Ginger Chap 12
By Ice Queen (ice_queen_5@hotmail.com)
Category: Romance/humor
Keywords: Draco, Ginny, Weasley,
Rating: G
Spoilers: All four Books, but not really.
Summary: Draco keeps having these dreams, and they're throwing off his bad boy groove. But they aren't scary... Cept for him, that is. D/G
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: Well, chapter twelve minna, one more and an epilogue to go. Clio, thanks for pointing that out, I knew that, but never even thought of it when I was writing^_^ Too bad, too, it would have made a funny fic. And for all those that asked a Mary Sue is an original character that is basically perfect. It's where the author places themselves in the fic, and wind up killing off Voldermort where even Dumbledore fails. You know, the annoying new character that winds up with Harry or Ron or some other main character, and in HP fics there's always the case of Harry's long lost sister. That's a Mary Sue. Well, read, enjoy, and leave your comments at the door^_^
Chapter 12: Had To Fall
Four o'clock came quickly, to the thanks of many girls running away from the 'Mary Sue' test. The twins looked strangely pleased with themselves, though, earning disgusted looks from many of the males in the area. Snape looked slightly pale at the thought of one of those creatures being in his school, but dismissed the rumors with a scowl.
"The closest thing to a Mary Sue in this school is that rotten Potter. I would have noticed long before now if something so dangerous were in the area." He scowled, walking away without even saying 'Excuse me' to the Slytherin brave enough to ask him what he thought.
That didn't matter though, since the entire group of girls in the area breathed a sigh of relief, and the guys looked slightly disappointed.
"Man! I heard those Mary Sues snogged lots of guys!"
"Yeah... too bad our author sucks."
"Yeah."
AHEM!! And then the Quidditch game began.
"Maybe we should go over to another fic! There might be-"
I SAID QUIDDITCH GAME! Now, where was I? Oh yes, Quidditch game. All right, you get the joke. So anyways, the game started around the time the sun was lowering slightly in the west, a few fluffy clouds floating easily in the darkening sky. The Creevey boys happily called out the names of the Gryffindor teams as they came on the pitch.
"And last, yet definitely not least, the attractive, quick-witted Chaser, GIN-NNY WEASLEY!!" Colin drawled out, smirking at the loud catcalls and hollering male replies. He couldn't help but notice the savage look that came over the face of the person that came out next.
"Slytherin Seeker, and team captain, DRACO MALFOY!!" Colin couldn't help himself, so he grabbed the mic from his brother once again. "And looking mighty irritable by the looks of it. Perhaps... Jealous? Rumors are he and Miss Weasley had a slight-"
"Mr. Creevey! Please restrain yourself!"
"Yes, Professor McGonagall."
The rest of the introductions went pretty smoothly, considering the general hatred for Slytherins. This time there was only two hexes that made it through the stands barrier, last game there had been four. Thankfully they weren't serious, and were cleared up quickly, allowing the team captains to shake hands.
"Try not to get yourself killed, Potter, the dark lord needs you a little longer."
"Sod off, Malfoy. You're just jealous 'cuz Gryffindor has all the hot girls."
And they mounted their brooms, Hooch releasing the balls into the air. Draco turned, nodding towards the Gryffindor beaters with a vicious smirk. Then left them to Crabbe and Goyle. The thought alone would make a strong man pale, and Finnigan and Thomas tug on their ties.
A flash of red caught his eyes as he ascended in order to find the snitch. There was the little Weasley girl, obviously going to great measures to stay as far away from him as she could and still play. He shook his head, turning away and focusing on his one goal in life, catching the snitch before Potter.
"AND FINNIGAN IS KNOCKED OUT!! That was a dirty, no good-"
"Dennis!!"
"Low down Slytherins couldn't-"
"Colin!!"
"Umm... Foul for the Gryffindors thanks to that-"
"And Ginny Weasley scores!!! This girl is a wonderful Quidditch player and recently sing-"
"This is not the dating game, Colin. Leave setting up friends till after the game."
"Yes, Professor."
"SCORE!! Slytherins, no doubt thanks to cheat-"
"Ahem."
"What's this? It seems Potter has seen the snitch! He's heading straight for the ground!! Oye! Could it be? Malfoy is directly on his tail! Yes! It's a feint! Darn... seems Malfoy recovered in time. Ah... Yes, Professor." Colin cringed, seeing the pinched look on the professor's face. "What's this? It seems that Malfoy has seen something! He's heading straight for Ginny Weasley! Could it be? Yes! There's the gold- He's- WAIT!! MALFOY IS DOWN!! MALFOY IS DOWN BY A BLUDGER!! AND POTTER HAS THE SNITCH!! GAME OVER!! GRYFFINDOR WINS!!"
Ginny floated in midair, heedless to the shouts of triumph from her teammates, merely searching the grounds for sight of a single blonde head. With a gasp she dropped down, shoving through the crowds surrounding him and dropping down beside the unconscious male.
"Is... Is he hurt too bad?" She asked hesitantly, heedless of the cautious, almost savage looks on the Slytherins faces. Madam Hooch, who had shown up even before the Creeveys had noticed, smiled slightly.
"He'll survive. We just need to take him to the hospital wing to be patched up." With a flick of her wand the flight teacher had the blonde floating behind her through the air. Ginny trailed behind, as the Slytherins walked away to mourn yet another lost game against the Gryffindors.
*************
It was dark, grim, and the coppery smell of blood scorched his nostrils. He stood in what seemed to be an abandoned church of old, it's stone walls reaching through the air, as though grasping for heaven. Large, forbidding statues glared down at him, as though silently scolding him for what he couldn't even remember.
He glanced down at himself, seeing his wand held firmly in his left hand, blood flowing steadily from his palm, dripping down his arm in a tragic, steady stream. His robes were pitch black, hanging low over his hands and covering half of his face. He shuddered, frightened, but unable to stop himself from pulling back his left sleeve. Just as he had feared, a black snake sat there, smirking at him with knowing eyes. There was no sign of Vodka, none at all, as though he had never existed.
He looked up once again, staring blindly into the void ahead of him, slowly focusing on two small faces. "Anthony... Antonia..."
They shimmered, as though ghosts, or mere specters of his imagination. He stepped forward, reaching out unconsciously as though to grasp them. "Anthony... Why... are you in such a place?"
"We... just wanted to say... goodbye, father." Anthony stated, reaching up with silent tears as his hand drifted unsubstantially over his father's cheek. "We... guess you had to make your own decision."
Antonia shuddered slightly, the light flowing through her body in an eerie manner as crystal drops of tears flowed silently down her face. "We... We're sorry for-for wasting your time, Da-Father." The twins' forms began to shudder, slowly loosing shape and color as they disappeared.
"No... No... NOOO DAMMIT!! NOOO!!! It wasn't supposed to end this way..." He dropped down, staring blindly at his blood covered hands, slowly noticing where the blood came from. There, directly in front of him lay a silent, motionless Ginny Weasley. Her large brown eyes stared blankly into a future that would never be, her skin pale, cold, lifeless. And her lifeblood coated his hands.
It wasn't supposed to end this way...
Draco jerked awake.
*************
She lay like a blurry, two-headed angel, her bright red hair catching his eye first thing. Her eyes were gently closed, her mouth slightly opened, and she was drooling on his bed. She seemed to have fallen sideways from her chair, so her body was on the chair but her head was resting on the side of his bed. His heart was still shoving it's way against his chest as though trying to break free, and his head felt as though an ogre had been using it for clubbing practice.
He groaned slightly, bringing his arm wearily to his forehead, it felt stiff, as though it had been healed over night. A trace of wetness met his fingers. He pulled his hand away, putting it in front of him, so he could try to focus on what seemed to be double. Draco closed one eye, finally figuring out why there seemed to be twin Ginnys. He wasn't very surprised to see blood on his hand, after all, that's what his dream had been full of, but he was grateful that this time it appeared to be his own, rather than...
"D-Draco? Are you finally awake?" Ginny asked, sleepiness making her voice husky. "I was worried-" She stopped, bringing her hand to her lips as though she had uttered the unspeakable. "I mean, since you were hurt it could have meant a foul-"
He simply looked at her, his head too much for him to make a smart aleck comment, much less take in everything she was and wasn't saying. "I... I guess I should go, huh? It isn't as though you would want a 'lousy mud-blooded redhead' seeing you vulnerable. I'll just... leave you alone from here on. So you can become a death-"
"I'm not going to be a death eater." He cut her off. Draco sighed, giving into the urge to close his eyes against the harsh light of day. "How long have you been here?"
"Uh... all night. But I've got-"
"No..." He grunted, folding arm over his eyes to take care of the light still blinding him through his eyelids. "Stay."
Ginny nodded, dropping back into her chair and unconsciously reaching for his free hand. She stopped, about to pull away again, when his fingers lightly curled around her own. And she stayed that way, until he woke again. Of course, she fell asleep in the mean time, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
***********
Now that his decision had been made he was hesitant to go through with it. No doubt, choosing to join the good side was something that most parents approved of, even expected from their children, but Draco was no ordinary boy, nor were his parents exactly... approving of good. Well, his mother had been... once upon a time, but those days were long gone, leaving a cold, soulless shell where his mother had once stood. It rather sucked, if you asked him.
He took his time, after leaving the hospital room, and the small Weasley still sleeping, heading slowly for Dumbledore's office. Draco leaned against the wall beside the large Gargoyle, panting slightly, because he still hadn't recovered completely. A few seconds later he gasped out the password he had been given a few days earlier, "Ringpop."
Dumbledore was an odd one, all right. Draco smirked slightly, glad that his perfect face hadn't been hurt by the bludger, and that his smirk was in fine condition. He made his way towards where the Headmaster sat, waiting with a slight smile.
"I see you have recovered nicely, Mr. Malfoy, but perhaps staying a while longer in the hospital room-"
"No, I... Needed to do this before I- Well, I... IwannahelpyoufightVoldermort." He sat, waiting for the laugh he knew would come, but only felt a hand clasp lightly over his shoulder. Draco glimpsed up, shocked to see Snape looking down at him in what almost seemed to be approval.
"You are gratefully welcome, young Draco. We would that we had more of your type." Dumbledore stated simply, waving for Snape to take over. "Severus will be able to inform you of what we need from you. If there is anything that you might need help with, please, ask."
"Uh... There is one thing..."
"Yes, yes, the Weasley girl will be taken care of. You needn't worry."
"T-thanks."
***************
Ginny blinked, reaching up to rub the sleep out of her eyes and staring in wonder at the person in front of her.
"It took you long enough, Weasley. One would almost think it were you knocked out rather than me." Her mouth moved slightly, her eyes focusing slowly. "I never did tell you what those annoying dreams were about, did I?"
She shook her head silently as he dropped down beside her on the hospital bed. He smirked. "Well, they usually start out with superglue..." He told her as little as possible, never even mentioning the fact that he and she were married, merely saying that two children had changed his view on things, and that if she didn't mind...
"Well... I thought..."
"Alright Draco... I guess I can put up with you on a regular basis. It's just your luck that I'm of a forgiving nature." She was teasing him, because for once she could actually see his heart in his eyes, and she had seen that vulnerable look every morning in the mirror for far too long.
"What? Who said anything about you putting up with me? I think it's the other way around! But that wasn't what I was going to ask. You see, I know how desperately you're in love with me, and I didn't want you to be-"
"Wait just one second Malfoy! Who said anything about being desperate?"
"Would you just shut it for a moment? I'm trying to tell you that we can't-"
"You've already turned me down once! I don't need to be told a-"
Draco scowled, giving up on explaining and dropping a kiss on her lips. "There, what I was trying to say before being so rudely interrupted was that we can't be seen in public. I have to keep my Father from finding out, since I have-"
Someone cleared their throat and the pair found themselves staring up at the furious face of Ron, with Hermione and Harry right behind him.
"You what, Malfoy? Have to keep in You-know-who's good graces? Have to wait until the most prosperous time to use my little sister to get to us? TELL ME!"
"As if I would tell a blabber mouth prat like you, Weasley! It isn't as though you would believe me even if I did." He stood, turning to leave but something tugged on the back of his robes.
"Draco?" He heard Ginny ask, but he shrugged away, heading for the door. He had been through enough already, the last thing he wanted was to deal with Ron Weasley.
"Bloody hell, Ron! Do you have to work at it or you naturally an arse?" Ginny asked, heading after the retreating blonde.
"Me?!! He's the one playing with your emotions! I had thought better of you, little sister! But to fall for a death eater!"
Draco turned, rage in his silver eyes. "Don't. Ever. Call. Me. A DEATH EATER!"
A soft, yet commanding voice cut in, making them all turn towards the Headmaster that they hadn't noticed was there. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy is not, nor will he ever be, a Death Eater. Just today he has asked how he might assist us in the war. I would hope that you, of all people would understand how hard a decision this was for him." With a slight smile, Dumbledore turned. "Perhaps not, since he will have to defy his family as well as Voldermort." That was Draco's gift, after all, given to him by his mother. That inner strength has kept him sane for longer than even he realizes. Dumbledore thought to himself.
Ron gulped, trying to take in this, and the fact his little sister had just thrown herself at his nemesis, and was now hugging him tightly. The only thing that saved him from making a complete arse of himself was the look on Malfoy's face. It was the same look he had woken up with for the last few days, after finally telling Hermione of his feelings.
Blimey... Malfoy's in... Love! He glanced over at Hermione, who smiled, tucking her arm in his and leading him towards the door. There is more in heaven and earth than you know, my friend. Much more...
*****************