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.
-----
Count On Me
Count on me through thick and thin
A friendship that will never end
When you are weak
I will be strong
Helping you to carry on
Call on me, I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on...
-Whitney Houston and CiciWinans
-----
Weariness and pain greeted him as he awoke to find the sun blinding him with its light. His head was throbbing agonizingly as he became aware of his surroundings. The room, he was in, was hideously bare, only a table beside the bed and a chair with threadbare cushioning. He tried to stand on the cold, tiled floor but dizziness overwhelmed him as he fell back onto the bed. It was only then he found that his arm was bound in a thick bandage.
There was a knock at the door and a round faced, dimpled cheek woman walked in, carrying a vial of nasty looking liquid. "Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy. It's good to see you are finally awake."
He tried to speak, to ask where the bloody hell he was, but only a gurgled noise came out of his throat.
The witch busied herself by tucking him back into the bed and enthusiastically made an effort to fluff his pillow. She babbled on animatedly but he wasn't listening, it was only when she tried to feed him the vile concoction that he bellowed in protest and struggled to get away from her. "Mr. Malfoy, you must take this!" She cast a full body bind with her wand, pried his mouth open and poured the foul potion in. She then left the room with a small self satisfied smile after she released him from her spell.
His recollection of what happened previous to the horrific episode of waking up and being force fed was painfully coming back to him. He was in Knockturn Alley, picking up an item of his when he caught a glimpse of Jackson McLeod, a man the ministry had been tracking for months. It was an opportunity that he may not encounter again so tailing Jackson, he was led further into the dank alleyway when a sudden shock hit him between the shoulder blades and he remembered no more.
He cursed himself for being so incompetent, following a man in Knockturn Alley when danger was veiled down there, waiting for anyone unwary before it struck. The pounding of pain in his head prevented him from trying to recall anymore events as he let his head sink into the pillow and slip away from consciousness.
-----
Blaise loomed over him, leering when Draco opened his eyes and flinched in surprise. "Bloody hell, Blaise," he groaned when he realized who it was. "What the hell were you doing?"
Settling himself in the threadbare chair, he simply looked at him. "Watching you sleep," he finally said.
Draco curled his lip and gave slight sneer, "I know I'm unbelievably good looking, but most people have other things better to do." He paused and added, "nor did I know that you swing that way."
He only laughed at his comment before sobered up grew serious and quiet. "What happened, Draco?" he asked after a moment.
"I can barely remember."
"They found you down in Knockturn Alley, only half alive. You've been here in St. Mungo's for over a week now."
"I'm alive, aren't I?"
"You were lucky this time."
"I'll be fine, you don't need worry!" Draco grew irritated at his concern, it reminded him too much of when Snape used to lecture him on his behavior. It brought back too many memories he'd tried to push away.
Blaise got up leave but right before he left, he added, "I care because I'm your only friend."
They both knew he was right.
-----
It was the days off that Ginny loved so much, being able to do anything she wanted without having to worry about a patient. Standing out in front of the Apothecary, she scanned the passing crowds for the familiar face of Luna. They'd made plans to spend the day together; however it seemed that Luna was late. She finally saw her after a moment, in front of Flourish and Blotts, looking rather confused and lost.
"Hello," Luna greeted, "I was starting to get worried when I couldn't find you. I thought maybe a Rouladon had gotten you."
"What's a Rouladon?" asked Ginny, completely aware that she was going to launch into a detailed explanation of her mythical creature.
Luna chatted energetically as they headed over to Madame Malkin's. The shop was dimly lit from the windows and the few melting candles from the candelabra suspended in midair.
A weary Madame Malkin appeared in the doorway from the back room, pushing past the curtain as she greeted her customers. "Good day, ladies; what can I do for you today?"
"I need some new robes," Luna said.
"Right this way," the squat witch directed them to a rack of womens' robes in all different sizes, colours and patterns.
"So, are you busy tomorrow night?" asked Ginny after Madame Malkin had returned to the back room and they were the only ones left in the front.
"I have an interview with Robert Faber. This is my chance to prove that he's a vampire. The article will finally tell the world what he really is." She spoke fondly, of course, about The Quibbler. Luna had taken over the magazine after her father had died in an unfortunate accident in Africa; caught in a stampede of Erumpents in an effort to prove that Brombeaks existed.
"That's too bad, Mum wanted us over for dinner, Oh well, I'm busy tomorrow night anyways."
"Why?"
Ginny wrinkled her nose in disgust at some bright purple robes Luna held up. "I'm working a night shift."
"You work too hard."
"I'll be fine."
Luna didn't answer, instead she held up a dress that blatantly didn't belong with the rest of the robes. "Here, try this on," she held it out to Ginny.
"What?"
"Try it on."
"I'm not trying that on. It's a wedding dress, I don't need it." She briefly checked the price, "this is a hundred-thirty Galleons!" she gasped, "Luna, this is a whole year of my wages!"
"It doesn't matter, just try it on first."
Exasperated, Ginny took the dress and went into the changing cubicle. When she was done, she jerked the curtain back open again and walked out. Luna's eyes widened slightly but she said nothing. "See, I told you that dress wasn't right for me." Ginny held her arms out while the other girl continued to stare at her.
Right then, Madame Malkin came back to check on them. "Are you two finding—" She stopped short when she saw Ginny. "Heavens, child. Where did you find that?"
She gestured to where Luna stood, "over there."
"I've been looking for it for ages; my assistant must have misplaced it." She clucked her tongue, "but that's not the point. You look beautiful, dear." She guided her over to a full length mirror so Ginny could have a better look at herself.
The dress itself was made obviously from expensive silk and lace that hugged her every curve. The front of the bodice was crisscrossed and the sleeves hung loosely. She loved the dress and everything about it but it was the cost that stopped her from telling Madame Malkin to wrap it up. "What do you think?" she asked Luna.
Luna gave a small smile, "I think you should buy it."
Tearing herself from her reflection, Ginny stepped back into the cubicle and returned back out with the dress on its hanger. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't need it nor can I afford it."
"But it looks so good on you, dear. Why can't you just save it for your wedding in the future?"
Shaking her head, Ginny murmured, "because I won't ever get that chance." Without explaining what she meant, she and Luna both left the shop.
"Shame," Madame Malkin muttered to herself as she flicked her wand and the dress hung itself on display in the window, "it was made for her."
She was right too.
----
A/N: Current Mood- Satisfied
I need a Beta Reader for this story. Please email me if you can do it, link is in my profile.
Alas, another chapter down. I don't know when I'm going to update. I have my friend's sixteenth birthday coming up and then final exams. So far, I am pleased that people like the 3 chapters I've put up, I have big plans for this fic and twist at the ending that some of you may not like, but it is necessary to the plot line.
If some of you want to see the dress I based Ginny's on, here's the link: (YOU NEED TO TAKE OUT THE SPACES)
www. katrinamariedesigns. com/WG331closeL.jpg
Credits & Sources: Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and hp-lexicon.
The song was taken from this site: friendship. com. au/media/songs/countonme. html
Reviewers: Scope- I'm working on it. Thanks.
harrypotterchick4ever
Tomsgirl2005- The line was 'the broken, the beaten and the damned.' Close to the end there when I was describing some of the victims of the war. I can't guarantee no hiatus's, I am fairly busy with school and everything. I'm not a patient person myself but I do love to leave people hanging on the edge for more. Thanks for the review.
My Recommendation: A Neville and Alice video on Youtube. Once again, please take out the spaces in the link since blocks them out.
www. youtube. com/watch?vj8bmER6x5so
