Trees and bushes flew past me, becoming a blur of green as I pushed myself to go faster and faster. It wasn't difficult to do, spells were exploding into the trees around me as I ran, forcing me to speeds I hadn't known I could achieve. The two Wizards casting them were close behind me. I recognized the hexes by the explosions they left behind, so far nothing particularly harmful was being thrown at me, just debilitating. A sharp pain in my ear let me know one had come too close, hissing I pressed my hand to the wound and dodged around a tree. Unfortunately behind that tree was a steeper gully then I had expected. Feet scrambling, and hands flailing, I slid down the hill. Finally I reached the bottom, before I could even assess my injuries the ground opened up underneath me and I fell down. Shrieking in fright, I imagined how deep this hole must be and how splattered I would be when I landed. Two metres later I was on the ground and on my back looking up at the sky. Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, I could tell that whatever adrenaline that had fuelled my escape was gone. The sun was flittering through the trees above and for a moment I forgot I was running from psycho Snakes. My reprieve was shattered suddenly, leaves cracked nearby and I could just make out voices.

"Where the hell is she?!" the unmistakable voice of Malfoy. Good they didn't see my truly spectacular fall down a hole. "Tom, can you still feel her?"

"Obviously not." I shivered and stopped any movement, even breathing, for fear Riddle would somehow hear me.

Somebody growled and then a soft 'thunk', "Shit!"

"Punching trees Abraxas?"

"I'm furious, and at the moment it's punch trees or duel with you, I'd rather the less painful option."

Riddle's soft chuckle came from the edge of the hole, a small breath escaped me and I prayed to every god that he wouldn't hear me. He obviously couldn't see me, or hadn't thought to look down yet. "She can't stay hidden in this forest forever, this is just a last desperate attempt at escape before she accepts the inevitable."

Is not!

"Well where the hell is she then? I can't sense her the way you can, I just feel her bloody emotions."

Good! I focused every part of my being on wishing them dead. It might have been wishful thinking but I liked to believe the obvious sound of Malfoy tripping up was my doing.

"She's close, this way." More twigs snapped as they moved away, a rush of air escaped me in my relief. Only after any unnatural noise was gone did I sit up carefully. My legs felt like jelly and ached like somebody had taken a piece of wood to them. Grunting softly I stood and studied the hole I had fallen into, it was large and from it hung… Spider webs? Frowning in confusion I turned and the hole revealed itself to be a really big tunnel, I couldn't see any light coming from the tunnel so decided against going in. I could try climbing the edge. Accepting the fact that I was going to look like some sort of dirt monster by the end of this, I scrambled up the side of the burrow. Gripping tree roots I pulled myself up and over the edge of it, rolling a little bit and coming to rest against a tree.

Clearly I needed to exercise more, even that small bout of energy was causing me to pant like a dog on a hot day. The laughter of First Years filtered through the trees, which meant I had done a wonderful job escaping all the way to the edge of the Forest… I could almost make out what they were saying, something about 'Owls'.

Focus you idiot!

Right, new plan, get to Hogwarts and hide in Headmasters office. Better make that Dumbledore's office, he'd actually offer me help if I asked.

"Might just go back to the Muggle world, can't be that bad to live without magic." Talking to myself was definitely a bad sign, but what I was saying wasn't a bad idea, at least in the Muggle world those Snakes won't be willing to follow me. Using the tree as leverage I pushed myself up, and quietly made my way through the trees. I could almost make out the shine of the Lake. Excited I shoved a branch away from my face, failing to notice the one in front of it. Pain shot through my head at the impact, I stumbled back for a step before my back touched something decidedly firm and warm. Hands closed around my shoulders and yanked me backwards, deeper into the underbrush and away from prying eyes.

"You shouldn't have run, Mudblood." The breath I sucked in to scream with, was kept down by a hand over my mouth. Long fingers spun me around pushed me back against a tree. Enflamed eyes glared into mine, a vicious twist graced Riddle's lips as he held me in place. Malfoy was nowhere in sight. "He isn't here. I sent Abraxas back to the Castle, just in case you had made your way back there." The sound of student's laughter drifted through the trees. Riddle didn't seem at all concerned that we might be caught, just annoyed. "Now, we are going to have a conversation Antoinette. Somewhere we won't be spied on or disturbed." His hand slid down to my wrist and pulled my arm behind my back with ruthless efficiency. The slightest pressure was all that was needed to force my body to spin so my back was pressed against his front. His hand still covered my mouth, muffling any protests I might have made. He held me like that for a second, silent and still as I waited for his next move and tried to ignore how nice he felt pressed against me. "If I take away my hand, and you say anything, I will have to use magic on you Antoinette. And I wanted to avoid that, I'm not certain I could control myself." Wet heat from his breath hit my neck as he spoke. Slowly the hand around my mouth let go, one finger at a time as if testing me. I didn't make any noise. Fingers stroked my cheek before disappearing, commending me on my silence. "Now walk." I didn't need to ask in what direction, his hand still held my arm behind my back, pressure letting me know where to walk. Our destination was not an easy trip. Between trying to keep upright on the slippery ground, having one arm shoved behind my back and the rolling emotions I could feel coming from Riddle, I was panting heavily by the time we finally stepped out of the Forest. We had come out near the Herbology Greenhouses. Riddle walked us directly towards the biggest one, for a second I wondered how the hell we were going to have a private 'conversation' in front of First Years.

Off to the side of the Greenhouse there was a small shed, before I could even think about yelling Riddle opened the door and pushed me inside. While I stumbled for footing his wand slashed through the air, the walls around us glowed for a second and then dimmed out. Protective and silencing magic probably.

"You are without doubt the stupidest Witch in Hogwarts." Riddle was furious, I backed up behind one of the old workbenches that were littered throughout the shed. "Not only do you spurn us in front of the entire school, but you also run away to the fucking Dark Forest." The air was practically vibrating with his anger, I braced myself for a hex to come flying at me, but nothing.

"I told you I don't want this, to be a Nymph."

Storming forward Riddle pulled down the collar of his shirt, I could see the bite marks I had left. "Do you think that I wanted this? To be tied to eternity to a creature who is so weak she needs to find mates to protect herself?!"

I barely held myself back from telling him the truth, that my Mates weren't only around to protect me, once I came into my nature I could do that on my own.

Huffing out a breath Riddle pulled his shirt back into place, he began pacing back and forth. "And that isn't even the worst of it. You actually think that you have the right to refuse to feed, when you clearly understand that it makes us weak."

"Why would I want you strong?"

Riddle stopped pacing and glared at me. "What?"

Swallowing my nerves I glared back at him. "I hate your magic, what you can do with it. You could choose to do amazing things with it, but instead you chose to torment me and achieve your own twisted goals. Those people who follow you around, call you 'My Lord' like you're some kind of god." I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of it. "You aren't a god Riddle, you aren't even a real man, you're just a—"

Before I could utter another word hard lips slammed down on mine, silencing what I thought was a pretty good end to a rant. I immediately tried to punch him. Grabbing my hands before I could form a fist he slammed them down on the table behind me, still not enough to hurt me. Pulling his mouth back from mine he stared into my eyes as he pressed himself as close as possible to me, my hands were released for a second and my hips lifted onto the table. Riddle slid himself between my legs, and grabbed my hands again in one smooth movement.

Hissing out a breath he pulled back from me. His eyes were wild with fury, he probably chose to kiss me so he wouldn't kill me. "I have tried to control you, when that didn't work I decided that perhaps you needed to feel loved to do what I say." I could practically sense the truth in his words, Riddle was and always would be incapable of love. "But still you defy me, you deny me… you deny us." Eyes narrowing he took a step away and pointed his wand at my dishevelled and shocked form. "I will not allow you to lessen my power any more. You will accept your fate Antoinette, even if I have to force you." Snarling out a protest I raised my hand, not quite knowing what would happen. The tips of my fingers glowed for a second. I know I didn't imagine it. I could see Riddle's eyes widen at it. Before anything could happen, the shed door slammed open and Malfoy rushed in wand raised. He took one look at my fingers and didn't hesitate in sending a red hex towards me. It slammed into my body, impossible to dodge with how close he was. Knocked backwards, the last thing I felt was my head slamming into the shed wall with a wet 'CRACK'.

Soooo long time… again… sorry… I am really grateful for all the messages and people who still read and follow this. I appreciate it all.

Xoxo

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