Song: When I talk to you

Artist: Mandy Moore

When I try to talk to you

I feel like I'm not getting through to you

Where did we go wrong? It's hard to be strong

When I talk, when I talk to you

I want you to know everything that I am

Don't want to know what life would be without you.

Chapter Eight: Tears and Traps

It had passed two weeks since the uncomfortable encounter with Pansy Malfoy and she hadn't appeared yet.

Ginny and Draco had barely seen each other in those two weeks. They only got a glance of one another at meals. Every time they were near, the air seemed to become colder with the looks they exchanged. It was clear they still had open wounds. She was trying to live with the pain of a broken heart that had been sleeping through all the years he had been gone. He had to learn to live with the guilt of hurting her. But none of them was willing to admit they should at least try to have a civilized talk. The few words they said were filled with coldness and annoyance.

In that moment they were having dinner in silence like most of the time.

"Aren't you worried?" Ginny broke the silence, trying to take the concern out of her mind. She had been wondering what Pansy might have done. Ginny knew very well the kind of injury Malfoy's gray eyes could do in a woman's heart.

"With what?" he said absent-minded.

"With your wife! She is gone for two weeks. Aren't you worried that something might have happened to her? She may be hurt."

"Not really. I'm sure Pansy's fine, probably having the time of her life with one of her lovers!"

"She has lovers? Well, it's not really a surprise, knowing you have other women too. But it is surprising that you don't care your wife is cheating on you, tainting your name, disrespecting you?"

"She has no lovers." he said. Ginny had touched a wound: his pried. "I was just trying to make a point. Don't worry about Pansy, she wouldn't do that for you. And if she really is hurt it's her problem not mine."

"How can you be so evil? She's your wife."

"I don't need you to remember me of that!" he said, now revealing the rising anger inside him. He got up abruptly collapsing the palm of his hands with the table. Why did she had to always remember him he was married to Pansy? "I know she's my wife but I don't like her. In fact I wish I didn't have to see her ever again!"

"Do you even like anyone Draco Malfoy?" in that moment she got up, trying to be at his level but he was higher than her. They were both at their feet, facing each other like they were going to bite their heads of.

"Yes I do. I love myself." he said smirking.

"I should have known! But you seem to be the only one capable of loving such selfish human being."

"Really? I'm sure many other woman disagree with you. And if I'm not wrong your own heart disagrees. Does your memory tells you something? Hogwarts? My bedroom perhaps?"

"Bastard! You are a stupid prat like you were in Hogwarts, you bouncing ferret!" she yelled, full of anger.

"No, I grew up! I have changed... a bit! And you, have you changed?" he asked giving no way for misunderstanding in what he was asking. He was insinuating she could still fall for his charm.

"I hate you!"

"Funny you said the same thing a few years ago. But don't worry, I'm not very fond of you either!"

They looked at each other for several seconds. She was transforming her pain in hate. He was doing the same. They had reached a point where words weren't needed. Their eyes said it all.

But her heart was aching so badly. It was becoming more painful with each minute.

Without saying any other word, Ginny left the dinning room and headed to her own, murmuring angry words but she was unable of keeping the tears from falling. She wasn't sure if it was angry tears or sad tears. She was disappointed with herself too. She had let her Weasley temper get over her and now he knew he could get to her, like he did in Hogwarts, he could get her angry again. But how could she stay calm when he spoke of their past with such disdain?

Draco saw her leave the room and closed his eyes trying to calm down but nothing happened. He grabbed a glass of wine and threw it towards the wall. The sound of glass breaking filled the room and his mind. He was angry but not with her. He was angry about himself. No matter how hard he tried he would always do something wrong. He had said things he didn't meant, he just said it to hurt her but regret it as soon as the words came out of his mouth. He had let his own pain get over him. He had changed over the past eleven years. He had learned to transform his pain in anger, coldness or disdain towards Pansy. But he was no longer dealing with Pansy and it was confusing. He had no longer to deal only with his pain and regret, he had to deal with the cause of it and he had to deal with the urge to touch her, kiss her, to make her smile, to take away from her eyes that shadow he was sure it was him the one who had haunted her beautiful hazel eyes.

But she hated him again and this time he did not believe he could make her forget the hatred. He had hurt her far too much.

'I lived eleven years like this, I can learn how to live with it for the rest of my life!' he stated. He had to get Ginny away from his mind. He apparated in his room, grabbed his cloak and left the Manor. He had to relax.

•·.·´¯·.·•

Ginny was sitting in a chair in her room writing some poems when she heard giggles coming from the corridor. Woman's giggles. Ginny gave a sarcastic laugh. Draco Malfoy and his sluts. He was probably trying to prove her she was wrong when she said no one but him loved Draco Malfoy. She heard the door closing and she lifted up abruptly feeling a strange punch in her stomach. She was still angry about their argue. But it was not only that. She was angry for felling jealous of the woman that was now sharing the bed with Draco. He had probably put a silencing spell because the only sounds she could hear was the wind outside and her own breath getting faster. But inside her mind she could hear their passionate kisses, their breathless moans. She could hear the sound of his hands on her, the sound of his skin against hers. She could feel the heat coming from their bodies, she could almost see them.

Tears of anger and pain started falling from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. She drowned her face in her pillow, throwing her body to the bed.

"Don't cry stupid woman because he does not care about your tears, he does not give a damn about your pain. Be a Weasley, be proud, don't let a stupid Ferret hurt you again!" her mind scram but her heart did not listen so she cried.

Draco was lying naked on his messed bed. He could still smell lust in the air. The beautiful blond woman and previous Ravenclaw called Mandy Brocklehurst had left a few hours before. Draco had cheated on Pansy many times before but this time he was feeling like someone had punched him on his stomach. He had fought back that feeling all night, he had put it aside while he was with Mandy but now it haunted him more than anything. This time he hadn't just cheated on Pansy, he felt like he had cheated on his own feelings. He had sex with someone he did not wanted because the person he truly wanted he could not touch. It was torturing having her so near and yet so far. Inside his mind he was trying to convince himself he hadn't cheated on anyone. He wasn't committed to Ginny and she hated him. There was no reason for him to feel like that. But no matter what the excuse was it wouldn't work for him. He wanted Ginny and being with Mandy made it clearer. When he was with the blond woman his mind was in the red head that was in the next room. His mood had changed from guilt to anger several times but he managed to hide it from Mandy.

He got up and conjured a glass of fire whiskey he had started drinking when he had brought Ms Brocklehurst to the room. He walked towards the window and looked outside. The night sky was dark but full of sparkling stars. The moon was full and there were no clouds. But the wind was strong. He could see the trees moving with fury beyond the garden. He focused on the moving shadows of the leaves on the floor, making it look like someone was running around the garden trying to hide.

That reminded him of Pansy. He was starting to worry. Not because she was his wife and all but because of Ginny. He had to erase Ginny from Pansy's memory, she had to forget she had seen the red head in the Manor. But Mrs Malfoy had vanished. He had the feeling she was planning something. All these years, Pansy was the only one who knew he had loved the Weasley girl and she knew he hadn't forgot Ginny. She would throw it at his face every time they had a fight. Pansy knew that was the best way to get to him even if he could fake it very well. And she hated Ginny. Because Draco loved her like he had never loved anyone, because she was a Gryffindor and because everyone liked Ginny. In Hogwarts even Slytherin boys confessed having as crush on her. Draco had to be alert.

He got back to bed and tried to sleep but he couldn't. He decided to go to his office and continue his reading and practicing Dark Arts he had long forgotten. He apparated there and opened Slytherin's book. A deep silence involved him, it was a frightening silence but Draco liked it. No voices, no whispers, nothing just his breath could be heard.

He was in deep concentration when a 'click' broke the silence. He looked around the room trying to figure out where it had come from. Everything looked the same but he had this bad feeling. He got up and walked around the room.

"Strange noise, hum?"

Draco looked at the painting in the wall behind his desk.

"Yes. In deed a weird noise." he said not paying to much attention to his great-great-great-grandfather.

"Not normal, hey?"

"No."

"You know, I built this house and when it makes that sound it means nothing good."

"I know!"

"And do you know what it is?"

"No! I was expecting you to tell me."

"We Malfoy have many enemies, so when I built the Manor I had to protect it from intruders..."

"You made this house a giant trap to those who do not know the house..." Draco said. Then something hit his mind. Maybe there was an intruder in the house, maybe a Death Eater, maybe looking for Ginny, maybe he had already found her.

"Yes. Well, that sound says someone fell into one of the traps..."

"Which one?"

"Each trap has a different sound. But I just can't remember what makes that sound."

Draco looked at Govanno Malfoy for just a couple of seconds before apparating in Ginny's room. He almost panicked when he saw she wasn't there. He felt desperate for a few minutes. Then he got back to his office.

"What trap is it? I need to know, she's there, he caught her!"

"Calm down, my memory is not what it used to be boy. I'm just an old painting, I do not have your youth!"

"I need to know, he has Ginny!"

"The Weasley girl? I knew I had something to talk to you. About the girl, you do know Malfoys and Weasleys are not exactly friends!"

"I know but right now I don't give a damn, I just have to find her..." he whispered. Something was crushing his heart, he felt a thrill of desperation taking over him. 'Control yourself Malfoy!' he ordered himself. 'No, I can't, shes in danger! How did a Death Eater got inside the Manor? Or did she... no she wouldn't do that. Or would she? She was mad about me, and she's a Weasley, she'd want revenge. She wouldn't mind breaking my orders and would probably wander around the house trying to find something to compromise me. Stupid Weasley!'

'Oh yes. I remember now! It's the trap in the end of the main corridor of the dungeons..." he didn't have to finish the sentence for Draco to disapparate.

•·.·´¯·.·•

Ginny woke up with a pair of small hands touching her right arm. She opened her eyes and looked at the sparkling big eyes of the small elf that was standing by her side.

"Did something happened Tikky?"

"You must go with me Miss!"

"Go where?"

"Please go with Tikky. She's hurt you. She want to. Come Miss, fast!" Tikky was nervous. Her sharp voice was even sharper and she kept looking both ways has if something or someone would appear there.

"Calm down please. I'm coming with you. But who wants to hurt me?"

"Tikky not tell. But she comes here. She want Miss. Come!" the house elf said desperate before hitting the wall with it's head voluntarily.

"Stop hurting yourself, I'm coming Tikky." Ginny said getting out of the bed and grabbing her wand.

The house elf got out of the room and Ginny followed. Tikky was taking her to the stairs that lead to the entrance hall. When they finally reached it, Tikky opened a small door in the corner Ginny had never noticed. They both got in. Tikky was agitated and scared. Ginny had the feeling the house elf would faint if someone appeared. Ginny was slightly frighten. Someone was after her. What if it was the Death Eaters that had tried to kidnap her? She knew how to defend herself very well but she couldn't duel with more than two wizards at once. If it was more than one she was sure she wouldn't escape. And where was Draco now? Probably still shagging his stupid whore.

They were going through a dark and strait corridor. At the end they found stairs that lead to the dungeons.

"Tikky, Draco said I couldn't come here!"

"Tikky know, but she's after miss, she'll hurt you, maybe kill you, Tikky tried to warn master but he was... he was... busy!" Tikky was crying now, her voice was shaking and her steps were irregular.

"Who is she?" Ginny tried again but no answer came. They reached the dungeons and Tikky followed the larger corridor.

"Here, hide here miss! Tikky warn you when it's safe!" Tikky said when they reached a door in the end of the corridor. "Hurry miss, she's coming!"

Ginny got inside the empty and weat room. Tikky closed the door and it suddenly vanished.

"I'm sorry Miss!" Ginny heard Tikky saying before a strange and loud "Crack" broke the silence that was haunting the room. It looked like a large and heavy rock was being moved. Ginny looked around and she noticed the walls were moving, the walls were closing in, the walls would crush her. She took the wand out of her pocket.

"Immobulus!" she said but nothing happened. The walls were still moving. "Petrificus Totalus!" she tried just in the case but she knew it wouldn't work. Despair took over her. She ran to the place where moments before had been the door. She hit the wall with all her strength. She scram for Tikky and hit the cold stone with her fists until it started bleeding.

She wasn't sure if she was just tired of calling for Tikky or if it was something else but it was getting harder to breath and she felt a drop of sweat rolling down her forehead. She turned around, leaned against the wall and her body slid to the floor.

Why had Tikky locked her there? Why had Tikky lead her into a trap? Had Draco told her to? But why? Ginny's mind was spinning with so many questions and the lack of oxygen in her brain. She closed her eyes hoping a miracle would happen.

•·.·´¯·.·•

Draco apparated in the Entrance Hall because the dungeons were the only place in the mansion where no one, not even him, could apparate. He had to get there fast. He remembered his father talking about that trap once. The person who got closed in that room would die there if a Malfoy did not say the words to stop it. The walls would start moving and closing until they crushed the person's body. But it wasn't just that, because of the reduction of space the pressure would rise, the person would breath with difficulty and the temperature would rise.

He ran to the door that lead to the stairs and he almost jumped down the stairs. He wished for wings while he ran through the dungeons. He finally reached the door in the end of the corridor. Then he panicked. He did not remember the spell to open the door.

"Ginny!" he scram.

"Draco?" he heard her weak voice saying.

"Are you alone?"

"Yes. Please... take me...out!"

"I will, I promise just wait a few seconds!"

"I don't...have a few...'cough'...seconds... I can't... breath... just two inches...my body!" her voice was becoming unclear.

Draco hit the door with all his strength but he knew nothing would happen. He ran to the entrance hall as fast as he could and apparated in his office.

"What's the spell?" he asked his ancestor.

"I was going to tell you a few moments ago but I...well... I don't remember anymore. I think...no that's not it...maybe...no not that either..." the painting of Govanno started murmuring words Draco could barely hear. "oh yes, I remember now: Fragor Ossis!"

Draco lost no more time and apparated once again in the entrance hall, ran to the dungeons and in the moment he saw the door he scram the spell.

The door opened and Ginny's body fell on the floor unconscious and the walls moved to their initial place. The walls were almost crushing her when she fell. Draco held her carefully and took her to his room. He called two house elves to help him take care of her and change her clothes. It looked like she had a broken rib and her shoulder was out of place. He cast the spells to heal her superficial wounds and checked if she had internal wounds. He was glad to see she had any. When he was sure Ginny was going to be alright he ordered the elves to look out for her while he was going to look for Tikky but the house elf was no where to be found. Draco's mind started working. Something strange had happen.

He went back to his room and sat in the chair that was by the window. Why had Ginny broken his rules? Probably because she had been mad at him. Or had Tikky something to do with it?

He heard her moan and turned to look at her. He had cured her wounds but she had dark bruises all over her skin. She had to wake up so he could give her the potion to heal her bones.

Ginny opened her eyes and felt pain in her shoulder and ribs. The memories of the tormenting moments filled her mind. She should be in more pain than she was. She looked at her fists, the wounds were gone, only a few dark bruises were visible. She looked around the room and her eyes got caught in a pair of gray ones focused on her. He got up and approached the bed.

"Don't get near me! You tried to kill me!" she said.

"I didn't try to kill you! If you hadn't gone around the house when I had told you not to none of this would have happen."

"I did not go around the house. Tikky said someone was after me and that I needed to hide, she lead me into a trap and you're the only one who could have told her to!"

"I didn't do it. I did not tell Tikky to take you there." Ginny looked at Draco suspiciously. "Look, I promised Dumbledore I would protect you so why would I try to kill you?"

"Because you are a damn Death Eater who does not care about anyone but you. You don't give a damn about your promises or about your word, you don't care about anyone's safety but your own and specially not a Weasley! That's why I'm pretty sure you did it!" she let all her rage and hurt speak for her. The memories of one painful night eleven years ago were on her mind making her feel tears in her eyes but she wouldn't cry. She couldn't cry.

Draco was surprised by the the hatred he saw in her eyes. It didn't look like the sweet Ginny he remembered from eleven years ago. It seemed like it hadn't been just him who had changed. Little Ginny was no longer sweet. A shadow haunted her soul and he had the feeling it had been him who helped that shadow to grow.

"I was a Death Eater, not anymore!" he said trying to remain calm. He had spent eleven years trying to forget what he had been and he hated when someone reminded him of that.

"You can fool anyone you want but I remember perfectly of the moment you showed me your Dark Mark with pride. What did you do? Sucked the mark out of your arm? Did you suck the evil out of your soul Draco Malfoy? Did you become a saint? I don't think so! You are the same awful person you were in Hogwarts and I will never trust in you or believe in one single word you say! I hate you and people like you never change!"

"Snape changed!"

"Well Snape is not a Malfoy! Snape never took someone's innocence out of her. Snape was never proud of being a Death Eater!" the tears of anger were falling down her cheeks. She had her fists closed and she had a murderous look on her.

"I don't need to be here arguing with you. I gave you my house to hide, I saved you moments ago from becoming human soup and this how you thank me? I don't have to deal with this! Have a good night Ms Weasley!" he said coldly.

"Have an awful night Malfoy!" she said just before he disapparated. She started to feel guilt inside her. She knew it hadn't been him who lead her into the trap but she just couldn't keep her mouth shut. Maybe he hadn't tried to kill her but he had still hurt her eleven years ago and the wound was still open and there was no spell or potion that could heal it. She drowned her head in the pillow.

Draco went to one of the guest rooms. He laid on the bed and looked at the ceiling. It was harder to live with her than he initially thought. She just wasn't to let her shell break and he could understand why he just wasn't expecting so much hatred coming from her. He was expecting that hey could at least speak, now he wasn't sure if they could even be near each other without trying to murder one another. He opened his shirt and looked at the necklace he was wearing for eleven years. The necklace he had put there when... he shook his head. 'Forget it Malfoy, leave the past behind!'

But that wasn't the only bothering him. Tikky could only receive orders from a Malfoy and Ginny. If he hadn't order the house elf nor had Ginny then there was only one person left: Pansy. She hated the Weasley girl, Draco didn't expected to be that much. He made a mistake and had to fix it as fast as he could. But where was Pansy? She had been in the house for sure. Probably when he was with Mandy.

He collapsed his fist with the wood of the bed behind him. Because of him Ginny had almost died. Because of that stupid and selfish need to prove Ginny he could have any woman he wanted, she was hurt and thinking he had tried to kill her.

That night Ginny couldn't sleep nor did Draco.

Song: It hurts when

Artist: Christina Milian

There you were last night sitting close to her by candlelight

I couldn't let you see my crying eyes

but I wanted so bad to run to you

It hurts when I thought I had gotten over you

It hurts when together forever won't come true

It hurts when one broken heart is how it ends

Just when I thought that I was getting strong

I see you with her – I was wrong

Now I can't pretend that losing you didn't mean a thing

And I can't deny that this whole thing's not happening

To hold it inside…it's killing me, it's hurting me.

N/A: If anyone is interested in being my beta reader for this story e-mail me please because I desperately need one. Thank you.

P.S: I'm sorry if I took to long to update but I had a very difficult year so I'm really sorry, I promise the next chapters won't take this long. The next one is almost done. Once again I'm sorry!