Upside Down

I know, I know...

This chappie is a bit short than I usually do, but I promise the next one will be better. Well...I've just been really busy lately. Class is about to start back, my sister is threatening to move out of the house(with a girl she barely knows just so she can screw around with her boyfriend) and my mom doesn't know how to say no to babysitting. It seems we're always having somebody's little fuck here. (Can you tell I don't like nor want children?)

I'll try to update sooner to make up for the shortness. Just please reply. They make my day so much better, and I really need that right now. *Puppy dog eyes* Pweeeese?
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Ruby ran the water as hot as she could stand it, and filled medium-sized bath with a rather neutral smelling soap. She stepped into the bath, and slid slowly into the water, gasping and crying when the water washed over her fresh stripes.

She scrubbed herself raw trying to get rid of any reminder of her encounter with the Death Eaters. She scrubbed until very bit of her she could reach was an angry red.

“I wanna go home. I want my daddy.” She whimpered softly. She slid herself slowly into the near-scalding water, letting the water wash up over her face, and completely submersed herself. She stayed under the water, letting out her breath slowly. She suddenly felt a magical presence under her arms, and she was hauled above the water, the presence leaving when she was in the clear.

“Uh, uh, uh.”

She heard Voldemort’s voice, hollow and disembodied. She looked around frantically, thinking he had come into the room while she was under the water.

“You are being watched, child. Any attempt to….escape….whether physically or spiritually…will be punished swiftly and painfully. This is your only warning.” And then the voice fell silent. Ruby buried her face into her hands and cried for a little while, her shoulders shaking.

“What did I do to deserve this?” she cried.

When she was finished with her bath, she climbed shakily out of the bath tub, and retrieved a rather scratchy towel to dry with. She was very careful when she dried her back. After she was dry, she went back into the main part of the room. She didn’t at all like walking around naked…

The room itself was painted a rather dreary slate grey, and the coverings to the bed were a horrendous floral pattern. Merlin….was he colorblind? It looked like a rainbow threw up flower shapes on the cloth. But it appeared to be clean.

There was the small night table next to the bed, her practically useless wand lying there innocently. There was also a simple wind-up clock sitting on the table. She opened the drawer of the tight table, and saw a few books laying in the bottom. She pulled one out, and laid down on her stomach on the bed. It was a soft bed, and the comforter felt nice, even though it was hideous.

“The History of Merlin….exciting.” she said. She opened the book, and began to read. It only took a few minutes for the combination of the events of the day and the boring book to make her eyelids heavy. She put the book on the table, and decided to ask for a bit of divine help before she went to bed. She rolled off of the bed, and knelt on the floor, putting her hands together under her chin.

“I….I know that I’m not supposed to pray to you anymore. I’m not considered one of your Children. But I just want….I…I need some help, I guess. I’m scared, and alone, and there’s nothing I can do. I no longer have my mother, and my father is with you. All I have left is my cousin, and I know she’s missing me right now. She may have never been one of your Children, but she’s a good person. Please…help us.” She said softly.

“There is no help for you.” Came Voldemort’s disembodied voice.

Ruby frowned. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” She said softly. “Um….Amen.” she said awkwardly, and stood from her kneeling position. She pulled back the covers, and got into the soft bed, thankful that at least the sheets smelled nice and felt nice against her skin. She laid her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. “Amen.” She said again, and finally fell asleep.

~~

Hermione’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked up into Draco’s silver orbs.

“I had a horrible nightmare…” she said, a nervous smile on her face. “I could have sworn Harry said Ruby had been taken by Death Eaters…” she said, and laughed. Draco frowned at her.

“She has, Mione. Please…are you going to be all right?” he asked. Hermione looked up at him, and her lower lip began to tremble. She pushed him away from her, and stood.

“We have to go after her! She’ll be hurt! Or killed…” Hermione said, and finally bust into tears. It was about that time that Lucius stalked into the room, his wand drawn, and his hair a shocking shade of pink.

“I’ll give you something to cry about…” he growled. Harry, trying not to laugh, intervened.

“Mr. Malfoy…now’s not the time. Ruby’s been taken by Death Eaters. They also broke into her flat and trashed it. Left a note on the wall.” Harry said, getting serious again. He held his newly wrapped hand against him. The wrap was courtesy of Bellatrix, who had left the room to get something else to eat.

Lucius frowned. That wasn’t good at all. Ruby knew everything about them being alive, and that could really throw a wrench in their plans for a surprise attack. They could only hope that Ruby knew Occlumency….but even that wouldn’t necessarily be enough….keeping Voldmort out of one’s head could be quite a feat…

Lucius sat down rather hard in a nearby chair. This could be very bad for Draco, who was still Marked. And Rodolphus…Voldemort knew he wasn’t dead….he would want him back to punish him for his rebellion. This could prove deadly…

Narcissa came into the room, looking worse for the wear. Her face was pale, and she had actually lost weight, as she couldn’t keep any food down. She had been very sick during her pregnancy with Draco, and this one didn’t appear to be treating her any better. She was very frail and weak, and Lucius tried to keep her in bed most of the time, or at least off her feet. She took one look at Lucius, and smiled. A small giggle escaped her lips, and she put her hand to her mouth to hide her laughing.

Lucius looked up, and his face softened immediately. “Narcissa?” he asked softly. Then he frowned again. “You find this amusing?” he asked. She laughed weakly, and nodded. He stood, and walked over to her, folding her into his arms. “I would have my hair every color of the rainbow if it meant hearing you laugh. You’ve had so little to laugh about lately.” He said. She laid her head against him.

“I don’t want you to think I don’t want to be pregnant with your baby.” She said softly. He immediately put his finger against her mouth, silencing her.

“No, no, no.” he said softly. “I never thought that. But I love to hear you laugh…and you have been so sick lately.” He said.

Bellatrix came back into the room, a plate of brownies in her hand. “Brownies, anybody?” she asked. Narcissa looked rather green when Bellatrix offered her one of the chocolatey snacks. “Fine…more for me.” She said.

“Kay…we need a plan.” Bellatrix said, shoving one of the brownies into her mouth. Hermione looked over at her, her eyes wide.

“A plan? How are we going to snatch her from the jaws of Voldemort himself?” she asked.

“We plan a trade.” Bellatrix said, her mouth full. She swallowed. “He doesn’t know that Lucius, Draco, Narcissa and I are alive….well….not yet, anyway. We don’t know how well Ruby knows how to protect her mind. But we know he knows Rodolphus is alive…and he wants revenge. We’ll set a trap for him…offer him Roddy in exchange for Ruby. Then, we betray old Red-Eyes and if we play our cards right…we might be able to destroy him there…” she said. Hermione blinked.

“You would offer your husband for my cousin?” she asked, a bit confused.

“Not if everything goes right, we won’t.” she said, smirking.

“How do you know he’ll agree to this?” Hermione asked. Bellatrix’s smirk widened.

“He’ll agree. Trust me.” She said softly. Hermione sniffled slightly, and allowed Draco to wrap his arms around her.

“I just hope they haven’t hurt her…” she said softly.
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Hmm...Ruby reading the history of Merlin and then praying to the Christian God. A bit odd....but it is both of her heritages. She doesn't think that much of it...

Well....tell me what you think....please....

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