A/N: Holy shit, I haven't updated since OCTOBER! Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to…FORGIVE ME! WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-okay, I'm done. Oh, and to clear things up, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are 19, Draco is about to turn 19, and Ginny is 18. Hope that helps a tad. Now read, love, review…you know the drill.
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Draco Angor

Chapter 7

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Two days. I hadn't slept for TWO DAYS…I had been attempting to keep in constant motion to keep myself awake, but it wasn't working. I sometimes just lost my energy and fell to the floor. I knew that I should probably not be affected that much, but as I said, I hadn't had a decent night's sleep in over a month, so it was more like I had been awake for a solid week that simply two days…

I think I was starting to see hallucinations too…unless the green monkey dancing upside down in the corner was real…

At the moment, I was lying on the living room floor. I had gotten to the point where I had stuck my knuckle in my mouth and bit down on it whenever I felt myself drifting off, but I don't think it was working quite well...I was looking at the ceiling, seeing shapes move in the cracked wood when Hermione's face suddenly appeared in my vision.

"Hullo," I said, the lack-of-sleep invading my voice and making me sound like I was drugged. "How're you?"

"Better than you're going to be," She said, a solemn look on her face. She suddenly pulled a large bucket out from behind her back and tossed it over me, drenching me thoroughly with cold water.

"Shit!" I yelled, sitting up straight. "That wasn't necessary, you know!"

Hermione just let out a small laugh, her eyes twinkling, before looking up towards the doorway.

"How's that, Headmaster?" She asked.

"You know you don't have to call me that anymore, Miss Granger," The voice of Albus Dumbledore said from behind me. I turned around and sure enough, there was the old Headmaster standing in the doorway. I felt a faint blush rise to my face when I realized I had uttered a swear word in front of a highly regarded member of the wizarding community, but the blush went away as quickly as it had come when the sleepiness reappeared.

"So whadda you want?" I asked, letting out a yawn.

"I have some business at Saint Mungos," The Headmaster replied. "Since I know you four usually have no one here at this time of the day, I wondered if you all would join me."

"Mungos," I said, letting out a sleepy chuckle. "I don't like Mungos…"

"I'm sure it would keep you awake," Dumbledore replied. "And the other three have already agreed to come with me."

I really didn't want to go, but if I was in the house alone I knew I would fall asleep within minutes, if not sooner. So, with a groan, I lifted myself up off the ground and stood for a moment, swaying slightly before I regained my balance.

"Fine then?" I sighed, shrugging slightly. "Why not?"

"We'll be waiting for you in the kitchen then," Dumbledore said with a smile, turning around and walking towards the kitchen. Hermione began to follow him, and I apparated up to my room for a quick change of clothes. I apparated down to the kitchen when I was done, where Dumbledore, Hermione, Potter and Ginny were waiting, sitting standing silently in front of the fireplace.

"Ready then?" Potter asked, standing up with Ginny following a moment afterwards.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied, nodding with a small smile crossing his face. "Just apparate to the front lobby."

We nodded and all apparated one-by-one to Saint Mungos. Then, in the blink of an eye, I was back in one of the few places I really didn't like. But, there I was, surrounded by the sick and injured. And the other people just there for no purpose at all. Hermione, Ginny, Potter, and I all looked to Dumbledore, waiting to see which way he would go. He began walking down a hallway, and we all followed, staying close behind him. I lowered my gaze to the floor, keeping Hermione's feet within sight so I would know when we needed to stop. I went into my trance-like state, not really thinking of anything at all until Hermione suddenly stopped. I stopped as well before I ran into her and looked up, then turned my gaze to Dumbledore before finally looking up and down the hallway. We were standing in front of a room with two healers waiting in front of the door. One of them stepped forward and shook Dumbledore's hand before speaking.

"I'm Healer Taye," He said, taking a step back. "I'm glad you could come. This girl really needs your help."

"I hope you don't mind if I bring a few guests?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.

"Of course not," Healer Taye replied. "Now come this way."

He took a step towards the door, and I realized it had a rather large lock on it. Taye unlocked the door and opened it cautiously, taking a tentative step inside. We followed, and walked into a room dimly lit by only one candle. I was able to see a single bed against the right wall, and a single occupant in the bed. I couldn't make out any of the features of the girl, though. It was too dark.

"This is her," Healer Taye whispered. "Don't get too close to the bed, please. She's dangerous."

A clinking of metal on metal was heard from the bed as the girl shifted around slightly, and we were able to see thick chains connecting her wrists and angles on each corresponding metal corner of the bed.

"You chained her?" Dumbledore asked, his voice displaying slight shock.

"We had to," Healer Taye responded. "She nearly killed one of our other Healers."

Another sound came from the girl, this one sounding more of a cry of pain. Healer Taye frowned and took a few steps forward until he was four feet away from the bed. Then, with a great roar, the girl somehow ripped her chains off the bed while keeping them wrapped around her wrists, lunged forward, and threw her hand forward towards the Healer. The chains flew forward and wrapped around Healer Taye's neck as the girl jumped at him and landed on his chest, forcing him down onto his back as his hands went up to the chain wrapped around his neck. As the girl jumped forward, she traveled into the light and I was finally able to see her face. She wore a black blindfold around her eyes and her hair was chopped off to her shoulders, but I would know her anywhere.

"Emilee…" I whispered.

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I apparated into Malfoy Manor, quietly but quickly making my way into the living room where my father waited. A fire was roaring in the fireplace, making the dark, stifled room feel like a desert. I broke out in a sweat as I stepped through the doors and waited a few feet behind the spot where Lucius stood, awaiting my arrival. He didn't even turn as I walked up. His still faced the fire, his hands clasped behind his back.

"You wanted to talk to me?" I asked him, cautiously.

"Yes," He replied. "I have something to tell you."

"Yes…" I prodded after a minute of silence.

"Emilee's dead," He stated coldly.

"Wh…What?" I asked in disbelief, my legs feeling like they would collapse beneath me.

"Her house was found destroyed with the Dark Mark hovering over it," He stated, his voice still in monotone. "Her body wasn't found in the rubble, but she's most likely dead."

"The Dark Mark?" I said faintly. "But…but you're the leader of the Deatheaters…"

"And…?" He asked coldly.

The realization hit me like cold water thrown in my face.

"You had her killed," I stated, feeling the fury rising through me, nearly drowning out the grief.

"Yes," He replied. "I did."

I let out a roar and lunged at his turned back. I was strong, but I still wasn't as strong as Lucius. He grabbed my extended arm and twisted it behind my back while kicking my legs out from under me, forcing me down onto my knees.

"Why?" I asked, tears trailing down my cheeks. It was the only question I could ask. Why had he killed one of the only people I had ever loved? Why? Why? WHY?

"'Why?'" He mocked with a cruel laugh. "'Why,' you ask? I did it because she was betraying us, straying away from the Dark Arts. Going behind our backs to contact traitors like Snape and giving information to that old bastard Dumbledore. And still you ask me 'why?'"

He twisted my arm and I felt the bones straining, threatening to snap like twigs.

"I did it to protect our friends and family. Don't you understand, Draco?"

"She was our family," I growled. As punishment, Lucius twisted my arm even more and I heard the bone break. I let out a strangled yell as Lucius let me go.

"When you betray the family," He spat. "Then you're not part of it anymore, now are you?"

I didn't answer, and instead apparated up to my room, landing on the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest while cradling my broken arm and let the tears fall freely down my face. I heard the door open after a few minutes, and my mother walked in. She didn't say anything, and instead simply sat down on the floor next to me and cradled me as I cried.
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Emilee froze when she heard her name and snapped her head up in my direction. Her jaw dropped open slightly as she picked herself up from the floor. Healer Taye got up quickly and backed away from Emilee, walking backwards until he was pressed against the wall. I, however, took a few steps forward until I stood before my sister. Her face was angled up towards me, and she seemed to be able to see me through the blindfold. We stood in silence for a moment before she let out a struggled sob and threw her arms around my stomach, enveloping me in a tight hug. I hugged her back, a few tears falling down my cheeks and dropping into her hair.

"He told me you were dead," I told her softy.

"I'm not," She replied hoarsely, letting out a small chuckle.

We pulled away from our hug, but I kept a strong hold on her upper arms.

"I missed you," I said, a smile now plastered across my face.

Emilee opened her mouth to say something, but then stopped herself. A questioning look passed over her face for a moment, then a small smile placed itself on her face. She replied with three simple words:

"Happy Birthday, Draco."

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A/N: I know, it's short, but look! I have a new character to torment-er…shower with happiness and joy…heh…yes…Hopefully it won't take me so long to get the next chapter up, but I can't make any promises. School bites. Have a nice day, though. Reviews are nice, by the way. In case you didn't know.