| Girl on Fire |

90

VERONICA MALFOY

I rubbed the dark handprints around my wrists and took a deep breath. My blouse was torn and my skirt was pushed up when Theo, Enzo and Blaise rushed in. They froze in the entryway and I could see the fury in their eyes. "Fuck" Theo exhaled. "I'm fine." I said. Blaise pulled off his blazer and draped it over my shoulders. I stood up and pain shot through my body. I clutched my stomach and Theo grabbed me. "Bloody hell Veronica, what did he do to you?" he asked. "Theo, please. Just- just- please." I said quietly. He nodded. "Ok." he said. Then we all walked out. Everyone was gone and we headed for the stairs. Then the front door opened and Allison and Draco walked in. "It worked! He didn't-" Draco started. We all turned around and he saw us. "No," he said. His face fell and he ran over to me.

"It's alright Draco. I'm fine. He didn't hurt me." I said. "Bullshit" Draco exclaimed. "He raped you." Blaise said. I glared at him and he looked down. Allison walked up to me with tears in her eyes.

"Veronica, this is not what I meant." she said. "I know. But that's what I meant." I said. Her face fell as she came to the realization. "You knew. You knew this would happen." she said. I just looked at her in silence. "You knew he would use you instead and you didn't care." she said. My silence spoke volumes. "Why?" she asked. "I bear it so you don't have to." I said. She shook her head. "I won't let you." she replied. I smiled. "He will never touch you. Nobody will. I made sure of it." I said. "Ronnie-" Draco started. "I just want to take a shower. Please, I'm done talking about this." I said. Then I walked up the stairs and shut my door. I bear it so they don't have to.

DRACO MALFOY

Her door shut and we all stood there frozen. "Fucking hell." Theo said. "Why didn't Mattheo-" I started. "He didn't show." Blaise said. "What?" I said in surprise. "He didn't show up. Veronica didn't say anything about it." Blaise continued. "That bastard." Allison said. "I'm glad he didn't. He better not show his face here ever again. Not after what he did." I said. They nodded.

An hour later, I knocked on Veronica's door. I went inside and she was curled up on her bed, cradling a shirt. I looked closer and it was a white button up. Mattheo's. There were tears on her face and she looked at me. "Go away." she said. I rolled my eyes and walked over to her bed. I took off my shoes and climbed onto it. "Come here" I said. I took the shirt from her and put it to the side. I pulled her into my arms and she buried her face in my chest. I felt her tears and I rubbed circles on her back. "I can't take it anymore. Everyday it's torture or death or somebody else taking their turn with me. I'm so exhausted. I just want to die. I want to die so it's over." she cried. My eyes filled with tears and I pulled her closer. "You are so strong Ronnie. You have survived so much. Just hold on a little longer. Ok? Just a little longer and you can be free." I said. She shook her head. "I'm scared." she whispered. "Me too." I replied. "Please don't leave me, everybody always leaves me." She said, "Never" I said. She nodded. "Ok" she said softly. Then her eyes closed. I laid there and she fell asleep in my arms.

TIME JUMP: 1 WEEK

VERONICA MALFOY

Our friends left yesterday. They have to pack for school. School. Seems stupid to even bother going. We are all probably going to die in this stupid war. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on my door. "Come in-" I called out. I continued folding my clothes as Draco walked in.

"Sev is here," he said. I turned around and looked at him with confusion. "Why?" I asked. "Apparently we are going with him to school today." he said. "What!" I exclaimed. He nodded. "Why? Why are we going with him? And why 2 days early? And why aren't we taking the train?" I asked. "Ronnie, don't you get it? The Dark Lord. It all comes back to him. It always will. Everyone at school knows what we did. Everyone knows we are death eaters." he said. "But we- why-" I started. "We are representatives of him. We might as well not even be students. We are really only going to keep an eye on the other students. The Weasley Girl and such." he said. I looked down. "Oh" I said. "Listen, I know Mattheo-" he started. "It's not that." I said. "Then what is it?" he asked. "School used to be our escape. Our safe place. Well... our safer place. But now, it's just like everywhere else. We are controlled. Pawns in a game. His game. And Hogwarts is just another territory he gained." I said. "I know. But we don't have a choice." he said. "What if we did?" I said. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Nevermind." I said.I shut my trunk and put on my shoes. "Let's go. Sev doesn't like to be late." I said. He nodded and we left.