Not What They Were- a Drinny fanfiction

Chapter 15

Ginny awoke to soft tendrils of light peeking through the curtains, her head was pounding and her body ached, but the warmth of the room and the softness of the bed kept her in place. It took her a moment to realize where she was, this room she had only glimpsed earlier, and even after recalling the previous nights terror, she was happy to be in Malfoy Manor. Ginny allowed herself a few moments of peace in the massive bed before she arose, thirsty and in need of a shower.

The moment her feet hit the plush carpet a house elf popped into view next to her. 

"Oh Miss Ginny," Cried Yela as she ran to usher her back to bed, "You musnt get up. No. Miss needs her rest, Miss needs to heal."

"I'm quite alright, I really just need a shower." Ginny protested when the small elf pushed at her waist. A sharp pain shot through Ginny's middle and she doubled over.

"Yela is telling you to rest Miss!" the elf, surprisingly strong, practically lifted Ginny into the bed where she allowed herself to sink back into the soft mattress.  "Yela will get you a tonic and tea." and with that the small elf disappeared. 

Laying back into the bed, Ginny lifted and shifted the clothes she was in, slightly uncomfortable at the thought of a house elf undressing her without her knowledge, and found her legs and torso peppered with bruises ranging from yellow to deep purple. If her mother could see her now she would try to put her foot down and keep Ginny as far from Draco as possible. Ginny let out a soft groan as she moved to sit up in the bed. No matter what state she was in she needed answers. 

Yela reappeared at Ginnys side with a nice steaming cup of tea and a small green vial she recognized as one of her own brews, Helper Healer. It was one of the first potions the ministry vetted of hers, and she was slightly giddy to find Draco kept her potions in use, until she realized his mother was a loyal customer and she had probably bought it. None the less she took the tea and potion as Yela fussed about the room, tidying up.

"Yela?"

"Yes Miss?"

"Can I uh...can i ask you something?" 

"Of course Miss!" the small house elf perked up, she seemed almost excited at the possibility of a new task. But Ginny's question wasn't a favor, but an inquiry. 

"Ok, well," Ginny wasn't quite sure how to start. She wanted to know all about what happened last night, and Draco's secrecy surrounding the potion and so much of his life, but she knew she couldn't just out right ask her. "Do you, do you like it here? at the Manor?"

"Oh, yes Miss." Yela's face dropped slightly, having been disappointed at not receiving a new duty, "Yela is loving the Manor!"

"Really?" she was a little surprised, "I'm so glad to hear that!" 

"Yela is too. But Yela wasn't always liking the Manor, no. Yela was hating the Manor when the old master was here. So mean to Yela, so mean to all the elves. But we worked hard, Yela never complained, not once." 

"By the old master you mean Lucious?"

"Oh yes Miss, but also he-who-must-not-be-named." Yela shook a little at the thought, "He terrorized the elves. Yela was always hiding from him, and avoiding him. But Draco always took care of Yela" She nodded her head high, proud of that fact.

"He did?" Ginny remembered Draco's cruelty towards house elves at Hogwarts and thought this odd. 

"Oh yes Miss. Yela was always hiding in his room. Draco never told on Yela. He would hide me when old master got mad, or yelled at me. Yela loves Draco." and Ginny could see she did. It was rather hard for Ginny to merge her old views of Draco with the stories Yela told her. She went on and on about how he had saved her from a beating by telling his Father he was doing it, or keeping her hidden in his room when he knew Voldemort was angry and murderess. It warmed her heart towards him more, and she knew if things kept going the way they were, she would stand no chance against him. 

After a fairly animated story from Yela about how Draco once dove into the swamps behind the manor to save her after she fell in, Ginny found herself in laughing fits "Yela stop! I can't breath," she laughed, the healing potion had helped but she was still in a lot of pain "I had no idea Draco was so funny!" They let themselves giggle until neither had anything left and a quiet fell over the room, Ginny saw her chance and took it, "This house, your stories they are so wonderful!..."she paused and looked towards the elf, "...but, what is in the East wing?"

Yela visibly shivered at the thought, she cast her eyes down and her voice grew soft, almost a whisper. "Yela cannot say Miss, but it's evil. Something wicked lives in the wing. Something dark something old." 

"What is that something?"

"Yela dosen't know Miss, Draco never is telling Yela, only telling Yela stay out, do not go. Then last night, Draco asks Yela, please Yela, help me find Miss, and Yela went into the dark wing. Yela helped find Miss!" her face lit up again at the idea she did something to please her master, "And Master was so happy Yela helped find Miss! He was so scared for Miss's safety! But Miss is ok, and the elves helped!"

"Thank you Yela," Ginny grabbed the small creature and pulled her into a tight hug, "Thank you!"

"It is nothing, Miss should thank Master, he is the one who cared for Miss most of the night"

"Really?"

"Oh yes Miss, Mast...errr...Draco left for only a moment and came home to care for Miss. Draco sits by Miss' bed all night, he holds her hand and tends to Miss. You are lucky to know Draco" 

"i really am." and she meant it. 

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MORE TO COME THIS WEEKEND! sorry this is so short!