Clocks
Chapter Two: Locket
As Ginny tipped sausages onto Draco Malfoy's plate, she glanced at his face. It was blank, staring forward at nothing. It was like he barely registered her presence. Or existence.

She put the pan in the sink. She sat at the table, directly across from Malfoy, and nursed her cup of tea. She glanced up at him, watching him daintily eat his food.

"What plans for today?" she asked him. She sipped from her cup, keeping her gaze focused on his pale face.

"What do you care?"

She lowered her eyes thoughtfully to the table, refraining from retorting sarcastically. The rest of breakfast passed in silence. He finished his food and walked out of the room without a backwards glance or a 'thank you.'

Ginny looked into her teacup. It was still half full.

After a long bath, Ginny settled herself in the study once again, a book open in her lap.

The house was silent.

Instead of seeing the words on the page, she was wondering what Malfoy was doing. Was he still shut up in his room? Would anyone else be coming around to the house today? Her parents? Tonks? Anyone?

How long was she supposed to endure this exile?

She sighed, focusing her eyes on the book, trying to make out the words... what was this nonsense? She looked at the cover of the book - Ancient Arte of Fyre Spells. Fyre. Fire. It wasn't making much sense to her, so she set it aside. There wasn't a decent book in the house. She had her schoolbooks, but she was craving for something different, like a novel. Maybe she'd ask Tonks for one to borrow sometime.

She stood and went to the window. The day was slowly becoming cloudy. But the birds were still chirping.

"Ginny! Ginny!"

She stirred from her sleep. Someone was calling her name. She rolled off the sofa in the study.

"Ginny? Where are you?" She heard Hermione's voice calling from the foyer.

"I'm here, Hermione. What are you doing here?" Ginny met her on the stairs and quickly embraced her.

"I've no time to explain, I need your help to find something."

Hermione was breathless, looking very anxious and frazzled. Ginny quickly nodded to show she understood.

"Is anything wrong, Hermione? What is it?"

"It's very important that we find it - help me look."

"What are we looking for exactly?"

"A locket. A heavy silver locket."

While Ginny searched through boxes in the attic, she heard Hermione call from downstairs.

"I've found it, Ginny!"

"Where was it? What is this all about, Hermione?" she called back, as she descended the stairs. She met Hermione in the foyer, as she was putting on her coat.

"You're leaving already?"

"Yes, it's urgent that I get this back to Harry. Don't worry, Ginny. We're alright. We'll see you soon enough. Stay safe."

Hermione pulled Ginny in for a quick hug. Ginny saw that Hermione was looking over her head. When she turned, she saw Malfoy standing on the stairs.

Hermione was out the door before Ginny could say goodbye.

"What was all that yelling about?"

Ginny shut and sealed the front door and turned to see Malfoy walking down the steps. He was bathed and dressed in fine black slacks and gray turtleneck sweater. His hair sleek and shiny.

"I don't know." Ginny couldn't meet his eyes.

"That was Granger, right? What was she looking for?"

"I don't know exactly."

"You do know. You just don't trust me." Her eyes darted to his face, to see him looking at the door behind her head. He didn't look angry, exactly. He looked defeated.

"I'm not sure what it was all about - she was searching for a locket or something that she needed to get to Harry right away. I didn't even get to see it..." her voice trailed off.

"A locket?"

"Yeah."