Astronomy Tower

[Amycus Carrow]

"Honestly dearest," Amycus chuckled, eyes flicking to his sister. "When would I ever be so cruel as to deny you something of Bella's to play with~? We wouldn't want all that potential to go to waist after all."

"I assumed you'd want the boy," he shrugged lazilly though he continued to pet at the captive child. "Don't worry I've got my eye on another. Take him, the four of us can all play together. Wont that be nice, sweet child? A little fourway playdate, hmm?"

The droll answer won a laugh from Amycus, though the grin that spread over his face was vicous.

"Such fun, I can feel it in my blood."

[Ginny Weasley]

A sickening feeling began to grow in Ginny as she listened to the exchange. The way these two were acting... she honestly didn't know if she was listening to a proposition or the prelude to a torture. Either way however, Draco didn't sound enthused. In fact he didn't much sound anything, tone flat and expressionless - the voice of someone that knows better than to resist, even when they needled him with areas that Ginny knew from their own arguments to be sore points - Lucius for one.

And from the sounds of it, they were not strangers to crucioing him themselves, despite his supposedly favoured position, though she was now begining to think that was just a farce in itself. She wasn't so sure they treated him very much better than they treated her...

Why didn't he say anything about her being here? It made no sense... he could defect the heat off himself if he just told them that she was hiding in here. Why was Draco Malfoy of all students suddenly behaving like a hero? And for her no less? Hadn't they just been about ready to hex each other just minutes before?

[Alecto Carrow]

"Hmm, though sometime I*am* curious about… what, *are* you doing up here pet?" Alecto asked her gaze flicking over Draco. "You don't look like a dreamer to me… yet you're up here, looking at the stars?"

She watched him and waited for an answer, he gaze sharp.

[Draco Malfoy]

He was supposed to supply an answer so that's what he did, being careful to look impassive and keep his attention on them and not even breath in the direction of that stupid cabinet where Weasley was witness to his humiliation. "Slytherin Common room was crowded so I came here to get some air..."

[Amycus Carrow]

"Long way to come for some air, precious thing..." Amycus mused, idly brushing Draco's fringe back from his eyes. "You sure you weren't meeting anyone up here bychance? I don't expect the usual use of this place has changed much from our days, right Ally?"

[Alecto Carrow]

"Indeed," Alecto said with a slow smile looking at the Malfoy heir as her gaze flicked over the room.

She looked at him again but if anything he looked a cross between bored and annoyed. She liked him so much.

[Draco Malfoy]

"Oddly enough you guys have set a new vibe throughout the school. So yes, Professor, for the first year ever in Hogwarts this is not make-out central. You should be proud, however I really did just come here to be alone. Obviously that didn't work out for me, but it was the intention." Draco responded his gaze on Alecto instead of Amycus.

[Alecto Carrow]

Actually yes, we're quite proud," she shot her brother a grin. "Hear that, it seems we've changed tradition. I feel inspired to change more stuff."

[Amycus Carrow]

"Mmm, it is rather satisfying," Amycus returned mouth curving up, one hand sliding down the blonde's cheek to run a thumb over his lips and cup his face. "We should create some new traditions in its place. Only fair after all."

"You know, precious thing, it's considered polite to look at whom your talking to," he added voice dangerously light and friendly. "Now I know after our last little chat, you wouldn't be so silly as to try to be rude, so I wonder... is it singular devotion to my sister that has your eyes so locked on her... or is it fear of me? Don't tell me you're still upset over that itty bitty crucio I used on you, hmmm?"

[Ginny Weasley]

Crucio... so she was right. Draco was one of their playthings as well, only they didn't have the guise of information gathering to cover for their whims.

Suddenly why he was carrying that pain potion made a hell of a lot more sense... and why he had given it to her... He knew what it felt like to be left shaking and crying on the floor. Shifting closer to the door, careful to keep her motions silent, Ginny pressed her eye to the crack to see if she could make out anything.

[Alecto Carrow]

Alecto laughed "Now, now Brother don't give the child trick questions. Of course he fears you, don't you Draco? Though what keeps his gaze locked on me is simple intelligence. After all he is *my* pet, and I would feel horribly neglected if he suddenly decided he feared you more than me. After all he should fear me most. But I give you permission to look at Amycus when he speaks to you, after all your Malfoy manners must positively be *screaming* that you can't follow them… then again you're also a Black, so perhaps manners aren't as deep in your blood as your base level Father likes to pretend..."

The woman smiled "Though I *am* curious. What type of tradition were you thinking, Brother?"

[Draco Malfoy]

He hated this school and his life. He also suddenly wished they would have both fit in that stupid cupboard- or he'd just jumped off the side of the tower and tried his luck with cushioning charms. But everything had happened so quickly. It had been a split second decision he was currently regretting very much. However, while outing Weasley would take some of the attention off of him, he knew it'd just come around. Demands to know why he'd hidden her to begin with. Why he hadn't told them about her as soon as they got here- then they'd both end up punished.

Bloody Gryffindors and their stupid idiotic morals rubbing off like some type of virus.

His gaze turned to the Brother but he didn't reply. Why? Because what the hell was he supposed to say? I fear you but I'm totally not mad about your itty bitty cruccio. Instead he looked at the man for a moment, but the expression told him that wouldn't be enough. He fought and suppressed (barely) the urge to glare at the cupboard where Weasley was hidden as this was completely her fault. If she had just left when he told her to, he could have hidden in there when they came.

"I suppose it would be both, Professor..." he finally said in reference to the fear thing. It hurt his pride, but you know what hurt his pride more? Cruccios. That's what.

[Amycus Carrow]

Amycus's smirk grew as his sister called him on his trap, amused eyes flckering over to her before refocusing on the boy in his arms.

"Oh, I'm not saying being ethralled by you, dear sister is a bad thing," he murmured, fingers moving to caress the blonde's throat. "If anything I approve - a pet should be loyal to its master. I was simply curious as to Draco's point of view. After all, he has proven himself to be rather... strong willed before now."

His eyebrow quirked up expectantly as he waited for the blonde to respond, teeth showing at last as he did. Lifting a hand, he pet the blonde's cheek affectionately, his other curving around his throat to lay against it in a gentle hold - a dangerous reminder of how unpredictable the man could be.

"See now? Honesty isn't so hard, is it?" he carooned. "Keep up obedience like that and your Mistress might even be moved to give you a reward..."

Laughing as he straightened, the male twin gave a lazy stretch and ran his hand through his hair, using a hand to shove Draco forwards a step.

"Go to your mistress, sweet child," he suggested with a smug smile. "And honestly sister-mine, I've not decided yet. Seems fitting that it should take place here though, whatever it is. Perhaps your little friend has some suggestions?"

[Draco Malfoy]

God did it ever end? Seriously? Couldn't they get summoned or something?

[Alecto Carrow]

Alecto accepted Draco as he was shoved her way wrapping her arms around him "Hmm, I doubt it brother. Right now all he has in his head is star gazing and wanting us to leave I'm sure…" she gave the boy a knowing smirk. He was a pretty thing, but she didn't like the pretty ones. No man who looked better than her was worth her time. She was the pretty one in the relationship not him.

"Hmm…" she studied him before lifting her hand and ruffling his hair so it fell messily into his eyes "I like this better, don't you?"

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco's brows furrowed but he fought the automatic urge to fix his hair instead waiting to see what the crazy pedophile had to say about his new "hair style".

[Amycus Carrow]

"Well he can consider it a homework assignment then," Amycus laughed, teeth flashing in a savage grin. "See if you can impress us, boy."

As Alecto ruffled up the blonde's perfect hair, the man sniggered, knowing precisely what was going through her head. Before he could offer a mocking comment however, they were interrupted by a silvery shape gliding through the door.

"Professors Carrow," the etherial voice of the grey lady drifted over, her blank calm eyes on the Death Eaters, not even bothering to take in Draco. "The Headmaster is requesting your presence in his office."

[Alecto Carrow]

Alecto made a face as the ghost appeared to interrupt her fun "Now?"

When the emotionless thing looked at her she glared. What she hated about ghosts most was that she couldn't hex them. "Fine." She looked at Draco "Think on your homework pet, because we *will* be getting back to you." She gave him a smile and ruffled his hair once more before motioning her brother to follow and heading out of the tower.

[Draco Malfoy]

Someone, somewhere heard his cry. If he hadn't believed in Merlin before he believed in him just a bit right now.

[Amycus Carrow]

Amycus pulled a face, annoyance playing on his features at the Headmaster's summons. Just when they were about to start having fun... Letting out an annoyed breath, the male twin reluctantly moved to join his sister, pausing as he passed Draco to slip an arm around the boy's body and pull him into a half embrace, his other hand moving to run through the messy locks as his smirking face lowered to his ear, their cheeks touching and his breath ghosting over the blonde's neck.

"Be seeing you, precious thing. Don't dissapoint us now will you?" he breathed out, before giving a psychotic chuckle and pulling away with a lavacous wink, turning back to Alecto and falling into step with her as they exited the room.

[Ginny Weasley]

A shaky breath left Ginny as she watched the monsters go, her body leaning back against the cushions as her shocked mind reeled with everything she'd just seen.

Pet was the right word... They really were making Malfoy their toy... Reluctantly her mind flitted back to the other week when he had turned his wand on her, the way they had fawned around him then. egging him on. At the time she had seen his reluctance sure, but it had been eclipsed by the fact that he had done it and done it without argument. Now though... his behaviour was starting to make more sense. They wanted him to try and rebel, and they were using any method they knew to push at him.

All to easily she could recall what it was like to have Amycus's slimy arms around her, his face nuzzling at hers and breathing into her ear like a lover. The memory alone made her skin crawl. Apparantly his behaviour wasn't restricted to females or 'blood traitors' either. How far would he go if he was given the excuse? Yes Alecto was an evil vicious monster, but it was him that really creeped her out. Alecto would probably take great pleasure in torturing you to death... Amycus however, he could do anything.

Silently she listened to the sounds of their footfalls moving down the stairs, her turbulent emotions running around her mind as she tried to process what she had learned.

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco slumped, visably when the door closed behind them. He took a moment to compose himself, almost sitting right there on the floor before a sound caught his attention. Cool silver eyes flicked to the stupid pillow cabinet and he exhaled, pulling himself together before standing and flicking his wand to unlock the door. She could come out or not, he really didn't care.

[Ginny Weasley]

The redhead's eyes flickered to the door as the lock clicked, rousing her from her mind as Draco finally saw fit to release her again. She stared at the door for a long moment, half uncertain about facing the boy again - what was she supposed to think of him now? For so long he'd been the enemy, the ferret faced git then the evil murdering Death Eater suck up.

To think of him as a victim was unsettling.

To think of him as a hero... yeah. She really wasn't there yet... But that's what he'd just done right? He oould have deflected by using her to refocus their attention. Instead he'd hidden her and risked things being a damn sight worse for him if she was found.

Shaking her head, Ginny slowly reached out and pushed the door open, revealing the empty tower to her once more, her cautious and confused gaze falling on the blonde with his back to her. Frowning she slowly, silently stepped down and out of her hideyhole.

[Draco Malfoy]

He didn't turn, didn't acknowledge her, didn't do anything. He just looked out at the night sky and waited for her to leave. Either that or stat insulting again, honestly he was growing numb anyway so it was whatever.

[Ginny Weasley]

Ginny herself wasn't really sure what she wanted to do, but her body seemed to linger eyes on the Slytherin as she hesitated, studying the back of his head as if it somehow held all the answers to the questions that were floating around her head.

"....thank you," she said softly at last, the need to acknowledge what he'd done swelling inside her even f she was sure of nothing else. "For hiding me. And for the pain potion the other day. I never thanked you for that either."

[Draco Malfoy]

He didn't respond. One, he had no idea how to. Two- he didn't like being in this position. Weasley had seen something even his housemates didn't know about yet. They all assumed because of his family, because of his aunt and his Uncle teaching here he was in high regard. Especially with the Dumbledore thing. The only one who had any indication it may be different from that was Blaise who found him after his cruccio from boy Carrow.

But now Ginny bloody Weasley, mudblood lover, ex-girlfriend of the supposed hero of the wizarding world basically knew he was a whipping boy for the Carrow twins. And knowing her, as he'd gotten to, she wouldn't hesitate to throw it in his face the next chance she got.

[Ginny Weasley]

Nothing. Ginny couldn't decide if he was ignoring her in the hope that she would leave or just to caught up in his own worries to pay her much attention. The back of his head, let little away.

"Why *did* you hide me?" she asked slowly, not really sure he'd bother to answer her, but really wanting to know. "You could have made things easier on yourself by letting them find me. Why put yourself at that risk?"

[Draco Malfoy]

The blond scoffed lightly and shook his head "Why indeed..." the muttered to himself more than her, but didn't add anything additional because to be honest he didn't know... or maybe at least part of him did. But it wasn't something he was going to disclose to her. He wasn't going to tell her he'd had enough nightmares about torturing her and didn't want any more. Or that he still felt guilty over last time. He'd rather her think -well whatever she wanted. Since he doubted she even thought him capable of such thoughts or *any* feelings.

[Ginny Weasley]

His words didn't give away much... but she suspected that he didn't really know himself, if his tone was anything to go by. it aimed for mocking but came across more defensive and confused. Her frown deepened as she continued to stare at his back for a few beats before letting out a breath and turning away.

"You probably shouldn't linger. They'll be back up here looking for you when they're done no doubt," she offered, likely unnessisarily but feeling the need to warn him.

Her feet moved towards the door, pausing again as her hand settled on the handle, head turning to glance back at him.

"I owe you," she murmured, voice low. It was likely a stupid, dangerous thing to admit, but her honour wouldn't let her not. Besides, the idea of repaying the debt helped sooth her discomfort slightly. Not waiting for a reply - not expecting one- she slipped from the room, leaving Draco to his thoughts.

[Draco Malfoy]

**REBOOT**

Draco entered the tower, he leaned agianst the ledge looking out at the grounds below.