The Head of the Department of Unspeakables glanced around the room in disgust. One day, he decided, he was going to fire them for being such slobs. The two desks in the room were crammed with papers, quills, maps, and candy. One chair was lying sideways on the ground; a black sweater thrown over it. The x's on the calander stopped on the 25th of June, almost three weeks behind the current date. Don Marley sighed and picked up the chair.
This was the office of Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy, heads of their section of the department, the International Cooperation and Secret Services. As heads of their section, they were responsible for gathering the information gathered by the International Info Trackers, and following the leads. They were also responsible for assigning cases and keeping their agents in check. They were also two of the most ambitious and hard working agents on the team, which was why they had decided to keep the case in Peru to themselves. Rumors of a return of the 1987 Liazombas, a group that was responsible for illegal drug exchanges, corruption of government officials, and prostitution halls, had brought them there.
"They should be back soon," he thought. But with Weasley and Malfoy you could never tell; you just could never tell.
"Well," Ginny Weasley said, walking leisurely down a hall of the Peruvian Magical Embassy, "that was fun." Draco Malfoy's face twisted into a wry grin as he looked a mere two inches down at the 24 year old woman.
"If you say so," he agreed. She raised her arms above her head and stretched.
"I suppose it's time to head back to dreary old London," she added. He shrugged.
"Couldn't fancy being there right now," he said, looking up at the bright blue sky as they exited the Embassy. "We'll have to write up the reports, send them in for classification, confirm the rumors and extinguish the lies, give Don the -"
"I never knew you as one who complained so much. Would you please stop?" she pleaded. " Anyway, we have to go. Tonight is supposed to be 'Family Dinner Night' at my parents, and since I've missed the last 2, I'll be beheaded if I miss this one as well. Apparate on the count of three," she said, whipping out her wand. "1...2...3.." There was no ripple of the wind or sound as they, in a sense, flew, to London.
Once they appeared, there was pandemonium in the office. Don's voice was booming over the crowd; a loud, "Where the hell have you two been?" which reminded Draco of Hagrid. People were hugging Ginny and she was exclaiming things like, "How are you?", "How's the baby?", and "Is Daniel driving you insane now that he's home from Hogwarts?" The office was more like a family; a family life that Draco had never experienced in his home. But what could you expect when you had a mother who commited suicide and a father in Azkaban?
He shook his head and tugged at Ginny's sleeve, motioning her to follow Don into his office. She followed and closed the door with a soft thump.
"Hullo Don," she said, grinning at the old man. He motioned for them to sit down.
"Bloody hell, I expect the office'll be in an uproar for a few hours. First things first, how are you two? Any broken bones? Cuts? Bruises?...Good. Second, we've got a report from the Peruvian Embassy saying they caught five men reported to the leaders of the Liazombas. I suppose that was your doing?"
Draco nodded. "It took us a few days to track them down, figure out what they were doing, and then zero in on the leaders. After that, we lead them to a place where the Embassy could find them and sent an owl to the Heir of Peru warning him about the Liazombas. His police found them yesterday."
"We didn't have any trouble at all," Ginny added. "We were in no danger." Don smiled warmly.
"I'm glad. We've had to many close calls in the past. Mitchell and Tomson are still in Spain, we haven't got word from them in a while. Graziano and Eaven are trying to prevent Hoigs from gaining power in China. Other than that, everythings going well in the world."
"So," Draco said, leaning back in his chair, "does that mean we'll be allowed to sleep tonight?"
Ginny attempted to look serious as she said, "Of course not, Draco. Everyone knows that being an Unspeakable means you sleep less, eat less, and see your family less. It's the unofficial rule." Draco rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Let me make this clear Don. I've been chasing around a bunch of 21 year old hoodlums for the past 12 days. You wake me up tonight, with some international crisis, and you're a dead man."
"And let me remind you, young man," Don said, looking grim aside from the amusement in his eyes," when you arrived here for training, you were an uppity smart ass, who needed needed to be kicked off his pedestal." Ginny giggled.
"Ohhh, in trouble with the boss," she taunted. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Ah, I've got to go! I'll see you prats tomorrow. Bright and early, Malfoy," she added.
Ginny Apparated into the kitchen and was welcomed by the faint smell of apple pie and chocolate chip cookies. Her mother had her back turned, was humming tunelessly, and was pulling a large turkey out of the oven.
"Evening Mum," Ginny said, waiting for a reaction. Mrs. Weasley spun around, surprised, a large smile on her face as she rushed at her only daughter.
"Ginny dear," Molly gushed, enveloping her in a hug. "Where have you been darling? I've been so worried. No owls, no note," she said, searching Ginny's eyes.
"I've been fine, Mum," Ginny said, hugging her mother again.
"You look thinner," Molly pressed, "Have you been eating?" Ginny grinned at this.
"Barely, but don't worry. I'll eat more than my share tonight. Is everyone here?" Molly nodded. Ginny walked slowly to the living room, looking around as she went. The house looked the same. Still worn down, but it was a nice worn down. Like everything had been used lovingly over and over.
"Hello family," she shouted, opening the doors. She was greeted with a loud chorus of "GINNY!"
" I know," Ginny began, "you've missed me terribly and were wondering how you were going to live without me." She looked around the room at the smiling faces. Ron and Hermione, married for approximately a year, were sitting on one couch. Harry was near them, sitting on the coffee table. Fred, Angelina, Katie, and George were on the floor, an abandoned game of Exploding Snap next to them. Percy, Penelope, and their little boy Hayden were snuggling on another couch. Also, near the fire, were her two eldest brothers, Bill and Charlie.
"Where's Dad?" she asked, realizing he was absent.
"He'll be home soon," Percy said. "There's been a meeting called by the Minister. Something about wages." Ginny raised an eyebrow, a purely Malfoy move.
"And you've decided to stay home? How cute, Perce." She plopped down next to Hermione, who hugged her.
"How are you Mrs. Ambassador?" Ginny asked. "Anything new in the exciting world of politics?" Ron groaned and threw a pillow at Ginny.
"You always encourage her on the worst topics. Let's talk about you. How's work? Where have you been for the last three weeks?" Ron said, changing the subject.
"First off," Ginny said, noticing everyone in the room was looking at her. "You know I can't tell you where I've been. Works been fine, Ron. Thanks for asking." Then the ever-so-familiar tension filled the room. It was a tension that always appeared when talking about her job. All Unspeakables were required to take an Oath of Secrecy, no matter how low in the department one was. If one broke the Oath, or any of the other rules, his or her mind would be Obliviated, along with whoever's they had told. They would also lose their job.
And that was something Ron couldn't seem to accept. It was just too much for him to understand the Oath and her partnership with Malfoy. Which, Ginny explained constantly, didn't have anything to do with her. Partners were picked by Don, and a partnership was for life. There was no changing or switching.
And it wasn't like they hadn't tried.
At the age of 18, Ginny had applied for a job as an Unspeakable. Little had she known that Draco Malfoy, after spending a year squandering some of his money, had applied as well. Their initial horror was nothing compared to their shock when they had received word that in training and the rest of their lives, they would be a team.
Draco had tried to buy his way out of partnering her, which had just fed her hate for him. They had tried everything to get Don to switch them, but he had refused. "It's impossible," he had told them flatly, when they had come, for once agreeing on something, to plead for new partners. "The fates have picked you. It isn't really up to me."
So they, and their trainers, had spent a hellish 3 months of training together until the day Draco had said, "Weasley, you're smart, but you need to work on your reflexes." It was a half compliment, but it was taken as a sign that they could tolerate each other. Things had progressed from there, and they worked their way up the Department, earning each others trust and respect.
"And how is good old Draco?" Ron asked, sarcasm weighing down his words. Ginny forced herself to stay calm (something one learned within the first 3 weeks of training).
"He's well," she said shortly, turning to Harry. "So, how was your match against Amsterdam?"
The night sped quickly after that. It was full of laughter, inside jokes, and food (turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, carrots, cheese cake, chocolate chip cookies, and apple pie), yet Ginny kept finding herself drifting off and thinking about how lonely it must be for Draco to go home to an empty manor.
"Ginny," someone called, and she snapped her head up. "I've been calling you for the last two minutes," Hermione said. Ginny smiled gently.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm a bit tired." Hermione nodded, and searched her eyes, much like Mrs. Weasley had done before.
"I just wanted to tell you I missed you." Ginny's eyes misted against her will.
Her voice croaked as she replied, "I missed you too. Sometimes it's really hard..." She stood up suddenly. "Hermione, can I talk to you in private?" Hermione nodded and followed her to the large weeping willow tree in the corner of the yard.
"Hey," Hermione said, "are you all right?"" Ginny leaned against the bark of the tree and nodded as she closed her eyes, a few tears leaking out.
"It's just so hard," she cried," coming back and feeling like a stranger in your own family."
"Oh Gin," Hermione said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you're never a stranger. Not here."
"Yes! Yes, I am!" Ginny said, pushing Hermione's arm away. "Maybe you don't see it because it's not you, Hermione! It's Ron, and my mother, and...people. Ergh, it makes me so mad! I haven't done anything but live my life! And I'm happy! Maybe Ron doesn't like Draco, and maybe you don't like him either, but I like him. He's amazingly smart and loves chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Can you imagine that? Draco Malfoy, loving ice cream!" She suddenly stopped talking. "What the hell am I babbling on about? This has no point." Hermione just looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She started to giggle before completely loosing it.
"I'm sorry," Hermione gasped, "It's just, I'm trying to imagine him eating cookie dough ice cream." This made Ginny start laughing, and soon they were both in hysterics. After 10 minutes of trying to compose themselves, they finally managed to suppress it to a small giggle occasionally, they left the seclusion of the tree.
It was already 10 o'clock and Ginny had stifled many yawns.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, moving around the room and hugging everyone, "but I have to leave. I have a busy week ahead of me. I don't think I'm traveling anywhere," she added, before Molly could open her mouth, "but if I am, I'll let you know." She gave Molly an extra hug.
"Night everyone. Love you."
Sunlight shone through the window directly into Ginny's eyes. She rolled over and pulled the covers up, ignoring the sound of her beeping alarm.
"You know Weasley, some can't ignore the sound of their beeping alarm clock." Ginny gave a muffled snort.
"Bright and early Malfoy," Draco mimicked.
"Shut up," she murmured. "I didn't mean this early."
"It's 9:30. We're late." She slowly sat up in the bed, her red curls tangled in an adorable mess.
"I have to get dressed," she said. Draco grinned.
"I don't mind. It's nothing I haven't seen before," he said, wiggling his eyebrows and giving her a feral look.
"Well, you haven't seen it in awhile and that's how I want it to be. Now, OUT." He gave her a mock pout and left her room.
She quickly donned her light green robes and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She hurried into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, grinning at her reflection. A slender, tall woman, about 5'10'' stared back, with dark brown eyes, and a light sprinkling of freckles across her nose.
She moved into her living room, ignoring the piles of clothes on the floor, and spotted Draco's head rumagging through her freezer.
"Ahem," she said, tapping her foot. He turned around, grinning guiltily.
"You ran out of ice cream," he said. "That's not allowed." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm tempted to be totally American and go "Loser" to you, but I won't."
"Thanks, Weasel."
"Welcome, Mal-Ferret."
They were received at the office by a frowning Don.
"You're an hour late, and you've just missed one of the most important meetings the Ministry's ever had. It would have helped if we had all sections of the department representing, even though the rest of the Ministry doesn't know what you do."
Draco, trying to lighten Don's mood, said, "When I said you'd die if you woke me, I wasn't serious." Ginny sighed and slapped him on the arm.
"What was the meeting about?" she asked, worried. Don just sighed and walked into the office entitled "Weasley and Malfoy." He sat at Draco's desk.
"Wages. As you know, each department receives enough funds for their function. As the Department of Unspeakables, we receive the second highest fund besides the Games and Sports Department. Lately, jealous Ministry officials have wondered exactly what we do and why it costs so much. So they've raised the alarm, and the Minister wants to know. Someone actually had the gall to suggest that we sit in our office everyday and do nothing."
Draco snorted and said, "We're saving their asses."
"Exactly," Ginny agreed.
"I know that, and you know that, and every damn person in this department knows that, but unfortunately there's nothing we can do to stop their suspicion. The Minister's ordered me to break the Oath."
Ginny and Draco stared at him for a minute.
"We're not going to, are we?" Ginny asked, horrified.
" It's a sacred tradition," Draco said, looking at Ginny. "Breaking it could mean danger to everyone. What'll we do once they know? Have over 100 people know what we do and risk being exposed? This could have terrible consequences!"
Don sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "I know," the elderly gentleman said, "but what're we to do?"
Ginny sighed and looked up at the ceiling. How could Vivienne Hendrix, the Minister of Magic for the past 3 years, order this?
"What happens if we don't oblige?" Draco asked. Don sighed, and Draco and Ginny were surprised to see tears form in the old man's eyes.
"We lose our funds, and innocents around the world will eventually die." There was silence in the room. Suddenly Draco got off the chair he had been lounging in and knelt next to Don, patting his hand.
"I'll fund us," Draco said. Ginny gasped. Don looked up at Draco and snapped,
"We're not going to steal the money of a youth, Malfoy. And besides, you wouldn't have enough money to fund the department from now to kingdom come," he added, more gently. Draco got up and dusted himself off.
"Just a suggestion, Marley." Don nodded.
"We'll think of something," Ginny called as Don left their office. The door clicked shut softly.
"Draco," Ginny said, going over to stand near him. "That was a very nice thing you offered to do there," she said. He wouldn't look at her and turned away.
"Hey," she yelled, "look at me." He turned around slowly. "Just because people don't accept offers, doesn't mean they don't appreciate them. Don't let that stop you from doing other nice things."
"I won't," he said coldly.
"I know you," she said, grabbing on to his arm. "And don't play "High and Mighty Malfoy'' to me, ok? I'm your friend. Your best friend. Maybe even your only friend." He looked down at her.
"And we're partners," he added. They finished the familiar saying together:
"And partners are for life."
This was the office of Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy, heads of their section of the department, the International Cooperation and Secret Services. As heads of their section, they were responsible for gathering the information gathered by the International Info Trackers, and following the leads. They were also responsible for assigning cases and keeping their agents in check. They were also two of the most ambitious and hard working agents on the team, which was why they had decided to keep the case in Peru to themselves. Rumors of a return of the 1987 Liazombas, a group that was responsible for illegal drug exchanges, corruption of government officials, and prostitution halls, had brought them there.
"They should be back soon," he thought. But with Weasley and Malfoy you could never tell; you just could never tell.
"Well," Ginny Weasley said, walking leisurely down a hall of the Peruvian Magical Embassy, "that was fun." Draco Malfoy's face twisted into a wry grin as he looked a mere two inches down at the 24 year old woman.
"If you say so," he agreed. She raised her arms above her head and stretched.
"I suppose it's time to head back to dreary old London," she added. He shrugged.
"Couldn't fancy being there right now," he said, looking up at the bright blue sky as they exited the Embassy. "We'll have to write up the reports, send them in for classification, confirm the rumors and extinguish the lies, give Don the -"
"I never knew you as one who complained so much. Would you please stop?" she pleaded. " Anyway, we have to go. Tonight is supposed to be 'Family Dinner Night' at my parents, and since I've missed the last 2, I'll be beheaded if I miss this one as well. Apparate on the count of three," she said, whipping out her wand. "1...2...3.." There was no ripple of the wind or sound as they, in a sense, flew, to London.
Once they appeared, there was pandemonium in the office. Don's voice was booming over the crowd; a loud, "Where the hell have you two been?" which reminded Draco of Hagrid. People were hugging Ginny and she was exclaiming things like, "How are you?", "How's the baby?", and "Is Daniel driving you insane now that he's home from Hogwarts?" The office was more like a family; a family life that Draco had never experienced in his home. But what could you expect when you had a mother who commited suicide and a father in Azkaban?
He shook his head and tugged at Ginny's sleeve, motioning her to follow Don into his office. She followed and closed the door with a soft thump.
"Hullo Don," she said, grinning at the old man. He motioned for them to sit down.
"Bloody hell, I expect the office'll be in an uproar for a few hours. First things first, how are you two? Any broken bones? Cuts? Bruises?...Good. Second, we've got a report from the Peruvian Embassy saying they caught five men reported to the leaders of the Liazombas. I suppose that was your doing?"
Draco nodded. "It took us a few days to track them down, figure out what they were doing, and then zero in on the leaders. After that, we lead them to a place where the Embassy could find them and sent an owl to the Heir of Peru warning him about the Liazombas. His police found them yesterday."
"We didn't have any trouble at all," Ginny added. "We were in no danger." Don smiled warmly.
"I'm glad. We've had to many close calls in the past. Mitchell and Tomson are still in Spain, we haven't got word from them in a while. Graziano and Eaven are trying to prevent Hoigs from gaining power in China. Other than that, everythings going well in the world."
"So," Draco said, leaning back in his chair, "does that mean we'll be allowed to sleep tonight?"
Ginny attempted to look serious as she said, "Of course not, Draco. Everyone knows that being an Unspeakable means you sleep less, eat less, and see your family less. It's the unofficial rule." Draco rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Let me make this clear Don. I've been chasing around a bunch of 21 year old hoodlums for the past 12 days. You wake me up tonight, with some international crisis, and you're a dead man."
"And let me remind you, young man," Don said, looking grim aside from the amusement in his eyes," when you arrived here for training, you were an uppity smart ass, who needed needed to be kicked off his pedestal." Ginny giggled.
"Ohhh, in trouble with the boss," she taunted. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Ah, I've got to go! I'll see you prats tomorrow. Bright and early, Malfoy," she added.
Ginny Apparated into the kitchen and was welcomed by the faint smell of apple pie and chocolate chip cookies. Her mother had her back turned, was humming tunelessly, and was pulling a large turkey out of the oven.
"Evening Mum," Ginny said, waiting for a reaction. Mrs. Weasley spun around, surprised, a large smile on her face as she rushed at her only daughter.
"Ginny dear," Molly gushed, enveloping her in a hug. "Where have you been darling? I've been so worried. No owls, no note," she said, searching Ginny's eyes.
"I've been fine, Mum," Ginny said, hugging her mother again.
"You look thinner," Molly pressed, "Have you been eating?" Ginny grinned at this.
"Barely, but don't worry. I'll eat more than my share tonight. Is everyone here?" Molly nodded. Ginny walked slowly to the living room, looking around as she went. The house looked the same. Still worn down, but it was a nice worn down. Like everything had been used lovingly over and over.
"Hello family," she shouted, opening the doors. She was greeted with a loud chorus of "GINNY!"
" I know," Ginny began, "you've missed me terribly and were wondering how you were going to live without me." She looked around the room at the smiling faces. Ron and Hermione, married for approximately a year, were sitting on one couch. Harry was near them, sitting on the coffee table. Fred, Angelina, Katie, and George were on the floor, an abandoned game of Exploding Snap next to them. Percy, Penelope, and their little boy Hayden were snuggling on another couch. Also, near the fire, were her two eldest brothers, Bill and Charlie.
"Where's Dad?" she asked, realizing he was absent.
"He'll be home soon," Percy said. "There's been a meeting called by the Minister. Something about wages." Ginny raised an eyebrow, a purely Malfoy move.
"And you've decided to stay home? How cute, Perce." She plopped down next to Hermione, who hugged her.
"How are you Mrs. Ambassador?" Ginny asked. "Anything new in the exciting world of politics?" Ron groaned and threw a pillow at Ginny.
"You always encourage her on the worst topics. Let's talk about you. How's work? Where have you been for the last three weeks?" Ron said, changing the subject.
"First off," Ginny said, noticing everyone in the room was looking at her. "You know I can't tell you where I've been. Works been fine, Ron. Thanks for asking." Then the ever-so-familiar tension filled the room. It was a tension that always appeared when talking about her job. All Unspeakables were required to take an Oath of Secrecy, no matter how low in the department one was. If one broke the Oath, or any of the other rules, his or her mind would be Obliviated, along with whoever's they had told. They would also lose their job.
And that was something Ron couldn't seem to accept. It was just too much for him to understand the Oath and her partnership with Malfoy. Which, Ginny explained constantly, didn't have anything to do with her. Partners were picked by Don, and a partnership was for life. There was no changing or switching.
And it wasn't like they hadn't tried.
At the age of 18, Ginny had applied for a job as an Unspeakable. Little had she known that Draco Malfoy, after spending a year squandering some of his money, had applied as well. Their initial horror was nothing compared to their shock when they had received word that in training and the rest of their lives, they would be a team.
Draco had tried to buy his way out of partnering her, which had just fed her hate for him. They had tried everything to get Don to switch them, but he had refused. "It's impossible," he had told them flatly, when they had come, for once agreeing on something, to plead for new partners. "The fates have picked you. It isn't really up to me."
So they, and their trainers, had spent a hellish 3 months of training together until the day Draco had said, "Weasley, you're smart, but you need to work on your reflexes." It was a half compliment, but it was taken as a sign that they could tolerate each other. Things had progressed from there, and they worked their way up the Department, earning each others trust and respect.
"And how is good old Draco?" Ron asked, sarcasm weighing down his words. Ginny forced herself to stay calm (something one learned within the first 3 weeks of training).
"He's well," she said shortly, turning to Harry. "So, how was your match against Amsterdam?"
The night sped quickly after that. It was full of laughter, inside jokes, and food (turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, carrots, cheese cake, chocolate chip cookies, and apple pie), yet Ginny kept finding herself drifting off and thinking about how lonely it must be for Draco to go home to an empty manor.
"Ginny," someone called, and she snapped her head up. "I've been calling you for the last two minutes," Hermione said. Ginny smiled gently.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm a bit tired." Hermione nodded, and searched her eyes, much like Mrs. Weasley had done before.
"I just wanted to tell you I missed you." Ginny's eyes misted against her will.
Her voice croaked as she replied, "I missed you too. Sometimes it's really hard..." She stood up suddenly. "Hermione, can I talk to you in private?" Hermione nodded and followed her to the large weeping willow tree in the corner of the yard.
"Hey," Hermione said, "are you all right?"" Ginny leaned against the bark of the tree and nodded as she closed her eyes, a few tears leaking out.
"It's just so hard," she cried," coming back and feeling like a stranger in your own family."
"Oh Gin," Hermione said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "you're never a stranger. Not here."
"Yes! Yes, I am!" Ginny said, pushing Hermione's arm away. "Maybe you don't see it because it's not you, Hermione! It's Ron, and my mother, and...people. Ergh, it makes me so mad! I haven't done anything but live my life! And I'm happy! Maybe Ron doesn't like Draco, and maybe you don't like him either, but I like him. He's amazingly smart and loves chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Can you imagine that? Draco Malfoy, loving ice cream!" She suddenly stopped talking. "What the hell am I babbling on about? This has no point." Hermione just looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She started to giggle before completely loosing it.
"I'm sorry," Hermione gasped, "It's just, I'm trying to imagine him eating cookie dough ice cream." This made Ginny start laughing, and soon they were both in hysterics. After 10 minutes of trying to compose themselves, they finally managed to suppress it to a small giggle occasionally, they left the seclusion of the tree.
It was already 10 o'clock and Ginny had stifled many yawns.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, moving around the room and hugging everyone, "but I have to leave. I have a busy week ahead of me. I don't think I'm traveling anywhere," she added, before Molly could open her mouth, "but if I am, I'll let you know." She gave Molly an extra hug.
"Night everyone. Love you."
Sunlight shone through the window directly into Ginny's eyes. She rolled over and pulled the covers up, ignoring the sound of her beeping alarm.
"You know Weasley, some can't ignore the sound of their beeping alarm clock." Ginny gave a muffled snort.
"Bright and early Malfoy," Draco mimicked.
"Shut up," she murmured. "I didn't mean this early."
"It's 9:30. We're late." She slowly sat up in the bed, her red curls tangled in an adorable mess.
"I have to get dressed," she said. Draco grinned.
"I don't mind. It's nothing I haven't seen before," he said, wiggling his eyebrows and giving her a feral look.
"Well, you haven't seen it in awhile and that's how I want it to be. Now, OUT." He gave her a mock pout and left her room.
She quickly donned her light green robes and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She hurried into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, grinning at her reflection. A slender, tall woman, about 5'10'' stared back, with dark brown eyes, and a light sprinkling of freckles across her nose.
She moved into her living room, ignoring the piles of clothes on the floor, and spotted Draco's head rumagging through her freezer.
"Ahem," she said, tapping her foot. He turned around, grinning guiltily.
"You ran out of ice cream," he said. "That's not allowed." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm tempted to be totally American and go "Loser" to you, but I won't."
"Thanks, Weasel."
"Welcome, Mal-Ferret."
They were received at the office by a frowning Don.
"You're an hour late, and you've just missed one of the most important meetings the Ministry's ever had. It would have helped if we had all sections of the department representing, even though the rest of the Ministry doesn't know what you do."
Draco, trying to lighten Don's mood, said, "When I said you'd die if you woke me, I wasn't serious." Ginny sighed and slapped him on the arm.
"What was the meeting about?" she asked, worried. Don just sighed and walked into the office entitled "Weasley and Malfoy." He sat at Draco's desk.
"Wages. As you know, each department receives enough funds for their function. As the Department of Unspeakables, we receive the second highest fund besides the Games and Sports Department. Lately, jealous Ministry officials have wondered exactly what we do and why it costs so much. So they've raised the alarm, and the Minister wants to know. Someone actually had the gall to suggest that we sit in our office everyday and do nothing."
Draco snorted and said, "We're saving their asses."
"Exactly," Ginny agreed.
"I know that, and you know that, and every damn person in this department knows that, but unfortunately there's nothing we can do to stop their suspicion. The Minister's ordered me to break the Oath."
Ginny and Draco stared at him for a minute.
"We're not going to, are we?" Ginny asked, horrified.
" It's a sacred tradition," Draco said, looking at Ginny. "Breaking it could mean danger to everyone. What'll we do once they know? Have over 100 people know what we do and risk being exposed? This could have terrible consequences!"
Don sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "I know," the elderly gentleman said, "but what're we to do?"
Ginny sighed and looked up at the ceiling. How could Vivienne Hendrix, the Minister of Magic for the past 3 years, order this?
"What happens if we don't oblige?" Draco asked. Don sighed, and Draco and Ginny were surprised to see tears form in the old man's eyes.
"We lose our funds, and innocents around the world will eventually die." There was silence in the room. Suddenly Draco got off the chair he had been lounging in and knelt next to Don, patting his hand.
"I'll fund us," Draco said. Ginny gasped. Don looked up at Draco and snapped,
"We're not going to steal the money of a youth, Malfoy. And besides, you wouldn't have enough money to fund the department from now to kingdom come," he added, more gently. Draco got up and dusted himself off.
"Just a suggestion, Marley." Don nodded.
"We'll think of something," Ginny called as Don left their office. The door clicked shut softly.
"Draco," Ginny said, going over to stand near him. "That was a very nice thing you offered to do there," she said. He wouldn't look at her and turned away.
"Hey," she yelled, "look at me." He turned around slowly. "Just because people don't accept offers, doesn't mean they don't appreciate them. Don't let that stop you from doing other nice things."
"I won't," he said coldly.
"I know you," she said, grabbing on to his arm. "And don't play "High and Mighty Malfoy'' to me, ok? I'm your friend. Your best friend. Maybe even your only friend." He looked down at her.
"And we're partners," he added. They finished the familiar saying together:
"And partners are for life."