Cheater

A/N: You can cheat many things; life, death, games, even yourself...

Ginny was happily enjoying a rare mild day in the middle of October as she lapped the castle grounds. Lost in her own thoughts and cursing Harry for being so stupid as to provoke Snape for giving him a month's worth of detentions.

Deep in the shadows a crafty pair of cold eyes were watching her progress. Subtly and charm were the key. Ordinarily this would have been a simple task, but given the nature of his actions, well it made things difficult, to say the least.

A pair strong arms grabbed Ginny, pinning her up against the wall in the shadows. "What the-" she half-shrieked, feeling stupid as she felt lips crash down on hers. Harry she thought, responding to the kiss she wrapped her arms around the kisser's neck, their hands explored Ginny's body, pulling her towards them. As the couple parted for oxygen, Ginny gasped, "You're not Ha-" Before she could finish her sentence Draco stunned the Weasley girl, catching her body before it hit the ground. Now he panicked, what was he to do now? How was he to get her into the castle without raising suspicion? His orders were simple, find her, stun her without causing a scene. The snog had been Zabini's idea-and it worked-but who was to take over now? He had been ordered to wait until the operatives arrived. But where were these operatives? Draco scanned the area, nothing, no-one. Hold on, he did a double take, and froze. Two Hufflepuff girls had been watching him the whole time, they'd seen everything.Draco swallowed back any panic or fear, gripping his wand tightly behind him, he glared, waiting for them to make the first move. Then the two Hufflepuff girls did something rather odd. The first, with her jet black hair and deep blue eyes sneered at him, the other with her waist length hazel-brown hair and pasty skin had her hands on her hips shaking her head. Draco frowned, this behaviour was most unusual especially for juniors, especially for Puffles.The two girls strode towards him in an arrogant manner. Standing inches in front of him the raven-haired girl took out a chain from within inside her jumper, it bore the insignia Draco was told to look out for, these girls were the operatives. He nodded, and jerked his head behind him, indicating Ginny Weasley's unconscious body.

Many hours later...

Sighing with relief, the hard part was over, Draco thought to as he immersed himself deep into the Prefect's bathtub. It wasn't like he cared about the Weaslette, but that didn't mean he wanted to do it. Not to mention a damn good snog, even if she did mistake him for Potter. But the choice was simple, his skin or hers. He which one he'd rather save. It was like the proverb, "nothing personal, just business" and by Merlin did he discover the full meaning of that word today. Disobeying the Dark Lord was not something one got away with. As if that very thought triggered it, a searing pain pierced his flesh like daggers, burned like fire all in one and it was coming from his left forearm. He was being summoned. Hopping out of the bathtub almost immediately, he cursed fate for landing him in this situation, dried and dressed himself.

Draco was careful to keep himself hidden along the way, even though Hogwarts was now under the control of the Death Eaters, it was still a necessity that he kept out of everyone's way, especially as Ginny's and the golden trio's disappearance had now spread like wild fire.

As soon as he was beyond the Hogwarts gates he apparated home. The dark mark saw him passage through the Malfoy Manor's gates, and through the front door to the drawing room where he was met with at least a dozen death eaters. "Draco, Draco," Bellatrix drawled, circling him, "Rodolphus here tells us you had a little fun with the blood traitor,"

Draco ignored her at first, out of the corner of his eye he saw his father's jaw clench, his mother looked nauseous.

"It was necessary to avoid confrontation," Draco replied coldly, his face a mask, devoid of all human emotion. Not that it would be much use, Bellatrix was the one who had taught him Occulmency, she knew all his tricks. However, his dear aunt merely cackled, "How pleasant, such devotion," she retorted casting a nasty glare in Lucius' direction.

"You summoned me?" Draco replied, in a bored, or what he hoped sounded like a bored voice.

"Yes," Bellatrix spun around to face him once again, "The Dark Lord has declared that you should have the honour of disposing of the captive once the necessary information has been taken from it. He was unspecific as to how," she added, a nasty glint sparkled in her cold eyes.

"Is that all? May I now be excused?" Draco said in the same bored tone. Bellatrix merely sneered at him, and turned away. Taking this as the sign to leave, he did so, slowly and in the most confident manner he could muster, despite feeling the complete opposite on the inside.

Legging it up the stairs, he crashed down on to his bed. What the bloody hell was he to do now? The Dark Lord has declared that you should have the honour of disposing of the captive once the necessary information has been taken from it. He was unspecific as to how... His aunt's words echoed in his head. It was unnatural for a woman to be so cruel-there was no way she was human. A stupid notion came into his head, a notion that suggested to aid the Weasley girl. But why? And how? He'd make her death quick and painless. A quick Avada Kedvra would suffice, he calculated in his head as if if were a sum. It was the only he'd survive this-devoid of all human emotion.

Draco was restless that night, and judging by sky, which was now beginning to brighten, he had gotten no sleep at all. He hazard a guess at four in the morning, and sighed. It was her, the Weasley girl and the fate he knew she'd have to endure that was keeping him up. Draco punched the wall in frustration, what the hell am I supposed to do? It's not like I can save her or anything! Think logically he told himself: why am I bothering? Why do I care? Because no one not even Potter deserved what his aunt was going to put them through...Ok maybe Potter should get a round or two..NO! Focus man! No time for jokes, still wouldn't mind-

"Master Malfoy is to report to Madam Lestrange, in the drawing room, ten minutes." a high pitch voice came after a crack behind him. Draco merely grunted back at the house elf who apparated away again. Talk about an early start. Ten minutes. Ok ten minutes to decide, help or not to help! "Oh fuck it anyway," he grumbled and apparated to the kitchen.

What's the bloody plan? How on earth would I be able to help her without implicating myself?Then he remembered. He remembered sixth year Ravenclaws slipping a first year who'd been caught by the Carrows a numbing agent of some kind. Draco nodded to himself, quickly made the simple drought and bottled it. Apparating once again outside her holding cell, he unlocked it to find the small red head sitting up, wrists chained to the wall-alert. At first her eyes squinted, adjusting to the light Draco had conjured up. "You!" she gasped, her voice hoarse.

"Yeh, me," he grunted, walking towards her, he held the bottle out to her, Ginny, pulled away as far as her chains would allow. "It's not poison," he said coolly, but his words did little to persuade her otherwise.

"It's you Malfoy," she spat, "Can't be so sure, you see,"

The malice in his voice made his blood boil, here he was trying to help her and all she can do is argue? "Please, if you knew what was in store for you up there you'd be begging me for poison, let alone this," he sneered, as he turned away.

"What's up there?" she croaked.

Draco stopped in his tracks, "Just Bellatrix Lestrange and dozen of the worst Death Eaters really." he said in a bored voice.

"And what's that you're offering?" she asked.

Draco turned to face her once more, "This?" he gestured to the vile, "Is a numbing agent, it'll help with the pain,"

"Why are you offering it?"

"Look I've more important matters to attend to Weasley, nor do either of us have all day, are you taking this or not?"

"Answer my question," she said simply.

Draco narrowed his eyes, why the bloody hell was she being so difficult? "Because I don't want your deafening screams bothering me while I'm working."

"More like your conscience," Ginny muttered.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing," she replied, looking up at him with big chocolate brown eyes, in that irritatingly casual voice of hers.

"Look are you going to take this or what, because quite frankly I don't care, not to mention I've more important matters to attend to,"

"Liar," she replied.

"Excuse me?"

"You're lying."

Draco shook his head in disbelief, this is the last time I help anyone-ever again. "Lying about what exactly?"

Ginny rolled on to her knees, sitting up right, staring up at him so intensely on would think she was trying to perform a non-verbal hex. "Oh, I don't know, everything,"

Draco glared at her, "You think I care about what happens to you blood traitor?" he spat.

"No Malfoy, I don't think I know,"

Draco looked at his watch, ten minutes were up, he'd be sent for any minute. "Look I really don't have time for this, and neither do you!" Panic now evident in his voice. Ginny's eyes widened, what ever had gotten Malfoy's knickers in a twist in his own house was clearly something to fear.

"Escape with me," she blurted out.

"What?"

"You heard me,"

Draco shook his head, pretending he didn't hear her as he freed her wrists dragging her by the arm, roughly out of the cell. "What on earth is taking that boy bloody so long?" he heard Bellatrix's voice shrieking. Footsteps echoed down the staircase. Time was up. It was either do or die.

"Malfoy!" Ginny whispered, almost pleadingly, he looked up at the man on the staircase, then they were gone, vanished before Lucius Malfoy' eyes.

"Where are we?" he heard her voice ask. Draco had still not opened his eyes since seeing his father's face. A mask as always, but he could've sworn there was something-he's sure what it was- but certain there was some sort of emotion in his eyes.

"Oi," she poked him. Then he realised who he was with and what had happened, putting his father to the back of his mind he opened his eyes and stood up so quickly it made Ginny jump. Draco looked around their surroundings were unfamiliar to say the least, where were they was a very good question indeed...

"He WHAT?" Bellatrix roared.

"Apparated," Lucius said simply, Narcissa stared at him, tearful.

"Rid yourself of your tears Cissy, it won't save your husband when the Dark Lord arrives!"

"Bella! You're not going to summon him, surely?" Narcissa exclaimed.

"No, I'm not," she spat, still glaring at Lucius, "But he'll come summoned on not."

"Why Bella, you look at me as if I'm to blame?" Lucius jeered, Narcissa stared at him in disbelief, her son was now on the run, deemed a traitor and her husband showed no signs of worry at all? What had her dear Lucius become?

That, Lucius, is because you are to blame! You should have secured the premises, and now your good for nothing son has betrayed us!"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were afraid,"

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Afraid?" she aimed her wand at his throat.

"Yes afraid, you were the one in charge," Lucius retorted, even if it did sound a little childish in his mind.

Bellatrix sneered, "Shame Draco didn't inherit your guts, isn't Lucius? Although, clearly it was your stupidity got instead. Your son ran, you'll be the one to pay, mark my words,"

"How many times am I going to have to ask you Malfoy?"

"Ask me what?"

"Where are we?"

"It appears to be a forest," Draco replied in a bored voice, as he lay on the grass, looking up at the trees.

"Don't take that tone with me," she stood in front of him, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed.

"What tone would that be?" he looked up at her, always did like a woman on top.

"That I'm-superior-than-thou tone the one that's too high in mighty to care, 'cos I know better,"

"You do, do you?"

"Yeah, I saw the look on your face when it was your father before us when we escaped, the way you refused to open your eyes when we arrived most likely replaying the moment in your he-"

Ginny didn't get a chance to finish her sentence has Draco jumped up, pinned her against the tree with such force it made her light headed. "Don't you dare Weasley," he warned, wand pointed at her throat. "Don't you bloody dare." Ginny swallowed, glared right back into Draco's cold grey eyes and shoved him off her. She stormed off, and he certainly wasn't going to go after her.

Stupid bloody Malfoy Ginny thought furiously as she pulled at the grass, ripping it in shreds. Just what was his problem?

He saved you from an inevitable and painful death, you tore down his ego, that's what his problem is. So what he's a git, a git that saved your life...

Damn that Weasley girl! Draco headbutted the tree. It didn't solve the issue, thoughts of her capitalizing on his moment of weakness burned like fire. I save her life and this is what I get it return? What you have rathered lovey dovey hero worship? Never! Well it would have been preferable to THAT, might even have gotten a shag out of her too...

The passing of time was unknown to the both of them, all Ginny knew was that she was hungry. Better go fetch in the insufferable fucker. Try to be nice-civil at least a voice in her head told her. But why? It's Malfoy! He saved your life! Aaah. Good point. "Stupid concisence," she muttered to herself.

As there was nothing edible within reach, Ginny took it upon herself to resort to asking Malfoy for help, cringing at the very thought. To her immense relief the Slytherin had fallen asleep, his wand trapped in a clenched fist. Balls.She crept up beside him, careful to avoid any twigs that would give away her position. Years of sneaking past her family, and this year, past the Carrows, taught her well. Now all she needed was to get the bloody wand. As she placed a hand on his fist, his icy grip made her shiver, he began to stir at once. Ginny froze. She was fucked now. Daring a glance at his face, his eyes were tightly shut, his brow was furrowed, his face looked...in pain? Was he having a nightmare of some sort? Ginny guessed it came with having a bunch of sadistic psychopaths for a family. Nevertheless she found her self soothing him, almost to the point of cradling him until his face relaxed. Once his tough patch was over she carefully freed the wand from his grip and snuck away.

She told herself it was necessary to get the wand, or that one good turn deserved another, he saved her life he eased his nightmare. Not exactly fair but she was hardly going to throw herself at him, forsaking her virtue just because he saved her life. Besides who knows what would have happened if they hadn't been caught? Would he still have had rescued her? These thoughts swam before her as she lit a fire.

Draco awoke with a start. He was pretty sure he had another nightmare, oh how he prayed the Weasley girl hadn't witnessed it. Draco froze. His wand!He leapt up and ran, where he was going he didn't know but he just needed to-

"What are you doing?" he roared.

"Making us food, what's it look like?"

"Food! And you stole my wand to do so?"

"No Malfoy I'm just that damn good at non verbal spells I conjured up a roaring fire and several bits of fish, oh and I do hope you like Salmon,"

Arching a platinum eyebrow he moved towards her as she held his wand out to him.

"Your welcome," she said, eyes fixed on the fire.

"Welcome?" he asked puzzled.

"In response to your thank you that must have gotten lost along the way in awe of my magnificent improvising,"

"Improvising?"

"What are you a bloody parrot?"

"I may be a bloody parrot, but at least I know salmon from trout, and that Weaslette is not salmon."

Ginny blushed momentarily, "Whatever Malfoy, point is I got us food, now I'm going to eat the food. I suggest you do the same, I'm not a fish lover, but I'm so hungry I could eat the lot."

Draco stared at her, eyebrow still elevated, but as he watched her wolf down her piece he decided to eat his own while he still could.