Chapter 14: Stupefied
Ginny tried to scream, tried to struggle free of the strong arms around her, but the immediate panic that gripped her stomach left her immobile and unable to react.
“Now, what could Fudge’s most promising little negotiator possibly be doing out here? As a Ministry witch, aren’t you supposed to obey the rules?” a cold, hard voice whispered close to her ear. It seemed to snap her body into action, and she was violently struggling against the arms restraining her and kicking her legs up to try to work herself free. She felt his grip break, and he had to move his hand away from her mouth to keep her from slipping free.
“Let go of me or I will scream,” she threatened quietly, calmly.
“Go ahead. I wouldn’t be so certain that will help you anyway,” the cold voice said again. Kicking back with all her might, Ginny ran as soon as she felt his arms release in the moment that pain and surprise took over his body. She had made it a few steps away. She grabbed her wand from where it was tying her hair back, and her hair tumbled down in a flash of red against the moonlight. She was about to step through the line of trees separating her from the clearing before he was right behind her. Grabbing her shoulders with his arms, he swung her around and slammed her against a large tree nearby, causing her back to spasm in pain and the breath to be knocked out of her body.
Finally face to face with her attacker, Ginny gasped as a pair of dark gray eyes stared down at her, full of anger.
“Don’t do that again, Ministry witch, or you’ll regret it,” Darien’s hard voice ordered, his face a whisper away from hers. Ginny’s eyes widened in fear, and she felt the weight of his body pressing against hers pushing her closer to the tree as she struggled to regain her breath.
“You know who I am?” she gasped softly, as she struggled to free her hand holding her wand. She just needed to be able to maneuver it so she could get one spell on him. Then she could run the last few steps into the clearing, where more people were and she would hopefully find an ally, preferably Draco.
His adjusted his grip on her, running his hands the length of her arms, and squeezing her wrists tightly, further immobilizing her. She gave up on trying to twist free; he was too strong and his height gave him leverage that she would never be able to match.
“You’re one of the Weasley rats, how could anyone mistake you for anything else?” he hissed. His face was too close; he was too close. His hands were gripped tightly around her wrists, pinning them back to the tree. “Now tell me, Ministry witch, what are you doing here?”
“It appears that Malfoy hospitality has indeed declined in recent years,” drawled a soft, cool voice. Quiet as it was, it ripped through the harsh sound of Ginny’s gasping, resounding with a command and power that caused Darien’s head to snap up and his grip to slacken around Ginny’s wrists. She felt her knees weaken with relief as she caught a glimpse of Draco’s pale hair in the moonlight.
“I don’t extend hospitality to a Ministry spy, Draco!” Darien fumed, whipping around to face Draco. Draco’s face was calm and he was leaning back against a tree, relaxed with his arms crossed. It was only when Ginny met his eyes did she see just how truly furious he was.
“Let go of me this instant!” Ginny demanded, once again struggling against the tall man’s grip. Instantly turning his attention back to her, he pushed her back against the tree with one hand and aimed his wand at her threateningly with the other. She weakly cried out in pain as the base of her skull came into contact with the tree trunk.
“I told you to stop doing that!” Darien spat out. “Now, cousin, why don’t you tell me why you’ve brought this Weasley rat to our home?”
Ginny kicked him for that, as hard as she could in a rather delicate spot. As he doubled over in pain, she tried to wriggle free from between his body and the large tree. She had almost managed to get a full step away before Darien recovered and grabbed her arm, twisting it painfully and yanking her back to him.
“Cousin, if you don’t release her, I will have to kill you,” Draco said, almost pleasantly. Slightly put off by her host’s lack of action in her defense, Ginny glared at him. And managed to catch the dangerous glint in his eyes. He may have sounded pleasant, but he was dead serious. Darien seemed to understand this as well; he released his hold on Ginny. Yanking her arms free from his grip, she pushed him to the side and stepped out of his reach. Her head was aching and she felt a stiffness in her back from when he had pressed her against it. Without even thinking, letting her anger at being handled in such an undignified manner, she pointed her wand at Darien.
“Stupefy!” she shouted, and watched with grim satisfaction as her spell hit him squarely in the chest and he fell over, crashing to the ground, Stunned.
* * * * *
The girl was beginning to affect him in ways that he had never accounted before. As soon as she stepped foot into the maze of the forest, he had known that she was there. He could feel her presence in his ‘spot’, his refuge from the world. The air around him seemed to stir suddenly, as if signaling to her what was happening. Immediately after he realized that she had entered the maze, he felt a great well of anger boil up within him – not that he was angry she was in this place that was so sacred to him.
No, he was angry because the bleeding idiot had no idea what would happen to her if the others found her here. Had he not warned her? As he doubled back from the clearing where the others were gathered, he began a cursory search for the little redhead, planning to throttle her for ignoring his warnings, and drag her back to the house where she was safe. He was trying not to admit to the fact that he was near frantic with worry, for that would hardly be productive. He promised himself he’d dwell on that at a more appropriate moment.
When he stumbled upon Darien manhandling her, Draco had to forcefully subdue his rage as he watched in horror as the tall brute threatened the little slip of a woman, barely half his size. Instead of raging at his cousin, Draco knew that the best tactic was to keep his cool.
And now, staring down at the fiery woman who had just Stupefied a man twice his size, her eyes blazing with her fury and her hair billowing wildly around her, he felt the urge to laugh. Instead of the scared, helpless heap he’d been expecting, before him was a furious firebrand that was ready to do battle with any enemy that dared challenge her.
His laughter died in his throat as he spotted the flesh around her wrists, already bruising and appearing swollen. He felt his anger return to the surface as the sight of that purple and swelling skin reminded him of just how much danger she was in – and all because she didn’t listen to him.
He walked to his cousin, and pulled out his wand. While he was still under the effect of Ginny’s curse, Draco preformed a simple memory charm, hoping that it would erase the memory of this event from his cousin’s mind. If Darien remembered…Draco threw off that worry and once again turned to Ginny, catching her brown eyes. The soft look in them reminded him of those of a wounded puppy, and the fierce desire to protect her overwhelmed him again.
Without saying a word, he grabbed her hand carefully, to avoid inflicting any further pain on her than necessary, and dragged her away from that spot and deeper into the forest.
* * * * *
“Well, little Weasley, it seems that listening isn’t among your talents,” Draco finally said, as he roughly let go of her arm. He had practically dragged her through the forest, walking at a fast clip that her shorter legs had to strain to keep up with. He was knowledge of the landscape allowed him to be agile and fast, but she stumbled the whole way, the darkness and her panic working against her. He hadn’t stopped until they reached was seemed like a tiny alcove of trees; a tiny clearing that was guarded all around it by thick trees. There was only space enough in the circle for them to squeeze through.
She collapsed on the ground, exhausted from days of inadequate sleep, the panic and fear that had gripped her ever since that sound had woken her, and now her fast trek through the forest. The ground was soft and warm – the snow hadn’t infiltrated the roof of the trees above, and the wind was also blocked. She felt her icy limbs begin to thaw and sighed as she allowed her muscles to relax.
Draco watched her with masked worry in his eyes. She was undoubtedly shaken and tired by their venture through the woods, but the pace had been necessary. Darien was a powerful wizard and Draco knew that he would throw off the curse quickly and he needed to get Ginny as far away as possible before that happened.
“Perhaps if you deigned it necessary to inform me of the dangers of venturing outside my room at night, I would have listened more closely,” she responded crossly.
“You may have damaged this entire trip, do you realize that? When Darien recovers and if he remembers seeing you…our deal will be over, and you will be lucky to make it back to Britain!” Draco fired back, her remark igniting his temper again.
“Quit yelling at me and listen. I am not going anywhere until you tell me about what I saw!” she declared. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as the man who had been pacing back in forth during their exchange of words suddenly stopped, and glared at her. Then he sighed, and sank down to the ground, almost appearing dejected.
“Why don’t you tell me what you saw and I’ll see what I can tell you,” he said quietly, almost regretfully.
“Just explain it to me, Malfoy! If the Ministry in Britain knew about what was going on here—”
“—You came here to learn about the wizards here so you could understand them, not to threaten them with what you’ve learned as soon as you gain any kind of half-knowledge!” Draco yelled.
“Just tell me what is going on here!” she pleaded angrily, any semblance of patience being snapped.
“Fine, Weasley. Remember what I told you – nothing here is as it really seems. I guess it’s time you find out why.”
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