Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy pulled his knees to his chest and did something he had promised himself he would never do. He sat and cried.

Pain coursed through his battered body, searing across his back as it heaved with each wracking sob. The terror and humiliation of the past hour would torment him for the rest of his life. How could life be so treacherous – he had done the right thing and now he was being punished to the limits of his endurance.

He closed his eyes and prayed for the sweet release sleep would bring. He could only hope the Dark Lord would leave his dreams alone.

-------------------------

Draco woke with a start. He had no idea what time it was, the dark, dank cell he was kept prisoner in showed no change from when he had been thrown in. He had stopped bleeding, but the wounds were still tender.

The deep welts on his arms screamed out every time he moved. His bones seemed to splinter as he paced around the bare room.

Surely his father had appealed his case? The look of pure disgust on Lucius Malfoy's face when he realised his son was weak flashed through Draco's mind. He would receive no mercy from his father.

He threw himself onto the floor, under the tiny patch of light provided by a pathetically flickering flame. He did a quick examination of his torso, counting each gash, bruise and burn. They would heal in a few days and he would survive.

Some wounds though, never heal. He had dreamt about her again. His angel. The only person who could save him, now he knew his parents would never class him as a true Malfoy again. He grinned at the thought of her bursting through the door of his cell, light streaming through her hair. His smile fell instantly from his face, as he remembered how much she hated him. Flashbacks of insults, shouting across corridors and the endless barrages of 'ferret boy'. And the things he had shouted back, with that self satisfied smirk. How much those smirks had hid he thought to himself with a small and painful smile. No, if she burst through his door, she would most likely hex his grovelling figure then leave him to rot. It was all he deserved.

No food came that day. He crawled into the darkest corner of his prison and tried to sleep.