"So, good year at Hogwarts?"

Why, yes. I fell in love with a Death Eater who was plotting all year to kill our Headmaster. In his attempts, a couple of students almost died. I gave him my virginity whilst also helping him to break a load of murderers into our school. Then I watched my Headmaster get murdered in front of my eyes by another teacher. Oh - and I'm not going back to finish my final year of education so that I can camp out all year long with a boy, whom, the evilest wizard in the world wants to hunt down and kill.

I looked at my parents expectant faces and shrugged.

"It was alright, I suppose."

***

Everyone looked up as Snape entered the drawing room, closely followed by Yaxley. They lingered for a moment on the threshold as their eyes were drawn towards the floating figure above the table.

Draco couldn't help but follow their gaze and glanced back up to the unconscious body of the witch. His hands started shaking and he quickly hid them from view under the table.

"Yaxley. Snape," Draco flinched at the high, clear voice coming from the pale, hairless, snake-like figure sitting at the head of the table. "You are very nearly late."

Voldemort ordered them to sit and Draco listened intently as they went on to discuss the Order's plan to move Harry Potter. Draco wondered if Rosie was with him, and that if she was, prayed she would be safe.

A sudden wail sounded from the depths of the Manor. It was a terrible, drawn-out cry of misery and pain that sickened Draco to the core. He looked down, knowing that it had come from the cellar below.

"Wormtail," Voldemort's tone was quiet, thoughtful, "have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?"

"Yes m- my Lord," Wormtail wheezed as he scrambled from his seat and scurried from the room.

"As I was saying," Voldemort continued, standing up. "I shall need to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter."

Everyone around Draco froze, each face terrified at the thought of having to sacrifice their wand.

Draco's heart thudded as Voldemort drew up next to his father and halted.

"Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand any more."

Draco's father looked up, his skin appeared yellowish and waxy in the firelight and his eyes were sunken and shadowed.

"My Lord?" He spoke hoarsely.

"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand."

Wretched, Draco knew his father was being punished because of him. Because he had failed to be able to kill Dumbledore himself. He couldn't watch as his own father gave up his only means of defence. It was a mark of his own failure.

"I have noticed that you and your family seem less than happy of late... what is it about my presence in your home that displeases you, Lucius?"

"Nothing - nothing, my Lord!" His father stuttered.

"Such lies, Lucius..."

Draco glanced quickly at Voldemort and away again, he did not want to make contact with those gleaming red eyes.

Voldemort raised Lucius Malfoy's wand, pointed it directly at the slowly revolving figure suspended over the table and gave it a tiny flick. The figure came to life with a groan and began to struggle against invisible bonds.

Draco's pulse quickened as he looked up at the terrified woman. His whole body started trembling in fear.

"Do you recognise our guest, Severus?"

Snape raised his eyes and met with the now upside down figure. "Severus! Help me!" Her voice was cracked and terrified.

"And you Draco?" Draco jerked nervously at sound of his name, and trembly shook his head, knowing his voice wouldn't work.

"But, of course, you would not have taken her classes," Voldemort smiled before turning to address the whole room. "For those who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Yes, Draco recognised her now. She was the Muggle Studies teacher. A memory flashed in his mind; he was in his second year, on his way to play in his first Quidditch match. A mousy haired professor in glasses had called out to him, smiling, 'Good luck!'. He had sneered back at her in response. 'Stupid Mudblood,' he had muttered to himself.

Draco thought he was going to vomit.

"It is Miss Burgage's belief that Muggles are not so different than us. She would, given her way... have us mate with them." Voldemort paused as murmurs of outrage went around the table. An involuntary image of Rosie flashed before Draco's eyes; naked, writhing on top of him.

"Severus... please... we are friends." Draco could not mistake the tears pouring from her eyes as she looked imploringly at Snape.

"Avada Kedavra."

The flash of green light killed her instantly, making Draco jump, almost falling off his seat as her body slammed down on to the table in front of him.

"Nagini, dinner."

***

I stared into the full length mirror and felt a lump form in my throat.

The emerald green dress shimmered in the sunlight. I had last worn this the night I first gave myself to Draco.

"You look beautiful, Rosie." Ginny said, her smiling face appearing behind me in the mirror.

I tried to smile back but the lump in my throat was making it difficult. I hadn't anticipated that wearing this dress again could make me feel so... sad. I closed my eyes as the memory of his piercing silver grey eyes flashed so vividly before me. You're beautiful.

I hoped and prayed that he was OK wherever he was.

"You miss him." It wasn't a question.

I opened my eyes and looked back at Ginny's through the mirror. There too, was a sadness in her eyes, and I realised that I wasn't the only one suffering a broken heart because of this god damned war.

"Every day." I whispered.

Ginny put her arm around me and lay her head on my shoulder as we both looked on sadly at our reflections.

"Me too, Rosie."

***