I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been crushed by a ton of bricks. I got out of bed slowly and got dressed. I put on red T-shirt and dark blue jeans. I pulled my hair back and braided it quickly. Surprising since it was so long. I just didn't feel like looking like Serena today. Then I went to my crystal table and waited for Draco. He walked in a few minutes later. His lip was bleeding and there was a gash on his cheek and one just above his left eye.
"Draco, what happened?" I asked. Draco sat down on the chair across the table from me.
"Father," he answered dully. "As punishment for ruining his ball." I gasped.
"He did this to you?" I asked. "Your own father?" Draco shrugged as if it didn't really matter.
"It happens all the time," he said. "I'm used to it." I got up and got the first aid kit from the bathroom. I knelt in front of him.
"This is going to sting," I said as I dabbed a cloth with hydrogen peroxide on it on the cut on his cheek. Draco winced and pulled away.
"No, really, it's fine," he said. "I'm okay."
"And I'm a mermaid," I snapped sarcastically. "Now hold still!" Draco sighed and I finished cleaning his cuts. Then I took out my wand and healed them.
"You'll be okay now," I said. Draco smiled warily at me.
"Are you all right?" he asked. I nodded.
"I'm sorry that I got in the way," I said. "I just..." Draco placed his right pointer finger against my lips.
"We shouldn't have done that to you," he said. "We shouldn't have been fighting in the first place. You told us to stop." I sighed. I was so glad that he wasn't angry with me! He took his finger away. I smiled up at him.
"But he did kiss you," Draco said quietly. My eyes widened.
"That wasn't my fault!" I cried. "I tried to stop him! I did!" Draco let out a harsh bark of laughter.
"Yes, but he still kissed you." Then he hit me and everything went dark.
When I opened my eyes again I didn't know where I was. I was moving but I wasn't walking. Then I realized that I was in the woods and that Draco was carrying me. I was cold, he hadn't bothered to put a coat on me. I tried to squirm but I couldn't move.
"Draco...what are you doing?" I asked. "Where are you taking me?" Draco smirked.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson," he said. Then I saw the lake come into view. Draco carried me to the lake. He walked into it until the water went up to his knees. Then he lowered me into the water.
"Please," I said as the coldness of the water stabbed at me. "Let me go..." Draco smirked and dunked me under. I thrashed my head, willing myself not to open my mouth. Draco pulled me up and I gasped for air.
"Have you learned your lesson?" he asked. I stared at him in shock. Draco put me under again. This time it was for a longer period of time and I opened my mouth and swallowed water. When he brought me up again I coughed and sputtered.
"Stop!" I begged. "I'm sorry"
"Admit that you were wrong," he demanded.
"I didn't kiss him back! I tried to fight him off!" I cried. Draco sighed.
"Have it your way, then," he said. Again he put me under water. I don't know how long I was under but I must have blacked out because when I opened my eyes I was on the banks. Draco was standing over me.
"Are you awake?" he asked. I nodded.
"Yes," I gasped.
"Good," he sneered and kicked me hard in the ribs. I cringed and whimpered in pain. What happened next was the worse beating that he had ever given me. He kicked me, punched me, slapped me, and threw me all over the place. He didn't seem to care where his blows landed. I cried out in pain and begged him to stop. I told him that I was sorry, that I was wrong, but still the blows kept coming. Soon I became numb and didn't feel it anymore. All I saw was that the dirt had turned red from my blood. The next thing I knew, Draco kicked me in the side of the head and I blacked out.