Chapter Thirteen

Demarcation

Draco wasn't sure he should acknowledge Weasley. He was still fighting the urge to hex the prat until he needed charms to breathe properly. His gaze drifted over to Ginny, peacefully sleeping. What was it Daphne said? She constantly has to compromise. It looked as if it was time for him to try it, even if it was with Weasley. He turned in the chair and said, "What?"

Weasley was sitting on the edge of the bed, gazing at the floor. "I wanted Ginny to know that I didn't want her hurt."

He sneered. Did he truly think that his rumor mongering wouldn't result in some sort of incident? Did he truly not think enough ahead to see that by ostracizing Ginny he was setting her up for harassment of all sorts? So he decided to ask. If anything it may cause a bit of pain and suffering, though nowhere near what the prat had caused for Ginny.

"Weasley, do you truly believe that drivel?"

Weasley sat back, wide-eyed. "What the hell?"

Snickering lightly, Draco decided that this fool was truly as simple-minded as he'd previously thought. "You encouraged your House to ostracize your sister. How can you say that you didn't want to hurt Ginny?"

Weasley opened and closed his mouth numerous times without once succeeding in actually saying a word. Draco turned the chair and waited him out. If he was getting a bit of vindictive pleasure at the sight of Weasley acting completely idiotic, then it simply meant that all was right in the world no matter how messed up it seemed. Didn't it? If so then why didn't it seem as enjoyable as it had even a week ago? What the hell did that ruddy curse do to me?

"I-I didn't think about that," Weasley muttered, ducking his cherry red face. "I-I thought that if Ginny fought the betrothal, Hermione could find a way to break it."

Draco lifted an eyebrow in clear disbelief. Granger was obviously quite good at memorizing books, but to create a way around ancient, powerful blood magic was definitely far above her skill level. "She's not all knowing, Weasley. In fact, she's held back by her fascination with the rules."

"I can see your point," Weasley muttered. "I just didn't think, alright. All I was worried about was keeping my baby sister away from you."

"Conveniently leaving her there for Potter to take," Blaise spat, coming to stand next to Draco's chair. "You've been plotting for over a year to shove them together. If you thought you were being subtle…half of Ravenclaw has a betting pool going on how long it would be before Ginny found out about it and hexed you both."

Draco bit back his laughter. Leave it to Blaise to have that sort of gossip. Then he reconsidered and turned his gaze on Blaise. "You started the betting pool, didn't you?"

Blaise flipped his fringe out of his eyes and batted his eyelashes guilelessly. "Would I do that?"

Draco sniggered. "I wouldn't put it past you." His eyes narrowed and he asked, "Just when did you set up this pool?"

Blaise smirked, his light brown eyes flashing with humor and pride. "Last spring of course."

Draco shook his head; it seemed there was nothing Blaise wouldn't do. Though if it benefited him in the end, Draco had to concede the wisdom in getting over on the usually oh so wise Ravenclaws. He himself had been trying for years to find a way to knock the bookworms off their pedestal. "How'd you manage to convince them to go with it?"

Blaise rolled his eyes and then pouted. "Are you calling into question my cunning?"

"Who did you shag?" Draco inquired tiredly. He should have known the how of Blaise's success in this little situation.

"Zabini, you shagged someone just so you could set up a betting pool?"

Both of them turned to see Weasley looking appalled.

"Not just for that," Blaise said mockingly. "It was a brilliant shag too, which never can be discounted."

Draco heard Ginny mumbling and shot both Blaise and Weasley a glare. He didn't want her disturbed. She'd sat up throughout the night, at his bedside. He owed her. "Was there anything else, Weasley? If you wake Ginny up, I will thrash you."

"N-no," Weasley replied shakily. "I think I'll rest now. Will you tell her what I said?"

Draco sneered, but nodded. He had no doubt that Ginny wouldn't buy the excuse or forgive the prat so easily. It would probably be worth it to see her meltdown. She did have quite the temper and this little bit of information should set her off rather nicely…especially considering her already testy state. Potter would most definitely face her wrath as well.

Idly wondering how long she would sleep, he picked up a book from the stack on the bedside table. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He might as well use the time wisely. He chuckled when he saw it was one of Ginny's rather than a library book and quite likely a gift from the twins. 'Horatio's 1001 Hexes' All he could think was that it might prove far more educational than he'd thought, what with knowing exactly what he would be threatened with.

"I wonder if it has the counters?" he muttered distractedly, stretching his legs and settling in more comfortably.

-DG-

Draco didn't notice how much his behavior amused his friends. Snape was even having a hard time hiding his mirth.

"A study guide," Theo suggested dryly, "is probably for the best. He'll revert once she's awake."

Gregory grinned. "Well you have to give him some credit. He did have the perfect chance to thrash Weasley and didn't."

"Because Ginny told him no killing was allowed," Blaise interjected, smirking.

"That's the only reason I didn't go after Potter and Granger," Vincent admitted softly, tucking Daphne up against his side.

"Shh," Daphne said, flipping over so she could see what they were all sniggering about. She turned back with a wide smile. "He's engrossed in the book so it would take something enormous for him to notice us."

"Or Miss Weasley waking from her lie down," Snape said wryly. "He is one stubborn fool."

"Nah," Theo said, waving his hand offhandedly. "He's just very, very confused. I know I screwed up last term offering to help him get from under the betrothal…but I'm hoping you lot won't boot me out once this sojourn is over."

Snape's eyebrows all but disappeared into his lank hair as he stared at each of them in turn, his disappointment in them perfectly clear. "Don't tell me that you didn't search out every bit of information you could, no matter how you had to acquire it?"

Theo stepped back, shocked and a bit dismayed. Snape was a bastard, but he was very protective of every Slytherin and considered their academic failures as a stain on his name. For him to be this upset with them meant they had all missed something major. "Explain what you mean so we can formulate a proper response."

"Blood bound betrothals," Snape drawled, crossing his arms over his chest and stretching his legs out on his bed. He shifted, setting one ankle over the other and sighed. "Think about it."

Daphne's brow furrowed. "We didn't bother looking into it much. We knew there was no use in trying to break it…as if Draco would have even truly considered it."

Theo glanced over his shoulder to assure himself that Draco wasn't listening in. "I looked into it after I made my offer. Once I figured out there was no breaking it, I stopped looking."

Blaise huffed. "I had better things to do. I saw Draco watching her and figured if he'd wanted out he could have found a way. It was clear he was going to go with it, so I found more enjoyable ways to spend my time."

Snape snorted, rolling his eyes. "Draco has been watching Miss Weasley for years. Can any of you think why that would be?"

Daphne sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Idly swinging her feet, she pursed her lips and sighed. "Are you telling me there is something more than the loyalty charm at work?"

Snape nodded. "Dumbledore was involved," he offered leadingly.

"He knew," Vincent whispered disbelievingly. "He knew that there would be some sort of break between the two families, didn't he?"

"He knows every bloody thing," Theo muttered feeling dim for not even thinking about the headmaster's involvement in all this. "What did he do?"

Snape closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I should make you figure it out on your own. But, I won't. Here's a hint, check the date of the betrothal and know that their free will hasn't been taken save for having to fulfill the contract."

Theo dropped into the nearest chair. Why hadn't they thought to look over the contract? Draco would have a copy of it as head of the family. Apparently, it simply hadn't interested anyone. His head shot up. "What do Potter and Granger know that we don't?"

Snape smirked. "That didn't take as long as I thought it would."

"They still have their free will? It's still their choice to make it work or not?" Daphne asked, tapping a finger against her mouth musingly.

"I said that already. You'll not get anymore help from me," Snape retorted irritably.

Theo batted his eyelashes mockingly. "Can we have access to your personal library, Professor?"

Snape nodded sharply. "Now leave me be so I can sleep. My first class Monday morning includes first year Gryffindors."

There was a round of groans as they quickly left him alone. There wasn't anything, outside Potter and his sidekicks, which could get Snape as testy as that particular lesson period.

Theo laid his head against the back of the chair and began planning. He knew Draco would ask far too many questions if they asked to see the contract. It would take quite a bit of maneuvering to keep the suspicions at bay.

It was going to be a long day.