Disclaimer: Do I really have to say it? Come on- I thought you would have caught on by now

Author's note: Okay, I know I sort of cut it short last time, but at least you found out that Gwen was Harry's true love. Who woulda thought, huh? Well, let's get this thing rolling…

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Gwen's Fiancée

Harry looked up at Gwen. She had opened the portal behind the bookcase and was now putting vials, bottles, and bowls on a silver tray, and she carried it over to the bed. Quickly regaining his cool, Harry spoke. "So-So we're going to share- a room?" He asked. He had been going to finish the question "share a bed," but changed his mind last second. "It seems that way," she said airily, sorting out the different toxins and medicines.

"You don't seem to mind much, considering that not long ago you were afraid to let me see what our nose and chin looked like."

"I wasn't afraid, Harry. It just wasn't allowed. Now, down to business," she added, pushing Harry down to the mattress and pinning him there. Recently, he had been daydreaming about just this sort of thing. Around this point, things started to get a little naughty. After looking at him intensely for a moment, Gwen stripped off her nightgown and did a sexy strip tease in her underwear- at least, that's the way in happened in Harry's imagination while he was dawdling in History of Magic. In reality, Gwen fed him several potions, bandaged up the worst of his wounds, and pressed a cool rag to his bruises and cuts. I really banged myself up there, didn't I? Harry thought. But one look at Gwen told him it was worth it.

The princess told him to turn over, so he lay on his stomach. It felt much better. "You're back is in absolute knots, Harry," she remarked. "It feels like it," he responded. Surprisingly, Gwen straddled him, her rear sitting just above Harry's ((Their butts are touching!)), and she started to give him a back massage. Harry thought back to the sequence of events that brought him to where he was and remembered the comment Malfoy had made, about his and Gwen's parents being friends. He desperately wanted to ask, but he was afraid to be too straightforward, so he decided to approach the subject lightly.

"What are your parents like, Gwen?"

"Oh, they were wonderful, beautiful people. Some say that their reign was the best and most productive yet. Some day, I hope I can rule like they did," she answered, her voice full of rapture.

"And where do the Malfoys come in?"

"Oh, that was the quick and unrelenting decision of my uncle," she said bitterly, "A while back, my country was in peril, so my uncle- without my parent's knowledge or permission- sent word throughout the magical world that whoever could produce the funds to prevent to government from going bankrupt would receive a girl of royal birth in return."

"He sold his daughter to a stranger?"

"My uncle- He- doesn't have…a daughter."

"Then who-" Harry halted, fearing what was to come. Gwen squared her shoulders and plowed on with her story, even though it was obvious that it pained her greatly to keep speaking.

"The Malfoys stepped forward and offered their dirty money, and my uncle took it without hesitation. After the country was out of danger, they demanded their repayment, but my uncle could not find anyone willing to give up their child…. He knew I was not his to give…"

"He gave you?" Harry asked breathlessly.

"Yes," she choked out, "I was but a year old, and Lucius Malfoy said that since I was not old enough to work for him, he would give me to his two-year-old baby boy…"

"You- you're-" Harry uttered brokenly.

"When Draco grew older and understood what this meant, he said he wanted to marry me. There was nothing my parents could do, so they were forced to draw up the agreements…"

He felt dizzy and short of breath. It was all falling into place- why Malfoy had acted so casually with Gwen- they had known each other practically since birth- why Malfoy had tried to make Gwen be his pariah- Gwen was basically his servant. Harry hated to think of what could have happened if he hadn't been there to stop him. But it also explained why Gwen always called Malfoy "Draco"…A memory flashed by his eyes…Something Gwen had said once, long ago…

"You don't have to call me 'master'"

She smiled. "As you wish Mr. Potter,"

"No, I mean you can call me 'Harry', if you like,"

"No, I may not. I can only call my fiancée by his first name. So since you and I are most certainly not engaged, I could not call you 'Harry', even if I wanted to…"

Harry snapped back to reality, and turned his gaze to the princess. Gwen looked at Harry with tears streaming freely down her face.

"Draco Malfoy is my fiancé, Harry."

My Two Cents: AHHHHH! I'm so TOTALLY surprised! No, really, I'm not, but I hope you are, though. I really wanted it to be a surprise, though I'm sure a few of you sort of guessed it early on. Doesn't it all just click into place though? You think back and you go "Oh, yeaaahhhh..."

Now- a pariah is usually a manservant, but in special cases, it can be a girl. The difference is that a female pariah is forced to be a certain person's pariah for a certain amount of time, and after the allotted time has passed, she returns to her everyday life; a male pariah is a pariah all of the time, day in and day out, but he is not forced. He can quit whenever he wants. Also, he serves an entire household, not just a single person. A pariah's job is to do anything that is asked of them without question, and they must never refuse, or they could be severely punished. There are unwritten rules about what a person is allowed to tell a pariah to do, and one of the top no-no's is anything sexual. But of course, our Mister Malfoy really doesn't give a damn, does he?

Gwen is only his pariah on the third Sunday of the month, and only if there is a full moon. That really slims it down, but it happens. On those occasions, Gwen hides from him or takes a trip or something, and she has successfully dodged him for seventeen years. I don't care what you say, but that takes serious skills.

Wow, I talk a lot.

Anyway, THANKS SO MUCH, MISTY PIXIE! It feels SOOO good to get a new reviewer, and I hope I answered your question. As always, a big shout-out to WENCY, who is always a loyal follower of my measly little story. As well as QUEMONTGOMERY"SBIGGESTFAN- I love you girlie! And your penname, too!

NEXT CHAPTER: How will Harry react to this news? Will he demand that she choose between him and Malfoy? Will he insist she leave the country so Malfoy can't marry her? Will he be so heart broken and feel so helpless that he turns Gwen away and act like he doesn't like her anymore? WILL HE KILL HIMSELF? Find out soon- but review first!