*~*~ Please read and review!! It's been so long…please tell me what you think! ~*~*
A warm breeze blew at Ginny's back. Her eyes were closed, but she could smell wildflowers and hear birds singing. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was in a meadow, a few trees speckled the landscape and rolling hills covered the horizon. Tall green grass and hundreds of different kinds of wildflowers speckled the meadow in every color as far as she could see. A sparkling stream trickled lazily and weaved its way through the field to disappear in the far off hills. It was her idea of heaven.
An arm encircled her waist. She wasn't startled by it, it felt like she had always known a strong arm would hold her soon.
"Good morning, my Ginny." A deep, velvety voice whispered in her ear. His cool breath made her shiver with delight. She turned in his arms and gazed up into silver eyes. He wasn't smiling, he hardly ever smiled, but he had a look in his eyes of pure contentment. He brushed her dancing hair out of her face and rested his hand on her cheek.
She had had this dream a hundred- no, a thousand times. But she didn't care. It was Draco. Her Draco.
She had her arms around his neck, her hands played with the white blonde hair at the nape of his neck. He studied her face, thumb stoking her jaw.
"Draco-" She said, softly. His pupils dilated as she said his name. She giggled at this reaction. She was probably the only person who could read Draco's minute facial expressions like a book.
She tore her eyes away from his beautiful face and pressed hers against his chest. She could hear his heart through the thin fabric of his shirt. He was wearing a soft long sleeved black shirt with white buttons down the middle. The top three buttons were undone to show his pale chest.
"I love you, Ginny. Now and forever." He said, his deep voice resonating in his chest. She hugged him tighter and then looked again into his eyes. Suddenly, he pulled away and took her by the hand.
"Come, I want to show you something." Laughing, she let herself be pulled by him across the meadow, to a small cottage that hadn't been there before, nestled between two large trees at the rivers edge. Vines and flowers grew up the stone walls and made the cottage look like something out of a fairytale.
They went inside, which was as charming as the outside and Draco led her into a small side room. It was painted light blue and had a small bassinet in the corner. Ginny tilted her head curiously and looked at Draco. He was gazing into the bassinet with a look on his face Ginny had never seen before. He looked joyous and surprised at his own amazing good fortune.
"Here is it," he said, touching the side of the bassinet. "I made it just for you and him." He said looking into the depths of the bassinet, "Do you like it?" Ginny pressed her hands to her chest, overwhelmed with the feelings that swelled within her. She walked gingerly over to the bassinet, not wanting to wake the child she knew was asleep inside. She put her arm around Draco and then looked down at their baby.
A rotting skull peered back up at her. The empty eye sockets teeming with maggots, crawling, writhing in the fleece blankets. Ginny screamed as burning pain lanced through her body.
***
Draco peered cautiously around the door of Ginny's hospital room. If she was awake he didn't want to deal with it. He wasn't ready for that. He had almost sprinted the whole way back to the hospital- it was all he could do not to just apparate right into the room itself. If the streets hadn't been so crowded he probably would have. One sure way to blow a wizard's cover was to disappear with a pop into thin air, that was one thing that always caught unwanted attention.
Draco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when he saw Ginny sleeping peacefully. He edged into the room as slyly as a snake and closed the door with barely a click behind him. He pulled out the rubber glove with the teacup shard and untied it. He gingerly pulled the ends of the glove off from around it and place the hated thing on the small table beside Ginny's bed. He wasn't completely sure how to lift the curse, but he had a hunch. It was something he had seen his father do once. He sneered at the memory and snuffed it out.
Taking out his wand he cast a silencing charm around the room so no one would hear what was going on inside- just in case. He looked down at the clean white piece of ceramic; it looked so innocent glinting in the light thrown by the lamp in the corner. Snarling, he placed the tip of his wand violently onto the cup. As soon as he made contact, a black vapor rose off it, encircling the rod slowly, sinuously. Draco lifted his wand, carefully drawing the vapor up from the fragment and, muttering incantations, pulled it towards Ginny. He put the end of his wand to her temple. She let out a high, agonized scream and jerked violently against her restraints. He hadn't noticed before that her ankles and wrists were strapped to the bed, but now the blankets shifted around her he could see the brown cuffs. This made him furious, but he pushed it away as he did so many things. He needed to concentrate.
The vapor turned from a light consuming black to a gray. Encouraged by this, Draco chanted louder and concentrated all his strength into the spell. Ginny's screams became desperate and hoarse. Tears streamed from her closed eyes, it was clear she was in pain. Wrath Draco hadn't felt for years boiled inside his chest. His eyes blazed with it and his lips retracted into a growl. Sweat glistened on his forehead not only from the concentration and effort it took to dispel the curse, but from restraining himself to not destroy the whole building in a blind rage.
With the last of his strength he roared the last two words of the chant, "FINITE INCANTATEM!" The gray tendrils of liquid air turned a blinding white and burst, filling the room with light. Just as suddenly as it happened, it disappeared, leaving Draco blinking away spots from his vision. Ginny's scream also ceased as soon as the light was gone. Draco slumped, all energy drained, and caught himself on the edge of her bed. He pulled himself into the arm chair near the foot of her bed and with one final glance at his sleeping Ginny let himself succumb to darkness.
***
"I don't get it." Felix said, confused. His mother let out a frustrated sigh and explained again.
"They're like animals, darling. Their feelings are not like ours, they don't feel pain or sadness. They are savage, violent and dumb."
"But they look like regular people. Like us." He said hesitantly, almost like he wasn't sure this was true. His mother gave him a sad smile.
"Yes, they do, but you must remember that if they could they would kill us without even blinking. Muggles don't feel remorse, love or happiness. They were made to work, they're lucky to have us to take care of them." She said, brushing his hair with her hand.
"Yea, I guess." Felix frowned. He had thought that muggles were just like wizards, but without magic. He remembered living among muggles for a little bit when he was younger, they had seemed so normal then…
"I know it's hard to understand, my little one. But with time, you will see I am right." She said this affectionately, and Felix gave her a small smile. Ever since they had been in this cottage, his mother would get into these foul moods sometimes- they came out of nowhere- but Felix thought she seemed patient today, so ventured another question.
"But they seem so normal. Why is that?" His mother nodded.
"Yes, they can mock any action they see. It looks like they care for one another, but in truth all they can comprehend is violence and cruelty. They're very good pretenders. Remember when we pretended to be dragons?" Felix laughed at the memory of his mother chasing him around the cottage, arms flapping like wings.
"We weren't really dragons, were we? No, we just pretended. It's much like that; they pretend to be something they are not very well. Do you understand?"
"Yea, it's just hard to think about it that way." He said, tucking his legs under himself on the couch.
"I know, it took me a long time to accept it too. I used to think they were people, just like us. But I soon realized how wrong I was. Do not feel sorry for them, they are fulfilled by hard labor." Felix felt this was not quite right, but didn't argue. Who was he to question his mummy? He was only nine. Well, almost nine.
Since arriving at the isolated cottage, his mother had insisted giving him lessons everyday. She said he'd be starting Hogwarts in a less than two years and he should be ready.
"What about muggle-borns?" He asked, again. His mother pursed her lips.
"They are no better than muggles. The only difference is that they have stolen magic from other wizards and witches. They are, perhaps, the most talented deceivers of them all and despicable." She spat the last word in anger. "They do not understand the gravity of their crimes, only that we have something they desire. Power and pain, Felix, that is all they feel." He blinked.
"Oh, right. I forgot." This was the first time she had shown anger at the mention of muggles or muggle-borns. Though, he seen her hide it. He wondered why she hated them so much.
"Can I go outside, now?" His mother smoothed her face and smiled warmly.
"Of course, but I expect you back before dark." He gave her a hug, which she returned strongly and dashed out the front door.
***
Pansy watched the little twirp run off and slam the door behind him. She let out a long sigh and massaged her temple. It had taken every skill she possessed to keep from pummeling the kid. He asked an endless amount of questions and never seemed to understand her explanations the first time. She pulled herself up off the couch and went into the kitchen. She opened the highest cupboard and pulled out a wooden box with a small round lock snapped on the front.
She pulled her wand from her pocket and muttered a low alohamora. The locked clicked open. Inside were hundreds of vials of a thick bright red liquid. She uncorked one and downed the disgusting stuff in one gulp. She felt herself change only slightly under it's effects. It had only started to wear off in the last few minutes. She felt her hips widen a little and her breasts get smaller. The Weasely girl was also a few inches smaller and had shorter, thicker hair. Pansy's brown hair was long and straight, almost to her rear; the other woman's was only to her mid-back and wavy. The other differences Pansy couldn't feel happening. The freckles dotting her face, her eyes turning from almost black to a chocolate brown which she didn't even notice until she startled herself in a mirror.
If anyone but the Dark Lord had asked her do this she would have Crucio'd them until their ears bled. She gave a wicked smile at the thought. She truly hated looking like the Weasley brat everyday. She had been shocked, to say the least, to see that this was who she was turning into. Draco had a kid with her? The dog.
She admitted the Weasley girl did have a nice figure, if not a little curvy for Pansy's taste. But how had he stomached even touching a blood traitor, let alone having a kid with one? She knew Draco had betrayed the Dark Lord and was now a bloody Order member, but she never fathomed he had gone this far. She shivered, not even allowing herself to picture it.
She looked out the window over the stone sink and grimaced. The child was playing in the mud, which meant he had to be bathed later. She despised this motherly act, she vowed never to have children. Watching the boy dirty himself, she smiled slightly. He looked so much like Draco. His silvery blonde hair shone in the setting sunlight and he was slight, like his father had been at that age. Sometimes when she was teaching him, she saw a glint of Draco's mischief in his eyes. Those were the only times she actually enjoyed his presence.
She thought he was getting better at his lessons- he trusted her. She smirked- something the Weasley girl's face was not used to. Of course he did, he thought she was his mummy. The Dark Lord had told her that all she needed to do was make him enjoy the Dark Arts. That hadn't been so hard. Sure, he still cringed whenever she tortured a bird or squirrel in front of him, but he no longer cried out and tried to shield the animal. They had plenty of time to turn him. He was slowly coming over to the Dark Arts. Soon enough, he would fulfill the prophesy and darkness would reign the earth. She grinned and madness glinted in her eyes.
***
Ginny opened her eyes and blinked, trying to clear her vision. She felt weak and exhausted, like she had fought a battle instead of just woken up from sleeping. Her muscles ached and were tense. What in Merlin's name happened to me? She tried to lift her hand to her head, but found she was restrained. No… no, I will not be a prisoner! She struggled harder, adrenaline starting to pump though her body. She cried out in anger as the bonds held tight.
Suddenly, Draco was at her side.
"Shh, it's ok, Ginny." He said, placing a cool hand on her arm.
"Why am I restrained?" She asked, her voice hoarse.
"You were…sick." He said, pausing between words. "A curse, I think." Ginny's eyes widened in shock.
"What? A curse?" She tried to remember, but everything was hazy. She remembered Felix being taken, finding Draco…
"Felix," she whispered, then said, "Felix!" Again, more urgently. She searched Draco's face, his mouth tightened and he had gone pale when she had said her son's name. She tried to sit up, but found it impossible. Draco seemed to realize what she was doing and placed his wand on her hand cuffs. They fell away instantly. He did the same for the ankles. Ginny rubbed at them absently and continued to study Draco.
He looked uncomfortable, like he would rather be anywhere else in the world. Of course, if anyone else would have looked at him, they would have seen a perfectly calm face. But Ginny knew better.
"What happened, Draco? Felix, is he…" She trailed away, her voice breaking.
"Nothing, everything is the same. Sorry. No new leads." He said, rather icily.
"How long have I been here?" She asked, almost afraid for the answer.
"About half a day." He answered curtly. Ginny sighed with relief, she had been scared it had been days or weeks even. She frowned at him, finally noticing his weird behavior.
"What's wrong with you?" Was he angry because she had been cursed? No, he probably didn't care. Then why is he here? A little voice asked in the back of her head.
"Who cursed me? Deatheaters?" Draco stiffened even more, if that was possible.
"Doesn't matter. We need to find the boy and then you two can get out of here." Ginny gritted her teeth at his snide tone. So that was it, the faster they found Felix, she sooner they'd leave him alone again. But why was he avoiding the question about who cursed her? She decided to leave it alone for now, Felix was more important.
"Of course, any suggestions as to what we should do next?" Draco shifted his weight minutely. A sign that he knew something he wished he didn't. Ginny's heart almost froze, but then he pulled out a worn piece of old parchment from his pocket and tossed it on her lap. She opened it.
"And this is?" She asked, confused.
"Something I found, I think it has something to do with Fe- the boy." He stumbled over Felix's name and Ginny saw plain on his face, for the first time, the battle he was fighting inside. Something was wrong. What would have Draco this bothered?
Then it came to her in a sudden realization. Shock and fear slammed into her like twin bludgers.
He knew.
How, she didn't know, but he knew. She swallowed and placed the parchment back onto the blanket covering her legs. Her hands were shaking- she balled them into fists and buried them in her lap. Ginny forced her face into calm serenity and looked up at Draco, her brown eyes meeting his burning silver ones.
"You know, don't you Draco." It wasn't a question. His eyes widened slightly.
"I-what? No-I…know what?" He said, trying to cover his tracks. Ginny folded her arms across her chest and bore into him with her stare. Draco swallowed, but said nothing.
"You're going to make me say it and then you're going to act all shocked. I know you know. You forget I know you, Draco." He met her gaze and they locked glares for a few moments. Finally, Draco made a disgusted sound.
"Yes." He drawled, reminding her of his younger self. "I know about the boy being mine." He said it calmly and Ginny was impressed by the indifference in his eyes. Icy dread and immense sadness filled her.
He knew.
He knew and he didn't care.
She felt tears welling in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She would not cry. She promised herself she would never shed a tear over Draco Malfoy again and she wasn't going to break it now. She cleared her throat. Draco was looking out the window, apparently fascinated by the birds hopping on the ledge.
"How did you find out?" She asked was surprised to hear the coldness in her own voice. He didn't answer right away, he watched the birds argue over who would get a particularly shiny piece of tinsel for its nest. When they flew off, one squawking after the other, he turned his mercury eyes on her.
"You told me, Ginny. While you were...sick." His mouth twisted into a snarl at the word 'sick.'
"Ah, well then, I am sorry you found out that way." When he didn't respond, she continued, "I don't expect anything from you, Draco. You can go back to your life when we leave." He still didn't say anything. He just stood there, arms stiff at his side, chin held high, jaw tight, for a long time. They stayed like that for a while, her fidgeting with a thread on her blanket and him staring stonily out the window. Finally, after about twenty minutes Draco asked her a question she had assumed he already knew.
"When did it happen?"
"The, uh, last night you were at the Burrow." She said, feeling her cheeks grow hot. The memory was still strong, like it had happened only recently. Ginny risked a peek at Draco through her lashes. Draco's lips twitched, holding back a smile. She had to hold back a grin of her own, that small amount of emotion he had shown was as good as him laughing out loud and dancing a caper.
***
Draco had suppressed a smile when Ginny mentioned their last night together. That was one for the books, hands down the most passionate night of his life. He had been struggling to keep his outer demeanor clam, while inside raged a storm. Too many feeling he had never thought himself possible of were threatening to overwhelm him. It was all he could do not to break out into a violent frenzy or laugh hysterically- both seemed appropriate. He didn't know what was happening to him, was he going mad? If he was, he decided, it was all the kid's fault.
He glanced at Ginny and saw her face was scarlet. He had to stop himself from smirking. So she remembered too, did she? Eyes becoming unfocused, he let himself fall into the memory of that night.
Draco had waited until everyone was asleep, which had taken longer than expected. Potter and the Mudblo- Granger wouldn't get off the bloody couch in the Burrow's sitting room. He had, however, found it mildly interesting when Potter had kissed her and instead of resisting she kissed him back with intense fervor. Draco smirked and sank back into the dark corner as the two clumsily made their way up the crooked stairs together, arms entwined in one another. Weasely would not be too thrilled about this new development.
Once they had retreated into Granger's room, Draco melted out of the corner and made his way silently up to Ginny's door- which was a feat in itself; those stairs creaked more than Weasley's Aunt Muriel's bones on the coldest night in winter.
His heart started to pound as he stood before her door and his breath came faster and shallower. He had struggled with whether or not to say good-bye, he was terrible at those, and they never came out right. Ginny and he had spent a few passionate nights and secret encounters together while the rest of the family paid more attention to Order business. Draco had felt things for her that he had never felt for anyone else. He had tried to deny it, of course, but he constant presence made me realize the truth of those feelings. Feelings he never thought he was capable of or deserved. He felt…warm…around her. Like sunlight emanated from her hair, fingertips, lips…and when he was with her, he was lucky enough to be engulfed in her light and forget all the horrors of his life before her.
He knocked on her door once and it swung open instantly, light momentarily blinding him. A nimbus surrounded Ginny's tear streaked face as the light from a lamp shined from behind her. He let himself revel in his metaphor come to life and almost smiled. Before he could speak, she flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest, he could feel the wetness of her eyes soak though his thin shirt.
"If you left before saying good-bye I would have hexed you so bad the Deatheaters would have been jealous." She said, glaring up at him, her chocolate eyes blazing with the intensity of her emotions. Draco reached up and gently stroked her damp cheek with his thumb. She leaned into his touch, eyes closing. They stayed like that for a moment, just relishing each others touch.
"Ginny-" he began to whisper but was abruptly cut off by her hungrily pressing her lips to his, he submitted her kiss as one submits to a hurricane: they let themselves be swept away by the torrent.
He pushed her with his body back into her room, kicking the door shut with his foot. His shirt was already unbuttoned and he smiled against her lips- she was a sly one, and his affection and need for her swelled alarmingly.
They fell in a heap onto her bed, his strong form pressing against hers, his hand tangled in her fiery tresses while the other explored the rest of her. Her skin was soft and smooth as the finest silk and she tasted of strawberries.
Together, the rest of the night, they made love more passionately than ever before. They were aflame by the immediate circumstances looming over them. He would be leaving with the sunrise and this was their last night together- maybe forever.
Draco had been with other girls before, but it had never been like this. When he was with Ginny, just near each other, the world fell away, all his worries, fears...nothing mattered but her.
That night their bodies created a fire that would burn in him eternally. They fell asleep in each others arms, her head resting on his chest, her nose tickling his bare collarbone. He savored this moment and knew he would be hers forever.
"Draco?" He looked over at Ginny, she was watching him curiously with a slight, knowing smile on her face. Draco matched her stare with one eyebrow raised.
"What?" He said hearing the slight annoyance in his voice. Ginny put on a stern face and raised an eyebrow, mocking his expression.
"Nothing, Draco. Absolutely nothing. Like I said, I don't expect anything from you. It's not like you could be his father." A sharp pain shot thought Draco's chest. Her words had hurt him, deep. Why? He didn't want to be a father- he couldn't be a father. He hadn't even met the kid. Ginny and the kid were doing fine on their own, weren't they? Then why did they come here? Asked an annoying little voice. Draco narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as he looked at Ginny- really looked. Her beauty had matured over the nine years and she was more beautiful now than she had been at 16- her hair was a darker red and her cheekbones more defined- but now he saw the purple circles under her eyes and the small worry lines at the edge of her mouth.He crossed his arms, determined to find out once and for all why she had some all this way to find him.
"Why are you here?" His voice was harsher then he intended, but he met her eyes unblinkingly. He was pleased to see his question catch her off guard. She open and closed her mouth without sound and looked around the room as if hoping someone would come to her aid. When no one did, she swallowed and looked up at Draco tentatively.
"I wanted to know you were safe, I guess." She said, weakly. Draco was unconvinced. He could always tell when Ginny was lying, she always bit her lip like she was doing now. He smirked a self-satisfied smirk.
"Ginny, why are you here?" He asked again, his voice soft as cold iron. Ginny looked wretched, like she was struggling with something internally. She was clenching her jaw so tight Draco was afraid she would crack her teeth. Draco waited patiently; hands now clasped behind his back, face a calm mask. He needed her to say it, to admit it. He knew why she had come; he knew she still loved him. But the longer she stayed silent, the more doubts wheedled their way into his mind.
Ginny closed her eyes, shook her head and opened them again. She licked her lips and looked at her hands. Finally, she looked right into Draco's serene eyes.
"I came here," She started slowly, "because I-" but before she could finish the door banged open and a dark haired nurse entered with a tray. She stopped, looking startled. She turned her head from Ginny to Draco in obvious confusion. She said something in Arabic and seeing Draco's impatient and snarling face stuttered a few words of English.
"You better now? How you better? She asked uncertainly. Ginny smiled and gestured to herself.
"I'm better, yes. Thank you. You needn't to worry." The shock seemed to wear off slightly and the nurse shrugged, speaking rapid Arabic under her breath. She set the tray with two small cups on the table next to Ginny's bed, knocking the teacup piece onto the floor. She didn't seem to notice, but turned, still talking to herself and wandered distractedly out of the room. Once she shut the door behind her, Draco turned back to Ginny, his face dark with frustration.
"As you were saying?" But Ginny was struggling to get out of bed. Before Draco could stop himself he gracefully stepped over and took her by the arm as she stood. She stumbled on her unsteady feet and he caught her as she fell onto his chest. The moment was slightly awkward as she stayed in his arms a bit longer than was probably necessary. Draco and Ginny looked at each other, her brown eyes wide and her skin soft. Ginny's lips parted and Draco cleared his throat, pushing her gently away.
"Draco," She said quietly, still very close to Draco. "I, I need to tell you…" she started, hesitating slightly. Draco's throat went dry.
"Yes?"
"Oh, heavens. I love you, Draco. I love more than life itself, alright?" She said strongly, crossing her arms rebelliously as if daring him to challenge her. Draco felt like his body had turned to water. Her words repeated in his head, making him lightheaded. He backed away from her and turned to look out the window. He needed to take some time to compose himself. If Draco had thought he knew what it was going to be like for Ginny to tell him what he's wanted to hear for nine years- he was wrong.
He felt her hand on his shoulder. It rested there for a moment, but when Draco didn't turn to acknowledge it she took it away. His skin tingled under his shirt where it had been.
"I'm sorry I said anything. I understand if you want to leave. It's ok." She said diplomatically. Draco turned sharply to face her, Ginny's face was startled by his sudden liquid movement, eyes wide, mouth open. He gripped her shoulders forcefully.
"Draco, what-" But Draco cut her off before she could finish.
"No, Ginny, listen. I know you think I can't be his father, and Merlin knows I'd probably be horrible at it, but I'm not going anywhere." He surprised himself to find he meant it.
"Damn it, I'm his father and I'm sure as hell going to be better at it then mine was." He gave a low, short laugh at that. A pumpkin pasty would have been a better father than Lucius. Ginny opened her mouth, but Draco continued before she had time to say anything.
"You drive me crazy and I don't know why you didn't tell me about him, but Merlin help me, I love you. Nothing I can do about that and nothing I want to do about it." Her eyes softened as he spoke and had small tears in the corner when he finished. He loosened his grip on her shoulders and brushed a few strands of hair off her forehead and tucked them behind her ear. He lifted her chin with is hand and slowly, surreptitiously, lowered his lips to hers.
As they touched for the first time in nine years, his world exploded. Lights danced behind his closed lids and waves of warmth rippled down his arms, back, and legs into his fingers, toes and to the top of his head. He was alive. His heart swelled to the point of being painful, but he ignored it and allowed his lips to move with hers. She kissed him back with extreme enthusiasm. Her hands gripped his hair, as did his in hers. Her tongue was warm and tasted of strawberries, though he didn't know how this was possible- and didn't care.
She was more than he had dared to dream of.
***
As Draco kissed her, Ginny melted. The hospital room, her worries for Felix, everything just melted away. Nothing mattered but Draco. He was kissing her, as he had a million times in her dreams and fantasies. But it was far more that her dreams and overshadowed every fantasy.
His hands tangled in her hair and one ventured down her back to pull her closer. She clung to him with a desperation and a need that had been buried inside herself long ago. The careful walls she had built seemed to crash down and all the feelings that had been walled up inside was thrown into that kiss.
He tasted as he always had, she found to her great pleasure, of lime and mint. She moaned against him, which made him kiss her even stronger, if that was possible. Ginny's mind was numb, all thoughts slipping away. The world didn't exist under that kiss.
***
Lucius Malfoy was in pain. He would never admit this to anyone, but as he was alone, he let a grimace twist his sharply featured face. The Dark Lord had forbidden his wounds to be healed magically and even made Zabini bind his leg in something called a 'brace'. He had been humiliated having his broken leg bound like a muggle and the Dark Lord knew. Zabini just smiled cruelly and hadn't even tried to be gentle. Now Lucius had to find the Weasley girl and Draco or the Dark Lord would do more than refuse to heal him. His orders were to kill the two when found and Lucius was eager to do so. Anything to be in the Dark Lord's good graces once again.
It had come as a shock to learn his son had a child, and from a blood traitor. He growled. At least the child was pureblood. That was a comfort, if only a small one. He didn't know what the Dark Lord intended for this child, only that he was a priority and killing his parents was of great importance. The Dark Lord would have seen to it himself, but he had more important things to attend to, he was sure. But Lucius had plans of his own.
He would kill Draco, he had longed to ever since the boy had betrayed his own family and the Dark Lord, but he would keep the Weasley girl alive. The Dark Lord didn't realize how valuable she could be. She could be the key to finally destroying the Order. The Dark Lord relished killing too much, Lucius dared to think. Nothing wrong with doing away with rubbish, but sometimes the Dark Lord ignored the advantages of keeping prisoners.
There was a knock at the door.
"You may enter." Lucius said. Zabini came into the room, dark and tall in dark green robes with two silver striking serpents embroidered on the high collar. He had a regal air about him that annoyed Lucius. Zabini may be pureblood, but he was not as high in the Dark Lord's favor as he seemed to act. He conceded a bit in his mind that no one was high in the Dark Lord's favor lately, but that would change when Lucius's plan came to fruition.
"I came to check on your wounds. I may not be allowed to be heal them by magic, but they can be tended to." Zabini did not look pleased with this notion or with the fact that he was Lucius's private nurse. He came forward reluctantly, as if Lucius was a particularly nasty kind of insect, and started to unwrap the bandages around his leg. Lucius kept his face blank and calm, though he wanted to wince and hit something. The bandage was cleaner than the last time his wounds were cleaned. The bone in his leg had protruded through the skin from his fall and his arm had popped out of the socket from grabbing the first tree branch he could. He also had three broken ribs and a concussion- according to Zabini who apparently learned all this from his time living with muggles- something that made him despicable in Lucius's eyes. There were other cuts and gashes, but none as bad as the other things.
"Your leg looks better," Zabini said grudgingly. "How does it feel?"
"It feels just fine." Lucius growled through his teeth. Zabini gave him a cool look suggesting that he knew better than to believe Lucius's lie, but he didn't say anything.
"Can you tell me, Zabini, why the Dark Lord sees fit to keep his most faithful servant alone in this bloody room for days with no word?" Lucius said, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. Zabini smirked, something he had learned from Draco.
"Perhaps you are not his most faithful, Lucius." He answered in a mocking solicitude. Lucius didn't rise to the bait.
"What is the Dark Lord planning? Tell me, Zabini." He said, smoothly, not taking his eyes off the man. Zabini continued to clean the gash in his leg, but Lucius saw him tense.
"I believe he will tell us soon enough, he is holding a meeting of the Deatheaters tonight." Lucius almost grabbed Zabini by the throat, but instead he only allowed a small sneer to steal across his face. He hadn't known about the meeting. Why hadn't he been informed about it? He didn't understand why the Dark Lord was punishing him so much for something that wasn't his fault. He hadn't let the boy escape- Mordecai should have been punished, not him. But Mordecai sat at the Dark Lord's right hand. This man who had seemingly come from nowhere had suddenly earned the Dark Lord's trust? It didn't make sense. Perhaps the boy had fallen to his death. But why would that win Mordecai favor? Lucius could not work it out in his mind. He needed more information.
"When should I be there?" Lucius asked, though it sounded more like a demand than a question. Zabini raised his head from Lucius's wound.
"You? I do not believe you need to be there at all." He said, smiling wickedly. Lucius did grab Zabini by the throat. Lucius stared coldly into Zabini's eyes. Molten silver burning into liquid blue. Zabini blinked rapidly in astonishment. Lucius's smile did not reach his eyes.
"I will be there, Zabini, and you're going to tell me at what time I should arrive." He voice was low and dangerous. Zabini had a small bead of sweat trickling down his brow.
"I believe if you arrive an hour past sunset you will be there sufficiently early." His voice didn't betray the fear in his eyes, though it did come out a bit choked. Lucius released the man's neck with a shove. Blaise massaged his throat, white hot anger marring his handsome face. With a violent tug on Lucius's clean bandages he tied them hastily and stood to leave, straightening his coat. Lucius just sat back on the sofa with a smug look.
As Zabini left in a huff, Lucius forced himself to stand. He limped over to the large open double doors the led out onto a large balcony. He looked out over the Egyptian desert, at the small peaks in the distance that were the mighty pyramids. He gritted his teeth in determination and put his full weight on his broken leg. He almost blacked out from the pain, but pushed though it with a shake of his head. He was going to find the blood traitor and his son, it was only a matter of time.