~*~Green and Gold~*~
By Kellyanne
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*
Chapter 15
To Draco,
As may be expected of such a highly regarded man, I have been extremely busy, therefore unable to respond to your letter until this time. I was captivated by your sudden interest in my affairs. Usually the only questions directed to me are asking about meals while you are at the manor. Perhaps the true reason behind my response is because I am intrigued. Reasons do not matter, though.
I will be blunt, for my time is too precious to be spent hunched over a desk, writing a letter to my son. My abrupt interest in Virginia Weasley is due to the same interest shared by another person. For a reason I have not yet been able to obtain, the Dark Lord wishes to meet with the young Weasley girl. I, naturally, suggested that we use the girl to bring Voldemort back to his former self, in power and in mind. He agreed, though I do not know why. I am aware that he met her a few years ago after luring her into the Chamber of Secrets. I suppose he would have used her then to return to power if Potter hadn't intervened.
I have also heard some interesting pieces of information that do not concern Harry Potter or Lord Voldemort, for that matter.
I do believe you are aware of my friendship to the Parkinson family. The daughter, Pansy, wrote me a letter telling me that she had seen you and Virginia together, and, by together, I do not believe she meant feuding. I will go out on a limb and assume that your closeness to the girl is the result of learning the Dark Lord's plan before I have told you. If this isn't the case, though, you will regret it. I do believe a similar threat was made during the summer and you know how that ended. I do not tolerate disobedience.
I expect a response by the end of next week. If one is not received, I will travel to your school and I do not believe you would like what would come from my visit. Just keep your late sister in mind and respond quickly.
Lucious Malfoy
Draco's hand was shaking by the time he finished the letter. This couldn't be happening! In the back of his mind he had known it was his father who was trying to hurt Ginny, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. He wanted to ignore the fact that he was sick to his stomach just like he had been on the day of Cedric Diggory's murder. He wanted to forget everything and pretend that Ginny was just being paranoid and that nobody was trying to hurt her.
This letter proved that it couldn't be ignored. The only person in the world that he loved was the prime target of the only person her hated.
He knew he should have brought the letter to Dumbledore, but he didn't He simply wrote a reply, lying and telling his father that he was using Ginny to help Voldemort.
"Hermione, I know this is a pointless question, which I've asked in the past, but why do we need to go to class if we're going to Hogsmeade after first lesson??"
The older girl, who she had been walking next to, turned, her eyes wide in disbelief, "Ginny!! You, of all people should value your education…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she saw Ginny wasn't paying attention. She was too busy smiling towards a blonde leaning against Snape's doorway to care for her friend's lecture.
It was December and, due to teacher's cramming them with homework in an effort to drill everything into their heads before Christmas, Ginny hadn't seen Draco much.
"Hey Ginger," He said as Ginny ran up to him. He took her in his arms and kissed her, making her giggle and Hermione blush.
"It seems like I barely see you," Ginny said softly as they walked into the classroom, Draco's arm snaked around her waist.
"I know…it's been torture."
Ginny laughed as she caught sight of her boyfriend, unable to believe that the "Ice Prince of Hogwarts" was pouting like a little kid.
"Don't mock my pain, Gin. Remember what happened last time you did that?"
She grinned, recalling how, as punishment for making fun of him, Draco had tickled her sides until they hurt and she could barely breath.
"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, are the two of you capable of finding your seats or should we have a tour guide sent over to assist you?" Snape said icily. The two took their seats, barely hiding their laughter.
It had started to snow by the time the students allowed to attend the trip began to walk down to Hogsmeade. Ginny was skipping along side him, her tongue stuck out to catch snowflakes.
Looking at her made him feel guilty. In coming in contact with his father, he had put her life in immediate danger.
He had to tell her about the letter.
"Hey, Gin," He said softly. She immediately turned to meet his gaze, snowflakes glistening in her hair. Her eyes were bright and she was smiling.
"What do you want, ferret?" She asked, her eyes glittering mischievously.
He sighed, wrapping her in his arms as they continued walking.
"My father really hates you, Gin," He whispered into her hair.
To his surprise, Ginny laughed, "It's a good thing I love you instead of him, isn't it?"
"Gin, he sent me a letter a while ago."
"Draco, whatever it is, it can't be that bad." He spun around at her comment, glaring into her wide, brown eyes.
"It is bad, Ginny! He's going to kill you! He's going to use you to bring Voldemort back!!"
He expected her to gasp or curse or at least bite her lip…but she didn't react at all. Her face stayed cool and almost emotionless.
"I know," She said simply.
"You…you know. How can you know and pretend that everything is normal??"
"Because I'm trying to get on with my life. I've been dealing with stuff like this ever since my first year at Hogwarts! The image of Tom burning a hole in my eyelids!!"
"Ginny, this isn't Tom Riddle!! This isn't some sixteen-year-old form of a man. This is my bloody father and Lord Voldemort!!"
"I KNOW!!" Ginny screamed and, for the first time, he realized that people had stopped to listen. Angry, he pulled Ginny off the path to avoid any more eavesdropping.
"Ginny, this is stupid. I don't want to fight," He whispered, pressing his forehead against a giant oak tree.
"I know you don't want to. I just can't stand people trying to remind me of things I'm well aware of…now, can we just go to Hogsmeade?"
"What do you want for Christmas?" Ginny asked as she and Draco walked down the streets of Hogsmeade. The snow had stopped, but not before embracing the world in a glistening white blanket.
"I don't know. Nobody's ever asked me before"
Ginny shrugged and they continued walking in silence. A few minutes later, Ginny stopped in front of the robe shop. In the window, surrounded by colorful cloaks and Hogwarts uniforms, was a beautiful leather jacket. A card hovering about it said that it was charmed to fit to the wearer's body.
"Is that what you want for Christmas?" Draco inquired. She had forgotten about him for a second.
"It's beautiful…but I could buy ten racing brooms for that price!!"
"But you want it," Draco said, squeezing her arm. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.
"Don't even think about it, ferret. It's too expensive." Ironic enough, she was the one to drag him away from the window.
"Fine! I'll buy you a nice," Here, Draco coughed what suspiciously sounded like the word boring, "Book."
She hit him on the chest and smiled, pulling him towards the Three Broomsticks. They sat at a table near the fireplace and ordered a large butterbeer to share.
As they waited, neither really spoke. Ginny was staring at the fire, watching the logs crackle and hiss. She noticed that the fire was slowing dying, its red and orange fingers not reaching quite as high as they used to.
It made her wonder if her relationship with Draco was going to be like that. If they'd be happy for a while, burning high and strong, but the love would eventually die just like the flames.
"Draco," She said quietly. He looked up from the table to meet her gaze, a few loose strands of hair falling in front of his eyes.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think that we'll last?" She asked, tears choking her throat. She needed him to say 'yes' and calm her fears.
But he couldn't. Before he could answer, the flames in the fireplace sprung to life, engulfing them in a circle of fire. Ginny screamed as the giant red and orange fingers licked her arm. White-hot pain shot through her body.
"Ginny!" She heard Draco yell, but he seemed so far away. She closed her eyes, pleading with God for the pain to stop, even if it meant being burned to death. She just wanted the pain to go away.
And as she fell into the blackness, the pain subsided, but so did her breath.
(I think this is a good place to end it, don't you??)
(Judging by the angry looks on your face, I'll take that as a 'no' and continue :) )
Draco was getting used to the white walls of the hospital wing. This was the third time he'd been here since the beginning of the school year.
"Mr. Malfoy."
An unwelcome voice snapped him out of his reverie. Turning around in his seat, he saw Professor Dumbledore, a grave look on his face.
"Headmaster," He said quietly, giving the professor a short nod of acknowledgement.
"I'm starting to believe that danger likes to follow you and Miss Weasley. This is the third time either one of you has been in the hospital. Am I correct?"
He nodded before turning back to the bed where Ginny lay. Her right arm was wrapped in bandages, hiding the burned skin and a thin line of sweat has forming on her brow.
"Did Madame Pomfrey say if she was going to be ok?" He asked without taking his eyes from Ginny. She looked so helpless.
"Miss Weasley will, indeed, be roaming the halls of Hogwarts by tomorrow."
"With all do respect, Professor, if she's going to be alright, then why are you here?"
Dumbledore chuckled before his face, once again, turned grave, "The fireplace at the Three Broomsticks did not simply decided to blow up. Somebody made it happen. In light of the recent acts against Miss Weasley, I believe it was your father who tried to kill her. She would, indeed, be dead if you hadn't thought quickly and gotten her out of there."
"My father…I would have seen him."
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, there are things about your father that you do not know. I can tell you with the utmost sincerity that your father was there and that he used an Explosion Charm to try and take Miss Weasley's life."
"Professor, he couldn't have! It's impossible to miss somebody with silver hair!"
"I remember your father when he attended Hogwarts. I remember catching him sneaking out of the Slytherin Common Room several times. After his third year, though, I stopped catching him. And do you know why?" Draco shook his head, "Because he has an Invisibility Cloak. With the aid of one, he snuck into the Kitchens night after night, just to order around the House Elves. He used it today, Mr. Malfoy."
"What's going to happen? Could he use the cloak to sneak onto the grounds here?"
"No, my boy, he could not. But he could use it to capture Miss Weasley after she leaves Hogwarts and that is why I think that, after you two leave for Christmas holiday, she should be put under the Fidelius Charm."
A/N- Nice, juicy, long chapter, which took forever to write. Sorry about that. Review or else I'll never ever ever write again :P Lol, wouldn't do that, but I want reviews!!!!