AN: This is a darker fic than my other story so it'll probably be longer too. But I dunno for sure. I mean the chapters seem to be inherently longer. You DO NOT have to read my other story to understand this story. That'll be reserved for the sequel to Shot Happiness
Disclaimer: I claim no right to any of the characters from Harry Potter…nor do I claim any right to any of the places that are found within JK Rowlings books. I claim no right to any spell, incantation, or subject that is brought up in Harry Potter…
AN2: Sorry it took forever to get this up but I was on vacation at the shore for the last week. But the good news is that I managed to write, somehow, 4 chapters…it's gonna be boring in the beginning, please remember that it takes a while to set the scene but once it's done the real fun can begin….K I'll shut up now.
OH wait one more thing…At one point in this chapter Malfoy is accused of being racist---just so you know he's not…
Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my other fic. I will thank everyone who reviewed it since it finished in the start of my next fic (the sequel).
"Miss Weasley!"
"Huh?"
"Would you be so kind as to stay awake- that is the 3rd time this week I've had to wake you."
"Sorry Prof. McGonagall," Ginny muttered, going red.
"Yes well, we can discuss it after class."
Ginny groaned. Great, detention on Friday, just what she needed. She and Dean's relationship was already on the fritz, it was visibly strained in fact. She had planned to have a long talk with him tonight, now it looked as if that was not going to happen.
After class, she approached McGonagall who looked sternly at her through square glasses.
"Ginny," she sighed, "I honestly don't know what is wrong with you- do you find transfiguration a boring subject?"
"No, Prof." Ginny replied quickly.
"Very well, I have no choice but to request your presence at Detention tonight-please come to my room at 7. I suggest," she added severely, "that you try to get more sleep at night rather than in my class."
"Yes Prof." Ginny said, blushing.
"Shoo then, don't think that I'll be giving you a pass to Charms."
"Will everyone please take out their essays," Prof McGonagall said, addressing her sixth year students.
A shuffling of papers could be heard as everyone placed the parchment on their desk.
"Accio essays," McGonagall said and the essays flew from the students desks into her outstretched hand. She glanced down at the first essay and said, frowning, "Miss Granger? Were you aware that I stated the essay need only be 2000 words?"
Hermione blushed and said, "I know Professor, but I felt the subject warranted a more thorough evaluation."
Draco Malfoy was lounging in the back of the room with the only other Slytherin students to make it to N.E.W.T.s Transformation- Blaise Zabini and surprisingly enough, Pansy Parkinson. He began to mimic Hermione- sending the other Slytherins into fits of laughter.
Prof. McGonagall rounded on Draco with vengeance, "Mr. Malfoy, I see that you have once again failed to turn in your essay, yet you persist in mimicking those who have. I'd like to see you after class."
Malfoy scowled.
After class, he paused by her desk. Prof. McGonagall adjusted her glasses and gave Draco a piercing stare.
"Mr. Malfoy I expect you to come by my room at 7 tonight for your detention. I must warn you that if this continues rest assured, your parents will be notified."
Draco's face went pale but he nodded grudgingly.
"Ginny," Dean said, smoothing her hair. "I know that our relationship has been shaky lately but I want you to know that I really want this and I'm willing to work to make it happen."
"I know we can do this, Dean," Ginny replied, kissing him, "But I gotta go now."
"I'll wait up for you, OK?"
Ginny was 10 minutes early to detention. She stood outside McGonagall's room, wondering what she'd have to do for detention. As she was imagining possible detentions, she heard people speaking in McGonagall's room.
"Severus I have bad news. Someone was trying to get into my office. You know what that means…"
"But how did they find out about the prophesy?"
"I don't know. But it's not safe here."
"Give it to me; I'll be able to set up the necessary precautions."
The rest of the conversation was drowned out by a bored drawling voice from behind her, "Weasel didn't your parents ever teach you not to eavesdrop? But of course they were probably too busy begging in order to put food on the table to teach you any manners!"
Ginny whirled around, wand in hand. "Say that again, Malfoy," she hissed, fury radiating off her in waves.
Draco opened his mouth, but hesitated.
"That's right, Malfoy, say nothing. It seems that Ferrets have some sense."
Draco whipped out his wand, "You filthy excuse for a pureblood. This is what I think of you!" He spat on the ground in front of Ginny with emphasis.
"At least my father has a respectable position in the Ministry," Ginny countered, "We may not be rich, but at least my parents don't have the Dark Mark."
Draco seemed to find this amusing however.
"Careful Weasley, one word from my father and your family is out on the streets, though that may be an improvement over that hovel you call a home." His grin widened, "Or, even better, I'll call up some of my Death Eater buddies and we'll murder your family in their sleep! You could always go off and live with precious Potter and his darling muggles."
"Compared to you, muggles would be a vast improvement. You're all talk Malfoy, you're just one slimy, oversized ferret who runs to daddy for protection!"
Draco's eyes glinted dangerously, "Careful Weasel," he hissed. "You forget your place. Cru-"
"Ahem, Mr. Malfoy I trust you are not about to practice magic in the hallways?" Snape was exiting McGonagall's room.
Draco shoved his wand into his robes and gave Snape an oily smile. "Oh no sir! I was just conversing with Weasel—I mean Weasley here."
"Well mind you keep your temper in check, I would hate to have to write up my favorite student. By the way, Draco, you got an O on the last project, beating Granger. Weasley I'm sad to say you got a P, you would do well to learn from Draco's example." With a swishing of robes, Snape departed.
Draco and Ginny only got time to glare at one another one more time before McGonagall opened the door.
"There you are," she said, "Well it turns out that I have some business to attend to, so our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Prof. Shacklebolt, will be conducting your detention."
"I have detention with him?" Ginny said in disbelief.
"I have detention with her?" Draco echoed.
"Yes," McGonagall replied shortly, "And you'd do well, both of you, to control yourself. One word from Prof. Shacklebolt about you two coming at each other's throats and you can be assured a week's detention in one another's company. Prof. Shacklebolt shall be here momentarily."
She then took off in the same direction Snape had gone.
Ginny and Draco both whipped their wands out.
"Expelliarmus!" They both shouted at the same time.
The force of the spell caused each to topple backward, relinquishing their wands. In a second they were up, scrambling for their wands. Panting, they faced each other, Ginny glaring at Malfoy, who sneered back.
"Ms. Weasley! Mr. Malfoy! Your absolute lack of self control is appalling."
Both turned in the direction of the newcomer, Prof. Shacklebolt had arrived. He stalked toward them, robes billowing behind him.
"10 points from each of your houses- rest assured, the heads of your houses will hear about this! I demand that you shake hands and declare a truce, then your detention will begin."
With a sneer, Malfoy turned toward Ginny, offering his hand. With a grimace, Ginny took it. He gripped her hand, Ginny noted, with undue force. Tears sprang in her eyes as Malfoy crushed her hand. Finally they dropped each other's hands, and Ginny realized her palm was damp with perspiration. She hoped Malfoy hadn't noticed.
"Right, follow me, you're going to be having an unusual detention, but after that illegal duel I daresay you deserve it."
"Where are we going?" Malfoy said as Shacklebolt turned away from McGonagall's room, heading in the direction of the castle's entrance.
"The Forbidden Forest," was Shacklebolt's reply.
Malfoy's face paled. "Wha-What?" He croaked. "There's gotta be a mistake; I didn't turn in two essays- that does not warrant a trip to the Forbidden Forest."
"Yeah," Ginny added, shocked that she and Malfoy could share sentiments.
"Tough," Shacklebolt replied grimly.
As they neared the Forbidden Forest, a wolf bayed, Ginny and Malfoy shared a terrified glance, then remembering themselves, replaced them with twin looks of disgust, turning away from each other as they did so.
Shacklebolt stopped so suddenly that Ginny and Malfoy knocked into him.
"What are we stopping?" Malfoy demanded.
Ginny rolled her eyes loftily, what a pain Malfoy was.
"Shut up. I need to make something perfectly clear to you. Your messing around could kill us all." He turned and gazed at Malfoy. "I don't want any casualties; if you follow my directions you'll be fine. Now the reason we're here is to get some potion ingredients for Prof. Snape. Keep your eyes peeled for valerian root, liverot, sableroot, and snaglebrush. The sooner we collect the ingredients, the sooner we can leave. I want you to both say right behind me. It is imperative that we not get separated."
That said, Kingsley Shacklebolt entered the woods. Ginny and Malfoy jostled to get close to the man. They ended up walking next to each other.
Malfoy shoved Ginny, who shoved him back. Angered, Malfoy pushed Ginny so hard she stumbled.
"Oh," she gasped. Her robes had gotten snagged on something, and she saw her knee was scraped.
"Hurry up," Malfoy snapped, hauling her unceremoniously to her feet.
Ginny glared at him, and straightened her robes. Prof. Shacklebolt didn't even break stride, he merely gave them a stony glance. Suddenly her bent down, using a knife to dig something from the ground. "Sableroot," he grunted.
They went on in silence. Ginny was tense with anticipation. She was expecting something, though what exactly she knew not, to jump out at her. They were walking single file now, and Ginny wondered how she'd ended up last in the procession. As she was wondering this, a creature burst from the underbrush, startled, Ginny jumped and dug her nails into Malfoy's shoulder.
Irritated, he turned towards her, "Get your filthy muggle-loving self off of me."
Ginny glared at him, attempting to cover her embarrassment and fear.
"Shush," Shacklebolt commanded. He stooped to grab a plant, "Liverot," he murmured.
Once again, they fell into silence, Ginny's fear-heightened as it was, caused her to keep as close as possible to Malfoy, occasionally such that she treaded on his heels.
"Quit it, will you," he exclaimed in annoyance.
Turning to face her, his arm brushed a thorn bush. "Ow," he said, furious, "This damn thorn bush pricked my arm!" He held his right arm up.
Kingsley stopped, bending to examine the thorn bush. "This is valerian." He got to his knee to dig up a root from the plant.
"But that means it acts as an anesthetic, and the thorns, hold toxins that, in their raw form, can cause the victim to go into an almost coma-like state!" Malfoy was plainly terrified as he recited the plant's properties.
'He sure knows his plants,' Ginny thought, slightly impressed.
Prof. Shacklebolt took Draco's arm and started to push the boy's sleeve up.
Malfoy jumped, as if he'd been scalded. Wrenching his arm loose, he said angrily, "What are you doing?"
Prof. Shacklebolt shrugged and turned away, continuing on.
"Wait, are you just gonna leave him here?" Ginny demanded.
"Do you actually care? I don't give a damn for his racist ass. Leave the whelp here I say."
Ginny was shocked by the bitterness in Shacklebolt's voice. Was Malfoy really racist? If so why didn't Ron and Harry know about it, they'd have been delighted to add it to the litany of reasons why Malfoy was scum. Of course he was a bigot where blood was concerned, but that was hardly surprising, many children from old wizarding stock grew up believing they were naturally superior.
She glanced at Malfoy again, and was shocked to see him crumpled on the ground, white-faced and sweating.
Ginny knelt by him, feeling, for the first time, something resembling concern for the hated boy. "Malfoy, someone needs to tend to your wound," she said.
"Leave me…alone—Weasel," Malfoy managed to spit out, from his now white lips.
Ginny sighed, grabbing his arm. She rolled up his sleeve then gasped and stumbled back from Malfoy, looking at him with a mixture of revulsion and horror.
There on his arm, grinning demonically at Ginny was the Dark Mark.