A/N: I *know* I promised this chapter several days ago, but life got busy, so I'm late. Hope everybody like it anyway! I had a really hard time choosing a title for this one. It was a close competition between 'Why Did You Come Back?' and 'Goodnight Ginny', which obviously won in the end. But, only by a hair. I hope everybody gets the subtle hints I'm leaving . . . there're two. R&R!!!!!
Kelzery – More about the actual spheres next chapter. Try to spot the subtle hints about them in this one. One's pretty obvious, the other is subtle.
This chapter is dedicated to Draco's
Lil Devil for being so patient and *understanding* about my cliffe! *grin*
Seventh Sphere
By Amanda H (aka
Niffler)
Goodnight Ginny
Draco stood, chin raised, ready to
take whatever pain his father could deliver. Suddenly a piercing cry emanated from the bushed on the other side of
the circle. The Death Eaters standing
in front of the bush jumped back. Out
of the bush jumped a figure, screaming. It appeared to be a young girl with flaming red hair, tangled around her
face.
"Ginny?" Draco though, amazed.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Experimillicus!" She stopped screaming and shot the disarming spell at
Lucious. The surprised Death Eaters
around her finally came to their senses as Lucious's wand flew into the girl's
hand, Draco's wand flew to Draco and Lucious was sent sprawling against a near
by tree, momentarily dazed. Ginny took
Lucious's wand in her hands and broke it over her knee. The crack echoed through the forest as the
wood snapped, exposing the dragon heartstring.
"Come on!" Ginny yelled to Draco, tossing the broken
wand on the ground and taking off into the forest. Draco took off after her, close on her heels. The Death Eaters suddenly cried out in
frustration as their astonishment completely diminished. They chased after the two, stumbling over
fallen trees and underbrush.
Draco thought Ginny might be
lost. She was leading them deeper into
the forest. Finally, when they could no
longer see their pursuers, she stopped dead and lay on the ground, her face
peeking over a fallen tree. Draco
stopped and lay down beside her.
"Are you lost?" Were his first words. Ginny sat up and shook her head in
frustration.
"No." She answered angrily. "I'm not lost." She sighed. "They'll be looking for us at the forest's
edge and on the grounds leading to the castle. They wouldn't think to look deeper in, so we'll hid here for awhile,
until they give up, then go back." She explained
as though she were talking to a two year old. He stared puzzled at her.
"You're smarter than you
look." He complemented, sitting up
beside her. Ginny blinked hard and
choked back an angry sob, merely nodded. She turned her face away from him and lay silent on the ground. Draco lay down flat, looking over the
log. They sat in silence for several
minutes, only broken by the frustrated calls of the Death Eaters. Finally Draco spoke.
"Why did you come back?" He asked softly, sitting up again. "I told you to go. If they had caught you I can't even imagine. . ." Ginny sniffled, and finally turned to look
at him. Tear trails creased her cheeks
and her eyes were slightly red. Draco's
heart softened at the sight.
"I came back because I care about
you Draco. I didn't want anything to
happen to you." She answered
honestly.
"You care about me?" He asked in utter astonishment.
"Yes you prat." She sniffed, wiping away her tears with the
back of her wrists. "I do." She smiled a half smile. Draco leaned forward and brushed his hand
against her cheek. It was soft and
warm, just like she was.
"Don't cry." He soothed, sliding closer to her and
putting his arm over her shoulder. They
sat like that in silence for several more minutes. It was Draco who spoke first again.
"You know, the only reason I even
said no was you Ginny." He said. Ginny looked up at him puzzled.
"I said no because you believed I
could. No body had ever believed that I
could before. No body had believed in
me period." He confessed. The forest had gone completely silent
again. Nothing moved.
"I," He hesitated, "I care about you too Ginny." He finally said, smiling genuinely at
her. Her eyes sparkled back up at him
and she nestled closer into his chest.
"I'm glad." She whispered happily. Draco draped his arms across her chest as
she smiled serenely.
"Thank you. For saving me." He said, gently kissing the top of her head.
"It was my pleasure." Ginny muttered sleepily. Draco just smiled.
Lucious Malfoy leaned back against
the tree trunk from which he had not moved since he had been pushed there by
the disarming spell. The forest around
him was filled with the cries and stumblings of his fellow Death Eaters. He had let them escape and his master would not
be happy.
"A Weasley." He thought pensively. "Not
only a Weasley, but the Weasley girl. She should not have so much power. Interesting. I wonder . . .
Hummmm." He thought, cocking his
head and peering into the brush.
"Perhaps this wasn't a total
waste after all." He thought, an evil, cynical, almost senile grin creased his lips and
his eyes gleamed with a tortured pleasure.
"A Weasley. . ."
Draco gazed down at Ginny. She had fallen asleep, lying against his
chest in the forest. A wolf, at least
he assumed it was a wolf, howled in the distance and Draco's spine
tingled. Gently he shook Ginny.
"Ginny." He whispered in her ear. "Ginny." She stirred and slowly
opened her eyes.
"Draco?" She yawned, sitting up.
"Yeah. You fell asleep, but I really think we should be going." He suggested.
"Yes." She agreed, stumbling to her feet. "Yes, we have to go tell Dumbledoor." She yawned, blinking to wake herself up.
"Alright. I give. Let's go see
Dumbledoor." He consented, also getting
to his feet and taking Ginny's arm. They stumbled out of the forest; Ginny tripping over logs and roots in
her half sleeping stupor. They finally
reached the edge of the forest as Ginny began to regain her composure.
"Sorry. It just takes me a while to wake up I guess." Ginny said as they crossed the yard to the
castle. Draco nodded. They entered through the main doors and
started to make their way to the Head Master's office.
Draco glanced repeatedly around the
silent halls. It was the middle of the
night and no one was around. Their
footsteps echoed eerily in the stone corridors. Finally they reached the Head Master's office and, hoping he was
still there, knocked on the stone gargoyle. Nothing happened. They knocked
again, but still no one answered. As
they were about to try and force the gargoyle aside Professor Vector appeared
in the hall.
"Malfoy!" He seemed clearly surprised. "And Miss, Weasley is it?" He
asked, glancing at her red hair. She
nodded. "What are you doing out of bed
so late? At the Head Master's office no
less." He inquired.
"Professor, we desperately need to
see Dumbledoor! It's an emergency! Could you please give us the password?" Ginny begged. The professor's sharp eyes bore into her skull.
"I'm afraid the Head Master is
indisposed at the moment. But, please
accompany me to my office and perhaps I can help." He suggested, though his eye darted about the corridor
suspiciously.
Ginny was about to protest when the
gargoyle sprung aside to reveal Dumbledoor, about to step out. He smiled in pleased surprise at them.
"Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy,
Professor, what is going on here?" He
asked pleasantly.
"Professor, we need to talk to you
immediately! It's an emergency!" Ginny explained.
"In private." Draco added, glancing at Vector.
"Head Master, I will take care of
them. No need to worry, come along
children." Vector ordered, attempting
to usher the two away, but they turned back to Dumbledoor.
"Please professor. It's very important." Draco asked, his voice urgent and cold. Dumbledoor nodded solemnly.
"Yes, of course. Professor, you are excused." Dumbledoor said, nodding to the
professor. Vector stared at him,
confused and insulted, but Dumbledoor merely ushered the two into the
stairwell, following them closely. The
gargoyle jumped back into place behind them leaving a frustrated and annoyed
Vector in the hall.
"Please, take a seat." Dumbledoor instructed once they were in his
office, motioning to the velvet chairs. The two sat down and glanced at each other. Ginny nodded and Draco took a deep breath.
"I was supposed to become a Death
Eater tonight." He announced. However, instead of the reaction Draco had
expected, Dumbledoor merely nodded somberly.
"Please continue." He asked. Draco bit his lip.
"I went out to the Forbidden Forest
to meet with a group of Death Eaters." He began. "I told them that I
would not join them. They didn't
believe me and Voldemort, or uh, you-know-who's face appeared in the fire." Dumbledoor's face hardened, but he only
nodded, and leaned forward. Draco
swallowed and continued.
"He told me that he had big plans
for me and I would go straight to his inner circle. I refused and he was furious. He instructed my. . ." Draco paused, "my. . ." Ginny laid a reassuring hand over his and nodded. "My father, to extract something from my
brain, then kill me." Dumbledoor's eyes
sparkled and he folded his hands on the desk, waiting for Draco to
continue.
"Then, as he was about to perform
some kind of spell, Ginny jumped out from behind a bush and disarmed him." At this a faint smile crept across
Dumbledoor's lips. If Ginny hadn't
known better she would have thought he was holding back laughter.
"We ran off into the forest and hid
until the Death Eaters had gone. Then
we came straight here." He
finished. Dumbledoor's face was serious
and grim. Draco bowed his head, ashamed.
"This is a very serious matter, you
know that Draco." Dumbledoor said. He nodded. "Not many people have the strength to do what you did tonight, to stand
up to Voldemort." Ginny shivered
involuntarily. "You should be very
proud of your courage and your strength." He said. Draco raised his head
and looked Dumbledoor in the eyes.
"But I didn't do anything sir. Ginny did." He explained, unsure the old man had understood what he had said.
"Nonsense. You said no. You had the courage to face death rather than kill. I am very proud of you for that." Dumbledoor praised. Draco's eye glistened.
"You're proud of me?" He asked, astounded.
"Yes." Dumbledoor answered simply. Draco shook his head in thought.
"As for you Miss Weasley," he
began, "sneaking out into the Forest is forbidden, hence it's name." He explained. "And you should never have gone with out calling for help. You could have both been killed." Ginny stared at him in shock.
"I did call for help! I sent up red sparks, but I guess no one saw
them." She explained, exasperated.
"That does not excuse endangering
you life. You are only a fourth year
witch. You have no where near the
capabilities necessary to go off and face a group of Death Eaters alone." He continued.
"She only came because of me." Draco interjected. "She was worried about me. It's not her fault." He
explained.
"Draco, Miss Weasley has a very
useful and intelligent head on her shoulders, and I'm sure she can make
decisions by herself." Dumbledoor
reprimanded. Draco fell silent, again
staring at his lap.
"However, Miss Weasley," Dumbledoor
began again, "it was a very brave thing to do and I commend you for it." Ginny looked up from her hands and looked at
him curiously. Draco also chanced a
glance at the contradictory man.
"Yes, it was unorthodox and highly
dangerous, but your quick thinking and bravery allowed you to save Mr.
Malfoy. A job well done." He commended, inclining his head to
her. She beamed.
"Thank you sir." She replied happily.
"Now, I am assuming that you are
asking for my protection Draco." Dumbledoor asked, turning again to Draco.
"Yes sir, please." He answered humbly.
"Good. I believe we have enough evidence to convict your father to a
permanent trip to Askaban if, that is, you will testify against him in
court." He asked. Draco nodded.
"And you Miss Weasley?" She nodded in return.
"Thank you. I know how hard this must be for you." He said sympathetically. "I am sorry, but I must ask." He said regretfully. "Draco, will your mother also testify
against your father?" He asked, the
answer real question subtly hidden within.
"Yes." Draco choked. "Yes, and
the sooner you get her away from him the better." He answered.
"I'm glad to hear that." Dumbledoor answered, reaching across the
desk and patting Draco lightly on the hand. He looked up into the Head Master's warm eyes.
"Thank you Professor." He choked.
"Thank yourself Draco, for not
joining Voldemort." He replied,
removing his hand from Draco's and leaning back in his chair.
"I will owl the ministry
immediately." He informed, opening a drawer
to his desk and pulling out a quill and parchment. He began to scribble almost illegibly on it then glanced up at
them again over his moon shaped spectacles.
"Also, Mr. Malfoy, I regret to inform you that due to your
unfortunate predicament you will be unable to attend any further Hogsmede
visits or return home for the holidays. The Death Eaters will still be looking for you. It is also very possible that your mother
will be brought here as well." Dumbledoor said, again scribbling on the parchment. The two remained seated. After a few seconds he looked up again.
"Now, it is very late and after
such an extraordinary ordeal you must be exhausted, therefore I will excuse you
from all your classes tomorrow and I suggest you head right to bed." He instructed. They both nodded.
"Also, please keep this experience
to yourselves. I do not want to alarm
anyone unnecessarily." He said, eyeing
them warningly. They nodded.
"Now! Off to bed!" He smiled,
going back to his letter. Ginny and
Draco stood shakily and walked out of his office. They walked in silence along the empty corridors until the came
to a fork.
"Well, goodnight Draco." Ginny said, turning to go her way.
"I'll walk you to Griffindor." He replied, turning with her. They continued in silence. As they approached the portrait hole Draco
stopped.
"Thank you again Ginny." He murmured gazing into her deep brown
eyes.
"He feels safe, happy, the fear
is gone. The hate is less, much
less. He feels at peace." She thought.
"I'm just glad I could." She replied. "Take care of yourself Draco." She smiled, turning to the portrait hole.
"Ginny!" He called; she turned back around, her face curious. "Ginny." He said softer, cupping her face in the palm of his hand. He leaned down and kissed her. It was so unlike before. This time she kissed him back, pulling
towards him rather than pushing away. He let his hand run through her hair before he pulled away. Slowly she opened her eyes; they gleamed in
the dull light.
"Goodnight Ginny." He said, smiling and turning down the
corridor.
"Goodnight." She breathed softly, too quietly for him to
hear as he turned the corner and out of her sight.
