Chapter Twenty Five

The Sweetest Temptation of All

'Are you sure that you're capable, Draco?'

Ginny crossed her legs, allowing a slight amount of thigh to slip out from under her robe. She eyed Draco with curiosity as his less than composed postured sank into the chair opposite her. Ignoring her quip, he kept his attention to the drink in hand, speaking quieter and less commanding than usual.

'It won't be long before this all breaks out again,' he began as Ginny leant forward, eager to his words. 'I can provide you with anything you see fit… All the power you've ever dreamed of. Luxuries beyond any of this, anything you desire will be yours.'

The hairs of the back of Ginny's neck pricked up, sending a rush of excitement through her body. She knew that Draco wasn't lying. He could indeed offer her anything she required.

'For all this to work I have to fight beside the Dark Lord.' He took another sip of his drink and scooted forward on the chair. His voice lowered as his granite eyes stared into Ginny's, hypnotising her will. 'Potter will defeat him. Once he has… There won't be much standing in the way.'

Ginny's hands gripped to her legs, sweating with the anticipation of Draco's words. She desperately wanted to spur him on, to know what would follow, however he sat back returning his full concentration to the glass in his hand.

Her lip twitched with annoyance and Ginny moved to the edge of her seat, calming her voice as much as possible. 'What do you propose then?' She reached for her glass, lifting the burning liquid to her mouth and gulping heavily. As it singed downed her tract, Draco looked up with a similar fire in his eyes.

'That we take all that we deserve.'

His voice had become more husked and slurred but this did not deter the swelling that had formed within Ginny. All that she had suffered, the worthiness of that particular price had finally been given to her. Draco continued, rubbing his finger against his pointed jawline. 'The only question is, where do you stand?'

Her eyes squinted, perplexed to what he had said. 'Beside you, of course.' Her voice sounded weaker than intended but nonetheless sincere. Her posture tightened, suspicious of what Draco meant. Remaining silent, he dropped back in his chair, stretching out his long legs before him and finishing the contents of his glass.

'I'm afraid it's not that simple.' Ginny continued to look at him with an air of caution, her gaze meeting his. 'There are two sides to this war,' Draco began, 'You must fight beside Potter whether you like it not and you must be as though nothing has changed. He is the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord and then once he has, you can do whatever the fuck you please to him and his little friends.'

The thought of acquiring sadistic revenge upon those who had aided in condemning her, seemed like the sweetest temptation of all. However to have to fight beside them, to defend them or serve loyal was not something she was prepared to do.

'I will not stand with them, Draco. To have to lower myself in fighting with a pious Mudblood and a weak boy?' She pursed her lips in disproval knowing instantly that Draco felt completely different.

'Okay then, Ginny. You can stand beside me and the Dark Lord, which he would never allow. Instead of defending Potter you can defend the Carrows, my dear aunt Bellatrix, or perhaps you would like to fight beside Yaxley.'

The name stabbed into Ginny's heart like an electric shock. Unfortunately Draco was right. She could only ever cause retribution upon the wizard that wreaked misery upon her.

'Very well. But understand that I want every single one of them dead.' The ferociousness shook in her voice as well as in her sienna eyes. 'I suppose this is all why the Mudblood has been given more than hospitable conditions?' The bitter sarcasm that Ginny felt rushed through in her voice. She could sense Draco rolling his eyes, increasing her hatred and almost jealousy of the girl. Although she asked the question she already knew the answer.

'Ask yourself this my dear,' Draco began matching the tone of conversation, 'If she was not broken to my will and then fed security and safety, how an earth was she meant to decipher the letter, the only way to find Potter?'

Ginny slumped back into the chair, ashamed that the blonde wizard in front of her was right. Yet something else triggered in her mind, something that pushed past her emotions for the Mudblood.

'So this is why she has been given everything?' The redhead paused, feeling her sense of certainty. 'You're using her?'

Draco gave a coy smile, not agreeing or disagreeing. It wasn't long before Ginny mimicked his actions, with a dangerous smirk also playing on her lips.

'If you do everything I say, then there is no way that we will not succeed. However it gets done only my way, I can't risk that you'll jeopardise this because you cannot control your temper.'

As he spoke, Ginny felt herself flaring but she desperately wanted to prove Malfoy wrong. After all, this was what she deserved and he was the key to gaining all of that.

'I have spent years meticulously planning each action and conversation. Knowing that at any moment if my duplicity has been sensed by the Dark Lord I would have ended up in the castle. The reason I did not kill that foolish headmaster was not out of cowardice, but knowing that Potter was paralysed in the rafters watching, creating the perfect opportunity to feign allegiance to him. The reason I set up the tournament at Hogwarts, knowing that you would win and used to seek out Potter. This has all taken too long with far too much effort for you to go and fuck it up now.'

Ginny stared blankly toward him, unsure of what to think. She was not only wary of the situation but of Draco as well.

'Well it seems that you have indeed exerted your many skills as usual,' she retorted, eying Draco with her satire sense of humour. Replying with a twisted smile, the Death Eater rose pacing himself towards the door. As he opened it, Ginny knew it was her cue to leave. As usual, she left her drink without a second thought and flattened the ruffles of her robe. Slinging back her flowing russet locks, she slunk towards Malfoy, stopping mere inches away from his towering stature.

'I suppose that's all you require me for then? To dictate your battle plans to?' She couldn't help the amusement and lure creeping into her voice as it became illusively feminine. Her lips instinctively formed into a seductive pout while her sienna eyes casted up and down the wizard in front of her. He gave no expressive reaction as she waiting patiently, with hunger brazed in her look.

'There is something I wish to discuss with you further. But not now.'

The formality of his words caused her face to drop, irritated by his lack of response. Disgruntled, Ginny snorted masking her words with impatience instead of the offence to her pride that she felt. 'And I assume you'll fetch me when you're ready.'

Draco smiled downed onto her, obviously tickled by her words. The fact that this was his only reply increased the constant ticking of frustration that Ginny harboured in her chest.

'I'm not your dog Malfoy. Maybe you should treat me with a bit more respect - I am after all a Pureblood as well as your equal.' She spat, unable to contain the fury she so urgently needed to control.

'I expect to meet you in the cave below the mansion in an hour. Of course that's if it you don't find the request too demanding.' As his sarcasm rivalled hers, Ginny left without any confirmation, storming the hall and only leaving the echo of her shoes in her wake.