Whatever You Want



It was Draco Malfoy's third birthday when her first found out he was going to be a death eater. He didn't remember much about the occasion, but he did recall that although he hadn't been immensely proud of the idea, he was thrilled with all the attention he was getting from his father. When he was younger he had dwelled on the realization that that had been the last (and possibly only time) his father had ever hugged him. It didn't bother him so much now. It was just something you got used to after awhile, just like he eventually got used to the idea of being a death eater, and even grew to like the idea. He also recollected (quite smugly) that that day had been the last day he had ever cried.

Of course over twelve years had passed since that day, but never had there been any talk of Draco's being anything other than a death eater, apparently he was to play a key role in the Dark Lord's plan to control and use the coming generations. Of course, no one told Draco this per say, but he did manage to find out quite a bit from a terrified house elf and an extremely talkative portrait of Margot Malfoy.

Those tidbits of information however, have absolutely nothing to do with the present, in which the afore mentioned Draco Malfoy was slumped boredly in a seat on the Hogwarts express, in an empty compartment, on his way to begin his fifth year of Wizard training at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Normally he would have been accompanied by two thug like minions by the names of Crabbe and Goyle, but their parents had opted to keep them out for a year to train them in darker forms of magic, as their Death Eater orientation would be preformed the following New Year's Eve. Draco's father had wanted to secure the same evil training for his son, but his mother insisted that could wait until Draco had completed a fair amount of schooling or at least until after the orientation. Draco was fairly pleased to be staying in school, although he hated its Mudblood lenient policies, and had grudges toward a large portion of the students and staff, he did get a sort of painful satisfaction out of going to school here and seeing the idiots he would one day rule over (and truth be told his marks weren't bad either.) Draco didn't miss Crabbe and Goyle, he never really missed anyone, and it wasn't like they were very good conversationalists, or assets to the school.

But once again, I digress. On this particular day Draco sat, slumped in his seat, watching a thick fog roll by his window. He was thinking about the upcoming orientation with a feeling akin to excitement. It all seemed so real now. Just another two months, and he would be a part of something that could only be described as worth while. He had just begun pondering how the raven dark mark would look against his pale forearm when the Weasley girl burst in on him, big alligator tears running rampant down her cheeks.

Ginny Weasley had never really been bothered that she was the only daughter of a family overrun with boys. Her parents had tried their bests to treat her like a princess, despite there less than large financial status, her brothers had always included her, teaching her how to play Quidditch as soon as she could walk. She had plenty of people to love her and protect her. It wasn't till this year that she began to feel unnoticed.

It had all started when she had sat down in Ron, Hermione, and Harry's compartment. Ron, who was normally the most gentle with her of any of her brothers, had not bothered being subtle about the fact she was unwelcome there. When he had told her to get out she had looked helplessly from Hermione, who looked sympathetic but shook her head, to Harry who simply echoed Ron's words. Now, it was true that Ginny's adoration of Harry had turned to a sister/brother type fondness over the summer, but that topped with Ron and Hermione, was the last straw. She barely made it out of the compartment before her tears over flooded her eyes, and the fact that she kept saying to herself "Stop it Ginny! You're Fourteen years old!" only made the tears come stronger and faster. She ended up at the opposite end of the train, praying that this compartment was empty. She dashed in to it, and then stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that the compartment was not empty as she had hoped. It was occupied by none other than Draco Malfoy.

Ginny swore loudly when she saw the boy in the section, but even as she attempted to recover from her disgust she was astonished by the appearance of her foe. He had bright silver hair; somewhat messy at the moment where he had run his hands through it in thought, but impeccably styled none the less, and skin that was so pale it terrified Ginny. When he looked up at her his face was pulled into his trademark smirk, and his eyes looked dead.

"Language Weasley!" he drawled at her, sounding bored. "Whatsa matter? Potty dump you again? Or did the Ministry finally repossess your house?"

Ginny felt her cheeks heat up under her tears as she realized he was playing with her, using her for his own demented amusement.

"Shove it Malfoy." She said through her tears.

"Temper, temper." Draco replied as he began to stare once more into the fog outside. "Get out of my compartment Weasel."

But Ginny was not a Weasley for nothing. Besides an unusually kind personality, fiery red hair and a slight flare for drama she had inherited a severe stubborn streak, and she was not about to be kicked out of yet another compartment today, especially by the likes of Malfoy. Rather than leaving she flopped down in the seat directly opposite him.

When Draco did not hear the door slam as he had expected he looked up again, and very nearly jumped before he could control his surprise. The Weasel was not only still in the compartment, but had sat down annoyingly close to him. Even more annoying was the fact that despite the tears that were still lingering on her cheeks and nose, and the angry blush that had not yet faded from her face, she looked remarkably serene; as if she knew that she was the one who was now playing with him for her amusement. "Well then." Though Draco, shrugging and going back to his daydream.

The rest of the ride passed in silence, the only spoken words being to the concession witch who pushed her trolley through a little after twelve. After carefully counting the pocket money she had saved over the summer Ginny asked for a single chocolate frog, and although she expected some sort of snide comment out of Malfoy, all he said was "nothing." To the refreshment witch's expectant gaze. This left Ginny to wonder (very briefly) once again at his paler and thinner than usual appearance.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade station, both Draco and Ginny were a bit surprised when a platform attendant told them to stick together and pointed them to one particular carriage in a long line of identical carriages, not all of which seemed to be headed to Hogwarts castle. Draco considered ditching the girl, but was actually fairly relived to have her bright red hair to follow. The fog was growing steadily thicker, and already he couldn't see his own pale hand in front of his face.

Draco and Ginny spent their carriage ride in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Both were quite surprised (though Draco would never admit it) when instead of pulling up in front of the Great Hall the carriage stopped in front of a small, quaint cottage. Well, at least Ginny thought it looked quaint. She could have been mistaken, given the fog, and the fact that she was quite confused. At any rate as the two students moved to the door it opened, revealing a light bright enough to push back a little bit of the fog, and a serious looking Albus Dumbledore.

"Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy" said Dumbledore with a sincere look. "My. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid by putting students with their companions from the train."

Draco just stared at the Professor with a slightly insubordinate look on his face, but Ginny asked the question Dumbledore had been setting them up for.

"What are you talking about Professor?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," began Dumbledore, "has decided, for one year only mind you, to try a pilot program. Rather than living in your house dorms, students have been split up into small groups of two to five students. These students will be living together for the year. We will still use the Great Hall for mealtimes, and you will meet with your classes as usual, but you will be living only with your roommate. I'll try to give you more information at the welcoming feast."

"What about Quidditch Practice, and the house cup?" asked Draco. The full effect of Dumbledore's words had not set in yet.

"They will go on as normal." Replied Dumbledore simply. "Also Mr. Malfoy, your father has informed me you have a family engagement near the first of the year that will take you away from us for a few weeks, at which time we will see about getting Miss. Weasley here a new roommate if she deems it necessary.

"Whoa-!" Draco and Ginny both began. "Do you mean to tell me," continued Draco in a biting voice, "that I'm going to be sharing a house for a year with a Weasley?"

"Shut up Malfoy-" began Ginny, but this was one feud Dumbledore cut off.

"That is correct. As I mentioned before, we hoped to avoid this small complication when we first implemented this program, but alas, you two were in the same compartment. Tsk. Oh well, it can't be helped now, the names are already on the doors." He moved back from the doorway where he had been standing and allowed the two students to come in to their new home for the first time. Ginny could see a small kitchenette, (in case of emergencies she supposed) a good sized living\common room type area, and two rooms that had to be bedrooms. (One was marked with a Lion that said Virginia R. Weasley, the other with a Snake and the words Draco T. Malfoy)

Dumbledore spoke again. "I suppose the two of you could think of it as a lesson in toleration." Ginny could have sworn she saw a smile tug at his lips. "Your trunks should already be in here, but you have half an hour to get settled in. At the top of the hour you should return to your carriage, which will take you to the Great Hall for the feast. For now, Goodbye."

He then moved to the door with an agility and grace surprising of a man of his age and stature. The two sworn enemies stood there, in the hallway of their new home, simply staring at each other for a moment. Ginny looked both ready to cry and ready to kill with a vengeance. Draco's face showed nothing, as he had been taught all his life, but he swore loudly and colorfully to express his utter disgust for the situation. Then almost in the same move the both stalked to their respective door ways, and two identical slams shook the little cottage.

Draco took little notice of his room, which contained a large grand bed, a plush carpet and two chairs. One of these chairs was sitting at a Willow wood desk. The majority of the furniture in the room was dark deep green, with some silver. Rather than unpack his stuff or notice the grandeur of the room however, Draco flopped down at the desk and, still swearing under his breath, began to pen a letter.

Lucius,

You won't believe what that Mudblood loving fool of a headmaster has done now. Not only has he established a lodging system that is degrading to this whole school, he actually has the nerve to pair me up with that Muggle worshiping Weasley girl. I'm sure you will see this injustice in the same light as I do. My regards to mother, I'll see the two of you in December.

Draco

While Draco was doing this, Ginny was unpacking her school supplies and robes nicely. (Her room was an exact model of Draco's, only with red and gold instead of Slytherin colors. The connecting bathroom reminded her of the way Percy had described the Prefects bathroom, with an enormous tub, all kinds of bubble stuff, and enough bath goodies for any royal bathroom) She was as outraged about this idea as the boy was, but knew from the stories of her brothers that once Dumbledore had begun something, it could not be trifled with. So when Draco came out of his room holding his parchment a few moments later, Ginny was sitting in front of the fire, reading the Gothic Romance her mother had bought her for the trip The Blushing Rose.

The lack of the letter in her hands actually startled Draco to speak. "Aren't you going to write one of your precious family members about having to live with me?" he snarled. Ginny tried to look surprised at his speech.

"No." She said simply, "I don't whine about things like that."

"Yea Weasel, just like you weren't whining when you ran into my compartment on the train." Draco spat in return. Despite his words, he crossed to the fire and threw the letter in. He wasn't going to complain if she was going to make it look like he was the only one complaining.

After Draco finished watching the letter smoke and curl into ashes, Ginny spoke. "We better get up to the castle, it's almost time." Draco snorted, but he followed her out to the carriage.



A\N~~ So do you like? Should I continue? It gets more exciting I promise, chapt. 2 almost done. Quite obviously a Draco / Ginny fic, (that's almost all I write!) Next Chapter, more about this living arrangement and why, possible appearance of the terrific trio and some professors, NOT MUCH SCHOOL! ( Why you ask? Bahahahahaha!) Read and Review! (and send suggestions!)