A/N's will be at end of chapter this time…
Chapter 13
The Headmaster was studying Draco, but he turned back to Ginny for a moment.
"Your brother is talking to Madam Pomfrey. Will you ask him to step in here, please?"
Ginny hesitated for a second, but quickly nodded and moved toward the healer's office. The Headmaster turned his back on her, assuming her compliance.
That's fine, she thought to herself. She would go get Bill, and follow him right back into the room. There was no way she was going to be left out of this discussion.
Professor Dumbledore looked steadily at the young man on the bed. Draco looked back, just as steadily. He was determined not to let the Headmaster, a man he'd been taught to scorn for most of his life, discomfit him. He was angry, though. So Ron Weasley couldn't wait to try to beat the crap out of him, huh? Just like the stupid git to wait until Draco was exhausted and bed-ridden. But let him come, Draco thought. He'd be in for a surprise if he thought he'd catch Draco unawares.
The Headmaster suddenly smiled, a slightly indulgent smile that set Draco's back up immediately. It was almost as if the old bugger had read his thoughts, Draco thought uneasily.
"There is someone here who is very anxious to speak to you, Mr. Malfoy. Especially in view of your previously unsuspected, 'special' gift."
"I'll just bet he is," Draco muttered bad-temperedly. "Couldn't wait until I'm well, could he?"
The Professor smiled again. "Well, the nature of his business is rather urgent. He couldn't—oh, here he is."
Professor Dumbledore turned as he heard the door open. Bill Weasley, closely followed by Ginny, entered the room. The look on Ginny's face said she was determined to stay.
"Ah, Miss Weasley, thank you. Would you mind waiting with Madam Pomfrey?" Again, the Headmaster turned his back on her as though he just assumed she would be a good little girl and toddle back to Madam Pomfrey.
"Yes, sir, I would mind," she said suddenly. She was stiff with anxiety, as she'd never really challenged an authority figure before. But she held her ground. "I think I'd rather wait right here."
Three pairs of eyes fixed on her, one with shocked amazement, one with mild surprise and the last, gray and warm, with obvious approval.
"Er, Ginny," Bill started, slightly embarrassed.
The Headmaster cut him off.
"And why do you want to stay?"
Ginny relaxed slightly. He wasn't going to order her off, at least not yet. "I think I need to hear what Draco has to say. And he needs to hear what I have to say. There are parts of the story I don't know, and I'm sure it's the same for him."
Bill looked from his little sister, who seemed to have grown up while he wasn't looking, to Professor Dumbledore. He would go with whatever the Headmaster said, until it came to discussing what had brought him to Hogwarts in the first place. But he was vastly interested in the proceedings. If he didn't know that Malfoy was the one person in the whole world his little sister loathed (she'd told him so in her last letter), he would swear she had a thing for him. But extreme circumstances could create extreme reactions. Stranger things had happened.
Professor Dumbledore studied Ginny for another moment, then nodded. "Perhaps you should introduce Mr. Malfoy to your brother Bill. I'm afraid I gave him quite the wrong impression."
Draco thought the Professor could say that again. He'd been surprised as hell when the tall, slender, good-looking redhead had entered his room. He'd expected Ron, followed, naturally, by Potter. He'd seen Bill Weasley from a distance before, but had no idea what the man could want with him. Virginia was leading her brother over, obviously delighted with herself.
"Draco, I'd like you to meet my brother, Bill. Bill, this is the person who saved my life. Draco Malfoy."
Virginia also obviously expected him to shake hands with her brother. Well, he wouldn't do it. She would have to learn that she couldn't manipulate him that easily.
Bill put his hand out, and Draco, after only a second's pause, took it. Weakling, he berated himself. But he found that her look of expectant pleasure had been more powerful than his childish fit of temper.
"Weasley," he murmured.
"Malfoy," Bill returned. "I've heard a lot about you lately. Mostly bad, but not all."
"Bill!" Ginny cried, flushing and looking ready to strike her brother.
Draco, on the other hand, smiled. This Weasley was different from Ron. He'd just insulted Draco, but he'd been so nonchalant about it, just as Draco would have done.
"I'm surprised that you listened to such lies," he said, releasing Bill's hand.
"Are you saying you're not really that bad?"
With a classic superior smirk, Draco answered, "Not at all. I'm saying I'm no good!"
Bill blinked, then roared with laughter. Ginny looked from one to the other, confused, but smiled cautiously. Draco gave a small chuckle, which surprised him.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well, at least you're all getting on well enough," he began, but Bill interrupted him.
"Begging pardon, sir, but I have yet to meet a Malfoy I get on with," he quipped, slanting a glance to see how Draco took this.
"Well, you have the advantage of me, there, Weasley. I get on with one Weasley," he looked pointedly at Ginny. "But that's probably because there are so many of you, and so few of us."
Bill burst out laughing again. Ginny looked even more confused. They were insulting each other, but they seemed to be enjoying it. It must be a male thing, she thought with disgust. She finally sat in one of the chairs, suddenly feeling very tired.
Bill turned to the Headmaster and gave him a small bow. "Your pardon, sir. You were saying?"
Professor Dumbledore nodded and sat himself in one of the other chairs.
"As I was saying," he said, his voice only a trifle annoyed, "as you seem to be—er, as you seem not to be at each other's throats, let's get started. I should like to hear the events that led up to Mr. Malfoy's spectacular rescue of Miss Weasley yesterday."
Ginny swallowed, then opened her mouth to speak, but Draco spoke up before she could.
"It all started last summer, sir," he said quickly. "On the train from London."
The Headmaster's eyebrows shot up, Bill leaned closer, and Ginny frowned. Last summer? That couldn't be. He was going to lie!
"On the train, Mr. Malfoy? What happened on the train? Did Miss Weasley abuse or offend you somehow?" The Professor's comment was closer to the mark than he could know.
"Well, you might say so," Draco agreed.
He explained how he'd run into Ginny and instead of running off, scared, she'd acted as though he didn't exist. He went on to tell of the months of his gradually increasing bullying, all of which she ignored. Then he came to what he considered the straw that broke the camel's back. Here she was, a sixth year, Gryffindor, female, and she made him look a fool. Draco paused only for a moment, then plunged on to tell of how he attacked her and planned to do so again, when she'd taken matters into her own hands and imprisoned him. He glanced at Bill to see how he was taking this. If it had been Ron standing there, he knew the git would have lunged for his throat long since. Bill, however, was merely looking at him calmly, seeming to be sizing him up. Then the large, intelligent brown eyes, so like Virginia's, moved to his sister. Draco followed Bill's gaze.
Ginny had listened; shocked that Draco had gotten everything so wrong. How could he have thought she was ignoring him? She'd been scared witless whenever he confronted her. THAT was why she didn't speak. That was why she seemed to look through him; she was so afraid, she couldn't look away or even focus. Amazing that all she'd have had to do was to run away from him to make him leave her alone!
Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. At length he said, "Most appalling. I find it difficult to accept that this has been going on in my school. Under my nose. Perhaps I am too old for this job."
Both Ginny and Bill began to protest, but he raised his hands for silence.
"But that's neither here nor there. You've left your story half finished, Mr. Malfoy. Please continue."
Ginny jumped in there. "Excuse me sir, but I think I should continue. To give you both sides of the story, so to speak."
Draco frowned at her, but she ignored him.
"Very well, Miss Weasley, you continue."
Ginny backtracked a little, explaining about how frightened she'd actually been whenever she encountered Draco. She gave an abbreviated version of his attack, then her plan to lock him up until he agreed to leave her alone. She also explained about Ariel's part, and using Draco's owl to send her false message to his parents.
"Ahhhh," Professor Dumbledore interjected. "That would explain what appeared to be, at first, a suicide note."
He rummaged through a pocket in his robe and withdrew a tightly folded bit of parchment. He opened it and adjusted his glasses. Then he read:
" ' 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's cheeks burned, but Draco sat up straighter.
"Here, where did you get that?" he demanded.
"From your trouser pocket, where you were keeping it," the professor said calmly. He pulled a battered green ribbon from his pocket, as well, saying, "That's one of the reasons you're in the isolation room. We didn't want you doing any harm to yourself. But, I can see now that that wasn't a valid concern. And," he added, lifting the ribbon, "we found this as well. Not really your colour."
He gave Draco a speculative look, but Draco simply stared back. The Professor shrugged and casually folded the parchment. He wrapped the ribbon around it and moved to put it back in the pocket. Ginny blushed more furiously, trying not to look at anyone, especially not at Bill.
"Well, that looks familiar," he said blandly, taking in Draco's stiff expression and Ginny's blush. "Looks just like one of the set of ribbons me an' Charlie got you for your birthday, luv."
"Those are my things, and I'd like to have them back," Draco said finally.
Professor Dumbledore lifted one of his silvery shaggy brows at him but removed the small packet and tossed it onto the bed.
"Now, Miss Weasley, if you care to continue?" he said, his expression mildly amused.
Ginny thought for a moment, then began her story again. She tried to be brief, especially when she got to the part where Crabbe was threatening her in the tunnel. She also omitted to mention trying to feed Draco some of her mum's fudge, and when he kissed her in the tunnel. She emphasized Draco's part in her rescue and took the blame for being in danger on herself for not releasing Draco or at least giving him his wand back so he could release himself.
Draco took up the tale from there, telling how he escaped, how he followed the blood trail and guessed where Crabbe would be taking Virginia, and how, both with and without magic, he was able to subdue a much larger, healthier opponent. He made much of Virginia's own strength and heroism and told both the Headmaster and Bill that the fault was his for trying to hurt her in the first place.
Bill looked alternately amused and a bit shocked, but still didn't seem on the verge of violence, as Ron would have been. The Headmaster looked thoughtful, but dissatisfied.
"Why didn't you go to your head of house at the first attack? That would have prevented this whole unfortunate affair."
Draco thought calling everything that had happened 'unfortunate' was slightly understating the situation, but he, too, was intensely interested in her answer. He turned his head to look at her, thinking absently how pretty she looked when she was confused and embarrassed.
"I, er," she paused and took a deep breath. Then she said, all in a rush, "I was tired of being afraid of him. I wanted to prove to myself that I could take care of myself!"
Draco was still a bit surprised that he'd so badly misinterpreted her actions. So this didn't come as much of a shock. But her next sentence did.
"Besides, I promised to write to Ariel every day to tell her what was going on, in case anything happened to me."
Ginny glanced at Draco but look quickly away as she met his eyes. He knew what she meant, though. Her friend was her insurance policy in case Draco, himself got away and hurt her. He now saw that being worried that she might leave him to rot if Crabbe and Goyle got to her was ridiculous. Her friend would have alerted Dumbledore and he would have been freed eventually. But that made him think of another question, this one for the Headmaster.
"I'm wondering, sir," he said, "when I came out of the tunnel, there was a large crowd gathered already. How did you come to know Virginia was missing so quickly?"
Now it was Ginny's turn to be interested.
Professor Dumbledore took another folded piece of parchment out of his pocket. This was larger and looked like a letter. He unfolded it and adjusted his glasses again.
"'Professor Dumbledore,
I'm sending you a copy of a note I just received from Ginny Weasley, along with a letter I wrote a few days ago. I don't want to take the time to explain, but the letters should tell you everything you need to know. I think Ginny is trouble, but I can't do anything about it. Please, sir, don't ignore this. Please find her and help her! I'm getting my mum and dad to bring me back right away, but please hurry!'"
He looked at Ginny and held up two more notes. "You know what these are?"
Ginny nodded. "One is the note I sent to Ariel when I heard Crabbe and Goyle talking about kidnapping me. The other one is probably the letter Ariel wrote saying what I told her about my plan to make Draco leave me alone."
The Headmaster tucked the parchment away again and shook his head.
"Miss Weasley, I have to wonder what you were thinking. You had several opportunities to prevent this danger to yourself. And did you stop to consider that you put Mr. Malfoy in danger as well. Your actions, and Mr. Malfoy's are incomprehensible! I don't really know what to do, as you certainly cannot continue here as though nothing happened."
Ginny looked wide-eyed at him, feeling the tears forming. She'd known she could possibly be expelled for what she'd done, but she'd never actually expected it to happen. The Headmaster looked sympathetic, but firm. She looked over to Bill, who shook his head sadly. Finally, she looked at Draco. She expected to find him giving her a sad, sympathetic look also, but he wasn't even looking at her. He was glaring at the Headmaster!
"How can you say that?" he demanded. "None of this was Virginia's fault. If it hadn't been for me you know she wouldn't have ever done anything like this. It's my fault, not hers!"
Draco was so mad, he wanted to jump up and confront Dumbledore right to his face. He was so weak, though, he couldn't do anything but glare. Professor Dumbledore didn't seem to notice. He just continued in the sad, concerned voice.
"What she would or wouldn't have done is unfortunately irrelevant. The facts remain: she took another student, you, prisoner, kept you locked up, and, by her actions, endangered your life as well as her own. Those are grave offenses."
Ginny was looking forlornly down at her hands. She was depressed and tired. No, she wasn't tired. She was beyond tired. She was bone-weary. She was ready to just crawl back into her bed, roll into a ball and cry herself to sleep. That was when Bill spoke up.
"Weren't you saying that Mr. Malfoy was looking at expulsion, as well? I think I might have a better idea for both of them."
Both students' heads snapped up to look at him. He looked affectionately at Ginny and said, "I've already discussed my ideas with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey and they both think it's a good idea if you agree. Why don't you go lay down and she'll come tell you about it? Besides, we have to discuss some other things with Malfoy."
Bill's gentle tone almost did her in. She wanted to break down and cry right now. A quick glance at the Headmaster showed her that he was nodding. She wanted to just give in, but she couldn't leave Draco alone. Before she could protest, she heard her name.
"Virginia." Draco's voice was quiet, but commanding.
She saw that he was holding one hand to her. Without thinking about it, she stood and moved to the side of the bed. Neither she, nor Draco, saw the look Professor Dumbledore exchanged with Bill. Ginny took Draco's hand and he pulled her closer.
"Go ahead, get some rest. I'll make sure they know it wasn't your fault."
Ginny looked deep into his eyes, holding tightly to his hand.
"But it's not—," she tried to say, but he cut her off.
"It is," he told her simply. "Now go get some rest and let me listen to your brother. I'm not going anywhere, you know."
He gave her a smile and lightly touched her cheek. She smiled back and nodded.
"All right, then," she said finally. "I'll see you later?"
"Count on it," he said with a devastating smile.
Ginny finally turned and, with a smile for Bill and a nod to the Headmaster, left.
Ginny walked slowly back to her bed. She saw that the healer was sitting beside her bed, a large book on her lap. Madam Pomfrey saw her and stood, placing the book on the bedside table.
She took one look at Ginny's tired, pale face and said, "I TOLD that man…" She stopped abruptly, then continued in a more gentle voice.
"I asked your brother to make sure you didn't get too tired, but you know what men are!"
She bustled around, helping Ginny into the bed and propping her up on her pillows. As soon as Ginny was settled, Madam Pomfrey picked up the book and handed it to her.
"This was your brother's idea, although the Headmaster and I agree that this right for you."
Ginny looked from the healer to the book. It was bound in heavy maroon leather with the words 'The Hippocratic Institute' embossed in gold across the front. Under the words was an emblem. Two wands were crossed over a medical staff or caduceus with twin snakes twining up the staff. Under the large emblem were two smaller emblems, one of a single wand over the medical staff, and the other of just the caduceus. They were the official emblems of a master healer, a healer and a medic. Ginny looked back up to the healer.
"Open it," she urged.
Ginny opened the book, expecting to find pictures of students, teachers, and school buildings. Instead, it looked like a brochure advertising the facility. There was a course curriculum, requirements, and information about the school. Ginny began to feel a bit breathless. The school, she read, was located on the sunny shores of the island of Crete, it's general enrollment was for graduates of witchcraft and wizardry schools, but it occasionally took on exceptionally talented students who hadn't yet completed their basic education.
"Do you mean for me to go here? Is that Bill's plan?" Ginny heard the catch in her own voice and cleared her throat.
"Well, of course the choice is yours. And you would have to finish your basic education while you're there, but I think your talent merits it. But again, it is your decision. Look through the book and think about it. You don't have to decide now."
The healer fingered her collar tab, where her own Healer's insignia was pinned. She wanted to say more, but the young Weasley girl had enough to think about right now. She merely brushed Ginny's cheek, pulled the curtains around the bed, then left. Ginny looked at the book on her lap, her thoughts whirling. She could be expelled from Hogwarts, or she could train to be a medic, maybe even a healer! She turned back to the first page, intending to read more closely. Whatever she decided, she was going to see what would happen to Draco first. As she read the opening paragraphs, the text blurred and she fell asleep.
Draco looked at Bill, unable to digest what he'd just told him. He was recruiting for the Ministry of Magic. He was looking for wizards and witches with not only strong magical abilities, but with cunning, intelligence, and daring. Having some training in horsemanship, archery and fencing, all of which Draco had, was a definite plus. It didn't hurt to know something about Voldemort's methods and strengths, either. And, according to Bill, the fact that Draco hadn't elected to become a Deatheater the last summer (and how they knew THAT was certainly the million galleon question) had made him a definite prospect.
As he tried to absorb the impact of Weasley's comments, part of his brain, the part not reeling from disbelief, bellowed in outrage. He hated everything about Weasley (his beautiful sister notwithstanding). He hated everything the Weasley family believed in. He would not help fight the one person who was trying to rid the wizarding community of the taint of Muggle influence. He might not agree with all the methods Voldemort's supporters used, but he agreed with the idea.
"Look, I know this is something of a shock, but try to think about it. We're only trying to be prepared, to save innocent lives. And I think you could help us."
Finally Draco found his tongue. "Do you honestly think I'm going to do anything to stop Voldemort from erasing MUGGLES from our culture!? Do you think I would turn away from everything in my life, everything I was raised to believe?"
His voice was cold and hard, tightly controlled. Bill nodded at his words.
"I know it's unexpected, but at least think about it. If nothing else, be practical about it. Do you really think Voldemort is going to win? Can you actually imagine that people are going to let him terrorize our community again? We're already moving to shut him down, but we need all the help we can get."
Bill looked from Draco to Professor Dumbledore. The professor nodded and Bill turned back to Draco.
"I, er, would add something else, but I don't think you'll like it."
Draco's head was pounding, but he put on his best sneer. "I shouldn't think that would matter, Weasley," he drawled. "You've already as good as called me a traitor, and you're asking me to become one."
Bill shrugged. "I suppose it looks that way to you. Anyway, you prattle on a good bit about blood purity and getting rid of Muggles, so you obviously don't know that your precious Lord Voldemort," Bill couldn't help sneering himself, "was half Muggle himself?"
"Liar!" Draco spat. Did this idiot really think he could be won over with such a pathetic lie? But something struck a chord in his mind. Something he'd heard earlier; something his father's voice had said when it had been railing against him.
"I don't lie," Bill said calmly. "But if you don't believe me, ask your father. He's known about Tom Riddle's parentage since the beginning."
"And who the hell is Tom Riddle?"
Professor Dumbledore stood and pulled yet another item from one of his deep pockets. He handed it to Draco.
"This is Tom Riddle. A handsome young man. He was Head Boy while he was here. Then he disappeared for several years, to reemerge as 'Lord Voldemort'. His mother was a respectable, but poor witch. She married a well-to-do Muggle, but he left her when he found she was a witch. Tom ended up in a Muggle orphanage, which should never have happened. We finally brought him back to our community, but by that time, he was too old for anyone to consider adopting him."
Draco looked at the photograph, seeing nothing in the picture to relate to the disgusting creature he'd met several months ago. Nothing except the eyes. The eyes of the young man in the photograph were cunning, cold and cruel. They were the same eyes he'd seen when he'd met the man. He shivered, but still didn't want to believe.
"So this is Tom Riddle. So what? That doesn't mean he's part Muggle."
He couldn't suppress the memory of his father's words. ' Her pure magic, virgin's blood could have washed the Muggle taint from his blood.' But that might have been his imagination. Then he had an idea.
"All right, Weasley, I'll take your advice. I'll ask my father. I'd like to send him an owl right now."
Professor Dumbledore almost smiled.
"That won't be necessary. He's here. He's actually the other reason you're in isolation. We had to send him away as he was yelling and threatening you while you were unconscious. I'll send for him."
Draco felt himself go cold. His father WAS here? He had been talking to him? That meant what Weasley said must be true. Draco shook himself mentally. They could be bluffing! He'd see his father, and ask him about Tom Riddle. And he would ask him about the ridiculous story Virginia had told him, as well.
"Fine," he answered. "Send for him."
The Headmaster stood and moved to the door.
Opening the door, he called, "Poppy, will you send Mr. Malfoy down? His son would like to speak to him."
Then he turned back to Bill. "You'd perhaps, better stand at your sister's bedside. We wouldn't want a repeat of earlier."
Bill nodded and hurried from the room. Draco watched him, then turned to Professor Dumbledore.
"What was that about?" Draco asked, feeling an uneasy chill down his spine.
For the first time, Professor Dumbledore looked uncomfortable. He didn't look embarrassed, just a bit uncomfortable.
"You would probably rather not know, but I find that hiding the truth is unproductive in the long run," the Headmaster said cryptically.
He sat again, straightening his robes. Then he looked up at Draco.
"You asked why there were so many of us looking for you already. Well, before I got Miss Johnson's frantic owl, I had a visit from your father. He was under the impression that something had happened to you, as well. He received Miss Weasley's note and believed that it was you writing it. Apparently, though, he sent a return owl that went unanswered. After a second unanswered note, he set out to see what had happened to you."
The Headmaster removed his spectacles and polished them on a soft cloth he took from his pocket. Returning them to his nose, he continued.
"He waited in my office. When we finally found you both and brought you to the hospital wing, I sent for him immediately. After hearing what few facts we had at the time, Lucius determined that the fault was Miss Weasley's and tried to attack her. Had her brother, Bill, not been on hand, he might have succeeded."
Draco's mouth had dropped open and now hung that way. His father had attacked an unconscious girl? This was more unbelievable than Tom Riddle being half-Muggle! He wouldn't believe it. Closing his mouth, he crossed his arms across his chest and looked away.
"It can't be wondered at, then, that I sent Bill to stand by at his sister's bedside. We took Lucius off to my office again, and, er, constrained him. Professor Snape has the spell to release him from my office and will bring him along shortly."
Draco didn't want to believe anything Dumbledore said. But the man seemed so confidant and assured. It might still be a bluff, he thought. If his father didn't appear in a few minutes, he'd know it was a bluff. He'd just bide his time.
The minutes passed in an uncomfortable silence. Draco's only relief was that the old man wasn't offering him false sympathy or camaraderie. He was sitting quietly, occasionally studying Draco's face, but otherwise leaving him alone. After about ten minutes, Draco moved impatiently.
"It seems my father has left, after all," he drawled.
"Unfortunately, that would be quite impossible. First, he could not leave my office without Professor Snape, and second, because he was quite adamant about seeing you immediately you awoke. I wish he would have left quietly when he found that you were alive, but that wasn't the case."
Draco opened his mouth for a sarcastic reply when a discrete knock sounded from the door.
"Come!" the Headmaster called.
Draco watched as the door was thrown open. Lucius Malfoy, impeccably dressed in somber, silk robes of black and dark green, strode angrily into the room, Professor Snape following behind. Professor Snape's expression was that of someone who'd been given the disagreeable task of cleaning up after an unhousebroken puppy. A very LARGE unhousebroken puppy with digestive problems. Lucius' thin lips were twisted in his usual superior sneer, and the expression seemed to take in all the other occupants of the room, including his son.
His gaze passed briefly over Draco and finally came to rest on the Headmaster.
"Well, Albus, I see you are still keeping my son imprisoned. It wasn't enough that that Weasley brat started it, you're continuing it."
"Ah, Lucius," Professor Dumbledore said lightly, rising to his full height and stepping closer to Draco's bed. "Remember that it was your own conduct that prompted our actions. Had we not found you on the verge of hexing your own son, and while he was unconscious, young Draco could have been enjoying the company of his fellow students on the general ward."
Draco's eyes widened. That was too much. He waited for his father to deny Dumbledore's charge. Instead, Lucius sneered at the Headmaster.
"Imposing discipline on one's own child is the prerogative of any parent. You had no right to interfere."
The look Dumbledore turned on his father almost made Draco quail. His brows lowered and his eyes narrowed. He clenched his thin fists and advanced on Lucius Malfoy so quickly, Lucius stepped back and even started to raise his hands, as though to ward the Headmaster off.
"Using hexes and curses, especially unforgivable curses, on an unconscious student under my care will not be tolerated!" he gritted through clenched teeth. "And trying to attack a defenseless girl, also unconscious, is unpardonable! The only reason you're not on your way to Azkaban right now is that I wanted your son to speak to you. He has some questions to ask you, though I think he has gotten some answers already."
Lucius recovered from his fear quickly enough. "How dare you threaten ME? I'll have your job for this," he declared.
"And you'd be welcome to it at this point. You tried before, but the Board of Governors is as unlikely to act against me now as then. Less so, I'd imagine. Now, I'll leave you two alone, but we will be right outside the door. I suggest you refrain from enforcing your 'parental discipline' rights as yet."
The Headmaster turned to Draco. "I believe this is yours," he said, handing Draco a wand. Then he turned, brushed past Lucius and exited the room. Professor Snape looked at Lucius with unfriendly eyes.
"Draco is still under my protection as his Head of House. I will take it unkindly if anything happens to him," the Potions Master said in a cold voice.
"Do you think I'm any more frightened of you than I am of that old windbag? You must be joking! I'll do what I will with my son, and you would do well to keep your ugly, hooked nose out of it!"
Draco felt another chill down his spine when he saw his head of house smile at his father. It was a cold, nasty smile he'd never seen before.
"You're not afraid of us, Lucius? Too bad. You should be. You should be very much afraid of us."
The Potions Master turned on his heel and left, though pointedly leaving the door open.
Draco turned unbelieving eyes to his father. Lucius glared at Draco before demanding, "Well? Is it true? Did that conniving little Weasley brat actually overpower you somehow and lock you up?"
Draco nodded, knowing all hell was about to break loose. That was all right, though. It was better than feeling the knots in his stomach that had begun when his father hadn't denied trying to hurt Virginia and him while they were unconscious.
His father surprised him, though. "Tell me," he ordered, sitting on the chair Dumbledore had vacated.
With a feeling of foreboding, Draco quickly related the bones of the tale. There was much he omitted or didn't elaborate on, but what he told was enough to send his father into a high rage. The thin, handsome face turned bright red and the features contorted into a mask of fury. Clenching his fists, Lucius advanced on his son.
"Are you telling me that you risked everything for that little tramp? You revealed Salazar Slytherin's own secret passage, you fought your own kind, you returned the little whore to Dumbledore? Why? Do you want to fuck her that badly?"
Anger welled up inside Draco. He hadn't even known he cared so much, but having his father say such things about Virginia was too much.
"You'd better stop right now, Father," he said coldly in the brief pause Lucius left while he caught his breath. "Don't talk about Virginia that way."
"Virginia? Virginia? You mean you actually call that Muggle-loving tramp by her name? If you wanted her that badly, son, you could have brought her to our master. When he'd taken her virginity, he would surely have rewarded you with her body! You could have fucked her to death if you wanted! Wh—," the rest of the sentence was lost as Lucius found himself unable to speak.
He grabbed at his throat and looked with shocked eyes at Draco. Draco's wand was pointed at his father, and Draco's expression was deadly.
"Sorry, Father," he said coldly. "I did warn you. I don't want to harm you, but now it's my turn to ask questions. I will release you, but you will not mention Virginia again, is that understood?"
Lucius glared at Draco, but nodded.
"Good," Draco said with a wave of the wand. "Now, tell me everything you know about Tom Riddle."
Lucius had looked like berating Draco, but the question stopped him dead. His eyes darted away from Draco's face briefly before returning. Then he put on a false confused look.
"Whatever do you mean, son? Who is Tom Riddle?"
Draco gave him a half smile. "Never mind, Father. It probably doesn't matter. But I would like to know why 'our master', as you so inaccurately put it, would need a pure-blooded witch's virgin blood to, er, how did you put that, 'wash the Muggle taint from his blood? Why would he need to do that, if he is such a pure wizard himself? Unless, of course, the Headmaster was right and 'our master' is just a half-Muggle upstart orphan named Tom Riddle."
Lucius Malfoy's face drained of colour. His fists clenched and unclenched in his lap and his expression became one of fury again. He slowly rose and approached the bed.
"There always too much of your mother's blood in you, boy. No matter how I tried to beat it out of you, there it was, making you question, making you wonder, making you weak. You never accepted my master's right to rule. You never realized that by bringing him to power, we Malfoy's would eventually overcome him and become the most powerful Wizarding family in the world! Well, I've wasted enough time on a lost cause. I'll rid myself of the only two stains on my family name: you and your mother!"
So rapidly Draco barely had time to react, Lucius pulled his wand from his pocket and shouted, "Avarda—,"
He couldn't finish the killing curse, though. Even before Professors Snape and Dumbledore burst into the room, Lucius was hurled back against the wall, where he hung, pinned by Draco's spell.
The professors looked from Lucius, hanging helpless and struggling against the wall, to the pale young man with the intent expression on his face, pointing his wand at his father again.
"I should kill you," Draco sneered. "But it would get me locked up, and, more importantly, it would upset Virginia and Mother."
Draco looked away and released his father. Lucius crumpled to the ground, groaning slightly.
"All that power! You could have been more powerful than Voldemort!"
Professor Dumbledore mumbled something to the Potions Master, who nodded and bound Lucius with a binding spell. He then levitated him and floated him from the room.
The Headmaster looked sadly from the young man to the retreating form of his father. He'd known that either Draco would return to his father's influence or completely rebel against it. He hadn't wanted such an irrevocable break, but Lucius had forced it himself. If he'd used his much vaunted manipulative powers, he could probably have talked the boy around, but maybe not. The boy's bond with Ginny Weasley was much stronger than could be accounted for, given the events of the past few days. Unless they were fated to have been together.
Professor Dumbledore shook his head sadly. If they were truly soul mates, they couldn't have chosen a worse time to discover one another. Their world was on the brink of war, and both of them, by their actions, had made it impossible for the Headmaster to do anything but expel them or find some form of redemption for them. And he knew that the price of redemption came very high. Sometimes it demanded the ultimate price.
"Professor." Draco's voice pulled the Headmaster from his reverie.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco paused. What was he going to say? What could he say? Everything he'd ever believed, every thought he'd ever had, had been based on lies. He could barely face the Headmaster, knowing that the old man had been right about everything. And Virginia! How could she even look at him, knowing what his family was? He couldn't face her, that was certain. He didn't know that he would ever be able to face her.
Finally, he said, "Send for Weasley. I've made my decision."
A/N yes, yes, yes another cliffie, but this is where the story ends. The epilogue is barely started and I won't be done for about a day or two, but I'll be working hard to get it out so everyone has SOME fingernails left! Thanks to everyone. I just went through the older reviews, looking for whoever it was who pointed out that I didn't account for the note Ginny wrote and gave to Draco…I couldn't find it, but I'll look again when I have more time. Anyway, thank you for pointing out the inconsistency so I could correct it, which I did in this chapter. The epilogue takes place in four years, that's why it's not just chapter fourteen. I hope I didn't have any huge plot holes or other inconsistencies, but if so, please e-mail me at krflex@aol.com so I can try to correct them. Again, thank you, everyone for being so encouraging. Excuse the language and I hope that no one reading is under 17, because the next chapter might be NC-17, for suggestiveness, not for any real naughtiness. YES, YES it is a love story, but I wanted them to grow up a bit. Lots of affection and mom hugs to everyone! K
Chapter 13
The Headmaster was studying Draco, but he turned back to Ginny for a moment.
"Your brother is talking to Madam Pomfrey. Will you ask him to step in here, please?"
Ginny hesitated for a second, but quickly nodded and moved toward the healer's office. The Headmaster turned his back on her, assuming her compliance.
That's fine, she thought to herself. She would go get Bill, and follow him right back into the room. There was no way she was going to be left out of this discussion.
Professor Dumbledore looked steadily at the young man on the bed. Draco looked back, just as steadily. He was determined not to let the Headmaster, a man he'd been taught to scorn for most of his life, discomfit him. He was angry, though. So Ron Weasley couldn't wait to try to beat the crap out of him, huh? Just like the stupid git to wait until Draco was exhausted and bed-ridden. But let him come, Draco thought. He'd be in for a surprise if he thought he'd catch Draco unawares.
The Headmaster suddenly smiled, a slightly indulgent smile that set Draco's back up immediately. It was almost as if the old bugger had read his thoughts, Draco thought uneasily.
"There is someone here who is very anxious to speak to you, Mr. Malfoy. Especially in view of your previously unsuspected, 'special' gift."
"I'll just bet he is," Draco muttered bad-temperedly. "Couldn't wait until I'm well, could he?"
The Professor smiled again. "Well, the nature of his business is rather urgent. He couldn't—oh, here he is."
Professor Dumbledore turned as he heard the door open. Bill Weasley, closely followed by Ginny, entered the room. The look on Ginny's face said she was determined to stay.
"Ah, Miss Weasley, thank you. Would you mind waiting with Madam Pomfrey?" Again, the Headmaster turned his back on her as though he just assumed she would be a good little girl and toddle back to Madam Pomfrey.
"Yes, sir, I would mind," she said suddenly. She was stiff with anxiety, as she'd never really challenged an authority figure before. But she held her ground. "I think I'd rather wait right here."
Three pairs of eyes fixed on her, one with shocked amazement, one with mild surprise and the last, gray and warm, with obvious approval.
"Er, Ginny," Bill started, slightly embarrassed.
The Headmaster cut him off.
"And why do you want to stay?"
Ginny relaxed slightly. He wasn't going to order her off, at least not yet. "I think I need to hear what Draco has to say. And he needs to hear what I have to say. There are parts of the story I don't know, and I'm sure it's the same for him."
Bill looked from his little sister, who seemed to have grown up while he wasn't looking, to Professor Dumbledore. He would go with whatever the Headmaster said, until it came to discussing what had brought him to Hogwarts in the first place. But he was vastly interested in the proceedings. If he didn't know that Malfoy was the one person in the whole world his little sister loathed (she'd told him so in her last letter), he would swear she had a thing for him. But extreme circumstances could create extreme reactions. Stranger things had happened.
Professor Dumbledore studied Ginny for another moment, then nodded. "Perhaps you should introduce Mr. Malfoy to your brother Bill. I'm afraid I gave him quite the wrong impression."
Draco thought the Professor could say that again. He'd been surprised as hell when the tall, slender, good-looking redhead had entered his room. He'd expected Ron, followed, naturally, by Potter. He'd seen Bill Weasley from a distance before, but had no idea what the man could want with him. Virginia was leading her brother over, obviously delighted with herself.
"Draco, I'd like you to meet my brother, Bill. Bill, this is the person who saved my life. Draco Malfoy."
Virginia also obviously expected him to shake hands with her brother. Well, he wouldn't do it. She would have to learn that she couldn't manipulate him that easily.
Bill put his hand out, and Draco, after only a second's pause, took it. Weakling, he berated himself. But he found that her look of expectant pleasure had been more powerful than his childish fit of temper.
"Weasley," he murmured.
"Malfoy," Bill returned. "I've heard a lot about you lately. Mostly bad, but not all."
"Bill!" Ginny cried, flushing and looking ready to strike her brother.
Draco, on the other hand, smiled. This Weasley was different from Ron. He'd just insulted Draco, but he'd been so nonchalant about it, just as Draco would have done.
"I'm surprised that you listened to such lies," he said, releasing Bill's hand.
"Are you saying you're not really that bad?"
With a classic superior smirk, Draco answered, "Not at all. I'm saying I'm no good!"
Bill blinked, then roared with laughter. Ginny looked from one to the other, confused, but smiled cautiously. Draco gave a small chuckle, which surprised him.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Well, at least you're all getting on well enough," he began, but Bill interrupted him.
"Begging pardon, sir, but I have yet to meet a Malfoy I get on with," he quipped, slanting a glance to see how Draco took this.
"Well, you have the advantage of me, there, Weasley. I get on with one Weasley," he looked pointedly at Ginny. "But that's probably because there are so many of you, and so few of us."
Bill burst out laughing again. Ginny looked even more confused. They were insulting each other, but they seemed to be enjoying it. It must be a male thing, she thought with disgust. She finally sat in one of the chairs, suddenly feeling very tired.
Bill turned to the Headmaster and gave him a small bow. "Your pardon, sir. You were saying?"
Professor Dumbledore nodded and sat himself in one of the other chairs.
"As I was saying," he said, his voice only a trifle annoyed, "as you seem to be—er, as you seem not to be at each other's throats, let's get started. I should like to hear the events that led up to Mr. Malfoy's spectacular rescue of Miss Weasley yesterday."
Ginny swallowed, then opened her mouth to speak, but Draco spoke up before she could.
"It all started last summer, sir," he said quickly. "On the train from London."
The Headmaster's eyebrows shot up, Bill leaned closer, and Ginny frowned. Last summer? That couldn't be. He was going to lie!
"On the train, Mr. Malfoy? What happened on the train? Did Miss Weasley abuse or offend you somehow?" The Professor's comment was closer to the mark than he could know.
"Well, you might say so," Draco agreed.
He explained how he'd run into Ginny and instead of running off, scared, she'd acted as though he didn't exist. He went on to tell of the months of his gradually increasing bullying, all of which she ignored. Then he came to what he considered the straw that broke the camel's back. Here she was, a sixth year, Gryffindor, female, and she made him look a fool. Draco paused only for a moment, then plunged on to tell of how he attacked her and planned to do so again, when she'd taken matters into her own hands and imprisoned him. He glanced at Bill to see how he was taking this. If it had been Ron standing there, he knew the git would have lunged for his throat long since. Bill, however, was merely looking at him calmly, seeming to be sizing him up. Then the large, intelligent brown eyes, so like Virginia's, moved to his sister. Draco followed Bill's gaze.
Ginny had listened; shocked that Draco had gotten everything so wrong. How could he have thought she was ignoring him? She'd been scared witless whenever he confronted her. THAT was why she didn't speak. That was why she seemed to look through him; she was so afraid, she couldn't look away or even focus. Amazing that all she'd have had to do was to run away from him to make him leave her alone!
Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. At length he said, "Most appalling. I find it difficult to accept that this has been going on in my school. Under my nose. Perhaps I am too old for this job."
Both Ginny and Bill began to protest, but he raised his hands for silence.
"But that's neither here nor there. You've left your story half finished, Mr. Malfoy. Please continue."
Ginny jumped in there. "Excuse me sir, but I think I should continue. To give you both sides of the story, so to speak."
Draco frowned at her, but she ignored him.
"Very well, Miss Weasley, you continue."
Ginny backtracked a little, explaining about how frightened she'd actually been whenever she encountered Draco. She gave an abbreviated version of his attack, then her plan to lock him up until he agreed to leave her alone. She also explained about Ariel's part, and using Draco's owl to send her false message to his parents.
"Ahhhh," Professor Dumbledore interjected. "That would explain what appeared to be, at first, a suicide note."
He rummaged through a pocket in his robe and withdrew a tightly folded bit of parchment. He opened it and adjusted his glasses. Then he read:
" ' 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's cheeks burned, but Draco sat up straighter.
"Here, where did you get that?" he demanded.
"From your trouser pocket, where you were keeping it," the professor said calmly. He pulled a battered green ribbon from his pocket, as well, saying, "That's one of the reasons you're in the isolation room. We didn't want you doing any harm to yourself. But, I can see now that that wasn't a valid concern. And," he added, lifting the ribbon, "we found this as well. Not really your colour."
He gave Draco a speculative look, but Draco simply stared back. The Professor shrugged and casually folded the parchment. He wrapped the ribbon around it and moved to put it back in the pocket. Ginny blushed more furiously, trying not to look at anyone, especially not at Bill.
"Well, that looks familiar," he said blandly, taking in Draco's stiff expression and Ginny's blush. "Looks just like one of the set of ribbons me an' Charlie got you for your birthday, luv."
"Those are my things, and I'd like to have them back," Draco said finally.
Professor Dumbledore lifted one of his silvery shaggy brows at him but removed the small packet and tossed it onto the bed.
"Now, Miss Weasley, if you care to continue?" he said, his expression mildly amused.
Ginny thought for a moment, then began her story again. She tried to be brief, especially when she got to the part where Crabbe was threatening her in the tunnel. She also omitted to mention trying to feed Draco some of her mum's fudge, and when he kissed her in the tunnel. She emphasized Draco's part in her rescue and took the blame for being in danger on herself for not releasing Draco or at least giving him his wand back so he could release himself.
Draco took up the tale from there, telling how he escaped, how he followed the blood trail and guessed where Crabbe would be taking Virginia, and how, both with and without magic, he was able to subdue a much larger, healthier opponent. He made much of Virginia's own strength and heroism and told both the Headmaster and Bill that the fault was his for trying to hurt her in the first place.
Bill looked alternately amused and a bit shocked, but still didn't seem on the verge of violence, as Ron would have been. The Headmaster looked thoughtful, but dissatisfied.
"Why didn't you go to your head of house at the first attack? That would have prevented this whole unfortunate affair."
Draco thought calling everything that had happened 'unfortunate' was slightly understating the situation, but he, too, was intensely interested in her answer. He turned his head to look at her, thinking absently how pretty she looked when she was confused and embarrassed.
"I, er," she paused and took a deep breath. Then she said, all in a rush, "I was tired of being afraid of him. I wanted to prove to myself that I could take care of myself!"
Draco was still a bit surprised that he'd so badly misinterpreted her actions. So this didn't come as much of a shock. But her next sentence did.
"Besides, I promised to write to Ariel every day to tell her what was going on, in case anything happened to me."
Ginny glanced at Draco but look quickly away as she met his eyes. He knew what she meant, though. Her friend was her insurance policy in case Draco, himself got away and hurt her. He now saw that being worried that she might leave him to rot if Crabbe and Goyle got to her was ridiculous. Her friend would have alerted Dumbledore and he would have been freed eventually. But that made him think of another question, this one for the Headmaster.
"I'm wondering, sir," he said, "when I came out of the tunnel, there was a large crowd gathered already. How did you come to know Virginia was missing so quickly?"
Now it was Ginny's turn to be interested.
Professor Dumbledore took another folded piece of parchment out of his pocket. This was larger and looked like a letter. He unfolded it and adjusted his glasses again.
"'Professor Dumbledore,
I'm sending you a copy of a note I just received from Ginny Weasley, along with a letter I wrote a few days ago. I don't want to take the time to explain, but the letters should tell you everything you need to know. I think Ginny is trouble, but I can't do anything about it. Please, sir, don't ignore this. Please find her and help her! I'm getting my mum and dad to bring me back right away, but please hurry!'"
He looked at Ginny and held up two more notes. "You know what these are?"
Ginny nodded. "One is the note I sent to Ariel when I heard Crabbe and Goyle talking about kidnapping me. The other one is probably the letter Ariel wrote saying what I told her about my plan to make Draco leave me alone."
The Headmaster tucked the parchment away again and shook his head.
"Miss Weasley, I have to wonder what you were thinking. You had several opportunities to prevent this danger to yourself. And did you stop to consider that you put Mr. Malfoy in danger as well. Your actions, and Mr. Malfoy's are incomprehensible! I don't really know what to do, as you certainly cannot continue here as though nothing happened."
Ginny looked wide-eyed at him, feeling the tears forming. She'd known she could possibly be expelled for what she'd done, but she'd never actually expected it to happen. The Headmaster looked sympathetic, but firm. She looked over to Bill, who shook his head sadly. Finally, she looked at Draco. She expected to find him giving her a sad, sympathetic look also, but he wasn't even looking at her. He was glaring at the Headmaster!
"How can you say that?" he demanded. "None of this was Virginia's fault. If it hadn't been for me you know she wouldn't have ever done anything like this. It's my fault, not hers!"
Draco was so mad, he wanted to jump up and confront Dumbledore right to his face. He was so weak, though, he couldn't do anything but glare. Professor Dumbledore didn't seem to notice. He just continued in the sad, concerned voice.
"What she would or wouldn't have done is unfortunately irrelevant. The facts remain: she took another student, you, prisoner, kept you locked up, and, by her actions, endangered your life as well as her own. Those are grave offenses."
Ginny was looking forlornly down at her hands. She was depressed and tired. No, she wasn't tired. She was beyond tired. She was bone-weary. She was ready to just crawl back into her bed, roll into a ball and cry herself to sleep. That was when Bill spoke up.
"Weren't you saying that Mr. Malfoy was looking at expulsion, as well? I think I might have a better idea for both of them."
Both students' heads snapped up to look at him. He looked affectionately at Ginny and said, "I've already discussed my ideas with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey and they both think it's a good idea if you agree. Why don't you go lay down and she'll come tell you about it? Besides, we have to discuss some other things with Malfoy."
Bill's gentle tone almost did her in. She wanted to break down and cry right now. A quick glance at the Headmaster showed her that he was nodding. She wanted to just give in, but she couldn't leave Draco alone. Before she could protest, she heard her name.
"Virginia." Draco's voice was quiet, but commanding.
She saw that he was holding one hand to her. Without thinking about it, she stood and moved to the side of the bed. Neither she, nor Draco, saw the look Professor Dumbledore exchanged with Bill. Ginny took Draco's hand and he pulled her closer.
"Go ahead, get some rest. I'll make sure they know it wasn't your fault."
Ginny looked deep into his eyes, holding tightly to his hand.
"But it's not—," she tried to say, but he cut her off.
"It is," he told her simply. "Now go get some rest and let me listen to your brother. I'm not going anywhere, you know."
He gave her a smile and lightly touched her cheek. She smiled back and nodded.
"All right, then," she said finally. "I'll see you later?"
"Count on it," he said with a devastating smile.
Ginny finally turned and, with a smile for Bill and a nod to the Headmaster, left.
Ginny walked slowly back to her bed. She saw that the healer was sitting beside her bed, a large book on her lap. Madam Pomfrey saw her and stood, placing the book on the bedside table.
She took one look at Ginny's tired, pale face and said, "I TOLD that man…" She stopped abruptly, then continued in a more gentle voice.
"I asked your brother to make sure you didn't get too tired, but you know what men are!"
She bustled around, helping Ginny into the bed and propping her up on her pillows. As soon as Ginny was settled, Madam Pomfrey picked up the book and handed it to her.
"This was your brother's idea, although the Headmaster and I agree that this right for you."
Ginny looked from the healer to the book. It was bound in heavy maroon leather with the words 'The Hippocratic Institute' embossed in gold across the front. Under the words was an emblem. Two wands were crossed over a medical staff or caduceus with twin snakes twining up the staff. Under the large emblem were two smaller emblems, one of a single wand over the medical staff, and the other of just the caduceus. They were the official emblems of a master healer, a healer and a medic. Ginny looked back up to the healer.
"Open it," she urged.
Ginny opened the book, expecting to find pictures of students, teachers, and school buildings. Instead, it looked like a brochure advertising the facility. There was a course curriculum, requirements, and information about the school. Ginny began to feel a bit breathless. The school, she read, was located on the sunny shores of the island of Crete, it's general enrollment was for graduates of witchcraft and wizardry schools, but it occasionally took on exceptionally talented students who hadn't yet completed their basic education.
"Do you mean for me to go here? Is that Bill's plan?" Ginny heard the catch in her own voice and cleared her throat.
"Well, of course the choice is yours. And you would have to finish your basic education while you're there, but I think your talent merits it. But again, it is your decision. Look through the book and think about it. You don't have to decide now."
The healer fingered her collar tab, where her own Healer's insignia was pinned. She wanted to say more, but the young Weasley girl had enough to think about right now. She merely brushed Ginny's cheek, pulled the curtains around the bed, then left. Ginny looked at the book on her lap, her thoughts whirling. She could be expelled from Hogwarts, or she could train to be a medic, maybe even a healer! She turned back to the first page, intending to read more closely. Whatever she decided, she was going to see what would happen to Draco first. As she read the opening paragraphs, the text blurred and she fell asleep.
Draco looked at Bill, unable to digest what he'd just told him. He was recruiting for the Ministry of Magic. He was looking for wizards and witches with not only strong magical abilities, but with cunning, intelligence, and daring. Having some training in horsemanship, archery and fencing, all of which Draco had, was a definite plus. It didn't hurt to know something about Voldemort's methods and strengths, either. And, according to Bill, the fact that Draco hadn't elected to become a Deatheater the last summer (and how they knew THAT was certainly the million galleon question) had made him a definite prospect.
As he tried to absorb the impact of Weasley's comments, part of his brain, the part not reeling from disbelief, bellowed in outrage. He hated everything about Weasley (his beautiful sister notwithstanding). He hated everything the Weasley family believed in. He would not help fight the one person who was trying to rid the wizarding community of the taint of Muggle influence. He might not agree with all the methods Voldemort's supporters used, but he agreed with the idea.
"Look, I know this is something of a shock, but try to think about it. We're only trying to be prepared, to save innocent lives. And I think you could help us."
Finally Draco found his tongue. "Do you honestly think I'm going to do anything to stop Voldemort from erasing MUGGLES from our culture!? Do you think I would turn away from everything in my life, everything I was raised to believe?"
His voice was cold and hard, tightly controlled. Bill nodded at his words.
"I know it's unexpected, but at least think about it. If nothing else, be practical about it. Do you really think Voldemort is going to win? Can you actually imagine that people are going to let him terrorize our community again? We're already moving to shut him down, but we need all the help we can get."
Bill looked from Draco to Professor Dumbledore. The professor nodded and Bill turned back to Draco.
"I, er, would add something else, but I don't think you'll like it."
Draco's head was pounding, but he put on his best sneer. "I shouldn't think that would matter, Weasley," he drawled. "You've already as good as called me a traitor, and you're asking me to become one."
Bill shrugged. "I suppose it looks that way to you. Anyway, you prattle on a good bit about blood purity and getting rid of Muggles, so you obviously don't know that your precious Lord Voldemort," Bill couldn't help sneering himself, "was half Muggle himself?"
"Liar!" Draco spat. Did this idiot really think he could be won over with such a pathetic lie? But something struck a chord in his mind. Something he'd heard earlier; something his father's voice had said when it had been railing against him.
"I don't lie," Bill said calmly. "But if you don't believe me, ask your father. He's known about Tom Riddle's parentage since the beginning."
"And who the hell is Tom Riddle?"
Professor Dumbledore stood and pulled yet another item from one of his deep pockets. He handed it to Draco.
"This is Tom Riddle. A handsome young man. He was Head Boy while he was here. Then he disappeared for several years, to reemerge as 'Lord Voldemort'. His mother was a respectable, but poor witch. She married a well-to-do Muggle, but he left her when he found she was a witch. Tom ended up in a Muggle orphanage, which should never have happened. We finally brought him back to our community, but by that time, he was too old for anyone to consider adopting him."
Draco looked at the photograph, seeing nothing in the picture to relate to the disgusting creature he'd met several months ago. Nothing except the eyes. The eyes of the young man in the photograph were cunning, cold and cruel. They were the same eyes he'd seen when he'd met the man. He shivered, but still didn't want to believe.
"So this is Tom Riddle. So what? That doesn't mean he's part Muggle."
He couldn't suppress the memory of his father's words. ' Her pure magic, virgin's blood could have washed the Muggle taint from his blood.' But that might have been his imagination. Then he had an idea.
"All right, Weasley, I'll take your advice. I'll ask my father. I'd like to send him an owl right now."
Professor Dumbledore almost smiled.
"That won't be necessary. He's here. He's actually the other reason you're in isolation. We had to send him away as he was yelling and threatening you while you were unconscious. I'll send for him."
Draco felt himself go cold. His father WAS here? He had been talking to him? That meant what Weasley said must be true. Draco shook himself mentally. They could be bluffing! He'd see his father, and ask him about Tom Riddle. And he would ask him about the ridiculous story Virginia had told him, as well.
"Fine," he answered. "Send for him."
The Headmaster stood and moved to the door.
Opening the door, he called, "Poppy, will you send Mr. Malfoy down? His son would like to speak to him."
Then he turned back to Bill. "You'd perhaps, better stand at your sister's bedside. We wouldn't want a repeat of earlier."
Bill nodded and hurried from the room. Draco watched him, then turned to Professor Dumbledore.
"What was that about?" Draco asked, feeling an uneasy chill down his spine.
For the first time, Professor Dumbledore looked uncomfortable. He didn't look embarrassed, just a bit uncomfortable.
"You would probably rather not know, but I find that hiding the truth is unproductive in the long run," the Headmaster said cryptically.
He sat again, straightening his robes. Then he looked up at Draco.
"You asked why there were so many of us looking for you already. Well, before I got Miss Johnson's frantic owl, I had a visit from your father. He was under the impression that something had happened to you, as well. He received Miss Weasley's note and believed that it was you writing it. Apparently, though, he sent a return owl that went unanswered. After a second unanswered note, he set out to see what had happened to you."
The Headmaster removed his spectacles and polished them on a soft cloth he took from his pocket. Returning them to his nose, he continued.
"He waited in my office. When we finally found you both and brought you to the hospital wing, I sent for him immediately. After hearing what few facts we had at the time, Lucius determined that the fault was Miss Weasley's and tried to attack her. Had her brother, Bill, not been on hand, he might have succeeded."
Draco's mouth had dropped open and now hung that way. His father had attacked an unconscious girl? This was more unbelievable than Tom Riddle being half-Muggle! He wouldn't believe it. Closing his mouth, he crossed his arms across his chest and looked away.
"It can't be wondered at, then, that I sent Bill to stand by at his sister's bedside. We took Lucius off to my office again, and, er, constrained him. Professor Snape has the spell to release him from my office and will bring him along shortly."
Draco didn't want to believe anything Dumbledore said. But the man seemed so confidant and assured. It might still be a bluff, he thought. If his father didn't appear in a few minutes, he'd know it was a bluff. He'd just bide his time.
The minutes passed in an uncomfortable silence. Draco's only relief was that the old man wasn't offering him false sympathy or camaraderie. He was sitting quietly, occasionally studying Draco's face, but otherwise leaving him alone. After about ten minutes, Draco moved impatiently.
"It seems my father has left, after all," he drawled.
"Unfortunately, that would be quite impossible. First, he could not leave my office without Professor Snape, and second, because he was quite adamant about seeing you immediately you awoke. I wish he would have left quietly when he found that you were alive, but that wasn't the case."
Draco opened his mouth for a sarcastic reply when a discrete knock sounded from the door.
"Come!" the Headmaster called.
Draco watched as the door was thrown open. Lucius Malfoy, impeccably dressed in somber, silk robes of black and dark green, strode angrily into the room, Professor Snape following behind. Professor Snape's expression was that of someone who'd been given the disagreeable task of cleaning up after an unhousebroken puppy. A very LARGE unhousebroken puppy with digestive problems. Lucius' thin lips were twisted in his usual superior sneer, and the expression seemed to take in all the other occupants of the room, including his son.
His gaze passed briefly over Draco and finally came to rest on the Headmaster.
"Well, Albus, I see you are still keeping my son imprisoned. It wasn't enough that that Weasley brat started it, you're continuing it."
"Ah, Lucius," Professor Dumbledore said lightly, rising to his full height and stepping closer to Draco's bed. "Remember that it was your own conduct that prompted our actions. Had we not found you on the verge of hexing your own son, and while he was unconscious, young Draco could have been enjoying the company of his fellow students on the general ward."
Draco's eyes widened. That was too much. He waited for his father to deny Dumbledore's charge. Instead, Lucius sneered at the Headmaster.
"Imposing discipline on one's own child is the prerogative of any parent. You had no right to interfere."
The look Dumbledore turned on his father almost made Draco quail. His brows lowered and his eyes narrowed. He clenched his thin fists and advanced on Lucius Malfoy so quickly, Lucius stepped back and even started to raise his hands, as though to ward the Headmaster off.
"Using hexes and curses, especially unforgivable curses, on an unconscious student under my care will not be tolerated!" he gritted through clenched teeth. "And trying to attack a defenseless girl, also unconscious, is unpardonable! The only reason you're not on your way to Azkaban right now is that I wanted your son to speak to you. He has some questions to ask you, though I think he has gotten some answers already."
Lucius recovered from his fear quickly enough. "How dare you threaten ME? I'll have your job for this," he declared.
"And you'd be welcome to it at this point. You tried before, but the Board of Governors is as unlikely to act against me now as then. Less so, I'd imagine. Now, I'll leave you two alone, but we will be right outside the door. I suggest you refrain from enforcing your 'parental discipline' rights as yet."
The Headmaster turned to Draco. "I believe this is yours," he said, handing Draco a wand. Then he turned, brushed past Lucius and exited the room. Professor Snape looked at Lucius with unfriendly eyes.
"Draco is still under my protection as his Head of House. I will take it unkindly if anything happens to him," the Potions Master said in a cold voice.
"Do you think I'm any more frightened of you than I am of that old windbag? You must be joking! I'll do what I will with my son, and you would do well to keep your ugly, hooked nose out of it!"
Draco felt another chill down his spine when he saw his head of house smile at his father. It was a cold, nasty smile he'd never seen before.
"You're not afraid of us, Lucius? Too bad. You should be. You should be very much afraid of us."
The Potions Master turned on his heel and left, though pointedly leaving the door open.
Draco turned unbelieving eyes to his father. Lucius glared at Draco before demanding, "Well? Is it true? Did that conniving little Weasley brat actually overpower you somehow and lock you up?"
Draco nodded, knowing all hell was about to break loose. That was all right, though. It was better than feeling the knots in his stomach that had begun when his father hadn't denied trying to hurt Virginia and him while they were unconscious.
His father surprised him, though. "Tell me," he ordered, sitting on the chair Dumbledore had vacated.
With a feeling of foreboding, Draco quickly related the bones of the tale. There was much he omitted or didn't elaborate on, but what he told was enough to send his father into a high rage. The thin, handsome face turned bright red and the features contorted into a mask of fury. Clenching his fists, Lucius advanced on his son.
"Are you telling me that you risked everything for that little tramp? You revealed Salazar Slytherin's own secret passage, you fought your own kind, you returned the little whore to Dumbledore? Why? Do you want to fuck her that badly?"
Anger welled up inside Draco. He hadn't even known he cared so much, but having his father say such things about Virginia was too much.
"You'd better stop right now, Father," he said coldly in the brief pause Lucius left while he caught his breath. "Don't talk about Virginia that way."
"Virginia? Virginia? You mean you actually call that Muggle-loving tramp by her name? If you wanted her that badly, son, you could have brought her to our master. When he'd taken her virginity, he would surely have rewarded you with her body! You could have fucked her to death if you wanted! Wh—," the rest of the sentence was lost as Lucius found himself unable to speak.
He grabbed at his throat and looked with shocked eyes at Draco. Draco's wand was pointed at his father, and Draco's expression was deadly.
"Sorry, Father," he said coldly. "I did warn you. I don't want to harm you, but now it's my turn to ask questions. I will release you, but you will not mention Virginia again, is that understood?"
Lucius glared at Draco, but nodded.
"Good," Draco said with a wave of the wand. "Now, tell me everything you know about Tom Riddle."
Lucius had looked like berating Draco, but the question stopped him dead. His eyes darted away from Draco's face briefly before returning. Then he put on a false confused look.
"Whatever do you mean, son? Who is Tom Riddle?"
Draco gave him a half smile. "Never mind, Father. It probably doesn't matter. But I would like to know why 'our master', as you so inaccurately put it, would need a pure-blooded witch's virgin blood to, er, how did you put that, 'wash the Muggle taint from his blood? Why would he need to do that, if he is such a pure wizard himself? Unless, of course, the Headmaster was right and 'our master' is just a half-Muggle upstart orphan named Tom Riddle."
Lucius Malfoy's face drained of colour. His fists clenched and unclenched in his lap and his expression became one of fury again. He slowly rose and approached the bed.
"There always too much of your mother's blood in you, boy. No matter how I tried to beat it out of you, there it was, making you question, making you wonder, making you weak. You never accepted my master's right to rule. You never realized that by bringing him to power, we Malfoy's would eventually overcome him and become the most powerful Wizarding family in the world! Well, I've wasted enough time on a lost cause. I'll rid myself of the only two stains on my family name: you and your mother!"
So rapidly Draco barely had time to react, Lucius pulled his wand from his pocket and shouted, "Avarda—,"
He couldn't finish the killing curse, though. Even before Professors Snape and Dumbledore burst into the room, Lucius was hurled back against the wall, where he hung, pinned by Draco's spell.
The professors looked from Lucius, hanging helpless and struggling against the wall, to the pale young man with the intent expression on his face, pointing his wand at his father again.
"I should kill you," Draco sneered. "But it would get me locked up, and, more importantly, it would upset Virginia and Mother."
Draco looked away and released his father. Lucius crumpled to the ground, groaning slightly.
"All that power! You could have been more powerful than Voldemort!"
Professor Dumbledore mumbled something to the Potions Master, who nodded and bound Lucius with a binding spell. He then levitated him and floated him from the room.
The Headmaster looked sadly from the young man to the retreating form of his father. He'd known that either Draco would return to his father's influence or completely rebel against it. He hadn't wanted such an irrevocable break, but Lucius had forced it himself. If he'd used his much vaunted manipulative powers, he could probably have talked the boy around, but maybe not. The boy's bond with Ginny Weasley was much stronger than could be accounted for, given the events of the past few days. Unless they were fated to have been together.
Professor Dumbledore shook his head sadly. If they were truly soul mates, they couldn't have chosen a worse time to discover one another. Their world was on the brink of war, and both of them, by their actions, had made it impossible for the Headmaster to do anything but expel them or find some form of redemption for them. And he knew that the price of redemption came very high. Sometimes it demanded the ultimate price.
"Professor." Draco's voice pulled the Headmaster from his reverie.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco paused. What was he going to say? What could he say? Everything he'd ever believed, every thought he'd ever had, had been based on lies. He could barely face the Headmaster, knowing that the old man had been right about everything. And Virginia! How could she even look at him, knowing what his family was? He couldn't face her, that was certain. He didn't know that he would ever be able to face her.
Finally, he said, "Send for Weasley. I've made my decision."
A/N yes, yes, yes another cliffie, but this is where the story ends. The epilogue is barely started and I won't be done for about a day or two, but I'll be working hard to get it out so everyone has SOME fingernails left! Thanks to everyone. I just went through the older reviews, looking for whoever it was who pointed out that I didn't account for the note Ginny wrote and gave to Draco…I couldn't find it, but I'll look again when I have more time. Anyway, thank you for pointing out the inconsistency so I could correct it, which I did in this chapter. The epilogue takes place in four years, that's why it's not just chapter fourteen. I hope I didn't have any huge plot holes or other inconsistencies, but if so, please e-mail me at krflex@aol.com so I can try to correct them. Again, thank you, everyone for being so encouraging. Excuse the language and I hope that no one reading is under 17, because the next chapter might be NC-17, for suggestiveness, not for any real naughtiness. YES, YES it is a love story, but I wanted them to grow up a bit. Lots of affection and mom hugs to everyone! K