Disclaimer: Yeah this is all mine! Okay, so not really...the plot is mine
though, you have to give me some credit for that! (This quote isn't mine
either, it's from 'Turn Off the Lights' by Nelly Furtado.)
~*~
But after midnight, morning will come
And the day will see if you will get some...
Not everything in this magical world is quite what it seems...
~*~
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 12 Decisions and Dreams
******
"Now remember," Draco said as he was about to knock on the door to the cottage "Call me Derek Clemens. I don't want my real name to get out, even if we are just around muggles."
Ginny stared unbelievingly at Draco. He was really serious about this. She didn't ever think she could get used to calling him Derek, but to make him happy she would try.
"Fine," she replied as Draco knocked. "But you are not going to call me Gertrude!"
"I'll call you whatever I want!" he hissed back. "Don't-"
But just then the door swung open, revealing a man who looked to be about sixty, but still in good health.
"Yes?" the muggle asked.
"We're here about the newspaper add." Draco said promptly. "It said that the second floor of your cottage here is for rent."
"Ah, of course. Come in."
Ginny followed Draco into the foyer of the overlarge cottage. It looked as though it had been recently remodeled.
"I'm Michael Fletcher." The man said. "My wife and I fixed up this cottage, and decided to put the second floor up for rent."
Mr. Fletcher looked Draco and Ginny over.
"But you two are a little young to be married already aren't you?"
Ginny's mouth hung open at the prospect of anyone thinking that she and Draco could possibly be married. She was only fifteen! Well, she would be sixteen very soon. But still! Married to Draco Malfoy!?
"No!" she said aloud. But Draco interrupted her, apparently apprehensive that she might say something to give them away.
"It's nothing like that." He said. "My name is Derek Clemens, and this is Gertrude."
Ginny glared at Malfoy. But fortunately the old man didn't ask anymore questions.
"Right." He said. "Now let me show you the rooms."
******
There was something about Mr. Fletcher that Draco didn't like. Maybe part of it was that he didn't ask any questions, and he was also very willing to take any price to rent the rooms. It was almost as if he..really wanted them to stay.
The sense of dislike turned to alarm as Draco and Ginny walked through the house and as they met Mrs. Fletcher. Something definitely wasn't right here.
******
As much as Ginny hated to admit it, she loved the cottage. Everything about it was beautiful. Her room was decorated in light yellow, with white carpet and trim, and a canopy bed. Paintings of wildflowers hung all around the room, and there was a window that looked out over the back of the property, where real wildflowers grew in the fields.
"What's that back there?" Ginny asked Mr. Fletcher as she went to look out the window.
He glanced out at the structure and looked at his wife, as though unsure of what it was.
"It's a stable." Mrs. Fletcher quickly said. "My horse is out there."
"Oh!" Ginny said, delighted at the prospect of a horse on the property.
After the Fletcher's showed them around, and invited them to eat dinner with them that night, Draco insisted that he and Ginny excuse themselves and rest.
"Don't get to comfortable here." Draco said to her as he heard the Fletchers going downstairs.
"I'll never be comfortable until I'm back home Malfoy." She replied, irritated. "But why do you say that?"
"Don't ask me questions." He said testily. "Just go and get some rest until dinner."
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. She hated the way he ordered her around. But she just sighed, and moved off to her "temporary room" as she preferred to call it, to try and figure out another way to escape and get back to Hogwarts.
"And Ginny," Malfoy called out her name and then caught himself. "Gertrude-my mistake." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Don't waste your time trying to think of ways to get away." He kept his voice low and spoke in a silky tone. "I have enough spells and charms on you, that it would be impossible."
Ginny's eyes widened. She hadn't thought about Malfoy cursing her, so that she might not be able to get away. She now knew what a goldfish felt like. Swimming around in a stupid little bowl everyday, not able to get out or go anywhere that it might want to go. Her temper rose, and she decided to go downstairs and visit with the Fletchers. Malfoy had shut himself up in his room, and wouldn't notice her absence.
******
Lucius walked into the study at his manor, prepared to give Voldemort some good news for once. He saw the Dark Lord staring out one of the full- length windows, his hands clasped behind his back, and his eyes not moving away from the window as Lucius came in.
"My lord! You should not endanger yourself so!" Lucius said. He walked over and pulled the drapes closed over the windows. "We do not want you to be seen."
Voldemort turned to Lucius with a weary expression.
"I suppose you are right Lucius." He sighed. "I will be so happy when I have finally gotten rid of Potter. Then I will be able to think straight, and continue my plans to overthrow the Ministry."
"Yes my lord. And speaking of Harry Potter, I have some good news. The Parkinsons have successfully gone undercover, and he and the girl are there now." Lucius paused before continuing. "They are waiting for your instructions."
At these words a thin, cold smile made Voldemort's features even more hideous.
"I think it's time I paid Potter's dreams a little visit." He replied amusedly.
******
Ginny headed over to the stables. She had spent a few minutes talking to Mrs. Fletcher, but she wasn't a very talkative woman. She seemed uneasy around Ginny. 'Maybe it takes some time for her to get used to strangers.' She thought. Mrs. Fletcher had then suggested that Ginny go out to visit with her horse, which she had wanted to do anyway.
Ginny reached the stables and came to a stall that held a beautiful chestnut horse. A small sign above the stall read, "Julie".
"Well hello Julie." She said as she reached up to stroke the horse. 'They are such massive, graceful creatures.' She thought to herself. The horse whinnied as Ginny stroked her. A fresh wave of depression washed over Ginny as she stood silently with Julie. She wondered what her parents were going through right now. Her mother didn't handle hard situations like this very well. Was she really safer here with Malfoy than she would be at Hogwarts, with people that she knew?
******
"How did you know that they had a horse?" Peter Parkinson asked his wife.
"I saw a picture of the muggle with the horse on her dresser and assumed that was what the stable held." Claire responded.
"Oh. I wonder when the dark lord will send us his instructions. I already hate these kids."
"I don't know." She said. "Here." She handed him a glass full of polyjuice potion. "Take this, the hour is almost up."
******
Draco stared out his window, which also faced out toward the back pasture, where he watched Ginny enter the stable. They had to get out of here. He could feel the dark magic in this place. He could smell death. He was almost sure these people were Death Eaters. How he knew this, Draco wasn't sure. Everything just..felt wrong. Maybe it had something to do with the mark on his arm. Maybe it allowed him to sense evil. And if what he was feeling turned out to be true, then he and Ginny were in big trouble. It meant Voldemort had found them. But then why hadn't they just gone ahead and killed Ginny and himself? What were they waiting for? Was he just being paranoid?
The question that Draco had been trying to avoid for so long, finally forced it's way into his thoughts. 'If these people were Death Eaters, would he join them?' If he turned himself over and 'repented' for running away, wouldn't they take him back? It would be worth a try. It might be the only way to stay alive...
******
Ginny went upstairs to wash and change before dinner, and met Draco as she came out of the bathroom. He was leaning casually against the wall, dressed completely in black. Ginny had to admit that he looked good...really good. She herself was wearing a new black miniskirt with a gray fleece-like sweater that had a low cut neckline and tied at the top with a little black ribbon. She saw Draco look at her intensely, and blushed.
"What are you staring at?" she asked with annoyance.
"You." He said simply. "Those Hogwarts robes hide way too much."
Ginny felt her cheeks turn even redder, but decided to take it as a compliment.
Draco held out his arm.
"May I escort you to dinner?"
Ginny hesitated. But decided she might as well let him. She slipped her arm through his, and he brought her closer to his warm side. Ginny felt like she had a million chocolate frogs jumping around in her stomach. Ron would have a heart attack if he could see her and Malfoy now.
Dinner wasn't an enjoyable experience to say the least. Everyone seemed really tense, and Draco hardly said a word. After they finished, Ginny and Draco helped to clean up, and then went back upstairs.
"What was your problem?" Ginny asked as she and Draco reached the door to her room. "You wouldn't hardly say a thing to the Fletchers."
Draco brushed off her question. "Good- night." He said.
"Draco!" she called out, and she grabbed his shirt. "Would you please tell me what's going on?"
"No." He leaned in closer to her.
"You look beautiful." he whispered.
Ginny found herself looking into his deep gray eyes once again. Those eyes that held such dark secrets and tragic memories.
"Thank- wait a second Malfoy! Don't go changing the subject on me!"
"I didn't like that subject. Let's talk about something else." He said in that silky voice. "Better yet-let's not talk."
Ginny suddenly found Draco's lips on hers.
She quickly pushed him away. She couldn't allow herself to give into him again.
"Good- night Draco." She said, before twirling around into her room and shutting the door in his face.
Ginny leaned against her door, her heart beating at an unusually fast pace. Now she hated herself for pulling away. She took a deep breath, and opened the door just a crack.
There was Draco, one arm extended to prop himself up against the outside of her door, and the other in his pocket. The shadows in the hallway almost consumed him, except for his face, as the light from Ginny's room played on it. He smirked as he saw her open the door.
"Can't resist once you've had a taste of me eh?" he asked smugly.
Ginny was about to slam the door in his face once again, but he caught it with his hand and pushed it open.
"Why do you try so hard to push me away," he thrust his way into her room. "When I can see that you want me so badly?"
"Because you're an evil git." She said nervously as he moved even closer.
"Hmm, most girls like that."
"This one doesn't."
"You chase after guys like Potter, when you could do so much better."
That had done it. Ginny slapped him right across the face.
"You've tried that already darling, and it didn't work the first time." He said, not phased at all by the stinging red mark on his face.
She drew back to throw a punch at him, but he caught her hand without even flinching.
"One of these days Malfoy," Ginny said as he lowered her hand. "Just you wait and see."
"See what? I think you've forgotten the kind of situation you're stuck in."
Ginny huffed in frustration. She was torn between wanting to break his neck, and wanting to kiss him.
"Just get out Draco!"
He cocked his head to the side, and stared at her profoundly.
"What if I don't want to?"
"Get used to disappointment then." She said as she pushed him out the door. But before he had a chance to go anywhere, she grabbed his shirt and planted her lips hard on his. His eyes fluttered in surprise, but he quickly got over it and passionately kissed her back. It became harder for Ginny to breath, and she finally pulled away, deciding it was best not to let things get any further.
She smiled seductively at him, before slamming the door once again.
******
Back at Hogwarts, Harry prepared to go to bed. Ron was already asleep, fatigue finally catching up with him. He had spent the last two days without a second of sleep, until his mother had made him get some rest. Harry sighed as he pulled the covers up over his body. It was hard to believe it had only been two days since Ginny had gone missing. For he and the Weasley family, it had felt like months.
Wearily Harry laid his head back onto his pillow. Sleep quickly overtook him. That's when the dream started.
~~ "We've got them now my lord!"
Harry seemed to be standing in a richly furnished room. He could see every detail of it, except for the figures standing near the corner. They seemed blurry and undefined. But Harry knew at once whom one of them was when he heard his speak in a hard, cold voice.
"It seems now that only one of them will die. The other may have finally gotten frightened enough to see that I will win." Voldemort said.
"That is good news my lord." The other one that Harry could not confirm his identity said.
Harry finally realized that he should run and hide. He was standing in a room, unprotected with Voldemort!
But before he could move Voldemort had turned to him, and Harry could now see the ugly details of his face, down to the red slits that were supposedly eyes. And he spoke directly to Harry.
"Will Harry Potter help her?"~~
Harry sat up, cold sweat pouring down his face. It had all been a dream. But that was no ordinary dream. He knew that he had to tell someone about it. It could be a clue to finding Ginny!
He threw his covers off and jumped out of bed.
"Ron! Wake up Ron!"
A/N: What do ya'll think? I'd love some good quotes if anyone has any!
~*~
But after midnight, morning will come
And the day will see if you will get some...
Not everything in this magical world is quite what it seems...
~*~
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 12 Decisions and Dreams
******
"Now remember," Draco said as he was about to knock on the door to the cottage "Call me Derek Clemens. I don't want my real name to get out, even if we are just around muggles."
Ginny stared unbelievingly at Draco. He was really serious about this. She didn't ever think she could get used to calling him Derek, but to make him happy she would try.
"Fine," she replied as Draco knocked. "But you are not going to call me Gertrude!"
"I'll call you whatever I want!" he hissed back. "Don't-"
But just then the door swung open, revealing a man who looked to be about sixty, but still in good health.
"Yes?" the muggle asked.
"We're here about the newspaper add." Draco said promptly. "It said that the second floor of your cottage here is for rent."
"Ah, of course. Come in."
Ginny followed Draco into the foyer of the overlarge cottage. It looked as though it had been recently remodeled.
"I'm Michael Fletcher." The man said. "My wife and I fixed up this cottage, and decided to put the second floor up for rent."
Mr. Fletcher looked Draco and Ginny over.
"But you two are a little young to be married already aren't you?"
Ginny's mouth hung open at the prospect of anyone thinking that she and Draco could possibly be married. She was only fifteen! Well, she would be sixteen very soon. But still! Married to Draco Malfoy!?
"No!" she said aloud. But Draco interrupted her, apparently apprehensive that she might say something to give them away.
"It's nothing like that." He said. "My name is Derek Clemens, and this is Gertrude."
Ginny glared at Malfoy. But fortunately the old man didn't ask anymore questions.
"Right." He said. "Now let me show you the rooms."
******
There was something about Mr. Fletcher that Draco didn't like. Maybe part of it was that he didn't ask any questions, and he was also very willing to take any price to rent the rooms. It was almost as if he..really wanted them to stay.
The sense of dislike turned to alarm as Draco and Ginny walked through the house and as they met Mrs. Fletcher. Something definitely wasn't right here.
******
As much as Ginny hated to admit it, she loved the cottage. Everything about it was beautiful. Her room was decorated in light yellow, with white carpet and trim, and a canopy bed. Paintings of wildflowers hung all around the room, and there was a window that looked out over the back of the property, where real wildflowers grew in the fields.
"What's that back there?" Ginny asked Mr. Fletcher as she went to look out the window.
He glanced out at the structure and looked at his wife, as though unsure of what it was.
"It's a stable." Mrs. Fletcher quickly said. "My horse is out there."
"Oh!" Ginny said, delighted at the prospect of a horse on the property.
After the Fletcher's showed them around, and invited them to eat dinner with them that night, Draco insisted that he and Ginny excuse themselves and rest.
"Don't get to comfortable here." Draco said to her as he heard the Fletchers going downstairs.
"I'll never be comfortable until I'm back home Malfoy." She replied, irritated. "But why do you say that?"
"Don't ask me questions." He said testily. "Just go and get some rest until dinner."
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. She hated the way he ordered her around. But she just sighed, and moved off to her "temporary room" as she preferred to call it, to try and figure out another way to escape and get back to Hogwarts.
"And Ginny," Malfoy called out her name and then caught himself. "Gertrude-my mistake." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Don't waste your time trying to think of ways to get away." He kept his voice low and spoke in a silky tone. "I have enough spells and charms on you, that it would be impossible."
Ginny's eyes widened. She hadn't thought about Malfoy cursing her, so that she might not be able to get away. She now knew what a goldfish felt like. Swimming around in a stupid little bowl everyday, not able to get out or go anywhere that it might want to go. Her temper rose, and she decided to go downstairs and visit with the Fletchers. Malfoy had shut himself up in his room, and wouldn't notice her absence.
******
Lucius walked into the study at his manor, prepared to give Voldemort some good news for once. He saw the Dark Lord staring out one of the full- length windows, his hands clasped behind his back, and his eyes not moving away from the window as Lucius came in.
"My lord! You should not endanger yourself so!" Lucius said. He walked over and pulled the drapes closed over the windows. "We do not want you to be seen."
Voldemort turned to Lucius with a weary expression.
"I suppose you are right Lucius." He sighed. "I will be so happy when I have finally gotten rid of Potter. Then I will be able to think straight, and continue my plans to overthrow the Ministry."
"Yes my lord. And speaking of Harry Potter, I have some good news. The Parkinsons have successfully gone undercover, and he and the girl are there now." Lucius paused before continuing. "They are waiting for your instructions."
At these words a thin, cold smile made Voldemort's features even more hideous.
"I think it's time I paid Potter's dreams a little visit." He replied amusedly.
******
Ginny headed over to the stables. She had spent a few minutes talking to Mrs. Fletcher, but she wasn't a very talkative woman. She seemed uneasy around Ginny. 'Maybe it takes some time for her to get used to strangers.' She thought. Mrs. Fletcher had then suggested that Ginny go out to visit with her horse, which she had wanted to do anyway.
Ginny reached the stables and came to a stall that held a beautiful chestnut horse. A small sign above the stall read, "Julie".
"Well hello Julie." She said as she reached up to stroke the horse. 'They are such massive, graceful creatures.' She thought to herself. The horse whinnied as Ginny stroked her. A fresh wave of depression washed over Ginny as she stood silently with Julie. She wondered what her parents were going through right now. Her mother didn't handle hard situations like this very well. Was she really safer here with Malfoy than she would be at Hogwarts, with people that she knew?
******
"How did you know that they had a horse?" Peter Parkinson asked his wife.
"I saw a picture of the muggle with the horse on her dresser and assumed that was what the stable held." Claire responded.
"Oh. I wonder when the dark lord will send us his instructions. I already hate these kids."
"I don't know." She said. "Here." She handed him a glass full of polyjuice potion. "Take this, the hour is almost up."
******
Draco stared out his window, which also faced out toward the back pasture, where he watched Ginny enter the stable. They had to get out of here. He could feel the dark magic in this place. He could smell death. He was almost sure these people were Death Eaters. How he knew this, Draco wasn't sure. Everything just..felt wrong. Maybe it had something to do with the mark on his arm. Maybe it allowed him to sense evil. And if what he was feeling turned out to be true, then he and Ginny were in big trouble. It meant Voldemort had found them. But then why hadn't they just gone ahead and killed Ginny and himself? What were they waiting for? Was he just being paranoid?
The question that Draco had been trying to avoid for so long, finally forced it's way into his thoughts. 'If these people were Death Eaters, would he join them?' If he turned himself over and 'repented' for running away, wouldn't they take him back? It would be worth a try. It might be the only way to stay alive...
******
Ginny went upstairs to wash and change before dinner, and met Draco as she came out of the bathroom. He was leaning casually against the wall, dressed completely in black. Ginny had to admit that he looked good...really good. She herself was wearing a new black miniskirt with a gray fleece-like sweater that had a low cut neckline and tied at the top with a little black ribbon. She saw Draco look at her intensely, and blushed.
"What are you staring at?" she asked with annoyance.
"You." He said simply. "Those Hogwarts robes hide way too much."
Ginny felt her cheeks turn even redder, but decided to take it as a compliment.
Draco held out his arm.
"May I escort you to dinner?"
Ginny hesitated. But decided she might as well let him. She slipped her arm through his, and he brought her closer to his warm side. Ginny felt like she had a million chocolate frogs jumping around in her stomach. Ron would have a heart attack if he could see her and Malfoy now.
Dinner wasn't an enjoyable experience to say the least. Everyone seemed really tense, and Draco hardly said a word. After they finished, Ginny and Draco helped to clean up, and then went back upstairs.
"What was your problem?" Ginny asked as she and Draco reached the door to her room. "You wouldn't hardly say a thing to the Fletchers."
Draco brushed off her question. "Good- night." He said.
"Draco!" she called out, and she grabbed his shirt. "Would you please tell me what's going on?"
"No." He leaned in closer to her.
"You look beautiful." he whispered.
Ginny found herself looking into his deep gray eyes once again. Those eyes that held such dark secrets and tragic memories.
"Thank- wait a second Malfoy! Don't go changing the subject on me!"
"I didn't like that subject. Let's talk about something else." He said in that silky voice. "Better yet-let's not talk."
Ginny suddenly found Draco's lips on hers.
She quickly pushed him away. She couldn't allow herself to give into him again.
"Good- night Draco." She said, before twirling around into her room and shutting the door in his face.
Ginny leaned against her door, her heart beating at an unusually fast pace. Now she hated herself for pulling away. She took a deep breath, and opened the door just a crack.
There was Draco, one arm extended to prop himself up against the outside of her door, and the other in his pocket. The shadows in the hallway almost consumed him, except for his face, as the light from Ginny's room played on it. He smirked as he saw her open the door.
"Can't resist once you've had a taste of me eh?" he asked smugly.
Ginny was about to slam the door in his face once again, but he caught it with his hand and pushed it open.
"Why do you try so hard to push me away," he thrust his way into her room. "When I can see that you want me so badly?"
"Because you're an evil git." She said nervously as he moved even closer.
"Hmm, most girls like that."
"This one doesn't."
"You chase after guys like Potter, when you could do so much better."
That had done it. Ginny slapped him right across the face.
"You've tried that already darling, and it didn't work the first time." He said, not phased at all by the stinging red mark on his face.
She drew back to throw a punch at him, but he caught her hand without even flinching.
"One of these days Malfoy," Ginny said as he lowered her hand. "Just you wait and see."
"See what? I think you've forgotten the kind of situation you're stuck in."
Ginny huffed in frustration. She was torn between wanting to break his neck, and wanting to kiss him.
"Just get out Draco!"
He cocked his head to the side, and stared at her profoundly.
"What if I don't want to?"
"Get used to disappointment then." She said as she pushed him out the door. But before he had a chance to go anywhere, she grabbed his shirt and planted her lips hard on his. His eyes fluttered in surprise, but he quickly got over it and passionately kissed her back. It became harder for Ginny to breath, and she finally pulled away, deciding it was best not to let things get any further.
She smiled seductively at him, before slamming the door once again.
******
Back at Hogwarts, Harry prepared to go to bed. Ron was already asleep, fatigue finally catching up with him. He had spent the last two days without a second of sleep, until his mother had made him get some rest. Harry sighed as he pulled the covers up over his body. It was hard to believe it had only been two days since Ginny had gone missing. For he and the Weasley family, it had felt like months.
Wearily Harry laid his head back onto his pillow. Sleep quickly overtook him. That's when the dream started.
~~ "We've got them now my lord!"
Harry seemed to be standing in a richly furnished room. He could see every detail of it, except for the figures standing near the corner. They seemed blurry and undefined. But Harry knew at once whom one of them was when he heard his speak in a hard, cold voice.
"It seems now that only one of them will die. The other may have finally gotten frightened enough to see that I will win." Voldemort said.
"That is good news my lord." The other one that Harry could not confirm his identity said.
Harry finally realized that he should run and hide. He was standing in a room, unprotected with Voldemort!
But before he could move Voldemort had turned to him, and Harry could now see the ugly details of his face, down to the red slits that were supposedly eyes. And he spoke directly to Harry.
"Will Harry Potter help her?"~~
Harry sat up, cold sweat pouring down his face. It had all been a dream. But that was no ordinary dream. He knew that he had to tell someone about it. It could be a clue to finding Ginny!
He threw his covers off and jumped out of bed.
"Ron! Wake up Ron!"
A/N: What do ya'll think? I'd love some good quotes if anyone has any!