The days leading up to Wednesday were full of small beatings from Draco. The cuts and bruises were small enough for me to vanish with the Episky spell. I was relieved with Wednesday came and we walked out to the greenhouses for Herbology.
"I wonder what Sprout's teaching us today," Blaise said. I shrugged.
"Who cares," I replied.
"What's gotten into you lately?" Draco asked. "You're acting very strange." I shrugged again. Professor Sprout let us into the greenhouse and touched my pocket nervously. The Nosebleed Nougat that I was going to use to get out of class was still there. As we began to repot one of the many plants, the name of which I didn't know since I was too nervous to pay attention, I leaned down and pretended as if my trowel had hit me in the nose while slipping half of the Nougat into my mouth.
"OW!" I cried holding my nose as blood began streaming through my fingers. "Professor...I need to go to the hospital wing. My nose..."
"Oh, of course Miss Marcin," Sprout said. I ran out of the green house and up to the castle. As soon as I reached the Entrance Hall I swallowed the other half of the Nougat and the nosebleed stopped. I wiped the blood on my sleeve and ran up to the Room of Requirement. I walked past the blank wall three time thinking hard.
I need to meet my friends... A door appeared in the wall. I hurried over to it and slipped inside.
"There she is," Mitch said. "Told ya she was coming."
"Hi guys," I said. "I see you used Nosebleed Nougat too." They grinned.
"He suspect anything?" Becky asked. I shook my head.
"I don't think so. I hope not." They blinked.
"What does that mean?" Mitch asked slowly.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "I just...nothing." They both looked at me but I looked away from them.
"Hey look, Butterbeer," I said. I grabbed three bottles and we sat down and began to talk.
We met in the Room of Requirement twice a week for almost a month. Draco never seemed to have a clue.
"So the Yule Ball's next week," Becky said. "I can't wait."
"Me either," I agreed. "Draco got me really pretty jewelry to go with my dress." Becky rolled her eyes.
"That bastard is just trying to keep you under his control." I hugged my knees to my chest.
"Can we not talk about him please?" Mitch asked. Becky and I nodded.
That Friday I left class a little early clutching the note that Becky had slipped to me when I passed her in the corridor. She wanted us all to meet and talk about something important. She didn't say what though which made me wonder if it had to do with Draco again. I reached the room and slipped in.
"Hey guys," I said, my back still to the room.
"Hello pet," Draco's voice sneered coldly. I froze, my hand still clutching the doorknob.
"Draco," I said softly. My eyes closed as I began shaking with fear. His hand closed around my shoulder, gripping it painfully.
"What's this?" he asked forcing the note out of my hand. "Midge, meet us in the Room of Requirement early today. We need to talk about something important. Stalker. Now isn't that what you call that mudblood, Rivers?" I said nothing. Draco shook me so that my forehead knocked against the door.
"Isn't it!?" I nodded.
"Y...Yes..." I stammered.
"I knew you were still seeing them," he snarled. "I thought I made it clear that I wanted you to stay away from them!"
"You did..." I whispered. "I just..."
"Just thought you wouldn't listen!?" he yelled in my ear. "Well I'll teach you! C'mon!" He wrenched the door open and dragged me into an empty classroom. He shoved me inside and slammed the door.
"Draco please..." I whimpered as he walked slowly toward me. "I'm sorry..." His eyes looked like ice and that scared me. He grabbed me and threw me against the desks. I slammed against them and they slid in different directions. I dropped to my knees holding my side.
"Draco..." I tried again.
"I'm not done with you yet," he snapped. I looked up at him with tears filling my eyes. He hauled me to my feet and smirked at me.
"Did I ever tell you how pretty you look when you're terrified?" He threw me into the wall and I hit it hard. I gasped as the wind was knocked out of me. I coughed as I slid to the floor.
"Did that hurt?" he asked. I nodded slowly, trying not to cry.
"Get up," he commanded. I staggered to my feet. Draco came up to me and touched my cheek.
"Please stop..." I begged. He laughed and hit me across the face.
"You know, I think you look even better when you're in pain and terrified of what I'm going to do to you next." He took a step away from me.
"Muffliato," he said pointing his wand at the door. I drew my own wand.
"Expelliarmus!" I cried.
"Protego," Draco drawled. My spell came back and hit me, causing me to fly back into the wall. My wand flew out of my hand and landed somewhere behind Draco.
"Now none of this fighting back business," Draco said. "It'll just make it worse for you." I pushed past him and ran toward my wand.
"Why don't you listen?" he asked. He kicked my legs and they buckled. I winced in pain and bit back a cry.
"Impedimenta," Draco said. I stopped trying to crawl to my wand. In my head I used every curse word I knew. Draco kicked my in the ribs and I let out a sob.
"You're pathetic," he sneered.
"You're such a bastard..." I gasped. "Becky and Mitch were right about you..." Anger filled Draco's eyes and he kicked me again.
"Those mudbloods are beneath me! Don't you ever talk to me like that!" He kicked my in the side with each word. I cried out and coughed up blood. I dragged myself toward my wand as I felt the spell begin to wear off.
Just a bit further... I thought stretching my fingers toward my wand. Draco's foot came down on my elbow and I sobbed as it broke.
"I said not to try to fight back," he said picking up my wand and pocketing it.
"I...swear...to...God..." I gasped. "When...I...tell..."
"Crucio!" Draco drawled. I screamed as unbearable pain seared through me. The curse lifted and I fell against the cold stone floor, sobbing.
"I'm...I'm...s...sorry!" I sobbed. "I w...won't do it again!"
"Damn right you won't," he said. "Get up." He grabbed my broken arm and yanked me to my feet.
"Draco that...that hurts!" I gasped. He ignored me and dragged me to the door. He kicked the door open and dragged me into the corridor.
"Draco please my arm hurts!"
"Shut up," he snarled. I saw Ginny Weasley staring at us as we passed. I looked away from her knowing I looked like hell.
"Where're we going?" I asked as I stumbled after Draco down a flight of stairs.
"I said shut up!" We reached the dungeons.
"He'll just've finished lessons," Draco muttered to himself. "Everyone's off at lunch." He knocked on Snape's office door.
"Come in," Snape's voice called. Draco got a worried look on his face and loosened his grip on my arm so that I could barely feel it. We went into Snape's office. Snape looked alarmed at the sight of me.
"Marcin..." he began but at that moment I swayed and grabbed Draco's arm.
"I feel sick..." I whimpered. Snape waved his wand and a comfortable looking couch appeared.
"Lay her down, Draco." Draco helped me over to the couch. Once I was settled Snape knelt beside me.
"What happened to you Schyler?" he asked.
"I...I fell sir," I lied shakily. I knew that if he believed that it would be a miracle.
"Really?" he asked raising an eyebrow skeptically. "You were just in here the other night because you fell. And I have to say that last time as well as this one, the injuries have been quite severe for a fall." He began muttering healing spells, thankfully starting with my broken arm.
"She had a bad fall down some stairs sir," Draco replied. "And she and Pansy were fighting earlier." I couldn't believe how easily he lied to Snape.
"You and Parkinson don't get along?" Snape asked me. I shook my head. This, at least, was the truth.
"I took care of it sir," Draco said. "I don't think she'll bother Schyler again."
Yeah like I couldn't take her in a fight, I thought. Snape nodded.
"Very well. I won't speak to her about it. There you are Marcin. I'm finished." I sat up and rubbed my arm.
"Ow," I muttered.
"You'll be sore for a while," Snape said. "There may still be some bruises as well. I want you to put this on them if that is the case." He handed me a container full of green paste.
"Guacamole dip?" I asked.
"Murlap paste," Snape answered with a hint of a smile. "Put it on the bruises and rub it in." I nodded.
"Thank you sir," I said. I got up and Draco and I left.
"You know I love you, don't you?" he asked. I bit back and angry retort and nodded instead.
"I l...love you too," I mumbled. With that we went up to lunch.