Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters not mine. Plot-mine.
A/N: I will admit, that the inspiration for this fic came from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other books dealing with vampires and the Slayer, but the plot is my own. And except for the whole idea surrounding the Slayer and the Watcher's Council, this isn't related to buffy or anything else. (Besides HP of course!! ::grins:: Don't we all just love it!) Anyhoot, this chapter explains the whole Slayer and Watcher thing, for those of you who might not have fully understood in the first chapter. I apologize! Hope you all like this one!
Dedication: To Sam and Hannah- my very great betas. And to Luna Writer- because I appreciate how patient and encouraging you've been with me!
*Also thanks to ANYANKA for making sure that I remembered to explain everything clearly! Thanks for the thoughtful review!
Facing Fear
Chapter 2 Not a Choice
Class schedules were handed out from Professor McGonagall the next morning at Breakfast. Ginny groaned when she saw that she had Potions first. She despised Snape, and frankly Snape despised her. She finished her breakfast and reluctantly stood up and headed to Potions. But as she passed the end of the Gryffindor Table she saw Malfoy talking to the three boys she had followed last night. They were talking and gesturing with great animation. Ginny halted and spun around to glare at Malfoy. She hoped that they hadn't told him what had happened.
"Can't you leave these poor kids alone Malfoy?" Ginny asked in an annoyed tone.
Malfoy straightened up and gave her the same type of glare.
"You know Weasley, the story these boys are telling me is quite intriguing."
Ginny tried her best to hide her emotions. She wasn't ready yet to discuss or tell what had happened. Especially not with Malfoy anyway.
"Oh, and what is that?" Ginny eyed the boys and they all looked down uneasily at their plates.
"That you saved this boy's life." Malfoy motioned to the bigger boy.
Ginny raised her eyebrows as if surprised.
"I remember when I was a first-year. I came up with some of the silliest things as well." She replied.
"Don't try and deny it Weasley." Malfoy frowned but still seemed like he knew something that she didn't.
"I'm not denying anything Malfoy." She moved passed him. "If you don't mind, I'm going to be late for Potions, and Snape already dislikes me."
"Well how convenient," Malfoy began, changing his tone of voice to a livelier one. "I was just heading that way. I could accompany you there."
"Don't bother." Ginny said. "I wouldn't want to be seen with you anyway."
She heard Malfoy behind her, and he soon caught up with her.
"Its not like I want to be seen with someone as low as you are either Weasley." A hint of spite was in his tone
"Then why are you still following me?" Ginny asked nonchalantly.
"Because I believe those boys."
Ginny turned around to look him in the eye.
"You seriously believe their story?"
"Why shouldn't I? It was a pretty tense situation when I arrived on the scene last night."
"What did they tell you?" Ginny asked. Her apprehension was beginning to show.
Malfoy smirked.
"They told me everything."
"And why is it so important that you won't leave me alone?"
They were in the Dungeons now. Malfoy didn't answer, but continued to walk along side of her.
Then suddenly he whirled around and pushed her against the wall with all of his might. He drew back as though to punch her, but again- just like last night, Ginny saw everything that was about to happen.
She dodged his punch and his fist hit the wall. She pulled his arm up and over her head, twisting it around at the same time, and spinning off of him, so that he no longer had her against the wall. She then slung him over, twisting his arm even further. He cried out in pain as she threw him down on the ground.
She looked down at him with wide eyes. Ginny had just thrown a six foot three, seventeen-year-old boy, onto the floor. She muttered a quick apology before turning and running. He called after her, but she didn't stop running. In fact, she couldn't ever remember running so fast in her life-she wasn't even getting a bit winded. Why was she able to do that sort of thing?
~*~*~*~
Draco heaved himself up off the floor and rubbed his aching back before banging his fist against the wall. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't the job have been laid on a more agreeable (or preferably a Slytherin) girl?
But the story that those Gryffindor boys had told him, about how Ginny had saved one of them last night, and now this-it all pretty much fit.
Ginny Weasley would be the new Slayer.
The vampire's would practically come running to Hogwarts...because wherever the Slayer was, the vampires would be.
~*~*~*~
Over the next couple of days Ginny tried to blend in. This was an almost impossible feat because she had never blended in. Her red hair was always eye-catching. But she just wanted to stay away from Malfoy. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks even as she thought about it. She couldn't believe what had happened.
In the end she chose to ignore her incredible abilities in a neurotic situation. But keeping away from Malfoy seemed to become harder and harder everyday. He seemed to follow her down corridor's, to classes, to Gryffindor Tower, and pretty much everywhere..and so far she had been able to avoid him. Until today...while she was sitting in Potions.
"After cutting up the Branbel, add the-" Professor Snape was interrupted as the door flew open to reveal Malfoy.
Ginny sunk as low as possible in her seat, but she still saw Malfoy look her way.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked, with only a hint of annoyance for the disruption.
"I need to see Ginny Weasley Professor." He answered. Ginny felt her cheeks burn at being pointed out by the Head Boy, and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
"We're in the middle of a lesson Mr. Malfoy."
"I'm sorry Professor, but this is Head Boy business that I must attend to."
"Very well. Miss Weasley, you better get the notes from someone."
"Yes Professor." Ginny mumbled as she stood up. There were a lot of students whispering to one another as she exited.
Draco closed the door behind her and she whirled around to start yelling at him.
"What did you do that for!? Look, I'm sorry about what happened but you did try to punch me!"
Draco put his arm through hers and led her down the hall as she rambled on. She didn't even seem to notice where they were heading, and he pretty much blocked her argument out.
Finally she stopped for breath. She looked down to see that Malfoy had his arm through her own. She hadn't even realized that before, she had been so mad.
"Where are you taking me? And why are you being so quiet?" She was trying to decide weather or not to push Draco off of her, until she realized that it was very dark and damp in this part of the dungeons that Ginny had never explored. Suddenly Snape's classroom looked warm and appetizing.
"I knew you would be upset, and I decided to let you rant and get it all out." He answered with just a slight hint of amusement. "As to where I'm taking you...have a look." They stopped in front of an iron door. He tapped his wand on the handle, muttered something Ginny couldn't hear, and the door swung open.
He brought her inside where he pulled away from her to go and light some of the torches suspended on the wall. Ginny felt chilled, and wished that Malfoy had stayed at her side.
The lights illuminated a grand room, filled with many things Ginny did and did not recognize.
"What is all this stuff?" she asked in wonderment.
She did perceive pairs of chains hanging on the opposite wall, there was a large fire-place on the wall to her right, with a couch in front of it, and a table in the back of the room that held what looked like some magical potion ingredients.
"This stuff if now a part of your life." Malfoy responded. He pointed to a strange contraption sitting in the middle of the room. "This will help in your training."
Ginny stared at the thing. It was made of a shiny metal and had a seat, with bars coming out of it all over the place, seemingly connected to other bars and things on the back. What was he talking about?
"What do you mean 'training?' I still don't get this."
"Maybe we better sit down." He motioned to the couch, and she sat on the end, away from Malfoy.
"You brought me out of class to show me a bunch of junk?"
"This room does not hold a bunch of junk. The strange things you see in here are what muggles use to stay in shape..this would be known as a home gym."
Ginny stared at him blankly.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" she asked threateningly.
"No!" he sighed. "I guess I better tell you my story first."
Ginny waited. A little impatiently, but curiously also.
Draco launched into the story about seeing a vampire kill his mother and going to the Watcher's Council. Although he didn't tell her why he went.
"And they told me that the new Slayer would be here."
Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"And what is a Slayer? What is the Winter's Council?" she asked unbelievingly.
"Watcher's Council!"
"Whatever. What are they?"
"The Watcher's Council is a group of people who are aware of the many vampires and demons that roam this earth, and they will try and warn others about them. They also study the demons and their way of living and killing, so that they can instruct the Slayer. The Slayer is simply the one who fights them and protects the people....she has great abilities and keen awareness of evil."
"Ginny," he said hesitantly. "Circumstances show that you are that Slayer."
She stood up in rage. "No! You've got the wrong person!"
Malfoy also stood up and quickly came over to her.
"Weasley!" He pushed her back down onto the sofa and stooped to eye-level with her, placing a hand on her thy.
"I'm not lying to you, as hard as it may be to understand. Heck, I have no way of knowing what you are going through now...what you will have to go through. But I am here to help. Although you would not have been my choice for Slayer," he eyed her making her cringe. His touch on her thy was making her feel jittery and nervous. "But I'll just have to make do." With that he removed his hand and stretched it out to her, indicating that he would help her up.
She grabbed his hand a jerked him down to her face.
"You won't make do because I won't agree to this."
"There isn't a choice!" he said, beginning to sound a little flustered. "This is your life now. It is who you are. It cannot be helped-who the Chosen One is."
He looked her over a bit more willingly than Ginny would have liked.
"Don't blame me for this. I'm just doing my job."
She realized that she was still gripping his hand, and finally let go of it to see that it had turned a shade of purple. Ginny guessed that her grip had been tighter than she had known....or maybe she had known. With a small smirk lingering on her face as she watched Malfoy rub his sore hand she stood up.
"And why did you chose this job Malfoy?"
"Right," he said. "It's Draco from now on. I am after all, the one you will be spending quite a lot of time with." He smirked at her dismayed look.
"So we'll meet here after dinner tonight." He concluded.
Ginny sighed, she didn't have to give into this if she didn't want to....so why didn't she mind?
Draco ushered her to the door.
"Get back to class now, or I'll be forced to take away points."
Ginny rolled her eyes at him.
"Forced?" she asked, mimicking him. "More like, 'I'll be pleased to take away some points.'"
Draco's smirk became larger as he opened the door and leaned casually against it. He had his robes swept back, so that Ginny could see his pale, muscular arms leading down to his hands that fit neatly into his pockets. Making him the perfect model.
Ginny almost hit herself.
"Well," Draco said, interrupting her fanatical, and somewhat inconceivable thoughts. "It is very fun, taking points away from all the houses, and giving points to mine."
Ginny glared at him before walking out without a word.
"Right." Draco said, obviously pleased with himself. "Tonight then."
She heard the door bang shut and it was then that she realized that he had never answered her question. 'And why did you chose this job Malfoy?' He had changed the subject.
~*~*~*~
Draco congratulated himself on a job well done. The only thing he had to worry about now was if she would show up tonight.
He thought about all the other girls that he had considered being the Slayer. He had certainly never imagined that Ginny Weasley would be the Chosen One. But for some odd reason it didn't seem to bother him as much as he might have thought it would. She was definitely stubborn, and would probably be a headache to train, but for some reason she just fit the part.
And when did she become so annoyingly pretty?
A/N: So, how is it?? I beseech (isn't that a kool word?!) you to review!!
A/N: I will admit, that the inspiration for this fic came from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other books dealing with vampires and the Slayer, but the plot is my own. And except for the whole idea surrounding the Slayer and the Watcher's Council, this isn't related to buffy or anything else. (Besides HP of course!! ::grins:: Don't we all just love it!) Anyhoot, this chapter explains the whole Slayer and Watcher thing, for those of you who might not have fully understood in the first chapter. I apologize! Hope you all like this one!
Dedication: To Sam and Hannah- my very great betas. And to Luna Writer- because I appreciate how patient and encouraging you've been with me!
*Also thanks to ANYANKA for making sure that I remembered to explain everything clearly! Thanks for the thoughtful review!
Facing Fear
Chapter 2 Not a Choice
Class schedules were handed out from Professor McGonagall the next morning at Breakfast. Ginny groaned when she saw that she had Potions first. She despised Snape, and frankly Snape despised her. She finished her breakfast and reluctantly stood up and headed to Potions. But as she passed the end of the Gryffindor Table she saw Malfoy talking to the three boys she had followed last night. They were talking and gesturing with great animation. Ginny halted and spun around to glare at Malfoy. She hoped that they hadn't told him what had happened.
"Can't you leave these poor kids alone Malfoy?" Ginny asked in an annoyed tone.
Malfoy straightened up and gave her the same type of glare.
"You know Weasley, the story these boys are telling me is quite intriguing."
Ginny tried her best to hide her emotions. She wasn't ready yet to discuss or tell what had happened. Especially not with Malfoy anyway.
"Oh, and what is that?" Ginny eyed the boys and they all looked down uneasily at their plates.
"That you saved this boy's life." Malfoy motioned to the bigger boy.
Ginny raised her eyebrows as if surprised.
"I remember when I was a first-year. I came up with some of the silliest things as well." She replied.
"Don't try and deny it Weasley." Malfoy frowned but still seemed like he knew something that she didn't.
"I'm not denying anything Malfoy." She moved passed him. "If you don't mind, I'm going to be late for Potions, and Snape already dislikes me."
"Well how convenient," Malfoy began, changing his tone of voice to a livelier one. "I was just heading that way. I could accompany you there."
"Don't bother." Ginny said. "I wouldn't want to be seen with you anyway."
She heard Malfoy behind her, and he soon caught up with her.
"Its not like I want to be seen with someone as low as you are either Weasley." A hint of spite was in his tone
"Then why are you still following me?" Ginny asked nonchalantly.
"Because I believe those boys."
Ginny turned around to look him in the eye.
"You seriously believe their story?"
"Why shouldn't I? It was a pretty tense situation when I arrived on the scene last night."
"What did they tell you?" Ginny asked. Her apprehension was beginning to show.
Malfoy smirked.
"They told me everything."
"And why is it so important that you won't leave me alone?"
They were in the Dungeons now. Malfoy didn't answer, but continued to walk along side of her.
Then suddenly he whirled around and pushed her against the wall with all of his might. He drew back as though to punch her, but again- just like last night, Ginny saw everything that was about to happen.
She dodged his punch and his fist hit the wall. She pulled his arm up and over her head, twisting it around at the same time, and spinning off of him, so that he no longer had her against the wall. She then slung him over, twisting his arm even further. He cried out in pain as she threw him down on the ground.
She looked down at him with wide eyes. Ginny had just thrown a six foot three, seventeen-year-old boy, onto the floor. She muttered a quick apology before turning and running. He called after her, but she didn't stop running. In fact, she couldn't ever remember running so fast in her life-she wasn't even getting a bit winded. Why was she able to do that sort of thing?
~*~*~*~
Draco heaved himself up off the floor and rubbed his aching back before banging his fist against the wall. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't the job have been laid on a more agreeable (or preferably a Slytherin) girl?
But the story that those Gryffindor boys had told him, about how Ginny had saved one of them last night, and now this-it all pretty much fit.
Ginny Weasley would be the new Slayer.
The vampire's would practically come running to Hogwarts...because wherever the Slayer was, the vampires would be.
~*~*~*~
Over the next couple of days Ginny tried to blend in. This was an almost impossible feat because she had never blended in. Her red hair was always eye-catching. But she just wanted to stay away from Malfoy. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks even as she thought about it. She couldn't believe what had happened.
In the end she chose to ignore her incredible abilities in a neurotic situation. But keeping away from Malfoy seemed to become harder and harder everyday. He seemed to follow her down corridor's, to classes, to Gryffindor Tower, and pretty much everywhere..and so far she had been able to avoid him. Until today...while she was sitting in Potions.
"After cutting up the Branbel, add the-" Professor Snape was interrupted as the door flew open to reveal Malfoy.
Ginny sunk as low as possible in her seat, but she still saw Malfoy look her way.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked, with only a hint of annoyance for the disruption.
"I need to see Ginny Weasley Professor." He answered. Ginny felt her cheeks burn at being pointed out by the Head Boy, and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
"We're in the middle of a lesson Mr. Malfoy."
"I'm sorry Professor, but this is Head Boy business that I must attend to."
"Very well. Miss Weasley, you better get the notes from someone."
"Yes Professor." Ginny mumbled as she stood up. There were a lot of students whispering to one another as she exited.
Draco closed the door behind her and she whirled around to start yelling at him.
"What did you do that for!? Look, I'm sorry about what happened but you did try to punch me!"
Draco put his arm through hers and led her down the hall as she rambled on. She didn't even seem to notice where they were heading, and he pretty much blocked her argument out.
Finally she stopped for breath. She looked down to see that Malfoy had his arm through her own. She hadn't even realized that before, she had been so mad.
"Where are you taking me? And why are you being so quiet?" She was trying to decide weather or not to push Draco off of her, until she realized that it was very dark and damp in this part of the dungeons that Ginny had never explored. Suddenly Snape's classroom looked warm and appetizing.
"I knew you would be upset, and I decided to let you rant and get it all out." He answered with just a slight hint of amusement. "As to where I'm taking you...have a look." They stopped in front of an iron door. He tapped his wand on the handle, muttered something Ginny couldn't hear, and the door swung open.
He brought her inside where he pulled away from her to go and light some of the torches suspended on the wall. Ginny felt chilled, and wished that Malfoy had stayed at her side.
The lights illuminated a grand room, filled with many things Ginny did and did not recognize.
"What is all this stuff?" she asked in wonderment.
She did perceive pairs of chains hanging on the opposite wall, there was a large fire-place on the wall to her right, with a couch in front of it, and a table in the back of the room that held what looked like some magical potion ingredients.
"This stuff if now a part of your life." Malfoy responded. He pointed to a strange contraption sitting in the middle of the room. "This will help in your training."
Ginny stared at the thing. It was made of a shiny metal and had a seat, with bars coming out of it all over the place, seemingly connected to other bars and things on the back. What was he talking about?
"What do you mean 'training?' I still don't get this."
"Maybe we better sit down." He motioned to the couch, and she sat on the end, away from Malfoy.
"You brought me out of class to show me a bunch of junk?"
"This room does not hold a bunch of junk. The strange things you see in here are what muggles use to stay in shape..this would be known as a home gym."
Ginny stared at him blankly.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" she asked threateningly.
"No!" he sighed. "I guess I better tell you my story first."
Ginny waited. A little impatiently, but curiously also.
Draco launched into the story about seeing a vampire kill his mother and going to the Watcher's Council. Although he didn't tell her why he went.
"And they told me that the new Slayer would be here."
Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"And what is a Slayer? What is the Winter's Council?" she asked unbelievingly.
"Watcher's Council!"
"Whatever. What are they?"
"The Watcher's Council is a group of people who are aware of the many vampires and demons that roam this earth, and they will try and warn others about them. They also study the demons and their way of living and killing, so that they can instruct the Slayer. The Slayer is simply the one who fights them and protects the people....she has great abilities and keen awareness of evil."
"Ginny," he said hesitantly. "Circumstances show that you are that Slayer."
She stood up in rage. "No! You've got the wrong person!"
Malfoy also stood up and quickly came over to her.
"Weasley!" He pushed her back down onto the sofa and stooped to eye-level with her, placing a hand on her thy.
"I'm not lying to you, as hard as it may be to understand. Heck, I have no way of knowing what you are going through now...what you will have to go through. But I am here to help. Although you would not have been my choice for Slayer," he eyed her making her cringe. His touch on her thy was making her feel jittery and nervous. "But I'll just have to make do." With that he removed his hand and stretched it out to her, indicating that he would help her up.
She grabbed his hand a jerked him down to her face.
"You won't make do because I won't agree to this."
"There isn't a choice!" he said, beginning to sound a little flustered. "This is your life now. It is who you are. It cannot be helped-who the Chosen One is."
He looked her over a bit more willingly than Ginny would have liked.
"Don't blame me for this. I'm just doing my job."
She realized that she was still gripping his hand, and finally let go of it to see that it had turned a shade of purple. Ginny guessed that her grip had been tighter than she had known....or maybe she had known. With a small smirk lingering on her face as she watched Malfoy rub his sore hand she stood up.
"And why did you chose this job Malfoy?"
"Right," he said. "It's Draco from now on. I am after all, the one you will be spending quite a lot of time with." He smirked at her dismayed look.
"So we'll meet here after dinner tonight." He concluded.
Ginny sighed, she didn't have to give into this if she didn't want to....so why didn't she mind?
Draco ushered her to the door.
"Get back to class now, or I'll be forced to take away points."
Ginny rolled her eyes at him.
"Forced?" she asked, mimicking him. "More like, 'I'll be pleased to take away some points.'"
Draco's smirk became larger as he opened the door and leaned casually against it. He had his robes swept back, so that Ginny could see his pale, muscular arms leading down to his hands that fit neatly into his pockets. Making him the perfect model.
Ginny almost hit herself.
"Well," Draco said, interrupting her fanatical, and somewhat inconceivable thoughts. "It is very fun, taking points away from all the houses, and giving points to mine."
Ginny glared at him before walking out without a word.
"Right." Draco said, obviously pleased with himself. "Tonight then."
She heard the door bang shut and it was then that she realized that he had never answered her question. 'And why did you chose this job Malfoy?' He had changed the subject.
~*~*~*~
Draco congratulated himself on a job well done. The only thing he had to worry about now was if she would show up tonight.
He thought about all the other girls that he had considered being the Slayer. He had certainly never imagined that Ginny Weasley would be the Chosen One. But for some odd reason it didn't seem to bother him as much as he might have thought it would. She was definitely stubborn, and would probably be a headache to train, but for some reason she just fit the part.
And when did she become so annoyingly pretty?
A/N: So, how is it?? I beseech (isn't that a kool word?!) you to review!!