Chapter 9 Save Me
"Bound at every limb by my shackles of fear
Sealed with lies through so many tears
Lost from within, pursuing the end
I fight for the chance to be lied to again
You will never be strong enough
You will never be good enough
You were never be conceived in love
You will not rise above"
Evanescence
"Now I know I'm pulling you all from your lunch, but this is very important," said Professor Dumbledore with a smile, "Someone, probably a student, has stolen some of Mr. Filch's personal possessions and he would like them back as soon as possible. So your task is to search the castle for the items listed. That will be all and please do your best."
Draco snickered in the back corner. This was one of the more pathetic tasks he was asked to complete. "You're just lucky Pansy isn't here," he reminded himself, shuddering at the thought. Gods know what she would be trying to do at this point. "Well at least I get out of class and maybe there'll be a reward or something,"
"Hah, yea right, a reward my ass," he said out loud, "this damned school can't even afford proper plumbing."
Draco was now looking at the floor. He was standing in water at least half of an inch deep. He then remembered which floor he was on; the second floor always had problems with the girls' bathroom. No one ever went in there on account of the crazed ghost Myrtle, so it was always empty. "This might be the perfect place to hide something. No one would ever know," Draco thought.
He walked over and slightly pushed open the door. "Hello? Is anyone in here?" Draco called. A few seconds later he heard a soft moan and pushed the door open.
Blood was everywhere. It was on the mirror and on the ground, even on the sink. He quickly tried to find the source, speeding up as another moan was heard, this time a little louder. Then he saw her; Ginny Weasley was drenched in her own blood. There was so much blood he wasn't sure where most of it was coming from. She was deathly pale and barely conscious. She didn't speak but only moaned still unaware of what was happening. Draco grabbed one of her arm sleeves and tore it off. He wrapped it around the arm that was bleeding the most and then finally took notice of what each cut had made.
"I Hate You," he said softly. Then he noticed it again on her leg and again on her chest. He quickly tore off her other sleeve and wrapped it around he leg, but there was still blood coming from her chest. He needed to get her to his private room without being seen. Draco picked up her limp body, feeling how cold it was. He carried her over to the door and poked his head out, hoping no one was walking by. When he saw no one he carried her over to the secret passage that was only a few feet away. He knew this passage would take him to the dungeons only now hoping nobody was down there either. He quickly opened it and began to hurriedly walk down the stairs. Draco saw no one in the dungeons and headed to his private room. He gently laid her on the bed and began to wrap bandages from one of his drawers around her arm and leg. For Ginny's sake the cuts on her chest were up high enough that he would only have to lower a small portion of her shirt to wrap it. He picked up her still limp legs and placed them under the covers. And then he prayed; he prayed that she would come back to him.
It had been an hour since Draco had brought Ginny to his private room and saved her from what could have been her death. Ginny's eyes fluttered open and everything that happened came by in a flash. Ron making fun of her. Running into the bathroom. Crying. Screaming at Tom for betraying her. Carving 'I Hate You' onto herself. Ginny sat up instantly looking at the dresser beside the bed. She needed her knife really bad. When she didn't see it in the dresser she panicked and began to throw the clothes out in a desperate search for her knife. "Where is it?" she shrieked and sank to the floor. She was on the brink of tears again, but forced herself not to cry. "Tears are for the weak and pathetic. Strong girls don't cry. Strong girls have their knives," she reminded herself.
"Strong girls don't cry," she repeated not noticing someone was in the room until they spoke.
"Looking for something, Weasley?" Draco asked wit his usual cold voice. But if he hadn't forced himself to sound so cold and distant his voice would have been filled with worry.
"No, I wasn't looking for anything. W-where I am? W-why am I wearing these bandages?" she asked, frantically looking around.
"If I do recall, I just saved you from what could have been your death," he said with another cold tone.
Ginny stood up and began to walk around the room in search for her knife. She did not care what Draco Malfoy was blabbering on about; all she needed was her security.
"Looking for this?" Draco said holding out her knife. Ginny's eyes widened as she walked over. She quickly snatched the unsheathed blade and stared at it. Draco watched as her eyes glazed over and she began to stroke the handle. He needed to distract her and fast.
"Weasley, why do you hate yourself?" he asked. Ginny lost her glazed over look and slowly turned toward him.
"Hate myself?" she repeated with a confused expression, "I-I don't hate myself."
"Then why is it carved all over your body?" he questioned.
"Oh, its-its nothing, nothing at all," she responded, but at that moment she felt tears swell in her eyes. She tried to cover them with a fake smile but it vanished when she saw the seriousness on Draco's face.
"I don't think it's nothing. Tell me Ginny, who has control? You or the knife?" he asked.
"I-I do," she stammered. A tear slipped down her cheek and she brushed it away.
"Then why is it you cut more and more? It started out as once or twice every two weeks. Now it's once or twice every two days, isn't it?" He said with a harshness he didn't mean.
"Yea, so what? It's no your concern anyway," She said as another tear slipped.
Draco scoffed, "I think its very much concern when my robes are covered in your blood and you're practically dying in my arms."
"Well what do you know about? Nothing," She snapped irritably.
"Then let me show you what I don't seem to know," He said stepping closer to her. Ginny stepped back in fear. Was he going to do something to her? But he slowly rolled up each sleeve of his robe and bore his wrists out to Ginny. On each wrist there was one thick and long scar. The scar was barely visible against his already pale skin, but could be seen in the light. Ginny rubbed her fingertips against his scar. And for a brief second she could feel his pain too. "How?" was all she could ask.
"When I was ten. My father used to beat me on a regular basis. I experienced everything you are now. I was only a child, I didn't know what I was doing and I sure as hell didn't know what there was to look forward to in the future. But instead of trying to ease the pain, like you, I tried to end it all. One night I took a blade from the kitchen and slashed both wrists. I sat on the floor watching the blood leave me and welcoming death with all my heart. I was inches away from it when my father found me; he was furious. He wrapped my wrists tightly and then gave me a blood-replenishing potion. After that I never tried to cut again. The beatings had stopped and I guessed my father found me more valuable to him alive rather than dead. So ever since I've never attempted," Draco finished with a sigh.
Ginny just stared at him in silence. She didn't know what to say. She just stared in silence until he finally asked,
"Ginny, why don't you cry? Crying is good for you; it releases the pain better than cutting does."
"Strong girls don't cry," she replied with a sad smile and sat down on the bed.
"Why didn't you just leave me there? I was better of dead," she suddenly asked.
"No one is better off dead," he said, "And I would feel completely horrible and guilty for leaving you there to die."
Why? Why did you of all people save me?" Ginny questioned.
"Because someone had to notice the hurting invisible girl in the corner. I guess it just happened to be me, " Draco replied with a smile. Not a smirk or a glare, but a true smile. But his smile vanished when Ginny stood up and gave him a glare.
"I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help. I don't need to be saved so just do me a favor and stay away," she snarled and stalked out leaving behind a very hurt and confused Draco.
Ginny ran all the way up to the seventh floor, but couldn't enter since the fat lady was gone. She pounded her fists against the portrait and let out a scream. She sank to the floor again, tears streaming down her face. But the truth was Ginny did want to be saved. She wanted to be noticed, cared for, and loved, but the thought of losing what she had now scared her. She was afraid to lose the world she had created with just her and her knife. But even more she wanted back her sweet reality.
A/N: I know a bunch of you guys have been asking for more Draco/Ginny stuff so here you go. I know they aren't being romantic yet or anything, but I don't want to rush the story. Well I hoped you enjoyed anyway. (I also know the beginning of the story with Dumbledore was kinda lame but I needed a reason for Draco to go up there and actually look in the bathroom.)