Title: Fugitive in France
Author name: Karen Scollins
Author email: KuteKaren66@yahoo.com
Genre: Romance, Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ginny Weasley has seen plenty of murders while she trains to become a hit wizard, but when a certain murderer catches her eye, she can't stay away. But when he's convicted and flees the country, will she go after him?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author notes: This idea popped into my head, and I couldn't pass it up. I have never written a story like this before, so this is completely new territory for me. Thanks a bundle to Skippy for betaing this for me! Kudos to her for putting up with me.

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Chapter 1: In the Snake's Den

Draco Malfoy relaxed as he eased back in his overly stuffed armchair. He stretched out his legs lazily and laid them on top of his desk, admiring the shine of his boots. The two oak doors to his right were closed as they were every night. They weren't locked tonight as Draco was expecting visitors that night.

The only source of light came from moonlight from a large window. The moonlight gave the room an almost eerie glow, and Draco's pale skin was one of the sole things that could be seen in the room.

The grandfather clock in the corner of his study chimed twelve times. He smirked to himself, taking a large swig of his half empty (or some would say half full) glass of brandy.

Ministry of Magic must be losing their touch, he mused to himself, pouring himself another glass of brandy. The bodies had been laying on the front doorstep for how many hours now? Four? And they haven't found them yet.

He sneered quietly to himself. A house elf had to have found the bodies at least an hour after he'd left them. He'd told them specifically that the front doorstep was filthy and that he wanted so clean that he could see his reflection.

Earlier that evening, he had sent his mother and grandfather out, so no one was home but him when he called Blaise Zabini and Malcolm Baddock over to discuss business. Several days earlier, he'd discovered that during a deal they had with a bloke in France, they'd been keeping a few extra galleons to themselves.

So, he'd invited them over. They had brandy, drank, discussed women, and laughed. Then, when Draco announced simply that they should get started on business, he took out a bag of galleons from his desk drawer and plopped it in front of them.

He began a long speech about loyalty and cheating, which he thought had gone rather nicely. Then, at the end, he took out his wand, muttered "Avada Kevadra" twice without any qualms and they were both dead before the house elves could bring in more brandy.

Footsteps that came pounding down the hallway drug him out of his thoughts. He grinned. Finally, what he'd been waiting for that night. His oak doors exploded open, and in came three Ministry men with their wands out and pointing at his chest across the room. The man in the middle was none other then Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

Draco smirked as a way of greeting. "I was expecting you earlier than this. Losing your touch, eh Potter?" He rose from his chair and crossed the room, taking out three more glasses. "Brandy, anyone?" he offered. The men stood silently with expressionless faces. "No? Well, more for me then."

He calmly crossed the room, locking his hands behind his back and gazing out the window. The moonlight revealed stern, premature wrinkles and tired eyes.

Harry's eyes glinted maliciously. "Mr. Malfoy, you are under arrest for two charges of murder in the first degree."

Draco took another swallow of his brandy and shrugged. "Well, you can't win them all, can you, Potter? You'd know, since you haven't been able to hang me for a murder in the past three years."

Harry's face was firm. "This isn't a joking matter, Malfoy. These charges are one hundred percent real, and we have evidence. I'm doing all I can to make sure you get the kiss."

Draco turned around, unfazed. He crossed the room, until he was almost nose to nose with Harry. "I'm flattered, Potter, really, but I'm afraid I fly on the other side of the pitch. I do not wish to have mouth to mouth contact with you or any of your bodyguards."

Harry's eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched at his side.

"Harry," a man with sandy brown hair spoke beside him, "just bind him, so we can get the bloody hell out of here."

Draco recognized him a moment later as Seamus Finnigan.

"He's right, Potter." Draco held up his arms innocently. "Take me in. I won't fight."

"Like hell you won't," Harry growled.

"Don't trust me, Potter? That's hurtful."

Harry suddenly felt like he was transported back to his days in Hogwarts. It was just him and Malfoy, having another face off in the corridor. Before a second thought could cross Harry's head, he punched Draco with all his might.

"Harry!" Seamus cried, stepping between the school rivals. Draco stumbled backward slightly, clutching his nose as blood oozed through his fingers.

"You'll pay for that one, Potter," he threatened. "Out of my way, Finnigan."

"Malfoy, don't be crazy. You can't get out of here by throwing a few punches. You'll have to kill us all to leave, and I don't think you want three more murders on your record," Seamus said.

"I...don't...bloody...care," Draco said, slowly saying each word between clenched teeth. Between the gap between the two men's heads in front of Harry, he threw his fist into Harry's skull.

Slightly startled, Harry fell backward onto the ground, but he quickly pushed himself up, trying to grab at anything he could, only managing a fistful of Draco's cloak.

"Potter, back off!" the gruff voice of the third man ordered. "We'll get him."

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" Seamus shouted as red sparks lit the dark room. Seamus stopped as soon as he heard a loud thud in front of him. He lowered his wand and saw the unconscious body of Draco Malfoy on the floor.

"We've got him. Now let's take the bloody portkey out of here," Seamus said, picking up Draco's unconscious body by the arm and giving a lopsided grin. "I think we should add assault of ministry officials."

The third man chuckled slightly, taking a worn, black top hat out of his pocket and holding it out to everyone.

"We won't let him get off this time," Harry declared firmly, "He's gotten way with the murders of Creevy, Smith, Parkinson, and God knows who else."

"We'll get him, Harry," Seamus said encouragingly, patting him on the back. "Let's just go inform Whittle and Fudge first."

He reached out and took hold of the hat. Harry sighed and did the same. Several seconds later, they were blasted off their feet and on their way back to the office with Draco's body.

****

Ginny Weasley stared blankly at the report she was supposed to be proofing for her boss. This was not her idea of how to spend her Friday night. For everyone else in her department, it'd been an exciting day. People attacking each other, death threats, the works. But for her, she'd been reading documents for Whittle all day long. Not the kind of work she expected when she took this job.

She sighed as she flipped a page in her report. It was incredibly dull reading about having a separate branch for capturing goblin fugitives.

There was a pop in the room adjacent to the one she was in. Her head perked up. Someone entering the office at- she looked at her watch- 12:27 ? It had to be more interesting then goblins.

She crossed the room anxiously and opened the door, only to reveal Seamus Finnigan, John Wade, and Harry Potter. Floating above them was a body with blonde hair, hidden in the shadows.

"Gin, we've got him!" Harry said triumphantly.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Got who?"

"Malfoy. We finally hooked Malfoy for murder. Two charges."

"Oh. Good." Ginny turned back around returned to her report on goblins. She was pleased for Harry, but she wouldn't have anything to do with this, unless Whittle wanted her to destroy some documents about him.

"Is Whittle in?" asked Wade, cutting straight to the chase. He walked into the office first with Seamus, who was levitating Malfoy, and Harry behind him.

"Oh. Yes, he's in his office."

"Excellent," Seamus said, grinning, "Tonight we can talk to Whittle, possibly Fudge, and we can get a hearing set up soon as possible."

"With luck, he'll be in Azkaban and kissed before the year is done with," Harry added happily.

They made way for Whittle's office. Seamus called behind him to Ginny,

"Watch our criminal for us, will you?" He gave a swish of his wand, and Malfoy floated over a bench and landed with a long bang. Ginny smiled, noticing Seamus hadn't been especially gentle.

Ginny looked back down at her report, but she listened to the loud, muffled voices from inside her boss's office. She glanced up at the bench and watched Malfoy lay there. His chest rose up and down, so they hadn't killed him yet. She guessed they had just stunned them, which was obvious since that's how they handled hostile criminals.

Blood was dried on his face, and his nose was turning a queer purple color. She blinked and went back to work. No point in thinking about him, since he'd be dead or in Azkaban soon.

The door of the office exploded open, revealing Ginny's usually stern, staid boss with a huge grin covering his face.

"Well," he said cheerfully, taking no specific notice to Ginny, "let's wake him up already. I have a few questions for our murderer!"

Seamus took out his wand and muttered, "Ennervate."

Ginny looked up curiously as the gray eyes of Draco Malfoy fluttered open. Whittle's grin grew larger, if it was possible.

"Nice to see you up, Malfoy. Welcome to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

A/N: Reviews make my day. This is my first real attempt at a chaptered story like this, so be honest. If you like it, tell me. If you hate it, tell me, but do know that flames will be used to heat my freezing hands until our heater works. The next chapter should be expected sometime next week, hopefully.