Author's Note: Hey! Yeah, I got an update up quick! We're on spring break so I hope to update at least one more time before school recommences and I am sucked back up into all the bullshit that comes with that. And then three weeks till grad. I am so excited. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. And Lesbian-Lover gets the prize for guessing the plot most accurately for this chapter.

Chapter Eight:

"Pansy, it is nice to have you back home. Your father wishes to speak to you in his office. You know the way. I will talk to you more at supper."

"Yes, mother," I said, before slowly making the way to my father's study. Nothing good had ever come of my visits to father's study. I knew that even though Draco had written father with direct orders that I was not to be harmed, father would ignore it. He would never belittle himself to taking orders from an eleven-year-old boy. I paused when I got to the door to my father's study and I knocked what must have sounded like a confident little three knocks.

"Come in," my father beckoned from inside.

I hesitatingly pushed the door open. "You called for me, father?"

"Yes, Pansy, I have some things I want to talk to you about. Take a seat." I closed the door and took my customary seat. "I didn't hear from you that often when you were at school this term. Is there any reason for that?"

"I thought that since you didn't write me, you didn't want me to write you. I am sorry if I misinterpreted your lack of writing, sir."

"Don't play that game with me, child. You learned it from me, damn it, and I will not put up with you using it against me."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"How was your first term?"

"Umm, fine, I guess. I received good marks."

"Are you at the top of your class?"

"Well, no, sir. There is this mudblood in Gryffindor who has the top marks, but…"

My father interrupted my explanation by slapping me once across the face. "That is unsatisfactory. A mudblood getting higher marks then a pureblood. You aren't working hard enough. I expect better then this from you. You will be punished for that."

"I'm sorry, sir. Not even Draco…"

"Speaking of Draco," father cut in again, "I got an interesting letter from him at the start of term. From what I understand, you are to eat three meals a day, and I am forbidden to hit you. Did you put him up to it, child?"

"Me, put Draco up to anything? Not very likely. He doesn't take orders from anyone, sir, least of all me. I know my place next to him."

Father pulled me up by my hair and proceeded to strike me again and again. Sometimes with an open hand, and other times with a closed fist. "You are a little liar, aren't you," he hissed at me. "Always have been, always will be. Or maybe you wrote the letter yourself. Well, I won't take directions and order from an eleven-year-old boy. Don't you think I will, my girl, or you have something else coming to you."

At this point, tears were pouring down my face. I was beginning to loose consciousness when the assault finally stopped. "Please, sir, I didn't put him up to it. I swear it."

"Stop whimpering, girl. Sit back down," he said as he released my hair. "Now, tell me, what friends have you made? I hear Daphne Greengrass is in your year. She comes from a respectable family."

I tried to recompose myself before answering his question. My guess was that I had at least twenty bruises so far, and I knew that there was more to come. "Well, actually, umm, Daphne is a bit of a ninny so I didn't hit it off with her very well."

"What? You aren't stupid enough to not befriend somebody respectable. So, who did you befriend? An older student? That is always useful."

"Umm, actually Elizabeth Edmonton. She is from a pureblood family, you know."

"Edmonton. They are a step below the Greengrass'. They aren't in our social group. That is unacceptable." And with that, father began another assault on my body. The tears came much quicker this time and it wasn't long until I sunk into darkness.

Several hours later, I regained consciousness. There, at my bedside was an overly excited house elf, waiting for me to regain my senses. "Miss, master wishes me to tell you that you is not allowed to write any letters. And master says that you is to study your classes when you is not eating meals, and meals will be brought to you, miss. I is sorry"

"Mippy, how bad is it this time?" Technically, I was not allowed to associate with the house elves, but Mippy was the one I always woke up to find tending my broken bones and bruises. She is the one who knew best how badly I was injured.

"This is the worst one yet, miss. I is trying to heal five bones, and missus has 83 bruises. This is not going to be all gone before Christmas, miss," Mippy replied, looking distressed.

"Do you have a potion to relieve the pain I am in, Mippy"

"Master says that Mippy is not to give the potion to miss. He says that miss put herself in this situation and miss has to feel the pain of miss' actions. I is sorry, miss."

I groined in pain. I had never experienced this much pain. Just as I was about to ask Mippy if I was allowed to eat anytime soon, mother showed up.

"Well, you have landed yourself in a predicament, haven't you, Pansy."

"Hello, mother," I replied, coldly.

"Don't use that tone with me. If you had known what was best for you, you never would have put yourself in this situation. Your father warned you of the consequences of your actions before you went to school."

"And what exactly did I do, mother?"

"Do you want me to call your father to fix your attitude, Pansy? Is that what you want?"

I sighed, imagining another conference with my father. "No, mother. I am sorry."

"Now, let me have a look at you and see the damage done." I pulled the covers off to discover that I was only in a bra and underwear. "Good Lord. I told him not to lose control of his temper. The Malfoy's are coming over for Christmas in three days. There is no amount of magic that will cover up all of that. Well, the only thing there is to it is that you will have to feign ill."

"I don't think that is a good idea, mother."

"And why not?"

"Draco will not buy it. And to lie to him is deadly. Not to mention that I am under orders to write him every day, and when he doesn't receive any letters from now until Christmas, he will demand to see me."

"Then you will just have to write him and tell him that you have caught a cold."

"You know that once father says something, he will never take it back. I am under orders from father that I am not to write anyone for the rest of break."

"Well, we will figure something out. Now, you are back to normal meals. I understand how hard it must have been to eat all of those meals and then to throw the up so that you didn't put on the weight while at school, but you are at home now so you don't have to pretend."

I didn't bother refuting her statement; it would only lead to more pain. "Yes, mother. Thank you."

Christmas morning dawned bright and early when mother bustled into my room. "Come on, Pansy. We have a lot to do. We can't do anything about the bruises on your body, but we can try to cover up the ones on your face. I know some spells that might be able to hold up the couple of hours that the Malfoys' are here."

I groaned, but pulled myself out of bed. I knew that Draco would be in here in five hours, and I couldn't look like I had any bruises. Draco would eventually find out about this beating, but I hoped that at least he wouldn't find out with enough time to spare so that I would receive another beating.

I pulled on a house coat and went into the bathroom to take a shower. After I had finished showering, I went into my room to find that mother had flung half of the clothes out of my closet, onto the floor. "Mother, what are you doing?"

"I am trying to find something that is stylish, yet conservative. That way, there won't be as many bruises to try to cover up. I think that this one is the most appropriate." Mother held up a green robe set that I had never seen before. It was floor length and had long sleeves, but it was made out of the finest silks available.

Four hours later, Mother and I had managed to cover up all of the bruises in places that were visible, but with some of the last bruises, the spells were visibly weaker. I went downstairs just as the Malfoys' had arrived.

"Pansy, how nice to see you," Draco said, while coming to greet me. "I haven't heard from you yet. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, quite. I, umm, caught a cold, but I am fine."

"Hmm, are you quite sure?"

"Yes. I think that we're meant to be going into the dining room. I believe that it is lunch time."

"Yes. I believe that you're right."

I sat down at on my seat and made sure that my posture was perfect so that no one would suspect the pain I was in. We made it through the meal without Draco suspecting that something was wrong, but disaster struck when we exchanged gifts.

Everything was fine until Narcissa handed me her gift. I opened up the packaging to find a green robe set that definitely wasn't as conservative as the one I had on at the moment. But it was only in the next moment that disaster struck. "Why don't you try it on, dear? I would love to see how they look on you," Narcissa requested.

I bit my lip and looked down at the robes. "Umm…I don't know. I might catch cold."

"Don't be ridiculous, Pansy," Draco said sharply. "You can't catch cold while changing clothes."

"I just can't right now."

"Can't…oh. Has it happened again?"

I laughed a nervous little laugh. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your posture is too good, you're far too agreeable, and you're refusing to try on the robes. Don't think me stupid, my dear. You should know better then that by now."

"I'm sorry."

"Let's talk in the hall for a second." Draco then turned to my parents. "We'll be right back." Draco then led the way out of the room and into the hall. I sat down on a chair and let my posture slip before correcting it, swiftly. "Sit comfortably, Pansy. Your back doesn't need to be rigid."

I allowed myself to become comfortable. "Thank you, Draco."

"Has he beaten you again?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't insult me by lying to me, my dear. Besides, you're far too bad at it. Has your father beaten you since you arrived home at break?"

"Umm…yes…but don't tell him that you know. He will kill me."

"There is no need to worry. He will never lay a hand on you again. I informed my father of what happened last time, and he said that if your father had beaten you, we would take you home with us."

"He will never allow it."

"He doesn't really have a choice, peach blossom. By the contract, I have every right to demand that you live at Malfoy Manor since you entered Hogwarts."

"Oh. That would be nice. Should I have the house elf pack my bags?"

"Yes."

"Mippy," I called. As soon as the house elf appeared, I continued. "Mippy, I want you to pack my things and take them to Malfoy Manor."

"Yes, missus. I is doing it right now." And then she disappeared again.

Draco then led me back into the room. "I believe that we're ready to go, father. And Pansy will be joining us," Draco said to his father.

My father turned and faced Draco, his face livid. "And where do you think that you are taking my daughter?"

"Home, to Malfoy Manor."

"I don't think so. I am her father."

"I am her fiancé, and that trumps father. You signed the contract." Draco then turned to face me. "Come on, Pansy. We will floo."

And with that, I left Parkinson Estate to begin a new life at Malfoy Manor.

Author's Note: Sorry to all of you who didn't want her father to do anything to her, but like he was going to follow the directions of Draco. At least Draco got to her before he father had the chance to kill her or anything like that. Well, the next chapter will be the rest of the break and the trip back to Hogwarts. Please review. It spurs me on and makes me write my chapters faster. Thank you.