Gone Twisted

"Ash!" she heard a far away voice cry out to her after she heard a door open and close. She recognized the voice. It was a voice that doomed pain and sorrow. It was a voice that brought love and happiness. It was a voice that she didn't want to hear right now. It was a voice she needed to hear right now. It was a voice that confused her to no ends. Who's voice was it again?

Straining to open her eyes again, the weak girl on the floor looked up at the ceiling and saw a blurry outline staring down at her. Platinum blond hair, piercing blue eyes filled with concern and sorrow. Who was she seeing?

The strong hands of the blur picked her off the ground and allowed her to float in the air. Slowly she placed her weak, leaden arms around the blurs neck and let her forehead rest on its shoulder, breathing in the welcoming and scent of burned wood, vanilla and fabric freshener.

Draco... her mind told her softly, as she tightened her grip around the boy she had loved not so long ago. A small smile played across her face as she fell asleep in his warm embrace. She could rest now. She was safe. Draco always kept her safe.

"Wake up, my love. You need to take a bath," a calm voice whispered into her ear as the owner shook her body gently.

Groaning a bit, the girl grimaced and turned her head to look at the person that had woken her. There in front of her she saw the blond boy again, looking at her with soft blue eyes.

"Good Morning," he smiled at her when he noticed her looking at him.

"G'mo-morning," she answered quietly and returned the smile, "I had the most dreadful dream just now." she whispered to him and saw his smile falter a bit.

"You need to take a bath. The tub is already filled and waiting," he told her softly, still using his sweet, soft and soothing tone.

"Alright," she sighed and wanted to get up, but a sharp pain shot through her body and made her scream out loud. Quickly all the memories came flooding back at her burning into her brain. Panting harshly, Ash tried to hold back the tears and glared at Draco. Closing her eyes hard, Ash took a couple of deep breaths, "It wasn't a dream?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Fuck," she sighed in defeat and nodded, "you'll need to help me up."

Nodding, Draco let a hand slip between her shoulder blades and the bed and helped her sit up. Wheezing painfully, Ash let her eyes sweep over her surroundings. She was lying on a feathery soft bed with silken covers flowing softly above her. Around the bed she saw a comfortable looking carpet and a few dark wooden cupboards around the walls. The whole room was kept in a wonderful light cream tone, that contrasted the dark wooden furniture perfectly and made a beautiful soothing atmosphere.

Quickly Draco helped her stand on the soft carpet and led her up to an already open door that pleased with a view on an magnificent looking cream coloured bathroom.

"Where are we?" Ash asked softly as Draco helped her undress and she stepped into the old fashioned looking bathtub that stood on golden feet.

"It's my family manor," Draco answered quietly, neither of their voices had yet reached normal conversational loudness.

"The Malfoy Manor?"

"Yeah."

Nodding more to herself then anything else, Ash let herself glide into the warm water.

Water was a fascinating thing. No matter how bad your life seems, no matter how hurt you are, no matter what troubles you've got, it all seems to flow away into nothingness when the gentle, easing liquid surrounded her features.

Sighing, she let her eyes fall shut and allowed to water to do its work. Cracking open and washing away the dried dirt and stubbornly clinging smells. Rinsing her normally silky strawberry blond hair from all the grease and slime. Massaging her aching body softly and exorcising the pain out of her flesh.

After a while she felt large hands sink into the water and rub her body thoroughly, but she didn't move an inch, allowing the boy in charge of her to help the water do its work. Soon she felt water trickle over her the head, cleaning the hair that was still dry and dirty. Next the soft hands that helped to clean her began massaging her head as they rubbed in a good smelling lotion. Still she didn't move. She didn't help, nor stop the hands as they rubbed her clean, applied lotions and soaps, rinsed away the dirt and stink. All she did was lay there in the soothing warmth and let it happen.

When the water started to get cold, Ash opened her eyes again and looked at Draco, smiling. "Thank you," she sighed and sat upright, "I think I can take it over from here," she smiled and dismissed the concerned boy.

The boy looked at her unsure for a minute or two before nodding and getting of the floor, leaving her in the bathroom alone. "I'll get you something to eat," he said before closing the door behind himself.

Quietly, she strained her ears to listen to Draco walk through the room before opening and closing the door as he exited the room. Confused she strained her ears even more, but soon it was clear, the sound she was listening for wouldn't come. Draco didn't lock the rooms door.

Not trusting this fact, Ash stayed put in her bathtub and finished cleaning herself up and presentable once again. Next she slowly and painfully got out of the tub and dried down. When she was dry, she slowly walked out of the bathroom and to the bed, were she saw a nice summer dress waiting for her. Pulling it over her head, she brushed her half wet hair into a bun and glanced at the door.

Carefully looking around herself again, she walked up to it and hesitantly placed her right hand on the handle, always expecting a booming voice to scream at her and lightning to strike her.

Another glance, another breath and a small turn of the handle and her door swung open, granting her view of a wonderfully decorated, familiar looking and empty corridor. She was in the same corridor she had walked through before. She was in the same corridor Draco's room was placed.

Glancing up and down the corridor again, she noticed the stairs that lead down to the second floor, lead to the mansions exit.

Swallowing hard, Ash continued staring at the not too far of staircase. It was a test, she was sure off it. They wouldn't let her escape with such ease. No, they were waiting for her on the floor below... or were they?

What would happen if she stepped out of the room now? Would she be attacked and killed? Would she be able to escape?

Confused, she let the fear get the better side of her as she quickly pulled her head back through the door and closed the door behind her, letting herself sink to the ground next to the door, crying.

That's how he found her only a few minutes later. Quickly he told the house elf who was carrying the food to set the tray on the table and kneeled in front of the crying girl, pulling her into an embrace.

"Shh, everything is going to be alright," he hummed into her ear and patiently waited for her tears to dry. When she calmed down, Draco helped her stand up again and led her to the bed, where he tucked her under the covers and fed the upset girl.

Soon he saw the girls eyelids get heavy and fall shut, under the warmth of the covers.

Leaning down, he slowly placed his soft full lips against her smooth forehead and pulled away again. "Good night," he whispered into her ear before standing up and walking out of the room, down the hallway and down to flights of stairs until he stood in front of a specific door.

Quietly knocking on the door before entering, the boy walked up to the man waiting inside and smiled at him. "She's asleep now, Professor."

"Alright, thank you for telling me Draco," the man said with a short nod.

"When will you talk to her?"

"Soon."

"I don't want her hurt any more, Professor. It'll be best for her if she just becomes a Death Eater."

"Don't worry Draco, I'll talk to her soon. I'll convince her," the man said and dismissed the boy with a short nod.

"I hope so," the boy muttered and left the man alone in the room once again.