Quick A.N. I know some of the spells and such I have portrayed in this story prolly wouldn't be allowed by the students.. then again, we never REALLY know what goes on behind closed castles, mwuahaha! lol..

x-x-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Two

The Devil's Deal

Once everyone was permitted back to their dorms, Usagi walked with Hermione back to their room.

"Usagi, what's wrong? You're really pale and extremely quiet," Hermione said worriedly. Usagi plastered a smile and waved her hand nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about. You worry to much, Hermione! I'm only pale because I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and I'm only quiet 'cause I was thinking about something," she said. This was, in fact, partly true.

Hermione looked at her suspiciously but decided to drop the matter. The two girls quickly changed into their robes and headed down to the Great Hall.

Usagi stared at her food idly, deep in thought. 'I'm such a baka! I practically made a deal with the devil! Kuso, this is terrible..' She stole a glance at the Slytherin table. 'But…at least Crabbe is alright..'

Someone placed a hand upon her shoulder, and she jumped quite startled. "S-sorry Usagi," Harry said sheepishly. "Are you alright?" he questioned, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm…I'm fine.." Usagi answered distantly. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were her best friends from Gryffindor. Maybe she should tell them…

"Hey Usagi, are you excited about the holidays?" Ron asked. Usagi smiled sadly. "My parents are away on an exclusive business trip. They've been looking forward to it forever. They're gong to be away for several months."

Ron sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that, Usagi," he said softly.

The blonde smiled and shook her head. "S'okay, I don't mind. Harry'll keep my company, ne?" she said with a grin.

Harry laughed and smiled warmly, nodding with a contained happiness at her words. "Of course."

Breakfast continued happily, and Usagi momentarily forgot about her problem at hand…

…Until it was horribly re-evoked.

"So Weasely, are you going home for the break, or can your parents not afford it?" sneered a voice from behind Usagi.

The blonde girl's eyes widened as Ron turned around to face the source of the voice. "At least I'm WANTED at my home, Malfoy," he growled back.

The infamous Slytherin smirked. "As a matter of fact, I'm going home for the break," he said coolly.

This surprised (not nonetheless pleased) them all, as Malfoy's parents were undoubtedly rather "busy" in affairs, more than likely concerning Voldemort as far as they were sure. "Oh, what a pity," Harry muttered sarcastically.

Malfoy leaned across the table slowly. "Isn't it?" he said drawly. As he said that, the hand that was on the table opened, and then closed. "See you losers later," he sneered before walking back to his table.

Usagi's sigh of relief turned into a gasp of horror as she looked at her lap. There it was, a neatly folded piece of paper. Shakily, she picked it up. On the front in bold printed letters were the words "DO NOT SHOW TO ANYONE ELSE."

Usagi gulped nervously and slowly opened it under the table. She brought the unfolded paper to her lap, trying to keep it out of view from Ron who was sitting next to her. Luckily, he was in a conversation with Harry and Hermione, who were sitting across from them.

Usagi paled considerably as she read the scrawly handwriting on the note. She silently read the note, her heartbeat accelerating with each word:

'Usagi, I'm sure you'll be quite pleased to know I have figured out what it is I want from you. Meet me in the front of the Great Hall at 9:00 tonight. Alone. Once there, I'll tell you what you will be required to do. ..Draco Malfoy..'

Usagi stared at the note, her hands trembling horribly. Finally, she folded up the note and stuck it into her pocket. Looking down at the food in front of her, she realized she had quite horribly lost her appetite. 'First time for everything,' she mused dully.

Harry glanced at the blonde. "Anything wrong, Usagi? You look quite perplexed," he said worriedly, snapping her out of her troubled thoughts. She plastered a smile hurriedly. "N-nothing's wrong, nothing at all," she said quickly. Too quickly. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Usagi, you're even paler than before. Please, tell us what's wrong, we're your friends," she said desperately. Usagi shook her head. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, I wish I could tell you," she cried. With that, she rose from her seat quickly and ran out of the Great Hall.

In her haste, however, the small folded sheet of paper fell out of her pocket. Ron glanced at it curiously as he bent down and picked it up. He immediately saw the bold letters and became even more curious.

"Ron, what's that?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged. "It fell out of Usagi's robes when she left," he began. "It says 'do not show to anyone else'. This might be what's bothering Usagi," he exclaimed. "Should I open it?" he asked, uncertain.

Harry and Hermione both nodded. Slowly, he began to carefully unfold the note. He read it aloud to them quietly. When he finished, Hermione gasped. "I wonder what's going on, what could Malfoy possibly want from Usagi?" Harry frowned, but an idea formed in his head.

"I don't think we should tell Usagi we know about the note just yet. It's obvious she didn't want us to know. I say the three of us use the Invisibility Cloak and go there tonight," he said.

Hermione frowned. "Maybe it would be better if we were just honest with her," she said. "She is our best friend after all. I mean, she'd understand."

x-x-x-

"You did what!" Usagi shrieked. Other Gryffindors glanced at her and frowned. Usagi tried to keep her voice lowered. "How could you?" she whispered harshly. "Did you not see the words "do not let anyone else see"? God, if he finds out….please do me a favor," she said to Harry. Hermione and Ron had their heads lowered in shame.

"What would you like me to do?" Harry asked. Usagi leaned forward. "Firstly, promise me you wont tell anyone about the note or what's going to happen tonight," she said. Harry nodded. "Alright, I promise." Usagi paused, then continued.

"I can't believe you even considered doing this…Second, give me your Invisibility Cloak. Just for tonight." Harry frowned. He had figured it a good idea to accompany her in secret to make sure nothing bad happened..

"Usagi," he began, but she silenced him by putting up her hand. "No. Harry, please just do me this favor." Harry sighed and glanced at her. "All…alright," he said with a sigh of defeat.

"Thank you," she said curtly with a nod. Seeing the way they looked at her with such worry, Usagi smiled loosely at them. "Daijoubu! I'll be fine. Everything will be okay..I promise," she said, though the way she said it seemed as if she was more so trying to convince herself. "Well…I still have to finish my Potions homework," she said with a sigh. "Harry, can you give me the cloak now?"

Harry sighed and nodded. Standing up, the four of them went to the Gryffindor fourth year quarters. Harry went into his dorm room and quickly retrieved his Invisibility Cloak. Reluctantly, he handed it over to her. Usagi smiled briskly and went into her dorm room so she could finish her Potions assignment before the meeting.

Nine o'clock came quicker than Usagi would have liked. She shivered as she waited for him to arrive. "Ugh, he's late," she muttered, shifting uncomfortably on her feet.

"And you're early," said a drawl voice. Usagi jumped, startled. "S-so, M-Malfoy, what do you want me to do?" she asked, trying to sound brave and unafraid. He merely smirked. "Well, you see, I've put a great deal of thought into it, as I'm sure you will come to appreciate. Crabbe, come here."

Out of the shadows, Crabbe emerged, his head lowered in shame. Usagi's eyes widened. Maybe…maybe Malfoy was going to let them stay friends! She waited anxiously.

"You see, I had to do a bit of.. careful planning," he began. "So, here it is. I want Crabbe here while I tell you what you have to do. As you know, winter vacation is in less than a week, and I know your parents area way, so you were going to stay here."

Were? Usagi didn't like the sound of this… "Well, coincidentally, my parents are on a…business trip as well for quite a while. So, instead of staying here Gryffindor, you will go home..with me."

Usagi's eyes widened. "But..but.." she stammered desperately. "No buts," Malfoy said with a languid smile. "You will do whatever I say, whenever I say, and however I say, got it? Good."

Crabbe had his eyes narrowed at Malfoy. "I won't let you.."

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and his eyes brightened slightly. "I almost forgot! The second part.." He pulled out his wand. "I want you to suffer, Gryffindor." He pointed his wand at Crabbe and quickly muttered a few words before either of them had time to react.

"You hate ALL Gryffindors…you hate ALL Gryffindors," Malfoy muttered to Crabbe over and over again. Crabbe's eyes were slightly glazed and hazy. They flickered for a second before returning to normal.

"Malfoy, what are we doin' here, I don't really remember.." He glanced at Usagi and narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is SHE doing here?" he growled angrily.

Usagi looked at him, speechless. "You…you don't remember me?" she whispered.

Crabbe grunted. "Yeah, I remember you alright you filthy Gryffindor." Usagi turned her narrowed eyes to Malfoy. "What did you do to him?" she whispered harshly. Malfoy smirked. "Oh, nothing much..Anyways, you know what you have to do. I'll work out all the small problems of the plan."

Crabbe looked at Malfoy curiously. "Over the break, Usagi is going to go home with me to serve me." Crabbe smiled maliciously upon hearing this. "Excellent."

Tears watered in Usagi's eyes. Sure, the circumstances she was in were pretty bad, but now they were worse. "Damn you, Malfoy," she swore bitterly. Malfoy only smiled darkly. "Till then," he said with a wave of his hand.

Usagi pulled out the Invisibility cloak and proceeded back to her dorm. Flinging herself on her bed, she sobbed into her pillow. "Usagi," Hermione whispered. Usagi lifted her head. "Y-yes," she choked out.

"Can you..I mean, if you're alright..can you tell me what happened?" she asked softly, inching her way over to Usagi's bed in the dark. Usagi sat up and moved over so Hermione could sit down.

"I..I guess, it's…it's not that bad, right? I mean..Oh Hermione! It's awful!" she sobbed loudly. "Shh, not so loud, don't want to wake the others," Hermione said quietly. Usagi nodded and hiccupped. She then proceeded and told Hermione everything that had transpired. Hermione's eyes softened. "Oh, Usagi…" she gently embraced the distressed girl.

"It's alright, you'll be fine. Just don't go," she said simply. Usagi cried softly. "Oh Hermione, if only if were that simple.. I can't do that! He'd still kill Crabbe-kun, or hurt him really bad.. He may not remember me, but..he's still my friend." Usagi sniffled, trying to keep down her sobs. "I know what he'd do…He'd do what he did last night..Hurt Crabbe really bad and use a memory charm to make him forget it was he that did it," she whispered. "I won't let anything bad happen to him."

Hermione's eyes softened a great deal. "Usagi, your heart is far too big," she murmured. Usagi smiled weakly. "I'm really glad I told you everything, Hermione," she whispered brokenly. "Thank you for being here for me."

Hermione sighed. "I'm glad you told me as well. Are you going to tell Ron and Harry?" she asked. Usagi nodded. "I guess so. They have a right to know, I suppose. Well, good night Hermione…Sorry for keeping you awake and all," she whispered.

Hermione returned to her bed and smiled lightly. "It's no problem ever, Usagi.. G'nite."

Next chapter preview:

Things begin to pick up a bit next time. Usagi tells Ron and Harry of her situation and begins to feel a little better.. until, that is, it comes time for her to go back home with Draco! Arriving at the Malfoy's mansion, almost immediately Usagi regrets her decision. No turning back now, with the ruthless, conninving, sexily evil Draco there to make her life miserable for his own satisfaction!