurting herself. She ran over to the nearest tree and started banging her head against it as hard as she could. Next she started scratching at herself, at her arms, legs, chest. Draco was horrified. Claire pulled out her pocketknife, and flicked the blade up. Before he had a chance to stop her, she had driven the knife into her side. Her clothes were now so tattered they were disintegrating, and she was soon left in only her underwear. The most unnerving thing about all these actions was that she was not crying out in pain.

            Draco watched all this from his spot on the ground, unable to move, from grief, fear and anger. Suddenly his eyes widened. Claire was holding the knife to her wrist, slowly bringing it down.

"Claire, NO!!!" he screamed, jumping up. He bolted to where she was kneeling on the ground and grabbed both her arms and held them tightly. She struggled, desperately trying to free herself. He refused to let go.

"Claire! Claire! Look at me! Listen to me! Fight it! Fight her! You don't have to do what she says! Say No!" She faltered for a moment, looking into those eyes she had grown to know and love. She blinked, then wrenched her arms free, cutting him in the process. He didn't even feel the pain. He dived on top of her and wrestled the knife out of her bloodied hands. Once he had it, he turned to Heather.

"Stop. Leave her alone." He said, his voice low with silent fury.

"Who's going to make me?" The woman replied, smiling as Claire began to hit her head on a rock. He ignored the woman and went to Claire. He took her hands and pulled her so she was standing in front of him.

"Claire! STOP!" he yelled, his eyes filled with tears. "Please! You have to stop! Don't listen to her!" The beautiful young woman stopped. She stared into his eyes and all of a sudden let out a breath. Then she started to sob, the tears pouring down her cheeks, still oblivious to the fact that she was almost naked. Draco held her for a moment, then made her sit down with her back against a tree. He whipped out his wand and walked to stand in front of Heather.