"Who did you catch this time?" Lucius Malfoy drawled, as two nameless underlings dragged a hooded figure into his study. It was well past midnight, but he was used to these types of calls, especially with the ministry skulking around, waiting for him to make one wrong move.
"We caught her poking around just outside the gates Master Malfoy." Lucius motioned for them to remove the hood.
A mass of bright red curls fell over her face as soon as the hood was removed. Ginerva Weasley glared up at him defiantly.
"Well, well...A Weasley." Lucius paused, taking in Ginny's ragged clothes and obviously messed hair. He considered his next move, even as he spoke. "Leave us. I wish to speak with Miss Weasley privately before I decide how to handle this...Wake Draco."
Ginny lowered her eyes, but only minutely. Lucius watched her with some interest.
"What are you doing here Miss Weasley?" Lucius asked pointedly, using the tip of his wand to push a wayward curl back from her face. He then placed his wand on the desk and leaned back against it languidly.
"I've come to see Tom...And I fear he'll be displeased with the treatment I'm receiving," Ginny responded haughtily.
"My darling, the Dark Lord is no longer the young incarnation you met though that diary. You cannot just speak to him whenever your heart desires," Lucius responded almost laughing.
"I would have to disagree Lucius," a voice hissed from the shadows of the study. Lucius immediately dropped to one knee, bowing his head. He supposed it wasn't surprising that Ginny merely continued to stare defiantly at him.
Draco was in the middle of a delicious dream when he was rudely shaken awake.
"What?" He demanded sullenly. However, his face softened as Narcissa drew her hand from his shoulder.
"Your father has summoned you."
"It's like...two in the morning..Can't it wait?" Draco whined.
"You already know the answer to that Darling." Draco sat up, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes and pulled on a t-shirt. As he did the writhing snake on his arm burned. Not the hot searing pain of a summons, but the dull cool burn that indicated someone else had joined their ranks. He found it odd because he hadn't heard of any new recruits.
He pulled on a pair of plain black trousers, the same pair he had draped over his chair the night before and grabbed a set of robes. He couldn't be bothered with a button down shirt at two in the morning as much as it might irk his parents.
Draco knocked once before entering, secure with the knowledge that his father had summoned him so he shouldn't be interrupting anything. Lucius was pouring four glasses of whiskey. The Dark Lord sat silently in one of the arm chairs by the fire. As Draco approached he noticed the other arm chair was occupied by a red-headed woman. It took him several seconds to realize it was Ginny Weasley.
"Bloody hell, what's she doing here?" Draco demanded. His father placed, though perhaps forced would be a better description, one of the glasses of whiskey in his hand and took a long drink from his own.
"Ginerva has just sworn her Oath of Loyalty to me," Voldermort hissed. Draco looked at Voldermort and then at Ginny who was taking a small sip from her glass, a slight smile lighting upon her pursed lips.
"It seems I've been disowned," Ginny stated blandly/ "Though there wasn't much to be disowned from..."
Voldermort laughed, and Draco, who was still flabbergasted, found himself taking another long drink from his glass. He didn't think he'd ever seen Voldermort laugh before. Voldermort gestured for Draco to sit, which he did, as Ginny launched into what he could only label as her demands.
"I'll need a place to stay for the summer..At least what's left of it," Ginny stated coolly. Voldermort nodded and looked at Lucius.
"For now you will stay here in Malfoy Manor. Your timing is a little unexpected so most of my inner circle is off stirring up trouble for the ministry. However, Lucius will be here for the remainder of the summer as he is...under watch...so you may remain under his care. I will find a guardian for you and then we will move from there. It is important that you sever all ties with the Weasley's as swiftly as possible...Lucius have rooms prepared for Ginerva," Voldermort stated, leaving no room for argument. Lucius disappeared from the study.
"Draco, wait outside...I'll have you show Ginerva to her room when we're done speaking."
Draco nooded and followed Lucius out, at which point Ginny began giggling.
"I think I've surprised them," Ginny said, still giggling.
"Then all is well and our plan succeeded my dear. No one knew until recently your true intentions which was most important for the success of our future ventures. Now we must put as much space between you and the order as possible. You told no one where you were going?"
"Of course not my lord. And no one would follow me either...My mother was severely disappointed when I turned Harry down and now that he, Ron and Hermione have ventured off on some new suicide mission there isn't anyone to miss me."
"Good, good. The sooner we settle guardianship then the better. You will need a name to protect you in this community. While I discourage insubordination these idiots are prone to mistakes and I won't have anyone hurting you. I believe I will have the Zabini's adopt you, they are more influential right now than Lucius and they know better than to ask any stupid questions."
"Whatever you think is best my lord," Ginny said with a soft smile.
"Tom darling, only you may call me Tom." For a minute the old Tom shined through as he bent to kiss Ginny's forehead. But only for a moment before it faded. "Go, let Draco show you where you'll be staying.."
"Draco darling, you're daydreaming again," Pansy stated tossing a fresh quill at him. Draco frowned flicking the quill off the parchment he was using to finish his essay for Potions.
"Sorry just distracted I guess," Draco replied. He looked down at his parchment again lost in thought. It had been nearly a month since Ginny had moved in, and soon they would be returning to school. He'd barely seen her in that time though. Narcissa and Ms. Zabini had whisked her away from the manor nearly every day to buy clothes, books, to take tea with others in the Dark Lord's circle and for various spa days. The few times Draco had glimpsed her they eaten a meal together but always in the presence of the Dark Lord who seemed...almost amicable when Ginny was around. It was truly disconcerting.
"Draco...Seriously pay attention to me," Pansy whined from across the table. Blaise looked up from the far end of the table with a knowing smile at Draco.
"Where's Ginny been," Draco asked, looking at Blaise, who shrugged.
"Mother said they were presenting her to some other family today. Honestly, it looks like they're trying to betroth her by Christmas. Seems they're just waiting to find someone who she approves of."
""I don't understand why they're making such a big deal about her. It's not like she's actually a blue-blooded witch," Pansy remarked at the doors opened. Draco looked up, and Pansy immediately down, as Ginny entered.
Ginny heard Pansy's comment but chose to ignore it. She'd deal with the little wretch later after she'd accumlated just a little more power. She was aware that many in the Dark Lord's circle disapproved of her, but when all the details presented themselves she knew she'd be accepted as one of them. He had made it clear it was important to bide her time, so she was trying ever to carefully to be patient.
"Mother sent me to find you boys for dinner," she said gaily, smiling at Blaise and Draco. "We're to have company so Narcissa wants you washed and dressed appropriately."
Pansy looked up from her parchment, plainly staring at Ginny, who met her gaze evenly. There was a silent war between the two before Pansy stood and began collecting her things.
"I suppose I'll just floo out then. Draco, same time tomorrow?"
"We actually have plans tomorrow," Ginny interceded with another of her light smiles, knowing she would irk Pansy even more. "Narcissa wants Draco to come to Diagon Alley with us to pick up some new robes before classes start. I'm sure you understand...Family first."
Draco watched the exchange in silence and just shrugged when Pansy turned to stare at him, obviously waiting for him to leap to her defense. They may have been betrothed at birth but it didn't mean that he enjoyed her company or even wanted to be around her more than he was obligated too.
"Probably just see you on the train Pans, sorry..."
"I'll see you at dinner Draco," Ginny said, turning on her heel and exiting the library. Pansy stared at Draco for another long second before she finished packing her bag.
"I don't like that she's living here. I'm going to say something to my father," Pansy said, obviously angry.
"Won't do much good Pansy...The Dark Lord said we were to foster her."
"I don't understand why she's staying HERE, the Zabini's adopted her..."
"Because the Zabini's are my father's cousins and because Blaise's father is out of town. I don't understand why you're so upset. It's not like she and I are DOING anything."
Pansy muttered something under her breath which Draco couldn't hear, and stomped to the fireplace flooing immediately out. He shrugged, still not quite sure what had just happened and closed his books.
From outside the library Ginny chuckled to herself before making her way to her rooms. At least Pansy understood what was going on, which would make it all that much more fun when she pulled the girls world out from under her. Let the games begin.