My Mate

Olivia gasped as the wind was knocked out of her when she hit the ground. A heavy weight was pinning her down but she couldn’t even struggle. Not until some seconds later when her lungs finally filled and she let out another shriek and started kicking, managing to strike a soft spot somewhere on the obviously male body that was holding her arms tight against her body.

Dimly she heard another shriek in the background that must have come from Narcissa and a low grunt and curse right next to her ear. Simeon. It had to be Simeon. It sounded like him and who else could it be. The bloody git!

“Get off me!” Olivia hissed. “This instant you big goon!” She was suddenly rolled over onto her back and held down with the weight of Simeon’s heavy body, his face inches from her own and coldly furious.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Olivia shook her head and tried to rock him off, but he was immoveable. “Why do you think I’m here, you dolt! Ginny is my best friend and I will not be left behind to bite my nails to the quick worrying!”

He let his weight sink down even more on her and she bit off a gasp at the feel of the heat and hardness of his body. Her breasts were flattened against his chest and the sensations sparked through her like tiny bolts of lightening.

“You had better hope that you’re no where in my vicinity when this is all over. Let this serve as advanced warning that if I find you, you will regret it.”

Olivia shivered at the danger in his softly spoken threat. He meant it and not for the first time did she see the ruthlessness that seemed to present itself in his makeup. Whatever he did or who he was before seemed to have left its imprint on him. She was fairly certain it had to do with the war and that he had been more involved than he let on. And right now she could feel the waves of anger rolling off him. He truly was furious that she’d followed him.

“Fine, but get off me now.” He blinked at her terse command. No doubt he thought she would cower under his threat. And while normally she hated confrontations, she felt oddly thrilled at this.

Simeon stood slowly and unceremoniously yanked her to her feet. She dusted the leaves and twigs off her cloak and glared at him.

“So what’s the plan? Does Draco know where she’s being held? Is she all right?”

Simeon scowled. “As far as we know she’s ok. Draco is still sensing emotions from her so we know she’s not dead.” He was obviously not thrilled with having to include her. “He went in by himself to scout out the situation. If he needs help or he wants us to move in, we have a signal. But for now, we wait.”

Narcissa shrieked as she was grasped from behind and whirled around into a hard body. Severus’ eyes glittered in the starlight. His mouth was pressed into a tight line and he hissed.

“What in the name of Merlin are you doing out here you half crazed bint!”

She gasped. “Don’t you dare call me a bint!”

“I’ll call you anything I bloody well want to! Do you have any idea what might happen if Lucius catches sight of you? The whole bloody charade would come crashing down around our ears and we’d have more trouble to deal with!”

“I know the risks, but I’m not going to let my son do this without my aid.”

“What are you going to do Narcissa?” Severus sneered condescendingly. "He'll kill you in a second if he finds out you're alive."

“Lucius is my husband and this is partially my fault. I should have done more to protect Draco and Ginny. I should have done more to stop him.” She slumped a bit in his hold. “I have to stop him for good.” Her voice was trembling but sure.

“It’s not your place any longer. It’s Draco’s.” Severus countered with a snarl. “It’s between him and Lucius. It’s his mate the bastard stole. And stop trying to change the subject. You knew we didn’t want you and Olivia here. You’ll both just be in the way.”

“I know more about Lucius and the Manor than anyone else here.” She insisted.

“We don’t need you!” Severus hissed.

Narcissa flinched, but drew herself up even straighter. “I’m not going anywhere, so I suggest that we get back to the group and see what the plan is.”

Severus stared at her angrily for a few seconds before sweeping a mocking arm toward the clearing.

Ginny yanked futilely on the ropes, her panic mounting as the hooded figure swept closer. A choked scream flew from her lips when the torch light revealed the Deatheater mask. His shadow fell over her, his height towering above her, increasing her sense of helplessness.

A black gloved hand stretched towards her and she closed her eyes in terror. She felt the light pressure of a gloved finger trail down her cheek and neck pausing for a moment to tease her nipple, then continued down over her breast and across her stomach.

Ginny tried to pull away from it and alarmed at the direction it was heading, attempted to close her legs, but her bonds wouldn’t let her. Whimpering, she flinched as it drifted lower in an impersonal but inquisitive touch.

“You’re not lacking certain attributes but that in no way makes you suitable. Though you are a tempting little package. I can see why my son might want to dally with you.” The voice was rasping but struck a chord of recognition. Her eyes flew open just as he pulled of the mask, revealing long white blonde hair and sneering features.

“You!” Her head spun with the implications. She had done just as Draco had warned her not too.

She’d been caught by Lucius.

By the father who didn’t want his son to marry her, but rather some rich petulant heiress and if her surroundings were any indication, he meant to finish her off and rid Draco of the obstacle for good.

Lucius was going to kill her.

“Nothing to say my dear Miss Weasley?” His taunting broke the dam holding back all the memories of the diary and Tom Riddle. This was the man that had been the cause of a whole year of darkness and the resulting years of guilt and self-recrimination for being gullible enough to fall for the diary’s temptations.

Rage and fury swept through her body, decimating her fear and instead caused her body to tremble with the effort t to suppress it. Lucius mistook it for fear.

“That’s right Weasley. You should be very afraid. Your whole family needs exterminating, like the vermin you are and my only regret is that I was not able to do it sooner. Perhaps I’ll arrange a tragic accident to befall the rest of them.”

“You bastard!” Ginny screamed bucking against her restraints. “You’re evil scum and I'll find some way to avenge us even if I have to do it from beyond the grave. And if you do this to me, your son will kill you!” She twisted, the ropes chaffing her tender wrists.

“Is that what you think?” Lucius laughed. “He may have been dallying with you but as soon as I rid him of you, he’ll come back to his senses. The veela instincts will release him once he no longer has a mate and he’ll be able to marry Delia Parkinson like I’ve told him and he’ll finally be able to concentrate on more important matters. Trust me Weasley. He won’t miss you.”

She wanted to spit out to him that Draco would never marry Delia and that he loved her but she didn’t know if he loved her and she didn’t dare take the chance of revealing to Lucius that Draco fought with the Order and had been a spy. There was no telling what Lucius might do with that information and Ginny would never forgive herself if she were responsible for Draco’s death. So instead she asked, “What are you going to do with me?”

The cold glee in his eyes made Ginny’s breath catch. Whatever it was, he was going to enjoy it. And that scared her more than anything. She closed her eyes and tried to connect with Draco once again.

“You’ll see. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise now would I?” He raised his wand and with a quick “Stupefy”, rendered Ginny unconscious. He levitated the slab ahead of him as he walked up the stairs of the dungeon, leaving the chilling damp room echoingly empty.

Draco crept stealthily around the perimeter of Malfoy Manor. He’d lost the connection minutes before he’d got here and Draco had almost had a heart attack, wondering if she was dead, until it had occurred to him that he would be mortally wounded himself if she were gone. So she was most likely unconscious or drugged perhaps.

He hadn’t seen anything of his father or Ginny yet. He had to make sure they weren’t in the castle before moving on to anywhere else on the estate. Heading for the main doors, he slammed them open and motioned for a quivering house elf to come forward.

“Where is your master, Tobin?”

“Master left the manor. Tobin does not know where he is? Tobin is bad elf!” He started cracking his head on the tile. Draco grabbed him before he could do more damage to himself.

“When did he leave and which direction did you go?”

“Fifteen minutes and me think he headed south.” The old elf was wringing his hands and shaking.

“You are not to punish yourself, do you understand Tobin?”

“Yes Young Master.”

But Draco was already gone.

Narcissa watched the others huddling in the clearing. Bill was arguing with Severus and Simeon, while Olivia looked on with intense concentration. No doubt getting a read on the other’s feelings. The expressions on her face would vary from concern and worry to a bit of surprise here and there. She wondered who was causing it and what they were feeling.

Finally, she could take it no more and quietly slipped into the shadows. She had caused so much pain and anger with the decisions she’d made and it was time for her to put an end to it. Draco hadn’t contacted them yet and she had an inkling of where Lucius might be.

Pulling her cloak about her, she took off on her broom, hoping the others wouldn't notice her disappearance until it was too late.

“Time to wake up.” The voice penetrated through the dark fog in her brain and the “Enervate” cleared it all away. Ginny tried to sit up with a start, but those damn ropes were still holding her tight to the slab. They were in a clearing and the moonlight was casting a blue glow over the grass. The woods hauntingly quiet. Not even the crickets were chirping.

“What are you doing?” She spat at the robed figure of Lucius. He was bending down on the ground with his back towards her. When he stood and turned around, Ginny almost fainted dead away. He was holding a dagger. A very large, very ornate, very SHARP dagger. And instantly she felt like the main player in a ritual sacrifice. And she was very much afraid that it was going to play out in reality.

“If you kill me, Draco will die! A veela has to be able to have their mate or they will die! Then where will all your plans for him have gone? Right into the rubbish that’s where!”

“He won’t die. Only if he doesn’t have you while you’re still alive. If you’re dead, it won’t drive him into madness. I’ve checked into this my dear, and your pathetic lies to try to save yourself won’t work with me.”

He went back to methodically polishing the blade with a white handkerchief.

“You evil bloody bastard! You’ll pay for this! Draco will make you pay!"

Lucius turned, knife in hand and walked slowly over to where she lay.

"I don't think so. He'll realize it's for the best." His mouth twisted into a horrible parody of a smile. "It's time to say goodbye Miss Weasley. Hopefully your family will be following you along into the grave." He raised the dagger over his head and her scream echoed through the still moonlit night.