Chapter 2

He was stroking her chin, his fingers moving in a slow, gruelling manner. His eyes glazed over slightly and she felt his hips grinding against hers. She was trapped with his weight on top of her and his mouth, that demanded so much from her, against her collarbone. She let out a low moan which he took as a sign of pleasure and slowly slid his hands up her curved body to grip her wrists and bring them above her head, she felt them make a sucking noise as they landed quite precariously in the mud. Her entire backside was cold and covered in that sludge as the rain drizzled on her cheeks and her fingers slid against his hands as she tried in vain to gouge him with her nails. His words were growled out harshly, "No, we can't have you fighting, can we now? It would be so much less enjoyable for me and you know how I hate to be disappointed."She clawed at his impassive face and threw her head back and let out what seemed so much like a perpetual cry of agony. His mouth sought hers out at once to keep them from being exposed. "It will all be over soon."He whispered curtly against her flesh, sending an unwelcomed shudder through her.

It was something unnatural that crawled inside those eyes, he saw it as soon as she stilled. Her body went flawlessly straight and she seemed to stare transfixed at something he could not see. He slowly turned to the other man and asked in a hushed voice, "How long has she been like this?"

"Only a few moments. I supplied her with a Draft of Peace potion but she hadn't taken it yet. I did not expect you to be back so soon."

"Yes well, I thought I ought to keep her company since for now she is in my care."

"Indeed? I hardly expected you to tangle yourself with this girl. She is after all your enemy."

"I'm not doing this for her, Severus!" Draco replied through gritted teeth as he leaned against the wall and stared at the rigid girl-no, that child-on his bed. "These are Dumbledore's orders while they try and figure out what's wrong with her."

"You're certain?" He inquired lightly.

"How could you ask me that? Why would I waste my time on this Gryffindor otherwise?"

"There is no telling how much time she has. Whatever is causing this has been inside her for a long time. You are instructed to take care of her and you will do so without complaint, do you understand? It is essential that you do not give her reason to fear you, Dumbledore has a suspicion that if she is stressed this will be much worse for her. Your teachers will be informed of your absence for the remainer of the week. You will do your best to help Miss Weasley, if you do not your father will be notified, and I know how you'd hate to have your father chiding you for disrespect, as well as endangering the welfare of a student as he is so fond on them." He frowned and stood, proceeding to the door.

"So, you're telling me that her life is in my hands?"

"Yes," he replied softly, his hand resting on the doorknob.

"Very well. I'll try my best."

"Do not hesitate if you need myself or the other Professors, do I make myself clear?" He slammed the door shut behind him and Malfoy gazed at the girl who had now slouched back against the pillows, unnoticed.

"Perfectly clear," he murmured before slumping in his chair.

The darkness loomed around her as she wiped around in constant fear. She could have sworn that something was darted through the trees. When she saw nothing strange she kept walking deeper into the forest. The clearing presented itself almost immediately and she could fainted see the outline of something other then a tree in the midst. "Is someone there?" she called in a small voice.

"Why are you threading where the beasts roam, my dear?" the strangers voice was light and kind, and definitely male. "It's dangerous."

"Then why are you here?" she asked politely. She was bothered by the fact that she could not see him properly.

"I was looking for you," was his chilling response. Instinct took hold and she stepped back. No sooner had the twig snapped beneath her shoe did he appear in front of her, his arms encircling her waist and drawing her closer. She struggled and screamed only to feel the full blow of his fist against her cheek. He held her weak body in his arms and she trembled. "you are to come with me now." They evaporated into the gradually building fog.

The silver braclet lay in the dirt as the rain began to pour.

His eyes strayed to her body and he saw her twitching, moaning, struggling and, whimpering. His eyes widened slowly and he brushed a hand through his hair hastily before he got up and stepped lightly towards his bed. As the moonlight fell across her face he cringed. There were marks, they looked like the impressions, down her pale cheeks, red lines that dripped gently with blood, and around her right eye was a visible blackish-blue ring. Someone had hit her, but when? It didn't made any sense. He had been here the whole time. Angry and a bit tense, he bent down and ran his finger over the bruise and was on the ground in seconds, gasping for air. A shadow loomed over him and he distinctly heard the squeaking of the mattress. "Are you alright? You startled me."

"I'm alright," he growled slightly and groaned as he sat up. He rubbed his jaw and said, "Where the hell did you learn that?"

"I've learned loads with six older brothers, Malfoy." she blinked at him and went down on the ground, pulled her legs up and sat quietly.

"So it seems. Are you okay?" He asked lightly and conjured up a washcloth which he pressed to her cheek. She hissed and he smiled. "Don't be such a baby," he whispered and he watched her body slump as she relaxed. "You know I have specific intrustions to look after you, Weasley, no matter how much I don't really want to. Something's wrong with you, like those marks, where did you get them?" He waited as her outline moved slightly but she was silent. "Anyway," he hesitated as he knew she wasn't going to spill. "Professor Snape's potion, did you take it?" She shook her head. "You have to. It's important." He reminded her firmly and groped on top of the bedside table for the vial. When he located it he took it in his hand and uncorked it, grabbed Ginny's chin and put some pressure so that she opened her mouth, and he put the bottle to her lips and tilted her head back, much to her displeasure, and she coughed as the liqiud went down her throat. He drew back and frowned at her. "Would you have done it otherwise?"

"No," she grumbled and stuck out her tongue. "this stuff is vi-." Her body suddenly swayed and she pitched forward before her head landed on his knee and he stared down at her.He lifted her and placed her back on the bed, her fingers brushed his cheek as her arms fell from about his neck. She had borrowed his plaid green pajama pants and a black top, he had just noticed the tiny part of an undergarment peering out from the waistband at her hips. He felt his cheeks grow warm as he covered her with rich green sheets and walked back to the chair and sagged into it.

"What are you afraid to let people see?" He whispered and yawned abruptly, his eyes closing automatically, leaving her potentially alone as he slumbered.

Her fingers scraped against cold stone and she sucked int dead air. Someone had bound her arms behind her back, she had noticed as she tried to raise them because of the dull pain she felt, and she was having a problem figuring out where she was or who had taken her. That voice had sounded so damn familiar and she could not place it. "You put up a hell of a fight, darling, thank you, it was entertaining." There was a breeze, the first since she had awoke, and his fingers brushed aside her hair and she glared. She slowly realized that she was not only restrained from using her hands, but also from seeing his face, as well.

"Who are you?" she could hear his breathing close to her. Something wet was dragged across the shell of her ear and she cringed.

"You don't remember me? How sad." He gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. "I'm the thing that makes your skin crawl, makes your heart race, makes your blood go cold in your veins, I'm the beast that's destroying your mind."

"Don't hurt me, please. I have to get back to him."

"To him? He does not love you." He could hear her crying softly and he hissed.

"Y-yes he does. Shut your mouth."

"I do not think you're in a position to tell me what to do." He grabbed her arm and twisted in behind her back. She cried out and he smirked. "You will stay with me or I will murder you if you try and leave. Crucio!" The pain was unbearable and she screamed herself hoarse, her body withered on the floor and she lay still, breathing weakly. "Do not disobey me." The breeze settled and faded around her as he stood and slammed the door behind him, securing the lock.

She was sitting curled up against the headboard with her head in her hands and her body producing tiny tremors, and when the mattress sunk down she didn't even look up. She felt his breath skid across her cheek as he moved closer to her. "Bloody hell, Weasley, you're shaking. What's going on?" She shook her head and tangled her hands in her long fiery hair and bit into her drawn up knee for comfort. "What happened?" His voice was demanding nowe as he stared at her. Again she refused to say anything and he shut his eyes momentarily. "Come on." He grabbed her arm and while she protested mutely he had no choice but to bring his fist down against her head so that he knocked her out, she slumped against his body and he picked her up.

He needed to see what she saw no matter what.