A/N: Wow been awhile since I last posted. Sorry for the long wait, but I have been very bust with packing for college and getting my stuff together before classes start. Despite this I have been writing often. This is the fourth or fifth version of chapter three. I actually started with chapter 3 as a completely different Draco chapter, then it became Molly. The third version ended up Ginny and then I was off. It went though 3 more revamps before I came to this final version. Hope you enjoy, and I'll start working on chapter 4 asap.
--Blair
Disclaimer: Do not own Harry potter or any of the characters. Any original characters are mine. Information was gathered from the Harry Potter lexicon.
The basket filled with her toilette swung back and forth as Ginny walked towards the pond. Frou Frou had been so kind as to procure soap, a washcloth, towels, shampoo and conditioner. After a month of imprisonment and three days of traveling, a bath, even when the water was freezing, was in order. The other girls owned house elves, which attended to their mistress's toilette, washing them up with sponges and small buckets of water. In a house of six brothers, her bath time had been he only time of privacy. Growing up in a family of nine, and being the only female offspring, Ginny had always coveted her bath time-it was her only sanctuary. So when Luna had offered Froufrou's services, she graciously declined.
After weaving through various trees and underbrush the anticipated waters appeared. It was bigger than she originally predicted it would be, but it wasn't nearly as big as the lake by Hogwarts. Will I ever see Hogwarts again? Ginny wondered with a sigh, Hogwarts was her second home and now it was a Death eater fortress. If someone had asked her six years ago, "where do you think you'll be at age 17?", she would've been dead wrong in all her answers. She was supposed to be studying for NEWTS not trudging through a forest, a captive of death eaters, looking for a place to bath.
Setting down her basket and slipping off her trainers, Ginny began to strip off her soiled and tattered clothing. Folding and arranging her clothes into a small pile on the shore, the red head slowly waded into the water, bath accessories in hand. A bolder protruded from the shallow waters, a little ways into the pool. She slid through the cool waters towards the rock and set her basket on top of it.
Goose pimples speckled her skin, urging her to make quick work of cleansing herself. Grabbing the shampoo, Ginny quickly squirted a portion in her hand and began working it into her hair. Once satisfied she had massaged and soaped her hair adequately, Ginny sank beneath the surface, washing out the suds. Coming to the surface, she noticed some of the shampoo still remained in her hair. Not wanting to venture beneath the icy depths again, she merely laid her head back into the water, her face still above the surface.
Lying there, Ginny listened to the deathly quiet of the world. This may be the last time I shall truly find sanctuary. The thought sadden her, but it also gave her strength. She needed a plan of action; she could not just allow Voldemort to win so easily. No, not Voldemort, Tom. He is strengthened when people refer to him as Voldemort. It's made up name. He's Tom, he's always been Tom. Tom controlled almost the whole of Europe now, if the gossip around camp was to be trusted. If that were true escape would be impossible for now. She could not really do anything at the moment except gather information. Remember, Gin, knowledge is power.
A loud cracking noise woke Ginny from her musings. She stood in the water, crouching a bit as to cover her chest in the water. She scanned the area around her, specifically in the direction of the cracking sound. It could be a dangerous animal, or a perverted death eater lurking in the woods. She listened and watched for five more minutes before relenting in her search. If a Death eater was lurking about, she didn't have to worry. It was painfully obvious after 33 days that they didn't plan upon killing her, and she doubted rape was in the cards, considering the last bloke who tried was now severed into two pieces, dead as a doornail.
Her sanctuary encroached open, Ginny started to rush through the rest of her bath. She decided to forgo the conditioner, grabbing the soap instead. She began to scrub furiously at her dirty and bruised skin, not stopping until her entire body was tinged pink. Once finished she headed toward the shore and her clothing.
A sudden stinging pain halted Ginny's walk towards the beach. The pain originated in her left foot. I must have stepped on a broken shell or a piece of glass. Ginny tried to lift her foot, hoping to limp towards shore in order to inspect her wound, but another jolt of pain hit her; this time it was on her ankle. Something had a hold of her leg, a something with very sharp claws that were digging into her flesh. Ginny tugged harder, trying to shake whatever it was from her leg, but that only increased her pain as the beast only sunk its claws deeper. Biting her lip to stop the shout of pain that wished to break free, Ginny tried to move again. The claws still in her ankle something else penetrated the skin of her calf, sinking deeply and viciously into her leg.
"HOLY FUCK!" Ginny screamed. The obscenity was well deserved, for all around her the water tinted red. Blood streamed from her leg as the creature began to tug her under. Ginny began kicking her legs furiously, it wasn't until she was almost completely submerged that she screamed; a piercing scream, a scream of suffering and fear. It was completely quiet save the shrieking of the witch, but as she was pulled under, water flooding Ginny's lungs, even she was silenced.
Beneath the surface Ginny continued her futile struggles. The water filled her mouth and all she could taste was the metallic of her own blood. The claws were climbing up her leg, tearing away the soft tissue of her body. The water stung her eyes as she tried to catch a glimpse of her killer. Red eyes stared right back at her as the creature bit down once more. It was the last thing she saw before the blackness took over.
Ginny awoke to a blazing fire beside her and the stars blanketing the skies above her. Blinking in confusion, she attempted to recall the previous events of the day. Woke up, rode in carriage for hours on end with Luna, went to pond to take bath…Fuck! Ginny whipped the blanket that covered her body off, staring fixedly at her left leg. Cuts and bruised encased the leg, but each seemed to have been cleaned and stitched up. Her body was bare beneath the blankets; in attempt at modesty she clutched them to her chest.
Calming the storm of emotion inside her, Ginny looked around in a frantic search to identify her rescuer. The fire was roaring to her right; beside it, various medical instruments and concoctions were settled. Blankets were piled up nearby, all neatly folded with what looked to be fresh clothing next to them. Eventually she was torn from her inspections by a rustling noise coming from the woods around the camp.
Ginny sat up, straightened her back and stared at the crackling bushes. She could not contain her surprise when an adorable, female creature popped out of the brush. The creature was petite, only about 4'11" in height, a very tiny waist, and big ears. Her skin was a pale shade of moss green and her almond shaped eyes were dark shade of brown or black; Ginny could not decipher which in this light. She wore a white chemise, with a brown bodice over it, black ribbon tying it closed about her torso. A tan skirt enveloped her, stopping at her ankles so brown loafers were visible beneath. A kerchief was about her head, making it impossible to discern whether she had hair or not.
"Mistress is awake." The creature exclaimed excitedly upon seeing Ginny. She clapped her hands together enthusiastically; scurry over to the red headed girl in mere seconds. `Now, Mistress, you shouldn't be to active. Yer wounds still need time to heal." The pixie of a girl gushed, whist replacing Ginny's blanket and tucking the sides beneath her legs.
"Ummm, sorry to sound unappreciative and all, but who the hell are you?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, I plum fergot to introduce meself. M'name's Allwyn Sonkle and I'm t'be yer personal maid. I'm a loyal sort, Mistress, so tell m' anything you please and I'll keep it safe as a gringotts vault." Allwyn's excitements and good disposition were infectious.
"May I call you Ally?" Ginny asked.
"Whatever pleases you, Mistress." Ally answered with a bright smile, clearly indicating she would like that very much. Curious Ginny decided to pry further into Ally's knowledge; she was after, Ginny's maid.
"Ally, how is it you came to be my maid? I don't remember anyone telling me I had a maid, save yourself."
"Oh, m' master told me I was to attend ye, to treat you as well and as loyally as I serve im." Ally said.
"Master? I thought that house elves only served one master or household?" Ginny said, somewhat confused.
"Oh, they do mistress, but I'm no house elf."
"Your not?"
"No, mistress. I'm a hybrid elf. Me Da was a mountain elf, mum a house elf. That's why I'm so tall- well, tall in comparison to house elves anyway. Hybrid's, such as m'self, are compelled to serve, but we choose our own masters and mistresses initially. We are very loyal and we don't inflict pain upon ourselves fer screwin up orders. My master asked me to serve as yer maid, and I agreed. Must admit I thought ye such a pretty girl that yer must have a pretty temper too." Ally explained.
Ginny blushed at the compliment. Poor thing thinks I have a good temper. "Who is your master, Ally?" Ginny asked.
"Sorry, Mistress, I'm not allowed t'tell ye that." Ally said, "I've orders not to."
"Alright then, I will not ask you again." Ginny said. "Where are we?"
"In the woods m'Lady. A few miles from the main camp."
"Why are we so far from everyone else? I know the pond was only a little ways away from camp, not even a mile."
"Master `as decided to send ye ahead of the camp. Says that ye have already ad two scares to yer health. E' doesn't want ter chance a third." She explained. "E' left to go fetch a small litter for ye, one person moves faster than o'hundred."
"Right. What attacked me in that pond? I didn't see it save its eyes, and come to think of it, how did I get away?"
"Well, m'lady ye was attacked by a Kappa from the look o' it. Nasty creatures. It's odd though, Kappa's are native to Japan and Mongolia, some one must've put the beast here. Maybe an exotic pet that they didn want no more." Ally said. "As fer yer rescuer, that be m' master. He was bringin is horse to drink when he heard yer screams. Jumped in the waters and destroyed the beast before it killed ye." Ally's eyes had glazed over, taking on a dreamy look that Ginny often associated with Luna. "M' master is the greatest master there ever was. Young, heroic, handsome, and e' is fair as any. A bit cold seemin at times, but if ye look carefully you can learn to read is eyes. That's where his emotions live, in the eyes."
"You care greatly for your master I see." Ginny said, feeling like she was witnessing something she should not. Ally was obviously in love with her master, a horrible fate for an elf to fall for a human.
"Yes, Yes. I love m' master. That's why I plan to serve ye well, Mistress. M'master thinks ye worthy of is attention, and that means ye are worthy o' m' services."
"I'm flattered, Ally, but please call me Ginny instead of Mistress or milady. If you must in public feel free to do so, but while in private I want no formalities" Ginny said with a smile.
"As it pleases, my mister, Ginny."
"Now, Ally I have one more question."
"Yes, Ginny."
"Can I have some clothes?"
A/N: well there you go. Yes, I know Draco has yet to appear but he will I promise. This is called exposition people, first get to know the characters and then they'll be thrown together. Please review it does the body good, and the authors fingers.
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