A/N: So it was pointed out to me that Ginny is a little whinny in this story. Well you would be too if you got dumped and cheated on and then it got splashed publically in the news and then you find out your pretty much arch nemesis from school is your new partner and you've just been assigned to be his play-along wife. C'mon now people. She won't be that way for long, though promise.
Devious Chapter 4: Welcome To Paradise
***Dear mother, Pay attention to the cracked streets
Can
you hear me whining?
It's been three whole weeks
Since that I
have left your home
This sudden fear has left me trembling
Cause
now it seems that I am out here on my own
And I'm feeling so
alone
And the broken
homes
Some call it the slums
Some call it nice
I want to
take you through
a wasteland I like to call
my home
Welcome
To Paradise
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"No way. Are you kidding me?" Daphne looked amazed.
"Are you really going to make me repeat myself?" Ginny groaned pinching the bridge of her nose.
The two girls women were sitting in the living of their shared flat, Ginny nursing a cup of very strong tea and Daphne staring amusedly at her on the couch.
"No, I'm in disbelief at your luck." Daphne fought back a smile.
"Stuff it Greengrass."
Daphne ignored her. "So how long are you gonna be gone?"
"Harry says two months tops."
"Right." Daphne said, standing up sounding suddenly decided about something. "Put on your coat Gin."
"Why?" Ginny looked abashed at her abruptness.
"Because," Daphne grinned. "We're going shopping."
"Again I ask, why?" Ginny put down her tea cup.
"Ginny," Daphne put her hands on her hips indignantly. "You are about to spend two months shacked up on the coast of the America's with a gorgeous blonde Adonis. You're gonna need a new bikini."
She looked Ginny up and down. "Okay along with the rest of your wardrobe."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Three hours later found Ginny sitting in the middle of her bed, bags and bags stuffed full of sun dresses, bikini's, sandals, sun tan lotion, shorts, hats, jeans, tank tops and Merlin knew what else Daphne had found it 'imperative' that she buy. It was Ginny's own fault of course. She really shouldn't have told her that the department was covering any and all expenses Ginny and Malfoy may have during or for their assignment.
"It's a damn good thing I'm a witch." Ginny mumbled as she began waving her wand at the various shopping paraphernalia in her room.
Clothes and shoes flew out of the bags, landing in neat piles on her bed while the bags themselves flew to the corner of the room to be discarded later. She didn't even bother taking the tags off her new things before shrinking them all down to roughly the size of a baby dolls' and made the piles fly into her suitcase.
"There. All done." Ginny said to herself, satisfied.
Daphne chose this moment to pop her head into the door. "Done already?" She pouted. "That's no fun. I wanted to help."
"Sorry. All taken care of," Ginny said waving her wand pointedly.
"But you didn't even try anything on!" Daphne protested.
"Honestly woman, I'm going there on the job, who cares what I look like?" Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Obviously not you," Daphne grumbled.
"When do you leave again?"
"Tomorrow."
Daphne's eyes widened. "Well it's a good thing we went shopping today then. Goodness knows you would've been stuck in that ratty Weird Sisters t-shirt the whole time."
Ginny frowned. "What's wrong with my Weird Sisters t-shirt?"
Daphne chose not to comment.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Draco was standing in front of his empty suitcase contemplating the forces of the universe and how cruel they were. One would think that the fates or whatever higher power was responsible would cut him a break since he was the rebellious son of a Death Eater and was now actively trying to bring the downfall of the remainder of the most feared dark wizard of all times' followers. But no- he had to get stuck being in hiding for years and then demoted and then partnered with Ginny bleeding Weasley of all people in Harry fucking Potter's department with Mr. Save-The-World-In-The-Nick-Of-Time-Again as his boss no less.
Yes the universe was truly playing a cruel joke on him but what was a joke before was now turning disturbingly personal. Draco ran a hand impatiently through his now thoroughly tousled locks. It couldn't have been coincidence that the place where the Death Eaters were gathering was dangerously close to where his mother was in hiding. Lucius must be very close to finding her if he had relocated his minions to the U.S. The first thing Draco had done when he had gotten home was owl is mother about the new developments, but of course for the sake of his mission he could not divulge his own involvement in the situation. He had not heard back yet of course. International owls took a few days, sometimes even up to a week to be delivered. He would already be in the Hamptons by the time his mother even received his owl, let alone have time to write back.
"Fuck it." Draco mumbled finally and waved his wand at his armoire. A series of random articles of clothing flew out of the draws, settling themselves neatly into a pile in his suitcase and he snapped it shut with finality.
If he needed anything he'd just buy it there. It was to his knowledge that this was an all expense paid mission by the department anyway. Weasley would be happy. He smirked at the thought of spending two months pretending to be married happily to Ginny Weasley of all people. He hoped beyond hope that she had at least a semblance of some acting chops. If Potter's party had any indication, Draco thought she just may be able to pull it off. Maybe.
Having finished up with his packing Draco walked over to the fire blazing merrily in its grate- mocking his melancholy mood, the flickering flames almost dancing with laughter. He grabbed a pinch of floo powder and tossed it into the blaze.
"Blaise Zabini," He called.
A moment later the person in question's head popped into view.
"Malfoy," Blaise greeted. "To what do I owe this annoyance?"
Draco cocked a brow. "Annoyance? You should be weeping for joy that I would find time out of my day to call on you Zabini."
"Your modesty astounds me," Blaise retorted. "What do you want?"
"I'm leaving the country for a few months on assignment so I won't be around for a while and I thought I'd let you know before I just skipped town."
Blaise frowned. "A few months? What the hell for? And out of the country? Where are you going?"
"Yes a few months. On an assignment, I told you and I can't tell you that it's classified." Draco rolled his eyes impatiently.
"Somehow I knew you were going to say that," Blaise said grimly. "Well what are you going to do about—"
Draco held up a hand. "It's all been taken care of. The arrangements have been made."
"Well good," Blaise huffed. "Because I sure as hell wasn't going to."
"I know. Lazy bastard," Draco said, but he smiled.
"Well I guess I should say goodbye for a while then you cheeky little sod. Tell that cute blonde maid of yours that if she gets bored while you're away that my pillows need some fluffing."
"Is that the best excuse you have to get her into your bedroom? Zabini I do believe you are losing your touch." Draco commented dryly.
"At least I had one to begin with. Have fun on your 'trip' bring me back something pretty." And with a final cocky grin and a wink Blaise's head disappeared.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Bye Gin, I'll miss you." Daphne sniffed as she hugged her best friend and roommate goodbye the next morning.
The two women were in the department of magical transportation, where they would be receiving the special international portkey to get to the Hamptons. Draco had not arrived yet.
"I'll miss you too, don't sell any of my belongings while I'm gone or I'll set Fred and George on you when I get back."
Daphne blanched. "Why would I do that?"
"Because without me, you're compulsive shopping problem is bound to get out of control at some point. If that even is a possibility, call Hermione, she'll be able to rein you in." Ginny grinned.
"Oh get out of here you whinny little tramp. Go get a tan for me."
"Where's--?" Ginny's question broke off as she spotted a white blonde head bobbing into view amongst the hustle and bustle of the department. Unlike the other departments in the ministry where most of the space was dominated by cubicles and office's, the department of magical transportation had its own floor of special floo grates, apparition points, and portkey landing points.
"You're late," Ginny said when Draco reached them.
"I'm not. You're early," He replied simply.
"Smartass," Ginny couldn't resist saying.
"You are so juvenile," Draco retorted.
Ginny opened her mouth to speak but she snapped it shut immediately. She was acting juvenile. She hardly ever called people names. Well apart from Fred and George and half of the names she called them were ones she had learned from them anyway. Draco just brought out the 15 year old in her that had shot him with the bat bogey hex in 5th year. Old habits did die hard.
"Well maybe you should stop being such a dick," Daphne came to her defense.
"Don't bother Daph. Asking him not to be a dick is like telling a cow not to moo." Ginny picked up her suitcase and headed for the portkey counter.
Draco shook his head after the retreated redhead, mock saluted Daphne and followed quickly after his partner.
The portkey ride was dizzy and uncomfortable as always. Ginny hated traveling that way and avoided it as much as possible. She landed hard in the middle of a small foyer, her suitcase flying out of her hands as she stumbled backward into something solid. Something solid and decidedly warm.
Ginny glanced up quickly to find Draco's own suitcase on the ground next to them and his hands supporting her shoulders from behind. He must've dropped his suitcase in his haste to catch her.
Reflex. Ginny told herself before clearing her throat and stepping out of his grasp.
"I hate traveling by portkey, it gives me vertigo." Ginny blurted out randomly to break the awkward silence.
Her cheeks flushed immediately. Wow that was a winner. But to her utter surprise Draco was nodding in agreement.
"I feel the same way about flooing."
Ginny just nodded not trusting her voice. The situation itself was awkward enough, and she really didn't want to add to it by starting idle chit chat. Walking forward to grab her fallen suitcase, Ginny finally chanced a glance around. The house was small. It was more of a cottage than a house really. The foyer opened up into a long hallway that led off into a kitchen to the right and a large surprisingly open living area with large bay windows which were currently open, letting the soft white material of the curtains flapping in the breeze. The whole house was done in a bleached white wood and decorated in varying shakes of creams, beiges and off whites in a surprisingly tasteful manner with matching furniture. Ginny was pleasantly surprised with the décor to say the least.
Draco seemed to be having the same thoughts for he voiced aloud, "Wow, who knew Potter had interior decorating on his resume?"
"I was just thinking the same thing. Should I be afraid?" Ginny said.
"Of what?" Draco asked venturing into the kitchen where Ginny distinctly heard the sound of a fridge opening.
"That I'm already thinking on the same brain waves as you." Ginny clarified smirking.
"Well, we are married darling," Draco said poking his head through the entryway before taking a large bite of an apple he had scrounged up.
"Don't," Ginny snapped, "call me darling."
"Okay honey," Draco said grinning mockingly at her.
Ginny shuddered. "That's disturbing."
"You're going to have to do better than that if we're going to complete this mission Weasley," Draco said seriously, dropping his now finished apple in the waste basket.
"Are you doubting my acting skills Malfoy?" Ginny challenged.
"Yes. Immensely in fact." Draco walked back into the room, grabbing his suitcase. He started heading down the second hallway to the master bedroom.
"Oh?" Ginny said, grabbing hers as well and following. "Are we forgetting about Harry's party already? I was under the impression that I pulled that one off a little too well; the whole office as talking about us for weeks."
"Of course they were." Draco's voice carried into the hallway from the back of the house. "It's me."
Ginny arrived in the room and looked around. The room was enormous. Obviously enchanted to look smaller and proportionate from the outside, the master bedroom was decorated in the same mix of whites and beige from the living room. Soft gauzy curtains hung from the large sliding glass doors that led out to a sun bleached white deck on the far end of the room and to her left stood a huge four poster hung with the same gauzy material as the curtains but in a creamy off white color. The bedspread was white with beige trim and the bathroom had a Jack and Jill sink with a giant pool sized basin sunk into the center. His and Hers bathrobes were hanging on the door hooks.
"Wonder where he got the inspiration for the tub?" Ginny asked sarcastically.
Upon closer inspection, the tub also had a series of taps running along one side of it, each one decorated with a different colored jewel.
Draco walked over to inspect the pool and smirked. "Ah, good times."
"I don't even wanna know," Ginny said holding up her hands and walking out of the bathroom.
"So, this contact that we're supposed to be meeting, do you know anything about him?" Ginny asked as Draco excited the bathroom behind her.
"Well for one it's a her," Draco corrected, waving his wand once so all his clothes piled into the walk in closet next to the bathroom.
"Really?" Ginny said, doing the same.
Draco nodded in affirmative but didn't continue.
"Is that all? Does she have a name? Do we know her? C'mon Malfoy we're supposed to be working together here."
Draco only smirked at her. "C'mon Weasley, get dressed. We have dinner reservations."
"What?" Ginny spluttered at the sudden change in subject. "Since when?"
"Since now. Hurry up." Draco said.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I thought you said we had dinner reservations," Ginny grumbled fifteen minutes later at the bathroom door. She herself had been ready ten minutes ago, throwing on a fun but flirty green halter sun dress that Daphne had picked out, with matching green and white wedges and letting her hair flow natural and wavy down her back.
"We do," Draco voice called through the door.
"Then how is it that you're a man and you take longer to get ready than I do?" Ginny replied, annoyed.
"Because," Draco said emerging from the bathroom. "I'm not just any man, I'm Draco Bloody Malfoy."
Ginny gave him a once over and tried to mentally battle her mind away from being impressed. Draco was dressed in light khaki colored shorts, and a fitted white t-shirt over cobblestone abs and rippling pectorals. His hair was still damp from the shower and tousled in a very stylish I-tried-but-not-really kind of way that most men would kill to be able to pull off.
Is it really necessary for unspeakables to be that buff? Ginny thought to herself and then blushed when she realized she was staring. She glanced quickly up to see if he had noticed and was chagrined to find that he was gazing steadily at her through hooded lids with a lazy smirk on his face.
"Actually," Ginny said aloud regaining her composure quickly, "You're Blake Dennis and I am your lovely, witty and delightful wife Catherine." Ginny finished with a flourish, reading from the case file in her hand.
Draco frowned reaching for the folder. "No no, you must be reading that wrong, they weren't supposed to pre-determine our actual personalities… " The hooded look was gone now quickly being replaced by sarcasm and dry humor.
"Oh shut up Malfoy, I am perfectly capable of being all those things."
"Somehow I highly doubt that."
Ginny scowled darkly up at the tall blonde. "You don't know me."
"Don't I though?" Draco cocked a brow challengingly at her.
"No. You really don't." Ginny said quietly for some reason.
"Let's go, we're going to be late and we still have to do our glamours." Draco said dismissing the subject.
The glamours that they had to cast on each other were actually an unspeakable product. Draco himself had helped develop it. This glamour was a customized one where the people holding the coinciding amulets were the only one's that could see the person as they really were. The amulets were designed to be kept on the said person at all times maintaining their body temperature as long as the glamour was still in tact. If the glamour stopped working or started to wear off the amulet would cool. This particular glamour was invented especially for covert missions such as this where people who were under cover, (should they get separated or have extenuating circumstances occur) would not get confused and lose their partner because they were wearing a different face.
Once the glamours were properly put on, Ginny strode ahead of Draco quickly and out the door without a backwards glance. It really infuriated Ginny how Malfoy talked like he knew all the inner most secrets and workings of the universe. And it especially irked her that she actually seemed to care what he thought. The last few weeks of working with him had definitely had her off kilter. It was affecting everything about her and she knew it. She was more snappy and stand offish than she normally was. She didn't go out with Hermione or visit her parents anymore because she had thrown herself into her work to prove that she was to be taken seriously. All that because her knew partner had a superiority complex to rival Voldemort himself and she was feeding straight into all his bullshit by arguing and being stubborn. Thus, proving all his theories (and Ginny would only refer to them as theories not fact) about her true.
But what was really bothering Ginny was reflecting back to the passed few weeks she realized that no matter how infuriating Draco Malfoy seemed to be and how much he appeared to be the same selfish arrogant asshat he was in school, he really just wasn't. She had tried to deny the subtle differences in his personality from the minute they had gone on assignment together. They had their somewhat sibling like rivalry and constant banter but none of his remarks were cutting or directly hurtful like they used to be in school. There were no jabs about her upbringing or her lack of monetary resources, no immediate insults about her crush on Harry or even anything about Ron.
In fact if Ginny really thought about it, ever since that night of Harry's party, he generally just let her walk all over him. She stopped dead in her tracks at that thought and Draco nearly plowed into her.
An elderly couple was passing by on the sidewalk and Draco gave them a forced friendly smile before gripping Ginny's arm tightly.
"What's the matter?"
Suddenly, Draco's close proximity was making her uneasy and Ginny stepped away from him gingerly. "Nothing, I just thought I forgot something back at the house."
"Well did you?" The annoyance was clear in his tone.
"No, I'm good. Lets go."
The rest of the walk to the restaurant was a silent one. Once they neared the corner where the small establishment was located, Draco pulled out a piece of paper from one of the many pockets in his cargo shorts and handed it to Ginny silently.
On it read a single name: Jenna Aimes.
Ginny nodded quickly, understanding. She stuffed the piece of paper the clutch she had brought along and reached down to lace her fingers through Draco's.
Draco looked momentarily shocked so Ginny reminded him, "We're in happily wedded bliss remember? Game face."
Draco grinned, "Ten galleons say you blow it before I do." And he removed his fingers from hers, wrapping his arm around her waist instead.
"You're on," Ginny grinned back and snuggled into his side, slapping a goofy grin on her face as they reached the host standing outside the restaurant.
"Dennis." Draco said smoothly when they were standing at the door.
"Ah yes," The doorman said politely, "Your guest has already arrived and is waiting for you at table four. Dylan here can show you to your table. Enjoy your meal Mr. and Mrs. Dennis."
Ginny smiled winningly at him and batted her eyelashes, "Thank you ever so much."
Draco steered them away from the doorman to follow a tall overly tan boy with sun bleached hair and surfer build toward the back of the restaurant.
"Thank you ever so much?" Draco repeated quietly in Ginny's ear.
The smile never left her face. "Shut the hell up darling," Ginny said through her teeth.
Draco chuckled quietly under his breath.
"Here is your table Mr. and Mrs. Dennis." They had been led to the very back of the restaurant away from all the other patrons to a private banquet room through a set of double doors. "Your server shall be with you shortly." And he bowed out of the room closing the doors behind him.
"Thanks ever so much!" Draco mocked in a high pitched voice after him.
Ginny punched him in the arm.
"Ouch! Is that any way to treat your husband?"
"Yes, violence is never the answer Weasley. Well unless you're a Death Eater. Which technically, I am."
Ginny gaped openly at the woman who was currently sitting at their table. The woman had a long sheath of dark hair pulled back into a plait, severe cheek bones, pale skin and a prominently up turned, pug-like nose. She was wearing a knee length halter sun dress much like Ginny's but with a floral pattern adorning it with slip on white sandals and a daisy through her thick braid.
"Honey," Draco said indicating the dark haired girl, "I'd like you to meet Jenna Aimes."
"Oh Merlin, and I thought this assignment couldn't get any worse."
"Muffliato," Pansy muttered swiftly before indicating they should sit. "Nice to see you too Weasley."
"You're our contact?" Ginny was still incredulous.
"No, I just decided to crash your newly wed romantic dinner for two for shits and giggles." Pansy retorted, taking a sip out of her already half empty wine glass. "And you're late."
"Draco took a long time putting on his make up." Ginny explained.
"I do not wear make up," Draco scowled.
"Whatever, look lets cut to the chase. Yes I'm your contact, and outside this room I am Jenna Aimes and you two are Mr. and Mrs. Dennis. If you even slip once, we're all dead you understand?" Pansy glared at the two of them pointedly.
"Look, I'm not the rookie here sister so let's re-establish the pecking order shall we?" Ginny countered.
"This isn't a pissing contest Weasley she's just covering the prelims, just chill." Draco consoled.
"Yes, be a good submissive housewife." Pansy sneered.
"Can it Parkinson or I'll blow this whole mission by scraping your face off with my salad fork." Ginny growled.
"God, can you be any more volatile and unprofessional?" Draco snapped. "It's like working with a five year old."
"You Slytherins just seem to bring it out in me. But really Malfoy, Parkinson? Can we even trust her?"
"I wouldn't be here if you couldn't Weasley. Don't forget, we have the same boss, he asked me here." Pansy said.
"Okay you two, cut the bullshit for two seconds. What do you have for us Pans?"
For some reason, hearing Draco call Pansy by her nick name from school sent a pang through Ginny that she couldn't explain. She knew Draco and Pansy were chummy in school, they even dated if she recalled correctly but it never occurred to her that their 'contact' would be someone closer to his end of the line not hers. And she was so hoping to have an ally.
"As you know the DE headquarters was moved here to the Hamptons quite suddenly and the remaining Death Eaters have set up shop here so to speak. You guys got here a lot quicker than I thought. Activity has been minimal, no one has been sent on any major projects and he hasn't even sent out a hunting party yet, so we have an advantage already."
"Are we sure that's what he's here for?" Draco asked eyes dark with something Ginny couldn't place.
"It'd be a helluva coincidence wouldn't it?" Pansy said raising her dark brows at him.
Ginny glanced back and forth between the two in confusion. "What the hell are you two going on about? What would be a coincidence?"
Pansy looked startled. "You haven't told her?"
"Told me what?" Ginny stared at Draco.
"No," Draco said looking away from both women, clearly uncomfortable.
"I can't believe you dragged her into this and didn't even tell her why—"
Draco's glare cut Pansy off mid sentence but she shot daggers at him through her eyes for the interruption.
"Told me what Draco?" Ginny pressed, using his given name for the first time.
"My father," Draco began in a tightly controlled voice. "He was the leader of the uprising. He was supposed to succeed Voldemort after his death. He needed to perform a ritual to achieve immortality and in order to do that he needed the blood of his offspring. My mother interrupted the ritual before it could be completed and she and I barely escaped with our lives. He's been hunting for her ever since to get revenge on her and me for not rejoining his cause."
"Well where is she now?" Ginny asked knowing what the answer was before she voiced the question.
"Take a wild guess," Pansy retorted.
"But how did he know to look here? Who else knows where your mother is?" Ginny asked Draco. He was still looking at the table top and refused to meet either of their eyes.
"No one. We were supposed to be each other's secret keepers but something must've tipped him off. I haven't even had contact with her for almost a full year now."
"So that's why you were so cavalier about this mission." Ginny said in wonder. "Wait a minute," Her mind switched gears, "Isn't this a conflict of interests then? We're supposed to be bringing down the resistance not protecting your mother. And since you're father is the one leading the resistance…"
Draco was shaking his head before Ginny could finish. "Why do you think I got hired on so quickly to be an auror when I did? I mean yeah, I wanted this job but come on Weasley, I may be good but it's Potter. Lucky for all of us he put the good of wizarding world into consideration more than his pride."
Ginny nodded in agreement. If Harry was one thing he was selfless, especially when it came to wizard-kind.
"Well what do we do now? You said nothing was going on yet," Ginny said, addressing Pansy.
"We go see Narcissa Malfoy."
"Oh joy."
