Chapter 3
Ginny watched, fascinated, as Malfoy crumpled slowly to the ground at her feet. His face still wore the mildly surprise expression it had when she had shouted her spell. She cringed as his head thudded against the cold tile floor, but she didn't move. Her cry of 'stupefy' was much louder than she'd intended and her nerves were jangling now that she'd taken the first step. Anxious that someone might have heard her, she listened carefully, but didn't hear anyone approaching. She decided she had better get on with it. Because of her training, she could have conjured a litter and floated Malfoy to her destination, but she didn't want to take the time.
She quietly murmured a different spell and watched in horrified fascination as Malfoy's body floated toward the ceiling. Ginny was almost unnerved at the way his head lolled and his limbs and book bag dangled away from his body. A tiny stream of dark fluid dripped from his bag. He must have broken his bottle of ink. She would have to clean up the ink later. Ginny switched the wand to her uninjured hand and brought Malfoy's body back down, to about three feet off the ground. She used tight, controlled movements to float him back to the drinking fountain. There was a small door next to the fountain, barely noticeable. It had the same sort of spell on it that the Leaky Cauldron had. You would never notice it unless you were actually looking for it. She had missed it herself for the last three and a half months, until she remembered it was there. The door had no doorknob, but tapping the wooden panel, she said, "Ajar!" The door opened quietly outward. She maneuvered Malfoy into the chamber beyond and was just entering herself when she heard shuffling footsteps coming down the corridor. She slipped inside and pulled the door closed, using the doorknob attached to the inside.
Allowing Malfoy's body to drop with a thud to the floor, Ginny said, "Lumos." Weak light spilled from the tip of her wand. She went to the wall sconces set about the small chamber she had entered and lit them. The light from the several torches revealed a room about twelve feet by twelve feet. A cell was formed at the back of the room by a wall of iron bars, tightly spaced, running from one end of the chamber to the other. The cell was only about five feet in depth, but large enough for one arrogant, murderous seventh year. There were chains on the walls, but Ginny didn't plan on using those. She 'lifted' Malfoy again, floated him through the barred door and dropped him onto the floor again. Fortunately for him, this time his head landed on a thin wool blanket that had been folded and placed in the center of the cell. Ginny approached Malfoy cautiously, ready to jump away if he showed any signs of rousing from the spell. She clumsily unfastened his robe and removed it, the pain in her shoulder making her move more slowly than she had expected. Checking the pockets, she was relieved to find his wand. But, being Malfoy, there was no saying what other nasty items he might find amusing to carry about. Grimacing, she patted at his trouser pockets, then, biting her lip, she dug into first one, then the other. Besides a wicked looking pocket knife, Malfoy had a spare wand, a Sneak-o-scope (obviously broken, since it hadn't detected Ginny sneaking up behind him), a pouch with some awful smelling powder, and, incredibly, what looked like one of Ginny's old hair ribbons that she had lost ages ago. What on earth would Malfoy be doing with one of her hair ribbons? Had he planned to use it for some horrid spell?
Suffering from extreme paranoia, Ginny did what the police on Hermione's television called a 'pat-down'. She ran her hands over his arms and chest, checking for suspicious bulges that might indicate weapons. Then she moved to his thighs and calves. Thank heavens there was nothing. Ginny frowned. She remembered the way Malfoy had turned Crabbe's wrist and freed himself from the more muscular boy. But even the very brief and embarrassed contact she'd had with his body told her that Malfoy was painfully thin, almost gaunt. The muscles he did have must be well conditioned, she thought. If he ever got her in his grasp again, she would probably be done for. There was just no way she could hope to match his strength. Shaking her head at such unproductive thoughts, she decided she had just better stay out of reach. Then Ginny took his book bag, the robe and the contents of his pockets and left the cell. She closed the door and locked it securely, first with spells, then with the rusty old lock on the door. Pocketing the equally rusty old key, she figured she would just leave him for now. He would probably wake from the stupefy spell on his own, but, if not, she would wake him after dinner. Ginny shivered slightly as she looked around the small room. It was an inner chamber, but it was still very cold. She glanced guiltily at Malfoy's thin form sprawled on the cold floor. Sighing, she moved to the hearth at the far end of the room. It was about five feet wide and ended before the bars began. She started a fire, keeping it fairly small. It would quickly warm a small chamber like this, especially as there were no windows and only one door. Ginny took one last look around to make sure everything on her side of the bars was well out of his reach. Then she exited the chamber.
She pushed the door closed and looked down at the small trail of ink leading directly to the hidden chamber. Luckily, whoever had just passed hadn't stepped in it. She waved her wand and cleaned it away quickly. She was just finishing when she heard footsteps approaching again, but from the opposite direction. Crabbe and Goyle whipped around the corner at almost a trot and nearly ran Ginny down. It was almost comical, the way the large boys lumbered to a stop just shy of Ginny's toes. Ginny looked up at them, nervously wondering what they were doing there. Were they looking for Malfoy?
Crabbe looked Ginny up and down, and gave Ginny a twist of his lips that looked more like a leer than a smile. "You're all right, then? Malfoy didn't catch you?"
Goyle heaved what sounded like a sigh of relief and looked at Crabbe. "Thought it was a wash," he murmured quietly. "But she don't seem hurt."
Crabbe slammed a large elbow into his partner's gut and said, "Malfoy was in a taking today. Just thought we'd warn you to keep out of his way."
Ginny had barely noticed Goyle's words. She was too amazed at what Crabbe said. It sounded like they had set out to, if not protect her, at least warn her.
"I-er-ducked into that passage up there," she pointed to the dark dead end passageway. "He was in such a hurry he just walked right by!" At least it was the truth, she thought.
Vincent Crabbe, apparently the brains of the operation in Malfoy's absence, scratched his head and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. He looked Ginny up and down again, this time definitely leering at her. "Lost your book bag, did you? Fetch it and me and Goyle'll see you to your next class, just in case he comes back."
Ginny gasped. Where was her book bag? She must have left it in her hiding spot. But she might have left it in the cell, locked up with Malfoy. Almost in panic, she said quickly, "That's all right. I'll be fine now. I'll just take the main stairway."
Crabbe shook his head and looked mulishly at her. "We'll go with you."
Ginny knew it was no use arguing. They obviously weren't about to be swayed. "All right," she said in a falsely bright voice. "I'll just collect my bag."
She headed up the corridor to the passageway she'd hidden in. The two large boys followed closely. They were at the archway when Ginny remembered that she had left her books here so she could sneak up on Malfoy more easily. She picked up the bag and returned to her escort.
"Right, then. Lead on." Crabbe motioned Ginny back down the hallway. Ginny tried to think of something to say to these two boys. They didn't seem any bit more friendly or personable than they had before, but she thought she should at least make an effort. The problem was that before today she didn't think she'd heard them utter more than a dozen words each. What did one say to her enemy's best friends?
As they came off the stairs, Ginny saw some students ahead. She turned and thanked both Crabbe and Goyle for the escort. She was about to go when Crabbe stopped her.
"Keep out of his way for a while," he said slowly. "Dunno what happened, but it must have been something. He was out for blood. Just keep away from him 'til he leaves tonight and he should be fine when he gets back."
Ginny had no idea why they were helping her, but on impulse she reached out and squeezed Crabbe's hand. "Thanks again," she whispered, then turned and hurried toward her class. She didn't notice the sly look that passed between the two Slytherins.
Ariel had been watching for Ginny. The bell was about to ring and the tiny redhead was nowhere in sight. Then, to her amazement, Ariel saw Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, almost in flanking positions, escort Ginny down the back stairway toward her class. Ginny turned to them and said something, then reached out and squeezed Crabbe's large paw. Ariel shook her head. Amazing! Ginny hurried up to her friend with a smile on her lips.
"What the bloody hell was that!" Ariel demanded, shocked into what she would call unladylike language.
Ginny's smile dimmed slightly as she looked back to where the large boys were hurrying back up the stairway.
"I honestly don't know, Ari. Believe it or not, they were bent on protecting me from Malfoy!"
"Well, you know you have a lot of explaining to do at lunch, then, right? I want to hear all about it!" Ariel linked her arm with Ginny's and the girls slipped into class as the bell rang.
Ginny had agreed to spend ten minutes at lunch telling Ariel about Crabbe and Goyle's defense of herself, but that would be all. She still had some things to arrange. She pocketed several chunks of kidney from her meat pie, along with a roll and an apple. She saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting together and almost nodded at them. But, they were ignoring her, as though they had not directly defied their ringleader. She shook her head. She still didn't understand why they'd done it, but she was glad they hadn't made an issue of it.
They did look a bit lost without Malfoy sitting between them. This was the hardest part of the plan so far. None of the Slytherins seemed to notice that Malfoy was missing, not even Crabbe or Goyle. And he had missed one class already. Surely someone would raise the alarm? But if the Slytherins did notice, they didn't seem to care. Ginny tried to chat casually with Ariel, but was anxious to put the next part of her plan in place. She finally pushed her plate away and got to her feet, Ariel right beside her.
"The library should be pretty empty," the taller girl said.
Ginny nodded and they left the Great Hall. They ensconced themselves in comfortable chairs in the back of the library and Ariel leaned toward Ginny.
"All right, now tell me about the Goon Squad!" she demanded.
So Ginny told them about Crabbe's blocking maneuver, Goyle's motions for her to hurry out of class and their insistence that they escort her. Ariel asked if she knew why, but Ginny was frankly bewildered.
"I suppose they might be protecting him from landing in Azkaban? They said he was out for blood right now," Ginny mused. Where would Crabbe and Goyle be without Malfoy to lead them? Better off, she answered herself.
"Well, they say miracles do happen this time of year, you know," Ariel commented. "So what's next?"
"I'll tell you in my owl tomorrow, Ari. But now I have to take care of some things." Ginny stood, but Ariel grabbed her arm.
"Just be careful, okay?"
Ginny smiled. "As careful as I can," she promised.
After leaving the library, Ginny hurried up the stairs to the Medical Healing wing. It was still deserted and would be for another half hour or so. Ginny snuck into the hidden chamber and was relieved to see that Malfoy was still out. She was also relieved that the fire had warmed the room considerably. Glancing at Malfoy again, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. How could she have even come this far? She was a Gryffindor, one of the good guys. Had her experience with Tom Riddle's diary left some mark of evil on her soul? She shook her head. No, she was just getting justice! The difference between her and Malfoy was that she did this with extreme guilt. She would feel guilty for this, as mild as her actions were, so far, for years. Malfoy would probably enjoy keeping someone captive. He'd probably be just like his father, enjoying the fear and pain he brought to others. She glared at the inert form, then turned to his book bag. She opened it and rummaged through the books. There was a quantity of ink all over most of the contents, but some items were spared. She pulled out a sheet of homework that had been returned, graded, to him. Not a bad grade, either, Ginny noted. But she wasn't interested in Malfoy's intellect. She needed a good sample of his penmanship. Further delving into his bag brought forth clean, high quality parchment and a fine quill. Ginny took these to the edge of the hearth and sat. She pulled out her own inkbottle since his had broken. She then studied the handwriting carefully. It was neat, but with strong, bold strokes. He had been taught very well and his hand would be difficult to forge. Using one of her books for a flat surface, Ginny pulled some parchment from her own bag and practiced, relieved that her shoulder injury didn't affect her ability to write. She used both sides of two sheets before she was satisfied with her efforts. Then she drew one of Malfoy's sheets onto her lap. She thought carefully, then began.
Even with practice, Ginny wasted four sheets before she had what she considered a believable letter. She threw the others, including her practice sheets, into the fire, carefully folded the remaining letter, and put the supplies away. She lowered the flames a bit, then pulled a small cup from her bag. She'd snuck it from the Great Hall and now went to the water fountain outside the door and filled it. She left it just inside the bars and left the room, again checking that nothing but the cup was within Malfoy's reach.
Ginny ran up to the owlery looking for Malfoy's owl. The beautiful creature was as proud and standoffish as her master, but was extremely susceptible to flattery. With croons and soft words, Ginny enticed her to come down from her perch. Ginny offered her the food she'd brought from the Great Hall, still caressing and crooning at the lovely owl. When most of the food was gone, Ginny held up the letter. The owl seemed to examine it closely, then looked up at Ginny, head tilted to the side.
"I know, love, you're wondering where your master is. But this is to go to his parents. Would you take it? If I promise to come feed and groom you for the next week?"
The owl seemed to be seriously considering the question. The intelligent eyes gleamed, and Ginny wondered for a moment if the creature could sense her dishonesty. Then the owl made an affirmative sound and stuck out one claw. Ginny held the letter so the bird could take a grip, and was away in a flurry of wings and feathers. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been certain on the wording. Who knew if even someone like Malfoy referred to his parents as 'Papa' or 'Mumsy'? Ginny glanced at her watch and yelped. She just had time to get back to her first afternoon class without being late.
That evening, Ginny walked with Ariel to the castle entrance. Ariel was taking only one small bag, but as she was stacking it with the other bags and chests, Ginny glanced around to see if Crabbe or Goyle were about looking for Malfoy. She saw neither of the boys, and breathed a sight of relief. Ariel returned to where she was standing and Ginny hugged her friend tightly, missing her already.
"Now, tell me again why you're all leaving tonight and not tomorrow morning?" Ginny asked, remembering in years past that the train always left on Saturday morning.
"Something about being able to spend an extra day or something like that." Ariel was still worried about Ginny, but was excited to be going on holiday. The horseless carriages were lining up at the foot of the stairs to transport the students to Hogsmeade Station. Ariel turned serious suddenly. "Now don't forget. An owl a day or this gets sent to Professor Mac!" She held up a letter addressed to the transfiguration professor. She pocketed the letter and hugged Ginny. "Take care of yourself, and do be careful!"
Rubeus Hagrid was shouting for everyone to hop it, so the girls made their good byes and Ariel climbed into one of the carriages. When it finally disappeared from sight, Ginny gathered her cloak about her and returned to the castle.
Ron and his best friend Harry were standing at the entry to the Great Hall after having seen Hermione off. "Hurry up, Gin, dinner's almost on!" Ron called, waving his hand for her to run.
Ginny did hurry the last few steps, then fell in beside them. As usual, with so many students gone, three of the tables had been pushed aside and all of the students, regardless of which house they belonged to, were sitting companionably together. Ginny glanced around and was relieved to see that Crabbe and Goyle were on the far end of the table. She sat with Ron and Harry, who immediately began to argue Quidditch. Ginny loved Quidditch, but she couldn't discuss it non-stop, like these two seemed to. Ginny was only listening with half an ear, when she heard Malfoy's name.
"-Malfoy again this year, Harry?" Ron was asking
"I don't know. He seems to be playing better this year. More patient. That's always been his problem." Harry seemed to consider this, then added, "Well, that and cheating!"
The boys laughed. Ginny didn't think it was funny. Harry was right. Malfoy was a cheater. Unfortunately, he did seem to be playing better this year. His team had flattened Ravenclaw and he'd gotten the Snitch very quickly. Hufflepuff was tough this year, but Slytherin had beaten them too. She enjoyed watching the teams flying, even when she was up there with them. She really thought Harry might be in trouble this year. Shrugging, Ginny decided not to worry about it until the game, which wasn't for another month. At the moment she had much more important things to worry about. The food finally appeared and the small gathering of students and teachers made merry.
"Where are you off to now, Gin," Ron asked later, lolling back in a soft chair in the Gryffindor Common Room. He didn't appear extremely interested, just observing the forms. He was merely keeping a very negligent eye out for his little sister. Ginny hefted her book bag on her shoulder, stifling her wince, and decided that she didn't mind today. It gave her freedom to do what she needed to.
"I thought I'd go to the library and study ahead for Healing. Want to keep those Slytherins on their toes!" That one line was guaranteed to keep Ron off her back. He was delighted that his sister was showing up those arrogant Slytherins.
He smiled. "Well done, sis. Keep up the good work!"
Harry gave her a speculative look. "Just going to study ahead, are you? Sure you're not going to meet some fellow?"
Ron turned back, his eyes narrowed. "What fellow? And why am I always the last one to know? Who is he, Gin?"
Ginny wanted to slap Harry. He didn't want her, had never been interested in her. She had finally gotten over her schoolgirl crush in her fourth year, realizing that he never would be interested in her as anything other than a surrogate little sister. But why did he have to make comments like that? He was always doing it. It was funny when Hermione or Ariel teased her, but Harry just sounded like he was prying.
Ginny clicked her tongue and lifted her nose. "IF I were meeting some fellow, it would be my business, not yours, Ron. And especially not yours, Harry," she said firmly. "Besides, you don't hear me asking about when you sneak off with Hermione, right Ron?"
Ron's ears turned pink, but he had the decency to smile sheepishly. Ginny turned to Harry. "And I see no one bothers to question you about where you disappear to on Hogsmeade weekends when a certain former Ravenclaw Seeker happens to be in town, right?"
Harry also flushed, but snapped, "That's because it's no one else's business!"
"Precisely," Ginny said with a shark-like grin as she exited the Common Room.
She hurried back up to the chamber where Malfoy was locked up. She was very careful to stop and listen every so often. The last thing she needed or wanted was for Argus Filch or his detestable cat Mrs. Norris to catch her. She wondered briefly if the cat were somehow magical. It seemed to be living forever! She rounded the last corner and moved to the unnoticed door beside the drinking fountain. She lifted her wand but paused for a moment. A vague feeling of unease settled on her. Ginny looked both ways, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging off the feeling, she murmured, "Ajar" and stood back as the door popped open. Ginny entered the chamber and pulled the door closed, then turned to look at Malfoy. Her heart jumped to her throat.
Malfoy's body was lying near the door of the cell, but there was blood all over him! His white school shirt was stained and ripped, his tie was loosened, and there was a long streak of blood across his neck. Ginny rushed forward, removing the locking spells from the door and trying to pull the key from her pocket. The feeling of apprehension engulfed her again, this time almost overwhelming her. She stopped suddenly and looked at Malfoy more closely. Her eyes widened, and she felt certain this was a trap. She took two hasty steps backward; arms wind-milling as she almost lost her balance. She was still almost too late. Malfoy leaped to his feet and thrust his arms through the bars, trying to catch hold of Ginny's robes. The fingers of his left hand brushed briefly against the material of her sleeve, but she pulled away quickly. The unbelievable speed with which he'd gone from flat on the floor to almost grabbing her had her backing up to the opposite wall.
She shivered when she looked at him, his blood streaked face pressed against the bars, his hands gripping them tightly. It was like a horrid nightmare. Ginny finally caught her breath and gathered her wits. She absently kneaded her shoulder to ease the pain that had flared up again. Then she approached the bars, careful to stay well out of Malfoy's reach.
"Well, I see you're awake," Ginny said more calmly than she felt.
She was surprised to see him grin. It was a twisted sort of grin, but it seemed to reflect some sense of humor.
"I was close, little weasel, very close," he said in a low, sneering voice. "Do you really think you'll get away with this?"
Ginny patiently placed all the locking spells back on the door, then went to the hearth and sat, shrugging off her bag and rolling the right shoulder, which was now throbbing again.
"I seem to have done well enough so far," she informed him. "You missed half your classes today and no one seemed to notice. Or maybe they just didn't care?"
The sneer on his face turned into a scowl. "No? You don't think so? Well, I see one problem with your 'plan', if you actually have a plan. My father is expecting me home on the train for the holidays. What do you think he'll do when I don't arrive?"
It was Ginny's turn to grin. Malfoy didn't seem to like the grin since he scowled more fiercely. Pulling a quill and parchment from her bag, she casually began to write.
"Well, little weasel? What are you going to do when the headmaster calls for a search of the castle? I think there'll be roast weasel for dinner tomorrow!"
He laughed harshly at his own joke. Ginny still ignored him.
Ginny finally finished what she was doing and lifted the parchment. "What do you think, Malfoy? I think it catches the essence of you!" Then she read aloud.
"Dear Father,
Since I know you and Mother think I'm a weak little ferret and would rather not suffer my presence at this festive time of year, I have decided to jump into the lake and drown myself, thereby relieving you from the burden of my company.
Sincerely,
Draco"
Ginny approached the bars again and carefully extended her arm. Malfoy glared at her as he snatched the sheet from her hand. He looked it over, back and front. He looked closely at her, and then back at the parchment. Glaring at it he demanded, "What the hell is this, Weasley? I never wrote this!"
"Of course not, you git. Didn't you see me just write it? But even you have to admit it's a very nice forgery." Ginny smiled at him, enjoying herself immensely. He was still glaring at the note she'd written, the glare fading into a look of bewilderment. "But naturally I said something much more diplomatic to your father, though I doubt he'd notice the difference." She added the last spitefully.
Malfoy glanced up from the parchment at the last. "Do you mean you sent a letter to my father?" he asked, brightening. "You do realize he'll be suspicious immediately he sees it wasn't delivered by Archimedes." Malfoy actually smiled.
"Archimedes!?" Ginny asked, astounded. "You named that lovely creature 'Archimedes'?" She looked at Malfoy as though he'd lost his mind.
Malfoy's smile faded. "What the hell do you care what I call my owl, Weasley? What would you have named her, Fluffy or some other sappy, stupid little-girl name?"
"Never mind, Malfoy. Her name doesn't matter." She shrugged matter-of- factly. "She knows she's a beauty, doesn't she? Now, what did you do to yourself to cause so much bleeding? Do I need to put you out of your misery? You know, they destroy horses that break their legs. Is your leg broken? Or maybe just your wrist?"
Malfoy's sudden dark look made Ginny quail on the inside. She was very glad of the bars between them. Obviously, reminding him of his earlier injuries was a good way to annoy him. Outwardly, though, she still looked calm and composed.
"Forget that! What do you know about my owl, little weasel?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice. "Are you telling me she actually carried your letter for you?" The scowl disappeared, to be replaced by a speculative look. "Did you bribe my owl?"
Ginny's red cheeks were all the answer he needed.
"I can't believe it, little weasel!" he declared with a mocking smile. "I honestly didn't think you had it in you. You certain weren't what I expected."
"Well, you were wrong, weren't you?" she said defensively. She still felt sick with guilt, but she was committed. "I'm putting you on notice right now, Malfoy. I won't let you push me around any more."
This time he actually laughed. "And just what are you going to do to stop me?" he asked, grinning again.
"Well, you didn't think I could defend myself and I did. You didn't think I would actually use my wand on you, but I did. Doesn't that worry you a bit? That you were so wrong?"
"It does make me wonder, little weasel. Maybe you should have been sorted into Slytherin." Ginny shivered when he said that, but he didn't seem to notice. "Now THAT would have been interesting!" he drawled, leaning a shoulder against the bars and crossing his arms. He continued in a mocking voice, "I didn't think good little Gryffindor girls played so dirty. For shame, little weasel. Kicking a man in the balls! And then breaking his arm for good measure. You have a lot to answer for."
"I have a lot to answer for?" Ginny cried, astounded at his nerve. "You started it, Malfoy! I've been trying to keep my head down, trying not to do anything to annoy the great Malfoy! I've been trying to avoid you for years. But that wasn't enough for you, was it? You were the one who couldn't keep your big mouth shut! You had to make a comment where the teacher could hear you! Did you think I was just going to let you get all the points?" She shook her head and turned away, missing the surprised look that crossed his face.
"What did I do to deserve what you did? Huh? Answer that, you filthy--," she broke off suddenly, realizing that no matter what she said, it wouldn't matter to him. He probably wasn't even listening. Ginny stalked over to her bag and began removing some of the food she had saved from dinner. There were rolls, cheeses and fruit. Not roast goose or filet mignon, but it was better than nothing, she figured.
Finally looking at him again, she asked, "Are you hungry, Malfoy? You look like you haven't had a decent meal in months."
"Been peeking, have we, little weasel?" He was sneering at her again, but Ginny ignored the question. She picked up one of the two apples she'd brought and took a large bite out of it. Malfoy glared at her and continued. "Did you enjoy groping me while I was unconscious? Did you like what you found, digging through my pockets
Ginny flushed, but answered heatedly, "Good thing I looked. Otherwise I'd probably have a knife between my shoulder blades right now." She shrugged her shoulders as she said it, trying to ease the ache. "Or maybe you would have used that extra wand to make me your ticket to the Deatheaters! You were perfectly willing to strangle me to death yesterday! After you slapped me silly, of course! So, I'm sure a little killing curse wouldn't bother you."
She chanced a look at his face and stopped. What she could see beneath the blood had gone deathly white. The pale eyes seemed to burn into hers. His hands were fisted around the bars and Ginny could see that he was quivering with suppressed emotion.
"Yesterday," he said in a tightly controlled voice, "I would have stopped. I wouldn't have struck you. I almost did stop before you tried to emasculate me. I hadn't planned to-," he stopped suddenly, then continued, his voice still tight. "Just don't come any nearer right now or I will throttle you, Weasley." He finally released his death grip on the bars and turned his back to her. He leaned against the bars and slid down into a sitting position. He leaned wearily forward, resting his forehead on his knees.
"Don't talk about things you don't understand, little weasel," he said, sounding very tired and, oddly, very old. "Just go away."
Ginny was at a loss. She'd never seen Malfoy act like this. He seemed--, well, lost. She told herself she was delusional. After briefly considering trying to talk to him, she decided it was probably a bad idea. Instead, she pushed the food to the very corner of the hearth, well within his reach. She rummaged through the sack she'd brought up earlier in the day and took out a large pot with a lid. It had started life as a small skin cream pot, but an enlargement spell made it a perfect chamber pot. She moved that nearer the bars as well.
"Uh, there's food, and a, er, pot if you need to, uh, you know," she said, embarrassed.
Malfoy ignored her. Ginny took an extra blanket from the bag, as well as a pillow. She knew it was stupid to worry about his comfort. In fact he would probably take it as a sign of weakness. But it was a balm to Ginny's conscience. She pushed these items nearer the bars, as well. Extinguishing all but one of the torches, Ginny gave Malfoy one last glance, then left quickly.
Ron and Harry were sitting in the comfortable, overstuffed chairs near the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room. There was a bright fire crackling on the grate and apparently the young men had had a visit from their house- elf friend, Dobby. There were plates, cups, forks, knives, and what looked like the remains of several pies and cakes. It was obvious that Hermione was gone for the holidays. Otherwise this unauthorized feast would never have been allowed. Ginny automatically glanced around the unusually empty Common Room for Ariel, then remembered her friend was also gone. She sighed, thinking she could really use a friendly shoulder right now.
Ginny started for the stairs to the dormitory, thinking she might write to Ari tonight, when Ron spied her.
"Oy! Ginny! Come on over, help us finish this lot! Then you can tell us all about this new fellow!" he called.
Ginny forced a weak smile but declined and headed upstairs. She wasn't really hungry. The image of Malfoy's blood streaked, pale face and his burning eyes wouldn't leave her mind.
Ginny watched, fascinated, as Malfoy crumpled slowly to the ground at her feet. His face still wore the mildly surprise expression it had when she had shouted her spell. She cringed as his head thudded against the cold tile floor, but she didn't move. Her cry of 'stupefy' was much louder than she'd intended and her nerves were jangling now that she'd taken the first step. Anxious that someone might have heard her, she listened carefully, but didn't hear anyone approaching. She decided she had better get on with it. Because of her training, she could have conjured a litter and floated Malfoy to her destination, but she didn't want to take the time.
She quietly murmured a different spell and watched in horrified fascination as Malfoy's body floated toward the ceiling. Ginny was almost unnerved at the way his head lolled and his limbs and book bag dangled away from his body. A tiny stream of dark fluid dripped from his bag. He must have broken his bottle of ink. She would have to clean up the ink later. Ginny switched the wand to her uninjured hand and brought Malfoy's body back down, to about three feet off the ground. She used tight, controlled movements to float him back to the drinking fountain. There was a small door next to the fountain, barely noticeable. It had the same sort of spell on it that the Leaky Cauldron had. You would never notice it unless you were actually looking for it. She had missed it herself for the last three and a half months, until she remembered it was there. The door had no doorknob, but tapping the wooden panel, she said, "Ajar!" The door opened quietly outward. She maneuvered Malfoy into the chamber beyond and was just entering herself when she heard shuffling footsteps coming down the corridor. She slipped inside and pulled the door closed, using the doorknob attached to the inside.
Allowing Malfoy's body to drop with a thud to the floor, Ginny said, "Lumos." Weak light spilled from the tip of her wand. She went to the wall sconces set about the small chamber she had entered and lit them. The light from the several torches revealed a room about twelve feet by twelve feet. A cell was formed at the back of the room by a wall of iron bars, tightly spaced, running from one end of the chamber to the other. The cell was only about five feet in depth, but large enough for one arrogant, murderous seventh year. There were chains on the walls, but Ginny didn't plan on using those. She 'lifted' Malfoy again, floated him through the barred door and dropped him onto the floor again. Fortunately for him, this time his head landed on a thin wool blanket that had been folded and placed in the center of the cell. Ginny approached Malfoy cautiously, ready to jump away if he showed any signs of rousing from the spell. She clumsily unfastened his robe and removed it, the pain in her shoulder making her move more slowly than she had expected. Checking the pockets, she was relieved to find his wand. But, being Malfoy, there was no saying what other nasty items he might find amusing to carry about. Grimacing, she patted at his trouser pockets, then, biting her lip, she dug into first one, then the other. Besides a wicked looking pocket knife, Malfoy had a spare wand, a Sneak-o-scope (obviously broken, since it hadn't detected Ginny sneaking up behind him), a pouch with some awful smelling powder, and, incredibly, what looked like one of Ginny's old hair ribbons that she had lost ages ago. What on earth would Malfoy be doing with one of her hair ribbons? Had he planned to use it for some horrid spell?
Suffering from extreme paranoia, Ginny did what the police on Hermione's television called a 'pat-down'. She ran her hands over his arms and chest, checking for suspicious bulges that might indicate weapons. Then she moved to his thighs and calves. Thank heavens there was nothing. Ginny frowned. She remembered the way Malfoy had turned Crabbe's wrist and freed himself from the more muscular boy. But even the very brief and embarrassed contact she'd had with his body told her that Malfoy was painfully thin, almost gaunt. The muscles he did have must be well conditioned, she thought. If he ever got her in his grasp again, she would probably be done for. There was just no way she could hope to match his strength. Shaking her head at such unproductive thoughts, she decided she had just better stay out of reach. Then Ginny took his book bag, the robe and the contents of his pockets and left the cell. She closed the door and locked it securely, first with spells, then with the rusty old lock on the door. Pocketing the equally rusty old key, she figured she would just leave him for now. He would probably wake from the stupefy spell on his own, but, if not, she would wake him after dinner. Ginny shivered slightly as she looked around the small room. It was an inner chamber, but it was still very cold. She glanced guiltily at Malfoy's thin form sprawled on the cold floor. Sighing, she moved to the hearth at the far end of the room. It was about five feet wide and ended before the bars began. She started a fire, keeping it fairly small. It would quickly warm a small chamber like this, especially as there were no windows and only one door. Ginny took one last look around to make sure everything on her side of the bars was well out of his reach. Then she exited the chamber.
She pushed the door closed and looked down at the small trail of ink leading directly to the hidden chamber. Luckily, whoever had just passed hadn't stepped in it. She waved her wand and cleaned it away quickly. She was just finishing when she heard footsteps approaching again, but from the opposite direction. Crabbe and Goyle whipped around the corner at almost a trot and nearly ran Ginny down. It was almost comical, the way the large boys lumbered to a stop just shy of Ginny's toes. Ginny looked up at them, nervously wondering what they were doing there. Were they looking for Malfoy?
Crabbe looked Ginny up and down, and gave Ginny a twist of his lips that looked more like a leer than a smile. "You're all right, then? Malfoy didn't catch you?"
Goyle heaved what sounded like a sigh of relief and looked at Crabbe. "Thought it was a wash," he murmured quietly. "But she don't seem hurt."
Crabbe slammed a large elbow into his partner's gut and said, "Malfoy was in a taking today. Just thought we'd warn you to keep out of his way."
Ginny had barely noticed Goyle's words. She was too amazed at what Crabbe said. It sounded like they had set out to, if not protect her, at least warn her.
"I-er-ducked into that passage up there," she pointed to the dark dead end passageway. "He was in such a hurry he just walked right by!" At least it was the truth, she thought.
Vincent Crabbe, apparently the brains of the operation in Malfoy's absence, scratched his head and seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. He looked Ginny up and down again, this time definitely leering at her. "Lost your book bag, did you? Fetch it and me and Goyle'll see you to your next class, just in case he comes back."
Ginny gasped. Where was her book bag? She must have left it in her hiding spot. But she might have left it in the cell, locked up with Malfoy. Almost in panic, she said quickly, "That's all right. I'll be fine now. I'll just take the main stairway."
Crabbe shook his head and looked mulishly at her. "We'll go with you."
Ginny knew it was no use arguing. They obviously weren't about to be swayed. "All right," she said in a falsely bright voice. "I'll just collect my bag."
She headed up the corridor to the passageway she'd hidden in. The two large boys followed closely. They were at the archway when Ginny remembered that she had left her books here so she could sneak up on Malfoy more easily. She picked up the bag and returned to her escort.
"Right, then. Lead on." Crabbe motioned Ginny back down the hallway. Ginny tried to think of something to say to these two boys. They didn't seem any bit more friendly or personable than they had before, but she thought she should at least make an effort. The problem was that before today she didn't think she'd heard them utter more than a dozen words each. What did one say to her enemy's best friends?
As they came off the stairs, Ginny saw some students ahead. She turned and thanked both Crabbe and Goyle for the escort. She was about to go when Crabbe stopped her.
"Keep out of his way for a while," he said slowly. "Dunno what happened, but it must have been something. He was out for blood. Just keep away from him 'til he leaves tonight and he should be fine when he gets back."
Ginny had no idea why they were helping her, but on impulse she reached out and squeezed Crabbe's hand. "Thanks again," she whispered, then turned and hurried toward her class. She didn't notice the sly look that passed between the two Slytherins.
Ariel had been watching for Ginny. The bell was about to ring and the tiny redhead was nowhere in sight. Then, to her amazement, Ariel saw Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, almost in flanking positions, escort Ginny down the back stairway toward her class. Ginny turned to them and said something, then reached out and squeezed Crabbe's large paw. Ariel shook her head. Amazing! Ginny hurried up to her friend with a smile on her lips.
"What the bloody hell was that!" Ariel demanded, shocked into what she would call unladylike language.
Ginny's smile dimmed slightly as she looked back to where the large boys were hurrying back up the stairway.
"I honestly don't know, Ari. Believe it or not, they were bent on protecting me from Malfoy!"
"Well, you know you have a lot of explaining to do at lunch, then, right? I want to hear all about it!" Ariel linked her arm with Ginny's and the girls slipped into class as the bell rang.
Ginny had agreed to spend ten minutes at lunch telling Ariel about Crabbe and Goyle's defense of herself, but that would be all. She still had some things to arrange. She pocketed several chunks of kidney from her meat pie, along with a roll and an apple. She saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting together and almost nodded at them. But, they were ignoring her, as though they had not directly defied their ringleader. She shook her head. She still didn't understand why they'd done it, but she was glad they hadn't made an issue of it.
They did look a bit lost without Malfoy sitting between them. This was the hardest part of the plan so far. None of the Slytherins seemed to notice that Malfoy was missing, not even Crabbe or Goyle. And he had missed one class already. Surely someone would raise the alarm? But if the Slytherins did notice, they didn't seem to care. Ginny tried to chat casually with Ariel, but was anxious to put the next part of her plan in place. She finally pushed her plate away and got to her feet, Ariel right beside her.
"The library should be pretty empty," the taller girl said.
Ginny nodded and they left the Great Hall. They ensconced themselves in comfortable chairs in the back of the library and Ariel leaned toward Ginny.
"All right, now tell me about the Goon Squad!" she demanded.
So Ginny told them about Crabbe's blocking maneuver, Goyle's motions for her to hurry out of class and their insistence that they escort her. Ariel asked if she knew why, but Ginny was frankly bewildered.
"I suppose they might be protecting him from landing in Azkaban? They said he was out for blood right now," Ginny mused. Where would Crabbe and Goyle be without Malfoy to lead them? Better off, she answered herself.
"Well, they say miracles do happen this time of year, you know," Ariel commented. "So what's next?"
"I'll tell you in my owl tomorrow, Ari. But now I have to take care of some things." Ginny stood, but Ariel grabbed her arm.
"Just be careful, okay?"
Ginny smiled. "As careful as I can," she promised.
After leaving the library, Ginny hurried up the stairs to the Medical Healing wing. It was still deserted and would be for another half hour or so. Ginny snuck into the hidden chamber and was relieved to see that Malfoy was still out. She was also relieved that the fire had warmed the room considerably. Glancing at Malfoy again, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. How could she have even come this far? She was a Gryffindor, one of the good guys. Had her experience with Tom Riddle's diary left some mark of evil on her soul? She shook her head. No, she was just getting justice! The difference between her and Malfoy was that she did this with extreme guilt. She would feel guilty for this, as mild as her actions were, so far, for years. Malfoy would probably enjoy keeping someone captive. He'd probably be just like his father, enjoying the fear and pain he brought to others. She glared at the inert form, then turned to his book bag. She opened it and rummaged through the books. There was a quantity of ink all over most of the contents, but some items were spared. She pulled out a sheet of homework that had been returned, graded, to him. Not a bad grade, either, Ginny noted. But she wasn't interested in Malfoy's intellect. She needed a good sample of his penmanship. Further delving into his bag brought forth clean, high quality parchment and a fine quill. Ginny took these to the edge of the hearth and sat. She pulled out her own inkbottle since his had broken. She then studied the handwriting carefully. It was neat, but with strong, bold strokes. He had been taught very well and his hand would be difficult to forge. Using one of her books for a flat surface, Ginny pulled some parchment from her own bag and practiced, relieved that her shoulder injury didn't affect her ability to write. She used both sides of two sheets before she was satisfied with her efforts. Then she drew one of Malfoy's sheets onto her lap. She thought carefully, then began.
Even with practice, Ginny wasted four sheets before she had what she considered a believable letter. She threw the others, including her practice sheets, into the fire, carefully folded the remaining letter, and put the supplies away. She lowered the flames a bit, then pulled a small cup from her bag. She'd snuck it from the Great Hall and now went to the water fountain outside the door and filled it. She left it just inside the bars and left the room, again checking that nothing but the cup was within Malfoy's reach.
Ginny ran up to the owlery looking for Malfoy's owl. The beautiful creature was as proud and standoffish as her master, but was extremely susceptible to flattery. With croons and soft words, Ginny enticed her to come down from her perch. Ginny offered her the food she'd brought from the Great Hall, still caressing and crooning at the lovely owl. When most of the food was gone, Ginny held up the letter. The owl seemed to examine it closely, then looked up at Ginny, head tilted to the side.
"I know, love, you're wondering where your master is. But this is to go to his parents. Would you take it? If I promise to come feed and groom you for the next week?"
The owl seemed to be seriously considering the question. The intelligent eyes gleamed, and Ginny wondered for a moment if the creature could sense her dishonesty. Then the owl made an affirmative sound and stuck out one claw. Ginny held the letter so the bird could take a grip, and was away in a flurry of wings and feathers. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been certain on the wording. Who knew if even someone like Malfoy referred to his parents as 'Papa' or 'Mumsy'? Ginny glanced at her watch and yelped. She just had time to get back to her first afternoon class without being late.
That evening, Ginny walked with Ariel to the castle entrance. Ariel was taking only one small bag, but as she was stacking it with the other bags and chests, Ginny glanced around to see if Crabbe or Goyle were about looking for Malfoy. She saw neither of the boys, and breathed a sight of relief. Ariel returned to where she was standing and Ginny hugged her friend tightly, missing her already.
"Now, tell me again why you're all leaving tonight and not tomorrow morning?" Ginny asked, remembering in years past that the train always left on Saturday morning.
"Something about being able to spend an extra day or something like that." Ariel was still worried about Ginny, but was excited to be going on holiday. The horseless carriages were lining up at the foot of the stairs to transport the students to Hogsmeade Station. Ariel turned serious suddenly. "Now don't forget. An owl a day or this gets sent to Professor Mac!" She held up a letter addressed to the transfiguration professor. She pocketed the letter and hugged Ginny. "Take care of yourself, and do be careful!"
Rubeus Hagrid was shouting for everyone to hop it, so the girls made their good byes and Ariel climbed into one of the carriages. When it finally disappeared from sight, Ginny gathered her cloak about her and returned to the castle.
Ron and his best friend Harry were standing at the entry to the Great Hall after having seen Hermione off. "Hurry up, Gin, dinner's almost on!" Ron called, waving his hand for her to run.
Ginny did hurry the last few steps, then fell in beside them. As usual, with so many students gone, three of the tables had been pushed aside and all of the students, regardless of which house they belonged to, were sitting companionably together. Ginny glanced around and was relieved to see that Crabbe and Goyle were on the far end of the table. She sat with Ron and Harry, who immediately began to argue Quidditch. Ginny loved Quidditch, but she couldn't discuss it non-stop, like these two seemed to. Ginny was only listening with half an ear, when she heard Malfoy's name.
"-Malfoy again this year, Harry?" Ron was asking
"I don't know. He seems to be playing better this year. More patient. That's always been his problem." Harry seemed to consider this, then added, "Well, that and cheating!"
The boys laughed. Ginny didn't think it was funny. Harry was right. Malfoy was a cheater. Unfortunately, he did seem to be playing better this year. His team had flattened Ravenclaw and he'd gotten the Snitch very quickly. Hufflepuff was tough this year, but Slytherin had beaten them too. She enjoyed watching the teams flying, even when she was up there with them. She really thought Harry might be in trouble this year. Shrugging, Ginny decided not to worry about it until the game, which wasn't for another month. At the moment she had much more important things to worry about. The food finally appeared and the small gathering of students and teachers made merry.
"Where are you off to now, Gin," Ron asked later, lolling back in a soft chair in the Gryffindor Common Room. He didn't appear extremely interested, just observing the forms. He was merely keeping a very negligent eye out for his little sister. Ginny hefted her book bag on her shoulder, stifling her wince, and decided that she didn't mind today. It gave her freedom to do what she needed to.
"I thought I'd go to the library and study ahead for Healing. Want to keep those Slytherins on their toes!" That one line was guaranteed to keep Ron off her back. He was delighted that his sister was showing up those arrogant Slytherins.
He smiled. "Well done, sis. Keep up the good work!"
Harry gave her a speculative look. "Just going to study ahead, are you? Sure you're not going to meet some fellow?"
Ron turned back, his eyes narrowed. "What fellow? And why am I always the last one to know? Who is he, Gin?"
Ginny wanted to slap Harry. He didn't want her, had never been interested in her. She had finally gotten over her schoolgirl crush in her fourth year, realizing that he never would be interested in her as anything other than a surrogate little sister. But why did he have to make comments like that? He was always doing it. It was funny when Hermione or Ariel teased her, but Harry just sounded like he was prying.
Ginny clicked her tongue and lifted her nose. "IF I were meeting some fellow, it would be my business, not yours, Ron. And especially not yours, Harry," she said firmly. "Besides, you don't hear me asking about when you sneak off with Hermione, right Ron?"
Ron's ears turned pink, but he had the decency to smile sheepishly. Ginny turned to Harry. "And I see no one bothers to question you about where you disappear to on Hogsmeade weekends when a certain former Ravenclaw Seeker happens to be in town, right?"
Harry also flushed, but snapped, "That's because it's no one else's business!"
"Precisely," Ginny said with a shark-like grin as she exited the Common Room.
She hurried back up to the chamber where Malfoy was locked up. She was very careful to stop and listen every so often. The last thing she needed or wanted was for Argus Filch or his detestable cat Mrs. Norris to catch her. She wondered briefly if the cat were somehow magical. It seemed to be living forever! She rounded the last corner and moved to the unnoticed door beside the drinking fountain. She lifted her wand but paused for a moment. A vague feeling of unease settled on her. Ginny looked both ways, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging off the feeling, she murmured, "Ajar" and stood back as the door popped open. Ginny entered the chamber and pulled the door closed, then turned to look at Malfoy. Her heart jumped to her throat.
Malfoy's body was lying near the door of the cell, but there was blood all over him! His white school shirt was stained and ripped, his tie was loosened, and there was a long streak of blood across his neck. Ginny rushed forward, removing the locking spells from the door and trying to pull the key from her pocket. The feeling of apprehension engulfed her again, this time almost overwhelming her. She stopped suddenly and looked at Malfoy more closely. Her eyes widened, and she felt certain this was a trap. She took two hasty steps backward; arms wind-milling as she almost lost her balance. She was still almost too late. Malfoy leaped to his feet and thrust his arms through the bars, trying to catch hold of Ginny's robes. The fingers of his left hand brushed briefly against the material of her sleeve, but she pulled away quickly. The unbelievable speed with which he'd gone from flat on the floor to almost grabbing her had her backing up to the opposite wall.
She shivered when she looked at him, his blood streaked face pressed against the bars, his hands gripping them tightly. It was like a horrid nightmare. Ginny finally caught her breath and gathered her wits. She absently kneaded her shoulder to ease the pain that had flared up again. Then she approached the bars, careful to stay well out of Malfoy's reach.
"Well, I see you're awake," Ginny said more calmly than she felt.
She was surprised to see him grin. It was a twisted sort of grin, but it seemed to reflect some sense of humor.
"I was close, little weasel, very close," he said in a low, sneering voice. "Do you really think you'll get away with this?"
Ginny patiently placed all the locking spells back on the door, then went to the hearth and sat, shrugging off her bag and rolling the right shoulder, which was now throbbing again.
"I seem to have done well enough so far," she informed him. "You missed half your classes today and no one seemed to notice. Or maybe they just didn't care?"
The sneer on his face turned into a scowl. "No? You don't think so? Well, I see one problem with your 'plan', if you actually have a plan. My father is expecting me home on the train for the holidays. What do you think he'll do when I don't arrive?"
It was Ginny's turn to grin. Malfoy didn't seem to like the grin since he scowled more fiercely. Pulling a quill and parchment from her bag, she casually began to write.
"Well, little weasel? What are you going to do when the headmaster calls for a search of the castle? I think there'll be roast weasel for dinner tomorrow!"
He laughed harshly at his own joke. Ginny still ignored him.
Ginny finally finished what she was doing and lifted the parchment. "What do you think, Malfoy? I think it catches the essence of you!" Then she read aloud.
"Dear Father,
Since I know you and Mother think I'm a weak little ferret and would rather not suffer my presence at this festive time of year, I have decided to jump into the lake and drown myself, thereby relieving you from the burden of my company.
Sincerely,
Draco"
Ginny approached the bars again and carefully extended her arm. Malfoy glared at her as he snatched the sheet from her hand. He looked it over, back and front. He looked closely at her, and then back at the parchment. Glaring at it he demanded, "What the hell is this, Weasley? I never wrote this!"
"Of course not, you git. Didn't you see me just write it? But even you have to admit it's a very nice forgery." Ginny smiled at him, enjoying herself immensely. He was still glaring at the note she'd written, the glare fading into a look of bewilderment. "But naturally I said something much more diplomatic to your father, though I doubt he'd notice the difference." She added the last spitefully.
Malfoy glanced up from the parchment at the last. "Do you mean you sent a letter to my father?" he asked, brightening. "You do realize he'll be suspicious immediately he sees it wasn't delivered by Archimedes." Malfoy actually smiled.
"Archimedes!?" Ginny asked, astounded. "You named that lovely creature 'Archimedes'?" She looked at Malfoy as though he'd lost his mind.
Malfoy's smile faded. "What the hell do you care what I call my owl, Weasley? What would you have named her, Fluffy or some other sappy, stupid little-girl name?"
"Never mind, Malfoy. Her name doesn't matter." She shrugged matter-of- factly. "She knows she's a beauty, doesn't she? Now, what did you do to yourself to cause so much bleeding? Do I need to put you out of your misery? You know, they destroy horses that break their legs. Is your leg broken? Or maybe just your wrist?"
Malfoy's sudden dark look made Ginny quail on the inside. She was very glad of the bars between them. Obviously, reminding him of his earlier injuries was a good way to annoy him. Outwardly, though, she still looked calm and composed.
"Forget that! What do you know about my owl, little weasel?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice. "Are you telling me she actually carried your letter for you?" The scowl disappeared, to be replaced by a speculative look. "Did you bribe my owl?"
Ginny's red cheeks were all the answer he needed.
"I can't believe it, little weasel!" he declared with a mocking smile. "I honestly didn't think you had it in you. You certain weren't what I expected."
"Well, you were wrong, weren't you?" she said defensively. She still felt sick with guilt, but she was committed. "I'm putting you on notice right now, Malfoy. I won't let you push me around any more."
This time he actually laughed. "And just what are you going to do to stop me?" he asked, grinning again.
"Well, you didn't think I could defend myself and I did. You didn't think I would actually use my wand on you, but I did. Doesn't that worry you a bit? That you were so wrong?"
"It does make me wonder, little weasel. Maybe you should have been sorted into Slytherin." Ginny shivered when he said that, but he didn't seem to notice. "Now THAT would have been interesting!" he drawled, leaning a shoulder against the bars and crossing his arms. He continued in a mocking voice, "I didn't think good little Gryffindor girls played so dirty. For shame, little weasel. Kicking a man in the balls! And then breaking his arm for good measure. You have a lot to answer for."
"I have a lot to answer for?" Ginny cried, astounded at his nerve. "You started it, Malfoy! I've been trying to keep my head down, trying not to do anything to annoy the great Malfoy! I've been trying to avoid you for years. But that wasn't enough for you, was it? You were the one who couldn't keep your big mouth shut! You had to make a comment where the teacher could hear you! Did you think I was just going to let you get all the points?" She shook her head and turned away, missing the surprised look that crossed his face.
"What did I do to deserve what you did? Huh? Answer that, you filthy--," she broke off suddenly, realizing that no matter what she said, it wouldn't matter to him. He probably wasn't even listening. Ginny stalked over to her bag and began removing some of the food she had saved from dinner. There were rolls, cheeses and fruit. Not roast goose or filet mignon, but it was better than nothing, she figured.
Finally looking at him again, she asked, "Are you hungry, Malfoy? You look like you haven't had a decent meal in months."
"Been peeking, have we, little weasel?" He was sneering at her again, but Ginny ignored the question. She picked up one of the two apples she'd brought and took a large bite out of it. Malfoy glared at her and continued. "Did you enjoy groping me while I was unconscious? Did you like what you found, digging through my pockets
Ginny flushed, but answered heatedly, "Good thing I looked. Otherwise I'd probably have a knife between my shoulder blades right now." She shrugged her shoulders as she said it, trying to ease the ache. "Or maybe you would have used that extra wand to make me your ticket to the Deatheaters! You were perfectly willing to strangle me to death yesterday! After you slapped me silly, of course! So, I'm sure a little killing curse wouldn't bother you."
She chanced a look at his face and stopped. What she could see beneath the blood had gone deathly white. The pale eyes seemed to burn into hers. His hands were fisted around the bars and Ginny could see that he was quivering with suppressed emotion.
"Yesterday," he said in a tightly controlled voice, "I would have stopped. I wouldn't have struck you. I almost did stop before you tried to emasculate me. I hadn't planned to-," he stopped suddenly, then continued, his voice still tight. "Just don't come any nearer right now or I will throttle you, Weasley." He finally released his death grip on the bars and turned his back to her. He leaned against the bars and slid down into a sitting position. He leaned wearily forward, resting his forehead on his knees.
"Don't talk about things you don't understand, little weasel," he said, sounding very tired and, oddly, very old. "Just go away."
Ginny was at a loss. She'd never seen Malfoy act like this. He seemed--, well, lost. She told herself she was delusional. After briefly considering trying to talk to him, she decided it was probably a bad idea. Instead, she pushed the food to the very corner of the hearth, well within his reach. She rummaged through the sack she'd brought up earlier in the day and took out a large pot with a lid. It had started life as a small skin cream pot, but an enlargement spell made it a perfect chamber pot. She moved that nearer the bars as well.
"Uh, there's food, and a, er, pot if you need to, uh, you know," she said, embarrassed.
Malfoy ignored her. Ginny took an extra blanket from the bag, as well as a pillow. She knew it was stupid to worry about his comfort. In fact he would probably take it as a sign of weakness. But it was a balm to Ginny's conscience. She pushed these items nearer the bars, as well. Extinguishing all but one of the torches, Ginny gave Malfoy one last glance, then left quickly.
Ron and Harry were sitting in the comfortable, overstuffed chairs near the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room. There was a bright fire crackling on the grate and apparently the young men had had a visit from their house- elf friend, Dobby. There were plates, cups, forks, knives, and what looked like the remains of several pies and cakes. It was obvious that Hermione was gone for the holidays. Otherwise this unauthorized feast would never have been allowed. Ginny automatically glanced around the unusually empty Common Room for Ariel, then remembered her friend was also gone. She sighed, thinking she could really use a friendly shoulder right now.
Ginny started for the stairs to the dormitory, thinking she might write to Ari tonight, when Ron spied her.
"Oy! Ginny! Come on over, help us finish this lot! Then you can tell us all about this new fellow!" he called.
Ginny forced a weak smile but declined and headed upstairs. She wasn't really hungry. The image of Malfoy's blood streaked, pale face and his burning eyes wouldn't leave her mind.