Pairing: Blaise/Ginny
Rating: PG-13 for now
Summary: As the only Weasley girl, Ginny fights to be her own person, and jumps at the opportunity to study acting overseas. But there is a dangerous plot stirring and Blaise steps into the picture. How does this involve Ginny?
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from the Harry Potter books or movies.
A/N: My first HP fic. Constructive criticism or encouragement welcome! No beta so if there are any mistakes, let me know! Now on to the story…
Chapter ONE
It had been three days since the start of summer and Ginny was already planning ways to make her escape. One would think that with the fall of Lord Voldemort the summer after Harry's seventh year that the tight reins her family kept around her would finally be loosed. After all, it has already been a year and the feared Death Eater uprising never took place.
But no, Ginny thought sourly, for some reason her parents and brothers seemed to put even more restrictions on her freedom, never mind that she had aptly contributed to the war. Of course, those final battles made them all value family life that much more.
Even Percy had come back into the Weasley fold. There had been tentative steps between Percy and the rest of the family before, but when he heard that Ginny wanted to study theater in America, it was as though Percy never left. He became the same overprotective older brother Percy always was.
Ginny loved them all for caring, but really, what could happen to her at university? Honestly, New York City really wasn't all that far by port key.
Ginny heard a knock at the door. "Ginny? Can I come in?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
With a sigh, Ginny turned to face the door. "It's open."
Hermione poked her head in. "You want to talk?" Ginny waved her hand toward the bed, so Hermione neatly sat down and smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt to give her something to do.
Ginny plopped back from her position on the bed and buried her face in her pillow. "Hermione, my parents are being unreasonable!" She mumbled through the pillow.
"Well, they just don't see why you can't study acting in London," Hermione reasoned.
"They let Charlie and Bill go off. I don't see why I have to stay just because I'm a girl," she pouted. "And anyway, the program in New York City is quite different. I want something that'll challenge me."
Ginny had the opportunity to study acting during her last year at Hogwarts and discovered a hidden talent for the theater. Everyone was pleasantly surprised. Right after graduation, the New York City Witch's Institute for the Performing Arts offered Ginny a scholarship.
Ginny was elated at the opportunity to attend. However, Harry had started his auror training along with the rest of the golden trio and revealed that there were rumors that several uncaptured Death Eaters fled to America after Voldemort's death. In fact, the most dangerous of them were possibly convening in New York City somewhere.
"See, it's all Harry's fault. He should never have said anything. It's not like we're together anymore anyway. He doesn't have the right to tell me what to do!" Ginny knew she was being unreasonable, but she didn't care.
"Gin, you know that if Harry hadn't said something Ron would have. We all heard the same rumors," Hermione argued. Seeing Ginny's mutinous face, she sighed and relented. "I'll keep talking to Ron. I mean, maybe I can see if he'll convince your parents to let you go. He'll be there too to help the team verify those rumors. Perhaps if we said he can keep an eye on you, they won't be so worried."
Hermione and Ron had a strange relationship. After a disastrous six months of dating, they both agreed that a relationship would never work. But anyone with eyes could tell that they were more than just friends, regardless. Out of them all, Hermione had the best chance of talking some sense into Ron, who, next to Percy, was the most adamant about keeping Ginny close to home.
"Are you kidding? Ron is worse than Mum! If he so much as catches me talking to a boy these days, he throws a curse first and asks questions later. I can't imagine what kind of army he would have surrounding me in New York City. No, I don't think even you can change his mind about that," she concluded glumly.
Hermione bit her lip and looked down again, absentmindedly playing with her skirt. She knew Ginny was right, but she hated to see her look so defeated.
"But I've got to think of something," Ginny murmured, ideas already formulating in her head.
Alarmed, Hermione looked up. "Ginny? What are you planning?"
Ginny just smiled.
-THIS IS A PAGE BREAK / NEW SCENE-
The room was as dark as night and stank of sweat and stale tobacco. A figure sat at the bar, deep in the shadows. A hat of some sort covered his features. He had been watching the figure for some time. Putting his drink down on the scarred wooden table, he found the courage to approach the figure and gingerly sat down on a stool next to him.
"Er, can I buy you another drink?"
The figure merely turned around and stared.
"Right," the young man said uneasily. "Er, I was s-sent to meet you." He cursed the stutter that he was unable to repress. Pursing his lips, he sat up straighter. "Your usual contact is indisposed and-"
"What's my assignment?" The figure interrupted. "And remind my contact I said this is my last one. I said I'm out and I am," he hissed.
He narrowed his eyes, annoyed that he couldn't quite hide the shiver of fear he felt at the figure's tone. Afterall, they were near the same age. But danger seemed to emanate from the figure they way it didn't from him. Suddenly, he hated him, whoever he was.
"There's a girl," he told the figure abruptly. "We need you to watch her and befriend her. Whatever it takes. She may be the key to destroying the Order and resurrecting the Death Eaters. All the information you need is in the file. Memorize it. The ink disappears in 10 minutes."
"Why was I chosen for such a simple task?" The figure asked after a brief silence.
"You know the girl from your Hogwarts days. I doubt you had any friendly interactions at the time, what with her standing in the Weasley clan and her strong support for the Order, but the higher ups thought it might prove to be useful, your prior association."
The boy personally thought he himself would have been a better choice, but kept such thoughts to himself.
"And what do I do once I gather this information?" The figure asked, not even glancing at the file.
For the first time, the young man relaxed. With a sinister smile, he turned to face what he assumed was the figure's eyes. "Rape, torture, murder, which ever. As long as she's permanently silenced in the end."
A/N: So what do you guys think?