Bitten

Inside the Darkness

Draco was in the Room of Requirement. It was dark, but somehow didn't feel heavy like it used to. He felt calm and peaceful. He looked around and was alone in the room, nothing unfamiliar to him. His left arm was itching. He absently scratched at it with his right hand. He walked a little in the room and found the candle that always lit it. He blinked and leaned down. The candle was indeed red and brand new. He reached out with his right hand to inspect the candle and saw something on his fingers. He paled when he recognized the liquid. His eyes darted to his left arm. Where his Dark Mark should have been were the initials "RS". It was written in blood. The blood swelled and spilled over, dripping down his skin and onto the floor.

Stepping back from the candlelight, Draco tripped over himself. He landed on the floor with a harsh thud. He crawled backwards away from the red candle which seemed to be dripping blood instead of wax. His hand brushed against something and he spun around. He let out a yell as his eyes adjusted to the light.

A body was sprawled in an awkward position. Their skin was greying and the head was turned the other direction. The body was half on it's side, the torso turned away from Draco. Draco slowly extended his hands. He placed his palm on their shoulder and turned them so they were laying on their back. A surprised yelp escaped his lips as Riley's head flopped towards him. Her eyes were blank and lifeless. He brushed some hair from her face and flinched back when he felt how cold her skin was. He moved back a little when he saw her mouth opening slowly. He stared silently as a dark green snake slithered from between her lips. It exited her body and rose its head to look at Draco. Neither moved for a moment, then the snake disappeared into the darkness. Draco stared where the snake had vanished, then slid his gaze slowly back to Riley's body. Black tears were flowing from her eyes. Draco's eyes widened.

"Save me," she whimpered, her milky eyes slicing to his gaze, "it hurts. I can't breathe. Save me!" Draco shook his head. He began to move back away from her. He opened his mouth to reply, but Riley let out a blood-curdling scream as she was suddenly pulled into the darkness.

"Riley!" Draco yelled. He lunged forward and grabbed at her. She was scratching at the floor with her nails, trying to catch herself. Draco could just barely reach her. He grabbed desperately at her wrist. Pained screams came from her blue lips. Draco looked at her wrist and saw his fingers turned in to claws. Blood was seeping from where he was grasping her skin. He didn't know what to do. As he was trying to save her, he was causing her even more pain. Riley's body shook with fear and her chest heaved with sobs.

"Please," she begged, looking up at him," don't let go." Her voice was so soft it nearly broke Draco's heart. He knew how much pain his claws were causing her. She turned her face away and seemed to shrink. Her face scrunched up as she cried out. The hands that were coming from the darkness began to whisper.

"Useless,"

"Ugly,"

"Dumb," they hoarsely said. Draco saw the shudder tear through Riley's body. She shook her head violently.

"You're wrong! You're wrong!" She screamed at the monsters. Her eyes went to Draco's again. This time there was a desperate strength in them.

"Draco, listen to me please. I'm losing. You're free now. Please, wake up. Get help. Wake up! Wake up now!" She screamed at him. Draco was stunned in to silence. He knew it was a dream, but something seemed so real about it. He also had a feeling if he woke up, Riley would be pulled in to the darkness by the fiends like he had. He shook his head.

"I can't leave you to them!" He shouted back. Riley choked out a sob as fresh tears spilled on to her cheeks. She looked up at him. Her lips twitched up into a trembling smile.

"Thank you, but please. My body is in danger. I'll be safe in the Realm of Dreams. If you need guidance, I'll be in your dreams. Draco, I nee-" She said. But suddenly there was no sound from her lips. A disembodied scream came from nowhere, ripping Draco from his dream.

Draco was startled awake by the continuation of the scream from his dream. He was in a bed in what he assumed was the Infirmary. The curtains were pulled around his bed. He sat up, hearing the patter of a nurse running out of the room. His head felt like someone was squeezing it as hard as they could. He heard a barrage of fast paced steps rushed in to the room.

"Where is she?" Asked Professor McGonagall.

"N-Near Master Malfoy's bed. I just came in to check on them and she was-" The nurse choked off. The steps stopped at the foot of Malfoy's bed. He couldn't see because of the drawn curtains, but he heard the gasp from McGonagall.

"Get the Headmaster. Hurry!" She hissed at the nurse. As the nurse ran from the room, Draco's curtains were quickly pulled away. McGonagall blinked at Draco who responded in turn. She turned her attention away from him and bent down. Draco almost couldn't believe when McGonagall picked up Riley's limp body. It looked like she'd been petrified, accept for the free movement of her limbs. She was placed gently on the bed next to Draco's. He stared, stunned, at Riley. Her eyes were open and glassy and skin grey. Just like in his dream, he thought.

"Professor, what's going on?" He asked.

"Your guess is probably better than mine Malfoy." She said hurriedly. He looked Riley over again. He kept waiting for a snake to come from her mouth. He suddenly remembered and looked down at his left forearm. He was even more stunned to find that his skin was bare. There was no Dark Mark. Riley had done it. She'd broken his bond with Voldemort. He looked up at her. But at what cost? Dumbledore strode into the room, his robes swishing about his ankles. He glanced at McGonagall, who nodded and left. He stood next to Riley's bedside and looked at Draco. Draco looked at his Headmaster with wide eyes. Dumbledore smiled gently, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling.

"I will warn you right now, this is not going to be pretty." He said softly.

Dumbledore took out his wand and muttered a few things. Riley began to shake. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed. Her hands grasped at the bedsheets. Her body writhed around on the bed as she snarled and growled. She bared her teeth and spat and hissed. Crying out in pain, she threw her head from side to side. Her body arched off the bed and choking noises came from her throat. Her mouth was open wide in a silent scream. A black mist rose out of her mouth. It swirled angrily in the air until Dumbledore destroyed it with a spell.

Riley's body fell back onto the bed. She was unconscious, but breathing. Slowly, the colour was returning to her skin. Dumbledore let out a breath.

"She's very strong. Can I trust you to look after her, Draco?" He asked warmly. Draco blinked, then huffed. But, he shrugged very minutely. With another kind smile, Dumbledore left. Draco heard him giving instructions to a small group of nurses. Draco felt something swirling in his stomach. He felt sick, or like there were butterflies fluttering around inside of him. He got up out of bed, standing next to Riley. He looked down at her. He glanced at his bare forearm and then at his hand. His fingers were normal, not claws. He reached out and brushed hair from her face. It was sticking to her skin because of a sheen layer of sweat that covered her. She was warm, alive. He ran his fingers gently across her skin. It was so soft and real.

Draco blinked, pulling his hand away as if she'd burned him. He held his hand against his chest. Staring at her, he couldn't understand what was happening. What was he feeling? He righted the chair that was on the floor next to his bed. He placed it next to Riley's bed and sat there. He watched her till his eyes grew heavy.

"I'll just close my eyes for a minute." He mumbled as he laid his head on Riley's bed. His arms created a pillow for him. He quickly drifted off to sleep.