Chapter one

Ginny Weasley had always prided herself on her perception and open mind. Ever since her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the unfortunate 'Riddle fiasco' as she called it, Ginny had always strived to find the essence in things. Why did a boy with such a promising future turn so evil? She always asked herself. Because she had seen Tom's memories. She had seen the lost and hurt boy in the orphanage. She had felt his confusion. She had seen his torment. She had seen his will to show everyone he was better than they thought, better than anyone else. She had seen the hunger for recognition consume his soul. But most importantly she had seen him realize it and decide to let the evil win. From then on one thought did not leave her head. Why?

But even a person who tried to always give everyone a chance and be open-minded, to think before they judge could not easily accept what she saw on the morning of September 13th.

It was close to seven in the morning and as every morning since her third year Ginny Weasley was sitting near the Great Lake after her usual morning jog. The warming charm was wearing off but she didn't mind. The weather was still warm and the adrenalin was keeping her warm. It had become a habit of hers to run in the mornings, it was freeing, it was healthy and it was good for the stamina she needed for Quidditch. She had, of course, gotten in trouble with Filtch many times but after she politely explained that it was morning and she was not technically breaking curfew, and one long meeting with Professor McGonagall he finally yielded. Now the caretaker stuck to scowls and glares when he saw her in the morning.

As irony would have it, just as the young Weasley was thinking how calm and relaxing it was without other people around (since classes started at 9 o'clock and most students got up between 7 and 8) it happened. A small tornado of leaves, pebbles and dust formed at the middle the lake, mere feet in front of the girl. Ginny's jaws clenched in anticipation and surprise, her right hand up to her chest, ready to pull out the wand from her bra strap (for lack of pockets and tall shoes).

The tornado whirled around and soon a figure started forming in the midst of it. It was time for Ginny to finally pull her wand out, jump on her feet and point it. What in Merlin's name was going on?! The tornado died down, the figure becoming more and more visible. When it was finally revealed, Ginny gasped in disbelief, her grip on the wand slacking.

What the hell was Draco Malfoy doing in the middle of the lake? And how was he keeping on the surface without falling in?

Just as she thought about it, it was as if a spell was broken and the Slytherin fell into the dark waters. Ginny panicked. Her first instinct was to dive in after him. Sure, she disliked him (hate was a very, very strong word) but she didn't want Malfoy to die! Then her rational voice stepped in.

"Wingardium leviosa!" She said and with a flick she had levitated him out of the water and safely onto the rocky ground next to her. Luckily, he had not swallowed a lot of water and quickly spit and spluttered it out. Ginny looked at him worriedly when she noticed it. There was something very off about him. It was when he met her gaze when she realized it.

Malfoy was not Malfoy.

Technically he was but he was different. His body was more defined, his hair was longer and falling into his eyes (and down to his nose when wet as it was now), a deep crease was formed in between his eyes even when his face was impassive, but most remarkable of all was the fact that he was wearing Muggle clothes. He felt different too, though. Magic was not only a wand and a pot, it was something living inside the wizards, it sharpened their instincts and intuition. And right now both were telling Ginny to jump on this man, this imposter and jam her wand beneath his chin.

Which she did.

"Who are you?" She asked quietly, menacingly, strands of fiery hair falling from her ponytail and tickling his face.

In response not-Malfoy raised his hands and offered a small smile, "I'm Draco Malfoy," he said simply.

"Yeah, and I'm a horse! Cut the crap, who are you really and what is your purpose here… Come to think of it how did you even come to Hogwarts?!" it was common knowledge that the castle was well protected against all kinds of apparitions and unwanted visitors. In Ginny's book a non-Malfoy fit well under the category of unwanted.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. I came for help. I came with help." Three questions, three answers. Curt. To the point. Most of all, the thing that made Ginny relax her stance and remove her wand from his throat, he was sincere. The girl could not say how she knew it, she just did.

"Prove it."

Silently, the potential Malfoy turned his head to the left, showing his right ear. The top of it was scared. Ginny smiled at the scar as the memories returned. It was in her first year, his second when it had happened. Draco had cornered her in a deserted corridor and started mocking her. He had taken the diary from her and wouldn't give it back when she asked him, when she raised her wand. What could she do to him? He was a whole year above! Then a ball of fire had spontaneously shot out of her wand and Malfoy had ducked just in time. The fire burned his ear and the tips of his hair. He had run off, his tail between his legs, the cowardly Snake.

"Could be Polyjuice," the Gryffindor smiled wider.

"It's not." He said firmly, his eyes pleading.

"I know," she jumped off him and extended her arm, "Still doesn't mean I trust you," she added while hauling him to his feet.

It was his look that made her trust him. There was something very different about him, yet it was not bad different, it was good. It was very good. Then in downed on her- he looked older! The wrinkles, the definition, the wiser look in his eyes, the sincerity. Taking a harder look Ginny noticed his skin was different as well; it was so pale it seemed almost translucent. He needed good food, a cup of tea and rest. She was her mother's daughter after all it seemed.

"I need your help, Ginevra," he said quietly.

"And I don't know if you deserve it," the girl scoffed, a bit put off by the use of her full name.

"You're right, not everyone deserves your help, nor you for that matter," he added almost to himself, "And yes, I know, flattery will get me nowhere," he cut her off, literally stealing the words from her mouth, "but I'm hoping this would," he said and pulled out a chain from beneath his shirt.

Ginny gasped at the sight of it, her hand going to her own throat.

"What did you… how did you… It's the exact same…!" the chain around her neck had a small pendant. It was nothing special, an old trinket she had found in their attic, an old and very small copper key with and intricate top part and uneven bottom part.

"It's not the exact same, it's the same, look" he pulled both keys to show her how identical they were, down to the small dent her teeth had made in it from chewing it when nervous or concentrated. For a second the two keys touched and that second proved… terrifying.

A piercing white light came from between them, thunder rumbled and Malfoy let them go, his fingers red and almost blistered from the apparent heat that the keys generated.

"Wha-" the redhead looked scared and gave an audible gasp as the still warm key made contact with her skin, rapidly cooling off.

"It's me. It's time. This key is a paradox, it's going to rip the fabric of time apart…" Malfoy scrambled for a plausible explanation, "I think I might need to start from the beginning," he sighed.

"Yeah, it'd be good," Ginny nodded, still alert.

"Fair enough. I came here to ask you for help. I want you to stop me from killing Albus Dumbledore."

A.N. Well here it goes, another story. I hope this one will be finished : D I hope you enjoyed and will stick with the story. All opinions are welcome. As usual, none of the places, characters or creatures are mine, I'm just the puppet master ;)

Trigiani Blue.