Note: Flashbacks are not in order. Flashbacks and dreams are italicized. Some sexual content in this chapter. Children under 13 are not advised to read this.

Chapter 6: The Clearing in the Forest

Cho sang as she leaned into Draco.

"There lives a girl,

Deep in the forest out west.

There she dances and sings.

Her play seems witty.

Oh how I'd join her."

She yawned and closed her eyes as she fell on the bed.

"Should I make my move?" thought Draco to himself as he pretended to lovingly stroke her hair. They'd been lying on her bed for quite a while not saying anything. Draco thought she'd fallen asleep.

"It's perfect, she's asleep and everything! Plus, I won't feel guilty because she's not awake to slap me." Draco reached his hand closer, "Then again, who'd want to stop me? All the girls love me." Draco chuckled to himself and he stroked her face.

He stopped, "It's only the Slytherin girls though." Draco removed his hand, "What if they only love me because I'm rich and powerful? What if they don't really like me?" Thoughts poured into Draco's head, he'd never given much attention to not being liked for who he was. He just enjoyed being adored and drooled over.

She didn't fawn over him like all the other girls. Normally he just hated and ignored those girls. "Anyone who does not like you is not on your side and is therefore your enemy," whispered Draco.

"Maybe your enemy is yourself then," yawned Cho once more and she rolled over.

"That's," Draco yawned as he was getting tired too, "absurd."

------------------------------------------------------------------

The three of them couldn't look at each other at breakfast. Lucius finished without even touching his food and he left.

"I better be going too, have fun today you two." Mrs. Malfoy said as if she wasn't wishing them a good day at all.

Draco too got up and left. She was there all alone at the table.

Draco had the strangest dream the night he spent with Cho.

He walked through a clearing following a quiet singing voice.

"Together we can live

Forever our happiness will stay

I have but only my heart o give

Pray thee won't betray

Stay for always by my side

And in thee I'll confide

All my darkest desires"

Draco peeked through the many bushes and vines. Hiding behind the tree, he saw the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes upon. Her hair was silvery gold flowing down to her waist. Her skin glowed as the moonlight his it. She danced around and her dressed waved around at her feet.

She continued singing,

"Running fast through a fairy tale
Dark woods; starless night
Feel cold air in my lungs
Full moon, you follow me-you say
'Why do hearts so often stray?'
You pierce me like an arrow
Beneath the blanket of night
Longing for flight."

Suddenly he noticed she stopped. She came to him, "Why are you lonely boy?"

Draco was slightly embarrassed that she caught him staring. He was a little more annoyed that someone accused him of being lonely.

"Lonely? Are you kidding me? I've got plenty of girls fawning over me." smirked Draco.

"You are alone," she smiled and her eyes twinkled, "I'm alone too."

She was about to turn and continue her dancing when Draco stopped her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "I'm alone?" he asked angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about!?"

She smiled contently, "But I am alone too." Draco had let his grip go and she twirled, "We can be alone together."

"You're mad, that's what you are!" shouted Draco.

"Then you must be mad for having this dream," she stopped and stared at him.

"Dreams tell you everything," and with that she continued singing and dancing.

"When you fall into me
It feels so sweet, like dreaming
Press yourself into me
Let me feel your breathing
There's a voice in your heart
Softly calling
Come to me you will see, just give in."

Draco woke up with a throbbing headache. He covered his face with his hands. The pressure relieved his pain momentarily.

He was back in his own room. He had left sometime near dawn, but he couldn't remember all the events of that night.

------------------------------------------------------------------

She sat on the ground, her head on a rock crying. She had to leave her home and return to the forest. She'd no longer see Mr. Westchester or get to hold the children and kiss them good night.

"There, there," he calmly said as he stroked her fine silvery hair.

"Oh Julius," she wept as she hugged him.

"I know he must've hurt you," he held her chin, "but I'll never desert you." He passionately kissed her cheek.

"I loved him," she said hoarsely through her tears.

It aggravated Julius to hear her say she loved another. "I've loved you from the moment I saw you and I've loved you longer than he has or ever will." He paused and looked at her with eyes only for her. "I will continue to love you," he kissed her mouth this time.

It felt awkward having his tongue in her mouth. She felt nothing for him at all, but she yearned for the feeling of someone wanting her. It'd been so long since she felt the embrace of someone who loved her and the passionate kiss of someone who desired her.

She knew Mr. Westchester would never love her the way she wanted, so she gave herself to Julius.

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GIVE YOURSELF TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T EVEN LOVE," he shouted, "YOU SHOULD BE WITH THE ONE YOU TRULY LOVE. DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR LIFE BECAUSE YOU'RE ALONE!"

It was Draco, his voice interrupted her and she returned to reality. Draco was no where to be seen. She was alone again. She woke from a long night. So many memories were rekindled last night; she hoped Draco hadn't had the visions too. If he did he too would know her secret.

She got out of bed and saw that her shirt had been unbuttoned and she wasn't wearing any pants or underwear at that. Confused she walked over to the locked door and turned the handle.

"Still locked," she strained and she pulled as hard as she could.

------------------------------------------------------------------

It'd been a day or two since she last saw Draco. She looked around the corner to make sure no one was there. She didn't want anyone to see her. She looked around again. On the other side of Draco's door appeared a leaf. Slowly the leaf moved and in slid the vine. She was in his room now, it still smelled faintly of flowers.

He stroked her face. They stared at each other smiling. She couldn't bring herself to smile but she did. He smelled sweetly of daffodils and lilies, a scent she always remembered. His smile turned into a smirk and he looked at her laying there in nothing but a sheet. With his finger he moved the sheet so he could see more of her.

"Did I hurt you last time?" he said as he fingered the scar just below her left shoulder.

She flinched as his cold fingertips touched her. He was nearing closer to the sore and she quickly stopped him, her hand holding his just above the scar.

"Don't," she said quietly.

He kissed her forehead. Julius rolled over and was now on top of her again. Her breathing got heavy and she was nervous again.

"I'm sorry I hurt you love," he said as he leaned forward and kissed her neck.

She looked in the mirror and saw herself for the first time in about a decade. It was like looking at a stranger. She touched her hair and her face. She almost cried. It'd been so long since she was herself. She always had to pretend she was someone else. She looked at her scar. She couldn't believe it was still there.

It was the first time she returned 'home'. Everyone was excited and buzzing about. The winter ball was going to be the best they had for a while.

Julius stood outside near the entrance leaning against a tree. He was hoping she'd be there. He wanted to hold her again. He wanted to smell the sweet strawberry scent of her hair. He wanted to lay kisses all over her soft skin. He promised himself he wouldn't mess up this time. He would make her his at all costs.

"This is the Clearing?" gasped Faith's date. She smiled and giggled, "Yes."

"It's amazing," he said still amazed.

Past the wall of trees there lay a hidden place only the nymphs and satyrs knew of. It was a magnificent place. It glowed and glittered in the evening. The castle was a site to behold. There were flowers and plants of all kinds growing everywhere. Some even turned to people. Mr. Westchester rubbed his eyes, "They're nymphs!" He was amazed; he'd never seen nymphs reveal themselves.

The coupled walked towards the castle. A man, no, satyr caught Faith's eye. There beside a tree was a satyr finely dressed and obviously the handsomest satyr in all the Clearing.

"Julius," said Faith as she stopped. "Who?" said her confused date.

"Eleanor," he grinned as he walked out from under the shadow of the tree. "How nice of you to come back and join us on our most festive holiday."

Julius walked closer. He took her hand and kissed it. He looked up and then glared at the person standing next to her who he'd never seen.

"And this is?" he asked as he raised his right eyebrow.

"This is my date." she said and quickly lead Mr. Westchester into the castle.

There was a dirty look on Julius's face. He didn't like this strange man Faith was with. He turned around and punched the tree. The bark was so rough and his punch was so hard that his knuckles started to bleed. He removed his hand and blood started to dripped from his palm.

"I shall bleed for you no more," he said as he licked his wound sensuously. "You will be mine." he whispered as he walked into the castle.

She gingerly touched her wound; it'd been forever and still hadn't healed. She felt stupid for having wanted more.

Nymphs, apart from being gifted magically, were quite endowed. It soon became clear to housewives that nymphs weren't such a good thing to have around after all. Men gawked and whistled as a nymph would walk by. Even around satyrs were gorgeous, but even knowing the pains of being beautiful didn't stop them from taking advantage of nymphs.

Faith wanted something other than lust. She wanted actual feeling – something she'd never gotten.

Julius was able to catch Faith alone after the ball. He brought her to a deserted part of the Clearing.

"No Julius," she gasped as he started pawing at her and kissing her furiously. "Please," she shrieked, "stop!" It only encouraged him to go even further. He ripped the top of her dress and started touching her. It was then that she slapped him.

"I said NO," she shouted as she gathered her dress and held it to cover herself.

She started running back to the castle when she was stopped by Julius's sword.

"I'd do it, you know," he said wiping the spit off his mouth. "If you go to him, I'll slit your throat."

Her heart beating fast, it was getting hard for her to breathe. The tip of his sword was just about touching her throat.

"You wouldn't," she gulped and the tip punctured her skin but a little. A drop of blood started to come and she continued, "You love me too much, and you know it."

Julius growled, he wasn't backing off at all. Faith moved forward towards the blade and Julius backed off.

"Damn you," he cursed under his breath. He sighed and took a step back.

"I'm sorry," said Faith as she reached her hand to touch his face, but she was stopped. Julius swung his sword and pushed it deep into Faith's flesh. The sword almost broke her collar bone, but missed. Faith stumbled backwards and almost fell but caught her balance just in time before she fell.

Julius took out his sword dripping with Faith's blood and placed it back in it holder. He looked at her one last time and walked off beyond the Clearing.

Faith clutched her bleeding wound with her right hand. She could feel no pain. Faith sat down near a tree; her breathing returned to normal. She let go of her shoulder and held out her hand looking at the blood dripping from her fingertips.

Her dress and everything now ruined, she didn't want to go back.

Her hand reached forward to touch her image in the mirror. Her hand retracted back as the bathroom door's handle began to rattle. Someone was coming in!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: This chapter was a bout 6 pages long, about 2 pages longer than my average chapter. There was more I wanted to write, but I decided to save it all for next chapter, wouldn't want all the juicy stuff to be in one chapter and then everything else dry. So Cho/Faith has no more leaves, she's returned to her original form as a nymph. She had more flashbacks about before and her scar and such. Somehow Draco was sucked into one of her memories, er wait, not sucked but um, brought into? Oh and in the beginning when Draco was gonna take advantage over her. Did he? Well, Draco did interrupt her when she was having that dream about her and Julius. Maybe they're like sleepwalkers and acted out her dream. AHH, yea, that's what I was trying to get across. ducks from rocks being heaved at her I hope my friends don't think I'm weird or uh perverted or whatever. dies

Next Chapter: Who could it be opening the door? What is Faith going to do now? She can't let that person see her as a nymph because then her world will be exposed.

Thanks again to Bubble and Joya for reviewing!