AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hi everyone! How are you doin'? I hope it's all good. Over here, I regret to say that I suffered from lack of time and inspiration during a long period (there goes one more of my lousy excuses), when one day Harry Potter and the half blood prince finally came to my hands and, as usual, inspiration hit me like a bucket of cold water as I read, so I wrote most of this chapter by hand (about 2 months ago) and it is only NOW that I finally found the time to write it on computer…
On the other hand, THANKS so much to all you amazing readers and reviewers out there who have, once again, proved yourself ever so supporting and wonderful… just… fantastic. Thank you!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of JK Rowling's amazing characters. However the plot and the new characters are all mine.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter XVII: WISHFUL THINKING…
"Well, aren't you the odd one," a smug voice said.
"Ha, ha! Haven't the roles changed a little since school, huh?" he continued, "Who would've thought…"
"Don't make me laugh, will you?" he replied, "You were never that good of a joker…"
It was the same arrogant voice speaking the whole time, but though he seemed to be following the thread of a conversation, not a single answer was actually heard from the other part.
"Come now, there's no need for language like that… Not when you stand locked up in a cage which's key is in my hands," he added, shaking the bronze piece in front of him.
"Ah!" he cried, "Stupid animal! You'll regret this!" he snarled in a vicious tone.
"Kill you? Nah… I have bigger and better plans for you, my friend".
"Of course you wouldn't! But, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not really asking for your help, am I?" he added and chuckled sinisterly.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!" he added, imitating the sound of a bell in a quiz, when the participant has got the right answer. "You were always the clever one, weren't you? Good boy… I recognized you the moment I saw you look at me with that hatred, you know? You can not fool me…"
"Thanks, but no, I think I'll rather wait for the right time. This is a very - What the-?" he paused.
"A- ha!" he exclaimed, evidently pleased. "Excellent! The timing couldn't have been better. Of course I was expecting an invitation…"
"At the ball? Nah… If we've to make this whole plan work, we better make a big deal about it, must we not?"
"You're correct again! How extraordinary… At the wedding it will be"
"At the wedding, yes," he sentenced and smirked, pleased.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As the blonde paced restless across the gelid, stone cell, his fists tightly pressed and his eyes fixed on the steel bars, he couldn't help feeling defenseless.
He was undoubtedly one of the most powerful wizards alive, the Dark Lord himself had told him so, yet there was something about this new Prince's magic that made it seem as though he wasn't more threatening than a bunny shaking his fluffy whiskers.
Yes, Draco had finally reached the Nebula gateway, that secret passage that would take him as near as the castle's walls, but as soon as he had stepped inside, and despite of the invisibility, and silencing charm he had cast over him, he was caught up in some kind of whirlwind that seemed to compress him, puncturing his lungs, until he arrived to that most inhospitable cell, his current location.
Draco had never known such powerful magic, he couldn't block the spell. Merlin, he couldn't even think what was going on before it happened!
"It can't be," he told himself, taking his hands to his temples, desperately trying to work out an answer to his many questions. "Who the hell is he anyway?" As many others, Draco wondered how was it possible that such a wizard had remained unheard of for so many years.
"Greetings, Malfoy," he heard a smooth voice say at the end of the corridor. "I trust you found my accommodations of your most demanding likings," he added, smugly.
As he heard the sharp steps coming near his cell, Draco pictured a thousand faces his most irregular host could be wearing at that time.
But as he finally stood in front of the entrance, he realized he had failed to picture him exactly a thousand times.
His pale face had a calm smirk drawn in his cold lips, yet his eyes reflected such determination, Draco was forced to blink against his wishes, like taken aback by his might. But he wasn't even near to feel threatened by his presence, so the blonde crossed his arms defiantly and smirked back.
"We finally meet, Gray," he begun, confidently.
"So it seems," Dylan replied, unperturbed.
"I must admit I was kind of expecting better manners from a self proclaimed Dark Prince, though," the blonde pointed out, raising his shoulders with indifference.
"Do forgive my roudness," Dylan begun, "but it so happens that most of my guests enter through the wide door, Malfoy," he added mordantly. "This 'sneaking through secret gateways' business isn't really my thing, and one can never be too careful this days, I'm sure you understand…"
"Perfectly," he snapped, bluntly. "However, wouldn't you agree that it would've spoiled the entire surprise, Gray?"
Dylan snorted.
"It's amusing enough to have you here, locked in my dungeons, Malfoy," he replied, snottily "I don't really think any other surprises were actually required".
Neither seemed affected in the least by the other's ironic comebacks.
"Becoming a habit of yours is this 'holding people against their wishes' business, Gray?" Draco suggested, sneering.
"I'm not sure I appreciate your irony, Malfoy," he retorted, his smirk fixed.
"I'm not sure I care, though," the blonde replied, furrowing his brow.
"Maybe given the present circumstances, you should," Dylan threatened, "and in case you haven't noticed, I'm not really chaining anyone to this castle, am I? not even you," he explained plainly. "If you want to leave, by own means, do so, but I don't think you came such a long way only to say hello, did you?" he asked, knowing the answer.
"I'm not leaving without her, Gray" he snapped, calmly, yet determinedly.
"Well, in that case that's going to be an awful long stay, I'm afraid," Dylan commented.
"Let her go, Gray," he hissed, defiantly, his eyes shooting daggers at his unblemished countenance.
"Why? Because you love her?" Dylan snorted.
"And she loves me back," he hurried to add, "unlike others…"
"Oh, really?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow in a challenging manner, "What makes you think she would ever love a pillock like you?"
"The fact that I care about her," was Draco's brief, but assertive answer.
"Do you, really? Or haven't you just been caring about your interests the whole time like the selfish rat you are," he uttered with distaste.
"No," he truthfully replied, "haven't you?" he urged.
"Face it Malfoy; I can offer her far a better life than you ever will," the dark haired man blurted out.
"But in case you haven't noticed, she isn't into riches and power," Draco pointed out, sneering.
"What about safety and respect?" the prince snapped, "Come off it, Malfoy; if you love her, you will let her go".
"I would if I knew for certain that that's the way she wants it to be," he retorted.
"Allow me to unwind that troubled mind of yours, but she left you, you fool!" Dylan snarled, somewhat irritated, "And she's marrying me!" he sentenced, "So what on earth do you mean?"
"I know there's something fishy about this whole engagement charade, Gray," he suggested, "you can fool the entire wizarding world for all I care, but I don't buy it, not any of it," he added.
"Your loss, Malfoy," Dylan stated, "I wouldn't have mind making a toast with you at my wedding feast, but you obviously represent a threat to the ambiance I'm planning to achieve to please my guests," he explained, "and my queen of course…" he added, bitingly.
"I wouldn't count too much on that one, if I were you," he warned.
"Ooo, is that a threat? 'Cause I'm trembling!" Dylan shot, mockingly.
"Consider it more like a warning," Draco hissed.
"You warning me?" the prince chortled, "from what, for heaven's sakes? Do you actually plan on stopping me, Malfoy?" he questioned, coarsely. "Though it doesn't seem you're going anywhere, by the looks of it… " He added, eyeing him maliciously.
"I'm not afraid of you, Gray, nor amused by your smart-arse, nerve-racking comebacks," he replied, confronting him.
"Maybe you should, Malfoy".
"Oh, come off it! You're just a bloody coward, Gray," he scolded, "Instead of facing me in a duel like a man, you lock me up here, wandless none the less. Now that's something to brag about," he snapped.
"Ha!" he sniggered, "you honestly believe you stand a chance against me, Malfoy? I thought you wiser," he sneered, causing Draco to roll his eyes at his overconfidence. "Merciful is what I am for allowing you to live for the while".
Not even Draco could hide the impact of this last statement.
"Oh yes, Malfoy;" he explained "I have no interest in keeping a hateful detractor as yourself alive, if I can avoid it and, believe me, I can," he added, sinisterly. "Although in recognition to your undeniable merits and extraordinary powers as a wizard, I might consider forgiving your life if you would join me -"
"But as we both know perfectly well that will never happen -"
"You get my point," he replied, pleased. "Anyway, as a death eater one would expect you to be able to produce wandless magic, Malfoy," Dylan commented, "Poor baby, whining over a little, wooden stick…"
"Of course I can do wandless magic, dickhead! I don't really appreciate your irony," he added, due to the fact that his cell was charmed against any kind of magic.
Unaffected, Dylan turned and walked towards the dungeons' exit, chortling with palpable satisfaction.
"Make sure you let her know the kind of man she's come across, Gray," Draco scolded aloud, so that the prince would hear.
"Will do!" Dylan mirthfully yelled back, "Although 'besides' would be more accurate," he added with mischief.
"She doesn't love you, asshole!" Draco scowled with impotence.
"Why?" Dylan asked, stopping on his tracks, "Because he loves you?" he added, drawing near, "He left you, Malfoy, deal with it!"
"At least I didn't have to kidnap her to keep her by my side, did I?" he hissed.
"No," Dylan replied, now evidently pissed, "you had to do far more pathetic things, I reckon".
"That is if you call 'caring' pathetic, of course," he hurried to snap back, remembering those days when he had stayed by her side the entire time, while she was sick.
"As if I didn't care for her, you idiot!" he scowled with contempt.
"Of course you don't!" Draco retorted, "You're just using her, aren't you? And forcing the idea of loving you into her… sounds pretty lame to me," he stated.
"Though I don't remember ever asking for your opinion," he hissed.
"Some of us don't need announcers, Gray," he shot back.
Certain that this conversation was a complete waste of time, Dylan decided to end it there and thus, strode off towards the exit.
As the blonde listened to the heavy material of Dylan's robes sweep against the stone floor, Draco internalized his every word and expression, realizations hitting him like a bucket of cold water. He knew he had made an important discovery and that he couldn't be wrong.
"She loves me, doesn't she?" he said, almost in a whisper, certain that his words would reach him even if there was a void between them.
He heard him stop.
"You're so pathetic and obvious, Gray," Draco added, "The only reason you despise me as much is that you know she still loves me, right?" he inquired, smirking.
"Keep dreaming, Malfoy," Dylan replied, his voice coming out surprisingly weak, for his usual tone.
"No, you are!" he retorted. "Why kill me if she didn't love me anymore? You know she wouldn't come to me otherwise, but I represent a threat, don't I?" he blurted out.
"That is not -"
"Why hide me meanwhile too? You just don't want her to know me dead because she would never marry you knowing what I died for her, and for your fault none the less!" he snarled.
"I will not -"
"And for that reason, you hate me more than anyone;" he hissed, puncturing him with his steel eyes, "because you're afraid that she won't ever love you in the same way!"
"That is enough!" Dylan retorted, his look filled with rage "Cruorem Exussum!" he hexed in perfect latin, his right hand stretched towards Draco's body, that instantly begun to shake and cringe in pain, due to the excruciating affliction which had been cast upon him.
Draco groaned in agony, not knowing exactly what had hit him.
It felt as though the blood running through his veins had suddenly rose a hundred degrees and was boiling his body from the inside.
When it was finally over, thick drops of sweat slid from his forehead, down his neck and over his lean chest, exposed as a result of having lost several of his shirt's buttons along his odyssey.
"Think what you want, Malfoy," he uttered, while the blonde laid against the wall, panting heavily, still recovering from the shock, "you can keep lying to yourself, for all I care," he added, "but it will still be me laying in her bed at the end of the day and you will live to witness it," he sentenced darkly, "so perhaps you should drop all that lame wishful thinking," he snapped.
Draco glared at him under the tousled blonde locks that covered his eyes.
"Did I make myself clear?" he inquired, firmly.
"Crystal…" Draco uttered, smirking upon confirming his suspicions, because of Prince Dylan's extra limited reaction.
"Let's see f I can rub that smug look off your face, shall we?" Dylan threatened, smirking back, "Cruorem Exussum!"
The same heart aching picture repeated itself and the results were still the same.
"You -" Draco begun gasping for air and wiping the sweat from his front with his shirt's sleeve, "You can hex me all day long Gray," he hissed, "and still she will love me, and even if she ever gets to sleep with you, which I doubt," he stated, upon remembering his many fruitless attempts to bring her to it, "you know it is me that she'll think of, it is my face that she'll see!" he scowled, grinning.
"Lying beside your dead body, that is!" Dylan scowled.
"Is that the best you've got?" Draco challenged, snottily, "Is that what fake princes' say when they've ran out of smart-arse words?" he added.
Dylan reached with his right hand between the steel bars and grabbed Draco's hair, pulling it back so his face would only be inches from his own, pressed against the cold bars. Draco groaned, his eyes still penetrating Dylan's depths with distaste, though becoming aware of his uncommon strength.
"Now listen, you simpleminded fool," he hissed, "You better say your prayers, because as soon as Ginevra utters the words 'I do', your life will come to an end," he threatened. "And there is nothing," he added, "Nothing!" he retorted, "you can possibly do about it," he sentenced, and pushed him against the wall.
"Poor asshole," Draco retorted, calmly, wiping a stream of blood from the seam of his mouth, "you're dreaming about a relationship that was never even possible in the first place".
At this, Dylan's grave expression faded into a satisfied smirk.
"No, Malfoy," he drawled, holding the left edge of his cape, "You are," he sentenced, moving his cape aside to reveal the dashing piece of jewelry that had sworn to keep Draco's little red-head true to him, pinned right over Dylan's arctic heart.
The blue from his eyes blended in the brooch's sapphire inscription and for once during their fiery conversation, Draco felt his spirit breaking like cold ice.
"Your union is completely futile," Dylan continued, pleased to finally be able to leave the blonde speechless, "whereas ours," he added scornfully, "is meant to be".
And with this last statement, he spun around and made his way towards the door with sharp, confident steps.
"Where did you get that?" Draco uttered, weakly, while standing up. "What did you do to her?!" he scowled, "Come back here! Don't you dare touch her, Gray! Do you hear me?!" he added, grasping his cell's steel bars.
"Loud and clear, Malfoy," Dylan whispered inaudibly from the other side of the door, "loud and clear," he added with a smirk.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"How come all this dresses fit me like this, Ellie?" a red-head inquired as she admired her reflection in awe.
The ball was only a couple of nights ahead, so that afternoon it was time for the solemn fitting of the dress to take place.
"Well, they were meant for you, child," Ellie mirthfully replied, adjusting the puffy sleeves of a scarlet red dress.
"They are? Merlin, they're gorgeous!" she exclaimed.
"Master Dylan has a fine taste, milady".
"He chooses the dresses himself?" Ginny asked, spinning around to face her.
"He sure does," the woman replied, tightening her bodice, "His majesty manufactured the totality of this wardrobe's content".
"No way!" the red-head observed, "You actually expect me to believe that a man of his might and status has the time and likes to sit down an saw? I couldn't possibly picture him with a string and a needle," she added, picturing the silliest image of Dylan embroidering flowers, sitting by the fire.
"That's 'cause he wouldn't, milady," Ellie plainly answered, drifting sawing-Dylan away from Ginny's thoughts.
"No?" she asked, disconcerted, "I mean, then he must -"
"Use magic?" Ellie interrupted, "As a matter of speak, yes, but it's not really like that at all," she explained. "It's quite unique really and rather extraordinary too; I've never in my years seen anything like it," she added, "He sort of pictures the pieces in his mind and then they just..." she paused, "Are".
"And you've seen that?" Ginny inquired, furrowing her brow.
"Oh yes!" she replied, "I've seen the most ravishing dresses materialize in front of him from thin air!" she uttered in awe.
"Wandless?" the red-head asked, intrigued.
"Absolutely!" Ellie replied, "He barely moves at all, really, but a bizarre aura surrounds him, causing his hair and robes to blaze as if he was caught up in a whirlwind," she continued focusing her eyes in the infinite, "It's quite a sight really," she added, untying the red dress' bodice to pass on to the emerald green one.
"And he would do that in front of you just like that?" Ginny asked, skeptically, which seemed to startle Ellie a little.
"No, milady," she carefully answered, "I've seen him by accident. The Master does not like to be seen much, least of all when he's working on something," she explained, unhanging the green dress from the magnificent wardrobe "Plus, he's too hard on himself sometimes," she added.
"How's that?" Ginny inquired, furrowing her brow.
"His idea of perfection goes far beyond the imaginable, deary," she replied, "And he won't ever be pleased with anything less than unearthly divine".
"He throws them away?" she ventured.
"Burn them, would be more accurate, child".
"Why?" Ginny wondered, now deeply interested.
"Prince Gray is hard to please, milady," the woman explained, "I've seen amazingly beautiful dresses burn into ashes; Merlin, I would've died for a dress half as gorgeous as one of those!" she cried.
"I see…" she uttered.
"That's why you'll never get such fine clothes anywhere else," Ellie added, "They're not from this world, I'm afraid, just like everything else he -" she paused, as if she had suddenly realized something, "Oh, but listen to me, rambling nonsense again," she resolved with a smile.
"Oh, no, Ellie! It's all really interesting," Ginny urged.
"It's just that," Ellie sighed and held Ginny's cheeks motherly, between her palms, "I think you should know about this things," she uttered, "I mean, you are to be wed in a short time after all and I understand that you haven't spend as much time with the young master, as you would've hoped for," she added, stroking her hair.
Ginny sighed and looked away.
"Oh, but don't you worry child!" she cried, enthusiastically, shaking Ginny's head slightly, "You'll love him alright," she assured, returning to the fitting of the dress, "When the time comes, you'll see," she added helping her through it, "Yes, in time you'll see," she uttered, thoughtfully.
"Oh but Ellie, I don't want to marry him!" Ginny cried with despair.
"Why would you say something like that, child?" Ellie asked, furrowing her brow and interrupting her duties.
"Because it's simply the way I feel…" she sadly replied.
"Don't you fancy Master Gray, is that it?" the woman inquired, gaping her eyes at her.
"Well, I guess he's alright, but -"
"Haven't you thought about everything this union shall bring upon you?" she interrupted.
"I really don't -"
"Good heavens, your highness!" Ellie exclaimed, holding Ginny by the arms, "In a few days you will become queen!"
"A darkness queen, Ellie!" she cried, holding the woman's shoulders in turn. "A ruler to a world for which I hold no love anymore!"
Ellie gazed into her eyes for a moment, like searching for a glimpse of truth in them.
"I'm sure you didn't really mean that," she uttered.
"Oh, but I do!" the red-head cried while pacing across the dressing room, "Everything I've ever loved, everything I've ever cared for has been taken from me," she added, "And just when I think I might be happy again after all, someone has to come in and torn that feeling away in a split second," she said, her voice breaking, "How am I ever supposed to love a world like that, Ellie, huh?" she asked, "How?" she urged, tears filling her eyes.
"Come now, deary," Ellie soothed, holding Ginny's head against her chest, "I know how you feel," she added, stroking the back of her head, before parting slightly, "My husband, Marius, may God rest him," she begun, looking away, "was the only thing I had in the word," she explained, "and when the war came," she paused, "and he was gone… Boy did I want to give up living!"
"I'm sorry…" Ginny truthfully said.
"Yet here I am, never letting myself down and hoping that better days will come at one time or another…" she added, determinedly, gazing through the window.
"With the world taken over by shadows like this?" the red-head snorted.
"I know things will change, child, I can feel it," she explained, turning to face her, "I don't know when, but I hope I can live to witness it".
"With Dylan?" Ginny inquired, unbelieving.
"Perhaps, I really don't know…" Ellie replied. "The Master has its ways, you know," she added, "And he loves you alright, luckily for you, but it's needless for me to say that he's no saint, mistress," she explained. "His majesty has done a lot of dreadful things I wouldn't even want to remember," she continued, covering her mouth upon the memories.
Ginny had too heard one or two rumors about Dylan's cold blood.
"No, I guess it would probably be mere wishful thinking to presume that it is His Highness who will finally bring light upon all this darkness," she paused, "But someday, somehow, someone will…"
They both shared a brief moment of silence, secretly hoping that Ellie was right.
"Now," Ellie begun, cheerfully, "That's quite enough of gloomy talk, is it? At least we're both lucky to be under good terms with the right people at the time, aren't we?"
"Probably…" she replied absentmindedly.
"Now why are you so reluctant to let yourself go, your highness? Master Gray has been nothing but charming to you, for all I know," she encouraged.
"I guess…"
"Don't you find him attractive?" she asked with mischief.
Ginny snorted faintly.
"I'd have to be out of my mind if I did, I suppose," she answered, remembering those icy blue eyes, that ebony hair and those perfect lips.
"Or is it that you don't enjoy his company?"
"No, it's not that," she truthfully replied.
"Alright, then who is it?" she inquired.
"I beg your pardon?" Ginny asked, certain that her ears had deceived her.
Ellie rolled her eyes.
"The only reason a woman could possibly not love someone like the young Master is that her heart is already taken by someone else," she explained.
"Someone else…" Ginny repeated, staring away.
"I'm right, am I not?"
"I don't know," she answered.
Ellie sighed. It seemed as if she really got emotionally involved with Ginny and knew what she must've been feeling like.
"Oh deary, I hate to be the one who tells you this, but child, you'll have to let it go," the woman explained.
"What?" she asked, coming out of her state of stupor.
"You are the new Dark Lord's fiancée, child! Do you think anyone could ever possibly overrule him to win you? Or that he'll simply let you go? Which option more unlikely than the other…"
"There are other wizards -"
"Not like Master Gray, I assure you," she interrupted.
"But how can it be!" she cried in despair, "I mean, isn't there anyone or anything out there that can possibly defeat him? Even He-who-must-not, the hell with it! Voldemort," she corrected herself, catching Ellie wincing at the name, "had a weakness," she stated.
"I'm afraid that matter is already taken care of, your highness," Ellie replied, evidently uncomfortable with the subject.
"You were saying?" Ginny urged.
"Nothing, child!" she retorted, "Don't listen to me alright? Sometimes good, old Ellie talks a bit too much," she added, avoiding Ginny's eyes.
"No" Please do tell me about it, Ellie!" she pushed, "Does that mean that there is a way to stop him?"
"Was, would be more accurate, milady; that's all you need to know. The Master ensured his realm long before he rose to power and no one can stop him anymore!"
"So there was someone capable of doing so?" she insisted.
"But he isn't anywhere around anymore, alright?" Ellie scowled, beginning to lose her patience, "Merlin, you're curious child!" she added, trying to cool things down.
"He killed him?"
"I think it's quite enough, now -"
"He did?"
"Your highness!" Ellie retorted, "I'm afraid that you're pressing the issue far more than what's acceptable," she stated. "I can not answer any more of these questions, alright? So quit asking or you will get us both into trouble!" she sentenced.
"I'm sorry, Ellie," Ginny apologized, "I didn't mean to".
"Oh child," the woman cried, softening up, "I know you didn't," she added, cupping her chin in her hand, "I didn't mean to sound so harsh either, it's just that there are matters that are none of our business," she explained.
Understanding she was not going to get any more information and deciding it wasn't worth making Ellie mad at her, Ginny decided to let the subject rest for a while.
"Anyway," Ellie continued, "You'll have to let him go".
"Who?" she asked, furrowing her brow, dumbfounded.
"Him!" she cried. "Whoever it is you're thinking when your gaze stays fixed at nowhere and your cheeks instantly dye into a shade of scarlet," she explained, straightening the veil from the skirt of a cobalt dress.
"Jeez, am I really that obvious?" Ginny asked. She herself, didn't think she was so sure about what she felt, least of all did she believe that other people could tell…
"I'm a woman too, remember? At first I hoped it would be the young Master who was keeping you daydreaming like that but I was obviously wrong…"
"He was just a guy really," she lied, still angry at his stupidity display the last time she saw him.
"And you were just a servant, right?" Ellie suggested, causing Ginny to look her in the eyes with amazement.
"The guy -" she begun, "He was an asshole, alright?"
"It often seems so, I'm afraid," Ellie commented, understandingly.
Ginny sighed painfully.
"He didn't really love me, I guess…" she sadly stated and looked away.
"Then he didn't deserve you either, child," Ellie soothed, holding her chin, that was wet with the stream that two fat tears had formed, "Come now, let us wipe those tears away, shall we?" she added, taking a handkerchief. "My mother always used to tell me this: Don't cry over anyone who wouldn't cry over you".
She was so right.
And Ginny knew it.
But did her heart know it too?
"But I miss him, Merlin, I do!" she sobbed.
"Sure you do, deary, sure you do;" Ginny appeased her, holding her against her shoulder. "You loved him after all, didn't you?"
Ginny nodded silently.
"Do you love him still though?" she inquired. "Pointless to ask, really," she told herself.
"Ellie," Ginny muttered, parting, "I can not marry Dylan if I still feel this way about Draco…"
"Draco?" Ellie furrowed her brow. "By any chance are we speaking of Draco Malfoy?" she inquired.
"Yes…" she shyly answered.
"The death eater," Ellie clarified.
"Yes, but -"
"Rumor had it that he was one of You-Know-Who's favorite candidates to succeed him," she added.
"Probably…"
"And you fell in love with such a person, your highness? After being girlfriend to the famous Harry Potter?" she asked, incredulous.
"How did you -?"
"Child, it was all over the Daily Prophet at the time, remember?" she explained.
"What am I supposed to say?" the red-head cried. "I surely didn't plan for this to happen!" she stated.
"Sure you didn't, your highness," Ellie reassured, calming down, "I apologize if I sounded roud, I didn't mean to make any accusations," she added, "It's just that I must admit I found it most… surprising!"
"I would lie if I didn't admit that it surprises me too every time I think about it," she honestly commented. "Merlin, I'm so stupid!" she cried, sitting abruptly over the couch and covering her eyes with her hands in self anger.
"Oh, don't you say that, your majesty," Ellie came, softly removing Ginny's right hand from her flushed face. "We both know it's not true," she continued, removing her left one and revealing her miserable countenance. "Sometimes the heart can not be persuaded by the mind, that's all".
Something in those words reminded Ginny of a particular inscription on a certain piece of jewelry that had been so dear to her.
…A mens apud tui cor…
"But rather the other way around?" she wondered, gazing into Ellie's amber eyes.
"Exactly," she replied somewhat restless. "Alright," she continued, standing up, "I think it's enough chit-chat for today, child; I've still to make plenty of arrangements for the wedding!" she mirthfully announced.
"I guess I'll see you around then Ellie," Ginny said.
"Sure thing, your highness," the woman replied, opening the door.
"Ellie!" the red-head called, causing Ellie to reappear behind the door.
"Yes, my dear?"
"Thank you," Ginny uttered.
Ellie smiled sweetly and sighed.
"No need, your highness," she replied, "All I advice you, child, is that you don't allow some good-for-nothing blockhead destroy your faith in love," she solemnly stated. "Take it from me, alright?"
Ginny nodded, wearing a wry smile on her face as Ellie exited the dressing room.
:Flashback:
He sank his humid head on her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around him dearly.
"There, there..." she uttered, stroking the back of his head.
"You're the best that's ever happened to me," he begun. "Promise you won't ever give up on me..." he begged.
Ginny waited a few moments before answering.
"I promise," she whispered, and he pressed his body tighter against hers.
:End of Flashback:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
She barely saw Dylan since that strange dinner when he had had to leave earlier, because of a situation in the dungeons, or so she thought she heard.
"He's busy with the preparings," they had told her, when asked.
But she did continue seeing him almost every night, though.
Yes, that most disturbing dream Ginny had had, in which Dylan visited her room, was the first of many more. Different situations, same feeling…
She would always wake up smothered in her own cold sweat, her body shaking and her heart pounding a million beats per second, panting distressfully.
The ball was tomorrow's evening and somehow Ginny felt she just wasn't going to be able to cope with it.
She was so worn-out with the whole state of affairs…
As the red-head laid on her canopy bed, she absentmindedly followed a silver thread that drew a pattern across the heavy drapes, and pondered.
"How did I ever get involved in this?" she wondered, and sighed, hugging a velvet pillow to her left. "How am I ever gonna fit in?" she thought, a tear running down her cheek and dying in her lips. She sobbed.
Would she have to pretend it was all okay? To chat with his parent's murderers as if nothing was the matter and act as if she was the luckiest woman on the galaxy? Was she expected to smile and wave gracefully during all the night? During all her life?
Ginny sighed and closed her eyes, picturing how she always dreamed her life was going to be and contrasting it with the way her days were apparently going to end.
Suddenly, she felt the pressing urge to breathe some air.
She stood and walked towards her window, slowly unlocked the bolt and immediately the long windows flung open, revealing a calm, disturbingly silent, starry night.
The breeze hit her face deliciously and played mischievously between her legs.
"I have to get out of here," the red-head uttered, stepping to the balcony and staring down.
There were vines covering the entire wall. She wondered whether they'd hold her, but realizing she didn't really care either way, she climbed out the balcony and begun descending, not yet fully aware of what she was doing, or the possible consequences of her actions.
It took her a while to reach the floor, and the vines kept tangling around her ankles and hooking to her velvety dress, but when she finally did, the sense of freedom was overwhelming.
She took a few steps, gazed back at the castle and grinned weakly.
"Goodbye, Dylan," she uttered, "I'm sorry," she added in a whisper and made her way into the depths of the forest.
"Well hello, sweetheart," she heard a voice mutter in the darkness, causing her pulse to rise. "What's a pretty, little girl like you doing out in this late hours of the night?" the unpolished voice inquired, stepping to the light to reveal a tall, coarse man, with thick, dirty, black beard and a long scar across his left eye.
"Shouldn't you be dreaming about ponies and butterflies already, doll?" came a skinny man from behind her.
"This isn't the safest place for a young lady as yourself, luv," the first one added with mischief, "There are plenty of bad people wandering for a scrap of fresh meat," he suggested, licking his dry lips, while he touched her cheek.
"Let go!" Ginny cried, pushing him away and heading in a different direction.
"Oh, come on, gorgeous," said the skinny one, wincing at her, "Why don't you stay for the party?" he asked, driving her in opposite direction with his long arm around her waist.
"We were just planning on making a little," the scarred man paused, "Feast," he added, lust flowing out of his eyes. Ginny guessed he was the gang's chief.
"And you were our guest of honor!" the skinny man scowled, grinning in a way it allowed Ginny to become aware of the most awful dental case, despite of the dim light, "Wasn't she mates?" he asked.
"Yay!!" yelled at least another ten voices from between the bushes.
Ginny gaped her eyes and saw with distress how a handful of other equally ungraceful men emerged from out of nowhere and ogled her with desire.
"I have to go," she said as calmly as she could, "Let me go!" she demanded, trying to make her way between what seemed to be a couple of twins, that quickly closed her way.
"Really?" the one with the longer hair asked, holding her shoulder, "What's the hurry, luv?"
"Anyone expecting you at this hours?" the other one, inquired, holding her waist.
"Nothing good happens so late at night, you know doll?" his brother urged, holding the back of her neck urgently.
Ginny yelled and pushed them away with all her strength. Each twin held one of her wrists and, upon sharing a short naughty look between them, they let her go at the same time, only for her to crash over the greasy, fat belly of a corpulent, bald, black man.
"Planning a little one night stand, are we?" he asked in a hoarse tone, as he held her waist with his thick, hairy arms. "An illicit, petit-affair, perhaps?" he added, to her ear, while stretching his chubby tongue out, causing the rest of the guys to laugh aloud and the helpless red-head to scream upon the touch of the wet muscle inside her ear.
"Please let me go!" she screamed, scratching his fat arms with her delicate nails.
The black man rolled his eyes and let her go.
"Oh sweetheart, you know I would," the gang's chief spoke, pouting, while cupping her chin in his hand, " but there're lots of lonely men in here and I promised them a little company for tonight," he added, causing the red-head to shrug off, "And you wouldn't want me to break my word, right?"
"It is an awfully cold night, don't you think?" came the skinny one.
"Maybe you could help us getting a little warm," added the long-haired twin. "Can't she?" he asked the rest of the crew.
Loud approving noises were heard and the boys begun hooting and whistling avidly, making the pained red-head flush unimaginably, while trying to run in any direction possible.
"Now, where are your manners, boys?" the chief said to the rest of them. "Will you show our guest some hospitality, for pity's sake?" he demanded, naughtily.
"Let me have your coat, ma'am," came the long-haired twin again, grabbing Ginny's cape abruptly.
"And do allow me to lighten your weight," the short-haired one added, ripping her dress's skirt.
"You look rather uncomfortable with this, luv," came the skinny one, who torn her bodice away.
Ginny tried desperately to get a hold of her clothes, but she was much weaker than the scrawniest of them, so her efforts proved utterly futile. Before she knew it, she was stripped down to her undergarments that barely did much to ease those lustful men's state of arousal.
"Come now, sweetheart," the chief begun, holding her wrist, "Why hold back like that?" he inquired, holding her close to his body.
So close, Ginny could even smell the onion coming not only from his breath, but every pore in his slimy body.
"Are you hiding something from uncle Tony?" he added, feasting his eyes over her breasts, "'Cause, you know, I love playing games," he suggested, digging his head on her cleavage, grazing the edge of her petticoat and ripping it away with the clean noise of velvet ragging.
"Ah!" Ginny cried, covering her indecorous cleavage that now left scarce space for imagination, while the boys yelled and hooted in approval. "No!" she spat at one that attempted to remove her covering arms. "Please let me go!" she pleaded, "I beg you!"
"No doubt you'll end up begging," Tony retorted, "For more, that is!" he added, chortling sinisterly, which the rest immediately copied.
"We'll be good on you, luv, we promise," came the short haired twin, groping her bottom, after which she quickly kneed him right where it would hurt him the most, which caused him to jump away in agony.
"Just show us what it was like to feel fresh meat in our loins again, alright?" came the heavy, black one, holding both her legs, so that she wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.
"Don't touch me, you pig!" she yelled, spitting at his hungry face, that didn't even wince, but when she started scratching his face, the twins came near and held her hands from behind. "Let me go!" she cried out.
The black man switched to the back too, Ginny's legs still firmly gripped from the knees, so that Ginny was left with the view of Tony, the chief, standing right in front of her, his arms crossed in a defiant manner, like a tiger feasting over his injured prey.
"Not until I've got something to remember you by…" he sentenced, darkly, dramatically narrowing the already scarce distance between them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Dun, dun, duhn!! LOL! So that's it, for now… I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure you let me know, alright? I think I might even update before 2006 if I feel like I still haven't lost my touch, lol! Otherwise I'll just get the message that I shouldn't write anymore until I get myself back into focus…
Next chapter… THE BALL!!
Anyway, because of the delay, I thought I should reply to every single review YET again, so in recognition to you all, you wonderful reviewers who I love! I wrote individual replies to each one of you! Thanks to the infinite!! You're the BEST!
**Ginamalfoy** **Crunch** **Katia** **natalie** **Mooshy** **monagy3** **Dylan fan** **mememe** **Becky Anntonia** **rembrandt** **nisi** **chocolatefroggie** **onemoreday** **V. Crowe** **Moonbeam** **tomelove01** **Momentyne** **Adrial** **CzarJane** **oooh hello** **~Lady of the Horses~**chrestomanci 04** **passion** **hunnee** **Order of the Phoenix** **cupcake** **Peanut** **asia** **silverclaw firefly** **sarah** **swimfan** **Gerica G.** and many, many, MANY **Anonymous**
-->