Destined for Darkness (A Draco Malfoy Fic)

Shackles

I didn't recognize the face staring back at me in the mirror.

Dark circles under my eyes, sunken cheeks, ashen complexion. My hair hung dull and limp around my face as I watched my skin and bone fingers rub at the hollow of my throat where my collarbones protruded more than usual.

The condition I'd been in when I came back from New York had been alarming to everyone, including myself, even though I could remember most of the events even through the Occlumency haze. Although my body hadn't been physically abused this time around, this was still somehow worse.

A wave of nausea crashed over me, and I fell to the ground in front of the toilet, ignoring the bite of the stone on my knees and the cracking sound they made upon impact, and dry heaved repeatedly. Though my body tried, there would be nothing to expel as I hadn't eaten more than a bite of bread or a sip of soup in days. I ended up in this same position immediately after, so even if I had an appetite, there was no point anyway.

Our trip to Hogsmeade six weeks ago wasn't just a good day; it turned out to be the last good day I would have for the foreseeable future. Instead of the effects plateauing as we'd hoped, I continued going downhill, with a nosedive sprinkled in now and then.

This damn curse seemed hell-bent on making dark magic my last resort for survival. If it wasn't getting fed, then neither was I, apparently.

It had been three months, one day, and twenty-one hours since I had been exposed to any dark magic—when I'd caught that curse in the Entrance Hall—but who was counting?

Despite our best efforts, no other solutions had presented themselves during that time, and now it seemed we were quickly approaching 'last resort' territory.

I braced my hands on the side of the tub to attempt to push myself back up to standing when a pair of hands that were Herculean compared to my weakened state slid under my arms and lifted me off the floor.

Back on my feet, I wavered slightly, and Draco wrapped one arm around my waist to steady me while his other hand held a glass of water, which he offered me.

"Thanks," I said hoarsely, accepting it and taking a small sip. Water was the only thing I could keep down recently. The human body could go weeks without food before you died of starvation, but a few days without water and you were done. It seemed the curse wasn't going to let me off the hook that easily.

"I spoke with Snape." From the tone of his voice, I could tell he didn't get the answer we wanted.

I nodded slightly. "I figured we wouldn't be able to stay. But it's ok. Your parents would be upset if they didn't get to see you for Christmas."

"Us," Draco corrected.

A hint of a smile curved my lips. It was no secret that I was also looking forward to seeing Narcissa and Lucius. Everyone else currently inhabiting Malfoy Manor was another story.

"I assume he also said no to using the Floo or apparating?"

Draco's lips thinned, and he nodded once. "He said that we cannot arrive at the manor before we are expected to this evening and must be on the train. He dismissed me before I could ask why."

I sighed heavily but didn't find it worth the effort to roll my eyes. "We better get going then."

The train wouldn't leave for another hour, but the normally twenty-minute walk to Hogsmeade station would probably take me at least twice as long, with the frequent stops I would have to make to catch my breath.

Pathetic.

"Nott and Zabini came and got our trunks and took them down for us."

"You didn't have to ask them to do that."