A/N: FINALLY~! Finally~! Finally~! Finally~!

Chapter Twelve

In Which She Fell

That night was probably the worst night she'd ever slept through for fear had a constant hold on her heart. She'd sleep for about an hour or so before she woke up again to a small creak in the house or a whisper of the wind. By the next morning, she was more than simply tired, she was exhausted from anticipation. When would she meet Mr. Malfoy's employer?

As she stood up to stretch, The Pure and Noble Bloodlines of the Wizarding World fell from her lap and directly onto her toe. She held a shout in her throat, while tears pricked her eyes.

"Ahhh…" She groaned, crumpling to the ground.

A click could be heard and, through her tears, she saw Mr. Malfoy enter the room, hastily re-locking the door behind him. He did a double take. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"I…the book…on my…"

"Stop your sputtering. I don't want to hear it." He interrupted, tossing a few bags upon the empty bed. "Go through those."

"What are they?"

"Why don't you find out?" He said as he made himself comfortable in one of the chairs.

Arabella shot him some shifty looks as she made her way over to the bed. Within the bags were several pieces of cloth, no robes. There were many colors, different styles. "What are these?"

"Tonight I'll present you to the Dark Lord. You might as well look decent." He explained. "You haven't eaten yet I see." He pointed over to the new tray of food: a cup of water, an apple slice, and another slice of bread.

"What…what time is it?"

"It's already afternoon." Mr. Malfoy informed her, drawing back her curtains. Sure enough, the sun was shining brightly outside the window. "Have you picked one?"

"N-no I haven't."

"I suggest the dark green one…the blue one will suit you as well. I'm not sure what that silver one is doing there. It may prove to be too bold…"

"Oh…well…I'll take the green one I guess."

"Get dressed."

Arabella's cheeks flushed red. "Excuse me?"

"Get dressed. Let me see you in it." He noticed her eyes dart left and right. "Just change here. There's nothing to be bashful about."

"Th-there's everything to be bashful about!" She protested boldly.

Mr. Malfoy wasn't pleased. "Hurry it up. I don't have all day." He crossed his legs and fingers in wait, a blond brow delicately arched.

He watched her as she turned around, a furious blush dusting her cheeks, and began to undress. Delicate fingers slowly removed the straps. The crinkled white dress fell to the ground. Mr. Malfoy couldn't help but note how her lacy pink underwear complimented her skin nicely. Much to his dismay, he couldn't enjoy the view much longer. As soon as her dress was off, the dark green robes were on, concealing the young woman's delicate body.

"Turn around."

"B-but I haven't finished…the lacing…" She started to stutter.

Mr. Malfoy didn't allow her to finish, and instead took it upon himself to get up to turn her around himself. She avoided his eye contact as he peered down at her. The lacing in the front still had to be done up, her pink laced bra peeking through. He took the two ends of ribbon and began to tie her up. His fingers just barely brushed over her breasts.

She was holding her breath.

He chuckled darkly at the fact.

Once he finished, Arabella made way to pull back, but Mr. Malfoy was sure to keep her in place. "This…this is good…" He was momentarily lost for words. She was very lovely. Wizarding clothes suited her. However, her innocent beauty reminded him of a pressing concern. "You know Miss Roland, I was informed of something rather odd this morning…"

"Odd?"

"Yes. I was informed by one of my…comrades…that there was an intruder here last night…"

Arabella paled.

"How, pray tell, did he even know that you were in this room in the first place?" Mr. Malfoy asked.

"I…I don't…"

A hand shot up and grasped her firmly by the cheeks. "Do not lie to me." Mr. Malfoy hissed, holding up a small bobby pin in his free hand. "I found this outside your door. This belongs to you does it not? Tell me, how on Earth did this get into the hallway in the first place?"

"I…dropped it. So I tried to reach under the door to get it back and that man…"

"Tell me… do you have any idea who that man was?"

She managed to shake her head "no".

"That man was Fenrir Greyback, a notorious werewolf. You probably don't even realize just how much danger you were in. He didn't bite you, did he?"

"I…what…no…no he didn't."

"No one's really sure what happens if you're bitten by a werewolf when he's not turned." He said, examining her neck rather closely. "You're very lucky indeed, but someone else had managed to find you as well, Severus Snape." Mr. Malfoy spat the name.

"He made the other man go away…"

"It doesn't matter what he did. The fact remains that he also knows of your existence now. Greyback will keep his mouth shut about you, but Snape…"

"Does it really matter whether he tells your employer or not?" Arabella foolishly asked.

Mr. Malfoy glared her down. "Timing is everything. Keeping you a secret for as long as possible ensures your survival up until the point I present you."

"And what happens when you present me?"

"That's for my employer to decide. I can't deny that your chances don't look very good. You have no magical capabilities whatsoever. You're no better than a squib at most, but because you aren't a squib, means that you're not on any of the ministry's records and therein lies your trump card. Of course, pretty robes and a pretty face won't hurt your chances either." He added with a soft whisper

She managed to retain a shiver. "So…what happens if he likes me?"

"Then you'll be placed under my command."

"And if he doesn't like me?" She dared ask.

He was quite for a moment, as if a bit unsure, but answered her regardless. "In the worst case scenario, he'll kill you."

She couldn't help but gasp. "What is it that you people do exactly?"

"We…are going to put muggles and mudbloods in their proper place." Mr. Malfoy stood tall and strode over to the door. "Hurry up and eat. I'll be back for you in the evening. Stay away from the doors and windows and, for goodness sake, stay quiet." He ordered, his hand on door knob.

Arabella saw it, a window, or rather door, of opportunity. As of now, the door was unlocked. Once Mr. Malfoy exited the room, he would lock it again. It wouldn't be opened again until later this evening, leaving Arabella two chances to make an escape.

If Mr. Malfoy was to return this evening, there could be more people in the manor by then for the meeting with his employer. Of course, she didn't know how many people were present at the manor now, but the thought of running around the manor at night frightened her. It was now or never.

She picked up the heavy copy of The Pure and Noble Bloodlines of the Wizarding World and approached Mr. Malfoy from behind as quickly and quietly as possible. Her heart was practically drumming at her eardrums. Arabella drew back and the thick made contact with Mr. Malfoy's head as hard as possibly could.

Mr. Malfoy let out a strangled cry, falling into the door. He made way to turn around, but Arabella had hit again and again until he slumped into a boneless mess.

Arabella was in full panic mode now. She'd just attacked a person! Was he…dead? She dared to kneel beside him and check.

No…still breathing. She simply had knocked him out.

"In and out. In and out. I must stay calm" She told herself. First thing first, she had to take Mr. Malfoy's wand. She took the snake head and detached it from the rest of the cane. Arabella debated on whether or not she should tie him up as well for good measure, but decided it best not to. He could wake up any second, or someone could have heard her. No, she needed to get out of the manor, and then plan on what to do from there.

She entered the hallway; her only weapons were a thick book and a useless wand.

Mr. Malfoy said it was mid-afternoon, but the halls were dark and daunting. The walls were a dark green and upon them hung tapestries, portraits and other homely decorations. All of them seemed…alive somehow, since they were moving and all. Arabella wanted nothing more than to sprint down the halls to find the exit, but knew better. If she bumped into someone in her rush, like the werewolf from last night, she wasn't sure what she would be able to do.

Once she'd made it to the stairs, she felt somewhat relieved. At the bottom of the stairs should be the first floor. She simply had to make it to the back door and escape through the back gate and she should be home free.

She approached the stairs with caution, careful to not make the creak. It wasn't until she reached the bottom that she heard voices. She glanced down the hallway, but no one was there. The two people must have been in the sitting room nearby, the door was open.

"How much longer will be Lucius?" A man asked. His voice sounded rather familiar.

"I don't know." A woman answered, her voice rather bitter.

"He is with the girl." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

The woman made a noise of discontent. "You know?"

"Yes, I discovered her last night actually, when Greyback broke entry into her room."

"You should have let Greyback have her."

"No need to be jealous of a filthy muggle."

The woman was now sputtering gasps of disbelief. "What? I…well…I never…"

Arabella had enough of listening in. It didn't seem like they'd be talking for a while. She'd have to go down the left to see if there was an exit that way.

The first floor was brighter than the second floor had been. The décor was still dark, but there were large windows allowing the sun's light to fill the dreary home. She pressed her face against the window pane, glancing left and right for a possible exit. To her great relief, there was a patio only about thirty feet down.

She couldn't keep from smiling and began sprinting down the hall. She was so close…only a few more…

A door creaked open.

Arabella was forced to skid to a stop.

There was a boy with blond hair, an angular face, a pointed chin. He bore an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Malfoy. The boy seemed un-startled by her presence. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"I…was just visiting…and now I'm taking my leave. Excuse me." She made way to walk around him, but he stopped her again. "And just who exactly did you visit?"

"Mr…Mr. Malfoy."

The boy smirked. "My father doesn't have any visitors today. The only one who's come to visit is Professor Snape, and he's speaking to my mother right now." He took a few steps towards her, and she took a few steps back. "I've never seen you before. Who are you?"

Panicked Arabella fell to instinct and ran, but the boy was quick and had pulled out his wand. "STUPEFY!"

A light shot past her and hit a vase shattering it.

"Draco!?" A woman's voice shouted.

Arabella had to get out now. She slid to a stop in front of the patio door. The boy was still in pursuit and behind him there was another man. It was the man that had saved her last night. Without thinking, she hurled the book she held at the boy. It managed to get him the face.

Silently cheering, but not for long, she ran through the door.

Behind her she could hear the man tell the boy, to go get his father.

Did he mean Mr. Malfoy?

It didn't matter.

Arabella ran through the patio, slightly out of breath. She cursed herself for being so unfit.

A hand grabbed her shoulder just as she was about to enter the garden. She began to scream.

"Silence," came a cold voice. She was whipped around to face the man…Snape. "Beyond the garden there's the back gate. That's the way this and whatever you do, don't let go of it." He handed her an empty glass bottle from his cloak.

"I…what…?"

"If you want to get out of here, you'll do as I say. I didn't expect this to happen and the portkey won't work until thirty minutes from now. Just get as far from here as possible, and I'll distract the Malfoys."

"I…"

"Just get out of my sight."

She didn't need to be told twice. Arabella dashed into the garden and towards the gate in the back. She wasn't sure how an empty bottle would help her, but if the man said it would, she'd keep it.

As she unlatched the gate, she heard a voice. "Arabella…Arabella…"

Despite her better judgment, she waited to hear it again. Sure enough there it was; a whisper almost lighter than the wind. "Arabella…Arabella…"

It was coming from the pond. One side of her told her to run, but another side urged her towards the pond and the light whispers. "T-Tamesis?" She wondered as she walked to the pond's edge.

"Arabella…Arabella…"

"STUPEFY!"

The loud shout shook Arabella from her daze. She felt some sort of force hit her and knock her back. Her body was immobilized, but she could see Mr. Malfoy standing at one end of the garden.

"Arabella…Arabella…"

It was Tamesis' voice. She was sure of it. "Tamesis…help me," she thought desperately, as the pond's water surrounded her entirely.