"Calm down," she said aloud to herself. "You have to go back to School, he can only keep you in here for another 20 hours at most. You just need something to do to pass the time." She wasn't sure why she was talking to herself, other than it made her feel better, but all the same, her little dialogue served to calm her nerves and force her brain to start working on a plan. She'd do some studying. Yes, she had plenty of topics to research. She could keep herself occupied with that, and then, she could get on the train tomorrow, and at least see Harry, Ron and Hermione, if not sit with them.
"Zally!" she called out and with a pop, the prompt little elf appeared in front of her.
"Yes, Young Mrs. Malfoy Ma'am?"
"Go get my school stuff from my room!" she commanded.
~
Zally popped away into Young Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy's suite hastily. She knew what was going on between her young master and new young mistress, but young master hadn't yet commanded her not to bring Ginny her things, and she intended on doing it before he did. Sure, she'd have to iron her fingers for it later, but she could still do it. She liked Ginny. No, she wasn't a shameful elf like that Dobby (Zally cheeks still burned in shame when she thought about ever associating with him); but she did like having to serve Ginny, because Ginny never kicked her. Sure, she yelled and was cross sometimes, but she never hurt Zally. She was just gathering the rest of Mistress's books when something caught her eye. There, hidden by one of Master Draco's disregarded Quidditch robes on the floor, was young Mistress's wand. That was a school item, wasn't it? Young Mistress Ginny used it for school purposes, right? Without another thought, Zally grabbed the wand and popped back into young Mistress's room. Young Mistress was in the bathroom when she returned, so she plopped the books on the table. Ideally, she would have waited to see the look of approval on young Mistress's face when she discovered her wand, but she felt herself being summoned somewhere else by young Master Malfoy.
~
Draco stalked back to his room calling for Zally. He'd teach Ginny a lesson. He'd put Virginia Weas-no-Malfoy back in her place. She was his wife and if she thought she could wink at Potter like that… he should have cursed him right there and made Ginny watch. He smiled, thinking of her reaction as she watched Potter twitch on the floor.
"Yes Young Master Malfoy sir?" The elf said appearing beside him.
"Don't give Ginny anything," he commanded harshly. "No food, no books, don't even come to her when she calls." The elf nodded but it was fidgeting much more than he would have liked.
"You already gave her something, didn't you?" he asked sharply.
The elf squeaked and pulled nervously on one of its ears.
"What did she ask you for?"
"H-her school books, Young Master Draco sir," the elf provided and wrung its hands in its miserable little sack.
Draco gave a tremendous yell and kicked the elf clear across the room.
"GO GET THEM BACK!" he yelled pointing a finger towards the door.
"Her school books, young Master Malfoy sir?"
"Yes her school books, and any quills, parchment or ink you brought her, too." The wretched little creature squeaked and popped away. She'd take back the books quills, parchment and ink, but nothing else—and she supposed she'd iron her toes now, too.
Draco seethed and paced the room. Tonight, he'd teach her a lesson, but first he'd let her grow slightly panicky in that room.
~
Ginny came out of the bathroom and found her school stuff on the table, slightly surprised to see that Zally had brought her all of her old school things and not her new ones. She was still a little confused in Transfiguration, so she went to pull out her text when she noticed what was on top of the pile. Her wand. That little elf had brought her her wand! She was just thinking how much she could just kiss Zally when the object of her adoration popped up.
"Master Draco Sir has told me to take back anything you asked for." Zally stressed.
Ginny, getting the hint put her wand in her pocket and allowed Zally to pop away with her books. She'd find someway to thank her later. Who cared about books when she had her wand with her?
"Alohamora!" she said towards the door, then went to open it, but her hand burnt.
"Shit," she said, he'd use the same charm as last time, which meant she'd have to wait for Draco himself to be in the room. No matter. She went to the bed and pulled out the old battered page that Hermione had ripped out of the book from where she'd hidden it in August. She'd simply stun Draco when he came in and perform the charm.
~
Draco was pacing back and forth. He really should have been sleeping, because he'd only gotten three or four real hours of sleep last night due to Ginny's stunning spell, but he was just too angry at Ginny to do so. His hands just ached to leave reminders of whose wife she was all over that translucent freckled skin. Last time, back in August, he'd left bite marks. He would this time, too, but they wouldn't just be on her neck. No, she'd remember, for weeks after this, every time she changed she'd remember. You don't play games with Draco Malfoy, and you act like a Malfoy should in public, none of this silly Gobstones or wandering off. Finally, when he couldn't take the anticipation anymore, he grabbed his broom and headed off to the pitch. He flew, looped, and zigzagged until nightfall came and the warming spells on his robes had begun to ware off. Then, he landed and trudged up to Ginny's room. He threw open the door only to find Ginny poised with her wand pointed right at his forehead. He didn't have time to so much as begin to reach for his wand before she had stupefied him.
Ginny smirked, as she looked at Draco's unconscious body. So far the score was in her favor: Draco: 0 Ginny: 2. She hadn't needed to study the charm. Draco hadn't even had the chance to shut the door before she stupefied him. So she flounced right over him and went to sleep in her bed alone, making sure to put a locking charm on the door.
~
Draco awoke on the floor again. It was beginning to become a familiar feeling, and whenever one is constantly coming out of stunning spells on floors, one is in trouble. He put his hand up to his head. The Little Whore had done it again. 'I'll teach her a lesson,' his sleep deprived brain thought, 'just as soon as,' yawn, 'just as soon as I shut,' yawn, 'shut my eyes for a few seconds…'
Draco Malfoy awoke hours later with winter sunlight streaming in on him. He blinked. How did it get light all of the sudden? He blinked again and everything came swarming back. Ginny had stupefied him again, and more details came as he remembered dozing off because he was just too tired. 'Damn,' he thought checking his pocket watch, it was 9am, he'd have to leave for the Hogwarts Express in just a few minutes if he wanted to make it to the platform on time. Groaning, he got up and made his way to his chambers to find Ginny sitting at his small bedside table, her face, of course, adorned with a mocking smile.
"Morning," she called pleasantly, 'did you sleep well?"
Draco growled, "That was some stunt you pulled. You're lucky Father didn't find out about this. He wouldn't be too happy about it if he knew."
"Yes, I don't imagine he'd like hearing how I've stunned you two nights out of two. The house-elves packed your trunk for you because I told them you didn't want to be woken-up."
Draco looked at her shrewdly. "You'd be quiet if you knew what was good for you," he snarled.
"What's good for me? Did we not just mention that you're the one who can't stand-up to me? You're stronger sure, but I'm faster with a wand. Face it you're worthless and you're—"
But her comments had crossed the line and Draco's patience snapped. He grabbed his wife's body and shoved her up against the post of the bed. He forced his mouth onto hers, using one hand to hold her jaw open. The other was prying her fingers off her wand until it fell to the floor with a helpless little clunk, which he knew made Ginny's stomach drop. He smiled into their forced kiss as he felt her body begin to tremble under his, and felt a few of her hot tears fall down her face. He broke their kiss and gathered her hands at the wrist forcing them above her head. Ginny's chest was heaving and she was back to her crying state. Draco felt a surge of power rush over him. Ginny wasn't so tuff.
Ginny felt the familiar panic surge through her. The bedpost was being forced into her back as a result of Draco's weight upon her. He held both of her wrists in one of his hands, while the other was still clutching her jaw.
"I should have just taken you the first night," he said to her as if the idea had just dawned on him, "because you're obviously scared of me, otherwise you wouldn't be trembling like this, now would you?" Ginny shook her head, too scared to be witty or to defy him. "Now, who can't stand up to whom?" he asked and pressed her harder into the bedpost. She winced, shutting her eyes against the pain, trying to concentrate on the fact that Draco hadn't really done anything to her. "Next time you're thinking of talking to me like that, just remember who would really win if he chose to exercise his power," he whispered harshly as he slipped his hand under her shirt. Ginny began to writhe under him.
"No, no. We have to leave. You have to let me go. You have to. I'll—I'll—" but Ginny didn't continue. What could she do, besides mock him? Draco crashed his mouth into hers again. The collision violently forcing her head back to hit the bedpost. She closed her eyes in response to the pain and fear. His mouth went to her neck and he bit.
"Now I have to go and shower," he said backing away slowly and letting go of her hands so they fell uselessly to her side. "Are you showered already?" she nodded but he could hardly see it. Her head was turned to the side and she had her eyes locked on the ground to the left of him, apparently trying to avoid him completely. "Good. Is your trunk packed?"
Another minor nod.
"Good," he repeated. "I want you ready to leave in ten minutes, and call a house-elf to bring me my breakfast." He paused, waiting for her to answer. "Is that clear?" he asked.
"Y-yes," Ginny stuttered out.
"Good," he said maliciously, "good." And he walked off towards the bathroom. Somehow, Ginny managed to stay standing until he'd closed the door, by clutching onto the bedpost behind her back for support. As soon as she heard the sound of the water running, she slid down to the floor, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. She should have known that was what was coming. Draco could only be pushed so far before he'd snap. Luckily, he'd snapped at an inopportune time for himself. Sure, she'd have to sit with him on the Hogwarts Express, but he couldn't do anything then, and she'd be at her house table for the Welcoming Feast and then she'd sleep in Gryffindor tower, surrounded by friends, family, and Harry. She clutched at the necklace she'd gotten from him for Christmas. In the rush of the wedding and these last few days, she'd actually forgotten about it, but now it was hanging from her neck, as a nice reminder that Draco Malfoy didn't own her. Yes, legally, he had a tidy little contract that bound her to him, but she'd never really be his. She stood up, wiping her eyes and tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear. With a meager call, she summoned Zally to her and instructed her to bring another breakfast tray. So what if she couldn't act as if Malfoy was a silly little boy. That wasn't going to make her go back to crying. No, she would simply ignore him. Bored, she dug out a novel and started to read. It wasn't what Mum would call 'proper,' but it was still sinfully good, filled with rippling pictorials and heaving bosoms. A sigh escaped her lips, as she slipped deeper in the novel, wishing she could be whisked away by some knight in shinning armor.
"Ready?" Draco said emerging from the bathroom. Ginny glanced up only to see that Draco had decided not to don a towel. She blushed furiously and buried her nose back in her novel, which didn't help much, considering she was just getting to the part where the 'throbbing manhood,' was going to meet the heroine's 'budding flower.'
Draco chuckled, then went to his wardrobe and drew out a sleek set of robes.
"What are you reading?" he asked as he dressed.
"Romance novel," she muttered, not wishing to be disturbed.
"Where did you get it?"
"Diagon Alley, September," she supplied.
"Well put it away. We're leaving."
Ginny obeyed, closing her trunk again, making sure to put the novel on top so she could read on the train. But she didn't get the chance to read it. Pansy Parkinson sat next to her on the train and chatted about the most useless things ever. Sure it wasn't out of character for Ginny to indulge in the 'who's dating who' game every so often, and she even enjoyed an occasional go through the robe catalogues, but what Pansy was doing was excessive. What's worse, Draco's arm stayed wrapped around her the entire time, and whenever she'd start to slump just the tiniest bit, Draco would pinch her side and call her back to attention. Of course, she couldn't tell him to stop, or glare at him. So, she had to endure it the whole day. Talking to Pansy was so made that she would have almost rather talked to Draco, but he was engaged in conversation with Edward Avery and Blaise Zabini. The only break she got from Pansy's mindless chatter was when she excused herself to go to the bathroom, and Draco declared that he would go with her. Once she was done, she didn't feel like standing in the corridor just waiting for Draco. With a devious little smile, she set off down the train to stick her head into Ron and Harry's compartment; however, passing her own, Pansy's squeaky voice caught her attention.
"She obviously has no class. I can't imagine Draco volunteering to marry her."
"I know! That hair is just horrible." Elizabeth Avery, Edward Avery's twin sister, responded in earnest.
"At least she brushed it today. It usually looks like a dragon set her scalp on fire." Ginny scoffed, thinking of the numerous times Zally had run the brush through her hair. Her scalp felt like it had been set on fire because of it.
"I can't believe Draco Malfoy married that little piece of trash. She's nothing but a Muggle- lover."
"Well we all know where she really was this August—" Ginny blanched, she knew about that? "—maybe she put some love spell on him, that's the only reason I can think that Draco Malfoy would marry her. I mean this is the Malfoy line we're talking about here."
"I can't imagine what Lucius Malfoy was thinking."
"I can," Pansy said dropping her voice, so Ginny was forced to press her ear closer to the door, while inside she heard the rustle of Elizabeth's robes as she scooted nearer to Pansy.
"Around midnight, two days after we got back home for the holidays, I was up to get a drink of water when I heard voices in my father's study. Naturally, I stopped—"
"WHY are you standing outside the compartment?" Draco voice hissed in her ear. Ginny jumped a good foot into the air and turned to see Draco glaring at her, looking very cross.
"Shhh," Ginny said. "They're talking about me." Draco rolled his eyes, but took her wand from her pocket, said a spell, and handed it to her.
"Here, don't push your ear up against the door like an imbecile. Use a wand like a proper witch would."
Ginny in turn, glared at him, but pushed the wand up to her ear to listen anyways, while Draco did the same spell using his wand.
"—as it turns out," Pansy was saying, "Draco's father was there to talk to my father about Draco and my betrothal."
"What?" Elizabeth gasped, and Ginny even heard the dull chatter of the boys in the compartment die down. Beside her, Draco stiffened.
"Apparently," Pansy said with a snobby air about her that Ginny didn't like, "our parents had an agreement that our families were good for one another. Then that little Muggle-lover came in and Mr. Malfoy left my father out in the cold."
"But why?"
"Well we know what the papers were saying, but I don't believe that for an instant."
"Too right. I'm certainly not buying that they were so in love that they just had to be married right away. I think Lucius Malfoy did it because he wanted to get to her father. You know how many Muggle attacks there have been lately; there's no way that that muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley possibly prosecute Lucius Malfoy. Ginny felt her blood start to boil.
"All the same, she won't last two minutes with us," Ginny had the feeling the 'us,' didn't refer to only the people in the compartment. "We'll make sure of that." Ginny had a feeling that the girls could have continued to discuss her faults for hours had Draco not stiffened next to her and opened the door, causing both Ginny and the inhabitants of the compartment to jump.
"Pansy, Elizabeth, Blaise, you'll excuse us won't you? Edward and I need to have a discussion." The girls and Blaise filed past Draco, dropping their wands into his outstretched hand. Draco shut the door again, leaving Ginny outside with the three Slytherins. The girls had no qualms about sending Ginny vicious looks, while Blaise just stood by Elizabeth Avery, who he seemed to be very interested in. Their looks got worse when they realized that Ginny still had her wand and was pressing it up to her ear, while they were forced to listen the 'nasty Muggle way.'
"Keep your sister under control Avery." Draco said as he stood over Edward. He wasn't going to have anyone talking about Ginny that way. She was his and also a Malfoy. Draco wouldn't hear of any Malfoy being ridiculed, and what he owned was the best, thus Ginny was the best.
"It was Pansy, too," Edward tried to reason.
"Well if Elizabeth shuts up, Pansy won't have anyone to talk to will she?"
"Er-no."
"So tell her to shut her trap."
Edward swallowed and nodded.
The rest of the train ride went smoothly. Elizabeth Avery only made one snide remark to her, but received a quick kick in the shins by her brother, and when Pansy made a similar comment later, she received such a death glare from Draco that it gave Ginny the chills. Hogwarts looming in front of her was a warm sight. As much as she hated it before and craved the comfort of home, she welcomed it now. Here, she could sit with her brother and friends, sleep in Gryffindor tower, and pretty much avoid Draco until weekends. Her side was just itching to be free of Draco's possessive arm. Sensing this, Draco tightened his grip around her. Once they reached the Great Hall, Draco kissed her on the cheek, and they parted ways. She would have run, but the contract wouldn't let her.
"Hi," Ron said when she plopped (well, intended to plop, but the contract made her sit gracefully down) next to Hermione and across form Harry. Immediately, Harry's leg found a way to wind around hers under the table where no one could see. She flashed him a quick smile, glad that the contract would let her do whatever she liked so long as she didn't get caught.
"Hello," she said pleasantly.
"You're happy." Harry said sending her an odd look.
"I'm here," she said gesturing to the Gryffindor table. She would have liked to point out that Draco was 'there,' but the contract wouldn't let her. That didn't stop the trio from getting her point though. Ginny hadn't been this happy since Christmas, surely, her day at the Burrow was fun, but she knew that was short-lived. This was for months! Her smile didn't wear off during the sorting, or the ensuing feast, but once the feast was winding down and the students were beginning to dwindle up to their dormitories, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A look up revealed Draco Malfoy.
"Darling," he said, "I thought I'd surprise you. Father got us our own private room." It was as if someone opened a valve and the happiness she was feeling spilled out of her feet and onto the floor.
"That's wonderful," she found herself saying, and then she jumped up and hugged Draco Malfoy. Inside, she was panicking. She needed to think of a reason Draco couldn't touch her. What could it be? Ugh, and after she'd figured this one out, she'd have to think of a way to cover any bruises he might leave. She couldn't very well go Madame Pomfrey and Draco surely didn't—Of course! Draco Malfoy couldn't touch her. He'd leave bruises and healing charms are VERY advanced magic. There was no way Draco could know one. Draco wound his arm around her waste and led her out of the Great Hall, leaving her to steel a fleeting glance towards Harry, Ron and Hermione's fallen faces. On her way, she memorized which turns to take and wondered if the room was on Harry's map.
Draco enjoyed feeling Ginny beside him.
"You know," she spoke up when they were well away from the rest of the inhabitants of the castle, "I hope you don't think you're going to rape me tonight." The couple actually paused for a second as Draco stopped to look at Ginny. Her tone didn't meet his approval.
"Excuse me?"
"I know what you're thinking, and I just thought I'd let you know you can't before we get into the room and you get too riled up."
"Excuse me?" he said again.
"Well I'm not just going to let you, obviously, and if you try and force me, you're only going to leave bruises." There was a silence, where Ginny felt Draco's hand clamping down on her side. He was getting her drift, but she continued anyways. "You don't know any healing charms I'm sure, and you don't have any bruise diminishing potion either. I can't very well walk around with bruises all over, or people are going to start asking questions."
"I'll ask Professor Snape," Draco said, "he's on our side. I'm sure he'll give me any potion I need."
Ginny felt her stomach sink. Although she knew from Harry that Professor Snape was really a double agent, she didn't doubt that he'd give Malfoy his potion. Why would he risk his position to keep Ginny from doing her 'wifely duties?' Truthfully, she wasn't one hundred percent sure that the contract wouldn't stop her from struggling and take care of it for Draco anyways.
Draco smiled; he'd won this battle. He was actually a little relieved that he couldn't get the potion until tomorrow and thus couldn't do anything tonight. After being under stunning spells for most of the night, and being scared to fall asleep on the train for fear that Ginny might run off to Potter, he'd only gotten about five or six hours of sleep these last few days.
"December 31, 1997," he said when he had reached the door to their room.
"Is that the password?" Ginny bulked.
"Yes, it's our anniversary. Father thought it would be sweet."
"I know it's our anniversary!" Ginny snapped. How could she forget the worse day of her life?
The door opened to reveal a room that neither of them was quite pleased with. Draco would say it was too small, and Ginny's complaint was the number of beds: one.
Ginny lay awake that night, thinking, It was going to be a long year, spent locked in this little room with Draco Malfoy. Next to her, his sleeping figure was breathing evenly. Funny, he almost looked human when he slept. Her hand found her swelled belly. What kind of father would he be? Lucius, though horrible, seemed to be a decent father in his own right. Well, it depended what the criteria was. If raising one's child to rape girls and become a Death Eater was bad, well then, Lucius was a horrific father, but if the criteria was spending time with the child, carrying how it was doing in school, and providing for it, she guessed Lucius was a superb father. It was really too bad that the contract forbade her from raising the children how she saw fit. Now that she was forced into marriage with Draco, the idea of a baby wasn't that appalling. Of course, she'd rather the baby's father be ANYONE else, but what was really so wrong with a child?
"I'll protect you," she whispered patting her belly.
A/N: If you'd like to be added to the e-mail update notice list, just leave your e-mail in your review.
