Chapter Seven: As Things Were/Rumors
Draco had been to the cove almost all his free time during the day, and started coming at night. His dreams were just unbearable so he made himself some Dreamless Sleep potion, which seemed to help. When he saw Ginny that night, he knew she too was having troubles. Before they parted ways he gave her a vial of the potion.
Draco laid awake in bed thinking of what was happening. He yelled at himself for giving into to Ginny. She wanted to be his friend and they were nearly there...but what would happen when the attack came?
The rumors Draco had heard earlier that summer were that Voldemort was planning a huge attack where a large concentration of wizards would be. He suspected his Father had left home to put his full effort into the attack, but couldn't be quite sure. He didn't know if a huge war would ensue, and didn't care to take sides. Then he'd be alone, but he'd prefer it that way.
One thing Draco knew for sure, he couldn't let his guard down around Ginny any more. He'd hurt her, he knew, but he'd hurt her far worse if he didn't.
With his plans secure in his head, he got up to take a shower. When he was finished, the early morning sunlight was just beginning to filter through the window. He went to his classes, as usual. Things were going pretty well until he bumped into Ginny after dinner.
"Are we going to have another study session?" Ginny asked, clutching a few books to her chest.
"What makes you think I want to help you?" Draco sneered.
Ginny's happy expression soon vanished from her face. "But I though-- "
"You obviously must have thought wrong, now get out of my way, Weasley." Draco pushed passed her, hoping she'd get the hint.
Draco knew right away that Care of Magical Creatures would be awkward at first, but Ginny clung to Hermione, and Draco was partnered up with some Hufflepuff who looked at Draco frighteningly every time he moved. After a while Ginny would smile weakly at Draco whenever she'd see him, but make no attempts to talk to him. It seemed she hoped he'd come around.
Without realizing it, the Christmas Holidays were upon them, and snow softly covered the ground. Draco went home for the Holidays to comfort his Mother, but knew he had other reasons as well.
~*~*~
The Dreamless Sleep potion helped Ginny out a lot, but got downhearted when Draco stopped talking to her. She could hit herself for showing her weaknesses in front of Draco. Maybe that's what he wanted. Maybe his whole plan was to get to Ron through his little sister. But somehow, Ginny didn't buy it.
The day Draco left for home, Ginny was up in her room, writing a letter home, when something caught her eye. The feathers on the dreamcatcher were moving in the wind. The window was open!
"Mary!" Ginny yelled at the empty room. Mary had opened the door earlier, claiming the cold air was good for the skin in the morning, and had forgotten to close it.
Ginny closed the window, then her eyes rested on the dreamcatcher. There were probably a dozen dreams in there, right now, all holding the shadow. Voldemort's shadow. Ginny bit her bottom lip as she reached for the dreamcatcher, and held it in her hands. She touched he wand to it, and suddenly her dreams flashed before her. Ginny reluctantly watched the dreams play over and over, trying to find patterns, when she suddenly spotted something.
She quickly glanced at all her dreams, and in everyone there was this thing...a deer? No, a man with legs like a deer...a Faun! Ginny racked her brain for information on fauns, but couldn't come up with anything that would help her.
She dropped the dreamcatcher on the floor, and hurired through the halls to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. She opened the door without knocking, and found Professor Stone talking with Professor Grubbly- Plank.
"Hello, Ginny. We were just discussing the Forbidden Forest final--" Professor Stone stopped mid-sentence upon seeing Ginny's expression of urgency. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Professor Stone, Profess Grubly-Plank," Ginny tried to catch her breath. "I've been having nightmares and I was just looking throug the dreamcatcher when I saw something that I hadn't seen before...a faun." Ginny collapsed into a chair, and stared expectantly at the teachers.
"Well," Professor Grubly-Plank started, "Fauns are known to cause nightmares, but just for play. Do you know any fauns?" Ginny shook her head. "They usually don't seek people out."
Professor Stone listened to this conversation, but didn't seem a bit surprised at the news. Ginny knew then that there was something she was hiding.
"Professor Stone, can I speak with you alone?" Ginny asked. "About our test last week?" Ginny added, to make sure Grubly-Plank didn't take offense.
When Grubly-Plank left, Ginny started. "You know something, don't you?" Ginny nearly yelled.
"Ginny, calm down." Professor Stone said sharply. "You'll get no where yelling."
"Please, tell me...please."
Professor Stone sat in thought, then said, "I knew, Ginny, when I first saw you that you had dreams...that's why I gave you the dreamcatcher. Do you not wonder why the famous witch from America is here, at Hogwarts, instead of fighting the Dark Lord?"
Ginny had never thought about that before. Why was the best witch at fighting the Dark Arts here? Wouldn't she be more useful out there, fighting against Voldemort? Professor Stone continued.
"There are rumors, Ginny. Voldemort will attack, and soon. The Forbidden Forest isn't some special final we are putting you students through...it's Auror training. Some of the students' families refused to have their children train to be Aurors before they graduated school, so we sweetened up the tital of the test. The board passed it, most of them in the dark as to what really is going on."
"What does that have to do with my dreams?" Ginny asked.
"Ah, as Professor Trelawney would have you know, dreams are a window into our futures and destinies." Professor Stone didn't even ask what her dreams were about, but Ginny had a sinking feeling she already knew the gist of them.
Ginny left the classroom, not sure if she knew more than what she did when she entered. So her dreams were possibly caused by a faun, but why? Were there fauns in the Forbidden Forest? She hadn't heard of any being there. And why hadn't her Father told her about the rumors of an attack?
"Probably doesn't want to scare little Ginny." She thought.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled, coming down the corridor. "We've been looking all over for you. Hermione found a spell that will keep us warm outside, and we wanted to have a snow war."
Ginny didn't think she had the spirit to play in the snow, but she was reluctantly being dragged outside by Ron.
That was how the days flew by during the Holidays. Snow wars, games inside the common room, feasts at every meal. Christmas brought presents from home and presents from friends. Ginny and Ron had both gone in together to get Hermione a silver chest to hold her potoins ingredients in, and they both got Harry a miniature Quidditch game that was much like chess, you telling your players to go where and when. When the golden snitch was found, you had to yell it at your seeker, and keep on yelling until he caught it or the other teams seeker would get it first.
Ginny got a sweater from home, and homemade fudge. Angel got her some stationary, Ginny giving her some glitter quills in return. An unmarked package lay at the bottom of the whole pile. Ginny opened it and found it containing vials of the Dreamless Sleep potion. Ginny had run out of the one Draco had given her, and had made herself a poor subsitute which didn't work half the time. Ginny smiled, then placed the vials in a desk drawer near her bed.
The rest of the Holidays went by, and soon the school was packed with students dreading the new semester. At the first day of classes, the list of partners was posted on the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Ginny waited until she had the class later that day to find out who she would be partnered up with. She knew for a fact it wouldn't be Ron, Harry or Hermione. But she wasn't prepared for who her partner would be.
"Draco Malfoy?" Ginny said aloud, pointing at their names, listed as couple number six.
"Tough break." A sympathetic seventh year said behind her.
~*~*~
Draco somehow knew he'd be paired up with her. The fates seemed to push him towards her, and no matter how he tried, his efforts were in vain. A room in the dungeons would be open every other night to allow the students to make their potions they would use, and the students going into the Forest suddenly found themselves studying like they've never studied before.
"So, which potions did you want to use?" Ginny asked.
They were both in the library, and Ginny was afraid to say something to make him angry. She had said something to him in Care of Magical Creatures and he nearly chewed her out about it.
"I don't care." Draco said, playing with his quill.
"Draco, come on, some of these potions need weeks to boil. Let's just choose two on our own, that way we only have to agree on one." Ginny offered.
Draco looked up from his quill, then nodded.
"Ok, I'm going to choose..." Ginny rolled her eyes twoards the ceiling, pondering. "Clear Site potion and...Camellion potoin."
Draco scoffed.
"What?" Ginny asked, a little angry.
"If you want to choose two unuseful potions, that's not my problem." Draco answered.
"For you information, the Clear Site potion not only allows you to see things that aren't what they appear, but it also allows you to see miles ahead of you. It could become very useful."
"What about the Camellion?"
"There are beasts in there that have no sense of smell, but excellent eye site. If I were to take the Camellion potion, I'd blend in with my surroundings, and free from harm." Ginny smiled.
"I'll make Rejuvenating potion and Vitarium."
Ginny's eyes went wide. Vitarium was very difficult to make, and was only found in the restriction section of the library. It was one of the potions that enhanced a particular part of the body. The Vitarium enhanced a persons speed, allowing them to go ten times faster than they'd normally be able to go.
"But that's very hard to make." Ginny said.
"I've made it before." Draco said casually. "So what are we both going to make?"
Ginny looked up, sheepishly. "Dreamless Sleep?"
Draco nodded his head, then he left, claiming he had better things to do than waste his time with her.
(A/N: Ok, this is for the girl who doesn't know how to upload stories. You have to register, then read the prompts! Simple simple!!! :-)
I'm so happy you guys are reading and enjoying my stories. You have no idea what a pleasure it gives me to share the movies in my head with the populace!!! lol!!! I have SO many more story ideas, that I wish I had five of me to write them faster...hmm...what if there were five Ginnys???? There's just no END!!!
Oh, and Davesmom, you are my FAV author!!! Thanks a whole bunches for reading my stories and liking them. ::kisses the ground Davesmom walks on:: If any of you readers have stories of your own, I'd love to read them, as long as they're PG13 or lower. hugs and kisses!!!)
Draco had been to the cove almost all his free time during the day, and started coming at night. His dreams were just unbearable so he made himself some Dreamless Sleep potion, which seemed to help. When he saw Ginny that night, he knew she too was having troubles. Before they parted ways he gave her a vial of the potion.
Draco laid awake in bed thinking of what was happening. He yelled at himself for giving into to Ginny. She wanted to be his friend and they were nearly there...but what would happen when the attack came?
The rumors Draco had heard earlier that summer were that Voldemort was planning a huge attack where a large concentration of wizards would be. He suspected his Father had left home to put his full effort into the attack, but couldn't be quite sure. He didn't know if a huge war would ensue, and didn't care to take sides. Then he'd be alone, but he'd prefer it that way.
One thing Draco knew for sure, he couldn't let his guard down around Ginny any more. He'd hurt her, he knew, but he'd hurt her far worse if he didn't.
With his plans secure in his head, he got up to take a shower. When he was finished, the early morning sunlight was just beginning to filter through the window. He went to his classes, as usual. Things were going pretty well until he bumped into Ginny after dinner.
"Are we going to have another study session?" Ginny asked, clutching a few books to her chest.
"What makes you think I want to help you?" Draco sneered.
Ginny's happy expression soon vanished from her face. "But I though-- "
"You obviously must have thought wrong, now get out of my way, Weasley." Draco pushed passed her, hoping she'd get the hint.
Draco knew right away that Care of Magical Creatures would be awkward at first, but Ginny clung to Hermione, and Draco was partnered up with some Hufflepuff who looked at Draco frighteningly every time he moved. After a while Ginny would smile weakly at Draco whenever she'd see him, but make no attempts to talk to him. It seemed she hoped he'd come around.
Without realizing it, the Christmas Holidays were upon them, and snow softly covered the ground. Draco went home for the Holidays to comfort his Mother, but knew he had other reasons as well.
~*~*~
The Dreamless Sleep potion helped Ginny out a lot, but got downhearted when Draco stopped talking to her. She could hit herself for showing her weaknesses in front of Draco. Maybe that's what he wanted. Maybe his whole plan was to get to Ron through his little sister. But somehow, Ginny didn't buy it.
The day Draco left for home, Ginny was up in her room, writing a letter home, when something caught her eye. The feathers on the dreamcatcher were moving in the wind. The window was open!
"Mary!" Ginny yelled at the empty room. Mary had opened the door earlier, claiming the cold air was good for the skin in the morning, and had forgotten to close it.
Ginny closed the window, then her eyes rested on the dreamcatcher. There were probably a dozen dreams in there, right now, all holding the shadow. Voldemort's shadow. Ginny bit her bottom lip as she reached for the dreamcatcher, and held it in her hands. She touched he wand to it, and suddenly her dreams flashed before her. Ginny reluctantly watched the dreams play over and over, trying to find patterns, when she suddenly spotted something.
She quickly glanced at all her dreams, and in everyone there was this thing...a deer? No, a man with legs like a deer...a Faun! Ginny racked her brain for information on fauns, but couldn't come up with anything that would help her.
She dropped the dreamcatcher on the floor, and hurired through the halls to the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. She opened the door without knocking, and found Professor Stone talking with Professor Grubbly- Plank.
"Hello, Ginny. We were just discussing the Forbidden Forest final--" Professor Stone stopped mid-sentence upon seeing Ginny's expression of urgency. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Professor Stone, Profess Grubly-Plank," Ginny tried to catch her breath. "I've been having nightmares and I was just looking throug the dreamcatcher when I saw something that I hadn't seen before...a faun." Ginny collapsed into a chair, and stared expectantly at the teachers.
"Well," Professor Grubly-Plank started, "Fauns are known to cause nightmares, but just for play. Do you know any fauns?" Ginny shook her head. "They usually don't seek people out."
Professor Stone listened to this conversation, but didn't seem a bit surprised at the news. Ginny knew then that there was something she was hiding.
"Professor Stone, can I speak with you alone?" Ginny asked. "About our test last week?" Ginny added, to make sure Grubly-Plank didn't take offense.
When Grubly-Plank left, Ginny started. "You know something, don't you?" Ginny nearly yelled.
"Ginny, calm down." Professor Stone said sharply. "You'll get no where yelling."
"Please, tell me...please."
Professor Stone sat in thought, then said, "I knew, Ginny, when I first saw you that you had dreams...that's why I gave you the dreamcatcher. Do you not wonder why the famous witch from America is here, at Hogwarts, instead of fighting the Dark Lord?"
Ginny had never thought about that before. Why was the best witch at fighting the Dark Arts here? Wouldn't she be more useful out there, fighting against Voldemort? Professor Stone continued.
"There are rumors, Ginny. Voldemort will attack, and soon. The Forbidden Forest isn't some special final we are putting you students through...it's Auror training. Some of the students' families refused to have their children train to be Aurors before they graduated school, so we sweetened up the tital of the test. The board passed it, most of them in the dark as to what really is going on."
"What does that have to do with my dreams?" Ginny asked.
"Ah, as Professor Trelawney would have you know, dreams are a window into our futures and destinies." Professor Stone didn't even ask what her dreams were about, but Ginny had a sinking feeling she already knew the gist of them.
Ginny left the classroom, not sure if she knew more than what she did when she entered. So her dreams were possibly caused by a faun, but why? Were there fauns in the Forbidden Forest? She hadn't heard of any being there. And why hadn't her Father told her about the rumors of an attack?
"Probably doesn't want to scare little Ginny." She thought.
"Ginny!" Ron yelled, coming down the corridor. "We've been looking all over for you. Hermione found a spell that will keep us warm outside, and we wanted to have a snow war."
Ginny didn't think she had the spirit to play in the snow, but she was reluctantly being dragged outside by Ron.
That was how the days flew by during the Holidays. Snow wars, games inside the common room, feasts at every meal. Christmas brought presents from home and presents from friends. Ginny and Ron had both gone in together to get Hermione a silver chest to hold her potoins ingredients in, and they both got Harry a miniature Quidditch game that was much like chess, you telling your players to go where and when. When the golden snitch was found, you had to yell it at your seeker, and keep on yelling until he caught it or the other teams seeker would get it first.
Ginny got a sweater from home, and homemade fudge. Angel got her some stationary, Ginny giving her some glitter quills in return. An unmarked package lay at the bottom of the whole pile. Ginny opened it and found it containing vials of the Dreamless Sleep potion. Ginny had run out of the one Draco had given her, and had made herself a poor subsitute which didn't work half the time. Ginny smiled, then placed the vials in a desk drawer near her bed.
The rest of the Holidays went by, and soon the school was packed with students dreading the new semester. At the first day of classes, the list of partners was posted on the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Ginny waited until she had the class later that day to find out who she would be partnered up with. She knew for a fact it wouldn't be Ron, Harry or Hermione. But she wasn't prepared for who her partner would be.
"Draco Malfoy?" Ginny said aloud, pointing at their names, listed as couple number six.
"Tough break." A sympathetic seventh year said behind her.
~*~*~
Draco somehow knew he'd be paired up with her. The fates seemed to push him towards her, and no matter how he tried, his efforts were in vain. A room in the dungeons would be open every other night to allow the students to make their potions they would use, and the students going into the Forest suddenly found themselves studying like they've never studied before.
"So, which potions did you want to use?" Ginny asked.
They were both in the library, and Ginny was afraid to say something to make him angry. She had said something to him in Care of Magical Creatures and he nearly chewed her out about it.
"I don't care." Draco said, playing with his quill.
"Draco, come on, some of these potions need weeks to boil. Let's just choose two on our own, that way we only have to agree on one." Ginny offered.
Draco looked up from his quill, then nodded.
"Ok, I'm going to choose..." Ginny rolled her eyes twoards the ceiling, pondering. "Clear Site potion and...Camellion potoin."
Draco scoffed.
"What?" Ginny asked, a little angry.
"If you want to choose two unuseful potions, that's not my problem." Draco answered.
"For you information, the Clear Site potion not only allows you to see things that aren't what they appear, but it also allows you to see miles ahead of you. It could become very useful."
"What about the Camellion?"
"There are beasts in there that have no sense of smell, but excellent eye site. If I were to take the Camellion potion, I'd blend in with my surroundings, and free from harm." Ginny smiled.
"I'll make Rejuvenating potion and Vitarium."
Ginny's eyes went wide. Vitarium was very difficult to make, and was only found in the restriction section of the library. It was one of the potions that enhanced a particular part of the body. The Vitarium enhanced a persons speed, allowing them to go ten times faster than they'd normally be able to go.
"But that's very hard to make." Ginny said.
"I've made it before." Draco said casually. "So what are we both going to make?"
Ginny looked up, sheepishly. "Dreamless Sleep?"
Draco nodded his head, then he left, claiming he had better things to do than waste his time with her.
(A/N: Ok, this is for the girl who doesn't know how to upload stories. You have to register, then read the prompts! Simple simple!!! :-)
I'm so happy you guys are reading and enjoying my stories. You have no idea what a pleasure it gives me to share the movies in my head with the populace!!! lol!!! I have SO many more story ideas, that I wish I had five of me to write them faster...hmm...what if there were five Ginnys???? There's just no END!!!
Oh, and Davesmom, you are my FAV author!!! Thanks a whole bunches for reading my stories and liking them. ::kisses the ground Davesmom walks on:: If any of you readers have stories of your own, I'd love to read them, as long as they're PG13 or lower. hugs and kisses!!!)