A Powerful and Painful Addiction

Chapter 15: Tourniquet

"You think you're going to harm me with a measly sword?" he joked. "Joely, come on."

"Hey, you forget who is teaching DADA here this year. I remember Scott kicking your ass quite often when you dueled," said Joely, holding the sword pointedly in front of her.

"So Bridgeman finally found a job, did he? I imagined that he rather enjoyed lazing about while his dear old brother earned all the money teaching at Salem."

"Just shut up! I want this over with, now!"

"You know," he mocked, inching his way toward her, "it doesn't have to end with so much bloodshed." Joely's sword slowly faltered to the ground. "You could give me what I want, and then it could be just you and me. Just the way it used to be."

"No," she stuttered; her eyes glazing over as though she was falling into a trance. "It can never be the way it once was."

"We were so good together. Remember, my love?" he breathed seductively into her ear. Joely's eyes fluttered shut as the sensation of his hot breath swept past her cheek. "We would have such a beautiful life."

Joely felt the spell taking her over. It was consuming every inch of her; inside and out. From the tips of her toes, to the bottom of her heart, she was being swallowed. It felt breathtaking to have this feeling wash over her once again after having been so long without it. Her heart was so warm and light with the feel of adoration engulfing her. Dropping the blade to the floor with a clatter, she allowed Damon to drape her arms around his neck; his hands gliding down her back, his fingertips wavering up and down the scarred flesh that existed there. Her head tilted to the side as his lips claimed a satiny spot of skin on her neck, his teeth marking it; his hands roughly and possessively cupped her derrière, picking her up to wrap her legs around his waist.

The bound up Draco turned his head away from the scene. Even the thought of it gutted him. After all that she went through, after all the fighting that she did, she was going to give in to his prowess of seduction and let him take her. Take away her life, her freedom. Damon's moans of pleasure poisoned him; the sickness that it held rushing through his constricted veins, threatening to crush him into a living powder. But that suddenly changed.

"Draco," Joely whispered.

Draco's head snapped back up as she whispered his name again in the same breathless tone. Slowly and jaggedly she shook her head, trying to open her eyes. He couldn't understand what she was attempting to say. Was she imagining that it was him causing her elicit moans? Was she drawing his attention so he would watch the act that was wrenching his insides? When she mouthed the word help and clawed at Damon's scalp, he knew that she was begging him to get her attention.

As loudly as he could he yelled against the gag in his mouth, bouncing around in his chair. He knew that she was in deep and he must make as much of a raucous as he could to keep her from falling in too deep. Her heart had fallen and succumbed to Damon's game, but he knew that her spirit and mind were very much alive and alert. The trio catching on as well, joined Malfoy in breaking the seduction.

In a bone grinding shout of "NO!" and a thick pull of hair from Damon's head, Joely was free and scrambling along the floor for her sword.

"Damn it! You bitch!" he roared as he clutched his aching head.

"Don't ever do that to me again!"

"You enjoyed it just as much, if not more than I did. It's been a long time since either of us have had any, let alone from each other."

"Oh trust me, I've had plenty," she smirked. "You don't need to love someone to sleep with someone. You of all people should know that. All you really need is a few bottles of hard liquor, mix it with lust, shake it with some tension for spice, and sex is born.

Hermione stared at Joely disgustedly. The thought of such was beyond vile to her. All of that came from mouth of the person that Hermione respected for being adamant about waiting for love before sex, like herself.

"It's an absolute shame that you can't detect my lust. You never made it that far into casting," she said, standing her ground, her sword stone like out at Damon. She cackled maniacally when his face dropped at the very thought. "Does it burn you to know that you weren't the first? Don't worry, it wasn't anything worth remembering anyway."

"You whore!"

"Congratulations to me for finally meeting your expectations."

He quickly grabbed one of the wooden chairs and broke off one of the legs, transfiguring it into a solid blade of black.

The first clash of metal rang out, the high pitched shrill echoing sharply enough to break glass; and it did just that. The solid thick glass of the ancient clock above the mantle burst forward with an explosion like force, spraying on to the hostages. Both wielders locked eyes on the other, unfazed by the sound or feel of the shattered glass.

"How could you do that to me?"

"Do what, Damon? Leave you for someone that cared about me?" she stated as the swords clashed again.

"Why?"

"Why should I have stayed with you, huh? You did nothing and have done nothing but hurt me and the ones I care about!"

"I made you stronger!"

"You beat me when you had nothing else to do! Then locked me in that room until you felt that my 'punishment' was over!"

"You're still alive aren't you?"

"Barely!" she screamed.

"It's better then nothing which is what you left me with!" he bellowed as they moved across the room, the blades now singing in pain from the battle.

"I'm practically dead, Damon!"

"That's your own fucking fault!" CRASH! "I warned you about what would happen! I told you to stay away from him, from everyone!"

"I have never taken orders from you!" CLANG! "AND- crash- I- clang- DON'T- clatter- EVER- clip- PLAN- crash- TO!"

"You will obey me, or you will die!"

"NO!"

"I will get what I want from you!"

"Like hell you will!"

That's when Damon made his move. He dashed away from Joely's next swing, and poised himself behind Ron, holding the blade against his throat, the edge indenting his skin.

"Down, or he goes," he taunted.

"Bullshit! You won't do it. There's nothing for you to gain from it."

He proved her wrong as she saw the blood drip down Ron's neck, discoloring the white oxford collar.

Joely shook her head and her face twisted into a horrendous pained expression as she debated if he would continue even after she resigned her weapon. A sensation deep in her belly told her that this was all an illusion. She couldn't stand down now, she would never be able to live with herself if she surrendered and let him claim victory. She knew it wasn't a trick when a stray tear trickled down Ron's freckly face.

"All right! Stop! NOW!"

"Good girl," he murmured as her sword fell to the ground; she gasped and her head spun when the blade disappeared. "Oh no," he said in fake desperation; his dramatics were usually over the top. "What are you going to use as a weapon?"

She hastily grabbed at the waistband of her jeans. Her fingers fumbled as she couldn't find what she was looking for; what she needed more then anything right now. Up and down her leg, and around the seams she grazed for it.

"Looking for this, my pet?" questioned Damon, twirling her wand in his long fingers. "After all these years you would have thought that you might have found another place to hide this on your body other then your jean seam."

Joely smirked. "You would have thought that you would have found another place then the back of your cloak," she razzed, pulling his wand out from behind her back.

"Whatever am I going to do? Joely has my wand. I think I will just surrender now and let her take my life. Or maybe you could tap into that magical gap that you know you want to use."

"Shut up. And you are laughing why?"

"Go ahead and use it."

Just as she pointed it at him and thought of her defense spell, it disintegrated through her fingers like sand. She looked up at him as reality struck hard that she was defenseless. She meekly turned to her friends, all bearing the morose faces of defeat. She had failed, and failed miserably to put it lightly. This was not how it was meant to end! He was supposed to be the one that admitted defeat. He wasn't to be the one that won the battle. She was meant to be the one that came out on top! Cody's death was meant to be avenged! She watched with fear in her eyes as he reached under his pant leg and displayed his real wand, the wand that was made from the blackest wood.

"I did pick another placing, my sweet."

Something caught her attention near the ceiling. As Damon cheered in his glory, she looked up. Sitting on the window ledge at the ceiling's edge was Athena, poised and ready to strike.

She opened the magical gap and took one glance at the fire, and in a heavy blast, flame exploded and erupted into the common room. She gave a nod to Athena right before a high wall of fire formed, enclosing her and Damon inside. When Damon heard the all too familiar call from above, he screamed in fury as he fell to his knees. Was this his defeat?

...............

Athena clipped at the ropes binding Hermione's hands behind her. With one last click of her beak, Hermione was free and pulling the gag from her mouth. Quickly untying her ankles, she moved to work on Harry's bindings. She pulled back however when the phoenix nipped at her hands.

"I have to help them!"

Athena pulled Hermione's gaze; her four-leaf clover green eyes boring deep into Hermione's brown ones. She continued to gaze deeply even as Harry and Ron jumped around to get her attention.

"Right," said Hermione, nodding.

Knowing that she possessed the ability to do this, she readied herself. She took of length of robe that had been her binding and made a circle around her; the two ends coming together behind her, opening a sacred circle. Placing her fingers on the edge, she concentrated on commanding the fire to obey her orders. She knew it was working when the floor beneath her shook vigorously and the firewall opened just enough to let one person out.

"No!" Joely shouted to Hermione. "Leave the circle open!" she commanded just seconds before the two ends were nearly broken apart. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine, but you're hurt," said Hermione, gently touching the bruise on Joely's cheek.

"I'll be fine. Listen, I need you to get me Harry's penknife; Athena can't chew through all of these ropes."

Hermione rushed up the boy's staircase and back down again, handing off the knife to Joely while she maintained the fire's strength, height, and heat.

"Are you guys okay?" she yelled over the roaring sound of the blaze when everyone was free.

"We're fine," reassured Harry, rubbing his bruised wrists.

"I'm so sorry I got all of you into this!"

"We'll yell at you when we get out of here!" laughed Hermione.

"That's fair enough! Look, Athena has your wands already," she stated, pointing to the savior bird," but you'll have to wait until you're out of here to get them back, there's too much magic going on as is and it will interfere and gods know what will happen. Go with her and get out of here!"

"We're not leaving without you!" said Harry.

"Yes, you are! This is not your battle, Harry! You should never have been in here in the first place! I should not have come to this school to begin with. You have to get out of here. That wall won't last much longer! Go!" she hollered, pushing the trio to Athena. "Grab on and she'll get you out of here!"

"Joely, we can't leave you behind!"

"You can, Hermione, and you will, now go!" Joely looked behind her and there was Draco, rooted to his spot; his chest heaving, his eyes glowering at the wall of fire. "Go with Harry, Hermione and Ron!"

"I'm not going anywhere!"

"Damn it, Malfoy! Don't make this more difficult then it needs to be!"

"I'm staying here with you!"

"No! No you're not!" she said sternly, shaking her head.

"Then I'm not leaving without you, Jem!"

"I need you alive, Draco! I need you when this is all over with and that can't happen if one or both of us are dead!"

"Malfoy, c'mon!" shouted Ron.

"JOELY!" screamed Damon from behind the fire.

"Don't do this to me! Don't leave me like this! Don't try to play the hero here!"

"Go with Athena!" she commanded as Hermione tried to grab onto his hand.

Not knowing what else to do, and knowing that she was too damn stubborn to leave with them or let him stay, he picked her up into an embrace, holding on as though if he let go he might never see her again. And truthfully, that's what he was afraid of. He felt deep inside him that her death was the only sure thing that would come of this. Tighter he held, foregoing the thoughts of her breathing being constricted.

"Don't leave me like this," he whispered to her, her eyes shut with the pain he showed. "I need you, Joely."

"Go, get out here!" she spat, pushing out of the embrace. "Get out, now!" And Athena took off, the trio and Draco flying off with her.

"JOELY!"

.....................

"Are you guys okay" asked Scott as they landed safely in the corridor outside Gryffindor.

"I think so," said Hermione, brushing dust and ash off her clothes.

"Right," he said, then bent his head down to eye level with Athena. "Go find Dumbledore and tell him that they're all out safely. Then, find Madam Pomfrey and tell her that I am requesting her here to check them over." Athena gave a soft call, and then lifted off down the hallway.

"Professor, we have to get Joely out of there."

"We can't interfere, Miss Granger," said Bridgeman calmly.

"Like hell we can't!" bantered Draco. "We have to go in there after her!"

"We can't risk anymore lives, Mr. Malfoy."

"You mean you don't want to risk your life!"

It took all the strength Scott possessed to withstand from searing an imprint of his knuckles in Draco's cheek. He took a deep breath and spoke, "I hardly expect you to understand this, but trust me when I say that anyone that enters that common room will be killed instantly."

"Why the hell should I believe you?"

"Because Professor Bridgeman as had many face-to-face encounters with Damon," said Dumbledore as he all but floated into view. "Scott knows first hand what is going on in there at this very moment."

"Professor," said Harry lowly, "we can't leave her in there."

"I am well aware of that and I do not care for her to be in there any longer then you. But right now, Mr. Potter, we haven't a choice."

"I'm not leaving her in there! I'll go alone, I don't care! I'm getting her out of there before he kills her!"

"Wait, Malfoy," rushed Harry, locking a tight grip on to Draco's forearm, "maybe we need to listen to Dumbledore and wait."

For claiming to be a friend of Joely's, Malfoy was astounded that he too wasn't agreeing that they must save her immediately. What the hell was he playing at? This was the person that the whole wizarding world new to be the boy-who-refused-to-die, the very same boy that defeated Voldemort entirely and escaped his attempts to kill her five times prior; the one that was often praised as fearless. If he was so damn "fearless," then why wasn't he jumping on the bandwagon to play hero? Why was he agreeing with crackpot Dumbledore? I can't believe that I missed the blessed event of Famous Harry Potter falling on his head and not wanting to play hero and save the world from impending doom! But Draco snapped back to the present.

"Get your filthy hands off me, Potter!" he hissed in gritted teeth, jerking his arm away. "Are we angry that you won't be the one playing hero this time?"

"Shut up, Malfoy! I want her out of there just as much as you, but we have to think this through."

"Think what through? You didn't think twice about risking your life to go after Sirius last year. You didn't hesitate to barge in on that gathering of Death Eaters to save your precious mudblood girlfriend. You didn't think through about offering up yourself in exchange for the Weasel and his sister!" Harry's face lowered in guilt. Malfoy was right. Harry's insides wrenched; Malfoy was right! "You didn't think any of those things through! Why is Joely different?"

"She's not!"

"Yes she is! You know why, Potter? It's different because losing her wouldn't mean a fucking thing to you! If she was gone, you would still have your Weasel, his pathetic sister nipping at you heels, vying with all of her being for your attention; and you would still have Granger here in your life!"

"That's it, Ferret!"

"Shut up, Weasley!" Astonishingly, Ron backed off the situation. "You would just have one less person to feel sorry for you and take pity on your lowly self! It would just be another person gone in your life if Joely wasn't here. Without her, I would have nothing, I would be nothing. I wouldn't want to be here!"

Tears could be seen glistening from Hermione's eyes; the corners filling with the drops of liquid pain. Malfoy's proclamation of affection was touching her deeply. He may be a bloody, arrogant, prat, but apparently he did have the capability to honor someone more then himself and his family name. Evidently Joely meant more to the bouncing ferret then he let on. But wait, Harry wasn't retorting, so was this how he really felt? That's impossible, she thought. Hermione knew that Joely was another best friend to Harry. Or was Malfoy right and Joely was just another random person to him?

"Don't get in my way," he ordered. Just as he began his way down the corridor, he was stopped by Holli. "Get out of my way, Hælan."

"You're not going in there, Draco."

"And you think you have a say in this matter?"

"Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore started, "I think that you should heed Miss Hælan."

"I don't have time for this!"

"Look, Draco, by the time that door closed behind her, spells and enchantments were set on that entrance. You'll be dead before you even get glimpse of her."

"Then explain to me, oh great one, how she entered?"

"Didn't you hear a bloody word I said? I said 'by the time that door closed behind her, spells and enchantments were set on the entrance.' They weren't set for her! They're poised for anyone else who tries, or is stupid enough to interfere!"

"You expect me to believe you?" he snorted, that cocky grin adorning like never before.

"Yes, I do."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you out of my way and charge that door."

Holli turned her gaze to the Headmaster for confirmation. He silently replied with a gentle nod and that evermore twinkle in his half-moon spectacle covered eyes. Holli placed the tip of her wand at the base of her throat, muttering an incoherent spell; her neck glowing in a periwinkle blue.

"Damon is my brother."

........................

I tried to kill the pain,
But only brought more.
(So much more)
I lay dying,
And I'm pouring, crimson regret, and betrayal.

Joely stood in the middle of the circle that Hermione had cast, drawing her power from within just as Neveux had said. She had to get the fire under control before it destroyed Gryffindor Tower, before it torched her home. Lifting her hands into the air as the cool sound of rushing water claimed her ears and the sting of ice filling her fingers; she felt the drops of extinguishing liquid fall onto her hot face from above.

She was thankful for them as well for the rain drops had mixed with her tears that had fallen as she watched Athena fly away. Fly away to the safety of the opposite side of the door.

Feeling the shower stop, she opened her eyes to find that very little damage had been done. Hermione had more control then she let on. She was even more impressed that she herself had pulled the fire from the hearth to begin with. But the glory of it all turned to utter and complete fear when her brain urgently made her take note that Damon was nowhere in sight. Fear then turned to anxiety, anxiety became panic... panic... mutated grotesquely into the knowledge of mortal peril.

She stood stock still in not knowing what else to do. Suddenly she was kicked in the small of her back and crashed to the floor; hearing the vivid crack of her wrist as she threw her hands down to break her fall.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, Joely?" Damon yelled. "Trying to play the heroine again?"

"I had to get them out of here before you hurt them," she whimpered.

"Before I hurt them?" he said in shock then kicked her abdomen, rolling her onto her back. "Don't you mean before you hurt them? After all, this was your doing."

"This isn't my fault," she mumbled weakly.

"Oh, but you see, my pet, it is. You moved in on their perfect, little lives, accepted and returned their friendship. You're the one that commenced all the hurting. Or maybe I should blame your piteous, despicable excuse for a father for moving you here?"

"Just shut up! This is all your fault!" she yelled, trying to stand though stumbled when she used her injured wrist for leverage.

"Don't tell me what to do, you whore!" he shouted. Pulling out his wand, he muttered the Hurling Hex and sent her flying across the room, landing about ten feet from where she started.

"Damon, stop, please."

"Oh stop begging, Joely," he demanded ruthlessly. "Your whining is useless to me."

"You're hurting me."

"You think you're hurting? You have no idea how much you've hurt me!" he exclaimed as he crunched down on her maimed wrist.

Joely bit down on her lip to halt the moans he wanted that would stroke pleasure into his ego in knowing that she was harboring injuries. Cutting into the soft flesh, her tongue tasted the coppery blood that emitted from the nick.

"You nearly destroyed me when you left me! I needed you when my father died, little did I know that he was murdered. But I needed you and you refused me! You abandoned me for Mudblood Rawlings! A mudblood, Joely! You're nothing but a fucking blood traitor! Do you know what kind of lineage we could have continued together?" Joely cringed morbidly at the mention of continuing anything with him. Especially at the cite of conceiving his children. "I asked two things from you. Two measly things from you and you refused."

"Our relationship was way over before your father died! Measly?" she raged, propping herself up against the back of the couch. "You asked for my blood and that I forever vow myself to you!"

"Is that so hard to understand?"

"YOU WANTED MY BLOOD!"

"I offered to let you keep it if you were to join me in continuing the Dark Lord's work in the States," he said casually.

"You said give it to me, or I will take it from you. That was some offer, Damon," she chided.

"I was perfectly nice about it."

"You beat the hell out of me when I said no!"

"Ah yes, that can sometimes happen."

"You're such a pig," she growled, spitting a few drops of blood in his face.

Damon slapped her full palm across the face. "Don't you ever fucking dare say that to me again."

"What are you going to do?" she taunted. "Kill me? Although sometimes I wish you would, you won't. You know why? As soon as a wizard's or witch's heart stops beating for two minutes, all the magic in their blood dies. Stipulations are a bitch, aren't they?"

"ARGH!"

"Stop your whining, Damon, it's useless to me."

"Watch your tongue!"

"Oh, sweetheart, are we getting a little angsty?" she chuckled, clutching to her battered side.

"Let me put it to you like this, sweetheart." The way he always used that term of endearment frightened Joely. And the red malice in his eyes strengthened that fear tenfold. "I could use your body to take out my angst." Joely recoiled slightly. "But it actually appears as though you've gained some weight. You might be too fat for my taste. Or... are we procreating?"

........................

The trio gasped while Draco stood dumbfounded at not only the revelation, but at how her accent had now changed.

"What do you mean he's your brother?" said Ron, viciously.

Holli rolled her eyes. "We're both the offspring of the same two people. Do I need to explain the birds and the bees to you, Ron?"

Draco grinned as Ron's brow furrowed as his temper lowered. "Tyler told me at Christmas that I knew Damon's sister. All along I thought it was Noelle."

"That would be incest, Draco," Holli retorted. "Joely dating her uncle? Her uncle killing her boyfriend because he loved her romantically? That's sick and beyond being able to be stomached," she said, her whole body cringing.

"It's happened before," he answered. "But I hadn't regarded it in that aspect."

"This isn't the Middle Ages," she laughed.

"You can't be Damon's sister," said Hermione firmly.

"And why not?" Holli questioned, peering passed Draco's side-stepped body to allow her a clear view of Granger.

"Because I remember your sorting. You somehow even managed to find the common room without help when you were separated from the group. I even remember seeing you and Colin snog the daylights out of each other after the war last year."

Holli scowled as she turned to Dumbledore. "You had me making out with Creevey?" Albus' eyes twinkled. "That's wrong, sir." Though Colin was an honest and loyal friend, Holli didn't exactly see anything in him in which struck her fancy.

"I remember Percy helping you, Ginny, and a bunch of second years with your homework. He got right mad because you and Gin especially kept pestering him while he was studying for N.E.W.T.s., " said Ron.

"And I remember you being in that group of students that was present when that revolting cupid ranked out that Valentine," said Harry.

Holli shook her head exasperatedly at them.

"You were there!"

"No, I wasn't, Ron."

"I'm afraid she is right, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "To keep Miss Hælan's necessity here a secret, and so that two Americans would not be suspicious, we integrated false memories into everyone's minds and disguised her voice to sound English. Naturally those that would be closest to her would have the greatest amount of memories, while those that are just passer-bys, would have the occasional ones that they could recall."

"I can't believe I never noticed," complained Hermione.

"You weren't meant to, Miss Granger."

"Clever girl, aren't you?" smirked Draco.

"Why yes I am," she laughed. "After all, my house at Salem has a wee bit of Slytherin traits in it."

"Wait!" said Ron, agitatedly. "You mean when I spilt that Butterbeer on her two years ago.... That wasn't real?"

"Nope!" said Holli flatly. "Is there anything that my imaginary self did to anyone of you that is worth a laugh for myself?"

"I can recall giving Mr. Malfoy a memory of your hand gracing his face for using a degrading name at Miss Weasley," said Dumbledore.

"I apologize, Draco," she chuckled.

"I remember that! I remember the sting afterwards as well. It was quite fierce I must say."

"Oops."

"I can't believe that this was all a sham," said a still shocked Ron.

"Ron, it's over, mate," said Harry. "It's over and done with. There's no need to brood anymore."

"Let's continue discussing this more comfortably in the staff room, shall we?"

After they had chosen their seating, the trio was surprised to see that Holli had actually chosen to sit next to Draco, rather then with them on the opposite side of the table. She chose him over her own house, which they thought to be a bit disturbing. None of them reinitiated the conversation unless you count the whispers between Dumbledore and Bridgeman. The trio stared between the three of them, Holli tapped her nails on the table, and Draco stared numbly at the arms of the chair he was in; it being the exact one that Joely had sat in when they had their third falling out two months ago. The screams and rants echoed in his head, as he recalled that night. Her voice was pounding in his temples, never once letting him forget that she was still in there, fighting for her life.

Though Draco's dreams had warned him of this, though Joely's grandmother had warned him in his dreams actually, he never once considered the possibility that it would indeed happen. Hogwarts was one of the safest places in the world. How could this happen? At the first dream back in September, Draco had just thought it had been an unusual nightmare. But as they continued at least three times a week after the incident with Pansy, he thought that it was what was called a conscience making it's presence known. Then the vision while in the booth in The Three Broomsticks awakened his need to find out the truth. With Christmas, his rejection letter stating that his requested information was classified made him eager, but still did not make him want to go out of his way to help. He would do it on his own time. But the night before returning to school from hols, he had seen the eyes of the speaker in his dream; the eyes of the voice that demanded that he not give up on her; demanded that he was the only one that could save her. But the night of the day that Joely had crashed to the ground on the pitch, his dreams of her battles with abuse and torture, we more vivid then could be described as a dream. But when he combined all that with the attack he had that resembled Joely's frequent ones, he was encouraged to listen to Joely's grandmother and not give up on her. He wanted this over with.... Now!

"Why does she need you?" he asked Holli.

"I'm the only one that possesses the tears that allow Joely's wounds to flesh over until you break them open again."

"They open because of me? I have no idea what you just said, but I'm going to pretend that I do," said Draco

"I think now is the time, Miss Hælan," motioned the Headmaster.

Giving the Headmaster a shaky, unsure nod, Holli stood up and removed her black robe, followed by her Mary-Janes and knee socks, to step onto her chair then climbed to the middle of the table. Standing in the middle directly in a line between the trio and Draco, she dropped her head, her arms enclosing themselves around her body. In a swirl of colors, where she had once been standing, was now a beautiful purple phoenix.

"That's impossible," said Hermione. "She can't be an Animagus."

"Why not, Miss Granger?" asked Albus.

"She's not of age!"

"Nor were the Marauders," he commented with a small wink.

"Healing tears," said Draco on a whim.

"You were saying, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Phoenix tears have healing powers. So.... Hang on! Holli is Athena?" Dumbledore nodded.

"This is mad!" shouted Ron.

"So Holli's, or rather, Athena's, tears are what heals Joely after an attack."

"Correct, but, has also healed you of the same type of attack."

"How is that?"

"Do you remember gazing into the mirror of the prefect's bathroom, Mr. Malfoy, and thinking that you had gone mad when your eye color had changed?" Draco's pin drop silence was the answer. "Each individual that is healed, is left with a mark depicting which phoenix was used as their aid. Athena's mark is a glimpse of change in eye color, specifically, a change to the hue of lavender, relating to the under color of the plumage that is closest to her heart. If you have noticed, Joely's eyes are now permanently lavender due to her frequent usage of Miss Hælan's tears, forever creating quite a special bond between the two."

"Her eyes haven't always been that color?"

"Of course not. Have you ever heard of someone being born with lavender eyes?"

"No. But why bring her with? Why not leave her in America?"

"I do believe that Hagrid has covered with you on how phoenix tears are not to be mixed with others, or in other's bottles." Everyone nodded. "The same goes with healing. You mustn't ever heal a person with two different sets of tears. Violent reactions without notice will surely ensue, which is why tears are so rarely used."

"So Holli had to be here because her tears were the first and only, to have healed Joely?"

"Exactly, Miss Granger," Dumbledore smiled.

"This is too weird even for me to believe," said Harry.

"Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes, Minerva?"

"Night is beginning to fall. Should we plan for the Gryffindors to sleep in the Great Hall tonight?"

"Yes, Professor, that is best."

..............................

I'm dying,
Praying,
Bleeding,
and screaming.
Am I too lost to be saved?
Am I too lost?

"Hey, Joely!"

"What!" she said spitefully.

"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice," he warned.

"What do you want, Damon?" she said calmly.

"That's better. See, we're getting along great. Now tell me, is this yours or your roommate's?"

Joely lifted up her head off the cold stone floor that she was using to lull her headache after Damon had decided to punch her full fisted across the temple. Her stomach flipped when he held up the tiny slip by the two incredibly thin straps. It had been Hermione's slinky undergarment for her Valentine Ball gown.

"It's mine," she answered, waving his thoughts away from Hermione.

"What I wouldn't give to see you in it," he razzed.

"Would you give up your life?"

"Hardly. I'm not finished with you."

"Too bad because that's what it would take."

Damon squatted down next to her and roughly grabbed her chin to stare straightforward into his violent green eyes. Putrid, acid green was the cleanest cut way to describe them.

"You really do enjoy me hitting you, don't you? You like it rough, my pet? All you had to do was say so. I had no idea that you were into that S&M game. I guess that's why Malfoy wants to keep you around a little longer... he enjoys your company."

Joely jerked her chin away, his short but sharp thumbnail scratching her chin. "You make me sick," she hissed.

"No, I turn on the lava pumps within you. I make you hot."

That struck a tense nerve hard within Joely. Draco had said that exact same thing in February while they had been decorating for the ball. Well, truthfully, he had said it after she had nearly lost control of her emotions and killed Draco with six witnesses present. Had Damon heard that statement exit Draco's mouth and was using it against her? There was no mistake that that near murder couldn't have been made to look like an accident. She scoffed to herself. Apparently she wasn't the only one that couldn't control what they felt. But then again, you can't really control your feelings.

"Trust me, baby, I will have you. But until then, I'm going to take a shower," he murmured before painfully seizing her lips with his own, sweeping up the blood that had transferred from her lips to his with his tongue. "Mmm, if your blood tastes this good, I can just imagine how amazing it will feel running freely through my veins; where it belongs. You don't deserve this magic, Joely. Of course you were blessed to be born into it which makes you all the better for me to take it from." He shuddered in the pleasurable thought of it and left her there, broken and bleeding on the floor like a street urchin.

Joely was scared. Possibly more so then she ever had been in her life; except for perhaps after her first attack. She honestly expected to have perished as soon as Damon had seen that his hostages had gone with only her remaining. The one and only that he wanted was there for his slaughter; this whole room his slaughtering table. He was drawing out the inevitable and that made it all the more fearful.

My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.
My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.

She walked to the window and took seat on the sill as she watched the sun disappear abaft the horizon. The sky: an amalgam of hues. Blues and purples right above her turned into bright reds and pinks. Then the horrendously bright oranges tracked the declining sky, leading down to the brightest orange of all: the sun. But her attention was mostly drawn to reds, the fresh red of blood that would be seen pouring from her soon. She remembered a saying that Cody had once told her that muggles associated with colors of the skies and the weather. Red night, sailor's delight. Red morning, sailors take warning. To her, it should be the other way around. Well for her anyways. Tonight's red sky is the warning of her approaching death, and tomorrow's red morning will be the signal of the delight in her demise.

Tears streamed down her face as she reminisced everything that had been packed away in her pulsating head. She had escaped death twice already, but as the saying goes, third times a charm. This could be looked at as though if she escaped this time (Not very likely, Joely) then she would never have to face him again. Or, as the other way that charred her as a whole, the tears doing nothing to calm the fire inside, this was Damon's third attempt and he would indeed succeed.

She wrapped her arms tightly around her trembling body, daydreaming about all that she had been begging with God or gods above to for the past four years to let her achieve. After tonight, she wouldn't be alive to graduate; she wouldn't be in her physical form to send off her friends from both schools. Being there in spirit wasn't enough! There wasn't any hope of taking placement of work in either wizarding worlds of England or America. There would never be that day when she was told that she was completely alleviated from her curse, allowing her to fall in love. The chances of raising children of her flesh and blood were non-existent. But hearing from someone that she was loved and having the ability to say it in return was the most painful to acknowledge. To be told that she was loved was all that she wanted to begin with.

None of this was in the future.

Why give him the satisfaction of being the one to take my pathetic life? she thought as she reached for the window latch. Why not let my final ounce of personal satisfaction for myself be in taking that away from him?

She pushed the window open wide, her eyes bulging in fear as she looked down. It almost seemed as though she would be falling for all eternity. Climbing out onto the ledge, she let her bare toes hang over the side; questioning the method to her madness, wondering if this was what she really wanted. It would be quick and painless, rather then long, drawn out and excruciating, she reasoned.

But she couldn't drop how she had told Draco that she needed him after this was over, or how her and Hermione used to giggle like giddy little school girls when they imagined their future weddings. With the Society's promise of keeping the closest eye on Damon possible, a wedding become a conceivable thought for Joely. When Damon was imprisoned, the curse lay dormant, allowing her to be touched by someone that expressed an interest in her without the sweetest touches turning sour. Only when he was without magic inhibiting barriers was it alive within her. His escape had turned her body into a walking time bomb, threatening to explode with Draco's next touch. Of course she had only told Draco that she would need him to persuade him to leave, giving him a false sense of hope that there was hope in this. Or had she really meant it? She shook her head knowing that she had meant it but was unable to keep that promise, like most promises she made. Deciding it for the best to jump and end it before anyone was hurt, she leaned slightly over the edge.

"No you don't!"

Just as she had nearly left the ledge, she flew backwards into the common room, her body sliding across the floor with her head crashing into the wall. Her shape lay lifeless on the flagstone. Damon cackled ruthlessly as he watched blood puddle around her head, shaping into a halo.

"A halo, huh? You know, if I didn't know better, I would actually say that your dear old grandmother is creating this halo around your head right now, believing in your innocence of this. You're far from innocent, Joely. But mind you, the more you bleed, the less I can take from you. Quite a waste I must say." Shrugging it off, he left her, levitating himself up the girl's staircase.

Starting where he left off, her opened her trunk to begin rummaging through it. As though looking for something that he knew was there, he pulled out her belongings in piles. Clothes, excess parchment, notes, books, letters from friends and family, and quills littered the floor. He even tossed two ink pots against the far wall, staring hypnotically as the black and green ink coated and dripped down the stone.

"Joely, you're such a fool," he said when he found his treasure. "You trust your safety to too many people. You bring the arrows, but you leave behind the bows. Have I not taught you anything about trusting your safety only to yourself? Safety is a rare commodity, you stupid girl. Well, I guess you won't be in need of these anymore."

He grabbed each other seven seemingly plain arrows into a bunch and broke them all simultaneously over this knee. Roughly throwing the ruined arrows and her clothing back into her trunk, he had no idea that he had triggered a secret compartment in the bottom of her trunk.

Damon slid down the collapsed staircase to see that Joely had somehow managed to start a crawl away from the wall, now about halfway between the stairs and her previous position. Looking down, he admired the handiwork of her maimed and battered form. She looked just as she had ages ago when he had left her for dead in the dungeons of Dearing Field. He didn't relish in her appearance, but it didn't unhinge him to see her with two cuts across the cheek, a black eye shiny enough to reflect light, a cracked and swollen lip, and the bruises that he knew ran up and down her torso and legs that matched the ones on her arms and neck.

"Sleep tight, my sweet. For tomorrow, we start our new life together."

........................

"I can't stand here and let this continue on!" ranted Draco viciously.

"What are you going to do, Malfoy?" scolded Harry. "Walk in there and look at him and say, 'I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm sure that you've heard about my family and our support of the Dark Side. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to let me kill you.'"

"Actually, Potter, I did have that in mind, but I was going to offer up Granger in exchange for Joely... then kill him."

"All right, Malfoy--!"

"Will you both pack it in!" shouted Hermione who had in turn gone back to her pacing.

"Hermione? Really, love, what is pacing like a madwomen going to solve?"

"I'm trying to think of a plan, Harry, which is more then I can say for you lot."

"Slytherin in the room," said Draco shrewdly, puffing out his chest. "I'm the one who creates the smart plans in this castle. After all, I am exceptionally cunning."

"Cunning?" laughed Bridgeman. Being the only professor currently in the room, he took the opportunity to stretch and propped his feet up on the expansive tabletop. "Draco, you flatter yourself far too much. I think you may need to see a specialist about that."

"Oh come on, Scott, he wouldn't feel the need for that. It's his Malfoy nature to be this cocky. Besides, even if he did agree to it, he would undoubtedly demand for a female psychologist as he has this deranged idea that anything with two X-chromosomes will fall for him."

"You wouldn't know a cunning plan if it danced naked in front of you in bad lighting, Hælan!" he raged. "What do you suggest? On the count of three we all burst in there and try to blast him to bits?"

"Your rescue was Holli's idea, Mr. Malfoy," corrected Bridgeman.

"What was that about a cunning plan, Malfoy?"

"Sod off!"

But this conversational topic would not be complete without an input from Ron.

"We could count to three and throw Malfoy in. Hopefully we could see him blasted to bits."

"Ron," Harry groaned, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, "do shut up." Ron glared back indignantly.

"My idea was better as always," Draco pointed out.

"Your 'idea' will get your head kicked in by me!"

"Oh, Potter, you're beginning to sound like me," he winked teasingly. "I think I'm rubbing off on you. I bet Granger would love a bit of me in the bedroom."

"SHUT UP!" Hermione and Harry yelled in unison.

"That's enough, Draco!" warned Scott.

"It's like my mum always says," said Ron on spur, "if you find a mate for life, you should be loyal."

"Weasley, if you find a mate for life, you should be grateful."

Holli snickered involuntarily. But everything became serious again after that.

"I have to go in there and fight him off while the rest of you get Joely out."

"Mr. Malfoy, there is little that you can do that will cause him serious physical injury. He's fixated on destroying Joely, and he will survive just about anything, and stop at nothing to accomplish that," said Scott.

"It sounds as though Joely is Damon's Kryptonite and has to destroy her otherwise she will destroy him," commented Hermione.

Harry glanced oddly at her. "Kryptonite? You've read Superman?"

"No!" she said crossly as though covering the truth. "My cousin Alex is a big fan and he tells me all about them. It was Superman's only weakness next to the threat of Lois Lane being in peril. It drained his powers and could potentially destroy him."

"Is Kryptonite sold in Diagon Alley? Money is no option. I will pay top Galleon no matter what class of non-tradable item it is. I want that stuff," demanded Draco as he stared at the star filled sky.

"It's fake, Malfoy," laughed Harry. "Superman is a fictitious comic book hero that flies around in tights and a cape, saving the world."

"Well if magic won't work, I'll fight him hand-to-hand."

"Malfoy," chuckled Ron, slapping his hand on his thigh in humor, "you wouldn't fight him hand-to-hand because you would be too afraid that you'd ruin your face."

"I fought you, didn't I, Weasel? But you weren't much of task though."

"While you two are discussing the ways to become potential patients of plastic surgeons, Joely is in there dying!" shouted Hermione furiously, clenching her fists down beside her in menace.

"I assure you, Miss Granger," spoke Dumbledore's soft but clear voice, causing the Gryffindors to jump, and Scott to quickly remove his feet, yet Draco remained still, "that Miss McGill is not dying as of yet. She is injured, physically as well as emotionally. For now, the best thing would be for everyone to get some sleep. Now you Gryffindors are welcome to stay the night in here, or you may join your housemates in the Great Hall. However I recommend that you spend the night in here to remain separated and stanch the bombardment of questions. Your housemates do not know of the situation, and won't. So even when this is over, I must oppress upon all of you, including you, Mr. Malfoy, that you are not to speak of this to anyone but those that are in this room. Understood?"

Everyone nodded and spoke in mumbles of affirmation.

"Where shall you stay tonight?"

"I think we should stay in here," said Hermione.

"I think so too," seconded Holli.

"Excellent idea," he answered, conjuring four sleeping bags in a row on the table. "Mr. Malfoy, you are welcome to sleep here as well, or you may retire to your dorm. May I suggest your dorm? It will offer you the best amount of sleep and comfort."

"There's no way I could sleep," he replied stiffly with his back to the headmaster, his eyes locked on the star glazed, yet twinkles sky.

"I shall leave a sleeping bag for you just in case you change your mind."

"I won't."

"Goodnight then."

Just as the door closed, the lights went out, but the fire cast a dim glow about the room; spreading invisible warmth that no one opened their hearts to feel. The four Gryffindors had gathered around each other in a circle, laying out their sleeping bags, talking about the day's events in voices that suggested it was a common thing.

"Malfoy, where are you going?" said Harry astringently.

"Don't forget to kiss your girlfriend goodnight, Potter," he snarled, slamming the door fiercely behind him.

Draco's heart began to race and beat savagely against his ribcage as he slugged down the corridor to the two-way mirror door of Gryffindor. His heart dropped to what felt like the depth of his toes when he saw her limp body on the floor; her body having made a smeared trail of blood as she had crawled away. His blood roared in his temples with the ferocity of thunder as she lay upon the cold floor while he was sure that Damon was resting peacefully in one of the warm beds that the tower possessed.

His eyes began to prickle when he imagined that she might be dead. The thought that she would not be alive for him to hear another witty remark off her sharp tongue from, or see the strength that he had no idea she possessed, gutted his stomach. Luckily the sting and pain subsided when he noticed the faint rise and fall of her back, letting him know that she was still alive; confirming to him that she was still fighting. He felt as though he was going to have to grab the portrait frame to remain balanced and standing.

"Don't leave me, Joely. I will hate you for all eternity if you do."

.....................................................................

"'Morning, Mr. Potter," said Scott in hushed voice before taking a drink from his coffee cup. "Sit, you must be starving after not having eaten dinner last night."

Harry's stomach confirmed Bridgeman's suspicions when it roared angrily, demanding to be nourished as his eyes took in the food that had been laid out on the table. Apparently Dumbledore had notified the house-elves that a second breakfast was to be set up for the students sleeping in the staff room.

He took a seat across from Scott and reached for a stack of pancakes.

"Where's Malfoy?" he asked, pouring blueberry syrup atop his breakfast cakes.

"As if you need to ask, Mr. Potter."

Harry needed no further clues. "He really didn't sleep then, did he?"

"Snape and I patrolled the halls last night to ensure that all students remained as far away as possible, and unless Draco knows how to sleep standing up with his eyes open, he slept not a wink. Snape's report is consistent with mine; Draco didn't move."

"'Morning, Hermione," said Harry through a mouthful.

"'Morning... Harry," she said stretching. "'Morning, Professor."

"Good morning, Miss Granger, Miss Hælan." They nodded. "It would appear that Mr. Weasley is still out cold."

"He will be for awhile yet," yawned Holli, pouring herself a glass of juice and smothering strawberry jam on a piece of toast.

"What d'you mean?" said Harry.

"You know, someone should have warned me that Ron twitches in his sleep. More like moves around actually. Well, he moved or twitched too far to his right and smacked me in the face, so I cast a sleeping charm on him."

"Holli!" exclaimed a shocked Hermione.

"He'll be awake in a few hours," she chuckled, taking her bum to a seat a few down from Bridgeman as Hermione sat down next to Harry.

"I heard what you said about Malfoy," commented Hermione with a slight hint on questioning her own boldness in making her remark.

"I did too."

"Well," began Scott, setting down his copy of the Daily Prophet, "I'm a bit concerned that this has taken far more of a toll on him then he has the pride to admit. Unfortunately, that means that he could embark on something hasty, resulting in both him and Joely losing their lives; and Professor Dumbledore agrees. The best thing I think for him is if he is stunned, then only allowed out of it after Joely's been rescued. But Snape pointed out that that could be more harm then good."

"Why?"

"Because that would cause shock fallout, Miss Hælan," said the headmaster entering.

Holli scoffed because it always appeared that Albus walked in just as the questions got interesting.

"Mr. Malfoy is in complete shock at the moment. He doesn't play on as though he is, but I assure you that it is true. Not allowing him to witness the resolution to what induced his state, will cause fallout; and he very well could end up harming himself from not being included in what he partially feels is his fault."

"So Malfoy is a threat to himself." It was a clear statement.

Dumbledore nodded with an unmistakable glum expression. "He must see this through." A clock chimed nine from somewhere are there was no clock in the staff room. "Now is the time. We must act quickly for Joely's parents arrived just moments ago and they mustn't see her in this state. The Aurors from the Ministry and Society should be here shortly, and I worry about Miss McGill's safety should they actually arrive. We must go now."

.........

"Draco? Are you okay?"

He couldn't bear to look at her. "How the hell could you let him do this to her? How could you let your brother hurt her like he has? Like he's doing? Why haven't you stopped him?"

"Oh don't give me that bullshit! I've tried! He may be my brother but that doesn't mean that he listens to me? Joely is not the only one that has suffered in his hands!" she yelled, roughly turning his body around to face her. "My mother and I have both had to deal with his rage, so don't you dare think for one damn minute that I don't know what she's going through! He may not have cast a curse or beat me as frequently, but that doesn't mean that he didn't!"

"You should have tried harder."

"Have you ever tried to fight someone while you're in a coma? It's not easy, Malfoy. You can't buy your way out of a fight with Damon either!"

"Your own brother put you in a coma?" inquired Draco. He felt astonished, but wasn't all that shocked to think of family members hurting one another because his own father had done things of equivalency to him and his mother.

"He's not as innocent as he looks," she scoffed, looking at the platinum blonde through the tops of her eyes.

Something clicked within Draco about Holli having disappeared when Joely had collapsed after the Quidditch Final. "You knew he was coming, didn't you?"

She nodded with her head low. "Yes."

"Why didn't you warn her?"

"She knew it herself when she collapsed. I just confirmed it to the professors."

"Explain," he said forcefully, cracking a knuckle or two against the force he was applying with his thumb.

She pulled her arm out of her jumper and removed her shirt sleeve. "This wound is basically a notice of confirmation," she said, letting their eyes take in the three inch gash across her upper left arm. "Damon gave it to me as a permanent reminder of the side that I had chosen when I had picked to heal Joely over defending my family name. It pains and bleeds black when his magic is restored, warning Joely and myself that he is coming; that he will find us. The only problem is, there is a tracking spell upon the black blood that spills from it. Meaning that when it bleeds, the essence of my magic is released, sending him a signal, if you will, to where I am. He knows that I'm the only one that can heal Joely's open wounds after an attack, for her curse is what is known as blood magic. Therefore, wherever I am, Joely is sure to be.

"The day of the final when Joely collapsed, the pain was terrible and I knew I had to know for sure if he was out, or if he was just feeling particularly vindictive which happened once before when you first said Damon's name to Joely. There is a clearing in the forest where I have to go to change into my phoenix form during the waning phase of the moon, when my kind becomes lonely for a mate. I fly to a keeper in the south of England where I shed my extra tears that I cry when I call for a mate; which are the tears that are bottled for healing. I went to the clearing to remove the bandage and see if I bled black, which I did. I changed into my phoenix form and confirmed for Joely and the professors from above the pitch that his magic was indeed returned."

All the trouble that Damon went through to deal harm on Joely and Holli crippled Harry. "Is he really that in love with her?"

"In an ill way, Mr. Potter, yes," said Dumbledore as he too gazed through the door at the prosaic but breathing form of one of his students.

"Why not just give up and find someone that actually cares for him?" questioned Hermione with a hint of worry.

"Because people like Damon do not take lightly to seeing what they want, and what they want within someone, want someone else," said Scott.

"It would be easier that way."

"On his side of thinking, Hermione, what's easiest has no bearing on the objectivity. He wants what he wants, and damn anyone or anything that stands in his direct path. He will go to any lengths to achieve his goal. He will kill, beat, torture, even rape if he so desires."

"WHAT?" roared Draco.

"He's a show-off. He enjoys putting fear into people by displaying his power, which I can't deny he has. He's always had a taste for scaring people by torturing Joely in front of their eyes, much like he's doing now. He knows we're watching. He always chosen Joely because she's always fought back which caused him to inflict more pain, in turn installing more fear. But he's never had the nerve to rape her; he respects her that much on that level. He's too attached to her and what's within her, to enforce that punishment. She's his addiction; a powerful and painful addiction."

"Look!" said Holli. "She's waking up!"

They all stepped a little closer as she was indeed rousing. First her legs moved a bit, then her fingers twitched as if reassuring herself that they still worked; followed by her arms awakening to try and push her swollen body up off the floor.

She swept her hair back behind her ear as she felt the soreness and swelling that claimed her face. Gently with one finger she prodded at the bruises on her legs through her jeans, jumping at the searing pain. Slowly with her right hand as though not to disturbed anything too much, she placed it under her shirt and measured by touch the extent of her injuries. Her left side felt a bit mushy as though a few ribs had been cracked, though she couldn't deny the likelihood of that possibility.

She glanced up the dormitory staircase for any sign of Damon, sighing in deep gratitude of her negative findings. Instead, she turned her gaze to the portrait; longing to rush out of this hell and into safety of those beyond this horror.

Draco's stomach pained as she looked to him. Well, he felt as though she was looking at him. He wanted more then anything right now to throw caution to the wind and barge in there, but actually heeding the warnings of death from Holli and wanting to be alive and need her at the end as she said she needed him, kept him from acting.

"What's going on?" said Ron angrily as he ran toward them, his eyes still groggy with sleep and his hair matted in all directions.

"Hush, Ron!" commanded Scott.

"'Morning, gorgeous," said Damon cheerfully, stretching his arms high above his head as he slide down the collapsed staircase. "You don't look so good," he chuckled, kneeling on one knee to her eye level.

"And this is something new with you?" she growled.

"Careful," he chimed. "I must admit that your bed was quite comfortable; beats a cot in Grimwood any day."

"You didn't actually expect a king-size in prison, did you? That's why it's prison and not a hotel for the damned, you asshole."

Draco grimaced as Joely's head flopped to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You better watch you mouth."

"Watch it spit out what blood I have left in me."

Hermione screamed and buried her head in Harry's jumper as Joely's body skidded across the floor, the horrible squeal of skin burning on a floor rattling her stomach.

"I will take it from you if I have to!" Damon shouted. "Don't think I won't!"

"Bullshit! AHH!" she wailed as his foot drove into her stomach.

"What is she doing?" screamed Hermione.

"She's egging him on to get it over with."

"Over with? You mean to kill her?" Scott nodded morosely.

"What does he honestly think he's going to gain by doing this to her?" said Draco bitterly.

"Power," replied Bridgeman in a tone that suggested that it should have been Draco's knowledge. "Damon thrives on power. In his eyes, it's the only thing worth fighting and dying for. He wants Joely's magic to increase his power. He would definitely rather her join him, but she's not that stupid and he knows it. He could drain it from her, but even that level of magic is beyond his capabilities. She would have to tap into her magic and use it long enough for him to bond himself to it to drain it. He knows that if he tortures her long enough--"

"I can't take much more of this," moaned Draco.

"--enough, she just might break and grant it to him. Meaning that hence forth, he would have complete control of her; she would be at his disposal and whim. That's part of the reason that he cursed her. The reasons for casting were not just because she had found someone else. He cursed her not only to inhibit her ability to fall in complete love, but to ensure that with every touch of love she gave or received would be agonizing, thus persuading her to return and turn to him; forever vowing herself to him and relinquishing her magic as payment to remove the curse. She would then be forever bonded to him, never to leave his side."

"She would then forever feel the agonizing pain of being able to fall in love, but not being able to cherish and feel it," finished Draco.

Everyone turned back to the portrait as Joely let out a blood curdling scream. Immediately Dumbledore rushed off in the other direction as Scott slouched down against the wall in despair. The closest thing he had to a little sister was being pulled farther and farther from his grasp and he hadn't a clue how to regain the hold.

"This is hopeless," murmured Ron.

"Shut up with the defeatist attitude, Weasley," spat Draco.

"You speak as if yours is any better. Look at you! You look as though someone killed your dog."

"How would you know about losing a dog? You can't even afford one," Draco laughed as he leaned down the wall next to Bridgeman.

"What? What is he doing?" said Hermione. "What are those pictures?"

"I don't know. I can't really make them out," said Holli in frustration as she squinted her eyes narrowly to try and focus. "They look like memories."

"Memories?" said Scott urgently, bolting up and over to the two-way mirror door. "Damn it, he's extracting! Holli, find Dumbledore, now! Stay behind if necessary to keep Sean and Noelle away. Close it up, Joely, come on! Close it!"

"Extracting what?" said Hermione with a touch of panic in her shaky voice. "Professor Bridgeman, what is he extracting?"

"Hey, Malfoy, is that you in swim trunks?" Ron laughed boldly.

Draco quickly pushed himself off the floor and shoved Harry and Ron away from the door to see what the Weasel was babbling about. There, he saw memories of the summer as Joely had seen them, being replayed in a misty looking cloud high in the common room. These were the same memories that he had locked away deep in the back of his mind; but the very same ones that he called upon for warmth on the long, cold, sleepless and lonely nights all those months ago. Then the one from August reared its ugly head again.

"Even in swimming you wear black, Malfoy?"

"It is that hard for you to take your eyes away from my body, Weasley, that you have to keep reiterating the swim shorts? I had no idea that I attracted the same sex, it's only fitting though for how attractive I am," he smirked. "Do you like what you see, Weasel? Too bad for you that not only do I not play that side, I wouldn't even think to play it on your side of Gringotts."

"You'll pay for that one, Ferret!"

"Ron! Put your wand away, now!" ordered Scott. "This is neither the time, nor the place for that!"

"Professor, what is he extracting?" said Hermione impatiently.

"He's taking her memories. Have you ever heard that memories hold magic?"

"No," she answered.

"I'm shocked, Granger," snipped Draco.

"Knock it off, Draco," warned Bridgeman. "When you're scared or you lose someone, do you recall memories that will chase that fear away or happy memories of that person?" She nodded. "Memories hold magic because we recall them in times of need to lull pain or fears. All your memories, all Joely's, everyone's memories hold pieces of magic. Someone with amnesia who can't remember are weak because they have nothing happy to recall to help with the healing, while you can recall your memories to aid you. The more Joely loses, the weaker she becomes. He's drawing out her favorite memories for the strong magic that they possess."

"What magic would Malfoy in swimming trunks hold?" said Harry.

"The day before this memory took place," Draco spoke up, "Damon had been captured and Joely's pain stopped. It was the first day I could touch her without hurting her."

Just as Holli and Dumbledore came stampeding back down the corridor, the misty image faded away to reveal one even more gut wrenching; something that made Draco nearly fall to his knees. It was an image of Blaise holding Joely as she sobbed about that night's previous events. But Draco wondered why she would ever want to recall this memory in a time of need.

"Joely, did Draco hurt you? Did he force himself on you?"

"No he didn't force himself on me."

"He did hurt you though, didn't he? What did he do?"

"I caught him making out with Pansy!"

"Joely, I'm so sorry. I thought he had changed."

"After all that time we spent together on the train when I left Harry and Hermione's compartment meant nothing to him, Blaise! Nothing! It meant so much to me. He looked so good this morning when he and his mother were at my house. I wanted so badly to be able to look at him and, even if it was just for a second, say that he was mine. I told him a bit about - well you remember be telling you about that guy that used to hit me, right? Well I told Draco a little about him and he made me a promise that he would never hit me. He actually said that and then he goes and does this! I really thought that I had actually found someone that was going to give me the strength to fight, and know that in the end, he would still be there and willing to love me even through all the horrible things I did and all the lies I told. How could he make me think that and then practically take Pansy right there in the corridor? They were nearly ripping the clothes off each other!"

"I'm going to kill that bastard. Joely, he's not worth it!"

"He was to me, Blaise! I should've known, but I was blinded by a stupid school girl crush. I was just the attempted flavor of the month. That's all he wanted from me. He didn't care at all except for him and little Malfoy."

The memory had burned Draco to a crisp; he could feel himself crumbling to ashes. He was shaking in emotional pain. Of course he reasoned that the shaking could be withdrawal from his Careless Concoction. (According to Professor Neveux, the withdrawal can last quite long if it had been taken on a regular basis.) Was everyday, twice a day considered a regular basis? But he knew that that night had hurt her, but now he knew just how deep the pain was. It was almost like an abyss. Yet he was still puzzled as to why this memory held of piece of magic.

"I can't take this anymore," he mumbled as he felt his heart being ripped out and stomped to pieces in front of him. "I can't watch this!" he yelled as he rushed away.

Draco went to the only place that he knew he could think of: his room. He flopped down onto his bed and smothered a pillow over his face. "Joely, he's not worth it! He was to me, Blaise!" was all that he could hear next to the blood thumping in his temples. It even drowned out the ringing that rang on his way to his room. The same two sentences were a broken record on an undying turnstile, possibly rendering him into near deafness if he listened to it long enough.

This was not how he was supposed to feel. This should not be affecting him this way. He was a Malfoy: strong, superior, rich, feared, idolized, and the epitome of those that demanded respect. He wasn't a ninny that worried over something as frivolous as someone's heart being broken, and he shouldn't be bothered over someone he didn't give two Knuts about. Was that really how he felt though? Of course that's how he felt. This was meant to be looked upon like spilt milked: with no note of care and cleaned up by someone other then him. So why did this spilt milk give him a note of care; why did he want, no, why did he feel obligated to clean it up? Why did seeing her beaten and bleeding break down all his barriers that he was born to up hold? Why did this seem to be his weakness? What was it about this woman that made him care so damn much?

Maybe this was the mark that she had left on him, just like the marks that he had left on her; or the marks made by friends and family. Each person changes each person they meet, whether that change is good or bad, big or small. People make marks, indelible and unchanging marks that in some instances can be just as visible as a scar, or just as visible as a smile from a person who never did so before unless it was out of ruthlessness. Those marks stay with us for as long as we live, no matter how hard we try to forget or ignore them, telling the story of not only our lives, but the lives of those who have touched us.

This was no spilt milk; this was not meant to be looked upon with no sense of care or cleaned up by someone else... but him. The same fear and courage that had overtaken him months back when he had eavesdropped on Joely and Hagrid's conversation returned, this time though, the courage outweighed the fear.

Do you remember me?
Lost for so long.
Will you be on the other side?
Will you forgive me?

He needed Joely to keep him sane and together, to make him feel alive and whole again. As difficult as it was for him to admit this, it was far more difficult for him to admit that maybe she couldn't save him; maybe she needed him to save her first. He rose to his feet and opened his wardrobe, digging in the very back for a box that he had shoved back there in November. Even though he had retired it back there to close his thoughts to its contents, he had still taken care in protecting it. He removed the dark green velvet robe that he had wrapped it in and let it fall to the floor, taking in the dark, polished teak wood box that was left behind. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened the box, his mind bursting with the memories that these pictures recalled. He filtered through them, finding the one that had held the strongest memory for him of their time together. Slipping it in his pocket, he wrapped the robe back around his treasure chest and secured it in the back once again, setting out to return to the corridor. This time, he was going to take over the role of bloody Harry Potter and save the day. I'm going mad, he told himself.

"Are we done being a whiny twit, Malfoy?"

"I don't whine, Potter," he said as he stopped next to Harry. "What's been going on?"

"You don't honestly think the situation has changed just because you left, do you?" said Holli spitefully.

"Hælan, everything changes when I walk out."

"Cocky bastard," she muttered quite clearly.

"Cocky, yes, bastard, I assure you not."

"Too bad for you that that doesn't fly with me," she argued.

"Fly!" he said with a look of intense curiosity.

"Yeah 'fly' as in I don't believe it--" said Holli.

"No, fly! You can fly!"

"What are you on about?" said Ron.

"Fly, Weasel! I have an idea of how to get her out.

.....................

I'm dying,
Praying,
Bleeding,
And screaming.

"What do you really think you're going to accomplish by fighting, Joely? My God how your brain has dwindled. You were sharp as a tack when I was around. You can't fight against me. Look at you now," he chortled. "You look like you've been mauled by a rabid animal. You look the way mudbloods should: nearly dead."

"Shut up," she whispered. "You did this to me." She glared at him through her lidded eyes, willing the tears to stay back. She actually was begging and praying for them to remain hidden behind her eyes.

"You shouldn't have talked back to me, nor should have tried to interrupt my extraction. That was an incredibly stupid thing to do. I don't enjoy hitting, my love, but you need to learn."

"No."

"No?"

"No, you do enjoy it. Just like every other man that enjoys abusing his wife or girlfriend. And no, I will not learn."

"It's your death."

"Death is a blessing when it's compared to you."

Instead of physically breaking her more, he was going to break her down emotionally and let her transform it into a physical breakdown; but he had no idea that at that very moment, Hermione and Holli were hiding on the girl's dormitory staircase, while Harry, Draco and Ron were positioned just around the stair bend of the other stairs; both groups listening intently until their cue came.

"Last night I had the most incredible dream about us." Joely swallowed the bile climbing up her throat. "But the best part was when I woke knowing that it all could be and will be a reality."

"I hope it was me testifying at your trial and them putting you in isolation for the rest of your life."

Damon chuckled hoarsely. "You dream too much."

"You know, you very well could be tried here. You know what that means?" Joely's eyes lightened to a murderous shine. "Fudge would love to throw someone to the Dementors. You could get your last kiss, rendering you soulless, not that you have one now. Doesn't that excite you? It does me."

He resisted the urge to hit her again. Even in America, knowledge of the Dementors of Azkaban was abundant. It struck fear into the hearts of all, criminal and law abiding. He squatted down, straddling her. Joely's body began to shake under his gaze as his usual hazel eyes brightened to that acid green, then melted into gray. The shade of gray that is impossible to recreate, indescribable in its complexity. It is the shade of gray in the eyes of the damned. The very shade that she was looking into in the eyes of someone she once cared very deeply for.

"Last night, it was just you and me," he said, placing his finger on the tip of her nose. "We were on our own private island; unplottable and unknown to everyone." Slowly he traced her lips, the soft feel of her flesh igniting his insides.

"Sometimes we would walk on the beach enjoying the warm weather, or talk while we lay out in the sun. No need for clothes as no one was around but us." His finger slid down her chin, dipping into the chasm of her neck before inching down between her breasts, down the middle of her stomach to stop that the closure to her jeans. "Others, we would make love all day, whenever and wherever we wanted," he growled low in this throat, running his finger along the zipper and then grazing both hands down the insides of her thighs as though he was taking in her legs as be imagined himself being cradled between them.

"You're the one that dreams too much."

"Once I have your magic, you will be mine in everyway. I will own you. You will be obedient and do exactly what I say."

"Damon, I'll make a deal with you. I'll give it to you if you take off the curse and disappear to wreak your havoc elsewhere. Never to come near, contact, or bother me, my family, my friends or their families."

"Do I normally make deals?" he hissed.

"Please," she begged. "Just let me go."

"You think your little boyfriend will want you around once your magic is gone? His father as well could use you as a concentration force for destruction."

"Neither Draco, nor his father know about me. Lucius may know about my dad, but I'm unknown."

"You naughty girl," he cooed as the Gryffindor clock struck noon.

"Let her go," said a jagged voice from behind them.

Damon quickly whipped his head around while Joely peered around him. She groaned in anguish as there stood Draco, Holli, and the trio; all aiming their wands at Damon.

"Get out of here!" Joely screamed.

Draco tried not to admit it, but even though he and Damon were around the same height, the pure burliness of Damon was actually quite intimidating. Draco sized up his opponent, taking in his build. Damon was brawn and brute strength; his hard jaw line suggesting that he really didn't take guff. His piercing eyes stabbed your soul; his clothing stretched tightly against his muscles defining the curves. You could even see the veins pushing into the fabric. But Draco knew himself: he was leanly muscular but just as strong with wit and Seeker reflexes. His eyes were just as piercing and he knew it. I can outsmart this oaf in a matter of seconds.

"I said let her go," he stated again.

"Well hello, Holli. How's my traitor of a sister?"

The petite blonde winced in pain as the wound on her arm sharpened, but she refused to speak in reply to his question. She was not going to let him make her feel guilt for going against him and their father.

"Tell me, did you ever tell Joely about all the times that you had forgotten to replace your bandage this year?" he smiled when her eyes grew to dinner plate size. "Yes, I have you to thank as well for allowing me to find Joely."

"Shut up, Damon," said Joely.

"Joely, come towards me," said Hermione softly, her eyes still dead locked on Damon.

"You move and I kill them all," he hissed. Joely stayed put.

"Let her go, now," said Harry fiercely.

"Put a sock in it, Potter."

"Jem, come to me," said Draco softly. "Give her to me," he replied with force and demand.

"You want her, Malfoy? Then go get her."

Joely's mouth opened to scream but the excruciating pain was too great. All the way down her spine and through her navel, a sensation of a white-hot pole had penetrated her skin and fused to her backbone. She tried to fight against the feeling, but was failing despairingly; she lost consciousness.

Hermione screamed and Draco swore loudly as Joely's body ascended high into the air, turning in a circle as though she was twisting down on a giant screw. Had Draco not known better, and he couldn't doubt the possibility of it, he would have said that the pain ripping her through her was in fact as painful as being impaled onto a screw or giant battlement, the unblunted metal shredding her insides. Damon smirked wickedly, but the smile fell from his face when red sparks left a scorch mark on his cheek.

Am I too lost to be saved?
Am I too lost?

"That was a warning shot. The next one won't miss," said Harry venomously.

"Right. . . ." Damon drawled out.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Harry but Damon had dodged the spell, ducking behind the table. "Hermione, get Joely down!"

"Granger, don't move! You're in his line of fire!" said Draco as he watched Damon's head peek up over the edge of the table as he and Harry took cover beside a bookcase.

"Your father would disown you, Malfoy, if he knew you were protecting a filthy mudblood," rang the nasty, icy voice of Damon somewhere in the common room. It has actually sounded as though it was pouring down over them in a feel of a waterfall of evil tones.

Though the room was well lit, shadows were still galore. Big shadows, small ones, even those with just enough darkness to maybe hide someone as small as Holli or Ginny. The five took caution as they lazily searched the large areas only. The room then fell into complete darkness. Nothing was visible, not even their hands in front of their faces. Ringing and sharp buzzing filled their ears as indication of just how deadly silent everything was.

"This is absurd," groaned Hermione after Holli and Ron had collided with great oomphs coming from their mouths. She even chuckled when Holli hit the ground, rather robustly to say the least. "Lumos." Only now she found that Ron had actually been the one to fall and Holli was standing fast and firm.

Replacing the ringing was now a low, raspy sounding breath as it ushered in a chilly, eerie mist that filled the room quickly. Everyone stood stock in their positions. It appeared wet just like a usual mist, but when touched, your whole body tingled and moistened as though you had stepped into tropical humidity. Hermione could even feel her hair on the verge of frizzing; adding to what already claimed her head in a mixture of natural frizz, sleep induced, and plain stress.

Ron was the first to move.

"HARRY!" he screamed in a very girlish pitch. "Get me down from here!"

"Down from where?"

"Up here! I'm on the ceiling!"

Ron, however, was not on the ceiling as he had thought; Harry could see his lanky outline in the mist from the glow of Hermione's wand. Cursing himself for not catching on before, he lit his wand tip too.

"Ron, I'm looking right at you. Your feet are on the ground, mate. This is anti-gravity mist. Just take another step."

"Are you bloody mad? If I move I'll fall!" ranted Ron, looking at what he thought was down. He could see his hair on end and feel the blood stinging inside his head.

"Ron, trust me! I faced this in the maze fourth year. Just take another step!"

He took a deep, unsure breath as his body strongly advised him against listening to Harry. He knew he had to react and fast as he was now beginning to feel woozy as his face was burning. He shut his eyes tight, tears wetting the crease in fear, and gritted his teeth in extreme jitteriness as he did as he was instructed and took a shaky step forward. Immediately he was righted and fell to his knees kissing the floor in thankfulness.

Then as though a giant vacuum had been powered up underneath the floor, the mist was swallowed quickly into the cracks.

"Where is he," said Draco, maneuvering cautiously toward the others.

"Maybe he Disapparated?"

"Ron!" everyone shouted. Little did Ron know that Draco's question had actually been rhetorical.

"You can't Apparate or Disapparate on Hogwarts grounds."

Hermione looked oddly at Draco as she walked to the fire. "You've read Hogwarts, A History? Incendio!"

"Are you surprised, Granger?" he spat.

"I've tried to read it, but it's so boring," whined Ron.

"Don't be stupid, Weasley, you know you can't read."

"That's enough! He didn't run away, so let's hurry up and get out of here before he comes back," said Holli in a panicky squeak.

"Come back from where?" Damon shouted, casting a Hurling Hex and sending the five soaring through the air; Holli and Draco landing near the girl's stairs, Harry and Ron nearly flew into the grate, and Hermione landed near the portrait door.

Groaning with soreness, everyone had revived but Holli; she was unconscious with small droplets of blood tainting the hair on the crown of her head. Hermione, Ron and Draco had been slightly battered, but Harry had come out of his less then fancy flight with a cut over his left eyebrow. Hermione tried to give it a quick mend that would suffice until he saw Pomfrey, but that changed.

"Crucio!" was blasted at Draco, but thankfully had just missed him by mere millimeters.

"Impedimenta!" Malfoy returned. Although the spell had hit, Damon had been unaffected unless you count the chuckle he emitted as though the spell has tickled.

"You ignorance amuses me, Malfoy," he said slowly and coldly, steadily advancing on him, the blood red of his eyes tempting Draco to do what spells he knew he shouldn't, but could.

"No, your ignorance should amuse you."

Out of the shadows Harry, Hermione, and Ron appeared with the determination and malice of a fearless, feared and powerful cavalry. They split and Draco moved in between Ron and Harry, their wands of variety aimed. "Reducto!" Four curses fired in one direction, squarely hitting its target and blasting Damon out of their path with the force of a herd of stampeding elephants. The thud that ensured the four that he had indeed hit the wall through the blowing dust echoed ghastly.

"Accio wand," said Hermione with a hint of cheer in her voice in believing of their victory. Nothing. . . . No wand fell into her hand; especially not the black wand of Damon. "He did have a wand, didn't he?"

"AHH!" Ron shrilled, collapsing to the floor in pain. He had been hit with a Knee-Reversing Hex and evidence was given as his knees were now indeed in the back of his legs. If his screams weren't enough, the appearance was a positive display of affirmation that it was horrible.

"STUPEFY!" Hermione was now stunned as a jet of red sparks hit her in the chest. "I guess this leaves Potter, the blood traitor and me. What fun this will be," he cackled. "AVADA--"

"Split up!" shouted Harry as he created a smoke screen to mix with the dust to temporarily blind Damon.

Draco ducked down beside the couch on the far side of the room, while Harry climbed just around the bend of the boy's stairs. He drew his head up slightly to see Joely's still rotating body, wavering in up and down movements. His stomach tossed about inside him at the position she was in: on her back, her arms, legs and head were dangling as though they were just lumps of flesh without the supporting bones. And from his vantage point, she laid as though only a giant hook through her navel was holding her up.

"Come out, come out wherever you are," Damon teased, the malevolence in his voice crystal clear. "Come on, don't you want to play? All right then, how about a little temptation? Something to excite you, yes?"

Draco didn't exactly know what Damon was going to tempt him and Harry with, but he wasn't all that anxious to know either, nor did he fancy the way he crossed the subject. It angered him to boiling that Damon was finding this to be nothing more then a game. Bastard, he thought. He prepared himself to run as Damon footsteps clicked louder as they approached, but the sudden sound of ripping distracted his near jaunt.

"Does this wet your appetite, Malfoy? Does this make you want to come out and play your final game?"

What the bugger is he talking about? Draco wondered. What does he think I'm going to do with him making empty threats? That's when Joely's voice filled his head. "Didn't your father teach you anything about making empty threats? Make a promise you can keep for Merlin's sake." Now was the time to make a promise.

"See how it slices? See how it glides across the scars with ease?"

My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.
My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a glint near Joely's body, rocking back and forth. Raising his throbbing head just enough so both retinas focused on her, he saw a bloody dagger under her; opening the twisted scars that shrouded her back. It was no ordinary dagger; it was the one from his dreams: the demonic ritual blade that had gashed her arm, the one that had been placed at Hermione's throat just yesterday.

He watched as each drop of blood fell. He sat frozen as the liquid life left her body, pushing her one step closer to her death as he had believed all along, to collect on the floor in a puddle of wavering hues: bright red, crimson, blood red, and even a color that could not be mistaken as any shade but black; black blood of an unwilling.

Damon was too close for comfort; Draco could sense the darkness that Damon's aura emitted. He quickly cast a Tripping Jinx, sending Damon crashing face first into the ground as he rocketed for the girl's dormitory stairs. Another Unforgivable had missed him as he had the fortunate luck (or should he thank the founders?) to have the staircase collapse on him, sending him barreling back down. His face contorted and his mouth twisted in shapes that were no doubt mouthing out silent cursing. Draco vowed that he was going to take up this blasted staircase issue with Dumbledore as soon as this was over.

Harry popped out and threw an Instant Scalping Hex toward his opponent. It grazed his arm, tearing his sleeve. Harry's direction was in turn blasted with a Banishing Charm that cracked a few stones to the right of his head just seconds after he sunk to the floor for cover from ricochet. Crawling silently on his belly, he made his way toward the interior area of the room.

"Incendio!" bellowed Draco, but little harm was being done to the one that it had intended to burn since the table was now scorched.

Harry quickly extinguished the charred remains then took cover under it. He threw out the Babbling Curse, but accidentally hit Malfoy instead, grimacing as he muttered incoherently. Harry couldn't decipher which was more annoying: Draco now with his incessant babble, or his normal drawl that was only heard when a smart remark or insult was to be voiced. They were equally frustrating to have to hear, or to be the brunt of his wit, but not knowing what his babble concerned made Harry wonder what horrible things Draco was threatening him with.

Of course Malfoy revenged against Harry, but no one would have expected Harry to suddenly sprout leeks from his ears, followed by an extremely rude question about if Harry had any relatives from Wales. But the war between the two students wasn't over until Harry cursed Draco with the Twitchy Ear Hex.

"Please don't stop on my account," Damon chuckled.

"INCARCEROUS!" screamed Harry, striking the off-guard evil one.

"ARGH!" he growled as the thick ropes shot out of Harry's wand, squeezing his body until he felt as though his circulation was being constricted, thrashing him down onto the floor. He was being outsmarted by two pathetic teenage wizards that he surpassed in power by far and it was killing him.

"STUPEFY," murmured Draco with an edge of death in his voice after he approached Damon's unmoving body and cast the charm. The look that he received from Harry told him that it wasn't going to last long though.

They quickly rounded up the others, wondering if they were going to have to move them magically, but thankfully Hermione had regain consciousness; not to mention was rearing to get back in the fight. Ron on the other hand was still writhing and wallowing on the ground.

"Is Holli going to be all right?"

"I think so, Malfoy, but I'm not a nurse or Healer. We have to get out of here, now."

"We're working on it Hermione," said Harry in a hopefully reassuring voice. "Can you get Joely down?"

"I don't know what spell or spells are holding her up there. And I'm sure that there are enchantments protecting her from us. I'll try, but one wrong spell or move on my part and she could fall, or who knows what else."

"I'll catch her."

"What is Malfoy doing?"

"I don't know. Oi, Malfoy, forget him! Let's get out of here before he comes out of it. Malfoy," said Harry urgently, "what're you doing?"

"He's going to bleed. His heart is going to bleed like Joely's has all these years."

My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.
My God! My Tourniquet,
Return to me salvation.

"Malfoy, Joely and all of us are getting out of alive will make him bleed enough. Come on, we haven't much time."

"Oh fuck off, Granger! What would you know?" he growled viciously. He was on the verge of berating her further when Damon's eyes popped open, sending him tumbling backwards into Harry and Hermione.

"Protego!" Hermione said loudly and firmly, creating a magical barrier to protect them against him.

"YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DIE!" he roared, splitting the ropes in half with sheer unforeseen power. "YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME? YOU FOOLS!"

All the attention was diverted to the portrait door that had now exploded off its hinges, allowing entrance to two sets of Aurors: one in black cloaks, the other in blue, charging into the room and standing protectively in front of Draco, Harry, and Hermione.

"Hello, Megan," he said frigidly. "Or should I refer to you as Mistress of Magic Baker?"

"Mr. Hælan," she replied tartly.

"What a pleasant surprise."

"Is it now? Put her down," she ordered. She had the uncommonly cool demeanor just as Dumbledore did, without the annoying twinkle.

"Naughty, naughty, you didn't say the magic word."

"Please, Damon, put her down," pleaded another woman trying to push past Megan who was suppressing her advance.

"Hello, Noelle. I never would've expected you to show up. And where is -? - ah yes here is your husband now. Hello, Sean. Lovely day, isn't?"

"Hælan," he said lethally, "put my daughter down."

"Now why on Earth would I want to do that when she's so comfortable up there? She's in a bewitched sleep anyways, she doesn't feel a thing. Though she might be a bit dizzy if she ever wakes up," he laughed mercilessly. "But you know, Sean, whatcha say you and I have a little chat? Catch up on who you've killed since my father."

Sean gave an unhealthy look to Megan but returned to Damon. "Put my daughter down," he snipped.

"Please, Damon," sobbed Noelle, "she's hurt enough."

Damon shifted his body so he could gaze upon Joely's floating body up above him, and still keep an eye on his oppositions. The corners of his mouth twitched when he sneaked a peek at Megan ordering both sets of Aurors back.

"Oh what the hell," he shrugged.

"NO!" Sean screamed as Joely's body soared to the ground.

The common room filled with variations of screams, shrills and gasps at the sounds her body made when it landed; bouncing twice before settling; the crunch of thick bone, or very well bones, breaking.

"I best be off." In a swish of this cloak, he was gone; the Ministry Aurors jetting out of Gryffindor and most likely onto the grounds to search for him.

The current trio pounced to rush to her side, but was halted by Dumbledore, allowing Sean and Noelle to get to her first. Draco screwed up the dirtiest face that he possessed to strike it upon the Headmaster for his lack of sensitivity. Who the hell did he think he was by stopping him, or Potter and Granger? Did he not think that after everything they went through, they didn't deserve to have the confirmation that she was alive? But then again, he hated her at the moment, so why should he be the first to her? It was only right that her parents get to her first... right?

My wounds cry for the grave.
My soul cries, for deliverance.
Will I be denied?
Christ! Tourniquet! My suicide.

"Joely, speak to me, honey. It's Mommy. Open your eyes, Joely. Joely?" she cried, smoothing her daughter's hair back; paying no mind that her dress and hem of her traveling cloak were thick with blood.

"Jem, come on, darling, talk to me. Say anything. Anything, I don't care, just talk. A smart remark would do wonders for me right now, sweetheart, come on. Young lady, I said open your eyes!"

"Excuse me," said Poppy, pushing everyone out of her way. "I'm sorry, Noelle, but you have to move." She glanced up and down Joely's body, her head shaking grimly as she gingerly felt about her abdomen and chest for internal injuries. "I just don't know for sure. We have to get her to hospital immediately; she's not breathing. No, Sean, don't pick her up, I'll do it. Wingardium Leviosa," she said, then slowly lowered Joely onto the stretcher, rushing off toward the portrait with her patient's parents at her heels.

"Wait!" hollered Draco.

"No, Mr. Malfoy," said Dumbledore. "I want you, Miss Granger and Mr. Potter in my office promptly. Professor Bridgeman, will you please see Miss Hælan and Mr. Weasley to the hospital wing?

...............

"Noelle," said Sean in shortness of breath, "I need you to floo Tahama and get her out here."

"Sean, she's on her honeymoon!" panted Noelle.

"I don't care if she's on her death bed! Get her out here!"

...............

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I have to see if she's all right!"

"No, Draco, you will wait and that is an order. To my office immediately, there is much that needs to be discussed and sorted out before anyone will be seeing Miss McGill."

"Excuse me, Albus?" said Megan. "As your Ministry of Magic's Aurors are returning to London, would you mind if my team did a sweep for any traps or dark magic that might still be lingering? He's not on the grounds or in the castle, but I want to ensure that none of your students are in any danger."

"Of course not, Megan, please do."