Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Authors Note: Next chapter, only a few more to go now. Probably around two more, three at the most, I think. Then the sequel, of course, but you might have to wait a bit for that. I'll explain it all in my last chapter. Also, sorry for any typos, I don't have a beta reader and I suck at it (I always miss things). Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!
Ginny sat as still as she could, frozen in fear. Images that she had subconsciously tried to suppress since her first year started to flash into her mind: Tom Riddle's spirit forcing her into the Chamber of Secrets. The dark and dank Chamber and the monkey faced Salazar Slytherin statue looming above her as the giant Basilisk slithered around her. Tom Riddles form appearing before her very eyes, his handsome face grinning at her with a terrifying coldness. Tom Riddle clasping his cold hands around her face and sucking the life out of her, grinning the whole time.
Ginny started to shake, tears appearing in her eyes. She hung her head, trying to hide, ashamed of her weakness. Clutching the table before her as hard as she could, Ginny tried to calm herself. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, not one bit.
Had she been watching the scene unravelling at the staff table, she would have seen the Death Eater (Blaise Zabini) coming right towards her. Unfortunately, she was too wrapped up in her own terror to notice, at least until he was upon her. Blaise grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet, making her gasp out in shock and turn her tear stained face to his skull mask.
"Come on Weasel," Blaise cooed, "it's time to meet your Lord and Master."
"Hey!" Ellen got up, protesting. "Leave her alone!"
Blaise let go off Ginny, who fell to her knees beside the staff table, sobbing. He turned to face Ginny's protesting roommate, grinning under his mask.
"And why would I do that you filthy Mudblood?" Blaise mocked, laughing.
"Because I said so!" Ellen said, hands on her hips, glaring at him.
Blaise just laughed harder, before lashing out with his fist and hitting her right in the nose. Ellen gasped (and was echoed by the entire Hall, minus the Death Eaters) and fell to the floor, her nose busted, blooding pouring down in gushes. Kate rushed him, but he shoved her away easily and pulled out his wand, aiming it at the downed girl.
"You better learn to watch your mouth Mudblood," Blaise said, "it'll get you in trouble. Crucio!"
Ellen screamed, her body writing on the floor below Blaise, tears leaking from her eyes. Blaise laughed as he tortured the girl, before dispelling the Cruciatus curse and placing his boot under the girl's body, rolling her onto her back. He grinned down at her though his mask, before placing his boot onto her face and grinding down, further breaking her nose. Ellen shrieked in pain again, but her screams quickly turned to sobs. Blaise let up, chuckling, before spitting on her. He then grabbed Ginny's arm, lugging her to her feet, and started to drag her over to the high table. Kate dropped to her knees by her friend, crying as well, and hugged her best friend.
Ginny had become lost in her own mind, removed from everything, in a desperate attempt to escape the situation she was in. She barely heard or even realised what was happening to her roommate. She was being lugged around, that she knew, but she wasn't conscious of what was actually happening. It was like she'd been temporarily removed from her body, unable to do anything.
(----)
Blaise dragged Ginny to the staff table and then let go, letting her fall to her knees at his feet. He smirked at Draco, before walking past the blond Slytherin and joining the ranks of the other Death Eaters again.
Lucius Malfoy turned to his son, who was staring at Ginny sadly. Lucius scowled and grabbed his son by the shoulders, turning him to face him. He shook him, getting the young Malfoys attention.
"Listen to me boy," Lucius hissed, "if you do not do this now, you will never be accepted. You will be labelled a weak fool and most likely, you will be killed. Make me proud son. Kill the Blood Traitor now."
Draco gulped, but nodded and turned from his father's grip. He grabbed wand and raised it, pointing it at Ginny. He took a few steps forward, so that his wand almost touched Ginny's lowered head. He was so close he could hear her quiet sobs.
"I'm sorry Ginny," he whispered, and at that moment Ginny finally came back to herself.
Her head shot up, catching his eye. Tears streaked down her face and her mouth was open, twisted into a pitiful expression. She looked a mess.
"Please," she sobbed, "please Draco…I…please don't do this…I'm sorry…I'll do anything…please…"
"Its too late Ginny," Draco said, "there's nothing either of us can do. It's way too late. But know this - I love you and I'm so sorry."
"No," Ginny moaned.
Draco looked back at his father, at Blaise, and at Voldemort. His father nodded, his eyes narrowed. Blaise was grinning underneath his mask. Lord Voldemort just looked on with slightly impatience and mild curiosity. Draco turned back to Ginny and raised his wand. He took a breath.
"Avada Kedavra!"
But at the last second, Draco spun around and aimed his wand at Voldemort. The flash of green light streaked across the room, but before it could strike its target, a chair flew into the way and exploded. The Great Hall was silent once more. It was like the entire room was caught in the eye of a storm, a sort of temporary immobility where no one really knows what do or say, or if what they saw really happened. But then it was over.
"Get him!" Voldemort roared, his nostrils flaring.
Draco grabbed Ginny's arm and dragged her to her feet, attempting a futile escape, but was quickly knocked down with a Crucio. He fell with a cry of pain, his entire body twitching, and Ginny fell with him.
Draco rolled over, looking up at the caster of the Crucio, his very own father. Lucius Malfoy was glaring with unrivalled anger at his son, who was gasping from the pain of the torture curse. The elder Malfoy raised his wand again and cast another Crucio, making Draco cry out again.
"Bring him to me!" Voldemort commanded.
"Yes my Lord," Lucius replied, grabbing Draco by the scruff of his robes and dragging him to his Master.
He dropped Draco onto his knees in front of the most feared wizard of all time, but Draco could hardly even kneel under the tremendous pain his body had just gone through, so he fell forward, sprawled at Voldemort's feet.
"Pick him up!" Voldemort ordered.
Lucius grabbed Draco's hair and pulled him up, so that he was locking eyes with the heir of Slytherin.
"You dare to defy me boy?" Voldemort hissed. "Me - the heir of Slytherin himself - the Dark Lord Voldemort."
"Screw…you…" Draco gasped, glaring at the Dark Lord.
Voldemort raised his own wand lazily and the next thing Draco knew, he was in more pain than he had ever felt in his entire life. Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse made his father's feel like tickling. Voldemort dismissed the curse and Draco slumped forwards, wheezing.
"Do you understand my power now?" Voldemort said. "Do you understand why the entire world will fall at my feet and worship me? Tell me boy - who do you possible think could stand against me and even hope to win?"
"…Harry…" Draco said, forcing his head to rise and locking eyes with Voldemort.
Voldemort laughed, the same cold harsh laugh he had heard before. Voldemort laugh soon turned into a snarl and he cast another Crucio on Draco.
"Your pain can be over boy," Voldemort said. "All you have to do is admit that I am the greatest wizard to ever draw breath. Admit that I am your Master and beg for my forgiveness!"
"Sorry," Draco gasped, "but I'm not…a spineless loser…like my father…"
Voldemort smirked, his snake like visage twisted more than ever before. He laughed again and nodded to Lucius, wordlessly instructing the man to move out of the way. Lucius dragged Draco out of the way as the Dark Lord stood, his robes flowing behind him eerily. Voldemort looked down at Draco, who was glaring up at him.
"You will bow at my feet boy," Voldemort said, "I can assure you of that."
Then Voldemort turned his eyes to Ginny, who was still lying on the floor, only a few feet away. Voldemort snapped his fingers at Blaise, who immediately rushed forward.
"Bring me the Blood Traitor," Voldemort commanded.
"Yes my Lord," Blaise replied, before rushing over to Ginny and grabbing a handful of her hair again, yanking her over to Voldemort.
He dropped her at Voldemort feet and then rushed back into line. Voldemort turned to look at Draco, who was staring at him wide eyed. Voldemort raised his wand ("No!" Draco exploded) and cast another Crucio. Ginny started shrieking on the floor, jerking like she was being electrocuted.
"No!" Draco snarled through his teeth clenched. "Stop it!"
"Beg to be forgiven!" Voldemort roared. "Tell all here that I am the Dark Lord, your Master! Submit to me and she will no longer have to suffer!"
Draco glared at him, tears in his own eyes now, as he fought between his pride and Ginny's well being. He hung his head, tears leaking out now, fists clenched.
"….Alright." Draco moaned. "I'll admit it, just stop it…"
Voldemort released Ginny from the Crucio, leaving her sobbing on the floor, shaking violently.
"Let him go Lucius," Voldemort instructed.
The elder Malfoy did, letting Draco free. Draco climbed shakily to his feet, the pain of all the Crucio's he'd suffered still causing him great pain.
"Kneel at my feet boy!" Voldemort commanded.
Draco clenched his teeth, but dropped to his knees. Voldemort laughed - and was echoed by the rest of his Death Eaters.
"Now beg for my forgiveness!" Voldemort hollered, laughing his hard laugh.
"…Please…please forgive me…my Lord…" Draco whispered.
"Louder!" Voldemort directed, smirking at Draco. "I want the entire Great Hall to echo with your words! I want all to hear you beg my forgiveness!"
Draco sucked in a deep breath, clenching his fist even tighter. He thought of Ginny's face, screaming and crying with agony, and hardened his resolve. He wouldn't let her go through that pain. Not again. His pride be dammed!
"Please," Draco said, loudly this time, "Please forgive me my Lord."
Voldemort laughed again. "That's right," he said, "beg me like the worm you are. Bow you head to me boy!"
Draco did as order, bowing his head.
"Kiss my boot!" Voldemort demanded, sticking it under Draco's nose.
Draco flushed, but with the image of Ginny in his mind, he pressed his lips to the tip of Voldemorts boot. His dignity was being stripped from him, but if he could just hold out, Draco knew he would be able to keep Ginny safe. Come on Harry, he thought. I can't stall much longer.
"Now then, I'm going to give you a choice."
Draco looked up at him questioningly.
"Let's see how brave you really are," Voldemort said. "I am going to torture someone and you get to choose who. So let's see, who shall it be? I know," he pointed his wand at Ginny, "her?"
"No!" Draco shouted, lowering his head when Voldemort laughed.
"Of course not," Voldemort mocked, "how silly of me. Then that leaves only one person - you!"
Draco glared at him.
"That's right," Voldemort said. "So who will it be? Will you be the brave boy you are striving to become? Or will your Slytherin side reveal itself? Who will it be?"
"…Me…" Draco whispered.
"Sorry?"
"I said me!" Draco shouted. "I chose me. Crucio me all you want, I won't let you hurt Ginny!"
"Like you could stop me," Voldemort laughed.
To prove a point, he zapped Ginny with another Crucio. Draco fought out of his father's grip and dived in the way, intercepting the curse. His body fell sprawled over Ginny, covering her. His entire body was sent into a spasm of pain and Voldemort laughed.
"How noble, but utterly futile." Voldemort said. "What do you hope to achieve boy?"
"I'm not…" Draco panted. "I won't let you…hurt her."
"Then you will be driven insane," Voldemort said, smirking, "is that what you want?"
"If that's what it takes," Draco ground out, turning to face Voldemort again and getting to his feet, shaking.
"So be it," Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Draco.
However, before he could cast any spell, the double doors of the Great Hall exploded and the cavalry arrived.
(----)
Piccolo999