A Broken Rose

Draco was just entering his first class of the day when he felt it. A sharp pain across his heart, the impression that a candle had just been snuffed out in his mind. Then the dizziness came, and he didn't even have mind enough to snap bitterly at a first year who had just brushed rudely past him. He groped around for something to hold onto, but then he remembered he was in the middle of a hall, and that the only things close enough to hold onto were people-students. He looked around desperately, not wanting to collaspe, as he knew he was going to, in the middle of a hall.

The only place seemingly close enough-and discreet enough- for him to run to was the library, so, trying to ignore the dizziness, he stumbled past and into people, making his unsteady way to the library. He had just reached the entrance to the library, when he teetered dangerously on the edge of falling on his face. Instead, he fell to his knees, alerting the immiediate attention of Madame Pince, who, though she was not known for her running skills, flew to his aide. "Mr. Malfoy?" she asked urgently, "Mr Malfoy? Mr Malfoy can you hear me?"

But Draco couldn't. His ears felt like they had been stuffed with cotton, and he was seeing double. Nonetheless, he managed to murmur out a would, before his world went cold..."Ginny..."

----------

Ginny woke in the Hospital Wing, every part of her body feeling like lead. She blinked her eyes open to see Ron looming over her, a concerned look on his face. She could make out Harry and Hermione in the background, but only just. "Ow," she said, as her head began to throb in a steady rhythm.

"Oh, Gin!" Ron said, a hint of relief evident in his heavy voice, "You had me so worried..." 'And blah, blah, blah,' she thought, clutching at her head feebly, with arms that were clumsy.

"How did I get here?" she muttered, cutting Ron off in the middle of some lecture he was about to start on. She didn't remember anything but blackness. Pure, sheer blackness.

At this question Ron's eyes narrowed uncertainly. "Its a long story, actually. I won't plague your tired mind with it-"

"Tell me," Ginny's voice was harsh and cold, more so than it had ever been. She felt like crying, for, not only were her limbs stiff as stones, but she could not, under any circumstances, feel her guardian angel's reassuring presence. Where was he?

Ron was surprised by Ginny's relentlessness, and he chewed on the inside of his lip unsurely. "They say McGonagal found you, after a report from Pince that-well- uh, Malfoy had uttered your name before, also, becoming unconsious. I'm sure, of course, there had to be a mis-"

"Malfoy?" Ginny's voice became worried, "What about Malfoy?" Her heart began to beat ten times its normal pace, hitting her rib cage alost painfully. And, as if her heart had triggered some button in her mind, she remembered...

"Stop! Please stop," she had screamed, but Tom hadn't listened. He was holding a whip, a cruel smirk on his face. With a cold roar, he hit her with it, the leather slapping her skin and leaving a red mark. She cried out at the contact, but he didn't stop there. He continued his horrible assualt, hitting with his whip any piece of exposed skin he could find, discluding her face.

"Canniving bitch," he spat, "How dare you defy me? Mhm? I thought you understood, first, I thought you understood that I didn't want you around that Malfoy bastard, that I didn't want you to think about him, and-and-" Another sharp whiplash was delivered to her skin, and Ginny screamed in pain as blood began to trickle out like crimson tears. "Loving him. How could you love him when all he has done for you is hate you, and insult your family? He doesn't love you, bitch. He doesn't want you, or need you. He just wanted a good snog-- one you couldn't even give him! See how worthless you are? You're lucky to have some one like me look after you!"

And Ginny had continued to cry, and to listen to his cold insults, each one leaving a mark on her heart, just as the whip was leaving marks on her body. Tom seemed to continue on the assualt forever, but finally, he stopped, smiling with hate in every inch of his eyes. Ginny, by now, was a bloody, beaten pulp. "Now, love," he had said tenderly, "You'll know not to defy me again, right?" He expected an answer, but Ginny refused to give it to him. She let her mind wander to Malfoy, and the way he had almost kissed her, his scent, and his broad shoulders...and that spot right behind his neck...

...And then it had stopped...

Ginny opened her eyes, not realizing she had ever closed them. The Hospital Wing was dark now, and Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't there any more. She could see a shadow of Madame Pomfrey moving in her office, but all else was vague. She sat up stiffly, looking at her hands and shoulders, and crying out when she saw the red bruises that graced them. So it was real. Tom had come to her, and hurt her.

But what had he done to Malfoy?

Ginny remembered what Ron had told her earlier. That technically made Malfoy the one who had saved her. But where was he now? And why had he blacked out? Ginny shivered, but felt no comforting force come back to her. So he was gone, then, her guardian angel. Tom had killed him.

But what had he done to Malfoy?

The question seemed to haunt her. Malfoy. So, did that mean, the fact that he had saved her, that he loved her back? Did it? Ginny lay her head back on the bed head tiredly, her eyes whelling up with tears as she observed the darkness. There was nothing for her any more. Even Ron hadn't stayed. No one loved her. Maybe Tom was right...

But then she heard it. A moan coming from one of the neighbouring beds to her right. She strained her eyes to make out what had issued the noise, and to her surprise she saw a slumped figure trying to get its bedside lamp on. She squinted a bit more, but still any actual features evaded her. "Who's there?" she called, timidly.

The figure paused, and Ginny felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead. "Ginny?" it called hoarsely.

Ginny recognized the voice at once. There was no mistaking it. "Draco," she answered, feeling a smile tug at her lips, however forelorn she may have been feeling at that moment. "Oh my god, Draco," to her surprise her voice broke and she erupted into tears that racked her whole body.

"Gin," Draco said again, his voice worried, "I'm coming over there." And he did come. He came, and as soon as he reached, he pulled her into a tight hug, and Ginny pulled him down into the bed next to her. Oh, it didn't matter any more! she thought as she felt more tears gather in her eyes, it didn't matter that she knew Tom would kill her next time. It just didn't.

"I love you," Ginny sobbed into his shoulder, "I don't know when, or how, but, Draco, I love you."

And she felt his arms hold her ever so tighter, and he whispered into her ear, "I love you, too."

And Ginny didn't care, in that moment, that she couldn't find her guardian angel. In fact, she thought she had found him. And, right then, she was in his arms.

Author's Note: Yey!! Got that off my chest. Wait till you people see what I have planned in the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to update, but I've been having problems with the assholes of teachers in my school. ::Rollz eyez:: Doesn't matter. Review, pretty please with a cherry on top.

PS: I'm going to try to warn you now...This story may have a dark ending...