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Wife Wanted

Chapter 6: So Romantic 

Ginny groggily opened her eyes and blinked once, twice, then three times, but her eyes would not focus. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but no sound would come out. She reached to her left, groping for her wand but came up empty-handed. She tried climbing out of her bed, but her legs were stiff and would not move. Her eyes welled up with tears as she frantically tried to get attention by flailing her arms around and hitting the various objects around her. She waited silently, but no one came.

She could hear them laughing and talking outside, taunting her. She could see them in her mind, pointing at her and jeering.

She was all alone. And no one cared.

Ginny sat upright in her bed. She glanced around, her head a bit woozy. This was not her room. She looked nervously to her left; her wand was not there. Feeling a bit panicked, she tried screaming for someone, but only a mere mew would come out. She put her hand up to her throat. Odd, why were there so many bandages? She turned to her right and saw Colin sleeping in the chair next to her bed. She prodded him with her hand.

He jerked awake. "Good Merlin!" He looked back and forth a few times ready to attack his "attacker" before realizing that it was only Ginny. He glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

She pointed anxiously at her throat.

"Oh," Colin said. He thought for a minute. "Well, do you remember what happened last night?"

She shook her head confusedly.

"Ginny," he took a deep breath, "last night, you were almost…" He stopped, wondering how he would explain that she was almost murdered. "You know what?"

She looked at him questioningly. "What?" she said croakily, finally regaining her voice.

"I'll show you." He took out his wand and whispered, "Revoco," allowing her to see what had happened the night before.

She quickly turned pale and reached for her neck again. She mouthed the word 'no' over and over again as she watched in shock. Then the spell ended, and the pictures faded away. He put his wand away and looked at Ginny.

"I'm sorry, Gin. But it's okay– the guy got away, whoever he was, but…"

"But…?" Colin was silent. "Colin, answer me. What's wrong?"

"I heard some – well, most – of the things he said. What happened? Who was he?"

"He was… I mean…" She took a deep breath. "WhenIwasgoingoutwithMalfoyIkinda.."

"Whoa, Gin, slow down!"

She looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry."

"That's alright," he said, motioning for her to continue.

"Well, that man's name was John. He tricked me into sleeping with him by getting me as drunk as a donkey after Malfoy and I had one of our fights. Or rather, 'minor spats all in the name of love' as Malfoy used to say. But I guess I can't really blame it all on the whiskey. I was angry at Malfoy; I just wanted to hurt him back, and John just wanted to have some fun. He took me back to the circle room. Remember that one? The one with the unbreakable glass? I told you about it. Anyways, Malfoy found us while we were messing around and basically went mad. He booted me out, but somehow, John got locked in the room. He forced his way through the bloody so-called unbreakable glass, and now his neck is all mangled up. And for some reason, the bastard thinks all of this is my fault."

Colin sat back in disbelief. Ginny was almost scared to look at him, but she forced herself to. "Say something, please," she whispered.

"Wow. Just… wow. I can't believe it. You and Malfoy and John…" He stared at her. "What would possess you to do such a thing?"

Ginny sighed. "Malfoy was being a bastard. I found him in the back of a bar, doing something with some lady. I couldn't really tell. I mean, it looked like some fancy quidditch move except he was riding her instead of the broom. It was terrible. So I yelled at him in front of everyone. He, in a very Malfoy-esque way, blew up. He said a lot of nasty things about me. He called me a slut and whore-bag and said that all of us Weasleys were trash. I mean, I'm used to this kind of cruelty, but then he hit me. He. Hit. Me. Hard. It hurt me a lot. And I don't mean the hit."   

Colin sat back, frowning. "Wow," he said again. "You've been through a lot, huh?"

She looked at him miserably. "More than you know. How did you find me, anyway?"

"I got home with your shampoo in time to see the front door open and that guy drive away. I ran up to the door to call your name, and nobody answered, so I followed you. We're at St. Mungo's, by the way."

"Oh. Colin, I really have to thank you for what you-"

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Colin leapt to his feet, gripping his wand, as Ginny gripped the side of her hospital bed. She relaxed when she saw who it was, although Colin didn't.

"Move," snarled Draco, and pushed him aside. He rushed to her side. "What happened!?"

She looked away. "A lot of things, starting with the night you kicked me out of the house."

Draco went pale (paler than usual, anyway) but said nothing. "All right." He straightened up.

Ginny stared at him. "What do you mean, 'all right'? That's it? You're leaving?"

"Yes, I'm leaving. I'm going home. And you're coming with me."

"No, she isn't!" interjected Colin angrily. "Look, Malfoy, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but-"

But Draco had already lifted Ginny off the hospital wing. "Send her wand through the post," he sneered at Colin, and stomped out the door with the unprotesting Ginny. She sent Colin an apologetic look.

"You know how he is – look, I'll owl you the moment we stop, and-" The door slammed shut, cutting off.

Colin slumped in a chair. "This is crazy," he muttered. "Absolutely crazy."

------

Ginny, having fallen asleep on the way to the Manor, awoke to somewhat unfamiliar surroundings. She shot up in the soft bed and peered around. The room she was in was extravagantly furnished, and sunlight streamed through the window onto the stone floor.

Looking down at herself, Ginny found the bandages gone and herself changed into a thin white night gown. Wrapping her arms around herself, she slowly slid out of the bed, testing her legs. They worked.

She went to the window seat and flopped in it, looking out across the grounds, wondering a) where Draco was, and b) where Colin was. She already knew where she was: Malfoy Manor.

The door opened, and a maid that Ginny didn't know entered. "Good morning, love," she said with a pleasant smile. "How are you feeling?"

"All right, I suppose. How long was I out?"

"Hmm… you woke up when Master Malfoy brought you into this place, and drank a dreamless sleeping draught. You've been asleep for… three days, I'd say."

"Three days!"

"Yes, three days." Ginny's head snapped around; Draco lounged against the doorframe. With a quick bow to the both of them, the maid disappeared, although she left behind a tray of food. "Long time, eh?"

"I wanted to contact Colin!"

"Don't worry, I told your annoying little friend to bugger off two days ago when he tried to get in. He wouldn't leave, though," added Draco thoughtfully. "So I had my pet dragon eat him."

"Draco!"

"You can't take a joke, can you?" She didn't reply, opting to glare at him instead. He ignored that. "Are you feeling better? Can you walk?"

"Obviously I can walk," replied Ginny acidly. "I made it from the bed to the window without my wand, didn't I? Speaking of which, where is it? And whose clothes are these, and how did I get into them?"

"Those clothes are something from my mother's younger years, and I changed you into them." Instinctively, Ginny wrapped her arms around herself.

"It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before," Draco pointed out, and then he snorted in laughter. "Don't be stupid, Ginny. Anymore than you already are, of course. I had a maid do it with a spell. You're fine; nobody's seen you. And your wand is right there, on the table. I took it from your stupid friend when he visited, before I booted him out the front gates. He won't be coming back here, I'm not sorry to say."

"I want to talk to Colin," she said stubbornly. Annoyance flashed in Draco's eyes, but he fought it down with well-bred disdain.

"Fine. Go to talk to the stupid little git, then. You're going home now that you're better, anyway."

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily. "The moment I'm awake, you kick me out again. That's really romantic, Draco."

"I never claimed to be romantic," he retorted. "I want that nightgown back, by the way. I intend to give it to the wife I've chosen from the people who've replied to my ad in the Daily Prophet." Ginny's mouth opened furiously, but she said nothing. "I'll have to wash it first, of course."

Ginny got up from the seat angrily. "Fine. Have Colin send me my clothes, and I won't trouble you any longer."

"Good." He turned to leave, but her words halted him.

"Why? Why did you take me from St. Mungo's, anyway? You could have just let Colin take me home, and I never would have imposed on you to begin with."

Draco paused, and then swept out without replying.

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A/N: OMG I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! it's been like more than two months. wow. i'm sorry, but i had the HUGEST writer's block. i'll try to update more often…I PROMISE!

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