Chapter V
"See you later, Kara!" Ceri called happily as she went off with George. I grinned and waved, happy that she was happy. A cold hand touched my neck and I turned to see Draco. The smiled was forced from then on. He acted normal, like the thing in the courtyard hadn't happened. I followed Draco around as we went to some shops and walked around. We had another hour, and we were in the Three Broomsticks.
"Come on, let's make the most of our time left." Draco said, standing up.
"I'm really tired and my feet hurt. I'll stay here, you go with your friends."
"I want you to come."
"Well I'm not going to. Do you want me to go lame?"
"You're coming."
"No, I'm not. I'm staying here. You can go, but I'm not moving."
"Come on Draco!" Marcus Flint called from the door.
"Go. Have fun with your friends, Draco. Please?"
"Stay here. I'll be back."
I nodded and watched him go.
"Like I've got anywhere else to go, jackass." I muttered, taking a drink of my Butterbeer. I felt a hand on my back and Oliver sat down in the chair opposite me. I smiled, immediately happy.
"Hey Kara. Had fun so far?"
I nodded. "Pretty much."
"Really? How's that possible with Malfoy as a companion?" he wasn't smiling. I looked at him.
"To tell the truth, I don't know." I sighed. "I'm having fun now, though." I smiled at him.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"So what have you done?" He rolled his eyes.
"In the company of Fred Weasley? You don't want to know." He grinned, shaking his head.
"Oh no...you better not be getting into any trouble." I laughed.
"I never realized your friend Ceri was so much fun. She's really a good match for George." I frowned a little.
"Ceri? She's a quiet thing."
Oliver laughed. "No...no she's not. She's as outgoing as George."
I raised my eyebrows. "You've got to be kidding."
He shook his head. "I swear. She was with us and cracking more vulgar jokes than Fred."
"I've known Ceri all my life. She's never been that crazy."
"She is now."
I looked at the door as six people came in, laughing. Ceri, the two Weasley twins, their younger brother Ron, and his friends Harry and Hermione. Fred pointed to us and the whole troupe came over to us and sat down.
"Hi Kara! Had fun?" Ceri asked me. I nodded and watched the rest of them settle around the table.
"Hey, Kara." Fred tossed me a small canister.
"What is it?"
"Open it."
I looked at Ceri. She nodded enthusiastically. I started to pull the top off and white dust came billowing out and I coughed and choked. They all laughed. Oliver grabbed the can and said a few words to get the powder back in the can. Then he threw it at Fred. I gasped for air and glared at Fred.
"What th.." I started to say, but clapped my hand over my mouth as my voice came out. I looked wide-eyed at Ceri. She was laughing hard. My voice was high pitched and squeaky.
"Ceri!" I protested shrilly, but my voice hit a note unknown to me. I put both hands over my mouth and blushed as everyone else, including Oliver, laughed. I couldn't help but join in with my high giggle. That just made them laugh harder. I put my head on the table and put my arms over my head, pouting. George hit me on the back a few times and caused me to hiccup, producing a tiny pink rabbit from my mouth. I stared at it as it hopped over the table towards Oliver and he caught it deftly in his hands.
"Congratulations, Miss Tyne. You have survived your first encounter with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezies." Ron piped up. Oliver handed me the card-deck- sized rabbit, now bright blue, and it set in my hands, looking up at me with shining black eyes. I immediately fell in love with it.
"It's so cute!" I said, stroking its back.
"Yes, and you got your magic rabbit free. Consider it a gift from Mr. Wood. It was his idea after all." I looked at Oliver. He grinned at me and nodded.
"It understands what you say if you give it a direct order."
I set the rabbit on the table and whispered in the now yellow ear. It hopped over the table and leapt into Oliver's hands, pressing its nose into his cheek. Everyone laughed and Oliver and I smiled at eachother over the table. The last hour in the Three Broomsticks was happier than the earlier two with Malfoy had been. It came time to go, and the three fourth years left the table, soon followed by the twins and Ceri. Oliver and I left last. It was past time to go, and Draco hadn't shown up.
"He'll be mad." I said warily as Oliver urged me to come.
"I'm not scared of him." I stroked my new pet's ears.
"Lucky you." I said quietly so he couldn't hear. I think he did though. He looked down at me.
"Come on. It's not worth getting in trouble over. He should have been here by now anyway. We're fifteen minutes late."
I stood up and we left the tavern, walking down the street in the dimming sunshine. I set my rabbit down and it hopped along in front of us, sniffing around and changing colors.
"I like it best when it's purple." I said, watching it.
"I like it golden. It looks like a furry Snitch."
I laughed.
"Trust you to find some way to relate it to Quidditch."
He smiled and picked a daffodil from the side of the path as we walked, handing it to me. I took it and thanked him with my eyes, not able to say anything. We walked the rest of the way back to the castle in the growing evening silently, just happy to be with eachother. We got into the great hall and I saw Draco. He didn't look happy. I turned to Oliver.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Come to the courtyard with me."
I shook my head, glancing at Draco. He followed my gaze and his eyes darkened.
"Forget about him. Just come with me."
"I can't. He'd be really angry. He already is, I can tell."
"You don't have to be scared of him. Don't let him know that you are."
"I'm not..."
"Yes, Kara. You are. I can see it in your face. You're frightened of him."
I looked at Draco. He was scanning the Ravenclaw table with his eyes, looking for me.
"If he sees me with you he'll kill you. He will."
"He couldn't."
"He'd try, and I don't want that. Oliver, please." I said distressfully. He pulled me back into the empty hall.
"Kara, don't be afraid of him. It's what he wants. I won't let him hurt you." He had his hands on my waist and was looking at me intensely.
"Oliver...you don't understand..."
"I understand that I love you. That's all that matters." He said fiercely. I looked at him helplessly. He kissed me again, harder than the first time, crushing me to him with his strong arms. I succumbed to his embrace and let him kiss me, putting my arms around his neck.
"Come on. Let's just go to the courtyard." He whispered against my mouth. I nodded and we started down the hall. We went into the courtyard but a dark figure came from the shadows and pulled me away I cried out and Oliver started after us, but another figure attacked him and threw him to the ground. I saw a flash of light from a wand and he grunted as he was thrown against the wall, unconscious. I called his name but my captor shoved me hard against the wall. I saw white-blonde hair in the dark before a fist met my head and I blacked out. The next thing I knew, I was in my bed, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I felt the sheets against my bare skin, and felt something stir beside me. Lips pressed into mine, and a heavy body pressed down on top of me. I pushed against the muscular chest and he lay on his side, smiling triumphantly up at me. I looked in revulsion and fear at Draco's sneering face. He pulled me down and pressed my body to his, kissing me roughly. I struggled against him and he laughed softly.
"Thought I wouldn't find out, did you?" he said malevolently.
"Draco, stop..." He laughed again.
"Stop, you say. I'm not going to stop. You're mine and I can do what I want with you. Or to you rather." He grinned crazily and pushed me onto my back, laying on top of me and putting his mouth on my neck. I fought him but he only rose up and struck me.
"You can fight, but you can't win. You might as well admit defeat. You're my bitch and I'll do what I want." With these being the last words of that night, he used me roughly and I couldn't stop him. I was humiliated, and I cried to think that I hadn't listened to Ceri.
I awoke to soft voices in the room, one of which was masculine. They were laughing, and I recognized one as Ceri's. I heard the door open and Ceri laughing softly, then silence. I opened my eyes and rolled over in the bed, which was a bad idea. Pain seared through my body and darkened my vision. I lay still for a while until the pain went, then carefully sat up and put my feet on the floor. I pulled my dressing gown from the chair and put it around me, not bothering to tie it. I stood up and looked around, aware of my aching body. I went to the full-length mirror and looked at myself. I looked abused, and I had been. My hair was tangled and stringy, my left cheek had a large brown bruise, dry blood at the corner of my mouth made me look like a vampire, and the bruises on my neck only emphasized the fact. I had bruises on my chest and stomach as well, and my hipbones were bruised too. Tears stung my eyes and I went to my bed, laying down and crying. Why hadn't I listened to Ceri? I was so stupid. I looked at my clock and saw that classes would start soon. I didn't care. I wasn't going. How could I with this face? I washed the blood and tears from my skin and tied my gown, pulling my hair back in a ponytail. I spent most of the day sitting on my bed, reading, stroking Nalini, and playing with the small rabbit Oliver had given me the day before. It seemed as though it had been a week since then. I had been so happy, and now I was hurt. I hadn't eaten anything all day, and it was suppertime. I got up and got dressed, trying to conceal the bruise on my face with some makeup. I kept my hair down so it would fall over my cheek and started downstairs carefully. My body still hurt like hell. I walked slowly to the great hall and went to where Ceri was, sitting down opposite her silently. She looked at me, surprised to see me and realizing something was wrong. I shook my head. I didn't say anything through supper, but I was aware of Draco watching me. I didn't turn to look at him. I couldn't. I never wanted to see the bastard again. Supper ended and I told Ceri to meet me back in the dorm. I walked out to the walkway in the courtyard when I heard footsteps following me. I turned abruptly and saw it was Oliver. He reached out to touch my face but I flinched and stepped away.
"Kara...what happened?" He said urgently. "Why weren't you in class today?"
"I didn't feel good." turning my bruised cheek away from him. The torches in the path illuminated our faces eerily.
"What happened last night? It was Malfoy, I know." He put his hands on my shoulders gently and I cringed but didn't pull away. I didn't say anything. "Kara, you have to tell me." "I can't..." I said quietly. "Kara, by saying that you're making me think the worst!" I looked up at him. "What would you do if the worst was true?" I whispered. His lips parted and he shook his head slightly, dropping his arms to his sides.
"Kara, please tell me he didn't..."
I nodded as tears slid down my cheeks. He stepped back and turned to the wall, leaning his forehead against it and slamming his fist on it. I watched him as he stood there, eyes closed.
"Oliver..." I started softly, stepping a little closer to him.
"Jesus, Kara..." he whispered to the wall.
"Oliver...don't." I said, sniffing. He pulled back from the wall and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry, Kara. I'm sorry." he said quietly.
"For what? You didn't do anything."
"Exactly." he said, looking at me. Tears glistened on his cheeks. "I said I wouldn't let him hurt you. And I did. He hurt you...and it's my fault..." he looked away from me.
"Oliver, it's not your fault! How could it be?"
"Don't you see? If I hadn't brought you to the courtyard last night it wouldn't have happened. If I'd been more careful I could have protected you." He pulled the withered daffodil from a pocket and looked at it.
"No, Oliver..." I stepped up to him and put a hand on his cheek.
"He would have found a way anyhow. Once he sets his mind to something, he does it. It would have happened anyway." He covered my hand with his and held it.
"It's not your fault. Oliver, please understand that."
He looked at me and put his hand on the side of my neck. I reached up and wiped the tears from his face and smiled at him. He bent down and pressed his lips to mine, holding my shoulders with his hands. I panicked and pulled away quickly, hugging my arms to my chest and bending my head down, squeezing my eyes tightly shut. I was ashamed. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, I just couldn't bear to be touched.
"I'm sorry." he whispered, gently pushing some hair out of my face.
I swallowed and looked up at him.
"I wouldn't hurt you for the world." he said. I put my head on his shoulder and pressed myself into him, telling myself to calm down as he put his arms around me and held me gently. He chuckled a little and looked at me.
"Not for the World Cup." He smiled. I laughed slightly and put my hand on the back of his neck. He kissed me softly and I let him, my fears gone, as I felt safe in his arms.