"Schyler!" Draco yelled. "Stop!" I forced my legs to go faster.
Please, I begged them. Just get me away from him. I don't want to get caught. I crashed into a clearing with a large lake in the middle. I slowed and listened. I couldn't hear Draco but that didn't mean that he had given up. Then, I heard him coming toward me. I looked at the lake. Even with the weather as nice as it was there was still a thin layer of ice on the water.
"I have no other choice," I panted to myself. I dove into the lake. Icy water closed over me and I felt like every movement I made caused knives to stab me. The water was unbearably cold. I swam underwater until I saw the form of a large rock loom up in front of me. I swam behind it and came up for air. I gulped down huge breaths of air. I was shivering terribly and I wondered if I was getting hypothermia. I peered around the rock and saw Draco at the edge of the lake, his lit wand held high, looking for me.
"Schyler!" he yelled. "Come out! Please!" I saw him look at the lake and I saw his eyes widen. He started around the lake to where I was. I sucked in a large breath and ducked underwater. I treaded water and looked up. I could see Draco's dark form stop where I was. I swam away from him. He started to shoot stunning spells at me. Because I was not looking where I was going I slammed into something. I saw blood flowing into the water. I opened my mouth to gasp, forgetting that I was underwater. I swallowed water. I tried to cough and swallowed more.
Draco...help me... I thought. Then I fell unconscious, and began to drift to the bottom of the lake.
Draco saw me drifting to the bottom of the lake.
"Damn it!" he cried. "I swear if you die...!" He pointed his wand at me and shouted, "Accio Schyler!" I flew out of the lake and onto the bank. I wasn't breathing. Draco knelt beside me and checked my pulse. It was very faint. He shook me but seeing as I wasn't breathing I didn't stir. He began to do CPR and mouth to mouth.
I coughed and sputtered as the water came out. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Draco looking at me.
"I'm...sorry..." I said hoarsely. Then I blacked out again. Draco picked me up and carried me back to the manor.
I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in my room at the manor. How had I gotten here? I thought I had died!
"Ah, now there's a good sign," an unfamiliar voice said. I looked to my right and saw a woman who looked to be in her fifties standing by me.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I'm a Healer, dear," she said. "You had a very close encounter. Master Draco was very worried about you. You had a very nasty gash on your head and you had hypothermia as well. Why were you in the lake? It had to be freezing." I nodded.
"I was running...from a wolf...I thought it wouldn't follow me into the lake," I lied quickly. "I must have hit a rock while I was underwater." The Healer smiled.
"You should be fine," she said. "You really are a fighter." I nodded. Then the doors to my room opened and Draco walked in. The Healer looked up and smiled at him.
"How is she?" he asked.
"She'll be just fine Master Draco," she replied. "I'll leave you two alone then."
"Thank you," Draco said. "My father will see that you are paid." The woman nodded and walked out, closing the doors behind her. Draco walked over to the right side of my bed and sat down on the edge. He looked out at the balcony.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Fine," I whispered. "Kind of dizzy, but fine"
"I thought you were dead," he said. "I thought I hadn't gotten you out of the lake quick enough. I thought..." He shook his head, then looked at me. "It was because of me wasn't it? That's why you ran away and that's why you jumped into the lake. To get away from me." He stared at me with his clear pale ocean blue eyes. I opened my mouth and a sob escaped my throat.
"I'm sorry!" I sobbed. "I am, I swear! I just didn't want to be hurt...I was just tired of it! I love you Draco, I really do! I just..." I couldn't go on anymore. I had run out of words to explain how I felt. Draco looked worried and he pulled me into his arms.
"Don't worry luv," he murmured. "I'll stop, I promise." I nodded and he laid me back against the pillows.
"Get some sleep. The ball is tomorrow." I closed my eyes and slept.