Ginny started quickly through the passageway, slowing when the door shut. It was dark, but slight crevices in the bricks let some light filter in. After performing the Lumos spell, she hastened through the dampness. Finally, Ginny encountered a wall. How to get it open? She gently touched the sides. Nothing happened. She started pressing on the other side of the wall. The door swung open into the Slytherin common room and Ginny stepped through. The door shut, and Ginny prayed the password for this door was the same as the other end. Hearing footfalls, the littlest Weasley threw herself down behind the nearest couch. Draco Malfoy himself strode into the room.
"... Thought I'd heard something..." He muttered. Obviously, Malfoy had been awake and heard her entrance. Ginny prayed she wouldn't be found. She wasn't.
Since she couldn't just leave the paper in the middle of the common room, Ginny wondered what to do now. If Draco was awake, her original idea of leaving it in his things was out. She didn't have to wait for long though, because Draco made his way back into the common room and through the passageway from which she'd just came. Ginny rose and crept slowly into what she assumed was the boys' dormitory. Rows of slumbering Slytherins greeted her. She made her way to the only empty bed, at the end of the row against the far wall, in a corner. After slipping the paper under his pillow, leaving the corner sticking slightly out, she returned to the common room. Luckily, the password worked and once again Ginny found herself in the secret passage.
Ginny moved slowly, pressed against the wall, not bothering with a lighting spell in case Draco should return. She made it entirely through without incident. It was when she touched the wall and the door swung open that Ginny was met with a stunned Draco. She stared. Within seconds, Draco shut his mouth and grabbed her wrist, yanking her back into the passage. He held a hand to her mouth so she couldn't talk. A moment later, Ginny realized why.
"Thought I heard someone, didn't I, Mrs. Norris?" Filch was barely audible through the broad brick walls. Finally, Draco let go of Ginny, who stumbled back away from him. He muttered, "Lumos," and stared at Ginny as if to say, "well?"
"Uh, Draco..." Ginny began, looking down.
"Yes?" Draco drawled, his face set like stone.
"Well, you see... I noticed in the library today you dropped a paper and-" Draco's eyes registered surprise.
"I did?"
"Yes, that's why I returned it."
"You... Returned it?"
"I just said I didn't, didn't I?"
"Of course. Did you read it?" Ginny flushed.
"I didn't mean to read it, it was just laying there, so I picked it up, I'm sorry-"
"It's okay. Just forget about it, okay? Can you do that for me, please? Forget you ever read it." Ginny stared at Draco, her look asking if he was actually serious. His expression indicated he was.
"I can try, I mean, of course," Ginny wasn't flustered, just confused. "But wha-"
"You should go, Filch may be back, and you wouldn't want to be stuck in this tunnel," Draco said, before leaving her in darkness. Ginny left the passageway and made her way to the Gryffindor common room, unaware she was being watched from the shadows. ~*~
"And welcome to the first Quidditch game of the year!! Today's game has Slytherin versus Ravenclaw!!" The crowds cheered as the Ravenclaw team made their way onto the pitch. Next, the Slytherins was lead out by Malfoy, their captain. There were no seventh years on the team. The game was close, 30-20 in favor of Ravenclaw.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and a few other Gryffindors were near the stairs, cheering enthusiastically for Ravenclaw. Lavander asked Ginny to accompany her to the castle, as she had to use the restroom. They started down the steps, just as Draco and the Ravenclaw seeker both sighted the snitch. Draco caught it in a dangerous dive and the game was over. He hurried off the pitch.
"Hey! Ginny! Wait up!" Lavander and Ginny turned.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Lavander asked, eyes narrowed.
"I just need to talk to Ginny, that's all," Draco said, pulling the redhead away. She didn't talk until they were out of Lavander's hearing distance; she'd gone on to the castle and Draco had led her towards the whomping willow.
"Draco, what are you doing?" She hissed at him.
"Ginny, you know those papers you saw me carrying? The ones that the one you read came from? It's a file. She's in it." Ginny took a moment for that to register.
"So, you mean, she's... Bad?"
"Yes."
"How do I know you're not, too?" Ginny asked, suddenly wishing they were more out in the open.
"You're just going to have to trust me."
"Tell me more about those papers, then." Draco sighed.
"Not here. I'll show them to you, later. Could you meet me in the back of the library? Near the restricted section. 10PM, okay?"
"I guess," Ginny agreed reluctantly. What was she getting herself into?
Draco walked away, thoughtful. He needed to share his file with someone, it was driving him crazy having to go through it all alone. But the Weasley girl? Well, maybe this could prove beneficial. She'd be an unexpected ally, though apparently Lavander had already seen them together. She wouldn't dare tell any of the others though. In fact, she probably wouldn't tell anyone at all. It wasn't like her to share information. Ruined her chances of gaining power and position. But would she tell Voldemort? No, Lavander was cunning. She'd save the information until it had leverage, until she could bargain with it. ~*~
"Hey, have you seen Ginny?"
"No, Harry, now that you mention it, she's been kinda absent lately," Ron replied.
"I wonder why?"
"Maybe she's finally getting a life of her own?"
"Ron, be nice. I found out she has a Divination test tomorrow and was going to help her study."
"Eh, try the library, she's always there."
"It's ten-thirty at night, why would she be there now?"
"Beats the heck out of me! I'd try it anyway." ~*~
Ten o'clock sharp saw Draco approaching Ginny in the back of the library, a few books in hand. Ginny raised an eyebrow as he set them all down.
"What's with the books?"
"I have my papers in them. It wouldn't look good if I just carried a bunch of papers out of the common room at ten o'clock, now would it?"
"I suppose not. Well, let's see them." As Ginny read through the more interesting notes and recordings, Draco explained them to her. Apparently, Draco was not evil as everyone perceived him to be. Rather, his father at the Ministry of Magic had asked him at the end of last schoolyear to keep an eye on some of his classmates, whose parents were rumoured Death Eaters. This is what he told Ginny as she read. Some names were obvious: Goyle, Crabbe, Parkinson; and some where not: Brown, Creevey. Creevey? Woah. Ginny's eyebrows shot up at that one.
"Surprising, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Creevey's so damn annoying!"
"I mean, this whole thing."
"Yes, I should say it is. All I ever hear about from Ron and Harry and Hermione is how bad you are and how much they dislike you!" Draco rolled his eyes. Ginny read some more, before stopping and putting aside the papers. She sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking, with Draco watching her.
"What?" He finally asked her. Ginny stared at him.
"You aren't sorry that I found that paper, are you? I mean, if you want me to forget you told me all this, I will. I'll pretend today never happened... And avoid Colin and Lavander," she said, smiling a little. Draco leaned in close to Ginny, startling her.
"I want you to help me," he said simply.
"You... Want my help?"
"Yes. No one would ever think a Weasley was working with a Malfoy, and you can keep an eye on the Gryffindors for me. Besides, I needed to show someone that file, keeping it all to myself was driving me insane, especially since I can't contact my father about it yet. I don't want Dumbledore knowing."
"Okay, I'll do it." Draco sighed in relief, tension he didn't know he'd had being released.
"Thank you." It was as he said this that Harry chose to round the corner and see them. He stopped short and his eyes flitted back and forth between Ginny and Draco. The two quickly gathered up the books and papers.
"Ginny?"
"Thank you for helping me study, Draco," Ginny said quickly, taking a few of the books from him. Harry stared at her, disbelieving. Then he turned and led her out of the library, silently, leaving an amused Draco Malfoy behind.
"... Thought I'd heard something..." He muttered. Obviously, Malfoy had been awake and heard her entrance. Ginny prayed she wouldn't be found. She wasn't.
Since she couldn't just leave the paper in the middle of the common room, Ginny wondered what to do now. If Draco was awake, her original idea of leaving it in his things was out. She didn't have to wait for long though, because Draco made his way back into the common room and through the passageway from which she'd just came. Ginny rose and crept slowly into what she assumed was the boys' dormitory. Rows of slumbering Slytherins greeted her. She made her way to the only empty bed, at the end of the row against the far wall, in a corner. After slipping the paper under his pillow, leaving the corner sticking slightly out, she returned to the common room. Luckily, the password worked and once again Ginny found herself in the secret passage.
Ginny moved slowly, pressed against the wall, not bothering with a lighting spell in case Draco should return. She made it entirely through without incident. It was when she touched the wall and the door swung open that Ginny was met with a stunned Draco. She stared. Within seconds, Draco shut his mouth and grabbed her wrist, yanking her back into the passage. He held a hand to her mouth so she couldn't talk. A moment later, Ginny realized why.
"Thought I heard someone, didn't I, Mrs. Norris?" Filch was barely audible through the broad brick walls. Finally, Draco let go of Ginny, who stumbled back away from him. He muttered, "Lumos," and stared at Ginny as if to say, "well?"
"Uh, Draco..." Ginny began, looking down.
"Yes?" Draco drawled, his face set like stone.
"Well, you see... I noticed in the library today you dropped a paper and-" Draco's eyes registered surprise.
"I did?"
"Yes, that's why I returned it."
"You... Returned it?"
"I just said I didn't, didn't I?"
"Of course. Did you read it?" Ginny flushed.
"I didn't mean to read it, it was just laying there, so I picked it up, I'm sorry-"
"It's okay. Just forget about it, okay? Can you do that for me, please? Forget you ever read it." Ginny stared at Draco, her look asking if he was actually serious. His expression indicated he was.
"I can try, I mean, of course," Ginny wasn't flustered, just confused. "But wha-"
"You should go, Filch may be back, and you wouldn't want to be stuck in this tunnel," Draco said, before leaving her in darkness. Ginny left the passageway and made her way to the Gryffindor common room, unaware she was being watched from the shadows. ~*~
"And welcome to the first Quidditch game of the year!! Today's game has Slytherin versus Ravenclaw!!" The crowds cheered as the Ravenclaw team made their way onto the pitch. Next, the Slytherins was lead out by Malfoy, their captain. There were no seventh years on the team. The game was close, 30-20 in favor of Ravenclaw.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and a few other Gryffindors were near the stairs, cheering enthusiastically for Ravenclaw. Lavander asked Ginny to accompany her to the castle, as she had to use the restroom. They started down the steps, just as Draco and the Ravenclaw seeker both sighted the snitch. Draco caught it in a dangerous dive and the game was over. He hurried off the pitch.
"Hey! Ginny! Wait up!" Lavander and Ginny turned.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Lavander asked, eyes narrowed.
"I just need to talk to Ginny, that's all," Draco said, pulling the redhead away. She didn't talk until they were out of Lavander's hearing distance; she'd gone on to the castle and Draco had led her towards the whomping willow.
"Draco, what are you doing?" She hissed at him.
"Ginny, you know those papers you saw me carrying? The ones that the one you read came from? It's a file. She's in it." Ginny took a moment for that to register.
"So, you mean, she's... Bad?"
"Yes."
"How do I know you're not, too?" Ginny asked, suddenly wishing they were more out in the open.
"You're just going to have to trust me."
"Tell me more about those papers, then." Draco sighed.
"Not here. I'll show them to you, later. Could you meet me in the back of the library? Near the restricted section. 10PM, okay?"
"I guess," Ginny agreed reluctantly. What was she getting herself into?
Draco walked away, thoughtful. He needed to share his file with someone, it was driving him crazy having to go through it all alone. But the Weasley girl? Well, maybe this could prove beneficial. She'd be an unexpected ally, though apparently Lavander had already seen them together. She wouldn't dare tell any of the others though. In fact, she probably wouldn't tell anyone at all. It wasn't like her to share information. Ruined her chances of gaining power and position. But would she tell Voldemort? No, Lavander was cunning. She'd save the information until it had leverage, until she could bargain with it. ~*~
"Hey, have you seen Ginny?"
"No, Harry, now that you mention it, she's been kinda absent lately," Ron replied.
"I wonder why?"
"Maybe she's finally getting a life of her own?"
"Ron, be nice. I found out she has a Divination test tomorrow and was going to help her study."
"Eh, try the library, she's always there."
"It's ten-thirty at night, why would she be there now?"
"Beats the heck out of me! I'd try it anyway." ~*~
Ten o'clock sharp saw Draco approaching Ginny in the back of the library, a few books in hand. Ginny raised an eyebrow as he set them all down.
"What's with the books?"
"I have my papers in them. It wouldn't look good if I just carried a bunch of papers out of the common room at ten o'clock, now would it?"
"I suppose not. Well, let's see them." As Ginny read through the more interesting notes and recordings, Draco explained them to her. Apparently, Draco was not evil as everyone perceived him to be. Rather, his father at the Ministry of Magic had asked him at the end of last schoolyear to keep an eye on some of his classmates, whose parents were rumoured Death Eaters. This is what he told Ginny as she read. Some names were obvious: Goyle, Crabbe, Parkinson; and some where not: Brown, Creevey. Creevey? Woah. Ginny's eyebrows shot up at that one.
"Surprising, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Creevey's so damn annoying!"
"I mean, this whole thing."
"Yes, I should say it is. All I ever hear about from Ron and Harry and Hermione is how bad you are and how much they dislike you!" Draco rolled his eyes. Ginny read some more, before stopping and putting aside the papers. She sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking, with Draco watching her.
"What?" He finally asked her. Ginny stared at him.
"You aren't sorry that I found that paper, are you? I mean, if you want me to forget you told me all this, I will. I'll pretend today never happened... And avoid Colin and Lavander," she said, smiling a little. Draco leaned in close to Ginny, startling her.
"I want you to help me," he said simply.
"You... Want my help?"
"Yes. No one would ever think a Weasley was working with a Malfoy, and you can keep an eye on the Gryffindors for me. Besides, I needed to show someone that file, keeping it all to myself was driving me insane, especially since I can't contact my father about it yet. I don't want Dumbledore knowing."
"Okay, I'll do it." Draco sighed in relief, tension he didn't know he'd had being released.
"Thank you." It was as he said this that Harry chose to round the corner and see them. He stopped short and his eyes flitted back and forth between Ginny and Draco. The two quickly gathered up the books and papers.
"Ginny?"
"Thank you for helping me study, Draco," Ginny said quickly, taking a few of the books from him. Harry stared at her, disbelieving. Then he turned and led her out of the library, silently, leaving an amused Draco Malfoy behind.