A/N: Amazing! Perhaps you people ought to encourage me to pay less attention at school, because the less attention I pay, the more gets written, and the faster it gets written! Aren't you happy? Two chapters within two weeks of each other! Be proud of me.
The next morning I rolled out of bed and completed my toilette before going down to the Great Hall. Pansy studiously avoided me, for which service I was extremely grateful. The last thing I felt like doing was dealing with her shit.
The day went as usual. From breakfast I went to class, from class I went to lunch. Lunch brought on a spot of Quidditch practice, followed by more classes. From there I went to my room and did my homework, then went once again to the pitch to practice. Sweaty and tired, I dragged myself back to my rooms for some pampering.
I turned the taps of my bath and had stripped off my shirt and kicked off my shoes when I heard a feeble knock on the door. Grumbling to myself and thinking Pansy had come back, I didn't bother to put my shirt back on, my pale, muscled chest exposed to view as I opened the door. "What do you want?" I growled, only to have Ginny fall into my arms. "What the fuck?" I mumbled, as it all came clear. My Mark burned. "Fuck!" I repeated, with more conviction, guiding Ginny into a chair and retreating to the bathroom to stop the tub filling. I pulled on a fresh shirt and my robes, shoving my feet into my shoes, scooping Ginny up without thought, and carrying her shaking body down into the direct passage that opened onto my rooms. I was already tired and strained, and Ginny's dead weight was no help, serving only to slow me down and hinder my progress.
The slower that I went, the longer it took me to arrive at our meeting place, and the more agonizing my Mark became. Now I felt almost half-blinded by the pain, staggering through the dampness of the tunnel with my burden. At last I burst through the trap door, and managed to get us to out meeting spot. The ache in my arm subsided, and I spoke gently to Ginny, waking her from her pained unconsciousness. This was the most contact we'd had in weeks; my heart longed for it to have been under less dangerous circumstances.
When she woke, we both took our places. The others were still arriving, leaving me to muse on how exhausted I felt. I longed for the coolness of water on my hot skin and down my throat, quenching my thirst.
Voldemort emerged into the circle, his serpentine face beaming grotesquely at Ginny. It made my fingers itch to slap his face, but I clenched my fists by my sides in silence, my eyes burning out from beneath my mask. I was suddenly grateful for the substance that divided my face from the world. It hid my displeased, quasi-angry expression from the Dark Lord. It kept me from suspicion, and from almost certain death.
As Voldemort circled Ginny, his voice rasped through my ears, causing my rage to double. The fact that he was trying to sweet talk her and possess her with words only served to triple it. I felt like I was shaking with fury, anger pulsing white-hot behind my eyes, giving me a fearsome headache.
At last he turned to other business and I felt the hatred dissolving. His occupation with real matters gave me time to cool off, though I was still hot and sweaty, my skin itching from the salty damp. I didn't dare scratch, though, for the action would draw attention to me.
Finally the meeting came to a close, allowing me to leave the circle. I went back to the castle the long way, using my wand to temporarily transfigure my Death Eater robes into school clothes in case anyone saw me.
I made my way to the lake, intending to cool off. I hadn't had the patience to go all the way to my room for a hot shower, not when there was a cool bath so much closer.
It briefly occurred to me that I could transfigure my robes into a swimsuit, but I wasn't really worried. After all, who would be out at such an hour to see? So, without concern, I stripped, my clothes falling to the ground, leaving me totally bare.
The gentle breeze caressed my damp skin, bringing me goose bumps as I approached the edge of the lake. I stretched a bit, and slowly entered the chilly water of the lake, the moon's rays gilding my body with silver. As I slid beneath the surface, I felt as if all of my discomforts—all of my problems—were being washed away with all of the unpleasant leavings of the evening. I was finally at rest.
--- --- ---
I left the meeting feeling dirty and used, wanting to erase Voldemort's degrading caresses with someone else's touches. I didn't know how to find the shortcut to Draco's rooms, so I was left on my own to try and sneak back to the castle.
The forest was empty and imposing, filled with sinister shadows that frightened me. I slipped among the trees in silence, pulling my robes close around myself. It was dark, and I was afraid—but I could see a spot of light in the distance, and I hurried on through the darkness, heading for the light. At last I burst from the trees; what I saw made me gasp in surprise.
There stood Draco by the edge of the lake, not too far from where I had broken from the cover of the forest. This in itself wouldn't have been odd—but he was naked. Naked as the day he was born! I blinked and covered my mouth with one hand to stifle my gasp, frozen in shock. The moon shone down upon his nudity, sculpting his body out of silk and silver. I'd never really noticed before, but now I could see every line of his frame, his angularity dissolved by the gentle curves of muscles I hadn't ever taken note of. I felt like I had no right to watch him, he was so beautiful. It was as if some ancient god had jumped out of the history books into this world—a deity playing at being human, having chosen the best of the best for his body, which rippled with muscle covered with skin of pale marble. For an instant, I wished that I possessed Colin Creevey's camera, so that I might capture this breathtaking moment for all eternity.
But I had no camera, so I watched instead as he slipped into the lake, his beauty contained by its frigid waters.
A sigh escaped my lips as I leaned back against the nearest tree, my dark robes blending me in with the shadows of the forest, providing me with adequate camouflage so that I might remain gaping at Draco, a lone voyeur.
I was content to watch him as he swam a few laps of the lake in silence; only the rough bark of the tree behind me digging into my palms kept me feeling attached to this world. I felt like I was intruding, and I wished to leave Draco's ethereality to the night—but my feet would not move me. I was stuck fast, fascinated. None of my senses were working but sight; I didn't hear my attacker until he was upon me.
--- --- ---
My calming dip was shattered when I felt the blaring of Ginny's charm in my head. She was nearby, and in grave danger—I had to get to her!
I scrambled out of the water in a frenzy, heedless of my nudity, all of the frustration I'd felt during the evening re-emerging in one grand exodus. Without thought, I rushed towards the trees, hurrying through the forest to Ginny's aid.
By the time I'd arrive, I'd earned myself several scratches, the bright crimson of my blood contrasting greatly with the creamy paleness of my skin.
I jumped Ginny's attacker without delay, my fists flying and my rage building. I pummeled the man relentlessly, landing punch after punch to him. I didn't even know what he'd done to her, but my anger was fueling me, driving me at this stranger.
That same white-hot rage I'd felt to begin with had returned, clouding up my sight but not impeding the beating I was still giving this man.
When at last he fell unconscious, I face him a disgusted kick to the stomach. Only then did I recall that I was naked. And Ginny was staring, rapt. "You alright?" I asked, attempting to break the spell. Without giving it a thought, I muttered, "Accio clothes." And they came fairly quickly.
But I hadn't used my wand.
Beta's Note: She wasn't lying when she said that it was two chapters within two weeks. I'm just lazy, and then I got busy, oddly enough. So...blame me for its lateness.