Draco awoke before Ginny, he usually did. For some odd reason he loved watching her sleep. She looked so small, fragile, and innocent, while her naked body was intertwined in the sheets. He had made her body naked and in the process, made this small innocent thing his own. He remembered his second day after receiving her. She had been crash and completely unmanageable, but he had tamed her to be this charming little pet. Being with Ginny made him feel so powerful and needed. He was going to miss her when he went to school.
"Ginny," he said, "Ginny wake-up." He didn't feel like waiting for the girl to wake up on her own. She stirred and grumbled something then turned around to see him.
"Hey," she smiled lazily.
"Morning Ginny," he said and pulled her up so her head rested on his chest. He hugged his arms around her.
"Mmm, morning," she yawned.
"Tired?" he chuckled. She was so cute when she yawned like that.
"Mmm," she replied, nestling her head into the pillow that was his chest.
"Well it was a late night."
"Yeah," she sighed obviously intending to go back to sleep in his arms. Draco didn't like this. He wanted her up, couldn't she see that? Why wasn't she obeying him?
Draco decided to ask her a question he knew would send her reeling to get her up. "Ginny, will you miss me while I'm at school?" 'Oh yes!' he imagined her saying, sitting bolt upright, 'Are you sure you have to go?'
Yet to his utter surprise and equal disgust she just sighed again and mumbled 'terribly,' while her head lay on his chest. Draco liked this even less and without thinking about it, he dug his nails into his present. Were her loyalties wavering?
Ginny's eyes flew open in response to the pain. Ut-oh. What had she been thinking? What's more, what would she do now? Luckily for her Draco decided to test her loyalties a little more.
"Ginny, do you miss your house?" he asked, remembering the last time he had broached the subject and Ginny had burst into tears.
"No," was her same sighing reply, "I like it much better here. I get to see you everyday and it's so much quieter, but I do get lonely." Draco decided that was much more suitable answer, and unknowingly relaxed his fingers.
"Why else do you like it here?" Ginny whose sudden worry had chased all thoughts of sleep from her mind was now just annoyed; she did NOT feel like describing why she 'liked' it here.
"I like having Zally," she said the first thing that came to her mind, a relative truth, "and I love playing chess with you. You should play Ron at school, he's really good too."
"What else?" he coached.
'Is he fishing for something specific?' she wondered.
"I love having new robes," she started to name random things, "and you have delightful food. Oh, and the bath tub is about twice the size of anything they have at the Burrow!" Draco was satisfied; yes the girl was just tired. He bent down and kissed her lips passionately and found Ginny responding without trepidation. Her hands went up to grasp around his neck and she pulled her naked body closer to his, "accidentally" brushing his most sensitive spot with her thigh. That was all Draco needed.
"Mmmm," he said rolling over so he could pin her down, "that's my girl." Ginny breathed silent thanks that Draco had taken her bait. She wanted to be sure that his mind strayed from her earlier comment, and judging from experience, the best way to do this was sex.
"The light," she mumbled between kisses. Draco grasped around the bed for his wand, found it and murmured a darkening spell.
***
Like always, Zally brought them breakfast at around 8:30. Draco sat watching Ginny eat.
"I'm glad you like our food." he said as she started on her fourth piece of toast smothered in raspberry jam.
"It's so delicious!" she said with a lighthearted giggle.
"I'm glad you like it here Ginny. The Malfoy Manor is a much better place for you than the Furrow."
"Burrow," Ginny automatically corrected, "It's not going to be half as nice without you," she said.
"Well I still have two nights and two days until the start of term."
"Only three?" she said. This worried her; she wanted to be out before school started.
"Like I said, I'll owl you Ginny."
"But it's just not the same as you being here." she said quietly staring at her plate.
"I know," he said and Ginny couldn't help but think, 'Cocky git,'
"Well," he said suddenly, "I'm off, I must talk to my father about something. I'll see you at one." he got up and walked out the door.
Ginny got up and dressed as soon as the door shut. She pulled on her robes and stared out the window upon the vast Malfoy grounds. She didn't want to admit to even to herself, how much Malfoy's last comment had bothered her. Yet, as she glared down to see how perfectly the estate was manicured, and though longingly of the Burrow with it's unshapely gardens, there was no denying it. 'Damn him!' she thought, 'he had to go and make me think of home.' And now Ginny was incredibly homesick. The feeling welt up inside her causing unwanted tears to spill into her eyes and roll down her cheek. She wiped them furiously away. She was stronger than that. But, she missed the gardens of the Burrow with its scattered chickens and gnomes. More tears came to her eyes. She wanted no, needed her mother. Her body ached to be held and comforted, not by Malfoy's cold, demanding lustful hands, but by her mothers plump freckled arms, her cooing voice holding her close and saying, "There there Ginny. It'll be okay." She stumbled back onto the bed and the sobs started, great heaving sobs. She hadn't actually cried since her second day here. Now the stress from every fake smile, every time she let Malfoy touch her, and every giggly comment came crashing down. She couldn't do this anymore. She had to get home. 'Three days at the most!' she told herself, but that couldn't stop the raging tears. No, she had to get out as soon as possible. She couldn't fake it anymore.
~
Draco left Ginny's room to shower and change into new robes. He really wanted to find his father and inquire him about what he would be doing today. His mind had been spinning all night thinking of possibilities. He smiled when entering his room he found a steaming goblet of alertness potion. His father had suggested the potion a few days ago when Draco had been on the brink of exhaustion between doing things with him and spending his nights with Ginny.
After showering and changing he left his room in search of his father. When he reached Lucius study and found it was empty, he decided to try and find him in the Library. For the Library was Lucius pride and joy of the Manor. It had a high vaulted ceiling, which was enchanted like Hogwart's great hall's ceiling. The only difference was that the library's ceiling always looked like the night sky. Lucius always kept the thick velvet midnight blue drapes drawn across the widows that reached from floor to ceiling. The result was that even now in the morning hours, the room was dark and formidable. But Draco didn't love the library for it's enchanted ceiling or it's dark disposition, Draco loved the moving bookcases. Ten bookcases were positioned perpendicularly against one wall and as he walked by they silently parted for him, closing off the spaces between unused bookcases thus allowing browsers more room. He finally found his father between the second and third bookcase where the family kept their spell books.
"Draco!" he called when he saw him.
"Hello Father," Draco nodded.
"I was just looking for a book with a specific spell I want you to learn for today's events." Draco relaxed; relieved he didn't have to broach the subject first.
"Father, about today's events, well..." he hesitated
"Yes?" Lucius prompted
"Well, what exactly are they?" Mr. Malfoy looked at his son and turned suddenly serious.
"Come with me Draco," he said and put a hand on his shoulder, leading him out of the library and into the drawing room. Draco assumed they were going into their hidden chamber where Mr. Malfoy kept the worst Dark Artifacts, but he was surprised to see that Lucius stopped in front of a desk with a large box atop it.
"What's in there?" he asked.
Lucius stopped and opened the box and held it out so Draco could view its contents. Draco's eyes went wide. There in the box was a long, black velvet robe.
"The Death Eater's robe." he said quietly, awed.
"Yes, you may be needing it for today."
"What's going on today?" he asked again, his delicate hands pulling the robe out of the box.
"Today my son, you see the real attack. No more dwindling with muggles Draco,"
"You mean we attack a Wizarding family?"
Lucius nodded.
"Who?"
"The Diggorys."
~
The Burrow was in a sorry state. Everyone had hoped Harry and Ron would return with Ginny in hand, or at least a promise that she'd come soon. A week after their return the complaints hadn't quelled, in fact they seemed to have reached an all time high.
"I don't see why you just can't tell the Ministry!" Molly screeched at Arthur for not the first time that week.
"Molly I'm telling you, word would reach Lucius first, he's still heading the official "search". The instant we do Ginny will be moved." he calmly replied
"Well why can't we go ourselves and get her?" she asked.
"Because Malfoy's got a protective charm on the door and we can't Apparate into the room," Ron said indecently.
"Yeah," Harry said jumping to Ron's defense.
"Well I just hope my baby is home soon." Mrs. Weasley said.
"She'll probably break out once Draco leaves for school," Harry offered.
~
"What spell did you want me to learn?" Draco asked suddenly, tearing his eyes from his new robes.
"Taleafirmus Flamma," Lucius replied.
"What does it do?"
"It creates a cage of fire to contain someone in. Most people won't last too long in it. They'll either die of the heat or their clothing will eventually catch fire."
"Cool," Draco said. He cringed; he never usually let slang slip in conversations with his father.
"Yes, well as 'cool' as this spell might be," Lucius chuckled, "It is rather difficult so we are going to spend all day working on it."
Draco nodded.
"Right, now we need something to cage." he said, "Twany!" he bellowed and a tiny little house elf appeared bowing low in the presence of both her masters.
"Yes? What can Twany do for Master Malfoy and Young Master Malfoy sirs?"
"Just stay there." Lucius commanded harshly. Twany nodded, her big ears flapping.
"Now Draco as I said the spell is very difficult." he paused to look at the book he had brought from the library, "but the key to it is the desire to trap the victim. Luckily once the victim is trapped the spell doesn't need to be held like a Patronus. It is solid and will only be removed once you say the counter charm. Which is," he paused to scan the book again, "Effero. Are you following me so far?"
"Yes," he said with slight hesitation.
"What don't you understand?" Lucius sighed.
"You just said the spell would be difficult and the most difficult ones are the ones that have to be held. This spell sounds rather easy really. Flames are very easy to conjure so I don't see how assembling them cage structure would be so difficult."
Despite his earlier disappointment Lucius smiled at his son's cleverness.
"Ah my son, that's very smart of you but there's more to in than fire. A person can walk through fire. They may come out extremely burned but of course it is possible. The person in the cage is surrounded by solid fire that won't let them through."
In his strive to succeed; Draco interrupted his father once again.
"Solid fire father? But I don't understand. Is there some sort of structure that is on fire that will not burn and won't let the victim out?"
"No," he said and looked to Draco to be considering something, "Okay," he finally said after a moment, "When you light the torches in your room do you know what happens? I mean on the molecular scale?"
"Oxygen is burning,"
"Precisely."
"So all the wizard really needs to do is start the reaction. Do you understand?"
"Yes father."
"This fire is different it's not like common fire. It's magic fire that must be conjured."
"But conjuring things is easy too!" he protested.
"Not things like this. You must put out magic and than burn, so to speak, that magic," he explained, "Now do you understand the spell's level of difficulty?"
"Yes," Draco said.
"Good. We'll start with something small." Lucius nodded, " Why don't you try and conjure a small amount of this fire Draco. Can you think of what the incantation for that would be?"
Draco thought back to his Latin training. "Would it be just, Firmus Flamma?"
"Very good Draco. I'm proud of you. Now try the spell."
"Firmus Flamma!" Draco called and a small marble sized bit of fire shot out of Draco's wand.
"Perfect. Now watch. Twany, hold Master Malfoy's fire in your hand."
If Twany looked daunted by her task, neither Mr. Malfoy nor Draco noticed. The elf jumped up and retrieved the burning ball, holding it between her fingers, letting out occasional yelps of pain.
"Let go Twany." Mr. Malfoy commanded and the elf did.
"That was very good for your first try son, now let's try something else..."
~
Ginny looked at the clock hardly daring to believe it. It was past 1:30 and Draco wasn't here, and quite possibly wasn't coming. Since the one o'clock lunchtime had been decided, Draco had yet to be late. Ginny was daring to believe that he wasn't going too come today. The thought seemed to good to be true. She had spent the morning sobbing. She tried taking a shower to scrub his scent off, but she sobbed through that too. Only an hour ago and after immense self-discipline had she been able to pull herself together and dry her tears. Obviously she couldn't let Draco see her like that. In his mind she had no reason to cry, thus she shouldn't be crying. Ginny settled back onto the bed to read a new book Zally had brought her. She supposed Draco would show up soon.
~
Draco was concentrating so hard on the spell he didn't even realized that one o'clock had come and gone.
"Very, very good Draco!" Mr. Malfoy exclaimed as Draco managed to encage the house elf once again.
"Thank you father."
"Why don't we break for lunch?"
"Oh, is it one o'clock already?"
"It's past two." Mr. Malfoy said with a laugh and lead Draco into their dining room.
Draco and Mr. Malfoy spent the rest of the day learning spells and incantations that Mr. Malfoy thought Draco would need that night. After they were done learning spells and were sitting around the table eating dinner Mr. Malfoy told Draco the exact plan of how things were going to go.
"Why the Diggory's?" Draco asked curiously.
"Two reasons actually," Mr. Malfoy said leaning back in his chair, "the first is where they are physically located. Do you know where they live?"
"Ummm, no," he admitted.
"Well they live rather close to the Weasleys. The Dark Lord feels that the Weasleys have lived in safety for far too long. Of course their youngest daughter is missing," he said with a slight smirk at Draco, "but for a family who are such a starch Harry Potter/Albus Dumbledore supporters they have lived at ease longer than Our Lord is pleased with. He feels it is time we threatened the security they have began to feel again."
"I like it. It's about time someone showed that long-nosed freckled-faced freak that he's not safe just because he's best friends with Harry Potter. What's the second reason Father?"
"Our Lord also wishes to send a message to the entire Wizarding World. He finishes what he started. This is meant to be a message concerning Potter. In Potter's case, he killed the parents but never got to the son. In the Diggorys' case, he killed the son but never got to the parents. We, well you," he said smiling at Draco, "will finish the parents tonight."
"And He will finish the son of the Potters soon?"
"He will Draco, he will."
"Umm father one more thing."
"Yes?"
"How do you suppose we'll get there?"
"Apparate of course," Lucius said.
"Oh," he said looking down then, "You don't suppose we might floo over do you?"
"Floo? Draco!" he said, "Don't tell me you're still not Apparating because of that one time last year when you splinched yourself!"
"Ummm," Draco said, refusing to meet his father's disappointed glare. Draco always hated letting his father down. If one didn't count how strict he was involving Draco's grades, Mr. Malfoy wasn't a very easy man to disappoint, so when he did, Draco felt like scum.
"Draco," Mr. Malfoy commanded, "answer me."
"Father I, I just haven't really had the, uh, the time."
"Draco, now I know that's a lie. You've had the whole summer. I know you don't have the chance to practice much at school, but do you expect me to believe that you haven't had five minutes this whole summer? All this time when you suggested we take the car into muggle London so the Ministry wouldn't be able to trace our Apparation right away and stop us, I thought you were so smart. Now I find out that you were just avoiding Apparating. You know Our Lord was going to come with us tonight but I convinced him that you would be nervous in his presence and I wanted to build your confidence. I assured him you were completely capable of doing everything a Death Eater should do. Should I tell him I was wrong? That you've been lying to me!" he slammed his hand down on the table, "What do you think Our Lord would do to me then Draco? He wouldn't trust me to be his right hand man if I couldn't tell that my own son has been lying to me all summer!" Mr. Malfoy yelled. Draco didn't look up. He knew he deserved this.
"Fath-" But Mr. Malfoy wasn't finished.
"Well maybe you can just stay home tonight and I'll do it myself. We can't arrive by floo! That's a lovely idea Draco! Let's just tumble into their sitting room one by one, give them lots of time to kill one of us and wait for the other."
"Father I-"
"No! Do not try and make excuses I'm leaving! You can stay here!" he said pushing his chair back and storming out of the dinning room still ranting, "I taught you that skill and you should have used it. I risked a lot! A few harmless spells are one thing, but if The Ministry had found out that I allowed you to learn to Apparate they would not be happy. I can't believe..." but Mr. Malfoy's voice had faded from earshot. Draco was still staring at his plate as if he'd never seen anything quite like it. His normally pale cheeks were burning with a mixture of rage and shame. His father was being grossly unfair. It was one simple skill! It didn't make him unworthy of being a Death Eater. He had dreamed his whole life of becoming a Death Eater, and now with Voldermort in power once again his dream was closer than ever. He would not let his father tell the Dark Lord he wasn't worthy because of one stupid lie. He would show him. He was worthy!
"Appareo!" he shouted and suddenly he was in his father's study.
"I'm ready!" he said, a little breathless from the effort of Apparating for the first time in a year. "I am Father! I can Apparate!"
"So you can, and so you are. Go change and meet me back here. We'll leave as soon as you're ready." Mr. Malfoy said, easily forgetting his earlier rage in light of Draco's determination.
Draco ran to his room and donned his black velvet Death Eater's robes. He would prove himself today.
"Let's go Son," Mr. Malfoy said as soon as Draco came into his study. With a pop they were gone as the clock struck nine.
~
Mr. and Mrs. Diggory were listening to the news on the wireless when two loud pops drew their attention away. Mrs. Diggory let out a surprised scream when she saw the two black clad figures in her kitchen while Mr. Diggory grabbed for his wand.
"Taleafirmus Flamma," Draco called pointing his wand at Mrs. Diggory. Her normally calm demeanor disappeared and she let out another earth-shattering scream as she was incased in flame. Draco had never felt such power.
"Don't hurt her!" Amos called throwing himself in front of Draco's wand. Draco laughed so mirthlessly even he was surprised by it.
"Why shouldn't I hurt her Amos?"
"She's never done anything! We've never done anything," he pleaded desperately. Draco pretended to consider this, "Please," Amos continued, "let her out of that-that cage!"
"Hmmm, and what will you do if I do?"
"Anything, I'll do anything you ask, I'll become a Death Eater, or be a spy. I'll do anything just let her go!" he pleaded desperately. It was more than Amos could bear watching his wife screaming, her face etched in fear. With Cedric gone he couldn't let Death Eaters take his wife too.
Draco really did have to hesitate this time and glance at his father; it wasn't for him to decide if Mr. Diggory could bargain at such high stakes. Mr. Malfoy lightly shook his head.
"No!" Mr. Diggory yelled, seeing Lucius' reply.
"Say goodbye to your wife Amos Diggory."
"Helen!" he called turning to the terrified women encaged in fire, "I love you!" he said.
"Aw, how touching." Draco said in a mocking tone.
But Mr. Diggory didn't reply. He was sobbing, "Just like Cedric, tell him I love him too!"
"You'll get the chance to tell him yourself rather soon Amos," Draco drawled. You'll see your wife soon too." Diggory's eyes got big when the meaning of his words registered.
""Effero," Draco bellowed pointing his wand at Mrs. Diggory's prison, Amos hardly had time to be relieved that his wife was now free before Draco had called out another, much more frightening curse, "Avada Kedavra," Mrs. Diggory gave out a scream as death rushed past her and engulfed her. Draco had never felt anything so wonderful before. As the magic rushed through his blood stream, into his fingers and out of his wand he was feeling a thousand highs. Such power with two small words.
"NOOO!" Mr. Diggory called seeing his wife drop beside him.
"Yes," Draco said snapping back to reality just to taunt Amos once more, "Not to worry though, I imagine you'll see her soon." He turned his wand onto the last remaining Diggory. "Now Amos, stay kneeling just like that and you'll die just like your wife and only child." Draco said, surprising even himself with how natural this came to him.
"I will not be told what to do by a child Draco Malfoy. I know that it is you behind that mask. Your horrible cold eyes, your whole family is a bad lot."
"Two things I would like you to know before you die Amos," Draco drawled.
"You will n-" Mr. Diggory started.
"Yes," he said speaking over him taking aim with his wand. Ropes sprang out and muffled his mouth "I will. Now two things Amos, the first is that my family is ingenious and worth ten of yours. That is why my father and I are going to leave this house in a few minutes but I'm afraid you never will." Mr. Diggory started to talk but the ropes muffled anything he was saying, "And the second, is that I am not a child. Would a child be able to do this?" Once again he raised his wand and called out the most potent of the Unforgiveables. "Avada Kedavra," Mr. Diggory fell to the ground as Draco felt another rush of power burst through him like a thousand orgasms hitting him all at once.
"MORSMORDRE!" Lucius called shooting the Dark Mark into the sky. Then, just as planned the two of them Apparated out into Diagon Alley.
~
Ginny looked at the clock once more. 9:05 and again Draco wasn't here. She dared to hope he wasn't coming. Perhaps something happened to him when he was with his father, she thought, but that still doesn't explain why he didn't come for lunch. Maybe he's just bored of me." Ginny thought of reason after reason why Draco was late but one thought haunted her mind. I can leave if he doesn't come back soon!!
~
Draco and Lucius Malfoy Apparated into a small alleyway in Diagon Alley. The ministry would be able to pick up their Apparation to within about a half mile and trace it back to the Diggorys' so there was no way they could Disapparated onto the Malfoy estate. There were so many people coming and going in and out of Diagon Alley that there was no possible way to trace them from here.
"Wait a minute," Lucius instructed his son.
"Why?" Draco asked.
"Because if they trace the Apparation to around Diagon Alley and we are seen two seconds after, don't you think it will look the least bit suspicious?"
"Oh," was all Draco could muster. He was still woozy from such and immense power high and he wondered with a chuckle, if he could get a power hangover. He found it horribly unfair that his father had let him experience that sort of high only before shipping him off to boarding school with that old loony for a headmaster. The pair waited ten minutes in the alleyway. Draco all the while mussing over the great serge he felt when killing the Diggorys. It was completely different from killing muggles. Muggles were below him anyways, they deserved their fate, and they never begged. But the Diggory's were different. Although he wasn't consciously aware of it, something inside had clicked and instinctively he knew he was not only better than muggles and mud-bloods but also better than any other wizard who was on the loosing side. He must become a Death Eater. He needed that serge of power filling his entire being as often as possible, and if he couldn't become a Death Eater he might as well die. The power high was even better than when he took Ginny that first night and she had screamed and cried and begged him to stop, but was still to scared too move from him. Speaking of Ginny, he couldn't wait to see her.
"Father, when will we go home?"
"9:30"
~
Ginny glanced at her clock for the third time in the last five minutes. She couldn't wait any longer, 9;30 she told herself, if he's not here by that time, then he's probably not coming. Besides the longer I wait the more likely it is that he'll come home and I'll get caught. Deep down she knew she was cutting in close. Mrs. Malfoy or the servants could see her if she left that early, but she couldn't stand the thought of having Malfoy's hands on her again. She didn't want to give him enough time to come home. So instead of being safe and waiting, she justified it by saying that he surely wasn't coming if he wasn't here by 9:30.
~
"Come Draco," Mr. Malfoy said, "We have a safe room where we can talk about your first real attack." Mr. Malfoy put a hand on Draco's shoulder to guide him while they Disapparated and the two suddenly appeared about a mile away in a dingy room. The dirt floor and walls gave away that it was underground and the musky scent revealed that they were most likely under the river.
"Father, that was the most wonderful feeling in the world," Draco said awed, "I can't even put it into words. I must become a Death Eater Father, I must!"
Mr. Malfoy smiled, full of parental pride. "Draco that was very good. It came natural to you. The dark lord will be immeasurably pleased with your first performance."
"Really Father? Do you think he'll allow me to be initiated this December when I'm home for the Holidays?"
"I think he would agree to that." Mr. Malfoy said and checked his pocket watch, "9:25," he said, "We can go, they won't be able to trace us from here." The pair rose to leave the table.
~
9:25, Ginny thought back at the manor, only five more minutes and I'm free.
~
Just as Draco was raising his wand to Disapparate someone else Apparated into the room.
"James Avery!" Mr. Malfoy said suddenly. Draco was tempted to let out a groan. He did not feel like listening to them talk. He wanted to see Ginny.
~
9:26 almost there. I'm four of five minutes away from seeing Mum! Ginny could hardly wait.
~
"9:26" Draco mumbled checking his watch. He supposed he could always leave without his father. So he decided that if Lucius didn't want to leave by 9:30 he would go by himself.
~
Anxiously, Ginny watched the second hand crawl around the clock face. Every five seconds seemed like five minutes. Finally the clock read 9:29.
~
"Well!" Mr. Avery said just as Draco watched the watch click to 9:30, "I must be going, I have some business to attend to."
"Good Night James." Lucius said.
"Good Night Mr. Avery." Draco said as he watched the man disappear from sight.
"Can we go now father? I want to get home."
"Why is that?"
"I want to visit Ginny." The two men raised their wands and both said "Appareo," at the same time.
~
9:30! Ginny jumped out of the bed and opened the door.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for so long!! I was on vacation for two weeks and then school started four days after I returned. Chapter sixteen should be out in about a week or so.