Chapter 3- Will You Save Me?

"Now Weasley," Draco drawled. Ginny turned around carefully so not to slip. Before she jumped she at least wanted to hear what he had to say. "Do you really want to do this?"

Ginny glared at Draco. Normally a person who asked someone if they wanted to commit suicide would ask with some sort of emotion. But this was Draco Malfoy. He had about as much emotion as a particularly uncommunicative brick wall.

"Because of you, yes." Ginny replied bluntly. She expected some sort of emotion to be in his eyes, to give the fact that he was human away. But there was nothing. Not fear, nor concern, or even pleasure.

His eyes were just a cold gray oblivion. "I am so sorry," He said this with great sarcasm. "but I just can't let you do this." He continued, again without emotion.

"Why?" Ginny asked, still glaring. Draco stepped forward towards her. Ginny, in reply, stepped closer to the edge.

"Because do you know what Dumbledore will do to me if he finds out I let a student jump off the roof?"

Typical, Ginny thought bitterly. Even now he's only thinking of himself. "Oh, and you're not doing this because you care about me the slightest bit?" she said sarcastically.

"Not the least bit, so stop flattering yourself, Weasley. Now get down before I make you." Draco replied, taking another step towards Ginny. But this time Ginny stayed where she was. "I'd like to see you try, Malfoy." She spat.

With the speed only of a seeker, Draco shot forward and grabbed Ginny off the edge of the roof. "Let me go, you bastard!" Ginny yelled, but Draco, being much stronger than she was, held her tight against his chest.

If the circumstances weren't what they were, Ginny would've enjoyed being wrapped up in Draco's arms, her head against his chest, hearing his heart beat.

But Ginny was in too much of a frenzy to notice that she was in a position that most of the female student body would kill to be in. So she struggled against Draco.

Then, seeing that Ginny was still fighting and had no intention of giving up any time soon, Draco did something that he swore he would never do.

He kissed her.

Just like he had expected, Ginny immediately stopped struggling once her lips were touched by his.

Ginny had been hitting Draco in the chest, to little effect, when she felt him wrench her head up roughly and cover her mouth with his.

Her body had tensed up at the unexpected sensation, but she soon relaxed. She moved her hands up and locked them around his neck, while he slid his around her waist.

Ginny could feel Draco's heart pounding against hers, and it made her happy. She was finally sure that he was human, even if he didn't show any emotions. But she knew he had them, however deep they may have been buried, he had them.

Ginny made a soft noise against Draco's mouth and tried to deepen the kiss.

But Draco suddenly shoved Ginny away harshly, leaving her wide-eyed and breathless. He backed away from her quickly, wiping his mouth as he did so.

Ginny wondered why Draco's heart was beating so wildly during their kiss, when he said that he didn't care about her.

Draco reached out one hand and brushed back a lock of Ginny's flaming red hair. As he did so, Ginny moved her hand and covered Draco's with her own. She let the scene take its time, Draco's hand on Ginny's cheek, with her own on top of his.

But the moment wouldn't last forever. Draco quickly pulled his hand away and stuffed both of them in his pockets.

"Don't ever make me do that again, Weasley." He said. Ginny nodded, sadness washing over her as she realized she would probably never affectionately touch him again, or he touch her. So she nodded, and Draco walked off, leaving Ginny alone with the memory of her very first kiss.

*** Hermione had been in the library referencing a source for a report she was doing, when she saw Draco Malfoy walk in.

Oh great. Just the person I wanted to see. She thought, and turned the page of her book fiercly, as if it was the cause of Draco's sudden appearance.

Despite her best efforts to just wish him away, he seemed to want to stay there. Hermione put the book up to hide her face, but to no avail. Draco walked gracefully over to where she was sitting and snatched it away.

"Hello, Mudblood." Draco said, his voice as sweet as honey. Hermione attempted to grab her book back but Draco held it out of reach.

"Sod off, Malfoy. I don't want to talk to you." Hermione said, again reaching for her book. Draco handed it back to her, saying "You tire me, Granger, but I think that you will want to talk to me." Hermione stuffed the book in her bag and glared at him.

He was relaxed, his face giving away a hint of boredom. He sat with his hands folded across his chest, feet up on the table, leaning back.

"Why would I want to talk to a lying git like you?" Hermione asked. "Because I have some very valuable information about one of the many horrible Weasley children. I know things that no one else knows except for Weasley herself."

Hermione's eyes flashed with hatred, but at the same time she couldn't help but lose focus when looking at him. He was undoubtedly the most attractive boy in her grade. What?! Did I just say Malfoy was more attractive then Harry, my boyfriend? No. I will not think that Malfoy is cute. Harry is my boyfriend, and not that weasel faced bastard. She thought.

"Oh really?" Hermione replied with the same smooth tone to her voice. "And what did you to do Ginny?"

Draco smirked. "Not to her, with her would be more correct." He said, delighting in the look of shock that took over Hermione's face.

"No-Ginny would never-she wouldn't-not with you-never." She sputtered. Malfoy's smirk widended into a fiendish grin.

"Look, you piece of Mudblood scum, I'm going to give it to you straight. I kissed the She-Weasel, and guess what? She kissed me back. Just thought I'd tell you." He said.

Hermione's bookbag suddenly swung at Draco. He ducked quickly, and her shot missed. "Ginny would never kiss you. Never in a million years. I don't believe you." Hermione spat, giving him a glare of intense loathing.

Draco leaned forward and whispered into Hermione's ear.

"Ask her yourself, Granger. And you want to know why I did it?" he asked. Draco apparently didn't care that everyone hated him.

"Why?" Hermione growled through gritted teeth. Draco leaned in even closer, till his breath ticked her ear and ruffled her bushy hair. No matter who did it, it was a nice feeling.

"Because the She-Weasel wanted to fly. That's the reason for why I kissed her. I saved her, and she fought me. She wouldn't give up, so I did the only thing I could besides knocking her out. And believe me, Granger," Draco said with disgust. "I won't ever do it again. But Weasley is quite talented." He added as an afterthought, suddenly looking quite thoughtful. Hermione's voice brought him back to earth.

"But don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked. Even if I didn't I still wouldn't kiss a Weasley. But those were special circumstances. I should get an award for this or something. Well earned, I say. Draco mused.

"Actually, I have a mistress. Her name's Alice Adams. But kissing Weasley was a special circumstance." He said to Hermione, voicing his thought aloud. "If I didn't do it, she would've broke free and jumped off the roof. So now who do you have to thank, huh?" he asked.

"But why'd you do it? I mean, why save a Weasley if you hate them so much." Hermione asked. Draco stood up, preparing to leave.

"Self-interest." He replied, and walked out of the library. Selfish git. Hermione thought bitterly.

She gathered up her bookbag and made her way to the Gryffindor common room. She had to talk to Ginny.

*** Draco walked slowly down to the Slytherin dungeons. He had seen the look on Hermione's face when he told her why he rescued Ginny. She thought him a monster. But it was true. Stupid pathetic Mudblood. Draco thought bitterly. Running around getting emotionally attached to people. Well I don't need people. I'm perfectly fine on my own.

True, he had a mistress, and he enjoyed her company very much. But he didn't love her. He never loved. To do so was to disgrace the Malfoy name.

Draco reached the Slytherin portrait hole. He looked up at it with familiarity. He had looked at this portrait for the past 7 years. It was of a figure in a long black cloak striding through the infinite light of all that is good, and it looked as if he was being tortured. His right hand was held out and through the light came a snake. It's green translucent scales shone brightly, but the light in itself was drowned out by the Infinite Light. It's red glowing eyes shone as well, but they cut through the Light, fracturing it's purity.

"Midnight Sacrifice" Draco said, and the portrait swung open, revealing Alice, sitting by the fire, a cold gleam in her eyes. "Hello, Alice." Draco greeted his mistress softly. "I trust you waited for me like I told you?"

Alice slowly approached Draco. He had gotten used to her radiant beauty. Her shoulder length dark brown hair, her deep brown eyes, her soft lips. She was his, and his alone. She had came to him once, in the night, with an offer..

"Yes." Alice answered. Draco slipped an arm around her thin waist. He slowly nibbled her earlobe and whispered to her.

"Well, since you obeyed me you should be rewarded." Alice looked up at him, her eyes shining. She had long since stopped wondering what he meant. "Come." He ordered, his voice a purr.

And she came, like she was supposed to. She always obeyed. He owned her.

*** It was empty. Ginny's bed was empty. Hermione had decided to talk to Ginny the next morning, but she seemed to have disappeared. With a gasp of realization, Hermione realized that she had not seen Ginny at all the previous evening.

Ron was sitting in the common room reading Quidditch Through the Ages for the fifty millionth time, when he saw Hermione run down the stairs straight at him.

"Ginny's gone!" she exclaimed. "She's gone! She's not in her bed, I looked and I didn't see her all last night, and Draco said that Ginny was about to jump off the North Tower, and.and.." Hermione stopped, hysterical.

Ron dropped his book and stood up violently. His hands clenched into fists and his face paled, showing off every single freckle. His shoulders were tensed and he was hunched over a bit. Hermione noticed little trails of blood making their way down Ron's palms. "Ron, you're bleeding." She said quietly.

"I know. That's what happens when you dig your nails into your palms and your angry and worried." He replied, tapping his wand, which he had pulled out of a robe pocket, on his palms and watching the cuts and blood disappear. "We have to go get her. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

Hermione bit her lip and scrunched up her nose, looking very pensive.

"Draco.she probably wants to talk to Draco." She said. "At this hour he's most likely at breakfast. Let's go to the Great Hall. Hopefully Ginny's there too."

Ron bolted through the portrait hole, Hermione at his heels.

*** Ginny walked the Charms corridor alone. She needed time to think. She wondered why someone like Draco would save her, when it would have been so much more enjoyable for him to watch her jump. She believed him when he said he didn't love her, but then what did he feel for her? She had to find out. But how?

The one thought that kept entering her head was the possibility that he couldn't love. Don't be silly. She thought to herself. Everyone can love. But could he really?

Ginny suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She turned towards the sound, which was getting closer. And along with the sound of footsteps, eerie laughter.

She quickly pulled out her wand, putting a complicated invisibility spell on herself that Hermione had taught her. She waited for the laughing someone to appear, breathing quietly.

The laughter of what seemed to be a girl sent chills up Ginny's spine. The sound and its owner grew closer. Ginny's heartbeat quickened.

From around the corner came a girl. She was wearing a long black dress. She doesn't look like a student, or a teacher for that matter. Ginny thought. The girl had wavy blond hair that hung about her shoulders, glowing with an ethereal light. Her peircing blue eyes stared right at Ginny, as if she could see her. The girl approached the place where Ginny was standing, shiny tears glistening in her eyes.

"Virginia." the girl whispered.

"Oh my god!" Ginny exclaimed. She took off the invisibility spell and stared at this hauntingly beautiful girl in front of her. The girl seemed to make every ounce of attention Ginny had focus on her and her alone. The entire world dissappeared in front of Ginny's eyes, or so it seemed.

"Virginia." the girl repeated. "You're funny." The girl giggled. "You don't know, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, worried. The girl giggled again.

"I mean you don't know Draco loves you. In his own twisted way, he does, no matter what he tells you."

Ginny got chills. What is she talking about? Draco doesn't love me. He told me he didn't. He doesn't even like me. "He does too love you. I know. I have seen his soul. It's very dark in there." The girl giggled again.

"Who are you?" Ginny asked. The girl seemed to be remembering something painful, and shining transparent tears formed at her eyes.

"I am Adriel, a victim of a terrible curse." Ginny's mind immediately took her to the worst curse she knew of.

"You mean Avada Kedavra?" she asked. The tears started to flow from Adriel's eyes.

"Oh no, something much worse. There are far more terrible things in the world than Avada Kedavra. I was a victim of love."

"But, then how did you die? Why is love terrible?" Ginny asked. Adriel reached out to touch Ginny's hand.

"You should know why love is evil. The name of the curse is The Curse-" Suddenly voices were heard coming towards them. Adriel broke off, her eyes flashing with fear. She disappeared.

"Wait!" Ginny called out. But it was no use, Adriel was gone. "What curse?" Ginny whispered to the unresponsive darkness.

***