Disclaimer – I do not stake claim to any part of the Harry Potter novels. I am just borrowing bits and pieces for entertainment only.
Chapter 26
Draco had slept quite peacefully all night, which was somewhat surprising considering the events of the previous day. Between the fire whisky and the amount of energy exerted once he and Ginny were in bed he was exhausted when his eyes finally fell shut. He could hear and feel Ginny's breathing next to him and could tell she was still asleep. Thankfully it was Saturday and they could stay in bed and to make it even better Ginny wouldn't be jumping up out of bed to run away when she awoke. Who would have thought the little Weaslette would come into his life and turn it completely upside down in such a short period of time?
As he lay there absentmindedly stroking Ginny's arm. He thought back to the reading with Pansy. It bothered him that he still knew so little about the upcoming events. When his father was around he usually overheard plans of what was to come, but now that he was officially on the good side he had no way of getting info on the Dark Lord's plans. If only he still had a way of being privy to the plans as they were being made. He knew that they only trusted Severus up to a point and would never let him in on major plots.
Draco suddenly drew in a sharp breath, startling Ginny out of sleep. She turned over to look at him. "What's wrong?" She asked groggily rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Quickly jumping up from the bed Draco began dressing himself. "I figured it out!" He exclaimed. "I know what my task is. The double dealing man, it all makes sense now. I have to go see Dumbledore right away. He knew he must sound like a raving lunatic to Ginny.
She sat up pulling the sheet up with her to keep herself covered. A little more alert now she said "Actually none of this makes sense Draco. Slow down! What are you talking about?"
Draco finally stopped and looked at her realizing just how lost she really was in all of this not even knowing yet about the reading. "Just trust me it does make sense. I'm really not crazy, but I can't explain right now. I have to go see Dumbledore and tell him I am ready to do what I have to do. Go get Pansy and Blaise and bring them back here. Tell Pansy I know the task, have her tell you guys about the reading. And I will explain everything else when I get back." He quickly kissed her and left the room before she could protest or ask more questions.
Draco ran all the way to the Headmaster's office where he found the stairway already open. Once he reached the top of the spiral staircase he raised his hand to knock but hit only air. The door was already opening. Behind it was Professor Dumbledore wearing a set of dark blue and purple bed robes and a matching stocking cap. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, you have something to discuss with me this fine morning." He said calmly.
"Yes Professor, I have a plan."
"Well by all means, please come in and have a seat. Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee please." Draco said taking the seat by the fire Dumbledore indicated. The elderly man shut the door and waved his wand conjuring up a tray of coffee, cream and sugar before taking the seat opposite of Draco.
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After dressing Ginny walked down to what was now apparently Pansy and Blaise's room. She could not fathom what Draco had been on about, none of it made any sense to her. "What task?" She asked herself aloud as she approached the large wooden door. Ginny knocked gently, so as not to wake the other sleeping Slytherin's along the corridor. She was not surprised that it was Blaise who replied with a groggy "whosit?"
"It's me, Ginny." She answered. Blaise shuffled sleepily to the door and opened it ushering her inside.
"You know, Draco is going to be very upset when he wakes up and finds that you have run out on him again." He chuckled, closing the door.
"Actually it was him who ran out on me this time."
"What?" Pansy exclaimed sitting up in bed. "After his little display last night, he ran out on you? Why?"
"Yeah go figure. I'm not really sure why. He was ranting and raving like a madman. Something about going to see Dumbledore, double dealing and a task. I'm baffled, is he going to go cheat at poker with Dumbledore or something? Then he said to find you guys, bring you back to the room and have Pans explain the reading. I have no idea what this all means so I really hope you do."
"He figured it out already?" Pansy was already up from the bed and getting dressed. "But it was so vague, and what does he have to talk to Dumbledore about that is so important it couldn't wait?" Ginny just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, you came to me for answers and I'm bombing you with questions." Pansy threw some clothes at Blaise to hurry him along.
Once Blaise was dressed the three of them went back to Draco's room. As they settled in Dobby arrived at the door with a tray of coffee.
"Did Draco tell you to bring this? Have you seen him?" Ginny asked the small house elf anxiously.
"Oh no Miss." Dobby replied. "Sir is not liking pumpkin juice. So on the weekends Dobby is bringing him coffee. Dobby knows he likes to be relaxing with his coffee weekend mornings. Is Little Master uh I mean Sir looking for Dobby? Should Dobby have seen him?"
"No, I just thought maybe you had run into him in Dumbledore's office."
"Oh, no Miss I is not seeing him." Dobby set down the tray and conjured up three more cups and a bowl of fresh fruit. "The pot is charmed to refill with fresh coffee with every pour. Will you be needing anything else of Dobby?"
"No thank you." Ginny answered. Dobby beamed at her simple manners, not used to being thanked too often. Then with a loud crack he was gone.
Everyone settled in on the floor cushions with their coffee and listened as Pansy explained about Draco's reading.
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"No." Dumbledore said flatly after Draco had explained his plan to him. Draco was dumbfounded.
"No? Just flat out 'No'? No talking about it, thinking about it, just no?" Draco said hotly pacing the floor in the headmaster's office. He stopped and looked up at him. "Why not?"
"I'd have thought that was apparent." He replied quite calmly, pushing his half moon spectacles up a little farther on his crooked nose. "It is entirely too risky. Where would you even come up with a plan like that? Why would you think you needed to take such drastic measures?"
Draco wasn't sure he should confide in Dumbledore that it was from a tarot card reading. Many people thought divination a joke, and Potter had said Dumbledore had almost discontinued the subject so many years ago. But in the end he knew he had no choice, the wise old man probably already knew just from him thinking it in his presence.
"We are doing tarot cards in divination. My reading was a little unclear at first. But after a good nights sleep everything became clear as crystal."
"I see. And whom may I ask was your partner doing the reading?"
"Pansy Parkinson." Draco replied.
"Ah, say no more." Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of his face with his index fingers pointing up and gently bounced them off the tip of his nose as though this little maneuver helped him think better.
"Excuse me, Sir, but what do you mean?" Draco couldn't help but wonder what the Headmaster was thinking.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and sighed. "Well then that's that. You must do what you must do. And you feel in your heart that this is what the cards meant for you?" He searched deep into Draco's eyes as though the answer would be there.
Draco thought for a moment, searching his soul for so much as an ounce of doubt, almost hoping for it. But alas there was none. "Yes, positive, Professor."
"Well then. I shall start making the arrangements for increased protection." He picked up a quill and small roll of parchment from a nearby table and began jotting notes.
Draco bewildered at the sudden change asked, "Forgive me, Sir. But why the sudden change of heart?"
"My dear boy, the Parkinson females have never been off with there fortune telling and sights. I trust that Pansy will be an enormous help with the path you now take. She will be your greatest most valuable protection tool in the months to come. Listen to her very carefully, as her words may very well keep you alive. Now if you will excuse me I have some tasks to get done before you embark on your adventure. Don't delay with writing that letter the sooner you act the better your chances are."
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They had been sitting trying to come up with theories for over an hour before Draco finally returned. The room erupted in an uproar once he closed the door everyone talking at once.
"You figured it out?"
"What's your plan?"
"What did Dumbledore say?"
"What does it all mean?"
"Who is the double dealing man?"
"Who are the two death eaters?"
With all the questions being thrown at him in rapid succession Draco was overwhelmed. But above all the questions one in particular stood out from all the others. Draco burst out laughing when Ginny's one and only question was. "What are you playing at running out on me like that, you filthy little hypocrite?"
At the sight of Draco Malfoy laughing out loud at a tike like this Pansy and Blaise stopped their onslaught of questions. Clearly from the stupefied expressions they thought he was off his rocker. He scooped Ginny up into his arms and held her tightly, as if there were no tomorrow. It pained him to think that in the upcoming weeks there may very well be no tomorrow for him one day all too soon. Finally he released her. "Sorry but it was really important." He said sincerely, the look on Pansy and Blaise's faces was priceless.
"I think I must have wax in my ears." Said Blaise tilting his head to one side and pounding on the other as though some of the said wax would fall out proving him correct. He switched sides and tried the other ear for good measure. "I almost thought I just heard Draco Malfoy not only laugh out loud and say the word sorry."
"Yeah, I guess you did." Draco stated highly amused.
"Alright that's it now I know you're nutters. Come on we are taking you to see Madame Pomfrey. Or better yet maybe Professor Snape has a potion that will put you back to rights."
"No need Blaise, I think the little Weasel here is just rubbing off on me. Better stay back or she might contaminate you too." He took a seat on the floor with the others.
Pansy looked at him expectantly. When he didn't take the hint she prompted him. "So what is this plan that you came up with? What did it all mean? What did Dumbledore say? Come on you're killing me here Draco."
Draco took a deep breath before starting the tale of his already eventful morning. "Now before I say anything you need to know that Dumbledore has already okayed this and is busy with preparations as we speak. Yes it is highly dangerous." At this Ginny squeezed his hand, but he felt it was more in reassurance and faith than in fear. He knew she was a strong person after all she has been through in her short life already with Riddle and the Department of Mysteries. He just hoped she was strong enough still to face what was to come. "But Dumbledore has faith that I can pull it off with a little help from Pansy's abilities as a seer. Right now my fate is sealed so please don't try to talk me out of it."
They all nodded their heads in acknowledgement, and so Draco told them of his plan and his role in trying to help take down the Dark Lord.
By the time he had finished heads had shaken no violently, gasps had been heard and tears had been shed. But no one went back on their word, no one tried to talk him out of it. He knew then above and beyond any other time in his life that this was his true family and he would always have their support no matter what. If they stood by him through this nothing would ever tear them apart.
A/N – Ah you didn't think I would let you all in on the plot so soon did you? What is a story without a little suspense? I promise not to keep you waiting too long, chapter 27 is already halfway written. Thank you as always for your reviews and keep them coming