“What’s up, Draco?” Blaise asked as the two Slytherin boys were taking their usual seats in Dark Arts class.
Draco glanced up at his friend, then shook his head and replied, “Nothing’s up. Why?”
Blaise leaned his chair back on two legs and looked at Draco out of the corner of his eyes. “Oh, just because you’re all broody and haven’t put more than two words together all day.”
“I don’t have anything to say,” Draco told him.
It was true. All Draco could think about was Ginny and how he could prove his sincerity to her. So far he had nothing. Remembering their kiss at every turn wasn’t helping either.
He’d thought about using a spell to create a bouquet of flowers for her, but they would fade after a couple of hours. He wanted something that would last and be remembered. Then he’d thought about kissing her again (and why not, when it was so prevalent in his thoughts?), but that wouldn’t prove anything but that he liked kissing her.
“That’s it?” Blaise demanded. “You just don’t have anything to say?”
Draco nodded.
“You haven’t gone out with Pansy, or any other girl, for that matter, in a long time. Are you sure it doesn’t have anything to do with a special someone you’ve neglected to tell me about?”
Shaking his head at his friend, Draco replied in the negative.
“Sit down, Mr. Zabini,” boomed a gravelly voice from behind them.
Professor Carrow strode into the room, pulling a student behind him. Draco’s eyes widened when he realized who it was. Ginny Weasley, nearly stumbling as she was dragged into the classroom.
Draco half rose from his chair, not really sure what was going on. He had a pretty good idea, however, given what usually went on in this class.
Blaise gave him a confused look and pulled him back down. “What are you doing?” he hissed.
Professor Carrow reached the front of the room and whirled to face the class, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth as he did. “This school has rules. These rules were made for a specific reason. Those students who fancy themselves above the authority of the teachers will be punished.” He was clearly angry, as some of his usual, uncultured way of talking punctuated his memorized speech.
The students in the front row shivered. Some with fear; some with anticipation. They knew what this meant.
“Draco Malfoy,” Amycus Carrow called. “I haven’t picked you in a long time. Come up here, then.”
Draco felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs. His brain immediately went into overdrive. How was he going to get out of this?
Thoughts whizzed through his head so fast that he couldn’t grab hold of a single one. The phrase ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no!’ kept repeating itself over and over again.
Blaise, noticing that his friend wasn’t getting out of his seat, gave him a nudge. Draco found himself standing, but couldn’t bring himself to move forward. His feet felt like they were glued to the floor. No way could he use the Cruciatus on Ginny. No way!
“Quickly, Mr. Malfoy. I haven’t got all day!” Professor Carrow yelled. He motioned to Ginny. “Miss Weasley felt that it wasn’t necessary for her to come to class yesterday. Her decision to disobey the rules has earned her a detention.”
Draco still hadn’t moved, so Professor Carrow stormed toward him and grabbed his arm. “Mr. Malfoy,” he began angrily. “I would like you to perform the Cruciatus curse on Miss Weasley.”
The professor’s touch seemed to jolt Draco out of his daze. “I… I can’t do that, sir,” he stammered.
Amycus dragged him up to stand in front of Ginny. “Of course you can, Mr. Malfoy. It’s a very simple spell.” His voice held a taunting note.
Ginny glanced up at Draco, looking extremely frightened, then turned quickly away. A hard glint suddenly entered her eyes as if she were preparing herself. She took a shaky breath and then stood perfectly motionless. She hardly seemed to be breathing.
Professor Carrow, meanwhile, had drawn his wand. “Here,” he sneered. “I will show you how it’s done so that you will understand.”
Draco realized what was happening and, with a cry of rage, leapt in front of Ginny just as Professor Carrow yelled, “Crucio!”
The pain was intense. It seemed to fill every part of him. Draco was thrown to the ground, fire burning in his limbs. He yelled and thrashed, trying to rid himself of the feeling.
“No!” Ginny screamed, throwing herself on top of him. “Draco! Why did you do that?”
Draco tried to summon up a smile for her, but only succeeded in looking more pained.
Professor Carrow dragged Ginny off. He glared down and said, “Yes, Draco. Why did you do that? I have never known a Slytherin to take the punishment for another.”
Draco lay on the floor, gasping for a minute. “I can’t let you do that. I won’t let you torture her. And I most certainly won’t do it myself.”
“Fine then. Crabbe! Goyle! Come here!”
Draco’s overly-large friends tripped over each other in their haste to obey. Professor Carrow was their favourite teacher. In his class, they excelled.
“Hold Mr. Malfoy down over there,” the professor said, indicating the far wall.
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, then at Draco in obvious confusion. They’d never been ordered to do anything to one of their own before. Especially one they looked up to as much as Draco.
“Now!” Amycus bellowed, his face turning red with fury.
The boys jumped and quickly grabbed Draco by the arms.
Draco tried to fight them off, but they were stronger than him any day. “No! Stop!” he cried, straining against his friends.
Pansy Parkinson stood up from her seat in the second row. “Professor,” she began softly. “I’ll do it.” She glared maliciously at Ginny, hate emanating from her eyes.
Professor Carrow nodded happily. “Good. Good.” He beckoned her over, shooting a smug look at Draco as he did.
Pansy didn’t even move from her seat. She raised her wand and shrieked, “Crucio!”
The spell hit Ginny and knocked her backwards, over the top of Amycus Carrow’s desk and onto the floor. She lay there writhing, her screams splitting the air.
Draco screamed along with her. In one last, desperate attempt, he managed to grab his wand out of his pocket. He pointed it at Pansy and cried, “Averte Statura!”
Pansy crashed into the desk behind her with a cry of her own. She gasped and looked up at Draco, stunned.
He finally managed to get free of Crabbe and Goyle’s death grip, their surprise was rather effective in loosening their hold, and ran to Ginny’s side. He put his arm under her head and tried to lift her up.
Amycus was furious. “I’ve had enough!” he yelled. “Petrificus Totalus!”
Draco’s arms and legs snapped straight and he toppled to the ground. He was dragged to one side, none too gently, as Amycus turned back to Ginny.
The professor announced, “Now, without anymore interruptions, we will finish Miss Weasley’s detention. Crucio!”
Draco could hear her screams and tried in vain to throw off the Full-Body Bind. He’d dropped his wand after cursing Pansy because his only thought had been to get to Ginny. Now he mentally cursed himself for his lack of foresight. His wand would have come in very hand at that moment.
The torture dragged on for several minutes, Ginny’s screams growing weaker and weaker. Finally, Amycus seemed satisfied. He lowered his wand and stepped backwards.
Draco could hear Ginny taking deep, gasping gulps of air and whimpering.
The professor called a student forward and gave him whispered instructions. A door opened, then closed, and silence fell. Draco wished he could see more than this patch of ceiling. He had no idea what was happening.
After a minute, the spell was lifted. Draco scrambled for his wand and looked around for Ginny at the same time. She wasn’t there.
“So, Mr. Malfoy. Would you like to tell me why you jumped to the defense of Miss Weasley? Why you would throw yourself in front of the Cruciatus curse for that blood-traitor Gryffindor?” Professor Carrow’s face was inches from his own.
Without speaking, Draco cast an Imperious on him. His father had made sure that he knew that one early on, just in case. He’d said you could never know when you’d need to use it to protect your interests and that, under Dumbledore, that could be rather frequent.
Amycus straightened up, his eyes taking on a glazed look, and locked the classroom door. Working quickly, they Obliviated the students so that they wouldn’t remember Draco trying to save Ginny. Finally, Draco Obliviated the professor.
He made his way back to his seat, and the class continued as it normally did. Everyone thought that Draco had been cooperative and some even gave him thumbs-up. His own thoughts were focused on Ginny, however, and he hardly noticed. Where was she?
Draco glanced up at his friend, then shook his head and replied, “Nothing’s up. Why?”
Blaise leaned his chair back on two legs and looked at Draco out of the corner of his eyes. “Oh, just because you’re all broody and haven’t put more than two words together all day.”
“I don’t have anything to say,” Draco told him.
It was true. All Draco could think about was Ginny and how he could prove his sincerity to her. So far he had nothing. Remembering their kiss at every turn wasn’t helping either.
He’d thought about using a spell to create a bouquet of flowers for her, but they would fade after a couple of hours. He wanted something that would last and be remembered. Then he’d thought about kissing her again (and why not, when it was so prevalent in his thoughts?), but that wouldn’t prove anything but that he liked kissing her.
“That’s it?” Blaise demanded. “You just don’t have anything to say?”
Draco nodded.
“You haven’t gone out with Pansy, or any other girl, for that matter, in a long time. Are you sure it doesn’t have anything to do with a special someone you’ve neglected to tell me about?”
Shaking his head at his friend, Draco replied in the negative.
“Sit down, Mr. Zabini,” boomed a gravelly voice from behind them.
Professor Carrow strode into the room, pulling a student behind him. Draco’s eyes widened when he realized who it was. Ginny Weasley, nearly stumbling as she was dragged into the classroom.
Draco half rose from his chair, not really sure what was going on. He had a pretty good idea, however, given what usually went on in this class.
Blaise gave him a confused look and pulled him back down. “What are you doing?” he hissed.
Professor Carrow reached the front of the room and whirled to face the class, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth as he did. “This school has rules. These rules were made for a specific reason. Those students who fancy themselves above the authority of the teachers will be punished.” He was clearly angry, as some of his usual, uncultured way of talking punctuated his memorized speech.
The students in the front row shivered. Some with fear; some with anticipation. They knew what this meant.
“Draco Malfoy,” Amycus Carrow called. “I haven’t picked you in a long time. Come up here, then.”
Draco felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs. His brain immediately went into overdrive. How was he going to get out of this?
Thoughts whizzed through his head so fast that he couldn’t grab hold of a single one. The phrase ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no!’ kept repeating itself over and over again.
Blaise, noticing that his friend wasn’t getting out of his seat, gave him a nudge. Draco found himself standing, but couldn’t bring himself to move forward. His feet felt like they were glued to the floor. No way could he use the Cruciatus on Ginny. No way!
“Quickly, Mr. Malfoy. I haven’t got all day!” Professor Carrow yelled. He motioned to Ginny. “Miss Weasley felt that it wasn’t necessary for her to come to class yesterday. Her decision to disobey the rules has earned her a detention.”
Draco still hadn’t moved, so Professor Carrow stormed toward him and grabbed his arm. “Mr. Malfoy,” he began angrily. “I would like you to perform the Cruciatus curse on Miss Weasley.”
The professor’s touch seemed to jolt Draco out of his daze. “I… I can’t do that, sir,” he stammered.
Amycus dragged him up to stand in front of Ginny. “Of course you can, Mr. Malfoy. It’s a very simple spell.” His voice held a taunting note.
Ginny glanced up at Draco, looking extremely frightened, then turned quickly away. A hard glint suddenly entered her eyes as if she were preparing herself. She took a shaky breath and then stood perfectly motionless. She hardly seemed to be breathing.
Professor Carrow, meanwhile, had drawn his wand. “Here,” he sneered. “I will show you how it’s done so that you will understand.”
Draco realized what was happening and, with a cry of rage, leapt in front of Ginny just as Professor Carrow yelled, “Crucio!”
The pain was intense. It seemed to fill every part of him. Draco was thrown to the ground, fire burning in his limbs. He yelled and thrashed, trying to rid himself of the feeling.
“No!” Ginny screamed, throwing herself on top of him. “Draco! Why did you do that?”
Draco tried to summon up a smile for her, but only succeeded in looking more pained.
Professor Carrow dragged Ginny off. He glared down and said, “Yes, Draco. Why did you do that? I have never known a Slytherin to take the punishment for another.”
Draco lay on the floor, gasping for a minute. “I can’t let you do that. I won’t let you torture her. And I most certainly won’t do it myself.”
“Fine then. Crabbe! Goyle! Come here!”
Draco’s overly-large friends tripped over each other in their haste to obey. Professor Carrow was their favourite teacher. In his class, they excelled.
“Hold Mr. Malfoy down over there,” the professor said, indicating the far wall.
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, then at Draco in obvious confusion. They’d never been ordered to do anything to one of their own before. Especially one they looked up to as much as Draco.
“Now!” Amycus bellowed, his face turning red with fury.
The boys jumped and quickly grabbed Draco by the arms.
Draco tried to fight them off, but they were stronger than him any day. “No! Stop!” he cried, straining against his friends.
Pansy Parkinson stood up from her seat in the second row. “Professor,” she began softly. “I’ll do it.” She glared maliciously at Ginny, hate emanating from her eyes.
Professor Carrow nodded happily. “Good. Good.” He beckoned her over, shooting a smug look at Draco as he did.
Pansy didn’t even move from her seat. She raised her wand and shrieked, “Crucio!”
The spell hit Ginny and knocked her backwards, over the top of Amycus Carrow’s desk and onto the floor. She lay there writhing, her screams splitting the air.
Draco screamed along with her. In one last, desperate attempt, he managed to grab his wand out of his pocket. He pointed it at Pansy and cried, “Averte Statura!”
Pansy crashed into the desk behind her with a cry of her own. She gasped and looked up at Draco, stunned.
He finally managed to get free of Crabbe and Goyle’s death grip, their surprise was rather effective in loosening their hold, and ran to Ginny’s side. He put his arm under her head and tried to lift her up.
Amycus was furious. “I’ve had enough!” he yelled. “Petrificus Totalus!”
Draco’s arms and legs snapped straight and he toppled to the ground. He was dragged to one side, none too gently, as Amycus turned back to Ginny.
The professor announced, “Now, without anymore interruptions, we will finish Miss Weasley’s detention. Crucio!”
Draco could hear her screams and tried in vain to throw off the Full-Body Bind. He’d dropped his wand after cursing Pansy because his only thought had been to get to Ginny. Now he mentally cursed himself for his lack of foresight. His wand would have come in very hand at that moment.
The torture dragged on for several minutes, Ginny’s screams growing weaker and weaker. Finally, Amycus seemed satisfied. He lowered his wand and stepped backwards.
Draco could hear Ginny taking deep, gasping gulps of air and whimpering.
The professor called a student forward and gave him whispered instructions. A door opened, then closed, and silence fell. Draco wished he could see more than this patch of ceiling. He had no idea what was happening.
After a minute, the spell was lifted. Draco scrambled for his wand and looked around for Ginny at the same time. She wasn’t there.
“So, Mr. Malfoy. Would you like to tell me why you jumped to the defense of Miss Weasley? Why you would throw yourself in front of the Cruciatus curse for that blood-traitor Gryffindor?” Professor Carrow’s face was inches from his own.
Without speaking, Draco cast an Imperious on him. His father had made sure that he knew that one early on, just in case. He’d said you could never know when you’d need to use it to protect your interests and that, under Dumbledore, that could be rather frequent.
Amycus straightened up, his eyes taking on a glazed look, and locked the classroom door. Working quickly, they Obliviated the students so that they wouldn’t remember Draco trying to save Ginny. Finally, Draco Obliviated the professor.
He made his way back to his seat, and the class continued as it normally did. Everyone thought that Draco had been cooperative and some even gave him thumbs-up. His own thoughts were focused on Ginny, however, and he hardly noticed. Where was she?
Author notes: This chapter has a bit of action in it. Nothing intense, but enough to be called action. I think it's a bit over-dramatic, but I like it nonetheless. I hope you all liked it! I was kind of tired when I typed it up, so it may not be perfect. I tried, though... for you. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks to xLovelyLollypopx, BIQxoxBOHICA, choravenclaw, Rosalie, merriza, psyche, and riley black for reviewing! Loves!
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