The Ties That Bind Us

by DeadRoseBlush

REVISED!Rae gives into her feelings for Draco,while Dawn learns that there is more to being the key then making portals.They're about to learn a little more about the ties that bind us.

4. Is It Just Me?

Title: The Ties That Bind Us

Author: DeadRoseBlush

Chapter Four: Is It Just Me?

Disclaimer- I don't own anything but the Kogo family.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I sat straight up in my bed, my spine ridged and straight. I gave a scream. My dream fresh in my mind and I was breathing heavily, trying to push air in and out of my lungs that were frozen. It felt like I had died. I struggled to breath. Finally after some amount of time I got control, I buried my face in my hands and let out a few sobs. I was well aware I was alone. Otherwise I would have been quieter. There was frantic pounding on my door; Dawn's voice broke though the thick wood of the door.

"Rae? Hey! Rae? I heard a scream!" I did not answer. I heard Buffy and Faith pounding harder and speaking louder.

"Rae? Rae? It's me, Faith! Come on! Open up!"

"Rae? I'm here too! Me! Buffy!"

"Come in...." I said in a tired weepy voice. Faith and Buffy sighed on the other side of the door.

"The password!"

"Pureblood." I said quietly. The door swung open and seconds later closed.

"Hey, what happened?" Faith asked gently, learning a little thing called compassion while in jail.

"A Slayer dream, I died in it. And I don't know. There was fighting and screaming and pain. So many dying..." I murmured and buried my head in Faith's comforting shoulder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Everything felt like a blur for me. One minute I was crying on Faith's shoulder the next I was attending classes with Dawn and Hermione. I had double potions with Slytherin. And though they didn't seem to mind me nor Dawn, they did bare a grudge against the 'Golden Trio'. In fact one particularly cute Slytherin introduced himself as Blaise Zabini. I have to say I giggled a bit and flirted like mad. He had dark black hair that looked like dark green due to his tie and ocean blue eyes. He wasn't as lithe as Draco but he was still built. I have to say that he was built a bit like Angel perhaps a tiny bit short and a little less broad. But his smile made me melt. Unfortunately Snape didn't share the same enthusiasm as his male Slytherin students.

"Miss Kogo, kindly flirt with Mr. Zabini another time and take your seat!" he told me in a cold voice. His whole aura screamed vampire. The slayer side of me kicked in.

"What if I want to stand?" I asked, with a grin.

"Then you may stand for the rest of the hour!"

"Sure boss-man. How about I stand for the rest of the week? Hm? That'd be cool with you?"

"You can stand for an entire detention! When I've thought of a proper detention you will get a note. 20 points from Gryffindor, have you had enough?"

"Nope, bring it on."

"That's another detention."

"Is that the best you can do?"

"Oh so you want another?"

"Sure. Keep 'em coming!"

"That's another. How many are we at?"

"Two." Malfoy said, a pleased smile playing on his face.

"No three, one from before." I said.

"Oh so you want another?"

"Give it to me."

"Have you had enough? That's another!"

"Aww... can I have another? I was aiming for six." He flushed bright red.

"Sit down Miss Kogo, or you'll find you'll have enough detentions for the rest of your natural life." He narrowed his coal black eyes and I realized he knew that I was a Slayer. Dammit.

"Doesn't matter, mine's shorter anyway. Give me another."

"Sit down; I don't have time for this!" I sat next to Blaise. "Oh, Miss Kogo, I don't think so. You're paired with Mr. Malfoy." Double dammit.

The rest of the double potions I was stuck to Malfoy complaining about how he was stuck with a bloody yank. Finally I got so sick of it that I tapped him on the head with my wand.

"Shut up already will you!" the knife I had wasn't as nearly as good as the one in my boot. I put it down and pulled out the one in my left boot. I flipped it a couple of times in my hand. "Much better!" I said and cut up the mandrake root. Malfoy shot me a look.

"What?" I asked, and then searched my pockets, coming up with cashews. "Want some?" he wrinkled his nose.

"You're going to get us in trouble!"

"Ah, but there is a method to my madness. See just as Harry is Dumbledore's golden boy, you are Snape's golden boy... as pedophile-ish that sounds. Which it does, I mean really. How can you say that a male teacher favors a male student without it sounding all pedophile-ish? Plus, I think he kind of respects me in a way, which is almost non-existent. Therefore he will do nothing!" Draco shook his head.

"You really are mad." I tossed the mandrake root into our 'Forget-Me-Not' potion, one that makes you never forget.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Though I made it through my classes without a hitch when lunch came I was relieved I only had DADA left. My body ached and I was tired. The remnants of the dream forced me into awareness of the world, of the danger I was to everyone else. I supposed at the time I was right but I couldn't help but feel as thought the only reason I cracked later was because of all of the pressure on me. Of course that's something that did not happen until my last year at Hogwarts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When I walked into the class I was not surprised to see Buffy and Angel standing there, well more like kicking each others asses. Buffy gave a roundhouse kick and Angel caught her foot and twisted it. She went spiraling to the floor. She landed on her belly and pushed herself up and did a leg sweep. Angel fell to the floor and Buffy pounced on him. She pinned him down. Breathing heavily she smirked. "You haven't trained in awhile, have you?" she asked and got up offering her hand. He gripped it, "I remember when you used to give me a run for the money." He gave a small chuckle.

"Well, running a law firm in a big cushy office does that to you." He murmured. Buffy smiled.

"I can so totally see you decked out in an Armani suit." He rolled his eyes. I coughed. Buffy grinned. "Hey, are you feeling better?" Angel got a slightly panicked look.

"What happened? Did you get sick? Are you hurt?" I shook my head.

"Nah, just a horrible dream." He nodded his head but still had an odd look in his eyes. Dawn was standing there and she cocked her head, looking as though she had picked up something but didn't know what to make of it. I tugged on her shirt sleeve.

"Let's sit here!" I gestured to three empty seats in the first row. Dawn nodded absently and sat. Hermione gave me a look which I could not decipher. I shrugged. I was tired and didn't feel like playing mind games. Students filed in and sat down. I watched as Draco flopped into a seat, his goons with him. I made a small noise in the back of my throat and turned my chair so I could no longer see him from the corner of my eyes. "Alright! I am assuming everyone is here! So let's start. My name is Buffy Summers; you can call me Buffy, because I'll feel old if you call me Professor Summers. I am qualified for this job, for those of you who don't think I am. I've been fighting the good fight for, oh about 8 years. Now our first unit is going to be on the "Mythical" creature known as the Vampire. Now, what do you know about vampires?" I raised my hand. A twinkle lit in Buffy's eyes. "Rae?"

"They are immortal, soulless demons, when they are turned their soul is driven out and a demon takes up residence, although there are exceptions to the soulless clause." I sent a look at Angel, "They aren't too difficult to kill. Decapitation, sunlight, fire, drinking holy water, and a stake through the heart." If possible Buffy's eyes got brighter at the mention of the drinking of the holy water.

"Correct, that is very good. Five points to Gryffindor. Now who can tell me what a Master Vampire is?" Dawn's hand rose up. "Yes?"

"A Master is a vampire that had been around for more then one hundred years and has a Sire. Master Vampires are not usually fledglings." Buffy nodded and I gave a small smile.

"Another five to Gryffindor. Now," she said with a wicked smirk. "What four Master Vampires of the Aurelius line were the Scourge's of England?" Hermione's shot up. Buffy nodded at her.

"Darla, Drusilla," I cringed, "Angelus and William the Bloody." Buffy nodded.

"William the Bloody no longer uses that name, he goes by Spike now. Anyone care to guess how he and Angelus came to have these unusual names?" I raised my hand. "Rae?"

"There are two theories of how Angelus chose his name. One was how his sister had told him that he was Angel after he came back from the dead. Another is that he called himself Angelus because it means 'Angel'. And William the Bloody was called that because he wrote Bloody Awful poetry, and later it was shortened from William the Bloody Awful Poet to William the Bloody, after the murders of several people who scorned him in life. He later was called Spike from his unusual way of killing. He killed people by pulled out their entrails and wrapping them around their neck then drives a railroad spike through their head into a wall." A few people around me became pale. I smirked and folded my arms across my chest, leaning back in my chair. Buffy smiled.

"Very good! Now what of the Vampire Slayer?" she asked. Students looked at her blankly. Finally a hand snaked up. She nodded at the slightly pale faced boy with striking blue eyes and Big Bad hair.

"Don't you know," he sneered, "The Slayer is a myth." he snickered and low fived his goons. I rolled my eyes.

"Prat, you know nothing do you? Jeez, Malfoy, did all of that peroxide you use in your hair finally seep into your brain and eat away all of the tissue?" I voiced aloud, His eyes snapped to mine. He stood up.

"What did you say?" he asked with anger.

"You heard me." I said nonchalantly. I flipped my waist length hair. He growled low in his throat and stepped over to my chair. He towered above me and I felt as though he were dominating me. I pushed my seat back and stood. Before I could say anything Buffy shoved us apart. She gave Malfoy a clear look to sit down and she turned to me.

"To the training room." She said.

"But-."

"No, I want you to work off your steam, so to the training room." I nodded and turned to grab my bag. Seconds late Buffy's voice rang out. "Oh, yes, Rae?"

"Hmm?"

"A 6 inch paper on Slayers. Due in two days."

"Alright. Patrol?"

"Angel will patrol with you tonight. I don't want you out there alone, a lot of Master Vamps. Some Angel will know. Spike might be out there. Be on your guard."

"Right. Front entrance? Cross bow and sword good?"

"Bring a stake. After dinner."

"Okay, later."

I slung my bag over my shoulder and went to the Room of Requirement. I thought of the training room and went inside. A room of joy as I liked to call it met my longing gaze. I went to the stall and stripped off my robes and the clothing I wore beneath it. I walked out of the stall. Only wearing my sports bra, which I wore during training, and my underpants, I shrieked when I spotted Draco Malfoy standing there. Leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. He was smirking that insufferable smirk of his.

"Pervert! Close your eyes!" he did nothing of the sort, but he did place a slim hand over them. I have no doubt he was peaking while I searched for my yoga pants. And I knew he was because the second my pants were settled on my hips he took his hand from his eyes.

"So, Perv, what brings you to my un-humble training area?"

"No reason thought I might follow you." He gave a shrug. I glared at him, oh how I wished that the expression 'glaring daggers' were true, then he might be dead, bastard.

"Oh, and I am not a Perv."

"Shut up, Perv."

"Bloody hell. You really enjoy pissing people off, don't you?"

"Maybe, but it could be because I hate you."

"And why do you hate me?"

"You annoy me. I don't do well with people who annoy me." He nodded. I pummeled on the punching bag. He went over and shed off his robes and over shirt, and stood behind the bag, holding it while I beat the hell out of it.

"And how do I annoy you?" he said in that low voice that he used when he was on the sexual prowl. My eyes slide down his lithe figure. He had a sinewy cat-likeness to him that was purely sexual. Damn him, he knew that he being so close and unattainable was the reason for annoyance. He did and it was pissing me off. I did a front snap kick to the bag. He flew across the floor and landed against the piled up mats. He stood without a word. I shrank back. His eyes were a fiery blue. He strode toward me with purpose in his eyes. The way he walked was making me squirm. He stopped in front of me and grasped my shoulders tightly.

"Draco..." I murmured. Too damn close. Too close! He leaned down, his blue eyes still open and locked onto my green ones. And his lips brushed against mine in the barest gossamer kiss. And then he said something that I wanted to hit him for. "You should be so lucky, having me give you a kiss. Not that anyone would even think of kissing you." I wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face. He stood behind the bag once more and I viciously attacked. Before he could reacted at the high kick aimed at his chest he was flying through the air. He stood seconds later, anger written on his almost delicate features. He walked towards me and wiped away a streak of blood from his mouth. I held back a smirk as he mumbled something under his breath.

"Bloody bitch." What something that I heard. "You got me in the face!"

"Don't stand so low then!"

"Don't kick so bleedin' high!"

"You should just be happy I didn't get your hair, peroxide boy."

"Dammit I told you this is my natural color!" He said in a whiney voice.

"Yeah...sure." I replied and flipped my hair out of my face. He stood and held the punching bag again waiting for me to attack it vigorously again. "You sure you want to chance me getting your face again?" I said with a cocky attitude.

"Don't get me again or you'll be the one wiping away blood."

"You better be careful what you say you might end up biting off more then you can chew." I stared down at him a dehumanizing look in my eyes. "I don't want to use the punching bag any more anyway so you can relax." I said and turned away to practice some moves, taking my anger out on the air.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

An hour later I was drenched in sweat and Draco had started to play the most annoying music. "You're toxic, I'm slippin' under..."

"You are a fruit cup aren't you?" I asked Draco who was bopping his head to the tune.

"I am not, my sister was playing it the other day and it's stuck in my head..." he said in the childish whiny voice of his.

"So why would you play it?"

"To get it out?" he said with a sly smirk.

"Once a Perv always a Perv."

"I told you I am not a soddin' Perv!"

"Keep telling yourself, it might actually come true." He glared at me.

"And I supposed you have better music?"

"Easy, Boys Hit Cars- Going to India." I said, and the music automatically changed to a song I had wanted to hear for the past three days. "Going to India, when the love breaks, going to India, watch all the elephants..." the beat picked up and I went to the showers. I lifted my face to the steady stream of the water and let my hair soak before rubbing scented shampoo in it. Life was shit right now; things were just about as exciting as watching Gigli. Whoo-hoo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When I emerged with my normal clothing on, Draco still stood there. He was examining his nose.

"I don't think you broke it." He murmured. I shook my head and pulled out my wand.

"Conceal." I said and tapped his nose. He shoved my wand away, his expression annoyed.

"What was that?" he demanded.

"You were starting to bruise." I said with a shrug, and then added maliciously on, "we wouldn't want that pretty face of yours to be marred." He snorted then grabbed his nose in pain.

"Bloody hell!" he cried out. I shook me head.

"Do try and avoid touching your nose, you might break it." He glared at me.

"I would be fine if someone wasn't so bloody touchy." I rolled my eyes.

"Right and you'd be one to talk, Billy Idol Lovechild..." his glare intensity increased.

"Bitch."

"Queen."

"Slut."

"Man whore."

"Pig."

"Bleacher!"

"Mudblood!"

"What?" I cocked my head. His mouth fell open in mock horror.

"You do not know what a mudblood is?"

"If I did I wouldn't be asking, now would I?" I toweled my hair and then put it up using my wand to hold it up. He wrinkled his nose.

"Don't you know that your wand is a powerful tool! Not some hair thing!"

"Yeah, but so are my fists." He glared.

"Whatever, mudblood."

"What the fuck is a mudblood!"

"It is a wizard or witch that is born from muggles."

"Oh, right like I got that! What the hell is a muggle?"

"A non-magical person."

"Oh, then I'm not a mudblood, my mother is wizard and my fathers, is some sort of a magical being." By now we were half way down the hall. The door of the great hall opened and the warmth spread from it to the dank hall. As we got closer he fell out of step with me. I turned. "Malfoy?"

"Get out of here Gryffindor." He said in a low dangerous voice. I narrowed my eyes.

"Later, asshole." I left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I walked into the great hall. There was the usual banter and chatter that filled the large hall. I gave a small smile. Dawn beckoned me to the table. I sat down obediently.

"Fun training session?" she asked.

"Fun if Malfoy following you and annoying you and being a Perv and sticking his bleached head into your business and playing Brittney Spears is called fun." Dawn blinked.

"Wow that sucks. He seems like a real asshole."

"Oh, yeah, definitely the biggest git ever." Harry inputted.

"Malfoy listens to Brittney Spears?" Ron asked with glee.

"Yep," I said with a large grin. Ron got a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Say, do you have that radio?" he asked.

"I can get it from the Room of Requirements."

"Oh that would be bloody wonderful."

"We'll go get later." He nodded. Hermione gave a small noise in the back of her throat.

"I don't think it's very nice of you to torture Malfoy like that." She made another small noise and stood. "I'm going to the library." She announced and left. I rolled my eyes. I knew what that was about. She liked Ron, but she thought I wanted him so she was going to be a bitch toward me, if that makes sense. I pulled a strand of my hair nervously, and then looked to the ceiling. It was getting a little dark.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel and I were supposed go out tonight and Slay. I thought I should go. My internal clock was telling me that it was somewhere around eight-ish and I wasn't all that hungry anymore. I pushed my Cesar salad with chicken on top away from me. "I'm gonna go and patrol. Don't wait up." I strode toward my room with purpose, making sure to go as fast as I could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I flung myself through the door, eager to go do some slaying. "Oof!" I cried out when I slammed into Malfoy's body. He glared at me in disdain. I glared back.

"Watch it." He said and left. Dammit. I grabbed a sword and a sheath and strapped it to my waist. The stake went in my sleeve and in my boot, and I made sure I had enough bolts for the crossbow before leaving. I glanced at the mirror. I snuck out and met Angel by the front entrance.

"Rae?" he said, his eyes were wide.

"What?" I muttered to him.

"Nothing, you just look a little pale." He shrugged then gave a nervous glance at me. "Did you eat enough?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't all that hungry in the first place, too excited for some ass kicking. My mom will kill me if I get killed."

"You mother..." he had an odd tone in his voice, "how is she?"

"You know my mum?"

"Yes, a very long time ago."

"Oh she's good. Still she took it hard when my dad died." He turned to face me.

"You're father?"

"Yeah, well my step-father. She took it really hard. My sisters didn't take it too well either." He nodded, looking a tad distracted.

"Right, well let go. I want you with your sword in a ready position." I flushed angrily and pulled my sword out. We stalked through the Forbidden Forest, when Angel paused for a moment.

"I smell-." He frowned.

"Something, it's like blood." I finished. He nodded, and then vamped. I can't say I wasn't startled, I mean I was, it was weird. Suddenly it was a vicious looking killer replacing the brooding gentle looking guy. We were off again. The scent became sharper and more potent; Angel looked like he was going to have kittens if we didn't find the source soon. Finally I saw it, silver blood. I stooped down and sniffed it.

"This way." I said, Angel nodded and gave a signal. The smell had gotten so strong that I was getting dizzy from it. It looked like something had been dragged the blood dribbling all over. And then the bushes were covered with it. That's when I finally identified the scent. There had been too little of it to correctly identify the creature, but now I knew. It was unicorn blood. Rage swelled in my chest.

"Those bastards." I hissed, "They've killed a unicorn, one of the most benevolent creatures on earth!" Angel looked taken aback.

"Calm down!" he hissed, "You're going to give us-." Several vampire burst from the bushes, tearing them to shreds. "...away." He finished lamely.

"Well, whatever those bushes did to you boys, I'm sure their sorry now." I said nonchalantly.

"Slayer..." they hissed. One lunged forward. I gave a girly squeal. It stopped surprised. I sliced its head off in one clean stroke. There was poof of dust then it was gone. Angel lurched forward and engaged in a short lived fight with a scrawny deadhead. I did a swift high kick to a vamp. He stumbled.

"Damn... you're better then I thought." He caught me by surprise when instead of coming back in for the fight he strolled casually toward me. I stepped back. My back was soon pressed against a tree. The bark bit painfully into my bare skin. "Well, well, well, looks like the tough little slayer is actually a big fucking chicken." He had me cornered. I did the first thing I could think of, a front snap kick to the more sensitive area of a man. He gave a girlish cry and doubled over. I grabbed my stake and plunged it in behind. There was the common gasp and then he was gone. By the time I was done with the next one Angel was casually toying with his adversary. He glanced at me then staked the struggling she-vamp.

"Good job. Is it still alive?" I was kneeling by the creature, its chest heaved up and down.

"Yes. But we have to get it out of here."

"Right, I can't do it though. I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from feeding...." I nodded and he dashed off. I fingered my wand and tapped my nose.

"Conceal." I didn't want any nosey person to see me. "Wingardium Leviosa!" the unicorn hovered and I felt a surge of pride in knowing I could levitate something as heavy as a horse.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I dropped into my bed that night. Still in my cloths, my boots still firmly tied. I was covered in unicorn blood and vampire dust. I dreamt nothing that night. I just floated in nothingness. My breath stolen away. I was suspended in time, not really alive. Still I was there but not moving, not breathing, hovering between life and death. I don't know when it happened of why but suddenly I sat up. My breathe coming in gasps, I couldn't breath. I started to panic. I tried to think of something to calm myself down. A song came to mind.

"Two people touching lips, Hands on each others hips, Nothing in else in the world but one another, The 42nd floor, On a distant shore, I wonder how we strayed so far from this, Remember when we were, Just flesh and bone, You say, "We have forgotten how cordial war could be", So, put down your hollow tips, And kiss your lovers lips And learn that fate is what you make of it." By the time I was done I was breathing normally. I gulped in the fresh air. I glanced at my watch; I had gotten Willow to fix it. It read 5 am. I sighed and got out of bed. Only four hours of sleep. Damned unicorn. I glanced in the mirror and it clucked like a hen.

"Deary me, you are a thin one aren't you? And look at those circles; you'll need more sleep." I gave a nod.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I was the first one in the great hall, beside professors eager to get their caffeine fix. It was weird, seeing these normally awake professors sleepy and grumpy, well with the exception of Snape. He didn't seem to be taking that fact that I was smart very well. I am positive that he thought all slayers would be stupid and ditzy, like Buffy can be sometimes. I glanced at the schedule that had appeared wear I sat. "Charms, History, Herbology, and Care. Sweet." Yesterday I had, had Divination, (Angel's friend Cordy taught that) DADA, and Potions (Willow hadn't been there but she was supposed to be an assistant).

I sighed and stretched my aching muscles. I turned when I heard the sounds of sneakers. Draco, looking fresh from the shower strolled in. He looked a tad tired but in a good mood. Maybe. I shifted in my uniform, I hadn't worn it yesterday and no one had minded so much. To make it more comfortable for myself I had loosened the tie and un-tucked the shirt. Oddly enough the song 'All the Things She Said' was playing away in the back of my mind. Damn TATU, and them wearing their damned school-girl outfits. My glower deepened. "What's got your knickers in a bunch?" Ron asked as he sat down.

"Stupid school girl uniforms..... I feel like Brittney Sluts." Ron blinked.

"Ooookay." He said, clearly confused at my words. I nodded.

"Good, you agree." Ron nodded dumbly. When Harry sat down next to him he leaned over.

"Oi, Harry, who's Brittney Sluts?" Harry laughed and shot me a look.

"Brittney Spears."

"Oooh, is that her nickname?"

"You could say that...." Dawn said. I snickered. The hall was slowly filling up. I was finished with my short lived breakfast. I stood, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"I'm gonna go find Angel. I still have an hour till classes." I stalked out of the hall. I was fairly dancing with energy. I was dancing to a song that had no rhythm, my steps quick and even.

"You know, people will think you're crazier then they already do if you keep that up." I glanced at Malfoy.

"At least I'm not afraid to have a little... fun." I dropped my hip down using a move that I learned in belly-dancing class, and winked at him. He scowled, still leaning against a wall.

"And look like a nutter? I don't think so."

"Fine, but I'm off to the dorm. Want to accompany me?" I was still dancing but in a more sensual way, knowing it would get to him like it had before. When he hadn't come to a decision within a span of a half of minute I left him standing there, I danced down the hall until I reached the staircase. Footsteps, I heard them behind me and knew instinctively that they were Malfoy's. I stepped quickly up the stairs. I was on the second to the last step when it started to move. "Shit!" so far I hadn't been on the stairs when they started to move but it was frightening. I clutched the railing tightly, so tight it almost started to crack in my hand. I was starting to hyperventilate. I was normally ok with heights but moving at a fast speed while at a height like this did nothing for me. I squeaked when the stairs came to a jarring halt. I was thrown into the railing and for the third time this day felt like I had been in a train wreak. I had bruises and cuts galore from last night and to make it worse I could feel a particularly large and nasty bruised start to form on my abdomen from when I had slammed into the rail the first time.

"Oh. Ow! Son of a bitch!" I cursed. Malfoy dropped down beside me.

"What's wrong?"

"Railing and soft fleshy abdomen meet, sight not pretty."

"Anything else?"

"Some scratches that have apparently broken open, but other then that nothing." I went to weakly push his hands away but he shoved them aside and peeled back my shirt from my front.

"Merlin! You call those scratches? Those look pretty nasty; we should get you to Madam Pompfrey." I shook my head.

"Nah, I'll be fine, I've had a lot worse. I just need to clean them right quick and get a new shirt." He carefully helped me and I winced. Long cuts from the demon and the knife from about five days ago reopened. I squeezed my eyes shut. Draco shifted and put an arm around my waist. My eyes snapped open.

"What are you doing?"

"You don't look like you can walk very well. I'm only trying to help you out so don't get your knickers in a bunch." I scowled at him. "I could perform a simple cleaning spell." He said and pulled out his wand.

"Malfoy if you dare to point that wand at me. I will shove it so far up your ass you'll-." He sighed and put his wand away.

"No need to get testy love." He told me and winked.

"God, you are such a jerk!"

"Me? What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're a bitch!"

"What! I am not!" he shook his head.

"You are unfortunately." I childishly stuck my tongue out at him. He shook his head. "Come on have a little fun!" I said with a wide grin. I bumped my hip to his. "Oh! Ouch! Damnit!" I hissed a pulled the skirt down to reveal a bruise. "Stupid fucking moving stairs..." I muttered angrily. Draco raised a perfectly shaped slim eyebrow. I glared.

"Oh, please, don't give me that look. I didn't will the stairs to move, Boca del inferno, even if I wanted to I couldn't." we managed to get into the portrait hole without me collapsing. But when we reached the couch I collapsed on it, dragging down the unfortunate Draco with me. "You're crushing my arm." He said after a few moments of silence.

"Can't move, in too much pain." I muttered. I squeezed my eyes shut, my body felt like it was on fire, and it was like the sunburn feeling all over again. I shifted uncomfortably.

"What? Is lying on my arm uncomfortable?"

"No, just I ache all over and I seriously need to get out of these clothes."

"Hmm." He shifted gently pulling his arm from under me.

"Hmm? What?"

"I was thinking."

"About?"

"About the last time I got trapped under a girl." I shot an angry glare at him.

"Is that all you think about?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah, well don't get the thought that you could have me, I don't have time for that kind of stuff." I pulled my robe off and forced myself to unbutton my shirt trying to ignore the stare he'd fixated on me. "Ugh." The bandages I had carefully wrapped around myself this morning were almost soaked in my own blood. I wrinkled my nose. "Damn, and I so hoped that they would last more then an hour or two." I knew he was looking at me, I could sense his eyes fixated on me. I turned, clutching my shirt to my chest. "How's my back?"

"Tattooed." He said in a flat voice.

"Oh yeah, my mum put that on me, old Buddhist protection spell."

"Not really working is it?"

"Takes awhile to kick in, plus I haven't prayed properly since I got here." He raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seem like a big religious girl."

"I'm not; the Powers That Be recruited me not Buddha."

"Powers That Be?"

"The ones that control everything, there is no one god, all of our gods kind of become something sort of like Greek Gods and Goddesses, they control everything, Cordy get her premonitions because she was chosen too." He nodded his head not really understanding. "I'm sort of in contact with them at times, they make my mothers spell work how she's wants it to work, and they send me dreams telling me what will happen."

"Okay, not that I don't believe you but we have a half hour to get you cleaned up." He gave a smirk.

"Which you're help is not need much." He pouted. I thanked the PTB that I had on a sports bra instead of my normal sheer or lacy ones. "Do you happen to have scissors?"

"No but I could use my wand." I sighed.

"Fine, whatever. But if you make my clothing invisible or something like that, you'll be pulling splinters out of your nose for weeks." He nodded and did a simple tattering charm. I blood soaked rags that were bandages fell away. I looked down. "Oh this is just super.... Peachy friggin keen." Of course like I predicted a large bruise was forming and all of my cuts had re-opened. I wrinkled my nose. "Do you happen to have a wash cloth and a bowl of water?" They appeared at the table in front of us. "Oooh, I like this magic stuff." He rolled his eyes. "What?"

The portrait hole was flooded with light as two bickering persons walked in. "I'm telling you Hermione it would be fun!" "No! Absolutely not! I hate flying and you know it!" "Aww come on...." There was a giggle, then, "Ron! Not here!" "Hermione...." His voice came out in a whine. I looked at Malfoy and raised an eyebrow. He shrugged and shook his head, indicating he had no idea this was going on. They came around the corner and Hermione jumped, her hand coming away from Ron's in a flash. Then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"What are you two doing?" she asked. Malfoy had picked up the cloth and it was hovering above my blood covered stomach. Ron's eyebrows, meanwhile, had shot up to his hairline, practically.

"Cleaning her up, obviously Granger. Do you need glasses like Potty?" her eyes flashed.

"Shut up Malfoy." She said in a low voice. She then stalked to her room, dragging Ron along.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I was thankful for Malfoy, although it didn't last long as he transformed back into the detached jerk from earlier. These first days were terrible, but when Saturday came I was leaping with joy. Although it was ruined when Buffy announced that there would be a DADA kind of club and I would be one of the teachers. Whoo-hoo. But I was happier here, amazingly enough. Even with Malfoy and his ever changing moods. One minute it seemed like he was going to jump me and we would have hot wild sex, the next he sounded like he was going to kill me and the next he would be so utterly detached. Weird. But enough of my psycho babble, I have better things to do. See ya around.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Next chapter! Which will have more Draco/Jade fighting, more confrontations of the Snape-ish. And oddly enough karaoke!