Answers in Red
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg/pg 13
sequel to Questions in White
main characters: Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley
disclaimer: I do not own any person or situation from the Harry Potter books.
distribution: please ask first
Summary: Draco tries to get some answers from Ginny concerning his questions.
note: set shortly after the fight with the Basilisk at the end of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets.
Ginny Weasley shivered, feeling eyes on her again. Somebody was staring at her, and she had a suspicion who it would be. Draco Malfoy. He'd been acting funny ever since the whole mess of rumors and partial truths about that horrible diary and his father had come out. Rumors that there had been some spell involving her that was supposed to bring back You-Know-Who.
Glancing up, she saw him, leaning against a wall. His posture screamed arrogance and confidence, as if he owned the school instead of being just a second year student. Just the only son and heir of one of the most wealthy and influential wizarding families in England. Just the son of one of the former Death Eaters that her father suspected wasn't so former. He was watching her, his grey eyes looking different, almost fever bright. He had a slight frown, and looked as if he was trying to puzzle out some disturbing problem.
Something seemed to break inside of her, like a thread pulled just a little to far. She had to know why he was staring like that. It wasn't the old condescending arrogance. It was something else, something that she didn't understand. Scowling in her most serious and intimidating way, which really wasn't that impressive, she stomped over to him, her greenish eyes cracking. "Why do you keep staring at me?"
He shook his head slightly and his hair fell a bit, almost touching his eyebrow. It wasn't it's normal carefully slicked back shell, and it looked almost soft. "I've just... been thinking about things. Coming up with questions."
Something fluttered inside her, a bouncing erratic companion to the cold fear that filled her anytime something made her think of that whole nightmarish experience. Of the time lost, the horror of waking up with blood on her hands and not knowing what it had come from or how it had gotten there. Of the discovery that her confident had been the echo of the most evil wizard of the modern era. The sense of helplessness and dread as she'd found herself walking into the tunnels under the school, her horror at seeing the sleeping basilisk before Tom had emerged, stealing more of her life, leaving her unconscious and helpless, slowly to die under Hogwarts. She knew that she was shivering.
"Wh... What questions?" She hated the way her voice shook.
Draco shook his head, as if trying to clear or shuffle his thoughts. "First, I want you to know that however much I can't stand most of your family, I didn't have anything to do with this."
Ginny frowned, one hand tracing over the end of her braid. She didn't know why he seemed to think it was important for her to know he hadn't been involved. Maybe he didn't even know. But she... well trusted wasn't the right word, but she believed him about not being involved with this. "Okay... I believe you. What's on your mind? And oh god, I'm actually voluntarily talking to you..."
There was a small flicker, like the shadow of a smile over his face, but it was quickly gone, masked by what almost managed to be a look of indifference. "What was it supposed to have done? Not how, but... I've heard rumors about another Dark Lord, or making him strong again... Was it the spell making you seem all... not well? And why you to begin with?"
Ginny shivered again, feeling cold as his questions brought everything so close to the surface again. "I don't know why me. Maybe it was just... my family isn't as rich as you, another old looking book wouldn't get noticed until... it was too late. It was..." She paused, her arms sliding around her body in a futile attempt to stop the trembling. "It was a trap. It would have brought back... who he used to be. Before. When he was a boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen? And it would have killed me. Taken my life for him to use."
Draco nodded, a shadow entering his eyes. "He... my father would have known that part, wouldn't he? He... you were expendable in his plan."
"yeah." Her voice was a bare whisper.
Draco shifted awkwardly, one hand gingerly patting her elbow. "You'll recover. It didn't kill you, so the exhaustion and weakness will pass. As for the rest... you... your family will make sure you get better. They... care."
For a moment, all she could do was gape at him, only now noticing that his cheekbones looked sharper because his face was more gaunt, as if he'd lost weight. There were tiny wrinkles in the collar of his black silk shirt. "You... thanks, I think."
Draco sort of flushed, as if he'd just realized that he'd offered her even a little bit of comfort. "Well... I guess you're welcome. But if you ever tell anybody about this... I'll deny it. Tell them... something. Besides, who would ever believe that we'd choose to have a civil conversation?"
Maybe he wasn't the cold unfeeling snob that she'd thought. Oh, he was still a snob, still arrogant and self centered, but... Maybe Draco Malfoy did have feelings after all. "Who'd believe me? Why bother trying to tell anyone?"
Ginny left the hallway, feeling oddly comforted as she walked back to the Gryffindor tower. It was good to know that this feeling of cold weakness would fade. And Draco had been right, which was something that she'd never thought she'd hear herself say. Her family cared for her and would help her get past this. Part of her still wondered about Draco. He still looked as if he was grappling with unhappy thoughts. Maybe he had more questions?
end Answers in Red.
Author: Lucinda
rating: pg/pg 13
sequel to Questions in White
main characters: Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley
disclaimer: I do not own any person or situation from the Harry Potter books.
distribution: please ask first
Summary: Draco tries to get some answers from Ginny concerning his questions.
note: set shortly after the fight with the Basilisk at the end of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets.
Ginny Weasley shivered, feeling eyes on her again. Somebody was staring at her, and she had a suspicion who it would be. Draco Malfoy. He'd been acting funny ever since the whole mess of rumors and partial truths about that horrible diary and his father had come out. Rumors that there had been some spell involving her that was supposed to bring back You-Know-Who.
Glancing up, she saw him, leaning against a wall. His posture screamed arrogance and confidence, as if he owned the school instead of being just a second year student. Just the only son and heir of one of the most wealthy and influential wizarding families in England. Just the son of one of the former Death Eaters that her father suspected wasn't so former. He was watching her, his grey eyes looking different, almost fever bright. He had a slight frown, and looked as if he was trying to puzzle out some disturbing problem.
Something seemed to break inside of her, like a thread pulled just a little to far. She had to know why he was staring like that. It wasn't the old condescending arrogance. It was something else, something that she didn't understand. Scowling in her most serious and intimidating way, which really wasn't that impressive, she stomped over to him, her greenish eyes cracking. "Why do you keep staring at me?"
He shook his head slightly and his hair fell a bit, almost touching his eyebrow. It wasn't it's normal carefully slicked back shell, and it looked almost soft. "I've just... been thinking about things. Coming up with questions."
Something fluttered inside her, a bouncing erratic companion to the cold fear that filled her anytime something made her think of that whole nightmarish experience. Of the time lost, the horror of waking up with blood on her hands and not knowing what it had come from or how it had gotten there. Of the discovery that her confident had been the echo of the most evil wizard of the modern era. The sense of helplessness and dread as she'd found herself walking into the tunnels under the school, her horror at seeing the sleeping basilisk before Tom had emerged, stealing more of her life, leaving her unconscious and helpless, slowly to die under Hogwarts. She knew that she was shivering.
"Wh... What questions?" She hated the way her voice shook.
Draco shook his head, as if trying to clear or shuffle his thoughts. "First, I want you to know that however much I can't stand most of your family, I didn't have anything to do with this."
Ginny frowned, one hand tracing over the end of her braid. She didn't know why he seemed to think it was important for her to know he hadn't been involved. Maybe he didn't even know. But she... well trusted wasn't the right word, but she believed him about not being involved with this. "Okay... I believe you. What's on your mind? And oh god, I'm actually voluntarily talking to you..."
There was a small flicker, like the shadow of a smile over his face, but it was quickly gone, masked by what almost managed to be a look of indifference. "What was it supposed to have done? Not how, but... I've heard rumors about another Dark Lord, or making him strong again... Was it the spell making you seem all... not well? And why you to begin with?"
Ginny shivered again, feeling cold as his questions brought everything so close to the surface again. "I don't know why me. Maybe it was just... my family isn't as rich as you, another old looking book wouldn't get noticed until... it was too late. It was..." She paused, her arms sliding around her body in a futile attempt to stop the trembling. "It was a trap. It would have brought back... who he used to be. Before. When he was a boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen? And it would have killed me. Taken my life for him to use."
Draco nodded, a shadow entering his eyes. "He... my father would have known that part, wouldn't he? He... you were expendable in his plan."
"yeah." Her voice was a bare whisper.
Draco shifted awkwardly, one hand gingerly patting her elbow. "You'll recover. It didn't kill you, so the exhaustion and weakness will pass. As for the rest... you... your family will make sure you get better. They... care."
For a moment, all she could do was gape at him, only now noticing that his cheekbones looked sharper because his face was more gaunt, as if he'd lost weight. There were tiny wrinkles in the collar of his black silk shirt. "You... thanks, I think."
Draco sort of flushed, as if he'd just realized that he'd offered her even a little bit of comfort. "Well... I guess you're welcome. But if you ever tell anybody about this... I'll deny it. Tell them... something. Besides, who would ever believe that we'd choose to have a civil conversation?"
Maybe he wasn't the cold unfeeling snob that she'd thought. Oh, he was still a snob, still arrogant and self centered, but... Maybe Draco Malfoy did have feelings after all. "Who'd believe me? Why bother trying to tell anyone?"
Ginny left the hallway, feeling oddly comforted as she walked back to the Gryffindor tower. It was good to know that this feeling of cold weakness would fade. And Draco had been right, which was something that she'd never thought she'd hear herself say. Her family cared for her and would help her get past this. Part of her still wondered about Draco. He still looked as if he was grappling with unhappy thoughts. Maybe he had more questions?
end Answers in Red.
