I wasn't sure what the 'popular' term was for what we had just walked into, but I was pretty sure that 'crazy party' was an apt description. Students from all houses were dancing and drinking throughout the Slytherin common room. As of yet they had yet to notice our entrance, which surprised me because how often do you see two bigoted Slytherins walk into a party accompanied by a Muggleborn…

Malfoy guided me quickly through the crowd that parted like the Red Sea for Riddle. Once people noticed I was with their Slytherin overlords whispers started flowing around.

"Is that…"

"Who does she think she is?"

"Is that Zima with Malfoy and Riddle?"

If not for the music playing around the room there would be silence, all eyes were on us. Malfoy and Riddle didn't seem at all fazed by it. The arm wrapped around my waist tightened and a small smirk was in the corner of Malfoy's mouth. Figures he'd enjoy the attention

Personally I could do without the attention, the glares I was getting from the girls around the room meant I would be in a lot of pain soon. I doubted even Riddle's threats could stop them from getting revenge, and I couldn't exactly explain my situation to them, they either wouldn't care or wouldn't believe I didn't love the attention I was getting from their idols.

Riddle lead us towards the fireplace, I could see enough to recognize what people were seated in the honoured space. Snape, Goyle and Lestrange were in the armchairs, with Parkinson and Black standing nearby. None of them seemed surprised to see me here, but I was given a typical 'death' glare from the two girls.

Riddle nodded to his posse before taking a seat on the couch, Malfoy gently directed me to the middle seat and sat down next to me.

"Any Hufflepuffs here tonight?" Riddle lazily took in the crowd, like me he hadn't seen any of my Housemates.

Snape shook his head, stringy hair shifting. "No, mainly Ravenclaw's, a few Gryffindor's." He shifted in his seat, "heard Knuckles is in the hospital wing, took a nasty fall down some stairs."

Riddle didn't smile but Malfoy did, "idiot Hufflepuff probably tripped over his own feet."

Everybody here clearly knew what had happened, but the group all laughed. Shifting in my chair, no small part thanks to the skirt Malfoy had picked out for me, I tried to drown out their words by looking around.

A few people were still looking our way but for the most part everybody seemed too drunk to care about the Slytherin princes pet 'Mudblood'. I was looking around trying to find a familiar face when I spotted her, Jenny leaning up against a wall watching us. She looked confused, I couldn't blame her. I had seemingly overnight gone from the tormented to the apparently cherished, if Malfoy's arm was anything to go by. Tilting her head she motioned towards the exit, nodding quickly I stood, forgetting for a second who I had come with, only wanting to see and talk to my friend.

Immediately the group went silent, no doubt eager to see Riddle curse me. I wanted to curse me, how could I forget who I was with.

"I'm going to talk with Jenny." Shaking like a leaf I took a step away from them, refusing to look either Snake in the eyes.

"Of course, don't take too long."

Before Malfoy could gainsay Riddle's permission I was off, shifting through the crowds with speed a cheetah would be envious of. Shoving the door open I stepped into the freezing corridor and was enveloped in a tight hug.

Clinging to me for only a moment Jenny gripped my shoulders and pushed me back, "Are you ok." Her eyes darted over my figure, searching for some sign of torture. "What did those bastards do to you?"

Wincing I grabbed her arm and led her away from the entrance, "Not here." Quickly ushering her into an empty classroom I closed the door behind us.

Crossing her arms Jenny faced me, "ok Tony, what the hell is going on. First I hear a rumour that Riddle forbade anybody from hurting you and then Knuckle is sent to the hospital wing by said evil bastard for 'accosting' you in the Common Room?" Throwing her arms in the air she stormed towards me, in typical over-the-top fashion she pulled my face up, searching my eyes for spells.

Pushing her hands away I dragged myself over to a desk and sat down, "I don't even know where to start." Remembering Francesca I added, "It's not like I can actually tell you what happened anyway."

"Fuck them!"

"Jenny!"

Groaning in frustration she hugged me, "do you know how much I bloody miss you telling me to mind my language?"

I chuckled and embraced her back, "you can take the Witch out of the 40s, but you can't take the 40s out of the Witch."

Releasing me she stepped back and hopped onto the desk next to me. "I'll never understand why the Muggle world is so conservative still…" Legs swinging she faced me, "now are you going to answer my question?"

"We both know that if I tell you what's going on than Malfoy lets the world know about Francesca. They threatened to cast you into the Muggle world and let their authorities deal with it, and you really don't want to know what they would do."

Scoffing she tossed her hair, "they don't have that kind of power."

"They will."

"Oh." Scrunching her nose Jenny cracked her fingers, a nervous habit. "Well can you at least tell me why you look so weak? You're really pale and it's starting to worry me."

I'm a Nymph and if I don't feed from my 'Mates' in the next couple of days I will die. But not to worry, my Mates are really nice and not at all planning to use me in their quest for world domination.

"Just haven't been eating…"

"You never could lie very well, your lip twitches when you try." She chuckled for a moment before becoming sombre again. "Jeremy has been sending me letters about you."

"Oh?"

"Mmhmm, he said that you are writing him differently." I shifted on the table, it was bad enough lying to Jenny about my heritage, but lying about Jeremy was another thing entirely. "And there's the fact that you came to the party with the two people you hate the most in the world.

"They made me come with them Jenny, some kind of power trip."

"People saw what they did to Knuckle… everyone is saying you're there, I don't know, girlfriend or something." Twisting her hands she eyed the door worriedly, as if it would burst open to reveal them.

"They said that I'm theirs." I slammed a hand over my mouth, too late to stop the words escaping. "Jenny," I grabbed her arms, "don't tell anybody I said that. No one. Not Jeremy, or Francesca or even Dumbledore."

Shaking my hands off she stood, "what the hell do you mean they said you're 'theirs'?" Growling she pulled out her wand and made for the door, I caught her arm just as she opened it "What! Why are you stopping me, I'm going to go and hex them a new hole, let them be each others 'theirs'."

"Jesus Jenny, just stop for a second." My swearing was enough to halt her, crossing her arms over her chest she faced me.

"What?"

"I can't tell you why, or how it came about, but they consider me… gods I don't even know how to say this—"

"She belongs to us."

Both Jenny and I jumped at the new voice. In the commotion we had forgotten about the barely open door, Riddle and Malfoy were standing in the entrance watching us with blank looks.

Regaining her footing quickly Jenny yanked her arm from my grasp and pointed her want at the interlopers. "Give me one good reason not to blast your asses to Hogsmead?"

They didn't even flinch at the threat, their eyes hadn't left me. "Ok there Mudblood?" Asked Malfoy, no small amount of mirth in his eyes.

Shrieking Jenny sent a curse towards them, purposefully hitting the doorframe and not them. But that seemed enough to get their attention. Riddle cocked a brow, I knew that look well enough, but before he could send her flying like he did Knuckle I darted in front of her. His hand didn't go down but neither did he send the curse.

Riddle finally deigned to address us, "Time to return to the party Antoinette." He wisely used my name.

"Get out of the way Tony." Snarled Jenny. "I'm not letting them take you this time."

"You don't have a choice Bones, either let our little Mudblood come with us or we simply take her and send you to the hospital wing." Smirking Malfoy pretended to check his nails, "you can join Knuckle there. I'm sure he'd love the company."

"Jenny." Ignoring me she tried to send another curse their way, I felt the heat of it as it brushed past my arm. This one slammed into the stone above their heads, sending small rocks flying everywhere.

"Enough!" Growling Riddle broke his composure and stormed towards me, gripping me around the waist he easily lifted me and placed me behind him before Jenny or I could react. "If you insist on sending curses our way, perhaps you might resist the temptation to shoot them around Antoinette."

Gaping for a second Jenny looked between Riddle and Malfoy, slowly she lowered he wand. "What the hell… did he just…" she caught my eye, "are they protecting you!"

"Um, no." Malfoy scoffed at my answer. "Well if they are it's a very recent development, and one I do not trust."

"Hey!"

"Quiet," snapped Riddle, instantly silencing Malfoy. "Now," he faced Jenny, "apparently you care enough about Antoinette to protect her from Wizards far more powerful than you. What you are failing to see however, is that if you ever even manage to separate her from us that will kill her."

Jenny opened her mouth, a glare from Riddle stopped her. "No more questions, and you will not tell anybody anything you have heard tonight. I would Obliviate it from you but Antoinette clearly holds some insane fondness for you, so I will leave the knowledge with you." Straightening his shirt Riddle turned to face me fully, "go back to the party." His eyes went red for a split second. Knowing that I had used up all my lives for the night, I nodded.

Looking around Riddle I hoped to catch Jenny's eyes, but she was staring at the floor, brow crinkled in concentration. "Jenny," she looked up, "are you coming?"

"Oh no Pet, your little friend is going back to her dorm. She probably has a lot to think about." Said Malfoy from behind me. A hand clasped mine and pulled me back, I didn't fight him as he pulled me gently from the room. Riddle following behind us. I got one last glimpse of Jenny before the door closed, she looked defeated.

The party was still going strong by the time Riddle allowed us to leave, whatever point he had wanted to make to the other Houses was made. None of the students would look directly at me as I sat between the Slytherin princes. Probably considered me their property now, thanks to the constant hand Malfoy kept around my waist and the occasional touches from Riddle. Yawning for about the tenth time in five minutes I tried to keep my eyes open, but the warmth of the fire on my skin and the off-putting sense of safety I felt between the two men was making it nearly impossible to stay awake.

"Time to go." I jolted awake, having dozed off for a second.

"Wha…" question ending in another yawn I rubbed my eyes. Riddle's Knights were rather drunk and seemed to be the only ones still allowed to look at me. The girls were rolling their eyes and swaying where they stood, while the boys were watching me with dark calculating looks. As if to figure out exactly what it was that made me 'special' in their Masters eyes.

I felt like my limbs were made of lead, apparently those last reserves of strength I had were fading quickly. Malfoy saved me from having to admit that I couldn't properly walk when he effectively shuffled me into his arms and stood. "Poor thing had a bit too much to drink." A few people around us chuckled but still didn't look our way.

Narrowing his eyes a little Riddle pushed my frizzy hair out of the way and felt around my neck, I panicked before realizing he was checking my pulse. Whatever he felt must have pleased him, a tiny smile appeared in the corner of his mouth.

I bet he's beautiful when he smiles without malice.

Ignoring how I knew it would look I burrowed deeper into Malfoy's chest, as Riddle lead us through the crowds, and closed my eyes. I would fight them again when I was less tired.

I was asleep before we had even left the party, lulled to sleep by the beating heart I could hear against my ear.

Man, I don't know if I like this chapter. I like parts of it, but I'm not sure it flows right. I've decided to write up a bloody timeline or something for me to follow/help me remember certain facts, because when a story gets this long and this complicated it can be hard to remember every little past written fact. I'll do my best though.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this little chapter. Read and review, because opinions on my work really do help.

XOXO

Future