Draco slammed the book shut and sighed. He brushed a hand through his hair and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he squinted at the clock beside his bed. It was half-past twelve at night and he had done nothing but sit cross-legged on his bed with a book, in the dark, since Ginny left him to clean up the plate he ruined several hours ago.
He was just about to climb into bed when he heard a pounding downstairs. He growled and descended the stairs, ready to rip into whoever sounded like they were about to break down his door. He trudged down the stairs and yanked the door open. No sooner had he done that, than his stomach twisted at what he saw.
She was lying against the wall, her head resting on her shoulder, and her eyes empty as she stared at him. There were bloodstains on her torn blouse, and her lip was split. Her long, fiery hair was matted with the blood that dripped down her temple. She tried pushed herself up, and he stared at her right thigh and the purplish-blue hand mark on it - whoever had touched her had gripped hard.
Draco swallowed and stepped forward, cautiously bending down to look at her. When he touched her cheek, and forced her to look at him, Ginny flinched, her eyes flickering with fear. He watched her hands trembling as they lay at her side, and as he tried to lift her, she shook her head.
He was about to ask her why not when they were interrupted by the sound of fast paced footsteps, and then a screech of sneakers on the floor as they stopped short. Draco didn’t bother to turn around before speaking. “We’re all right, sorry for blocking the hall.”
“Is she all right?”
Draco turned his head slightly. “No, I don’t think she is.”
“Oh.”
Draco stood and faced his friend now, his eyes narrowed. “How did you know she was here?”
Blaise smiled crookedly. “I saw her limping here – I knew something was wrong.”
Draco frowned and brushed a hand through his hair as he bent down and touched Ginny’s cheek. Her brown eyes opened and she rested her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “Who did this?” he whispered.
“I didn’t know him-” Ginny said quietly, her eyes falling on Blaise. “Did you bring me here?” she asked him.
“No, I didn’t,” Blaise said, kneeling down beside Draco, his eyes soft. “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts,” Ginny confessed as she let Draco pick her up and she exhaled. “That’s it.”
Draco stopped dead just inside his flat and looked around, going through what she had just told him, which only meant one thing. He smiled faintly and placed her on the couch and covered her with a blanket. Then, he turned to Blaise, and said, “I think you can go now. She’ll be sleeping for the rest of the night.”
Blaise’s eyes surveyed the two champagne glasses on the table and said, “You two had a nice night, I expect?”
Draco stared at him as he bent to kiss Ginny’s forehead. “What? No, we didn’t. We had a fight and she left. I just wish I knew where she went after that, so I could ask if anyone saw anything suspicious.”
“She wasn’t raped?” Blaise asked curiously.
“If she was,” Draco said coldly, “the person would be dead. Even so, whoever attacked her, I’m going to find them and make them pay.”
Ginny coughed and rolled over. “Will you tell my family?” she asked Draco softly.
He nodded. “Of course.”
A small smile grazed her lips, and then faded as she fell asleep.
Two hours later, Draco was sitting in his kitchen drinking a bottle of wine. “I don’t get it,” the blond said, taking another sip and tittering on the stool he sat on. “Ginny’s not a big drinker, so wouldn’t she remember who attacked her?”
Blaise smiled thinly. “Maybe they don’t want to be found, Malfoy.”
“Or—” Draco peered at his friend with glassy eyes. “They used a spell on her, so she wouldn’t know who they were.”
“I think you’re drunk and thinking about this too much,” Blaise said as he helped Draco upstairs. “I’m not letting you crack your head on the stairs going up.”
“I’m fine,” Draco said arrogantly as he reached his room. He curled up on the bed and waited for the door to close, so he was in complete darkness.
Downstairs, Blaise sat watching Ginny sleep, and smirked to himself.
Draco groaned as the blinding sunlight came barreling in his room. He squeezed his eyes shut and groped around for the clock by his bed, until he touched something soft and cool. He cracked an eye open and looked at Ginny. She was standing on the side of his bed holding a tray of assorted fruits. She looked better than last night, having showered and put on new clothes.
“Here,” she offered, a tiny smile on her lips. “This will make you feel better.”
“How did you know I’d have a hangover?” Draco muttered as he sat up.
“I saw the empty bottle of wine downstairs, and I know Blaise wasn’t drinking, because there was only one glass out.”
“Ugh,” he moaned, rubbing his head. “Why did you let me drink so much?”
“Me?” Ginny laughed. “I was asleep. If you want to blame someone, it’s you.”
“All right, I blame Blaise,” Draco said as he took the tray from her. “How do you feel?”
Ginny sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed and shook her head. “I still can’t remember anything.” Quietly, she lay next to him, her head immediately burying in his chest as his arm draped across her and held her tight.
“You’re just lucky the jackass didn’t do worse.”
Ginny nodded. “He scared me when I first saw him sitting at my table-”
“I thought you said you didn’t remember anything?” Draco asked.
“Some things came back.” Ginny shrugged.
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