Envy and Manipulations: Rewrite 36

by rrabbit

Sixteen year old Ginny Weasley has her first summer job at the Folk Hills Country Club, the most prestigious high society club in the wizarding world. When Draco Malfoy comes home from his summer internship at the Ministry of Magic things get complicated, dark, and twisted. Rewrite.

11. Chapter 11

"Uh, what?"

Draco raises his brows.

"What part of that didn't you understand?" he asks flatly and I push him back.

"What did you mean by that? What do you mean we're married?" I ask in a panic and he rolls his eyes like I was being foolish. "We're not married. I'm only sixteen! I think I would have remembered something like that..." I trail off as I remember the fidelity oath I agreed to, how the red lines bound our hands together. I saw it again when we were... doing it for the first time…

Bonded together with magic... Bonded... Marriage...

"No," I say as I shake my head because it can't be true. He wouldn't do that to me. "No, you didn't."

"It's old magic," he says as he leans against his writing desk and crosses his arms. "Old magic that you agreed to, I would like to point out," he says and I press my brows together. "When we slept together, it consummated the agreement and you accepted an heirloom from my family, cementing the relationship and solidifying your willingness to enter my family," he says, nodding to the bracelet. "You said yes to it all, Ginny."

I start messing with the clasp again, trying to take it off.

"But I didn't agree to all that!" I yell, anger boiling up in my insides as I try to take off his damn family heirloom. "If I would have known, I wouldn't have done it!"

"Precisely why I didn't tell you," he says sharply. "But aren't you glad that I went ahead and did it now? You will not have to marry some old 'creepy Death Eater' and you won't give your blood to anyone either. I forbid it as your Head of House," he says and I can feel my insides turning. "I saved you from a fate you can't even imagine."

"Why would you do all of this?" I ask. "How did you know?"

"I know a lot of things," he scoffs and I frown.

"But..." I stumble over my words and then I let my hands drop to my sides. "Wait, but you did all of this over the summer," I say, trying to work it out in my head. I honestly can't wrap my head around this properly. "That means you knew this was all going to happen? You knew that the Death Eaters would take over the country... You knew that they would do this new marriage law! You knew they would change Hogwarts... You knew and never told me!" I shout. Then I think of every conversation we ever had. "YOU LIED TO ME!" I scream like a mad person. I'm so loud I fear I might start shaking the windows. "You said you didn't believe Harry!"

He doesn't seem very bothered by this whole conversation and it's really starting to piss me off. He's the only boy I've ever loved and his betrayal is hurting me deeply... and he doesn't even care.

"You told me you didn't believe that the Dark Lord was back! You lied right to my face if you knew all of this!"

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

I think of the password I gave to him to get into my house and the fact that I was sure he never gave it back. Did he lie about that? Did he give the Death Eaters the password so they could get to my parents? Why would he?

Doesn't he love me?

"What happened to the password I gave you?" I ask and he raises an eyebrow.

"What?" he asks and I glare.

"The ward password I gave you so you could get into my house. What did you do with it?"

"I told you I gave it back-"

"You're a liar!" I yell again.

I take out my wand and point it at him, shouting that mind reading spell he would use on me when he was training me to shield my thoughts.

I only get to see a glimpse of him in a dark cloak outside of his Manor before he pulls me out of his mind.

"How dare you," he says in a deadly whisper as he walks towards me and he snatches my wand.

Finally, some emotion from him.

"You read my mind all the time," I scoff. "Don't tell me that pissed you off."

I remember the golden compact that he still has and I push him to the side so I can go through the drawers on his writing desk.

I want it now.

I can't trust anyone anymore.

He's not going to take care of a damn thing for me.

"I swear to God, Draco. If you're the reason why my mother is in Azkaban... why my house is destroyed... I swear, I will never forgive you."

I pull out each drawer of the writing desk roughly and let them slam on the ground. One wooden drawer even breaks by the impact, but I don't care. I'm too angry to care.

When I find nothing of importance in his writing desk I move to the nightstand, he follows.

"I wouldn't do that," he says gently as I pull the drawer out so far that it smacks against the ground. "I did everything to keep you safe, Ginny. To keep you mine..."

"I'm not yours, Draco," I hiss as I push around papers and quills. "Stop saying stuff like that and you didn't need to keep me safe! You should have told me not to come back to Hogwarts! If that's the case, then you should have just let me leave with Harry."

He's silent for a moment and then he narrows his eyes. "You wouldn't be safe with him. He's wanted dead or alive... Anyone with him is free game and your family is a target. You know that, Ginny. You're safer here, with me."

I shake my head.

"I love you," he says and I scoff again. Nothing is in the nightstand so I move to his dresser. "You're special, Ginny, but you were mine by right," he says and I glance at him over my shoulder before opening another drawer. "I told you that story of our family history," he says and I roll my eyes. "When you were born, it broke that curse, but the promise was still there," he says and I furrow my brows as I pull out his shirts and let them litter the floor. "I've known since I was little that you were promised to me, all I had to do was claim you. I wasn't going to. Not so soon anyways," he says. "But I decided that I wanted you and now no one else can have you. You have been mine since birth."

"Where's my compact?" I hiss because I don't care to listen to him.

"Stop moving and let's talk about this."

"Why?" I ask as I turn on him. "So you can talk me out of it, change the subject, and manipulate me into believing a lie?"

Oh my God.

What if he's a Death Eater?

I recall him coming to my room at night during the summer all agitated and dressed in black clothing... He lies about everything... but why would he help Harry leave the castle if that was the case? He said he only does things that benefit him. What did he get for that?

"Ginny," he says flatly as he walks up to me and he grabs my arms. "You love me," he says as he searches my eyes. "And I love you. I know I should have told you everything from the beginning, but you would have run away from me," he says gently and I narrow my eyes again. I grab my wand from him and stuff it in my pocket. "I saved you from being sold off as property to someone else. You should be grateful that I would do that for you. You should be grateful for all I've done."

I push his chest so he's no longer touching me.

"Listen to me," he hisses as I grab my bag to leave the room. I can not be around him right now. "You need to be introduced for it to be official in society," he says as I walk towards the door. "But you are my wife, Ginny," he says harshly. "And I am your Head of House and you will listen to me."

"Fuck you," I snap and his eyes narrow.

"Don't talk to me like that," he says like he is always so proper.

"I want to break up."

If he knew all of this, he could have warned my family somehow... he could have done a lot of things.

He's silent for a moment and then he glares hatefully.

"I am trying to be patient with you," he says through clenched teeth. "That bonding spell we used is very old and I could have a lot of control over you if I wished. Don't tempt me."

That thought actually sends a chill down my spine.

"I want to break up," I repeat again because I'm so very angry and I want to hurt him. "I don't want to be with you anymore."

"You can't just break up with me, Ginny," he sneers like I was stupid. "I'm your husband."

That didn't sound right at all.

"Then I want a divorce," I say with my head tilted up and he actually laughs at me.

It's a humorless laugh- but still a damn laugh.

"That's impossible," he says as he puts a hand on his slender hip. "I told you our bond was done with old magic. It's unbreakable because you were a virgin when we first had sex. I'm sorry, but you're stuck with me."

I glare at him.

"I hate you," I whisper.

I don't mean it. I know I don't… but I am just so angry and I feel so betrayed.

I need to get away from him so I can figure all of this out…. but I have no one to run to.

I narrow my eyes.

That's his fault too.

"No, you don't," he scoffs like I was an idiot. I go to move past him but he grabs my arms and slams me into the wall. I gasp at the violence of it and then my glare becomes deadly. "Now," he says, loosening his grip…. taking in my shock as submission. "Stop this. It's over and it's done. It's not like we have to go and buy furniture together or anything. I did it to protect you. Fucking trust me, I don't want to be married this young. Not while I'm still in school…. but I did it for you. As your Head of House I can control what happens to you here."

I glare at him.

"Why is this such a big deal, Ginny?" He asks, looking over my face. "I know you love me. You were going to marry me eventually so why does it matter that it's sooner than you thought? It doesn't change anything."

He is so damn arrogant.

"I will never know if I would have married you because you took the choice away from me," I say, shaking my head in disbelief. "You're a liar and a manipulator and you're just like Tom," I tell him in a hissed whisper and he narrows his eyes again. "You're just like him. Only not as powerful. You're a poser and I hate you and I don't want to be married to you and I want you to take this goddamn bracelet off of me! I should have never let you into my life. Everyone was right to tell me to be careful, but I didn't listen and now I'm stuck with you and you're a terrible person and after all of this Harry truly did like me and I should have gone with him because he never would have done something like this to me!"

I meant for it to hurt, and I suppose it did because he clenched his fist and a vase shattered somewhere behind him. It made me jump and I looked at Draco in surprise for the uncontrolled magic.

He is breathing heavily and his cheeks are flushed.

"I'm going to give you a moment to calm down," he says hatefully, loosening his tie as he tries not to yell at me. I've never seen him look more angry and that pissed me off as well. He has no right to be upset. The damn liar. "I'm going for a walk. You better fucking be here and in a more agreeable mood when I get back."

He leaves and I'm left standing in his stupid fucking room.

I narrow my eyes and take my wand out to summon the compact but it doesn't come to me. I squeal in frustration and then I go back to rampaging his things to find it. I look in every drawer, I check the wardrobe, and the bathroom, and I even look behind his desk with no luck. I can't find it anywhere and with a frustrated sigh I try one last place. I don't find it under the bed either, but I find his potion's kit and I sit on the floor as I put it on my lap and carefully snap it open. He has a whole array of potion bottles and vials, labeled with black ink.

I pull some of them out and read the labels. Stamina... one says. Pepperup is written on another. I pull out another vial that has my name on it. Ginny/birth control it says and I make a face at it before putting it away. It made me feel easy for some reason to see my name on a potion like that. Something along the lid catches my eye. I noticed a red folder sticking out from behind the lining of the box. I carefully tear the fabric until I can pull the whole thing out.

The Prometheus Project is written across the front in Draco's beautiful slanted script.

It makes me think of the Fiend Fyre I saw him control at his Manor... and of the dead Ministry employees…

Maybe I'll find some answers.

I open the folder and skim through his pages of math formulas and spells... I don't understand any of it, so I keep going. There are drawings of rune symbols, lines with numbers around them, and odd looking buildings that are labeled by location. I don't get it, but I can recognize Draco's smooth handwriting. His notes are written in a language I don't know... It might be French? Maybe that is what it is but my uncultured mind can't translate it and I end up biting my lip in frustration.

Then I find the pictures.

They are the mugshots of Voldemort's trusted inner circle. All of them have been released from Azkaban after the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters took over Wizarding England. I flit through the glossy photos of the sneering Death Eaters until I find the photo of Izador Rookwood. He looks vengeful in his mugshot, with his eyes on fire and his lip curled back in a sneer. He's a lot younger looking as well, with his hair long and a beard neatly trimmed.

I quickly turned it over to find some more of Draco's script.

Head of education

unmarried-DBP

What does DBP mean?

That's what's written on the back and I furrow my brows as I set the photo on the bed. I pick out another picture, one of Phillip Macnair and I turn that around as well.

Treasury department

Widowed-DBC (Daphne)

Why is Daphne's name on there?

I put that one on the bed as well before going through the rest. There are five photos of men, all with their new titles with the Ministry printed on the back. Draco's female friends are written by most of them as well and it confuses me as I try to put it together.

Everything bloody confuses me.

Rabastan Lestrange, the new Head 'Auror', has Pansy's name on the back of his picture and a fat man by the name of Charles Vandrows has Millicent with that mysterious DBC printed as well...Carlton Cracken, a rather nasty Death Eater who killed his entire family for being blood traitors has Cho Chang's name printed on the back and I focus on her name for a few long moments before putting the stack on the bed.

It didn't make any sense to me and I couldn't figure it out.

It's really odd and I don't understand the DB... whatevers that is written either. There are two photos of women in the stack... one of Dorothy Whitewater who went to Azkaban for killing muggles so she could use their body parts in her potions… and one of Bellatrix Lestrange.

They didn't have the same things written on the back of their photos.

That Dorothy woman just had an address written. It looks like some private home and a note was scrawled beside it like an afterthought. (By the levee) it read and I shake my head before turning to the sneering and wild picture of Bellatrix Lestrange.

She had one word... one that was a bit more curious and I frown as I read Draco's handwriting.

Christmas.

I set it down with the rest of the stack as I try to figure it all out.

Hermione would probably figure this whole thing out in two seconds flat.

Hermione... I need to find Hermione...

I snap my eyes to the clock in the room before making my decision.

I'm leaving.

I take Draco's folder and grab my bag. I will figure this out and I will find my friends. I leave his room and head straight towards the Slytherin dorms with determined and forceful steps. I find a first year pureblooded boy hovering around their portrait hole and I force him to give me the password with my wand pointed at his poor little chest.

"B-But," he starts as I jab my wand into his ribs. "No one can go in there just now. They said-"

"Just give me the bloody password," I tell him and his eyes brimmed with tears. "Please?" I add because I don't want him to cry…. He looks so little.

"Helios," he whispers and I pocket my wand.

"Thanks," I mutter softly, letting him run away.

I feel a little bit bad about doing that to him, but the moment of guilt passes quickly once I get inside of the common room.

To my surprise, and relief, the common room is empty and I hike up my bag before going over to the fireplace with Draco's folder under my arm. I know Draco tapped something over here with his wand to get it to open. I take out my own as I study the stones, trying to remember what he did the day he helped Ron and his friends leave the castle.

I tap a few stones with my wand, but nothing happens and I sigh before trying again. Think, what did he do? He said something too. I try to remember what he muttered into the wall but after a few minutes, the door starts to open behind me and I panic.

I quickly, and stupidly, hide behind some curtains along the wall and I tilt my feet in to hide myself more as two people walk into the common room. It's too late to do a disillusionment charm and I grip my wand a little tighter, hoping they won't see me. I can see them through the little sliver I've allowed myself and I pray they don't notice how oddly I'm hidden with my bag pressing painfully into my back. I hold Draco's folder close to my chest and hold my breath when I see Pansy and Blaise make their way in. They check the room to make sure it's empty before facing each other.

Blaise sits heavily down on one of the couches and Pansy settles across from him with her long legs crossed at her knees.

"You cleared out my common room quite efficiently," he says as he looks around. His eyes run past the curtain I'm hiding behind, but he gives no indication that he sees me. "What did you do? Threaten to sing to them?"

The first year did start to say something about no one going into the common room. This must be why.

Dammit.

"Don't be a dick," Pansy hisses as she crosses her arms. "You know I've been wanting to talk to you for a while and you've been avoiding me."

"Successfully until now, it seems," he says flatly and she glares.

"I want to get a few things straightened out," she says. "Before I do what I have to do," she adds and I furrow my brows. "You are fully aware of my feelings," she says sharply. "I have mentioned them to you many times throughout the year but you have either brushed me off or turned the conversation completely around."

Zabini raises an eyebrow and puts his arm along the back of the couch. Making himself comfortable.

"Now, I know I've told you before, but this time I mean it. Either you fully commit to me and this relationship or we're over."

Zabini is silent for a few moments before he taps his fingers against his knee.

"What do you want me to say?" he says with a shrug and Pansy narrows her eyes. So do I. Zabini is such a tool. "You know I have no intention of being in a relationship with anyone. Before we started this, I made my intentions perfectly clear. You promised me that nothing was going to come of it but here we are, having this fucking conversation that I always told you I didn't want to have."

Pansy retracts like she was struck and then she narrows her eyes. "You told me you loved me."

He laughs. One of those unpleasant ones.

"I was drunk," he says like it didn't matter. "And you were taking advantage of the situation."

"How was I–"

"You knew what day it was," he snaps hatefully and she shuts her mouth. His tone was so awful… I find myself shrinking away from it too. "I said it because you did first. I don't love you. I won't love you and this whole conversation is bloody ridiculous. All that we are to each other is a few good fucks and then—"

Pansy pulls out her wand and shoots a curse at him.

He dodges it just in time and it hits the couch, tearing it to reveal the stuffing. He narrows his eyes as he hops out of his seat and he takes out his own wand.

"You fucking bitch," he says before throwing a curse at her.

I gasp as they start dueling. It's so ugly and violent. A curse hit's Blaise that makes his nose bleed and then a spell hits Pansy's arm that causes it to burn. She screeches in pain. A spell hits the curtains I'm hiding behind and they catch on fire. I cover a scream and quickly point my wand at it to put out the flames. No one notices the fire going out because they're too busy trying to kill each other.

I can't believe they're fighting like this. It makes me think of my own fight with Draco and how tame that was. After twenty minutes that ends up breaking two lamps, a chair, Blaise's watch, and a painting…. they finally stop flinging curses at each other long enough for someone else to come into the common room.

The curtain I'm hiding behind is singed from the fire curse and it smells horrible so I cover my nose and close my eyes when I hear the new person's voice.

"What are you two doing?"

That is the last person I want to hear right now and I open my eyes to see Draco walk into the common room with an angry scowl. He takes one look around the room before he makes a face and takes out his wand.

He lifts it and takes their wands away from them.

They don't seem to protest much and they glare at each other as Draco places their wands in his pocket.

"Fighting inside," he tsks his tongue as he walks further into the room and he takes a seat on one of the leather arm chairs. "How very common of you two. Although not altogether surprising, I thought we had agreed to keep a relatively low profile for the time being," he says sternly as he looks at the broken lamp by his side. He takes out his wand and fixes it with a swish of his wrist. "Your spell work is lovely, though." he adds sarcastically before crossing his legs. "Is the room secured? I suppose it is after the show you just put on."

No one says anything for a while and he looks at both of them with raised eyebrows.

"Well?" he asks, his cheeks still tinted pink and Pansy quickly nods her head.

Daphne once told me that only happens if he's pissed off or turned on. I bet I know which one he is right now, the bastard.

I wonder if he's still reeling from our conversation?

I hope he is.

"Sit down," he says and they follow his order quickly. "Did you get your folder?" he asks Pansy and she nods her head before handing it over to him. Draco opens it and quickly glances down at the pages as Zabini wipes away the blood from his nose. "Well, you already know what you have to do," he says irritably as he closes the folder and throws it on the coffee table with his leg bouncing up and down. "I'm tired of bloody repeating myself to everyone I come into contact with and if you don't get Theodore Not off of my damn back– I will break his hands," he says levelly, glaring at Zabini. "I am tired of him following me around."

Blaise nods his head and runs his fingers over his thigh. "I will speak to him," he says flatly.

"See that it gets done. I have more important things to do than worry about how he feels."

No one says anything for a while and Blaise sits back with his arms crossed as he glares at the table.

"How did Ginny take the news?" Pansy asks after a while of silence and my ears burn at the mention of my name. "She left the hall," she adds. "I couldn't watch her after that."

"Not well, as you can imagine," he says flatly and then he licks his teeth. "They had Rookwood talk to her," he says and my stomach starts sinking. They all knew this before I did. "He has put in his claim already and they're going to start taking her blood."

"We'll have to move up our plans," Blaise says with an eyebrow raised and Draco snaps his eyes to him.

"Yes," he says flatly.

He starts tapping his foot against the floor again... both of them take notice.

"Are you okay?" Pansy asks carefully as Draco starts to chew on the insides of his cheeks.

"Yes, I'm fine," he says sharply and she raises her eyebrows.

I hope he's not fine. Jerk.

He clears his throat.

"I had to tell Ginny about our bonding," he says flatly as he looks at Pansy. "She was getting hysterical about the marriage arrangements they made for her and I wanted to put her at ease," he says and Zabini rolls his eyes. "But it seems to have had the opposite effect."

Hysterical. He honestly said I was being hysterical?

"I can see that," Blaise says flatly. "Girls can be so dramatic," he says, shooting a look at Pansy who narrows her eyes.

"I can understand her anger," Draco says as he taps his foot against the floor again. He stares ahead of him, not bothering to make eye contact with the others. "But once she calms down I am sure she will see the benefit to this. She wouldn't honestly try to leave me. Not that she could anyways, but still," he says, like he was talking to himself and Pansy and Zabini exchange an odd look. "She loves me."

"Well," Pansy says, crossing her arms. "Maybe she said that to you when she was drunk and you were taking advantage of the situation," she says, making a jab at Zabini.

He rolls his eyes again.

"Hardly," Draco scoffs. He starts tapping his foot again and Pansy sits forward.

"I was just joking, of course," she says as she watches Draco's hand twitch around his wand. "She will see the benefit of being bonded to you, Drake," she says, like she was reassuring him... carefully so like she was worried how he would react. "You are a handsome, rich wizard who can take care of her and she does love you. Of course, she does. Girls like her don't lie about things like that. She will come around and bend to your wishes."

Bend to his wishes?

What does that even mean?

For some reason, that made Draco relax a bit and then he seems to find his fire again.

He flicks his eyes to Zabini. "I've made the decision to go to the levee tonight," he says and Zabini nods his head in understanding. "Time is more important now than anything," he says as he stands and walks towards the fireplace.

Crap.

I suck in, like that would fucking help, and try not to be seen as he takes out his wand and taps the stones. I try to pay attention, but I can't see from this angle and I can't hear what he whispers against the wall. The fireplace moves to reveal the passageway and he turns around to face his friends as he takes out their wands from his pocket.

"Conduct yourself with a little more dignity," he says as he tosses their wands back. "If we are the higher race, then we must act like it," he says before checking his watch. "I should be back shortly. I find that she is usually alone on most nights so it should be rather easy. My alibi is obviously with the two of you, so get your stories straight before I return. The papers will be buzzing and we need to be in shock with the rest of them," he says.

He waits for them to agree, and when they do, he nods his head before walking off.

The fireplace closes behind him and Blaise and Pansy spend exactly thirty seconds alone before they both stand up.

"We're studying charms in the study hall by Draco's room. How does that sound?" she says sharply and Blaise nods his head.

"Perfectly fine and impossibly boring to me," he says with an eyebrow raised.

She glares one more time before leaving the common room and Blaise watches her go before running a hand through his hair and sighing.

"I need a cigarette," he mumbles to himself before jogging up the staircase to the right.

I take a deep breath and slide out of my hiding spot. My initial 'I'm leaving' fire has left me and I clutch Draco's folder to my chest as I scurry out of the common room. It's almost too much to digest, too many questions I need answered and no one to talk to. I clench my jaw as I walk around the castle, trying to figure things out and trying to decide how my actions will fit in with them until I find myself at the main entrance hall.

I can see Dementors floating in the distance outside and I sigh as I walk towards the doors and push them open. There's a constant fog around the castle now because of those stupid creatures and I take a seat on one of the concrete steps as I look at the sky, letting the wind chill my bones as I place my bag by my side.

I really wish I had someone to talk to here. I cross my arms with Draco's folder on my lap as I chew on my lip. I need a friend. I feel so isolated right now. Pansy had known this whole time it seems, and that would mean that she knew way before all this happened as well. Was she only my friend because of Draco?

Of course she was. They all were.

I shake my head at my limited number of friendships that have survived and I try to see my situation from another person's perspective. If my friend was going through what I was going through, what kind of advice would I give them?

I would probably tell her that Draco was a no good liar who was way too controlling.

I remember taking health class in my fourth year and we had to read a whole check list of red flags of an abusive relationship and, as I think Draco, he does fit some of those descriptions.

-Jealous and possessive? Check.

-Controlling? Check.

-Intimidating? Double check.

I can't talk to any of my family members and the only friends I have now are his friends... besides Luna, of course, but she's so far up Theodore Nott that she barely has time to look at me. I furrow my brows as I think about Luna. Did Draco make Theo date her just so I would be on my own? So I would accept his friends better... No... I shake my head. He wouldn't do that. That's just ridiculous.

I start chewing on my nails.

Of course, Draco has his good points as well.

I love him and I'm pretty sure he loves me.

He can be so sweet and he makes me feel important and special... sometimes... not when he lies…. But where do his lies stop? Do they cancel out the sweet moments if everything else is tainted by this betrayal?

I bite so hard I break a nail and I move to another finger.

He gives me nice things and he takes care of me and he kisses so bloody well.

I had trusted him completely when everyone warned me not to. I should have listened to Hermione. She was right. I am gullible. I'm so damn gullible… and it's not even that I wanted to believe that there was good in everyone. I wanted people to believe that there was good in me.. that I was someone worth knowing and loving.

I guess that makes me pathetic and an easy target.

I sigh as I think about how much he makes my heart ache and I start chewing on the fingers on my other hand. I can't focus on my feelings because I'll choose him every time just based on the way he makes me feel when we're together. I need to see this critically... as an outsider.

But he's so handsome...

But he could have told me everything sooner! He could have warned my family and the Order!

I feel like my heart is breaking.

This must be what it feels like to die.

"Would you like one?"

I jump when I hear Zabini's voice and Draco's folder slips to the ground. I quickly pick it up and stuff it in my bag. I was too stuck in my own thoughts to hear Blaise's approach and now my heart is racing. He sits down beside me and offers me a cigarette, but I shake my head and turn back to the gate.

"Suit yourself," he says as he puts one in his mouth and he uses his wand to light the end.

I roll my eyes.

"How did you know I was out here?" I ask coldly and he glances at my profile.

"I'm not stalking you, I assure you," he says as he blows smoke from the corner of his mouth. I glare at him. "I obviously just came out here for a smoke and I saw your little redhead hanging about. I thought I'd come and say hi before they started showing up."

"Who's they?" I ask sharply and he nods towards the gate.

"They'll be coming back today," he says and I raise my eyebrows. "The people who were sent for re-education," he clarifies.

Neville.

I'm a terrible friend. They were all taken away last week. I was too worried about my family to really try to help him and Draco kept me so distracted...

That's another thing to add to the con list.

-Manipulative? Check.

Some Gryffindor I am. How could I be so blind?

"What happened to them there?" I ask and he shrugs. Of course, he doesn't know. If he did, he wouldn't tell me anyways.

We sit in silence for a long time before it becomes too much for me to bear.

"You knew." I whisper, thinking of Draco and I look at my left hand, where the red lines of his bonding spell secured our hands together.

"Knew what?" he asks flatly as he dusts ashes off his black slacks.

"That Draco and I were bonded," I answer and then I give him a troubled look. "I didn't know," I admit in a small voice- feeling so stupid. "He didn't tell me... I thought..." I trail off and shake my head as he studies my face.

"Of course I knew," he says and I give him a sharp look that he smiles at with his amber eyes twinkling. "I told him it was a good idea," he says and my throat goes dry. "Why are you so angry about that?" he asks with his head tilted to the side. "It has always worked out in your favor, has it not?"

"But... my family..."

"They're still alive, aren't they? That's more than most people can say these days."

"But..."

"If you love him, why are you upset?"

"He lied to me. Not everything is forgiven just because you love someone," I say heatedly and he raises one of those dark, perfect eyebrows.

"I thought that's what people like you did," he says. "Forgiving and loving unconditionally... all that nonsense."

I glare at him again, and then I stare at his lips as he puts the cigarette at the corner of his mouth and takes another drag before flicking it to the ground. It burns against the first stone step and I stare at it as I think of Draco.

I don't know if I feel like crying or hitting something right now, but I know I just want to understand what's happening... I want to understand why Draco has done things the way he did... and I want to hurt him like he hurt me...

What would piss him off the most?

I glance at Zabini from the corner of my eyes as he runs his hands through his dark hair.

Draco tricked me into a bonding I never agreed to because I felt like I needed to reassure him of my faithfulness. I thought I was agreeing that I wouldn't cheat on him to put him at ease and to give him confidence in our relationship. I thought he was some wounded little animal at heart and needed that from me… but that was all bullshit.

I smile a little to myself at my plan. I don't know why I'm smiling, actually. I'm not very pleased. I just want to break Draco's heart like mine is breaking. Draco has trust issues, that's been the thing from the start and he's always been so ridiculous when it came to me being around other guys. Now that I think about it, that's a little unhealthy too. A little jealousy is nice, it makes you feel good, but not to that degree... not enough to justify trapping someone into a marriage they never agreed to in the first place.

But you love him...

It doesn't matter.

I look at Blaise's pretty face again... I want to make Draco cry a little, see if he even cares and my first step is seducing Blaise Zabini.

"Blaise," I say. I turn my head towards him as he pockets his wand.

"Hm?"

"Look at me." When he looks at me with his golden eyes, I bring my hand up to his one of the curls by his face. I touch it gently, pretending to smooth something off of it. "You had something in your hair," I lie.

He gives me a suspicious look and then he glances at my hand.

I study his face as I move my fingers down to his cheek.

I know Zabini is attractive, beautiful even, but he doesn't stir the same kind of feelings that Draco does... or that Harry used to... but he sure is nice to look at.

"What are you doing?" he asks with an eyebrow raised as I lick my lips and lean in closer.

My hand starts burning as I rest it on his smooth neck.

"Weasley, what the fuck?" he says as I let my hand slide down his chest.

The burning is almost unbearable now, but I keep going even when a sweat breaks out on my brow. Why isn't he stopping me?

"Do you think I'm pretty, Blaise?"

It sounded like such a ridiculous question coming out of my mouth. It sounded sexier in my head, but I find that my mental rehearsals never seem to measure up to the awkwardness that is me in real life.

He grabs my hand before it can go any lower.

"Your boyfriend will cut off my head," he says, his voice sounding deeper, almost charmingly seductive.

It's no wonder he gets so many girls.

I look at his lips. "He might not be my boyfriend for much longer," I say a little sadly before leaning in and pressing my lips against his.

I can ruin a lot of things with this kiss.

Pansy's relationship (or lack thereof) with Blaise. Blaise's relationship with Draco. Draco's relationship with me. My friendship with Pansy...This could be a domino effect and I can hit it all in one go.

It's nearly perfect, actually.

I get tugged back like I did with Harry that night, but I stand my ground and tense my muscles as I push him back and straddle his lap as I think of how angry Draco will be and how he'll be able to feel this because of that 'promise to be faithful' bond that was really a fucking marriage thing. Even Pansy would be angry if she knew who I was kissing and I don't even care. She lied too. She told me that many people did that in relationships and that it was a good thing. She knew all along. I slip my tongue against Zabini's lips as it starts to burn at such a level that I think I'm going to catch on fire.

Blasie kisses me back, to my surprise, and he even twists his hands in my hair. He tastes like cigarettes and chocolate and he's pretty skilled with his tongue.

I almost push him back because he seems to be getting too much into it... but then he freezes and he tries to push me off of him.

When I pull back he looks shocked for a moment before he glares at me.

"What are you doing?" he hisses. I stare at him with my eyebrow raised. He pushes me off his lap and stands up with a panicked look on his face as I settle myself on one of the concrete steps. "Why did you do that?" he shouts. "Do you realize what Malfoy is going to do to me? Do you have any fucking clue?"

"Not really," I say because no one tells me anything.

I smirk at him as he curses under his breath …. I think he calls me a cunt, actually, and I make a disgusted face at his back as he stalks off.

Good riddance.

I wipe off my lips and stand up with my bag slung over my shoulder as the gate starts to creak open. My body feels like it's on fire, but I'm too worried about everything else to really care all that much. Suddenly, rows of students dressed in black come walking in and I step to the side as they make their way towards the castle in four single file lines, neat and crisp. They're all walking with their heads down and I furrow my brows as the female Carrow professor walks beside them, spewing off orders about staying in line and keeping their heads bowed.

I see Neville in the back and I hesitate before running towards him.

"Neville, are you okay?" I ask as I grab his arm.

When he looks at me– I gasp.

There are bluish looking bruises around his eyes and his facial expression is blank. There isn't the warmness that he usually has... there's nothing there.

"Neville?" I whisper. He's looking at me like he has never seen me before and that he didn't care to know who I was. "Are you okay?"

"Hey you," the female Carrow comes towards me and grips my arm. "You get back in the castle."

"What have to done to them?" I say, looking back at Neville's blank face as he falls back into line.

He looks like a zombie. They all look empty and cold.

I get pushed back and they all walk into the building as I stare after them. I should have helped Neville when I could have. I should have made Draco help... having a chance at life on the run would be better than whatever that is.

What happened to them?

Once they're in the castle and the doors are closed, I turn back to the gate and look out. My skin still burns, but I ignore it as I clench my hands around my wand.

I don't know how long I stand staring at the closed gate…. But that's how Draco finds me with my entire body burning like an inferno.

He steps behind me and puts his chest against my back. He smells like fire... like smoke… but I don't question it because I don't want to talk to him. I ignore him, but shift my gaze when he raises the golden compact in front of my face. I see my angry reflection in it and I reach up to snap it shut.

"I'm sorry," he says against my ear. He kisses my cheek and the burning stops. "Come back into the castle with me," he says seriously. "It's going to rain."

"I kissed Zabini," I tell him to hurt him.

"I know," he says with a sigh. "Come," he says as he takes my hand. "Come with me."

"Why did you do this?" I ask softly, sounding embarrassingly broken as tears threaten to fall.

"We'll talk later," he whispers. "Now is not the time."

I really do hate him right now.

"I don't run on your timeline anymore," I say and there's a shakiness in my voice that I wish was a little more steady.

"I'm weaving a very tangled web, Gin," he says against my hair as I cradle the compact to my chest. "It's going to be hard for you to keep up."

"Okay." That's all I say... that's all I can say as I think of Neville and his zombie eyes.

"But..." he continues and I blink a few times before pulling back and looking at him. He looks into my eyes for a few moments as he runs his fingers gently down my jaw... and then he grips my chin with his fingers painfully tight to keep me in place. "If I ever find out you kissed Blaise Zabini again, I'm going to fucking kill him. I know you did it to get my attention but there are other ways to achieve that end. I won't tolerate it again. Do you fucking understand that?"

When he lets his hand go with a little push to my face, I glare.

I take out his folder and push it at his chest. He looks surprised as it all falls to the ground.

"I never want to speak to you again," I tell him coldly before going back to the castle.

To my surprise... and a little disappointment... he doesn't follow me. He doesn't make anyone else check up on me either.

I spend the night alone, in my bed, with the curtains pulled tightly closed as I stare up at the canopy. I wish I was older, smarter, more powerful... I wish I was a lot of things… but I'm not anything at all.

It takes me hours to fall asleep and when I do… I dream of Tom and snakes and rickety old boats.

When I wake up the castle is buzzing with gossip and fresh news. I grab a paper as I walk towards the Great Hall and I stop walking when I read the headline of the censored Death Eater run paper.

Murder at the Levee

I stop breathing for a moment or two as I see the photo underneath the black bold letters.

Dorothy Whitewater.

...Trusted Advisor and Head of the Security Council was found burnt to death in her flat last night. The Aurors say they have no suspects, but all signs point to the underground Order of the Phoenix movement which has claimed the lives of more than twenty wizards and witches in the past two weeks…

That's an awful lot of speculation for a newspaper... I guess it's more of a propaganda piece now.

...The Auror department has no solid leads at this time but it wants to reassure the public that the death of Mrs. Whitewater will not go unpunished…. Anyone known to be associating with or murmuring the thoughts of the recently disbanded Order of the Phoenix will be tried for treason…

If you see something— Say something.

The article goes on to describe what a great family woman and loyal follower of the Dark Lord's regime that Whitewater woman was and I fold the paper over as I stare at the wall, seeing nothing.

Draco went to the levee, now a woman is dead.

He smelled like fire...

Oh, my God.

---

XXXXXXXXXX

"I think I'm going to break up with Draco."

"What?" Pansy says flatly with one sharp brow raised.

I don't say anything for a few moments as I let it sink in. I know they all heard me. The three of us are sitting on top of the beds in the seventh year girls dorm and you could hear a pin drop. It got so quiet.

"But... you can't break up with Draco," Daphne says, giving me an uncomfortable smile as she leans forward. "No. No. No, Ginny. You don't want to do that. Don't be silly."

"I'm not being silly," I say as I look at them both. "I'm being serious."

"But..." Daphne blinks again and then she sends a look to Pansy. "No, Gin. You love Draco. Remember?"

"I know..." I say uncomfortably as I test the waters of our friendship. "But I think it's time for us to take a break."

"Take a break or break up?" Pansy asks coldly. "Those are two different things."

"He's not the person I thought he was," I say honestly as I cross my legs and stare right at her. It was true. Who was Draco Malfoy? My lying, manipulative Death Eater husband…. or the killer of Death Eaters? I don't know because he never tells me one way or another.

"No one is who they seem at first," Pansy says as she slides off her bed. "Stop being so dramatic."

She knows that I know about my 'marriage' or whatever to Draco and she's eyeing me critically, like she was waiting for me to say more. What a bitch. I was so nice to her when she was talking about breaking up with Blaise and now she's trying to make me feel stupid for even bringing up such a thing. No one even asked me why I wanted to end it with him- they just jumped right into why I shouldn't.

"I don't know if I love him anymore," I say. It was a lie, of course. I love Draco so much it hurts sometimes but now my mission is to hurt Pansy. "I think I like someone else."

"Who?" she asks sharply, angry that I would even entertain the idea.

"I kissed Blaise," I tell her and Daphne gasps with her hand over her mouth.

"What?" Pansy says flatly as she narrows her eyes.

I look at her and cock an eyebrow.

"I kissed Blaise," I repeat. She looks like she wants to curse me… I watch her wand hand as she stands up but she just puts it on her hip instead. "It was nice," I lie and she narrows her eyes into small little slits. "More than nice, actually."

"Why would you do that?" she asks through clenched teeth and I stand up as well.

"I thought you broke up with him?"

"It doesn't matter what I fucking did," she hisses and Daphne widens her eyes as she takes a step back. "There's a girl code, Ginny, and you can't just snog your friend's boyfriend!"

"Girl code?" I snap hatefully. "If there is a 'girl code', I'm sure it's in there somewhere that if a friend is being manipulated by her overbearing boyfriend, then a friend should step in and help out."

"What are you talking about?" she hisses and I glare.

"You knew what Draco's been doing," I say and then I glare at Daphne. "You both knew and never told me because you were never my friends to begin with."

"Oh, Gin..." Daphne takes a step forward and shakes her head. "We..."

"Shut up," I say and she widens her eyes again in surprise. "I'm tired of people using me... lying to me..." I say as I glare at Pansy. "And I'm done with you both," I say as I storm towards the door. "By the way," I say as I glare over my shoulder. "Blaise will never love you. He doesn't even like you," I tell her to hurt her as I remember their conversation in the Slytherin common room. "It's pathetic."

I know my words hit target, because she makes a sad face before masking it with hatred.

I go back to my own dorm after that with my stomach turning nervously. I've never been this bold or hateful and it didn't sit well with me.

I pull the curtain around my bed and tuck myself on the side as I stare at the golden compact in the dark. I've been carrying it with me everywhere I go since Draco gave it back, but I haven't heard anything from Hermione or the others. I tap my fingers against it and close my eyes. I know I won't be sleeping anytime soon, so I just lay in the dark, thinking of my conversation with Draco over and over and over again. There's a knot in my stomach as I think about the way Daphne and Pansy looked at me. I hate it when people don't like me, but I'm too angry to give in right now.

Then the compact vibrates.

I sit up and grab my wand. I silence the bed around me and light the end of my wand before putting it behind my ear and carefully clicking the compact open.

I don't see Hermione.

I don't see Ron.

I see Harry instead.

What?

I sit up and give him a puzzled look as he eyes me through the mirror. He looks so tired and worn out.

"Harry?" I whisper and then I bite my lip. He's not wearing his glasses… It makes him look so different. "Are you okay?"

"I can't sleep," he admits in a soft voice. "Ron and Hermione are in the other room. I took this from her purse... I hope... I hope you don't mind. I haven't talked to anyone in a while. I just wanted to see a friendly face."

"It's okay," I say with a sad smile.

Lonely Harry... lonely like me.

He needs someone to love him.

"Is it…." He grabs his glasses from somewhere and places them on his face. "Is it safe for you to talk?" he asks, his voice sounding clearer and not as sad. "I'm such an idiot sometimes..."

"No, Harry. It's fine," I whisper as I draw my knees up to my chest. "I put a silencing spell around my bed. No one can hear us."

"Oh, good." He nods his head and then he glances at me with troubled eyes. "How's Hogwarts?" he asks. "We've heard rumors about the goings on at the castle, but it's hard to decipher the fact from fiction when you're on the run."

"Yeah," I say as I lean against my headboard and I start fiddling with my mother's necklace. I've taken to wearing the small seashell jewelry just in case they escape Azkaban and ever try to find me. They'll know where I'm at no matter where I find myself. That makes me feel better for some reason. "Things have changed here," I say. "Everything is different."

I give him a detailed account of the new happenings at Hogwarts. The divisions between blood status, the new classes, the punishments. I let him know about the building by the forest for the muggle borns and the re-education. Neville and the others were placed in a special dorm by the kitchens and they all walk around like lobotomized zombies all day.

Neville doesn't even know who I am and it breaks my heart.

"Are you serious?" he asks sharply when I tell him about Neville and his dead eyes.

"It's all so terrible," I say and I'm going to start crying again, but I try to stop myself. I don't want to cry in front of Harry. He's the one who should be crying. He has the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. "I don't know what to do. Everything's messed up and now they have this new marriage thing they're doing."

"What does that mean?" he asks with concern.

I tell him.

I tell him about what Circe Avery said in the Great Hall and I tell him about the 'person' who requested me.

"That's barbaric," he says in disgust as his eyes light up with a new kind of anger. "They can't do that to you. Can't you just say no?"

I shake my head.

You can never say no to this man. You can not… You will not….Not ever.

"What does Malfoy have to say about all of this?" With the mention of Draco's surname, I really do start crying. "Oh, Ginny. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's fine," I say as I try to push away those embarrassing tears. "It's just everything is so fucked up right now."

"I know," he whispers. "But it will get better. I promise."

It was an empty promise, but I cherished it nonetheless.

"I wish I would have gone with you," I admit as I hold the compact closer to me.

"What was that?" he asks because I said it so quietly he probably didn't hear.

"I wish..." I trail off and furrow my brows as I look into his emerald eyes. "I should have gone with you. I'm sorry."

He gives me a sad kind of smile and I feel something in my chest twist.

"You don't have to be sorry," he whispers… looking at me for a long time with his head tilted. "Maybe…. Maybe this is for the best. I mean, Malfoy has connections right now that could keep you safe. We're constantly running for our lives out here... it's no way to live."

There's a noise in the background on his end and he fumbles the compact. I can see that he's wearing one of my brother's jumpers that has a big golden R stitched across the front.

"Sorry," he mutters once he comes back into focus. "It was just a cat. I'm so jumpy."

"You have every right to be," I admit and then I furrow my brows. "Why are you wearing that God awful sweater?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood.

I don't want to tell him everything about Draco because that would just mean that everyone who told me to be careful was right. I already feel stupid and embarrassed, I don't need anymore shame placed on me… and for some reason I especially don't want Harry to know.

He gives me a boyish smile that tilts my heart.

"Ron has never worn it," he says as he brings the collar up to his nose and then he lets it drop. "And it smells like you."

That makes me pause and his cheeks turn pink as he tries to backtrack.

"I mean... that it's... your mum probably used the same cleaning stuff and it smells like The Burrow. Is all I meant. Not that it smelled like you because that would be weird... not that you smell weird, of course. You smell lovely. I'm just saying that I didn't mean to say that the sweater smelled like you because I didn't want you to think I was a... weirdo or anything... because I'm not...I obviously didn't mean to say the sweater smelled like you... I... it's just..."

"Harry," I say to get his attention so I can put him out of his misery. "It's okay. I get it."

"Good," he says awkwardly and then he looks down. "We saw Fred and George a couple of days ago," he says and I sit a little straighter.

"You did?" I ask and he nods. "Are they okay? What's happening with them? Where are they?"

Fred and George were on some kind of 'watch list' according to Umbridge. They are some of the only family members I have that aren't rotting away in prison.

"They're under house arrest in their flat in Diagon Alley. We barely made it out of their building alive," he says with a slight shiver like he was mentioning something unpleasant. "But they're alive and as funny as ever," he says with a sad smile. "They've been doing an underground radio show to keep the Order members connected and informed on what's been going on. It's all in code and disguised as a comedy show, but I think the Death Eaters are starting to catch on because they keep on putting restrictions on them. I think they're going to try to escape here in the coming weeks."

"Oh, well…. That's good," I say with a little smile. I'm glad there are people still out there hoping for a better tomorrow without Lord Voldemort. "I'm glad they're okay."

"Yeah..."

"I'm glad you're okay too, you know," I say and then his eyes look into mine. "Are you... okay?" I ask carefully.

He shrugs and then gives me a lopsided smile.

"I guess so," he mutters and then he looks away. "I-I should go," he says and I wish he wouldn't. I sit up straight and stare at the mirror. "Can I... can I call you again sometime?" he asks tentatively and I find it positively adorable.

For some reason I feel bad, like I was cheating on Draco or something, but I'm not doing anything wrong. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong.

"Of course," I say with a pleased smile. "Just make it late at night... that way it doesn't go off during the day."

He smiles. "I'll try to remember."

"Great," I say and then I hesitate a second. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Gin," he says with a pleased grin and before he can close the compact I quickly say his name. "Yeah?" he asks uncomfortably.

"Thank you for… you know... everything," I say and he raises an eyebrow in question. "I mean being the savior of the wizarding world and all. I couldn't have picked a better candidate."

He laughs a little.

It's a sad laugh.

I close the compact after that and I lay back against my pillows with a little smile on my face.

Things aren't so hopeless after all.

---

XXXXXXXXXXX

A large picture of Salazar Slytherin now hangs in the main hallway of the castle, looming down at the students with an ominous glare on his twisted looking face... and I'm painting all over it.

I hold the brush in my right hand and smear the red paint all over the old man's head. Paint that I found in one of the art rooms that was used to make the disgusting- If you see something— Say something - snitching posters that are plastered everywhere now. He looks like something out of an abstract painting and I smile to myself. I've become quite the vandal to the utter annoyance of all the teachers in the building. I start writing over the picture, looking behind my shoulder once to make sure no one is watching before turning back.

Long Live Dumbledore's Army!

After painting out the message, I smile and stand back with the can of paint and the brush hanging in my hands as I look at my artwork. I seem to be what's left of Dumbledore's Army, but who cares? Little things like this make me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. A little anarchy never hurt anyone and no one has figured out it's me that's defacing all of the statues and paintings of pureblooded hot heads like Salazar Slytherin. I'm pleasantly surprised that the other paintings and the ghosts haven't told on me yet, but I suppose they miss the way Hogwarts used to be run as well.

It's like a prison here now, some military prison run by monsters.

I hear someone coming down the hall and my heart starts racing.

Now would be a terrible time to get caught.

I quickly gather up all of my evidence of misdeeds and throw them in my bag before running from the scene.

I haven't talked to anyone in two weeks. Well, besides Harry, but his conversations are short and not very satisfying, usually cut off by some attack in the background. I wish I was with them, instead of being stuck here at this stupid castle with these stupid people and my stupid boyfriend…No. My husband…. My stupid bloody husband.

I haven't spoken to him yet.

So I really haven't had a chance to officially break up with him, but I think he gets the idea because he hasn't tried to talk to me. He hasn't sent any one of his minions either but I can still feel him staring at me from across the Great Hall when I eat my food alone like a damn loser or in the hallways when I walk to class. His eyes bore into me like a brand. He still acts like he has every right in the world to look at me however and whenever he wants.

I wish there was an easy fix for all of this. I don't want to break up with Draco because I love him so very much, but I know I can't stay with him... Can I? I have no one to talk to now, and a part of me does miss him. I honestly feel like getting sick every time I think about him and my eyes water when I'm in class at the slightest mention of his name.

It's pathetic, really, and I thoroughly blame him.

Freaking jerk.

I clench my fists as I think of him and I put my head down as I try not to get upset about it. Then I run into something solid and that something solid makes me fall on my bottom.

My bag falls and the flap opens, revealing the paint and brush.

Fuck.

"Miss Weasley."

I cringe. Snape's voice is like nails on a chalkboard and I shyly look up at him. I quickly grab my bag and close it so he won't see what I've done.

"You're out of bed after curfew," he says as he eyes me. I stand up and I try to explain why with a lie, but he cuts me off. "I don't care what your excuses are," he says hatefully and my cheeks heat up. "Detention," he says. "Tomorrow after classes are finished."

I nod my head.

"Now, go to bed," he says as he walks past me with a flourish of his black robes. "And Miss Weasley," he says and I look over my shoulder with my eyebrow raised. "You have red paint all over your hands," he says and I quickly look down. Fuck, he's right. "I would suggest cleaning all of that off before running into anyone else tonight," he says, eyeing me closely before walking off with a swish of his robes.

That's it? That's all?

I sigh in relief. I guess Snape is feeling charitable tonight but he has to know it's been me doing all the graffiti around the castle. Why would he just let that slide? I know he was at those Order meetings so maybe he still is part of the resistance? I don't know anything and I'm not going to push my luck by questioning it.

I take a quick shower when I reach my dorm room and ignore everyone as I crawl into bed.

I make it through my day of classes before heading towards the detention hall where six other students are spread out. Cho Chang was made the new Head Girl after her evaluation, and she's sitting at one of the desks at the head of the classroom, working on some art project that involves pipe cleaners and cotton balls... and Draco... Draco is sitting at the main desk.

I hate them both.

I narrow my eyes when I see Draco at the head of the classroom, writing on a piece of parchment with a black feathered quill. The Head boy and Head girl have to monitor the Thursday after school detentions now and they don't look too happy about it. When I walk in, he looks up and eyes me coldly before checking the clock. I take a seat at the very back and when it turns four on the dot, Draco stands up.

"You all have to sit here for an hour," he says as I pull a book from my bag. "No talking, no sleeping, no leaving," he says harshly.

He sits back down after that and goes back to his parchment.

I glare at him and start tapping my fingers against the desk.

It echoes in the large empty room and he snaps his eyes towards mine.

I raise an eyebrow and then start tapping my polished shoe against the leg of the chair. His eyes narrow, but after a few moments he goes back to his paper.

I take out a pen from my bag and drop it on the ground. He looks up in annoyance and I hold his intense gaze as I pick out another pen and do the same thing. It clatters against the floor, and rolls towards the front of the class. Cho shushes me and I smile at her as I take out a quill and do it again. The other kids in the room all look at me as well, but I don't care. I stare right at Draco as I pick up my book and slam it on the ground. The other kids jump and gasp.

"Stop it," he says coldly with his brows furrowed in irritation. "Or I'll have them schedule a more grueling detention for you."

I've heard those rumors, about how the Carrows deal with the more intense detentions with unforgivables, and I can't believe he'd actually threaten me with it!

I take out another text from my bag and actually throw it.

It lands on the desk in front of me and then slumps to the ground with a smack.

"Ginny Weasley," Chang snaps as she stands up with her hands on the desk. "I'm going to report you to the Head Master-"

"Let me handle it," Draco cuts her off with a look and she sits down with a scowl on her face.

Draco stands up to intimidate me, glaring daggers.

"Stop it," he says again as I take my pencil case and I throw it. It lands on a chair and rolls off, clattering against the floor.

I feel almost bad for the other people in the room, but not bad enough to stop.

"No," is all I say as I take out another thing from my bag.

I throw my inkwell across the room. It shatters against the wall, getting ink and glass all over the stones.

"Fucking stop it," he hisses and the other kids cower as he stalks towards me, his polished shoes tapping against the floor with his approach.

"No," I say when he's standing right beside me.

He looks like he's going to kill me but I hold my ground. He towers over me and jerks my seat back so I'm forced to look up at him. He does look a little scary in his all black uniform with his face so set and his hair so perfectly styled. I lean back and cross my legs, not letting him intimidate me with his height and good looks. I narrow my eyes when I notice him glance down and I pull my skirt up in a way I know he wouldn't appreciate just to piss him off some more. He looks at my thigh encased in the opaque black tights and then he narrows his eyes dangerously.

He leans down until his face is right in front of mine with his palm flat on the desk in front of me.

"You are really starting to piss me off," he says in a cold whisper so the others won't hear. He grabs the hem of my skirt and yanks it down. "Knock it off."

"What are you going to do?" I ask hatefully, giving him a dirty look. "Crucio me?"

"That's it," he hisses as he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the seat. The other students gasp in surprise as he drags me to the door, but Cho forces them to quiet down. "Do you think I enjoy heading detentions?" He questions once we reach the hallway with his hand still gripping my arm painfully tight. "Do you think I enjoy giving up my free fucking time to babysit a bunch of idiots who don't know how to behave?"

"Are you calling me an idiot?" I snap and he grips a little tighter as he pulls me further through the castle.

"Well, you are in detention after I specifically told you not to cause problems. So what do you think?"

"Gods, you are such a bastard."

"Shut up," he snaps, not even looking at me. "You are so fucking irritating."

I narrow my eyes.

When we get to the empty classroom he felt the need to drag me to, I wrestle myself away from him and cross my arms.

"Don't tell me to shut up. You don't get to say that to me."

"You can't stay mad at me forever," he says hatefully and I glare as he takes out his wand to lock the door with that familiar spell.

"I can stay mad at you for as long as I like."

"Would you rather be married to someone else?" he asks cruelly as he puts his wand back in the holder that's across his chest. "Do you like the thought of an old man slithering into your bed at night? He's not a man anymore, Ginny. He's a monster. Does that turn you on?" he asks, getting closer to me. "Does it get you wet thinking of the terrible life you're going to be subjected to and all the potions you'll have to drink just so you can conceive some twisted monster in your womb. Had I not stepped in and taken some fucking initiative your life would be goddamn miserable. I bet you wish you were with him right now, don't you? I bet you'd love for him to fuck-"

I smack him.

His face flies to the left and then he levels me with the coldest glare. I bring my hand up to my mouth to cover my surprise. I can't believe I just did that.

"You smacked me," he says like he didn't even believe it himself. "You just fucking hit me," he says with a little more venom as he brings his hand up to his red cheek. "What the fuck, Ginny?"

"I'm sorry," I whisper. I feel terribly guilty now... I know I shouldn't have done that no matter what he said. "Draco, I am sorry," I tell him as I step forward and bring his hand down so I can look at it. His cheek is still red and I wonder if I smacked him hard enough to leave a bruise. "I shouldn't have smacked you," I say as I touch his cheek. He winces so I let my hand drop. "That was wrong."

"I can't believe you just hit me," he says with a head shake, almost sounding like a child.

"Draco, I'm sorry," I'm starting to sound like a broken record. I just can't believe I got angry enough to resort to muggle violence like that.

"Are you?" he asks levelly as he looks into my eyes.

He eyes me curiously for a few more moments before shaking his head.

"You should be grateful to me," he says hatefully. "Any other girl would be. I didn't have to do any of the shit that I've done for you but I did and you are so goddamn ungrateful."

"You tricked me, Draco."

"I saved you," he says fiercely. "You should be showing me how grateful you are every fucking day for that."

I narrow my eyes again.

"You're a pretentious bastard," I tell him coldly. I shouldn't have apologized for hitting him. I take a step back to get away from him. "I feel bad for any girl you've ever dated. You're a horrible person."

"I'm the horrible person?" He asks, incredulous. "You're the one kissing my fucking friends and avoiding me like a coward. Now you're out there doing stupid shit that's getting you in trouble. It's like you want bad things to happen to you."

"Shut up, Draco. You can't spin this on me. What you did was wrong and you know it. You're just too big of a jerk to admit it."

"You are such a bitch," he mutters, but I heard it.

"What did you just call me?" I hiss through clenched teeth. He gives me a look like he is not sorry for saying it. "I have every right to be angry with you, Draco Malfoy!"

"Well, fucking get over it, Ginny," he shouts and I clench my fist. "There is nothing you can do to change anything. Even your midnight chats with Harry Potter can't help you now."

How did he know about those?

Has he been spying on me?

I push him and he stumbles back a few paces.

"How do you know that?" I hiss as his eyes get so intense that I fear he might be trying to set me on fire.

"I know a lot of things, darling," he sneers sarcastically and I squeal in anger. "Oh, fucking grow up," he says in response and I ball my fists. The ring finger of his wand hand twitches against his thigh. "What are you going to do, hit me again?"

"Shut up," I hiss and he takes a step closer to me. "Go away!" I tell him before he traps me against a desk with his large body pressed into my own. "Step back, you brute."

"No."

"I swear I will knee you in the crotch if you don't back away from me!" I bring my hand up to smack him again, but he grabs my wrist and glares down at me with stormy eyes.

"You aren't fucking hitting me again," he tells me coldly as he presses his body into mine. "Do you understand that?"

"Get away from me then."

"You're mine, Ginny," he says with darkened eyes. "I can do whatever I damn well please."

"Stop saying that. I am not yours!"

"Yes, you are," he says and I really think he believes that. "You are delusional if you think you aren't."

"You are the worst husband ever!" I shout and he's silent for a second before he actually starts laughing.

I don't want to be laughed at.

"Stop laughing!" I tell him and he smirks at me before looking down at me with fond eyes.

"Oh, Ginny. Ginny," he says with a head shake. "My sweet little innocent Ginny," he says before bending down and trying to kiss me.

I turn away.

"What are you doing?" I snap because this is not where I imagined this fight ending up.

"I'm going to fuck you," he says flatly as he starts undoing his tie. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk properly for a week," he says and my cheeks turn red in embarrassment as I look behind him to the closed door. "You'll be limping around this fucking castle unable to think of anything but me."

Did he really just say that?

I smack his hands away when he tries to touch me.

"It has been two bloody weeks," he says as he starts unbuttoning his jacket. "I'm stressed and I want to fuck my girlfriend," he says and then he gives me a thoughtful look. "My wife. That's what you are. I'm going to fuck my wife and you are going to let me." He nods his head as he puts his arm around my waist and he pulls me close. "Is that okay with you?"

"No, it's not."

"Too bad," he says lightly, bending down to kiss me.

Is he insane? Why does he think this would be okay? What is wrong with him?

I try to push him back again, only to have him grab my wrists and push me so I'm half leaning on the desk. He throws my legs apart with his free hand and he settles between them as I struggle to get away from him.

"Get off of me!" I yell.

When he tries to kiss me again, I bite his lip so hard I break skin.

He hisses and when he pulls back there's a bit of blood on his lower lip.

"Fuck," he says as he brings his free hand up to the blood and then he looks at it glistening off his pale fingers. "That hurt," he says and then he looks at me again with fire in his eyes. "Be mad all you want," he says as he glares down at me. "But I know you still want me."

Of course he's right, but I don't want him to know that.

He takes my hesitation as an invitation and he kisses me again. This time I don't bite him but I don't exactly kiss him back either.

"Give in to me," he says against my lips as he loosens his grip on my wrist. "Yield," he orders firmly, pulling back to glare. "Yield to me, Ginny."

Yield to me.

He kisses me again, deepening the kiss, his entire body pressed against mine. I hesitate only a second before kissing him back, my arms useless at my sides as his hands grip my waist to lift me more on the desk.

Do I want this?

Yes, I do.

I want to be close to him...

I want to feel the fullness of having him inside me.

I'm so lonely and afraid all the time…

I know I should be mad and stand my ground.

I know that.

But I don't want to.

Yield.

I'm always so disappointed with myself... but he can make me feel so wonderful and I think I need that.

I need something wonderful right about now.

I'm a frustratingly self destructive person.

"I missed you," he whispers against my skin as he moves his mouth down my jaw and to my neck once he senses my submission. "Please, let me have you."

Please.

It sounded so genuine when he said it. I clench my eyes shut and kiss him back again. My thoughts are too complex and my feelings are too warped to be much help right now. I can practically feel him smiling as I bring my useless hands up to rest on his shoulders. I slide the jacket off his arms until it falls to the ground and I sit up a little straighter. He hooks my legs around his waist as we kiss passionately.

It isn't sweet or gentle.

In fact, it feels rough and desperate as I claw at his clothes and he tears my dress shirt until it rips open, the buttons popping off and rolling across the floor. I didn't think it could actually happen like that and it made me gasp. His strength always surprises me even though I should be used to it by now. He pulls my hair as I unbuckle his pants, so I bite his shoulder when he pulls me to the edge of the desk.

He slams into me so hard that it hurts, so I force him onto a chair and tease him slowly until he makes an annoyed noise and uses his strong hands to yank me down until he's so deep that he hits something inside me that makes me call out.

He pushes his hips even further up and I don't think I've ever felt anything quite like it before so I grab his shoulders and inhale a sharp breath.

"Shh…" is all he says before kissing me again and using his hands to manipulate my movements.

His jaw tight and his eyes narrowed as I tilt my head to the side so my hair falls over my right shoulder. He's so strong that he can easily pick me up and throw me into different positions against the desk or along the wall… and he does. It kind of frightens me, actually… how much stronger he is than me. How he can just do that to me without me really able to fight back properly… and he doesn't let up. He doesn't go gentle… he's so big and his grip is so tight… he just kind of flings me around and holds me in place and makes me feel every inch of his body until I can't help but climax all around him with a little sob.

My nails are long enough that they leave angry red marks down his back because that's really all I can do. That's the only way I can hurt him when he's being so all consuming.

"Gods," he says as he pushes me up against one of the walls and he lifts me carefully until he slides right into me again. Good Lord, he's strong. What is it like to be that strong? "You are so fucking hot," he says and I kiss him again with my hands gripping his arms for balance. "What do you think, sweetheart?" he asks with a cocky smirk. I bury my face into his neck as my body starts to build again. "How does it feel? Did you miss me too?" he asks softly as he leaves an open mouthed kiss on my shoulder.

"Yes," I say pitifully.

I shouldn't have said anything at all, because I could feel him smiling.

Smug bastard.

"Say it," he whispers against my ear. "Tell me how much you missed me."

"I missed you," I whine, my temples wet with sweat and my cheeks flushed. I curl my hand around the back of his neck. "I missed you."

He bends down and sucks on my neck. I wince but the sensations he's creating make me release again and I grip his arm so painfully tight and I clench my teeth together. He must be getting tired because he turns and places me back on the desk, pushing me back so I'm laying flat while he continues to move between my legs.

"That's it," he whispers, looking over my face as I ride it out. "That's it. I'm the only one who can make you feel this way," he says, taking advantage of the position to touch me all over. "I'm the only one who will ever make you feel this way."

He grabs my waist and then he starts to drill into me. It is very clear that this pace is for him... I guess because he already took care of me a few times over he's ready to indulge himself by being as hard and as fast as he wants, but he's taking forever to get off and I don't know if I can take it anymore.

"Ginny," he says sharply so I open my eyes and look at him. He slows his pace down for a moment, his voice breathless. "As your Head of House I forbid you from kissing any other man but me." His lips part for a moment and he closes his eyes. "I forbid it- do you understand?"

A weird feeling over takes me and I nod my head, reaching out to touch his chest.

"You aren't going to do that to me again." His pace picks up, now it feels almost punishing. "As your Head of House I forbid you from ever…." He punctuates each word with a hard thrust. "…Ever giving yourself to anyone else. This body is mine to use. Do you understand? Do you fucking understand?"

"I understand," I whisper as that strange cold feeling goes through me again. "Draco, please."

"Please what?" he asks, looking down at me with a brow raised.

Would it be rude to tell him to hurry up?

"I…" I reach for him and he falls on top of me, letting me kiss him before whispering into his ear. "I want you to cum inside me."

That did it.

He slams his hips against me and holds me firmly in place so I can't get away even if I wanted to. He makes a little noise with his lips slightly parted as he finishes deep inside me. He stays there for a minute, sucking on his lower lip as he looks down at me.

And then he smiles.

I am a sweating mess- full of bruises and love bites…. but it makes me feel better that Draco is in the same boat. He's slightly out of breath and he falls against me with a groan… like he was almost in pain. His body feels warm and heavy against my own and I use my right hand to slick back some of his damp hair. It is nice that he is sweating too. It evened things out a bit.

Draco is almost too perfect looking sometimes.

"Merlin" I hear him whisper and I smile a little bit because I know exactly what he was thinking.

That was bloody amazing and intense.

I run my hand along his neck and shoulder and he hisses when my fingers run over a rather nasty scratch on his arm. I kiss his cheek and relax again as I cradle him between my legs and close my eyes. I feel at peace for the first time in weeks and I can let myself pretend that things are all right again.

"I forgot how good this little body of yours felt," he says with a smile as he sits up and hovers over me, his cheeks flushed. I look at his naked body, glistening with sweat and flushed with excitement. He looks so handsome. I look away with a heavy heart when I remember why I was mad at him in the first place.

He's so good at getting me to do what he wants just because I want him so much.

It's not fair.

He leans down to kiss me, but I turn my head at the last moment. He gives me an odd look when I refuse to face him again.

"What is it?"

I gently push him off of me and I start gathering my clothes.

I'm so mad at myself for giving into him.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" he asks as I slide into my knickers and I hook my bra back on. "Ginny," he snaps as I put on my uniform.

He starts getting dressed as well and I can hear him buckling his pants as I attempt to button up my tip... but I sigh when I remember that it's torn and most of the buttons are gone. I angrily take it off and put on my jumper without it.

"Goddammit," he hisses. "Fucking talk to me."

"I have nothing to say," I tell him with a tight throat as I right my skirt.

"Don't pull that shit with me," he says, stomping over to me. He grabs my arm and forces me to look at him. "Why are you acting this way? We just made love."

I narrow my eyes.

"We just fucked," I tell him and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise as I pull back my hair into a ponytail. "That was it."

"Why are you acting this way?" he asks like he was genuinely hurt by my actions. "What do you want me to do?"

"You could start by apologizing and actually meaning it," I tell him shortly before leaving him there in that stupid room that smells of sex and all things Draco.

My hands are shaking when I reach the hallway and I rest against the wall with my hand on my forehead.

That's how Daphne finds me.

"Oh, Ginny," she runs over to me and I glare at her as I try to walk past. "You're not still angry with me, are you?" she says as she follows behind me. "Draco made me swear not to tell you. He wanted to tell you himself and I knew he would have eventually. Stop being so mean to all of us," she says, but I continue to ignore her. "Just stop for a second. I have your stuff!"

I stop and glance at her as she holds up my bag. The same bad I left in detention. I take it from her and find all my things in there. My pencil case, the texts I threw… my wand. I give her a suspicious look before putting it over my shoulder.

"What do we have to do to make you forgive everyone?"

She blinks her big eyes at me. "Do you know a way to leave the castle?" I ask with an eyebrow raised and she bites her lip.

"Only Draco can open that passageway," she says like she knew what I would ask.

"Could you get him to open it for you?" I ask and she furrows her brows as I take a step closer. "You know he won't do it for me."

"Did you ask him?" she says and I shake my head, but I know he'd just say something to talk me out of it. "Daphne, there is something I have to do. I only have a handful of family members not in Azkaban. Fred and George are on house arrest right now in Diagon Alley and I need to go see them. I need to know what's happening to my parents."

"But..." she trails off, looking sad. "But I'm sure if you asked Draco he would help you with that. He'd go with you and make sure things turned out alright."

"I don't want to ask Draco," I tell her honestly. "I'm asking you. If you were ever my friend you would help me."

"You would come back to the castle, right?" I nod my head. She licks her lips and gives me a critical look. "I'll go with you," she says, nodding her head like it was the right thing to do. "I'll go with you and we can figure it out together, yeah?"

"Yeah," I say, looking over her hopeful face.

"Okay," she says, nodding her head. "We're having a party tomorrow night in the Slytherin common room... It's Crabbe's birthday...I can see if I can get Draco to open the passageway.

"Okay," I say with a head nod.

"But if I do this, Ginny," she says as she takes a step closer. "If I do this for you, you must forgive Draco. You must do as he says."

"Why is it so important to everyone that I stay with him?" I ask and she furrows her brows.

"Because it's what he wants," she says like that makes sense.

"Why does it matter what he wants?"

"Because," she says seriously, trailing off uneasily. "Because it's Draco..."

"Whatever," I say with an eye roll as I start walking away…. She follows me. "You can leave me alone now."

"I just want to hang out a bit," she says, threading her arm through mine. "I know you've had such a rough time lately… and I figure you might want some help."

"Help with what?" I ask with a sigh.

"I mean…" she looks uncomfortable. "I mean you have…" she motions to my neck.

"What's wrong?" I ask, bringing my hand up.

"I mean, you have multiple hickeys," she says flatly and I flare my nostrils in anger. "Did not know that?"

Fucking Draco.

"He did that on purpose," I say flatly, angry with him all over again.

"Come on," she says, guiding me to the stairs. "Let's use the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor."

"You aren't a prefect," I point out and she smiles at me.

"But you are."

"Not yet," I mumble even though they did give me the paper confirming it… I doubt I'll still be one after my detention. "I don't have a jacket or anything."

"No one will mind," she says with a beautiful smile. "I use it all the time! Pansy gives me the password each week."

When we get to the fifth floor- there is a door to the left that has a light over head. The light is red and I look at Daphne.

"Red means girl's night," she says with a smirk. "When it's green that means only boys can use it. They switch off everyday."

She says the password Evergreen and we walk inside. It's beautiful… all white marble and gold. At the center of the room is a large sunken pool with hundreds of golden taps around it. I look up at the painting of a beautiful mermaid on the wall as Daphne goes over to the pool. She presses something with the toe of her shoe that makes it fill with water.

"Do people take baths together?" I ask uncomfortably as she begins removing her uniform.

"Well, I mean, yeah," she says with a shoulder shrug as she takes off her shoes and tights. She presses another tap with her toe and pink bubbles fill the entire tub. It smells like roses. "But only girls can bathe with girls. There's a charm I think… but there are a couple minutes right around midnight," she says, giving me a naughty smile. "When the charm starts switching and the light outside goes out where a boy and girl could enter at the same time and use it together."

"Have you done that?" I ask uncomfortably. Once she's down to her underwear, I turn around, facing the fancy toilet stalls.

"No," she says with a sigh. "But Pansy and Blaise used to before…" she trails off. "Well, you know."

Gross.

I inhale a deep breath and turn only when I hear a splash. Daphne is in the pool, completely covered by the pink bubbles.

"You can leave your knickers on if you want," she says, smiling again. "Cho never takes off hers."

I hesitate a second before telling her to turn around and I pull off my jumper. A bath might actually feel good after that session with Draco. Even if it is with Daphne. I take off my skirt and tights as she hums a song to herself and presses more of the taps down to make more smells and bubbles.

"Are you…." I glance at her and then to her pile of clothes. "You took off everything?"

"Oh yes," she smiles. "I want to get clean."

I look down at my bra and knickers and decide to take them off too. I unhook my bra and send a shy look to the mermaid before dropping my knickers and walking down the steps into the water.

It's the perfect temperature… a nice warm feeling and I settle against the edge of the pool where I find a bench to sit down. There are white fluffy towels waiting for us on the benches against the wall and a chandelier hangs down above us home to dozens of burning candles that give the room a golden hazy glow.

"I'm surprised Draco hasn't brought you in here yet," she says and I look at her back as she leans over the pool ledge to grab her wand.

"He has his own bathroom," I say and she gives me a sly smile like she knew what I was doing in his room. I blush and settle down a bit more until the bubbles are by my chin.

"Well, yes. He is very private, isn't he? He wouldn't want to risk anyone seeing you. He's very funny about that."

She swims over to me, not even bothering to cover her chest when she stands up and I look away quickly

"Oops," she giggles as she settles back into the water. "I'm covered now." I glance at her. "If you sit up a bit I can heal you."

I sit up straight. I'm not good at healing this kind of bruise so I guess I am thankful.

"Is it bad?" I ask because I didn't even look in the mirror.

She runs her wand over my neck and says the spell that makes my skin tingle.

"I mean… It's a lot," she says as she goes to the other side. "What were you two doing?" she asks, her blue eyes flicking to mine. "I thought you were mad at him."

"I am."

"Well," she makes a face. "Looks like he's mad at you too."

I blush.

"Why did he do this to me?" I ask, looking at her when she pulls back to put her wand on the ledge of the pool.

"Do you like it rough?"

"I didn't mean the hickeys," I say flatly.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Daphne," I say, crossing my arms uncomfortably. "That oath thing. You and Pansy said it was normal but you all lied to me. Now I'm bonded to him and I never…" I look away. "I guess I am an idiot. I should have questioned it more but I just…."

I just what? Wanted it to be real too bad? Just wanted to be in love and have fun? Wanted to believe the fantasy they were selling me? One of friendship and belonging?

"You're not an idiot," she says gently. "Draco… he just… he just loves you so much, you know?"

"Do any of you know what love actually is?" I ask flatly to hurt her and I guess it does because she looks away with a little frown. "Tricking someone and lying to them isn't love. If Draco knew what was going to happen this school year… he should have told me not to come to school and my family could have gone into hiding. Now all of them are in prison and I'm just stuck here… alone and I have no one."

I'm going to cry again. I just know it.

"You're not alone, Ginny. Maybe…" I glance at her as she moves to heal something on my shoulder that I didn't even know was there. "Maybe we weren't so forthcoming with you from the start, but it wasn't done maliciously, Gin. You're supposed to be with Draco– He truly believes that— and it's actually all so romantic if you'd let yourself think that way. It's such a wonderful story. It's obvious you still love him…" she gives me a sad smile as she looks at my neck where the love bites were. "And yes… we really started to take an interest in you because Draco wanted you… but how is that any different than you being friends with Granger? You two probably wouldn't have even talked if it wasn't for your brother... And you know she was telling Potter everything you said about him. You know that, right?"

I shake my head. This isn't about Hermione.

"He lied to me."

"Everyone lies," she says gently. "I guess you just have to ask yourself if you can accept the lie. If it was worth it… and how terrible is it, really? You are with Draco Malfoy and he did all this to protect you. You saw the old bastards who were in my folder… you will never have to worry about that and you love Draco! You were willing to agree to be his and to be faithful so why does it matter if there was a little extra magic involved? He never forced you to do anything, Ginny. You did it all on your own. You wanted him as much as he wanted you. When he comes into his inheritance… all that money is yours too by right. You will be taken care of forever."

"I don't care about his money," I whisper honestly.

"I know you think that," she says with an eye roll and then she becomes serious. "But…"

"But what?"

"I mean… You know how Draco is, don't you?" I tilt my head. "He's being very patient and understanding right now." She looks around like she was nervous. "We can go back and forth about what's right and what's fair all you like… but he's not going to let you go, Ginny. You know that, right?"

I don't get to answer because the door opens. Cho Chang comes in with a girl from her grade that I don't actually know the name of. They eye me and Daphne for a moment.

"Do you mind if we jump in?" Cho asks, looking at me. I turn away and blush.

"Of course not," Daphne says, smiling as she settles beside me, so close that she is touching my arm.

I watch Cho and her friend strip down to their knickers and I turn away to give them privacy. They both come in with their underwear on and I look up when Cho is under the bubbles. She presses down on a couple of the golden taps making suds float into the air and the color of the water changes from pink to green.

"I don't remember you being a prefect, Daphne," Cho's friend says. She has a sad looking face. Large eyes and a down turned mouth.

"Oh, I am an honorary member," she says and I snort in laughter that I cover with a cough.

The girl and Daphne go back and forth for a moment. Talking about curly hair charms they use because they both have curly hair and then laughing about something that happened in their Domestics Art class.

"Are you okay, Ginny?"

I look at Cho in surprise. She actually looks concerned and she has her head tilted to the side with her hair pulled up into a clip to keep it off her shoulders.

"I'm fine."

"I mean," she looks at the other two girls before focusing on me again. "I saw how rough Draco was being in detention. It wasn't appropriate for him to do that… Drag you out of the classroom that way. It wasn't okay."

"I'm fine," I say flatly, sinking down even further, embarrassed. I cross my arms over my breasts, wishing I would have kept my bra on.

"Where did he take you?" she asks. "You never came back."

I blush, not wanting to tell her for obvious reasons.

"We just talked in the hallway," I lie. "Why do you even care?" I ask and it sounded more mean than I wanted it to. "You're the one who constantly wants to get back with him… " An awkward silence falls and maybe I am being unfair but I am just so mad at everyone. "Well, you can have him because we are broken up anyways."

I dunk my head under the water and when I come back up Daphne is in panic mode.

"No, you're not," Daphne says quickly. "No, they aren't," she says, looking at Cho and her friend. "They are not broken up."

"I don't want to be with Malfoy," Cho says, sounding angry and offended as I distract myself by washing my hair with some kind of white pearly soap that comes out of a random tap I touch. "That's been over for a while now."

I narrow my eyes. "Then why do you keep needing to talk to him so much?"

"Because," she looks at Daphne before her eyes harden. "That's not any of your business but I don't want to get with your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," I say, frowning because he told me that's why she was seeking him out.

Was it another lie?

One he knew would make me jealous?

"He is your boyfriend, Ginny," Daphne hisses by my side. "You need to stop saying that or someone is going to tell him—""

"Aren't you going to tell him?" I ask flatly, standing up. "Isn't that what you do?"

I don't even care if they see me naked. I grab my clothes and get dressed quickly in one of the stalls as an awkward silence falls over the beautiful washroom. I leave without looking at any of them and I storm down the hallway, catching a passing clock on the wall and realizing it's dinner time. With wet hair I stalk into the Dining Hall and I look around for a place to sit.

I see Dean and Seamus sitting at the half-blood table- their yellow arm bands bright against their black jumpers. I narrow my eyes before walking over to them.

"Can I sit with you?" I ask, not waiting for an answer as I push my way in between them.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Dean asks carefully, glancing at the teachers' table as he slides down to give me room.

"I don't care," I say, looking down at the plate in front of me as it fills with roast beef and steamed vegetables.

I pick up my fork.

"Are you alright?" Seamus asks me.

"I am perfectly fine," I lie as I stab the beef with my fork.

"You don't look fine," Dean says.

I don't answer him because that was a rude thing to say.

I feel eyes on me so I look up to see Draco from across the hall with a love bite clearly visible under his collar. It's a dark purple bruise against his pale throat and I take some pleasure in it because now he knows how trashy it feels.

He glares at me and I glare right back.

Lying bastard.

"Ginny." I tear my eyes away from Draco to look at Dean. "Your nose is bleeding."

"What?"

"Your nose," he says, handing me a napkin. "Is bleeding."

I grab the napkin and bring it up to my face, pulling back to see the blood.

Wonderful. Just another thing to add to this perfect day I seem to be having. I try to stop the bleeding but something weird happens… a weird tickling in my brain and then the blood starts gushing out.

"Oh!" Seamus says as leans back and I put my head down, using my hands to catch it as it pours out of my nose. "Jesus, Gin. You should go to the infirmary."

"Something's wrong," I say, because it doesn't feel right. I have had a bloody nose before but this one felt strange.

"You shouldn't be sitting with half-bloods, Weasley!"

I look up at Romilda Vane sitting at the next table over… a smirk on her face and wand in her hand. I put my hand down to glare at her. Letting the blood just pour out as I take the wand from my bag. Before I can lift it to retaliate, someone beats me to it. Ivy Parkinson hits her in the back with a rather nasty looking hex. Pus filled boils rise all over her face and she starts screaming as she falls back and kicks her legs.

Ivy and her friends laugh at her.

Seamus stands up and hands me another napkin, helping me try to stop some of the blood with his wand out, cleaning it from my shirt and hands.

The male Carrow comes rushing down from the teachers table and he lifts his wand.

"You!" he says, pointing at Seamus. "You think cursing purebloods is acceptable? Come with me."

"What?" I say, panicked. "He didn't do anything!"

Carrow ignores me and takes Seamus' wand with a flick of his wrist.

"Don't make me tell you again," he says and then he levels me with a beady eyed glare. "You, Miss Weasley, need to go to the infirmary and take that other girl with you."

"Seamus didn't do anything," I say, looking around to see if anyone will back me up. Not even Dean is looking up from his plate. "Professor Carrow. I swear he only used his wand to help me."

"You shouldn't be sitting at this table," he says dismissively, looking at my blue armband.

"She cursed me!" I yell, pointing to Romilda who is still rolling around on the ground.

"Duels between purebloods is one thing," he says angrily, lifting his wand so that Seamus has no choice but to get tugged along. "But when dirty bloods start adding their magic– it is completely inappropriate."

I try to say more, but he silences me with a spell that takes my voice away. I look at Ivy to see if she will step up and admit that it was her— but she just shrugs and turns back around to eat her meal. Carrow motions to his ugly sister and she comes down from the teachers table to grab my arm. She lifts Romilda with a spell and she takes us both out of the Great Hall. I look over my shoulder once to see Draco and his friends sitting at the furthest table, watching me.

Not one person stands up to defend Seamus or to scream about how unfair this is… but Draco does lift his eyebrow… before going right back to his meal with a shake of his head.

When we get to the infirmary, I glare at Romilda Vane on her cot next to mine and promise myself that I am going to make her pay for what she did…. Then I look out the window with the blood still pouring down my face…. and I worry about Seamus Finnigan, hoping he isn't in too much trouble and hating this horrid new world we find ourselves living in.

It's like a waking nightmare.

---

XXXXXXXXXXX

The party was a loud ridiculous display.

Drunk people were crawling all over the common room and music was blaring so loud I just knew the teachers would come and break it up. I glare at my reflection above the fireplace. Daphne had me drink a polyjuice potion to look like Pansy because she said that she wasn't going to come anywhere near this party because of Blaise. She still hasn't forgiven him for some grave offense against her, I suppose.

So I am stuck in Pansy's skinny body with a red cup in my hand, glaring at everyone in the room. I thought it was a pretty good imitation of her, actually.

"So, now," Daphne comes to me with a smile on her face. "I'm going to ask Draco if I can go get more wine. Hopefully he'll open the passageway for us."

"Why are you doing this for me?" I finally ask her as she looks over my face... Pansy's face...It's not like I've been very nice to her recently.

"Because I don't want you to think I only liked being your friend because of Draco. Of course," she adds as she looks at him. He's sitting on one of the leather chairs by the fireplace, glaring into the fire with a shot of some kind of dark liquor in his hand. "We probably wouldn't be friends if it wasn't for him, but I do like you, Ginny. I like you a lot," she says, giving me a beautiful smile. "I like you so much better than him… but please don't tell him I said that."

I smirk a little at that, trying to imagine a scenario where I would tell Draco that Daphne liked me better than him… and him actually caring.

"You must never ever tell Draco that I did this," she says worriedly, furrowing her brows as she looks at him again. "He would be so very angry with me and he gets very frightening when he is angry."

"I won't tell him," I say softly.

"And you must start obeying him," she says and I narrow my eyes as I look at her. "I know that's a disgusting word," she says and I nod my head. "But he really does have good ideas."

"What does that mean?" I ask and she raises her brows.

"Just, be good to him, yeah? That's all you have to do. That's all he wants," she says as she starts walking away. "I'm going to go ask him. Don't look suspicious or anything."

"Yeah, right," I mutter once she leaves and I lean against the wall with my arms crossed as I tap my fingers against my red plastic cup full of some kind of foul smelling drink.

I see Blaise approaching me from the corner of my eyes and I look away.

Fuck.

I look like Pansy right now.

Fucking fuck fuck.

"I'm surprised you showed up tonight?" he says as he slithers beside me. I ignore him. "As I recall you said that you never wanted to look at me again for as long as you lived."

I don't say anything and he laughs.

"I think this is the first time in our history that you haven't had anything to say to me."

"Go away," I tell him shortly.

"Ah, don't be that way, lovely," he says and I glare at him. He smiles again as he props up his hand by my head. "Come to my room tonight," he says and I give him a disbelieving look. After the fight I witnessed between the two of them, why would he even try after he so carelessly hurt her feelings? "Finish what we started this morning," he says with an eyebrow raised and I give him a look.

I don't even want to know what they were doing this morning.

"When you told me you never wanted to look at me again but you ended up on your knees sucking my-"

"Oh my God, you're disgusting," I tell him as I cover my ears. "I don't want to hear you talk anymore," I tell him as I start walking away.

He follows with an amused smile.

"In all seriousness," he says. He strolls beside me as I push stupid drunk people aside. "I have the blue prints Draco asked for," he tells me and I stop to look at him. "I would like you to look over them before I turn them in."

"Blueprints for what?" I ask and he raises an eyebrow.

"Are you drunk?" he asks and I shake my head. He eyes me suspiciously before licking his lips. "Right," he says and then he steps back. "Anyways, I want you to look at them. You know how he gets when every little detail isn't perfect," he says, looking at Draco. "He'll be gone most of the night and he needs them by morning."

"Oh, alright," I say uncomfortably because I don't want to arouse suspicion.

"Good," he says and then he smirks as he pinches my bottom. I look at him in surprise as I smack his hand away. What a pervert. "My room tonight," he says with an amused smile and I glare at him as he walks off.

What a bastard Zabini is.

God, no wonder Pansy wanted to break up with him.

I glare at his back, but I turn back to Draco as Daphne kneels in front of him, speaking to him with animated hand gestures.

I inch closer to them so I can hear their conversation.

"... but, please, Draco. I would really like some wine tonight and it will only take a second."

Draco glares at her and then he looks at his watch. "I'm leaving soon," he says and she nods her head.

"You could let us out then and we'll come back right after. Please, before you leave?"

"Why are you so annoying?" he asks and then his eyes flick to mine. "Is it so important that she has wine?" he asks flatly, looking hateful.

I nod my head.

"Everything is closed anyways," he says sharply as he eyes her harshly. "It's after ten, Greengrass."

She makes a confused face, like she didn't even think about that obvious flaw in her logic.

"Oh, but they have those vending things outside of the building. It's the cheaper wine, but I just would really like some tonight. Everyone else has what they want."

"Why didn't you fucking tell me when everyone else was getting their alcohol?" he asks and she frowns.

"I didn't know I wanted it until now. Draco, please?" She pauses for a second. "I thought maybe we could bring some to Ginny's dorm tonight and talk with her for a little bit." His gray eyes flick to hers. "She's just been so sad lately."

He puts a hand on his mouth, running his fingers over his lips as he eyes her.

"What did she say when you spoke to her yesterday?"

Suddenly Daphne looks nervous and her eyes dart towards me.

"Well, she was still upset so I just comforted her." Still he stares at her with that flat blank look. "And that was it."

"That was it?" he says, like he knew she was lying.

She nods, not looking at him.

"Maybe I should just see for myself." He leans forward and Daphne falls back. I know what he's planning to do and my heart quickens.

"She told me she was going to forgive you," Daphne says quickly and Draco sits straight. "She just needed a few days. I healed her and we took a bath… She's really hurt but she loves you so very much. She kept telling me how much she loved you."

He sits straight and eyes her again.

"She wants things to be good again. She misses being yours. I can convince her," she says and I narrow my eyes. "I will remind her why she loves you so much. It's what she wants. I know it is. She needs you… She wants you…. Of course, she does. I will make her remember that."

She is saying the right things to him because I could tell he was breaking…. But with every word something inside of me was breaking too. I realize now how deliberate Draco's pursuit of me was this summer. How his friends told him everything that I did and said. I knew they were always pushing me in his direction but I don't think I ever realized how… bad it was. No one was ever on my side.

No one ever is.

None of it was ever real.

"Fine," he hisses as he stands up. "But I don't want you to talk to me for at least a week," he says and she claps her hands and then looks at me with an excited smile.

He walks over to the fireplace, and I follow close behind him as he takes out his wand. I hover over his shoulder so I can watch him do it, and he gives me a sharp look.

"Move back," he orders flatly and I gulp before doing as he says.

He never speaks this coldly to me and it surprises me that he does it to his female friends.

The passageway opens after a few moments and Daphne thanks Draco before skipping past him. I go to follow, but Draco cuts me off with his arm across the threshold. I stop and fearfully look up at him.

"Have you spoken to Ginny today?" he asks levelly.

I shake my head nervously.

"Still upset over Zabini?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Oh.

I nod my head.

"I don't care about your feelings," he says and I furrow my brows. Jesus. "When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it," he says coldly and I look away. God, he is so mean. Why is anyone friends with him? "I am tired of this petty bullshit," he snaps. "Do you understand?"

I nod my head.

"Can't you talk?" he asks sharply.

I lick my lips.

"Yes," I say softly. "I understand."

He eyes me for a moment. "Good," he says before dropping his arm and letting me pass.

I follow Daphne out and we exit the passageway on the other side. My stomach is twisting in knots as Daphne takes my hand and starts walking us towards Hogsmeade.

"Where are we going?" I ask because the Apparition point is the other way.

"Draco is here," she whispers. "He needs to think we're getting wine, remember?"

Oh.

I look over my shoulder. Draco followed us out and he's looking at his watch again as he pulls a pair of black leather gloves from his pocket. He puts them on and then he slides a black cloak around his shoulders.

"What is he doing?" I ask as he walks towards the Apparition point.

"He has a meeting," she says.

"What kind of meeting?" I ask and she sighs.

When he pops away, we start back tracking. "Just a meeting. Stop asking me so many questions. I don't know everything," she snaps at me and I glare as she takes my arm.

We Apparate to Diagon Alley and I find my brothers flat behind their closed down joke shop.

I knock, but there's no answer, and I give Daphne a troubled look as I gently push open the door.

It's unlocked.

That can't be good.

I walk into their small living room and look around. Tables have been turned over and there are scorch marks on the walls from magic.

What happened here? I feel my heart sinking and I swallow the hard lump in my throat.

There's an arrest warrant on the ground. I pick it up with my eyes glistening with tears and I shake my head in anger. It's not fair. My family, my brothers, are good people. They're not criminals and they shouldn't be treated like they are.

"I'm sorry, Gin," Daphne says as she puts her hand on my shoulder. I crunch up the arrest warrant and drop it on the ground.

"I just wanted to talk to them for a little bit," I say, trying not to sob. I hope they're okay. I sit down on one of the torn up chairs and I put my head in my hands. "Why is this happening to everyone I love?" I ask softly to myself.

Daphne walks over to me and sits on the arm of the chair. She gently pats my back.

"It's alright," she says softly. "Everything will work out for the best. Everything happens for a reason," she says gently and I roll my eyes. "We should get back," she says as she stands up. "Your potion will only last for twenty more minutes and we can't have you walking back into the common room looking like yourself. Someone will notice and I will be in trouble."

"What would Draco do to you if he knew you helped me leave?" I ask softly as I take out my wand.

She shivers a bit.

That's not good.

"Draco can be..." she trails off and gives me a sad smile. "He can be creative in his cruelty. Let's just leave it at that."

"But what does that mean?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"Let's get back," she says seriously. "Before we find out, shall we?"

"You told him, didn't you?" I ask, my eyes watering a bit.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Everything I ever said to you. You always told him what I said, didn't you? We never had a real friendship. You were just his spy."

"Oh, no," she shakes her head. "No, Ginny. Of course we were friends. I mean. I told him some things because he's my friend too and he liked you. You know that's normal. It's normal…" she trails off, looking flustered. "I'm sorry, Gin."

"I'm sorry too, Daphne," I tell her as I lift my wand at her chest. She widens her eyes. "Thank you for helping me." I tell her before blasting her with a body binding curse.

She falls to the ground, stiff as a board with a look of surprise frozen on her face. I walk over to her and kneel by her side.

"I really am sorry," I tell her seriously as I take out her wand and place it in her hand. "My curses only last a few minutes," I tell her. "Don't hate me too much," I say… but I can't go back to the castle. Not now. "And tell Draco not to be mean to you. You were doing the right thing."

I stand up and dust off Pansy's skinny jeans before leaving the flat and closing the door tightly behind me. I have no idea where to go now. I pull the compact from my jeans and I open it up, staring at the mirror, willing Harry, Hermione, or Ron to call me so I can find out where they are… so I can join them... but I'm not so lucky and Daphne will be unfrozen soon.

I leave the apartment building and cross my arms over the sparkly tank top Daphne made me wear as I try to think of someone I can talk to who isn't in Azkaban. Someone I can trust.

The first person who comes to mind is Delsia from Folk hills. She was always a no nonsense person and she seemed to know a thing or two about the pureblooded elite. Maybe she could help me or, at least, know someone who could.

I walk around the cobblestone street for a while until I feel the poly juice potion starting to wear off.

My hair grows longer and turns back to its original auburn color. The jeans are a little too skinny now and I hide in an alleyway so I can pop open the first button and unzip them. I can actually breathe now without it causing pain. It's a bit embarrassing, actually. My breasts fill out the tank top a little bit more and my midriff starts to show. My feet scrunch up in the uncomfortable heels so I take them off to glare down at my feet.

I didn't realize I was such a freaking amazon in comparison and I don't know the sizing charms well enough to fix it.

I grip my wand as I hold onto the heels and I think of Delsia again with her stern face and warnings.

Yes, I need to find Delsia.

I don't know why I feel like I'll find her at Folk hills. I know she has a life outside of the club, but there are only a few places that I actually know the location of to Apparate to. I find an Apparition point and pop to the safe app zone at the back of the club with the flowering trees and blue fire sign. I look up at the large building. It looks different to me now. More menacing in the moonlight with the stars shining at its back. I inhale a deep breath and stick my wand in my back pocket, trying not to think about how much trouble I'll be in if I get caught outside of school grounds…I bet I really would get one of the grueling detentions Draco threatened me with. I shake the thoughts away and walk into the building through the employee door by the dumpsters.

I go down the brightly lit back hallway and past the maintenance closet where I first caught Draco doing something bad with Cho Chang. I try not to think about him. He just upsets me. I enter the main building and I pass by my old bag and cloak checkout counter. Nadia is there, filing away at her nails.

She looks up as I approach and her eyes widen in surprise.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" she asks with a smile like this was a pleasant visit and not something so weird and out of the blue. "I thought you were at school."

"I was but I need to talk to Delsia," I tell her seriously as I put my hand on the counter. "Is she working tonight?"

"Oh." She makes an odd troubled face. "No, um, she doesn't work here anymore."

"What?" I ask in disbelief… She always took her job so seriously.

"She was fired today," she says in a dramatic stage whisper like it was scandalous. "For speaking out against our Great Lord," she says and I would roll my eyes if I wasn't so troubled by that information.

"Did they send her to Azkaban?" I ask worriedly and she shakes her head.

"No," she says as she taps her nail file against her chin. "I don't think so. She was cleaning out her office earlier. You might be able to catch her if she's still here." She looks over my clothes and lifts her eyebrows. "So…. What are you doing here? Why do you need to talk to her?" she asks.

I don't answer. I turn and start running back down the maintenance hallway. Which, by the way, is fucking hard in skinny jeans that are way too skinny in the first place. I finally find Del's office in the basement and I knock on the door before going in.

All of her personal effects are in a small cardboard box on the desk and she's standing by the wall, staring at the keys hanging on their hooks.

"Delsia?" I say uncomfortably and she blinks her eyes before looking at me.

She looks odd. Her eyes look... flat.

"Ginevra," she says and then she smiles as she walks towards me. "How good of you to visit."

What?

Delisa has never been so happy to see me. I clear my throat and walk a little further into the room.

"I need your help," I tell her quickly. "I'm not sure what to do with myself and my whole family—"

"It's a lovely night, isn't it?" she says as she looks around the room like she just realized where she was.

"Uh," I start with my brows furrowed as I watch her run her fingers along her metal desk. "Okay, yeah. I guess it is," I say uncomfortably as I tug on the tight tank top I'm wearing. It's more of a crop top now. My midriff is out and my cleavage is showing. I can't help but think of how angry Draco would be if he saw me in it. "But, look, I was wondering if you could..."

"I lost my job today," she says like she was walking in a fog and I make a face as she walks back to the wall of keys. "Did you know that?"

"Yeah, I heard and I'm sorry," I say impatiently. "But, look, you were right about Draco and his friends and you said that I could always walk away if I wanted to. I don't think I'm too far into this and I was wondering if you could help me..."

"What time is it?" she asks dreamily.

"I don't know," I admit as she taps her fingers against the wall. Her nails are long and painted neon green.

She's acting so odd... She's acting... I widen my eyes when the realization hits me... She's acting cursed.

"Del, who cursed you?" I ask softly as she takes a key off one of the hooks.

"Is it ten thirty yet?" she asks as she walks towards me.

I glance at the clock on the wall. The red handed one that is hanging near one of the narrow basement windows. I nod my head.

"Good, I must be going. It's been lovely chatting with you, Miss Weasley," she says before walking past me.

"Where are you going?" I ask as I follow after her.

I can't just let her go anywhere by herself. Someone cursed her, after all.

"Clubhouse Five," she says as she dangles the key in front of my face to show me. "You remember that place, don't you?"

"Yes, of course," I tell her and she nods her head.

"Did you know that Folk Hills was built on top of the infamous Black Hills?" she says.

Black Hills.

That rings a bell and it makes me think of Draco when he was telling me the story of our family's blood feud. The Black hills were the land that our ancestors were fighting over because of the magic it was said to have possessed... because of one of the caves and its pocket of pure magic….

"The Malfoy's have owned this land for centuries," she says and for some reason it makes me feel uncomfortable... like it made that story he told me real. You were mine since birth. "And Clubhouse Five is said to be one of most powerful places of concentrated magic on the entire planet."

"How do you know all of this?" I ask uncomfortably as we walk towards the clubhouse with soft steps.

"I work here," she says with a shrug like that explains it. "They say that every spell and every potion and every charm is ten times stronger when it's in Clubhouse Five. That's why all the ceremonies and rituals the purebloods have are hosted there... It's a hotplate for magic."

When we get to the door of Clubhouse Five, she puts the key in the lock and I start biting my nails as I step up behind her…. but when she pulls open the door, I freeze.

"I see you have brought someone with you."

Fuck.

No.

I let my hand drop and I widen my eyes as a man with black hair stares at us from his place in the middle of the room. There are torches blazing around him and robed figures with their hoods drawn up are all standing along the perimeter in an imperfect circle.

Holy fuck.

I turn around to run, but I get pulled back and the door slams in my face.

"Let's see what you've brought me," He says. One of the robed Death Eaters comes towards me and grabs my arm, dragging me to the middle of the room and throwing me right in front of Him. "Hm," He says as he looks me over and then a wicked grin crosses his face. "What, oh what, are you doing out of school?"

Harry told me that Lord Voldemort had looked like a monster when he came back with a skeletal bald head, slits for a nose, and a lip-less mouth. He was more snake than man Harry had said, but he didn't look that way now... He looked more like Tom from the diary... if Tom had been drawn by a thing of nightmares. The creature before me is wearing expensive looking black dress robes with a strange swirling pattern embroidered at the hem in shining dark thread. He's wearing them open– revealing a pair of black trousers and matching waistcoat that has strange silver buttons that seem to shine oddly in the fire light. The dress shirt underneath is blood red and so is his silk tie that is attached to his shirt with a silver tie clip that's in the shape of the Dark Mark.

I shiver when I find the courage to look at his face.

He looks older than Tom Riddle from the diary. He seems closer to middle age. His hair is thick and as black as coal, cut in an older looking fashion. Parted down the side and combed away from his face like I remember him wearing it in my nightmares. I inhale a sharp breath as he tilts his head.

He lets his eyes flick over my face and body and I try not to gawk at him. His eyes are sharp and redder than blood- I feel like he's seeing right into me… past the skin and bones and nerves and right to the soul in the center. He gives me a thoughtful look before clasping his hands behind his back and slowly circling me, studying my body in a way that makes me wish I was covered in a large, woolly jumper.

I put my hand over my stomach, feeling naked in these clothes that are so ill fitting and small. His skin looks like white wax, with odd grooves in it like it was partially melted in some areas and his fingers are long and pale. He looks like he is in the process of dying... like his body was decaying and it made him look like an animated corpse with only a hint of a handsomeness he once had in his youth dancing on his features.

"They've sent me photos of you," he says as he circles me again. "I know exactly who you are, Ginevra Weasley."

He stops in front of me and tilts his head to the side before reaching out a hand towards me. I try not to cringe away as he gathers some of my hair in one of his creepy hands and he brings it up to his face where he inhales a deep breath.

He's smelling me.

I might faint.

"Your scent is a bit different from what my senses remember," he says as he runs my hair over his pale lips. He does have lips, but they're as pale as the rest of him. "But there's still that little girl scent in there underneath it all. It's quite charming," he says as he lets my hair drop and I gather it all in my hands, trying to rub out his touch.

"You remember... how I smell?" I ask in a shaky voice.

This was a different Tom. This was Lord Voldemort, not the cruel teenager from the diary. This was the frightening thing that had killed thousands and tortured even more in his pursuit of power.

"I remember everything from the interactions with my things," He says as he walks around me again. "It's a fuzzy, jumbled mess, of course, but I remember," he adds, running his hand along my arm, like he was deciding whether or not he wanted to buy me from the market. "I remember your blood," he says and it sends a chill down my spine. "I remember that very well."

Scream for me.

I shiver a bit.

He stops right in front of me… standing too close and I can't look at him anymore so I stare at his chest… at his silk red tie with that awful tie clip. I try to control my breathing when he reaches around me. For an awful moment I think he's going to embrace me… in what would be the most awkward hug in history… but instead he plucks the wand from my back pocket. I watch him helplessly as he studies it, twirling it between his long fingers before he runs it over his lips.

"Charming," he says. He smiles before tucking it into the breast pocket of his robes. "You look underdressed," he says suddenly as his eyes flick down my body and I blush, embarrassed to be wearing something so revealing in front of him. "Augustus," he says, his eyes never leaving mine as I nervously cross my arms. "Be a gentleman and give Ginevra your cloak."

The Death Eater steps out of the crowd and he takes off his black cloak. He hands it to Him and I try not to run away as He puts it over my shoulders himself. It is bizarrely intimate and it makes my stomach clench painfully as I flick my eyes around the circular room… to all the black cloaked figures who are watching us so very closely. The cloak is heavy and smells of a strange musky cologne. I don't like it. I hate it and it's much too long for me.

I find the courage to look up at him as he smooths the thick fabric down my shoulders. He untucks my hair, watching it tumble down my shoulders and over my chest with a thoughtful tilt of his head. He's tall. As tall as Draco and I have to look up at him as he does the clasp at my throat, his fingers brushing my skin.

I'm breathing heavily now… in and out through my nose.

He looks into my eyes and then brings his hand up to run his knuckles down my cheek.

"It seems our meeting is a bit premature, I'm afraid." He sighs loudly and then pulls his hand back like he was disappointed. "You are still too young and I am still a work in progress," he says and I give him a troubled look when he takes a step back.

"What does that mean?" I ask in a worried whisper and he smiles. His teeth are disgusting, edged around the corners with some blackish blue substance by his gums.

"This body is new," he says as he holds out his hands like he was showing it off. "Made entirely of magic, but I only have a fourth of my full potential here," he says as he taps his chest. "You have curse breaking blood," he says, taking a step closer to me again. "Generational, rare, curse breaking blood." His crimson eyes dance across my face. His pupils are slit like a cat's and he smells putrid. "Blood that I can use to make myself stronger. It has already started to work, as you can see," he says, motioning to his face and body. "When I came back I was nearly a skeleton in a robe, but I am slowly starting to build myself back again. I am still a wonder to behold with my wand, am I not?" he asks the crowd and they all agree with him.

I forgot they were there, to be honest, and I worriedly put my hand on my neck- trying to make myself as small as possible.

"You're going to kill me?" I ask fearfully as I imagine myself cut and drained of all my blood.

He laughs.

I shiver again because it's the same laugh from the chamber.

"Don't be silly," he says, like I was some adorable little thing. "I must keep you around for a very long time. I will not waste such a gift by going all out in one go," he says as he starts walking around me again, circling me as he looks me over from head to toe.

It makes me uncomfortable. It intimidates me and I'm sure he knows it.

I start breathing heavily again.

I might have a panic attack.

I need my pills.

"Your body," he says as he comes up behind me, his chest pressed into my back. I inhale a sharp breath to feel him there and I clench my eyes shut when he places his right hand on my stomach, pushing the cloak open so his cold fingers can touch my bare skin. "Radiates old magic," he says thoughtfully as the tears gather in my eyes. "I am not a man anymore," he says, bending down to whisper into the shell of my ear.

His hand pushes up under my tight little top so his hand can properly splay across my midsection. His other hand dances up my arm.

"I am a God and I will live forever," he says and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up because his breath is so chiling and he's standing too close.

"But recently it has been brought to my attention the benefits of having offspring that share my blood." He lets his hands drop and he circles me again, settling right in front of me and forcing me to look up at him with his hand on my chin. "There are many spells and potions that can be derived by such a union and seeing as how your blood is pure and strong, I believe we could make quite efficient children. I am a firm believer in fairy tales."

What?

Suddenly all the air is sucked out of the room and it feels like the walls are closing in on me.

"Oh my God," I whisper as I take a step back, pushing his hand away when the realization washes over me. I'm breathing so hard now I can barely get a word out. He cocks an eyebrow and smirks like my distress was amusing. "Oh my God. It's you," I say as I widen my eyes. "You're the person who requested me... you want to be bonded with me," I say in disgust.

I can feel the bile in the back of my throat.

"Pleasing, is it not?" He smiles like I should actually be thrilled by the thought of it. "Like I said, this is a body built on magic, but I have taken measures to insure my future in that area," he says as he takes a step closer to me. I take another step back. "I was able to splice out unsatisfying genes. All that I will need is your half of the DNA and a womb to carry such a creation," he says as he looks down at my stomach thoughtfully. "I am pleasantly surprised by you."

All I can think of is giving birth to little snakes with red eyes that spit ink.

I feel dizzy and I close my eyes to collect myself... I can feel myself sweating and my entire body feels flushed with the heat.

"You should be proud, of course. You will very soon be associated with the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen. You are lucky I have chosen you."

"I think I might throw up," I say around my hand and he narrows his eyes.

"Don't you dare," he says darkly and it makes my spine tingle. He glares for a few more moments before smirking again. "Would you like to see, Ginevra, why your blood is so important to me?"

I shake my head.

"Good, I shall show you," he says, ignoring me as he walks over to the cauldron in the middle of the room.

I didn't even realize it was there and I know nothing good could come from a cauldron that big.

I'm breathing so hard that it's filling up the whole room with the noise and I start backing up, away from him, until I hit something solid. That something solid grips my arms to keep me in place.

He nods towards one of his Death Eaters.

"Bring out the unicorn."

I've never seen a unicorn close up before and I cover my mouth again when I see one of the robed figures bring out a small creature from the shadows. It's a small thing, not much older than a foal, laying on some kind of cart. It looks so out of place in this dark room. It's as white as snow and its pointed horn has an iridescent shine to it. It's too pure of a creature to be in this den of snakes and I have to wonder if I look as helpless and as scared as that poor animal on the cart.

It's tied with coarse looking rope that binds its legs together and its mouth has been harnessed shut. Dark eyes look wildly around the room as the Death Eater wheels it towards the cauldron. It looks impossibly frightened and- without even thinking of the consequences- I bust away from the grips of my captor and I run towards it.

"What are you going to do?" I ask as I gently pet its silver mane to try to calm it down. I even try to remove the rope from around its mouth, but it's tied too tightly.

I can feel Him staring at me but I don't look up from the poor creature on the cart as my eyes blur with tears.

"It's so hard to find and capture such creatures, you understand," Tom says as he walks towards me.

He lays his hand on the unicorn's head… right by mine.

The unicorn shivers at his touch. His hand is so much larger than my own and he's wearing a ring with a thick black stone at the center that has an intercity carved S set into it. I inhale a sharp breath when his fingers brush against mine and I know he did that on purpose to get a reaction. I glance at him only to find him staring at me already with a pleasant little smile on his face.

"But there is a whole colony in the forbidden forest at Hogwarts," he says as he continues to pet its head. "It's like catching flies there," he says with a sinful smile and I look away, unable to stand it anymore. "The magical possibilities are endless."

"What are you going to do with it?" I ask again. The poor animal is shaking so hard it's vibrating the cart, its legs kicking fruitlessly against the bonds like it knew something bad was coming.

He smiles again.

"You shall see," he says and then he puts his hand on my wrist and pulls it away. "Step back," he orders, nodding to a Death Eater behind me. The brute comes to me and pulls me away. I don't even struggle because I am far too afraid. Lord Voldemort looks at another black robed figure against the far wall. "Kill the half-breed," he says and he uses his wand to curse Delsia again, making her walk towards the cauldron.

I forgot about her. I forgot that she was cursed. Is this why they did that? Is this why they brought her here?

"No," I say when I realize what they are going to do. I try to run towards her but the hands around my arms clamp down even tighter. They can't kill Delsia! "No, don't hurt her," I say as the big Death Eater yanks me back. "Don't kill her!"

"My Lord," an old voice hisses and Lord Voldemort looks to his left. "The girl is being awfully insubordinate to you."

"Yes, Wormtail," The Dark Lord sighs in annoyance. He looks at me and smiles again, like he was fond of me. "But she is young and still learning. I am a patient Lord, am I not?" he asks and the others in the room agree with him like mindless puppets. "Good," he says and then he looks at the fat Death Eater who spoke. "Get back to your spot," he says coldly. "You speak out of turn one more time and I will have your tongue."

I'm even more afraid now and I feel hot tears slip down my cheeks.

"We all have to sacrifice something for our nation, Ginevra," he tells me calmly as he pets the unicorn's head again, like the disruption never happened. "Everyone has their role. Everything has its purpose. Everything has its place."

"No," I shake my head again as a man comes out with a large knife and he grabs Delsia by the hair, leaning her forward so her throat is exposed over the burning cauldron. "No! Stop it! Please!"

"Do make her shut up," Lord Voldemort says.

The man behind me takes a gloved hand and sets it firmly over my mouth. I start to fight and struggle against him but I stop when I feel a wand pressed to my neck.

"Wake her up," Lord Voldemort orders as he pets the unicorn again with his long, scary fingers. "The potion tastes sweeter when there's fear, " he explains, looking at me and winking.

The man with the knife lifts his wand.

Delsia blinks and then she starts screaming like she was coming out of a terrible dream.

"What are you doing!?" she shouts as she tries to wrestle away from the man who's holding the knife to her throat. "What do you want? I'll do what you want—just don't kill me!"

"Oh, but sweetheart," Tom says in a gentle voice as he leans over so he can see her eyes. "You see, killing you is just what I want. You want to give me what I want, don't you?"

She starts screaming again as he motions for the man to cut.

I clench my eyes shut but I still hear the knife sever her head. It lands with a plop in the potion and I feel dizzy, like I might faint... or throw up... whichever comes first.

"Good," Lord Voldemort says. I keep my eyes shut, willing myself to wake up from this nightmare as I feel myself getting pulled forward with a jerk of magic. "Open your eyes, little one," he says and the hand that was around my mouth disappears. I blink reluctantly and open my eyes to see Him staring at me with a smile. "Dark magic is a dastardly business," he comments as he looks over my face with a fake little pout like he was sympathetic towards my plight. "But entirely necessary for the greater good. You will come to understand that."

My lower lip starts to tremble as I see Del's headless body being dragged away.

Then I really do throw up.

All over Tom's perfectly polished shoes.

I hear the other Death Eaters hiss and cuss at me, but Lord Voldemort raises his hand.

"It's alright," he says and he cleans the foul mess with a flick of his wand. I bring my shaking hand up to cover my mouth. The tears are thick in my eyes and they make the entire world a blur. "I would be worried if you were more used to such bloodshed," he tells me as he brings a handkerchief out of his pocket and removes my hand, dabbing the corner of my mouth where I guess there was leftover vomit.

I'm too afraid to even think that's gross.

"I always appreciate a mind that has yet to be molded," he says with a dark smirk before throwing the handkerchief to one of his Death Eaters who doesn't seem too pleased to be holding something with my vomit on it. "Now," he says. "Where were we?"

I can't even move or speak now, I just keep staring at him as he goes back to the unicorn. I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach as he strokes the creature's head again. I fear it's going to have the same fate as Delsia.

Poor Delsia.

I feel tears slipping from the corner of my eyes as Lord Voldemort takes the knife from the man in the robe. He pets the petrified unicorn a few more times before slitting its throat.

The noises it makes...

Oh, God.

I cover my ears with my hands. The silvery blood leaves its body through the gaping hole in its neck and I try not to throw up again as it struggles weakly against its bonds. Lord Voldemort takes a golden goblet and gathers some of the gushing blood into the cup. Then he pours it into the potion that hisses and sizzles with the contact. He touches some of the silver blood as it leaves the unicorn's body and I watch him as he rubs it between his thumb and two middle fingers, his face looking thoughtful. Then his eyes flick to mine as he puts them in his mouth to lick them clean.

It reminded me of Draco…. I can't bear him looking at me like that anymore so I stare down at the floor.

I always knew it was a grave sin to murder a unicorn, but even more great was the sin committed when you drank its blood.

Tom Riddle was for sure going to hell if he died.

I've never wanted someone to die before, but I was hundred percent positive that I wanted Lord Voldemort to die as soon as possible.

I clench my eyes shut again as he has one of the bigger brutes come up and snap off the creature's horn. It sounded painful, so I was almost thankful the thing was dead. They throw that into the potion as well and then he turns towards me.

"Now, for the main ingredient," he says as he holds out his hand. "Why use a tiny vial when I have the source right in front of me?" he says with an amused smile. "Take my hand, little one." I shake my head. He narrows his eyes, like he wasn't used to someone telling him no. "I don't think you heard me properly," he says with a bitter sweet smile. "I told you to take my hand."

"I don't want to," I whisper and someone makes a disbelieving noise behind me.

His nostrils flare and he clenches his fist before stalking towards me and grabbing my hair, dragging me to the cauldron as I try to break free from his grasp.

"I am running low on patience," he says flatly. "Don't move now, my darling," he orders when he lets me go with a little push that makes me stumble and nearly fall. I cringe as I rub my hurt scalp and my cheeks heat in embarrassment because every one of his stupid Death eaters saw him treat me that way.

Tears and snot are freely running down my face, but he doesn't seem to mind as he takes the knife and cleans it on one of his Death Eater's robes.

"Now," he says as he pulls my arm out with a little jerk so it's hovering over the hissing potion. "This is like our first date," he jokes and the others laugh as I cry a little harder. "Romantic, isn't it?" he says sarcastically before putting the sharp end of the knife to my arm. "This is going to hurt," he warns before pressing down and slashing.

I scream as the wound burns and he turns my arm over so the blood drops directly into the potion that hisses and spits and turns a glowing neon red.

He watches the blood leave my body, his eyes gleaming with a pleased little smile on his face.

"There," he says after a few moments. I feel dizzy again. He cut too deep and I'm losing a lot of blood. "Now," he says again as he pushes me back. I look down at my arm, feeling faint as I try to press my hand against it to stop the bleeding. "Heal her," I hear him say dismissively as he throws more things into the potion.

A small figure comes over to me and when their hood falls back, I gasp at Bellatrix Lestrange and her demented looking face.

"You are such a lucky little girl," she says wistfully as she mends the cut with her crooked wand and then cleans my skin of the blood. "So lucky," she whispers again before going back into formation.

After a few moments of stirring and chanting, he takes out the goblet again and dips it into the boiling pot.

"A toast is in order, I think," He says as he looks at me and he raises the goblet in my direction. "To Ginevra Weasley, my very own fountain of youth," he says with a smirk before downing the potion.

It makes him twitch and he cracks his neck as the potion settles within his body. Someone comes up and starts pouring the leftover potion into a set of silver containers that they tuck away in a special leather bag as the Dark Lord hunches over and makes odd noises that sound like he's in pain.

No one moves and no one helps him.

I wish he would just die, but of course he doesn't. When he settles down and faces me again, he looks a little more real, a little more human. The waxy, almost melted look on his face is gone. He looks more firm, younger, and his skin is a shade darker... his lips have a hint of color now too. There's also something else about his appearance that makes him look less like a monster and more like a man, but I can't put my finger on it and when he walks towards me, he smiles again and takes my hand, bringing it up to his face.

"See," he says as he rests my hand on his cheek. His eyes are still red, but not as cat-like in appearance. "Warm." He smiles… It's Tom Riddle's smile. Scream for me. "Your blood is important," he says as he turns his face into my arm, placing an open mouthed kiss on my wrist that makes me feel sick. "It's so important and it will help me rule the world."

I swallow hard as the other people in the room clap like they just witnessed the most amazing show.

He smiles again, staring right into my eyes as he takes my wand from his pocket and hands it back to me.

"Someone please escort Miss Weasley back to the castle and make sure no harm befalls her," he says to the robed figures around us. He looks back at me, his red eyes flicking over my face. "I will see you again," he says, touching my hair once more before letting his fingers run down my jaw and neck as I hold my wand so uselessly in my right hand. "And you will be prepared for me."

I can't say anything. I'm a coward. One of the Death Eaters comes up to me and takes my arm.

I let myself get dragged away. I don't even care what happens to me. I feel so strange and unwell. The cloaked figure Apparates us just outside of Hogsmeade where the opening to Draco's passageway is and I don't even have it in me to question it.

"Do you see, Ginny?" the robed figure says and I shoot my eyes up in surprise as he pushes back his hood.

Draco.

"Do you see why I've done what I've done?" he says as he takes my arm and starts kissing my wrist where the wound used to be. "Do you see what I'm saving you from?"

"D-Draco," I stutter out like an idiot and then I lunge at him, hugging him around the waist as I think of that poor unicorn and Delsia. "That was the scariest thing I have ever seen," I whisper into his cloak and he kisses the top of my head.

"He's a madman," Draco says and I look up at him in surprise. "And his blood isn't even pure," he adds sharply like the thought annoyed him.

"So," I say softly. "What are you going to do?" I ask as I think about his careful planning. "Why have you done all of this?" I ask, gesturing to the bracelet he gave me.

He sighs loudly before giving me a critical look.

"I need Potter and his friends to keep doing what they're doing," he says. "The Dark Lord doesn't plan on claiming you right away so we have time before he finds out about our marriage. He will be angry, but there is nothing he can do about it because the magic is so old. He will never be able to touch you intimately as long as I'm alive," he reassures me as I blink back tears. I'm sure the Dark Lord has no problem killing him but I refrain from saying so. "He will never be able to plant a child inside of you. Our bonding will not allow it, but he will still be able to take your blood. As your Head of House I can forbid you to give it to him, but he'll find a different way. He will use force if he has to. You saw him there," he says gently. "He needs it to keep going. The potions last him a month and he has to take it everyday to be stabilized in the kind of body that he desires."

"Why do you need Harry to keep doing whatever he's doing?" I ask in confusion and he looks at me for a few long and hard moments before speaking.

"I have plans, Ginny, but I can't do them on my own," he says seriously. "I need something from you."

"Okay," I say with a head nod, willing to do whatever to never have to see Lord Voldemort again. "What is it?"

"The Dark Lord plans on taking your blood whether you want to or not," he says as he searches my eyes. "I'm asking that you give it to me willingly."

"Why do you need my blood too?" I ask suspiciously.

I didn't know it was so damn special, to be honest.

"Because," he says as he brings his hand up to my face and he touches my cheek. "I'm going to kill the Dark Lord, Gin," he says and I widen my eyes in surprise. "And you're the key to doing that."

You're the queen, baby.

Blaise's words ring in my head as Draco looks so deeply into my eyes. After a few moments, I nod my head slowly and he smiles a beautiful smile before he kisses me.

I sleep in Draco's room and I fall asleep with a dark and twisted feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel like there's a monster that's lurking in the dark waiting to strike at any moment.

You're the queen, baby.

The thought is constantly repeated in my head throughout the course of the night as I fall in and out of sleep. I wake in the morning to Draco's fingers between my legs and his warm lips against my ear telling me how much he loves me.

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A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Steve who is clearly on a ride he would like to be off of and who has convinced me to rewrite this story 37 times.