Winter Dreams Lost Chapter 15, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 15

Draco stepped out of the shower and dressed for the day. He was the happiest he could ever remember feeling, and it was impossible to keep the smile off of his face.

Things hadn't gone exactly according to plan, but he still considered himself emerging victorious. Smart men always had back-up plans. The Dark Lord had been stupid enough to not have one, but Draco had never let himself become quite so arrogant. He went back to the bedroom, watching his prize as she slept.

He had placed a heavy sleeping spell on her during the night. She had spent so much energy fighting him, but it was all for naught. She would need rest.

Ginny stirred in her sleep and rolled onto her stomach. The morning light glittered off her red hair, a lovely contrast with the vast pale skin that was exposed. He trailed a hand down her bare back, stopping for a moment near her hip, where a large purple mark lay there, and Draco smiled as he remembered how tightly he had held her there. He continued stroking her, running his fingers across the marks he left on her skin, the spell keeping her from awakening.

She had been incredible, better than Firewhisky, better than anything he could have imagined... and she was his. Forever.

Draco waved his wand over her sleeping form, and a magical chain snaked around her wrist and to the bedpost. He leaned over and dropped a kiss onto her head before leaving the room for breakfast.

Bruised. Broken.

That's what she was.

Ginny was rolled on her side in the bed, staring at the wall. Naked and chained to the bed by her wrist, like a damn animal, she curled into herself, tightly. She cried silently, tears streaming down her devastated face, falling into her long hair, as she lay on the bed. She had fought... fought with everything she had, and still, she had failed. She had screamed, she had begged and pleaded, and still he hadn't stopped.

On the outside, she was covered in the evidence of her assault. Scratches and purple marks littered the pale skin of her body. Her lips were swollen and the bottom lip was split. The tender flesh between her legs throbbed painfully. And with a pang she noticed blood on the sheets beneath her.

But it was inside where she felt the true devastation. There was a deep, gaping hole inside of her, a swirling whirlwind of darkness. It pulled her deeper and deeper, tendrils of cold and pain pulling her down.

This was something beyond repair.

Though it was daylight, the monsters of the night surrounded Ginny, and curling the sheet more tightly around her battered body, she wept.

"Evie, bring Ginevra."

Draco and Blaise sat by the roaring fire.

Blaise shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn't want to be here, and he certainly didn't want to see Weasley. Draco was clearly wanting to show off his spoils. But with the war turning out how it did, his list of allies had grown thin, and Malfoy seemed to be a necessary evil at this point.

"So, what is she to you then, Draco? Your prisoner? Your wife?"

Draco only shrugged. "She belongs to me."

"Going to hide out in the Manor then? Think you'll last, do you?" Blaise asked, not really caring for the answer.

"I may be impulsive but I'm not stupid, Blaise," Draco drawled, rolling his eyes. "It's only a matter of time. They already have father and mother, but I have a plan. It's quite brilliant, actually, I think I would have done it regardless."

"And this plan entails...?"

Draco smirked. At that moment a small house elf opened the large doors to the parlor.

"It entails me getting what I want, me getting what I deserve, and Ginevra will be deliriously happy and carefree."

Blaise's brow furrowed. Prisoners never lasted long, and he was sure that Weasley had been through quite a bit at Malfoy's hand already. He had a hard time envisioning her being anything resembling happy while in Malfoy's clutches.

"M-Master," the house elf stammered, timidly stepping towards them, "Mistress will not come... and Master commanded Evie to tell him before using magic on the Mistress."

Draco's eyes glittered, and he turned to Blaise.

"I've always admired her spirit." he said, looking as if he had been issued a delightful challenge, "She needs some persuasion." Winking at Blaise, he rose and left the room, the House elf following him.

Blaise felt an uncomfortable clenching in his stomach, and he tried to ignore it.

A few minutes later, Draco entered the room, dragging a struggling Weasley by the arm. Her hands were bound and she was scowling fiercely, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp. Her behavior only seemed to entertain Draco.

Dragging Weasley into the room, he pushed her to the ground at the foot of his armchair. She fell on her side, supporting herself on one elbow. Draco then sat down himself, looking pleased.

Weasley looked well-groomed, and had obviously been freshly bathed, as he could smell a flowery perfume as she moved. Her hair was long and glossy, and she was dressed nicely, wearing a dress that a Weasley could never have afforded. Draco glanced down at her.

"Ginevra, mind your manners. Say hello to Blaise."

Ginny looked up at Blaise, and his blood turned cold. Though she appeared relatively unharmed, he could make out the soft glow of several glamour charms having been used on her, but she still carried the subtle signs of what had been done to her. Her lip was split. He could make out a love-bite and a deep scratch on her neck that the glamour charms had missed. Her eyes were darker than normal, her make-up immaculate, but still filled with despair and anger. As they looked at each other, he could feel the raging tide of her hate for him, her blame for him, how he had directly placed her into Malfoy's hands, and how she had begged and pleaded with him not to-

"Fuck you, Zabini." She spat.

Draco laughed at her outburst, but Blaise felt like he might vomit.

"She's got quite a mouth on her, doesn't she?" Draco chuckled, "She gave me quite the tongue-lashing this morning." Blaise saw Draco sneak a hand into Ginny's hair, giving it a tug so that her head snapped back a bit.

"Thats something we'll need to work on, Princess. That delicious tongue of yours is not for spouting insults." His grip tightened on Ginny's hair, and she winced. Her eyes strayed back over to Blaise, and she pierced him with her narrowed eyes. If she kept it up, he thought he might catch fire.

Blaise gulped.

He was certainly no innocent in the War, but siding with the Malfoys had meant that his mother was safe and secure. His mother was all he had in the world, and he would have done almost anything to keep her safe.

Including handing a young woman over to her doom.

He tried to keep his face unreadable as Ginny continued glaring at him. Afterall, he had his own problems, and Ginny Weasley was not one of them. Draco released his grip on the back of her hair, proceeding to stroke her head and face as an owner would an animal.

Blaise continued to ignore the growing unease in his chest.

Not his problem.

Ginny whimpered in fear, forcing down a shudder as cold hands twisted through her hair, running down the tresses. She knew crying and begging was a lost cause. The hands moved from her hair to her neck, feeling so cold they seemed to scorch her. Lips trailed on her shoulder, and she recoiled from their touch, shoving Draco away by the shoulders.

"Get off me!" She screeched, backing away from him.

Draco tsked at her, like she was a misbehaving child, drawing his wand. She backed away until she was against the wall. The familiar spell hit her limbs, and her strength flowed out of her. Draco drew her to him as her knees began to buckle, unable to hold her own weight.

He grasped her by the wrists, gently pushing her down onto the bed. He bent one of her knees, and her long, emerald green gown fell away from it, revealing her leg. He wrapped it around his hip, moving a hand along her calf.

"It's time to begin our next chapter, sweet girl. There is so much wrong with the world, and it's time for us to fly away from it."

Ginny glared daggers at him, liquid hot hate flowing through her veins.

"I hate you," she said through gritted teeth, "I hate you more than anything in the world. I will kill you. Maybe not tonight, or tomorrow, and it may be the only thing I accomplish before I take my last breath, but I will do it. I swear it."

"Now, Ginevra," Draco drawled, "that isn't very nice. Such ugly words for such a pretty mouth."

"What could you possibly want from me? What more could I give you? You have taken everything from me. You should just let me go."

"Hush. I'll never let you go, Princess. Never."

His hands roamed down her sides, a ghost of a touch over her breasts, and then a hand settled over her neck.

"I know this has been difficult for you, but you should know you have pleased me greatly." His finger brushed her lip. "Everything is going to change after tonight, you'll see. It's too dangerous for us to stay here, but don't worry, I'll take care of you."

Ginny turned away from him, closing her eyes. She was tired, so tired...

Draco's lips lowered to her turned cheek, placing a light kiss there. It was slow and burning, like poison. He reached over and removed the sleeve of her gown, his words brushing the bare skin as he spoke.

"You are so beautiful. Don't you see? Every part of you belongs to me."

It took all of Ginny's strength to reach up and try to push him away, but he caught her hands. Taking both of them in one fist, he used his other hand to turn her face to him.

"I could make you so happy, if you'd let me," his words flowing over her, "I could free you from these spells if you would give yourself to me willingly."

Ginny glared at him. She may be too exhausted to fight back, too weary to fight the spells that weakened her. But willingly? Never Willing. Not to him.

"Never." She whispered coldly. "I am not yours. I will never be yours."

He only chuckled, and moved the other sleeve of her gown down off her shoulder, exposing more flesh to his hungry eyes. He ran his tongue across her collarbone, eliciting a gasp from her mouth. This only spurred Draco on, and he bent down and kissed her hungrily. The weakening spells held Ginny in place, but beads of sweat broke out on her forehead and she futilely tried to fight them, to squirm out from under him, to move away from those cold hands and searing lips that dripped with venomous words.

Draco's breathing was heavy, and he clutched her jaw, speaking huskily against it.

"Open your mouth." He kissed her again, his tongue running across her lips, desperate for entrance, "Be a good girl and open your mouth for me."

When she would not yield, he bit down hard on her shoulder, drawing blood. When she cried out in pain, she felt his hardness rub against her thigh. He stopped abruptly, sitting back, and gathered his wand.

Ginny lay frozen in fear. Her red hair was fanned out against the bed, exposing her neck, and framing her pale, sweaty face. Her gown was still covering her breasts, and the skirt of the gown was bunched up around her thighs. Draco looked down at her, a cruel smile on his face. He traced the swell of one of her breasts with the tip of his wand.

"I think a change of plans is in order. Afterall, it's our last night here in this Manor."

Ginny felt a thrill of panic.

They were leaving?

"Where are you taking me?" Ginny hated how it came out a whimper.

Draco traced her other breast with his wand, then moved it down between her breasts, using it to pull the gown down further.

"Don't worry about that just now." He said, licking his lips. He opened his mouth to speak an incantation, and Ginny was sure she was about to be put under the imperious curse.

Maybe if she was lucky, she wouldn't remember anything. But he spoke something unfamiliar to her, and she felt a curious sensation in her limbs. With a rush of adrenaline, she realized she had strength back, and that the weakening spell was gone. She shoved Draco as hard as she could, and he fell off of her, and she faintly heard him chuckle. She sprinted to the door of the bedroom, as fast as her legs would carry her, and just as her hand touched the handle-

"Stop."

Immediately she was frozen in place. Not weakened, not under the imperius spell, but still quite unable to move.

She heard Draco shuffle around and sigh contentedly.

"Come back to bed."

Ginny turned around slowly, and her legs obediently followed the command. Draco took her hand, laying her down on the bed, running a hand lovingly up her thigh.

"I think I like this better than the imperious curse," he mused, splaying a hand over her stomach, "Your mind is still your own, but your actions are not."

Ginny's stomach rolled, and she fought a wave of nausea. Draco lay beside her, propping himself on one arm, and the other holding her chin.

"Let's try that again, Princess," he whispered, "Don't fight me. Let me you have you. Open your mouth for me."

"Cursed and forced," she spat up at him, "how pathetic that this is the only way you can have me."

For a moment, his grey eye gleamed with malice, and she thought he might hit her. But a sinister smile slid onto his lips as leaned down.

"Perhaps..." he whispered, "For now."

He lowered his lips to hers, and as his tongue ran across her lip, she was unwillingly opening herself to him. He was tasting her, feasting on her, and it only fueled him in his urgency. It seemed he could not be satiated. He pulled her dress down and bared her breasts, his hand cupping them in turn as he moaned into her mouth. She growled against him in fury but he silenced her with more kisses.

Ginny once again fought tears. How many times would he take from her, until she had nothing left? Until she was just a shell of a human?

Powerless to stop his hungry mouth and hands, Ginny allowed her mind to wander. She imagined she was at Quidditch practice. She was scoring goal after goal and Harry was cheering her as he sat on his own broom. He was smiling and his eyes were sparkling as his messy dark hair blew in the breeze.

Her heart clenched as she wondered what it would have been like to have been wrapped in Harry's warm arms... how he surely would be kissing her with reverence and passion and love, touching her tenderly and so mindful of not hurting her. Draco's hand moved up the soft skin of her thigh, and she tried to imagine it was Harry's hand. But the touch was too harsh, too cold. Harry would have never left bruises on her; he would have simply loved her.

"Let me touch you." Draco commanded.

She could not fight back as he touched her, his hands slithering over her again and again like two pale serpents. He quickly joined their bodies, moving in a slow, steady rhythm. He pinned her wrists above her head, always seeming to demonstrate how she was completely under his power.

Much later he finished, appearing to be satiated for the moment. Unable to leave the bed, Ginny had rolled away from him, seething with anger, hating him, but he lay beside her.

"Sleep, Princess," he whispered, placing a kiss on her bare back, "tomorrow is a new day."

Dark clouds of sleep began to swirl around her, dragging her down into the night. The last thing she remembered was Draco drawing his wand, pointing it to her temple, and she knew no more.

Draco was watching the girl closely.

She had slept almost an entire twenty-four hours, completely unconscious through the entire transition.

She was still asleep in his bed, as always, the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. She was in her night gown, blankets tucked firmly around her, and she was curled on her side, looking utterly at peace.

Draco had sat in a chair, a few feet away from the bed.

There was a small moan from the bed, and the red-head sat up, stretching. Draco watched her quietly, admiring the how the fabric of her dress hugged her breasts, and how the morning sunlight was dancing on her long hair.

She blinked a few times, looking around the room. Her eyes settled on Draco. He held his breath as she studied him for a moment. Her eyes moved from his hair, to the cloth across his bad eye, to his good eye. Her brow furrowed.

"Hello." she said quietly.

Draco tried to give a kind smile. "Good morning."

Ginny turned her head towards the large window.

"Morning? This is morning?"

Draco leaned forward slightly in his chair.

"Yes. How are you feeling?" He asked.

Ginny looked at her hands, turning them over and studying them. She grabbed one her long red tresses, and studied that as well.

"Alright, I think."

Draco smiled. "Do you know who I am?"

Ginny stopped studying her own body and looked back at Draco curiously. She spent a long time taking in his appearance. She shook her head slowly, side to side.

"My name is Draco." He said, again, putting on his kindest and most gentle features.

"Draco," she repeated slowly. Then her eyes clouded in concentration.

"Yes, you're Draco. Draco Malfoy. That's right, isnt it?"

Draco nodded. "Yes, very good. Do you remember anything about me?"

Her face scrunched up in thought again.

"No."

"Thats alright. Now, do you know who you are?"

Ginny once again concentrated. "Ginny. My name is Ginny. Is that right?"

"Very good, that's exactly right. You're doing wonderfully."

Ginny looked at him questioningly.

"There's... there's nothing else." She pointed to her temple, "shouldn't there be more?"

Draco moved beside her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"You've been through quite an ordeal, but you're safe now, here with me."

She looked at him blankly.

"Ginny, you don't remember anything. Your memory is gone."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Gone? Where did it go?" She looked lightly around the room, as if expecting to find it hidden in a corner somewhere.

"Yes, gone." Draco nodded solemnly, "but don't worry, I'll help you remember. You have nothing to be afraid of. As long as you are with me, Princess, you are safe."

"Safe." Ginny echoed, breathing a sigh of relief. Draco tightened his arm around her, and she spoke again. "Am I a princess? Is that why you called me that?"

Draco stroked the side of her face, loving the child-like innocence he saw there.

"You're my Princess, Ginny. You always have been, since you were a little girl. You are the most precious thing in the world to me. You see, I rescued you. I rescued you from a wicked wizard; a Dark Lord. I am your prince."

"A rescue?" she asked, eyes wide in fascination.

Draco tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yes, a rescue. I'll tell you all about it sometime, sweet girl. But not today."

Ginny nodded. Draco eyed her lips, and she spoke again.

"Is your eye hurt?" She asked. "Was it the wicked wizard?"

Draco sighed dramatically. "Yes. You see, the Dark Lord knew I was your prince. He didn't like that, he didn't like that at all. He punished me for it."

"Thats horrible!" Ginny breathed, "Why didn't he like that? The Prince and Princess should always be together!"

"Because he wanted you for himself." Draco spat, more harshly than he meant. Ginny's mouth fell open, and he softened his voice. "He wanted to hurt you, but don't worry, it's alright. We're far away from him, you are safe now. You are safe with me."

Ginny suddenly wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, hugging him fiercely.

"Yes! You'll keep me safe, Draco. I don't want to the Wicked Wizard to find me. I don't want him to hurt me. I don't want to be locked in a tower."

Draco stroked her back. "You will be safe as long as you follow the rules. That's the only way."

Ginny pulled back, nodding at him. "I will! Tell me the rules and I'll be good and listen, I promise!"

"Good," Draco said, grabbing her small hands in his. "As long you stay with me, you are safe. You can't ever leave or go out alone. You must do as I say. Everything I say. You must obey my every command."

Something flickered in Ginny's eyes at his last few words. "Is that right?"

"Yes," he nodded emphatically, "anything I ask you to do, is the right thing to do."

Ginny nodded. "Yes, of course."

Draco smiled approvingly at her. She was looking at him in wonder, and he could feel his words still assimilating in her mind. He looked at her slightly parted lips. He leaned down.

"Kiss me." He whispered.

Ginny gasped. "A kiss? Have we done that before?"

Draco chuckled. "A prince always kisses his Princess. And a good Princess always gives herself completely to her Prince. Every part of you is mine," his eyes roamed her body, and he stroked her bottom lip with his fingers, "including these."

"Oh," Ginny breathed, blushing a deep scarlet, "well, alright then."

Draco leant down and kissed her, enjoying how tentative and shyly she kissed him back. He trailed kisses along her cheek and jaw, moving to her neck. Her smell was entrancing him, and a hand tangled into her hair, gripping tightly. She was making surprised noises and it spurred him on. His need for her was growing rapidly, and he ran his hands down her arms.

He pulled back before he lost control. Ginny was looking at him with wide eyes.

Draco smiled at her.

"You did very well, Ginny. You've pleased me."

Ginny spent the next few days exploring the new Manor in an excited frenzy. She skipped up and down the halls, red hair flying behind her, and Evie struggling to keep pace with her. Every new discovery was met with wonder and curiosity.

Every evening, she obediently complied as he kissed her. But as the days passed, he could no longer hold himself back, needing her desperately. He was kissing her fiercely, and he almost had himself convinced she was kissing him back, rather than simply surrendering to him.

"Ginny," he said huskily, "take off your clothes for me."

She froze, gently pushing him back from her. "Take- take off my clothes?"

Draco nodded, "Yes, Princess. Will you do that for me?"

Her mouth fell open, and she paled a bit.

"Draco... I -I don't want to."

Draco's gaze hardened.

"It's the right thing to do. Be a good girl and do as I say. You promised me you would, didn't you?"

Ginny seemed to battle herself for a few moments, but she stood to her feet. Her hands trembling, she removed her night gown, and it fell to the floor. She blushed as Draco drank in the sight of her body.

"Draco," she stammered nervously, "Are you sure this is right? I mean, for a boy to look at a girl naked?"

"Yes," Draco breathed heavily, "it is very right."

That did not seem to calm Ginny's nerves. "It's-its only that, I just feel..." she trailed off and she folded her arms across her chest. Draco stood and moved to her, hands cupping her face.

"Remember what I said to you?" He cooed, "Anything I ask you to do is the right thing. A good Princess will always give herself to her Prince. You want to be good, don't you? You want to do the right thing?"

"Y-yes," she nodded, "of course."

"Good. Now, lie down on the bed, because I want to show you something wonderful." She obeyed, laying herself on the silk linens. "Very good. Now, put your hands above your head... yes, just like that."

Draco removed his clothes, and lied down beside her. She looked at him with wide eyes, a flicker of fear passing through them.

"Draco, I don't know if this is-"

"Listen to me, Ginny. I worked so hard to bring us together. Remember those stories you love so much? In those fairytales, they talk about happily ever after. That's what this is, Ginny..." His hands roamed her soft curves, "This is what we have to do to be a real Prince and Princess."

She nodded shakily, her breathing labored.

"Remember, I rescued you. I'm your Prince. You have to trust me."

She nodded again, her entire body trembling. He moved on top of her, feeling her softness underneath him.

He lowered his head and kissed her, savoring her taste. Every time he claimed her body seemed to be better than the last, and this time was no different. She was timid and fearful, but eventually obeyed his every command.

She was irrevocably his, and no one would take that from him.

"Where on earth have you been?"

Ginny halted mid-step, and turned to face Draco when he shouted at her. Her long hair looked windswept, and she had a rosy pink glow to her cheeks.

"Outside." She smiled. "The air is whooshing."

Draco rounded on the House-elf that stood next to her. He fought the urge to wring the House-elf's neck. Evie looked back at him with wide, fearful eyes.

"J-just the patio, Master! Mistress never left the patio! I swears it! Evie did not let her out of her sight for one second!"

"I don't care if it's just the patio, Evie!" Draco shouted, "Ginevra must not go outside, she stays here! If she gets bored, she can read her books. She doesn't get to do as she pleases!" He pointed his wand threateningly at the house elf. "That was a foolish risk. Do not let it happen again. It is not for you to exercise judgment on what she can and can't do."

He turned back to Ginny, who was glaring back at him, her arms folded mutinously.

"I like it outside." She pouted. "And I've read all the books. They're for children anyways-"

"You can't go outside, Ginevra!" He snapped, trying to keep his temper in check. Just the smallest mistake, the tiniest error, and they could be found, and everything would be ruined. Everything he had spent years to earn.

Ginny stomped her foot. "Why not?" She pressed. "Everyone else gets to go outside!"

Draco's hand darted out, grasping her arm in a vice-like grip. Ginny squeaked in pain.

"Not everyone else is being chased by a Wicked Wizard, are they?" He spat dangerously, tightening his grip until she winced again. "You don't want him to find you, do you? You don't want him to take you away to somewhere dark and scary?"

Like the House-elf, Ginny's eyes were now wide in fear, her lower lip trembling.

"No! No, I don't want that at all, I want to be safe!"

Draco pulled her roughly to him, glaring at her. He could feel her little body trembling against him.

"You have to listen to what I say, Princess," he growled at her, "Didn't you promise me you would do that? That's how I will keep you safe." He released his grip on her, and stroked the side of her head. "But perhaps I was wrong, perhaps you want to leave me. Perhaps you want the Wicked Wizard to find you, to hurt you, to do all manner of painful and evil things to you. Is that what you want? Maybe I should just take you to him right now-"

"No!" Ginny's small hands clamped down on his robes, her knuckles turning white. "Please, keep me safe, Draco, don't take me to him! I'll listen better, I'll be good, I promise! I'm sorry!"

Draco sighed heavily, and embraced her, running a soothing hand up and down her back.

"Hush, now," He breathed into her hair, "As long as you stay close to me, as long as you do whatever I say, you are safe. I won't let the Wicked Wizard get you."

He felt Ginny nod against his chest. He swayed her gently back and forth, like a calming slow dance.

"Remember, a good Princess always obeys her Prince. It's the right thing to do. And you always want to do the right thing, don't you?"

Ginny squeezed him tighter.

"Yes."

Draco chuckled into her hair.

Gryffindors.

He began placing gentle kisses along her forehead, moving down her cheek and to her neck.

"Now, be a good girl and go get washed up. I'll have Evie make you some tea."

Ginny sat at the table in the kitchen, with Evie, eyeing the French-doors that led to the patio longingly. The air was still whooshing, more violently so now, and she was mesmerized by how the trees and bushes thrashed about.

She sipped the tea that Evie had made her. Evie had nodded off at the table, no doubt exhausted from chasing Ginny all around the manor, who had found it a rather fun game to try and hide from her.

A moment later, the wind rattled the windows and Ginny backed away from the kitchen table nervously. The sounds were loud and ominous, whistling and rumbling, and the sky was darkening. She wrung her hands, debating whether or not to wake Evie and have her find Draco. With another whistle of wind, a pile of rubbish began to blow across the patio.

Several pieces of parchment flew up against the glass French doors. Some pieces of parchment were covered with fine print, and others had pictures. The wind continued to whip around, but the parchment appeared to be stuck on the glass.

Ginny stepped forward curiously, studying the parchment.

She walked timidly towards the patio doors, and crouched down to have a closer look. There were wrinkled pictures, but they were pictures of people, and she could see flashes of their movement in their little frames. She could make out one word that was highlighted in bold, 'DARK.'

The Dark Lord? The Wicked Wizard...

Mouth going dry, Ginny looked back to where Evie lay snoring, her head on the table. She turned back to the door. Hand shaking, she quickly pulled the patio door open. A rush of wind met her face, and it blew in the pieces of parchment across the floor of the kitchen. Ginny quickly thrust the door closed, and Evie's head snapped up in alarm.

"Mistress! What happened?"

Ginny stepped on the nearest piece of parchment, covering it with her long dress.

"The door blew open! So, I closed it... I didn't go outside, Evie, I promise."

The house elf rubbed her eyes, then looked around the kitchen floor. She waved her wand, and all the papers and rubbish landed in the bin, which Ginny eyed.

Seeing her look, Evie cast a spell on the rubbish bin.

"No snooping, Mistress," she scolded. "Master tells Evie what Mistress is allowed to read."

As Evie's back turned, Ginny knelt down and retrieved the parchment from under her foot, stuffing it into her pocket.

"I need the loo, Evie." Ginny darted past the flustered house-elf, who scrambled with her little legs to keep up with her.

"Mistress, slow down!"

But Ginny found the nearest bathroom, and quickly snapped the door shut before Evie could reach her.

Sitting down cross-legged on the floor, she opened up the parchment and smoothed it out.

One side was covered in small, black print, but it had become wet outdoors and most of the words were blurred and unreadable. This parchment did not have the large word 'DARK' printed on it. Disappointed, she flipped it over. To her surprise, there was a one of the pictures she had caught a glimpse of on the other side. The headline above the picture had been smeared, but she could just make out the first two letters of the word, V and I. The last letters were R and Y. She looked harder.

Victory?

Looking down in the picture she saw a boy. No... a man, a young man. She squinted her eyes and studied him closely. His face looked weary, but kind. Ginny thought he was rather handsome, with a mop of dark hair. It was untidy, like he had just been out where the wind had been whooshing. He had an odd mark in the middle of his forehead, but it was tiny, like a squiggly line. He had round glasses. The picture was black and white, but even then, there was something about his eyes...

She suddenly realized his eyes were staring back at her. As he stared, she felt her mouth go dry, and her heart suddenly beating in her throat, though she couldn't place why. Something stirred in the back of her mind.

Who was he?

The boy in the picture put his hands on the sides of his frame, like he was trying to lean closer to her. He was looking at her so intently, like he was fighting the urge to jump out of the frame. His little mouth was opening, and she realized he was speaking to her, though no sound came out.

She looked at his lips, watching how they formed one word over and over again.

"Ginny."

TBC