Draco was yet again forced down into the dungeon with his father's hand grasping his neck firmly as had happened may times before. But this time it was different. This time his blunder was too big. HE had let Harry Potter out of his sight, HE had let Sirius Black escape. HE was the one who started the chain events that led to the Order of the Phoenix regrouping, essentially. It made no logical sense to Draco, but he knew that he was the vent for his father's fury; Lucius would not be satisfied with kicking around House Elves when he was in a foul temper. The door creaked open when Lucius kicked him, and Draco's eyes widened when he saw Rosalina lying on the floor.

"No", he breathed.

"Rape her"

"Father, no. I won't."

"Then she will die", Lucius said coldly.

Draco leapt down the stairs to the girl's side, and whispered in her ear.

"It is your choice. I know that death will probably be a relief to you, better than what I will have to do to you. But I don't want to do it to you, I want my first time to... to..."

"It doesn't have to be either, you know" Rosalina whispered to him. Draco's eyes widened at what she was suggesting. He slowly reached for her, disgusted for a moment at her filth and the body that looked years below her age. But when his fingers stroked her tear-streaked face, it fell away, along with the dungeon and Lucius Malfoy, who was watching from the doorway. His lips met hers, tortured and torturer locked together for a brief moment. Draco felt more love in that kiss than he has in his entire life. Love from a person in this state, for the person who had put her there. Draco could not breathe, could barely move, but when he licked Rosalina's lips and she let his tongue inside her moth, he sighed deeply and put his arms around her.

Lucius Malfoy, watching from the top of the stairs, looked on in disgust as his son fondled the vermin in the pit. A son of his, and a filthy mudblood from his dungeons. This was supposed to be torture, not a love-fest! He whipped out his wand.

"Avada Kedavra"

Lucius Malfoy, his thirst for evil quenched by the emotional pain he saw in his son, turned on his heel and strode from the room.

Draco looked down as Rosalina rolled lifelessly back in his arms. He almost let a pained shout escape from his throat, but then looked down and saw her face. It was so filled with peace that he knew he could never grieve for her death, but would always long for her touch.

"It has to be one or the other, love."