Lucius Malfoy had cornered me beneath the stands at the last quidditch match before the final game of the year. He had placed a silencing charm on me, so I couldn't scream. He bound my wrists together above my head with sacrificial cords. Shoving me roughly to the ground, he placed a silver dagger at my throat. It had been enchanted to hover there, moving when I did. Kneeling down, he straddled my right leg. With his right hand he groped up my skirt, while the left fumbled at his belt.
I just wanted to scream! Someone please hear me. Please Help Me! My throat was stuck as if filled with cotton. I couldn't summon my wand or do anything to defend myself. I tried to wriggle away, but he leaned in with his hip and pinned me to the ground. Please no, please no, please no was the mantra repeating itself in my head.
Chunks of gravel had embedded themselves in the small of my back. He grunted angrily, and a technical difficulty on his part granted me a small reprieve. While he was occupied elsewhere, cursing all the while, I heard the crunching sound of approaching footsteps. I looked toward whoever was coming hoping for salvation. It was Severus. When he realized what was happening he stood there shocked. I locked gazes with him, sending my desperate message through my eyes. He cleared his throat. Lucius finally noticed that he had been interrupted.
"Go away Severus, this is none of your business." Lucius growled.
He shook his head. "No."
"Go away, you wouldn't want your precious cold iron serum to be accidentally ruined would you? Just go, NOW!" he hissed, desperate not to be overheard.
"I said no. Accio dagger. Accio wands. EXPELLIARMUS!" he exclaimed maliciously.
Malfoy flew backward about three yards, leaving bits of himself behind. The look on his face when he realized what happened was absolutely priceless. Even under the circumstances I barely stifled a giggle. Severus's face was half in shadow and it held a malicious grin.
"What's wrong Lucius, suddenly lose the urge?" he queried.
Helping me to my feet Severus waited and looked away patiently while I rearranged my clothes.
"I don't think spello tape will work on that, you might try the "reparo' charm though I'm not sure how effective it would be." He sneered at Lucius. I had recovered myself enough to be decent, although bruises were beginning to manifest themselves along my arms, neck and legs, along with a nasty gash on my cheek and raw scrapes encircling both wrists. He took my hand and started leading me away. "C'mon dear heart, you needn't stay here any longer."
As soon as we were out of sight from the stands, nearing the massive front doors of the castle, I stopped and fell to the ground sobbing. He kneeled down next to me wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "There, it's all right, he's gone. You need to get inside to the Hospital Wing. And of course now it starts to rain."
I shook my head in violent protest. "If I go to the hospital wing, I have to tell Madam Pomfrey what happened. I can't bear anyone else knowing, besides, I don't want to see anyone. I couldn't look Narcissa in the face at dinner tonight, let alone have her visit me there. Oh God, how am I going to get through these next three weeks of classes before finals?" My voice broke.
I was shaking violently by this point. The adrenaline had subsided and left me exhausted. "Here, I've got you." He picked me up and carried me into the castle. I clung to his shoulder, not looking at anything. When he set me down was the first time I had looked around since we came in the front doors. We weren't in the dormitory. A few years before he had made the admission that he had a secret hideaway, deep in the unused portions of the castle. It had once been the healing arts classroom, and was two floors below the hospital wing. He had cleaned up the place himself. The old tables and cabinets along the wall held an extensive assortment of laboratory and distilling equipment along with stores that rivaled the potion mistress' private collection. Along the other long wall were a few beds, all with sheets and pillows, the house elves kept the beds made as on occasion he was known to spend the entire weekend sequestered there. He had never allowed me to accompany him there before. I was honored that he would share his sanctuary with me, even under the circumstances.
"There is a bath chamber through that door. I'll go up to the dormitory and sneak some of your things down here. Oh hell, I'll just bring the whole damned trunk. You haven't left your books anywhere but around your bed have you?"
"Uh, no. Thanks. Ummm, are there towels down here?" I asked blushing.
"Yeah, there's a cabinet behind the door as you walk in, the towel rack is hanging above the tub, it's heated." he said suddenly bashful.
"Thank God. I feel disgusting. I'll go see if I can get rid of this soiled feeling. Thank you." I said towards his retreating form.
The bathroom itself was spotless. There was a very large pool of a tub sunk into the floor with steps leading down into it on one side. There were spigots lining one whole wall of the enclosure below the windows that were above the height of my head along the same wall. The spigots themselves were stone gargoyles carved to represent various ailments that could be alleviated and even cured by bathing with certain herbs and other concoctions. Another wall, with a wide ledge next to the bathtub was lined with stone benches and hanging above that were pipes draped with towels.
After I had soaked my bruised and battered body, the towels felt exquisitely soft upon my tender skin. I found a long soft linen gown and chemise, neatly pressed by the door. I slipped on the soft clothing and looked into the mirror. I was covered, except for the neck and arms. The rest of me was bruised only, but my wrists were raw from the cords. My eyes held a haunted look as I brushed out my waist length hair. Finally I was ready to face the world, or Severus at the least.