This story was written for Think My Name Is Funny Do You in the Christmas Fic Exchange on HPFC...and yes, I am fully aware how very, very late it is. In my defense, I took this prompt on as a reserve writer when TMNIFDY's original one never posted, but it's still embarrassingly late. Um, happy early Christmas this year? The prompts were: Survival of the fittest, first kiss, detention. Hope you like it!
"...Smith, Zacharias, and Weasley, Ginevra. You will all report to detention immediately."
Alecto's cruel voice rang out in the chilled atmosphere of the Great Hall. Ginny briefly raised her eyebrows at Neville, sitting across from her, but otherwise she remained still, her chin propped in her hand. Detentions from the Carrows were nothing new, but usually the vindictive twins at least waited until after dinner.
"What d'you think it was this time?" Neville whispered around a mouthful of dry bread. The school elves had been instructed to provide only the most basic nutritional requirements, and as a result most of the student population looked rather on the underfed side of things.
"Dunno," Ginny replied in a bored voice. She'd learnt quickly that the Carrows delighted in torturing students who fought the "validity" of their detentions. "They've got rather a long list to choose from, don't they?"
At these words, several of the Gryffindors nearby grinned to themselves before quickly wiping the expressions off their faces. It was no secret that Dumbledore's Army had ramped up their tactics in recent weeks, and as one of the leaders, Ginny Weasley was into rebellion up to her pretty little ears.
"Those of you with detentions! NOW!" Amycus bellowed.
Ginny rolled her eyes and stood to join the handful of others queuing up to leave the Great Hall. She was busy cataloging the first- and second-years who had been chosen, trying to determine which ones would need the most protecting, when someone jostled her to the side.
"Watch where you're going, Weasley," snarled a familiar voice.
"Stuff it, Malfoy," she responded automatically. Then the identity of the person next to her registered and she whipped around to look at Draco. "What are you doing? This is the detention line."
"Weren't listening, were you?" Draco asked in his usual drawl. "Called my name same as yours."
Ginny narrowed her eyes. She hadn't been listening to the list of students—detention calls were a daily occurrence—but why on earth would the Carrows have given a Slytherin detention? Looking more closely at Draco, Ginny noted the tightness around his eyes. Apparently he wasn't any more certain why he'd been called than she was.
"Well. Welcome to the club then," Ginny retorted, turning her attention back to the students filing out of the Great Hall in front of her. Draco didn't say anything else but she noticed that he stayed by her side as they proceeded down into the dungeons. Finishing her count, Ginny's lips pressed into a grim line as she realized there were two students from each year present, and all four houses were accounted for. This couldn't be anything good. Ginny felt her body tensing as they drew closer to the "torture chamber," otherwise known as the Muffliato'd room where detentions took place. No matter how many times you were on the receiving end of a Crucio, you never quite got used to it.
But then Alecto turned down a different hallway, and Ginny's apprehension shot through the roof. Where were they being taken? What new horror lay in wait for them? Glancing over at Draco, Ginny saw that he looked just as nervous as she felt. And that was definitely not a good sign. They continued deeper beneath the castle. Ginny's thoughts were going to ever-darker places, but she straightened her spine and marched on. The Carrows hated defiance so Ginny plastered a vague smile on her face as well. Beside her, Draco's mouth was pressed into a grim line. Towards the front, one of the younger students was crying softly.
Finally, they reached a set of heavy metal doors that looked as though they hadn't been opened for centuries. Alecto ordered the fifth through seventh years into one room, taking each of their wands as they entered. The door slammed shut, sealing them into complete darkness. Ginny presumed the younger ones were receiving the same treatment next door. Sighing, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark, and then began moving slowly around the room, her left hand pressed to the cold stone wall. It was a tiny room, surely no more than twenty feet in either direction, and Ginny wondered how long they were meant to endure this punishment. She would at least like to know which one of her rebellious pranks had landed her here.
Someone coming in the other direction knocked into her, and large hands grasped at her person to straighten her. "Ginny?" came Zacharias' whisper.
"Yes," she replied, somewhat relieved to have found him in the dark. Zach wasn't exactly her favorite person, but he was DA, and he was quite capable. He was better than no one at any rate.
"What's the plan?" Zach murmured quietly.
"Fourth years and under. Whatever it is, we get them out of the way before the Slytherins have a chance to do anything...nasty." One of the Slytherins, a fifth year, was someone that Ginny knew from personal experience on the Quidditch field wouldn't hesitate to use any underhanded means he could.
"And Malfoy?" Zach whispered even more quietly. "Should we try and take him out now?"
Ginny thought for a moment. She wasn't sure what the Carrows had planned, but at this point they were all wandless. Draco didn't pose much of a threat-for now. Besides, he had looked just as shocked as she felt to have been called up, so chances were he didn't have any edge on the rest of them.
"No. Let's wait and see what this new punishment is first. Could be he might even help us-I reckon he knows these dungeons better than we do."
Zach merely snorted but Ginny's gut instinct was telling her that Draco wasn't quite in the position of power that he used to be. Since they'd returned to school this year, he had been quieter, more remote. Even Crabbe and Goyle didn't seem to follow him around like they used to. She didn't think they were in any danger from him.
She and Zach made their way back to a corner and huddled down, back to back, for the night. Ginny silently thanked Ernie and the others for insisting that the DA go through rigorous physical training-she knew she would be able to stay awake and vigilant all night if need be. Thankfully, nothing eventful seemed to be happening, and the others in the room eventually began to talk quietly to one another or settle down to rest.
Ginny had just relaxed enough to doze off when the door was thrown open and Amycus stepped into the room, brandishing a torch for light.
"Listen up, you lot," he shouted, grinning evilly. "You've been chosen to participate in a new contest. Tomorrow morning, you'll all be released into an obstacle course of sorts, and the winner will receive a special prize."
Ginny shuddered. This was worse even than she'd expected. Amycus was still talking so she focused her attention back on the foul little wizard. "...and Headmaster Snape will be in to discuss the rules shortly."
With a last cackle, he was gone and the room was once again thrown into darkness. Ginny registered the grumblings of the other students but her mind was whirring away, working out the implications of Amycus' announcement and how she could possibly help the younger students without arousing suspicion. Within a few minutes, however, the door flew open once more, this time outlining the stark lines of Professor Snape's robes as he stood in the doorway.
A light flared from his wand, and Ginny struggled not to run up and punch the sneering expression off his face. She had taken a step forward, in fact, when she felt not one but two hands restraining her: Zach and Draco. Frowning, she shook them off and turned back to Snape.
"I am sure you are all eagerly awaiting the opportunity to blast one another to bits tomorrow," he began in his customary drawl. "I am here to discuss the rules with you. As we will be inviting a number of wizards from the Ministry, there are certain procedures we must adhere to. One: your wands will be returned to you in the morning prior to the competition, but you may not curse one another until you have reached the field. Two: as this is an educational institution, the use of the Unforgivables is, unfortunately, prohibited."
At this, the fifth year Slytherin chuckled and elbowed Draco, but to Ginny's surprise Draco did not respond in kind. In fact, the silver glare he turned on the younger student was downright glacial.
Snape smirked before continuing. "Three: you may use any spell at your disposal, although seriously injuring or irreversibly maiming another contestant will result in the removal of points from your score. And finally: the last student standing will be the winner. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
He turned to tap a series of spells on the door and Ginny growled. Draco leant one shoulder casually against the dungeon wall and Ginny felt her temper get the better of her. "Let me guess-your father will hear about this?" she snapped at him.
Draco turned his head slowly to look at her, his usual contempt missing from his expression. "Not in the way you'd imagine, Weasley," he said resignedly.
Thrown off-kilter by his lack of animosity, Ginny huffed out a breath before grabbing Zach's arm and relocating them to a different corner of the dungeon. After Snape was done with what were undoubtedly jinxes, he swept from the room and they were once again plunged into utter darkness. Zach once again brought his mouth close to Ginny's ear so they wouldn't be overheard.
"What now, Lieutenant?"
"Same as before," Ginny replied automatically. "Somehow we'll have to take out the younger ones-something simple like a Petrificus-and hope we can knock them all out before something worse happens." She paused for a breath. "I don't like this, Zach," she added softly.
"You heard Snape, though. They're going to have Ministry people there-they can't have set up something really barbaric, can they?"
Ginny sighed. "The Ministry is really just a front for Death Eaters any more," she answered. "I think it's going to be every bit as bad as we imagine."
"Well, it's a good thing we're both here then. I wouldn't trust any of these others with my life."
They fell into silence while they both contemplated the coming day. Slowly, two of the other students locked up with them-a sixth-year Ravenclaw and fifth-year Hufflepuff-approached and sat down cautiously next to Ginny and Zach.
"We're offering our services, woefully inadequate as they are," the Ravenclaw girl whispered. "I know we're not technically DA, but-"
"That doesn't matter now," Ginny reassured them. "We're all going to need all the help we can get." The two students scooted closer and together they began to outline a plan for the morning. Ginny was pleased to note that the Ravenclaw-Mariah-knew several good defensive spells that were unknown to Ginny and Zach. Emerson, the Hufflepuff, had been on the Quidditch team with Zacharias, and the two explained their set of hand signals so that the group could communicate nonverbally.
They whispered late into the night, and after everyone seemed confident in their roles for tomorrow, Ginny decided to reveal their extra advantage.
"Listen, I've got a few helpful items hidden. We'll divvy them up and I'll explain how to use each one." Ginny sent a silent thank-you to Fred and George for figuring out how to smuggle their WWW products into Hogwarts. Digging through her clothing, Ginny found the hidden compartment in her bra and started removing the shrunken Decoy Detonators, Dungbombs, Puking Pastilles, and Fainting Fancies. It wasn't much, but Ginny figured they might prove enough of a distraction to buy some time while the group was attempting to save the younger ones.
She was mid-removal when a faint glow emerged right next to them, and Draco's face appeared in the light. "Putting on a show, Weasley?" he asked quietly.
Ginny was glad that the light wasn't very bright, or else everyone would have seen her blush. "What business is it of yours, Malfoy?" she snapped.
"Only that if you're going to start taking off your clothes, I'd like to watch," he replied, his gaze dropping briefly to her chest before meeting her eyes again.
Ginny huffed and turned her back to him. "Just an unfortunate itch," she lied. Then a thought hit her. "As a matter of fact, this rash might be contagious, so you should probably keep your distance."
Draco snorted but didn't move. Even more annoyed now, Ginny quickly rearranged her clothes and faced him again, hoping to block their small stash from his sight. "How is it that you've got a light, anyway? Did the Carrows sneak your wand back to you?"
At this, Draco frowned. "I got detention same as you," he retorted, anger starting to color his tone. "No need to be so confrontational."
Ginny simply crossed her arms and glared at him, so he continued in a whisper. "If you must know, the ability to conjure a small bit of light without a wand is the only good thing to have come out of the last year of my life," he bit off.
Behind her, Ginny could hear Zach grumbling something unflattering, but she kept her eyes glued to Draco's face. He seemed to be telling the truth, which surprised her a bit. She knew what he'd done—what Harry had said he'd done—and to hear him referencing the same with such an air of disgust was interesting to say the least. Perhaps Draco truly did regret letting Death Eaters into the school...or perhaps he was just pandering to her emotions in an attempt to get ahead tomorrow.
Exhaling sharply, Ginny reminded herself that Draco was a master manipulator and that she couldn't trust anything he said, no matter how much she found that she wanted to believe him in this moment.
"Right. Well, good for you. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to rest up for tomorrow." Ginny turned her back to Draco and jerked her thumb at a far corner, signaling Zach and the others to go with her. As they stepped out of the range of Draco's light, Ginny couldn't help but look back once more, only to see Draco staring at her with an intensity that she couldn't understand.
Ginny and the others spent a restless night in the darkened dungeon. Every sigh, creak, or cough brought her to immediate alertness, so it was almost a relief when the door banged open to admit a gleeful Amycus.
"Up an' at 'em, you lot!" he growled, grinning as they all staggered to their feet. Ginny stretched the kinks out of her limbs, noting grimly that Draco's eyes tracked her every move. She felt vaguely like a lamb being sized up for slaughter and she childishly stuck her tongue out at him. To her surprise, one corner of Draco's lips quirked upwards for the briefest moment before he turned towards the door and their awaiting task.
As Amycus continued to salivate over their upcoming "detention," Ginny took advantage of his distraction to go over a few last things with her band of rebels. "Remember—knock out the little ones as quickly as you can without looking suspicious. Watch out for Pickely, he's particularly nasty and won't hesitate to cheat. Actually—go ahead and assume any Slytherin is prepared to cheat." Her eyes desperately wanted to cut to Draco, but she stayed the impulse. "Use your decoys if you get a chance. Stay in pairs if you can. And..." Ginny felt her courage falter for just a moment, but she forced her shoulders back and reminded herself that she was their leader. "And they've probably set this up mainly to make an example of me, so if you're being watched by the Carrows or the Ministry people and you have a shot—take it. I'll understand."
Mariah and Emerson nodded nervously, and for once Zach looked serious and concerned. "Same with me," he added finally. "Don't jeopardize yourselves by trying to protect us." He and Ginny shared a glance rife with grim determination and begrudging respect.
"OY! BACK OF THE ROOM! LET'S GO!" Amycus bellowed, and the four of them stepped up to retrieve their wands. Ginny knew she wasn't imagining the fierce anticipation gleaming in the nasty little man's eyes as he handed over her wand. "Hope you make it out in one piece, blood traitor," he spat at her in a tone that implied he hoped anything but.
"Oh, I'm sure I will," Ginny answered breezily. "After all, I bested you in the corridor the other night, didn't I?" She smiled sweetly at the Death Eater as she passed him in the doorframe. Amycus' eyes narrowed menacingly at the reminder—and the confession—but just at that moment Snape arrived to take the students up to the arena, saving Ginny from any retaliation. Well, any immediate retaliation. She was sure Amycus would find some punishment for her later.
She swept up the sloping hallway with the rest of the students, her head high and her gaze locked on Snape's back. She was talking herself through a number of spells and hexes when a voice behind her broke her concentration.
"Baiting the dragon, are you?" Draco hissed. "What did you do to old Amycus, anyway? And why would you tell him it was you?"
He sounded more surprised that Ginny had revealed herself than that she'd attacked a Death Eater. Typical Slytherin. Ginny resolutely ignored Draco and continued to recite spells in her head. Then his hand shot out to grip her elbow.
"I mean it, Weasley! Don't you have any idea why they've set this whole thing up to begin with? They're onto you and your little group. Making the Carrows mad will only—"
Ginny spun to face him and yanked her arm out of Draco's grasp. "Careful, Malfoy; I might start to think you care."
They glared at each other for a long moment before Snape's voice echoed back, ordering them to keep moving or risk being hexed before the event even started. Ginny charged ahead, growling when Draco caught her up and paced himself to stay beside her.
"What if I do?" he whispered at her before speeding up to walk next to the other Slytherins. Ginny shook her head in agitation. If Draco was trying to get under her skin this morning, it was definitely working.
"Don't let him bother you," Emerson whispered, dropping back to walk just slightly in front of her. "He's probably got an inside advantage."
"Of course he does," Ginny snapped. "He's Draco bloody Malfoy. I just want to get this over with."
Emerson nodded his agreement and soon they reached a barricaded door. Snape turned his piercing glare on all of them and intoned, "When these doors open, you will enter the course. The rules are as I stated last night. Best of luck...to some of you."
His eyes lit on Ginny, and she saw there a gleeful anticipation of her complete defeat. Next to him, Amycus and Alecto grinned savagely, no doubt eager for the bloodshed to begin. The three of them swept out a side door and Ginny heard a smattering of applause as they entered the room before the door banged shut. Steeling herself, she moved towards the middle of the pack of students so she'd have the best angle to knock out any of the younger kids, most of whom looked completely terrified.
A charmed panel above the door suddenly blinked to light, a red number ten displayed for a moment before a loud buzz announced the countdown to nine...eight...seven...
The tension in the group ratcheted up even more, and almost as one the students seemed to press closer to one another. To her annoyance, Ginny found herself standing right next to Draco. Catching Zach's eye, she tilted her head and indicated that Zach should cover her, just in case. Zach nodded slightly to show his understanding and slid into place between the fifth-year Slytherin and the rest of the group. Grimly, Ginny tightened her hold on her wand as the buzzer continued.
...Four...three...two...
"May the best man win," Draco said quietly into her ear.
"You mean woman," Ginny retorted, elbowing Draco hard in the ribs right as the timer screeched to zero and the doors banged open. Gasping and clutching his side, Draco glared at her as Ginny and the others burst into the arena. Taking quick stock of her surroundings, Ginny saw that a large mountain-looking structure had been placed in the middle of the room. A trophy was suspended in the air just above the top of the mountain, marking the winner's spot.
But that wasn't her aim just now. Instead, Ginny spun and began casting Petrificus Totalus and Stupefy alternatively at the younger students, noting that Emerson and Mariah were doing the same. Zach remained firmly between the group and the fifth-year Slytherin, so Ginny took some extra time to send nonverbal Protego Totalums towards the fallen students—just in case. She didn't trust the Carrows or Snape to prevent further attacks on students that had already been knocked out of the competition.
A flash of pale silver caught her eye, and Ginny saw Draco sprinting towards the mountain. "Unbelievable," she muttered to herself. Glancing around, she took a quick count and determined that most of the younger students appeared to be out. Mariah was kneeling over one of them, tending to a gash on a forehead, and Emerson was moving towards her, providing cover while she worked. Satisfied that the most vulnerable students were safe, for the time being at least, Ginny took off after Draco. As he neared the base of the giant rock, however, a panel in the floor opened up and an assortment of dangerous magical creatures spewed forth. Draco stumbled backwards and started hexing wildly. Not wanting to be hit by a stray curse, Ginny changed course and headed for the spot where Zach was engaged in a full-on battle with the Slytherin.
She dove into the fray, casting hex after hex, but despite his size the Slytherin was surprisingly quick on his feet. As their battle intensified, Ginny heard cheers from the crowd increasing in volume and she scowled, "accidentally" tossing a Stunner over her shoulder towards the audience. Judging by the shouts, she thought her spell must've hit somewhere, but she didn't have time to look.
Zach was clearly tiring and the Slytherin was moving forward in an attempt to press his advantage. Ginny cast a leg-binding curse but just barely missed, although it did cause the Slytherin to trip and fall headfirst towards Zach. The two landed in a heap on the ground and Zach wasted no time resorting to Muggle brawling methods, landing blow after blow on the fifth-years' face and chest. Another burst of cheering from the spectators told Ginny they were enjoying themselves immensely. She only felt sick.
Unsure how to help—she couldn't fire a curse without possibly hitting Zach—Ginny had taken one step forward when a mid-sized skrewt landed directly on the Slytherin's back. The boy leapt up, howling, and spun madly, trying to dislodge the creature. Fearing a horde of the beasts, Ginny looked sharply in the direction it had come—only to see Draco standing there staring at the scene, one sleeve torn completely off, the rest of his shirt covered in scorch marks. Their eyes met for a moment before he spun and sprinted towards the mountain again.
When she turned back, Zach had managed to capture the Slytherin with a well-placed Incarcerous, and he joined her in the pursuit of Draco.
"Can't—go—much—more," he wheezed as they scrambled up the slope of the mountain.
"Do you—want me to—take you out?" Ginny panted back, struggling to pull herself up and over a ledge. Zach grabbed her waist and threw her bodily upwards, checking their progress against that of Malfoy's.
"You've got—a better—shot—than me," he managed. "Just make it—look—convincing."
Ginny jerked her head once in acknowledgment, and Zach closed a hand loosely around her ankle. She feigned a kick at his face before hitting him squarely in the chest with a Stupefy. As he hurtled towards the ground, Ginny hoped that her silent Cushioning Charm would be enough to prevent any major injuries.
She couldn't bear to watch him land, so she continued upwards, her mouth set in a grim line. Dragging herself to a standing position on one of the uppermost ledges, Ginny turned to survey the arena. The disqualified students had all been lined up by the judges' table, and to Ginny's relief, Madam Pomfrey could be seen walking the row and checking each student. Counting quickly, Ginny realized it was just her and Draco left now. Good.
Her nails scrabbled against the rock as she struggled to pull her weight onto the top of the mountain. She finally managed to get one leg, then the other, over the lip. Jumping quickly to her feet, Ginny pointed her wand at Draco.
"Move it, Malfoy," she gasped, worn out from her climb and shaking from the adrenaline. He was simply standing there, between her and the trophy, his wand pointed loosely in her direction.
"Or what?" he retorted, but there was no heat to his words. Then he gestured behind him. "In case you haven't noticed, they've enchanted the trophy to lift out of reach until only one of us is standing."
Unwilling to give him an opening to hex her, Ginny only allowed her eyes to flicker briefly towards the trophy. It seemed that Draco was correct, however. She cursed roundly under her breath until she noticed that Draco was almost-smiling.
"Alright then, let's get this over with," she growled, leveling her wand at him.
"Just take it easy on me," he responded, taking up a relaxed dueling stance.
"Pardon?" she asked, certain he must be joking.
"I know you've got to make it look good, but try not to ruin this face, would you?" he answered. He sounded almost...nonchalant.
"What're you playing at, Malfoy?" Ginny hissed.
Shooting his eyes towards the judges table, Draco replied, "They're out to get you, Weasley. There's no telling what'll happen to you and your little band of misfits if you lose. So, I'm asking you, best me—but be gentle if you can."
"I don't—what?"
She was so confused. Was Draco Malfoy actually giving her the go-ahead to beat him in a competition? A competition that was being played out in front of the entire school? What did he think he was doing?
"Draco—they'll be brutal to you if you let me win. You know that, right?" They began to circle one another slowly, looking for all the world like a pair of combatants waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
"Not as brutal as they'll be to you if you don't win," he snapped. "Use your brain; I'm sure you must have one."
Sneering at him, Ginny considered. There were two possible options here: one, Draco really was offering her the chance to win the trophy; or two, this was some sort of trick and he would prevail, condemning her to whatever punishment awaited. She thought the latter was far more likely.
Although—they'd been atop the mountain together for several minutes now, and Draco hadn't once made a move. Maybe he really did mean for her to win—but why? What possible motivation did he have?
Almost as if he could read her thoughts, Draco rolled his eyes. "This isn't a trick, Weasley, and despite the elaborate set-up in here, this also isn't a game. They're tired of you, tired of the uprisings, and this is meant to put you in your place. For the last time—take the damn trophy...or I'll take it for you."
Ginny's eyes flew over his face, but Draco's expression gave no indication that he was anything less than serious. "But—why? You hate me!"
Draco shook his head and let out a frustrated snarl. Dropping his wand, he lunged forward and grabbed her, planting his lips firmly on hers. Ginny was so shocked, so unprepared for this particular form of assault, that she simply remained fixed to the spot. Draco's lips pressed insistently against hers and she felt a strange flush course through her. Probably it's just the shock, she reasoned.
Without warning, Draco tumbled backwards and fell to the ground at her feet, his legs locked in a rigid position. Her wand still thrummed from the spell and Ginny realized he must have used her distraction to jinx himself. The trophy dropped down to within her vision, and numbly she reached for it, but her eyes never left Draco's. His face was the picture of amused consternation, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a flash of very real fear at the punishment that awaited him for losing to her. If what he said about the impetus for the competition was true, then he had been placed among the competing students for the sole purpose of ensuring that she did not win.
And now he'd failed at that.
Shuddering as a loud foghorn announced the end of the competition, Ginny watched helplessly as Draco was levitated—none too gently—over to the line of the other disqualified students. She noticed frowns upon the faces of Snape, the Carrows, and numerous Ministry officials and decided that he must've been telling the truth—she hadn't been meant to win. Forcing a bright smile to her features, Ginny thrust the trophy up into the air, unsurprised when only the smallest of applauses rung out.
As she made her way down the mountainside, her mind was racing in a million directions. She'd have to scale back the DA's activities for a bit until things quieted down. She'd have to avoid the Carrows and empty hallways at all costs. She'd have to make sure the other competing students weren't punished further...
One single thought kept taking precedence, however: Draco Malfoy kissed me.
The worrying part was that she'd liked it.
A/N: The tone of this piece had a lot of influence from The Hunger Games. I don't think I've written a Draco/Ginny before so I hope I didn't do too terribly. As ever, I intended for this to be much shorter, but it just took on a life of its own. I'm sure there are some other notes I should include but right now I can't think of them-I'm just so happy to have this piece done and posted!
Not JK Rowling.