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Wife Wanted

Chapter 5: My Hero 

She let her hair down in front of the mirror with shaking hands though she did not know why. Her dark ruby locks tumbled down gracefully, curling at the end just right. She looked in the mirror and saw herself, although not quite. She saw her dull amber eyes, tortured with hopeless love. Her slender body looked weary and tired, like that of a traveler who has walked a thousand miles. Her face dragged with a quiet sort of desperation, and her full cherry lips were pursed together in a deep frown. 

Just until the end of tonight, she told herself. I'll give him until tonight. And after the end of tonight, that's it. I can't burden Colin- though he had requested for her to call him Col, she could not for she had always favored the name Colin better- any longer. I've been too much trouble as it is. Only 'till the sun sets tonight, and that's it, she told herself firmly. That's it.

She put on her favorite green cashmere sweater and gave a shudder. Though it was summer, she felt unusually cold inside. She pulled on a silky feeling skirt that was a darker shade of green. As she carefully applied a touch of makeup, her heart pounded rapidly, a direct result of too much caffeine, she supposed.

Now ready, she scurried down to the kitchen where she saw that Colin had prepared meals for them both: a cheese omelet for him and a croissant for her. Her heart melted at the sight of his hopeful, puppy-dog grin.

"Morning, beautiful."

"Right back to you, sunshine," she giggled, taking in his disheveled appearance. His normally somewhat tidy hair was all tousled, and he appeared to be wearing a ratting shirt that said "I Love My Mommy" on it.

They ate together in a comfortable silence, he taking occasional glances at her, and she in a dreamland of her own. Though it seemed like she paid no attention to the looks he directed at her, she knew better. She, of all people, knew what people in love looked like, and especially what people in love felt like when their feelings weren't returned.

She was a smart girl, though smitten by her blind love for Draco. She loved Colin, too. But not that way- he was like Ron, Charlie, and Bill. He understood her, and she understood him.

She enjoyed studying books, but at the same time, she also studied people. She studied people that she loved. She had studied Brett and knew every single detail about him. She had studied Harry, Hermione, and Ron. She had especially studied Colin= his bright and carefree attitude, his willingness to help others, his quirks, his fetishes, his loves, his hates. Some days, it seemed like she knew him better than she knew herself.

Yes, she loved him. But not that way- she was not in love with him. She knew- and he knew- that her heart belonged to one man and one man only: Draco Lucius Malfoy.

She hated Draco- she hated him with all that she was. But at the same time, she loved him to the extent that she needed him. After they had broken up, the four years following were torture. She couldn't eat, sleep, or function properly without him. And when she saw him again or the first time in years two nights prior, her heart tossed and turned, spinning around wildly with excitement. She had immediately felt cured, cured of whatever "disease" she had obtained while he was gone. She loved the man desperately, and no matter what. She needed him. She needed him to live like a starving man needs food, like a suffocating man needs oxygen, like a broken woman needs her love. She was an addict, and he was her drug.

 -----O-----()-----O-----()-----O -----

Draco sat in his Victorian chair, the one he had been in the night before. He banged his head softly against the table, mentally berating himself. Draco, you idiot. Why did you do that to her? She'll hate you for that, you know, he told himself over and over and over again. But all the way in the back of his head, a little voice was telling him, She can't hate you. You can't possibly hate what you need. He ignored it. There were more important matters on hand- for example, what was he to do now?

His inner conscience was having a fight about this. There were two of them, and he affectionately referred to them as Jackass!Draco and EvilBastard!Draco. At the moment, Jackass!Draco was telling EvilBastard!Draco, "Right, you have to go back to the girl. It's the right—and decent—thing to do at this point."

"Nuh-uh," EvilBastard!Draco pouted. "That's what she wants. You can't always give in to the girl. Give her whatever she wants now, and she'll think she owns you. Just watch, you go back to her, and in three years, five at the maximum, you'll be like a little puppy. 'Go fetch,' she'll say, and like a little bitch, you'll be doing exactly as she says."

"You mustn't give in to the evil forces," Jackass!Draco glared at EvilBastard!Draco. EvilBastard!Draco stuck out his tongue childishly.

"Arghhh! Shut it, the both of you," Draco screamed—ahem, gave a manly cry of frustration—frightening the maid who had come into the room to ask him if he needed anything. She looked at him with wide, terrified eyes and quickly left the room, muttering her apologies for disturbing him.

He paced around the oddly shaped room. This was his favorite room in the house. It was angled strangely, and he always found being it in comforted him. Today, however, he felt vexed just at the thought of it. This was where he had been the night before. This was where it all began.

When he had first received information from John about her arrival, he had been filled with a thirst for vengeance, and his mind began twirling with intricate plans to make her suffer as he had on that terrible day- February 18th, the day that tortured him endlessly so.

Just at the mention of that day, his blood boiled angrily, threatening to burst out of his already bulging veins. Oh, how he remembered that cursed day.

*~* FLaShBacK *~*

"I'm home, honey," he had called out to her. When he received no immediate response, he called out louder. "Oh come on darling, you're still not mad about last night, are you? I was terribly intoxicated. I've apologized already, you know I didn't mean to."

Still hearing no answer, he became worried—though he quickly masked that—and began searching through their—his—home. "Ginny? GINNY?" he yelled frantically. "Ginny, are you okay?"

His stomach clenched nervously. Was she okay? What if something had happened? He ran pulling open doors and pushing furniture out of the way. "Ginny, where are you?"

Then he remembered: the sitting room in the East Wing—it was her favorite room. He quickly ran to it. "Ginny? Are you in here?" He pushed the door open and his stomach dropped.

There, in the room, he saw Ginny…and a man whom he was not able to identify. "Ginny?" His eyes widened. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He growled angrily. "You bitch. I told you I was sorry about last night. The events of last night do not permit you to go…go…sleep around with this worthless sort of filth," he spat.

"No, Draco. It's not what it looks like. I can explain," she pleaded. "Please, Draco, please just listen to me. Please…"

His face grew cold. "I need not listen to you any further. I can see what has happened for myself- there is no need to explain. A picture tells a thousand words—that's your favorite saying, isn't it? Ironic, huh." His eyes glittered with brief amusement at the sight of her suffering, then malice. "Get out of my sight. I don't need the likes you dirtying my home. I cannot stand the sight of you, you dirty whore. Leave now, Weasley."

"No…Draco…please! I-I love you."

"Milly, make sure you take out the trash tonight," he addressed the maid who happened to be passing by. He spat at Ginny, and without any further words, turned promptly on his heel and left.

*~* EnD FLaShBacK *~*

 -----O-----()-----O-----()-----O -----

Having made sure that Draco was asleep, John, who particularly liked muggle inventions though no one really cared that he did, grabbed the keys to his beat up truck and drove off. He clutched a piece of paper in his hands tightly, squeezing it as if it were someone's neck. "5629 Viscephilly Drive," he read aloud to himself. "Wonderful." His left eye twitched. It will be very soon, he thought. Very soon and it shall be over.

 -----O-----()-----O-----()-----O -----

It's cold, she shivered, Very cold. The rain hit the roof noisily and lightning flashed ominously outside. "Please," she prayed, "let Colin come home safely." She stared outside the window, willing Colin's familiar 1970's Chevy to pull up in the driveway.

She put her head in her hands resolutely. "This is all my fault," she moaned to herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid, the little voices in her head mocked her. If only you didn't whine so terribly about your little dandruff problem.

"It's not a dandruff problem. I needed more shampoo," she snapped back angrily. "Leave me alone. I don't—" She was cut off by the sound of a car motor. Her ears perked. "Colin! Oh thank Merlin you're—" Again, she was cut off, this time with a realization. That's not Colin's car. Hmmm…

She placed her wand on the table and opened the door. She peered out cautiously. "Hello?" she asked. Maybe whoever was in that car was lost. Or maybe, whoever was it that car needed something. "Excuse me, do you need some help?" She carefully took a few steps outside.

When she received no response, she walked to the end of the walkway. "Hello? Is anyone out here?" she called. "Hel—" She let loose a scream as a dark figure moved behind her and placed a cool metal object against her temple.

"Don't move," a masculine voice whispered roughly, his hot breath rippling beneath her ear, causing goosebumps to appear, "or else I'll kill you."

"Mmmmphf," she whimpered.

"Don't make any sounds either. Come with me," he pulled her harshly. "Hurry up." He shoved her in the car and drove off.

The drive seemed to take hours for her, though it was only fifteen. She struggled against the binds he had put on her as soon as they had gotten into the car. Finally, she gave up and laid still.

"We're here," the rough voice called to her. He dragged her to a secluded room in the building in front of which he had parked.

"Tell me why I'm here," she demanded. "What do you want with me? Who are you?" She glared at him.

"Oh, but you know who I am, Virginia," he murmured, caressing her face. She stiffened, staring at him with frightened eyes.

"D-don't touch me."

"Don't touch you? Why, I seem to remember it differently. 'Touch me…" is what I remember you saying."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped.

"I feel so hurt," he cried in mock pain. "Don't tell me you don't remember me? You ruined my life four years, four months, and seven days ago. You destroyed me. Everything was gone. Don't you remember?" He slapped her.

She recoiled from his touch.  "I don't understand. Who are you?"

"Don't pretend you don't know who I am," he hissed angrily. "You destroyed my life, and I'm to destroy yours."

"Four years, four months, and seven days ago," she muttered quietly to herself. She searched her memory for that day. "Ohh." Her face paled quickly.

"Now you remember?"

"No, it can't be…it can't be."

"Oh, but it can."

"John?" she gasped.

"In the flesh," he remarked, opening his arms mockingly. She took a few steps away from him. "Aww, don't you love me anymore?"

"No…no…it's not you, John. It-it can't be."

"Didn't we go over this already?" He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "It can be, and it is."

"But how? How did you know I was here?"

"When you first came to Malfoy's house last night…"

"I thought he would have fired you after…after…" her voice trailed off.

"He didn't. He never knew it was I who was with you that night."

"How is that possible?"

"After you were thrown out of the house, the maid locked the door, and thus, I was trapped in the room. Nowhere to go, or so it seemed." He grinned maniacally. "But there was…there was."

"There were no other doors there, though," she pondered. "How could've you gotten out? There were no windows in the room…except…no, you didn't, did you? You can't have. It's impossible." She could see the room—their room—vividly in her head.

It was shaped like a circle and was the most magnificent room in the house, at least, to her it was. It was painted a creamy white and had plush white twin sofas on opposite sides with an elegant glass table in the middle. Almost always, there was a large blooming orchid—it was white the majority of the time—on the table. It had shimmering golden drapers around a large window, made of thick, almost unbreakable glass that was 100% magic proof to keep out robbers and other such people.

Anyone, she recalled Draco telling her, who tried to get in or out of the window would not make it through alive. The copious amount of glass they'd have to transcend would certainly kill them, or at least maim them painfully and horrifically for life. She remembered him grinning almost murderously when he had told her if the person did survive, the results would be unbearable, and there was no way to completely "cure" whoever had been injured by it.

"I did," he grinned crazily. "I did."

"But you look the same," she spluttered disbelievingly. "You look great."

"Tsk, tsk, flattery is not going to get you anywhere with me."

"No, I mean, shouldn't you be dead? Or seriously injured?" She wondered incredulously, peering at him closely.

"His face stiffened, and he grabbed her hands. "Do you want to see what you did to me? Do you?"

"I…" She trembled violently.

"Look, Virginia," he said, leering at her. "Look at what you did." With her shaking fingers, he pulled down the neck of his thick black turtleneck. "This is what you have made me. Look," he demanded angrily.

She opened her eyes and flinched. "Oh Merlin…"

His neck was a purple and blue picture of horror. It was terribly mangled—pieces of bone stuck out and ripped dead skin that was semi-attached hung on the bones tenderly. There were two or three tubes going in and out of his neck, and she could see blood flowing through them.

"Can you see now? Do you see what you have done to me?"

"No…no.." she shook her head, wailing slightly. "I didn't…I can't have…It wasn't…"

"For years, I have waited for you to return, to apologize to me for destroying my life. For ruining me," he spat at her. "Do you have any idea how painful it is? How hard it is just to wake up in the morning?

"I-I'm so sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it. I waited and you never came for me. You did come back though, last night, to see dearest Draco. Do you have any idea how hard it was to live with him? He ran around the manor, throwing fits and breaking priceless Malfoy family heirlooms, along with a few antiques. He blamed it all on me and Milly, the maid who was there."

"I-I had n-no idea."

"It's all your fault, Ginny," he sneered. "You destroyed everything- for me, for Draco, even for your boy Col. You've ruined everything."

"Colin?" She paled.

"Can't you see the boy's in love with you? He's so in love with you that it hurts him. It hurts him like hell. Damn, the boy would go to Hell and back just for you. And you take him for granted-you treat him like he doesn't matter, as if the only person important to you is Draco."

"No…I love Colin.." she sniffled.

"Right," he scoffed. "And I am madly in love with Draco."

"You are?" she asked in mock surprise.

"No," he growled. "Stop acting like a dumbass."

"Why did you bring me here? To hurt me?"

"Exactly," he whispered. "You've destroyed too many people, and now it's my turn to destroy you." He pulled out a gleaming blade and nicked her slightly on the neck, causing deep red blood to stream down her neck. "Ginny, darling, it's time to say good-b—"

The knife was knocked out of his hand. "Get away from her," a voice commanded. "Don't you dare touch her."

She looked up woozily. Colin. You've come, she thought faintly. He stood there bravely, his russet hair matted with sweat from exhilaration, his rich blue eyes warm and caring, with a bottle of strawberry shampoo in his left hand. She put a weak hand up to her neck and felt the blood pulsing down her neck. Huh. Maybe he had nicked her harden than she had though. Colin, she though before the darkness embraced her, my knight in shining armor.

********************

A/N: I'm SOOOO sorry for the delay…but the week back from winter break was absolute hell. I was swamped with tests, quizzes, homework, and projects. Last Friday, I had 3 tests (and considering that I only have 4 classes a day and the last one is health…that's a lot) This Monday, I had 3 tests…tomorrow I have a huge thesis paper due and a huge test…Friday I have a huge oral project due. So yeah…tons of work = little time for my story. I'm sowwy.

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