Leaky Cauldron
Chapter 4
Laying on the less then comfortable bed in her cheap room in the Leaky Cauldron, Ginny heard a knock on the door. She rolled onto her back with her elbows propped up on the bed making her able to face the door. She called out to whoever was there telling them to come in. The door opened revealing her brother.
"Hey there Gin." He greeted.
She sat up. "Hey Fred…"
"Harry, 'Mione and Damien are waiting in the pub, we need to talk."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Fred left and Ginny swung her legs over the bed and put on her shoes. She quickly pulled up her messy hair and left her rented room.
She made her way to the table where the rest of the group was waiting. Her eyes wandered around the bar, making there way to the blonde who was sitting alone. Draco Malfoy was staring at her, and she didn't like it when people stared at her. She sighed knowing there was nothing she could do about it and took a seat.
"Hey guys." She said as Fred handed her a drink, "So what do you need?"
Harry sat back and leaned against his chair, "Well, we have a case from the ministry. It's…well…different. Usually we're dealing with stolen magical artifacts, extreme exposure to the muggle world, and what not. So, we need to put together a team to help us out on this one."
"So…you want me to be on this team?" Asked Ginny.
Harry grinned, "I know no better healer that's as skillful and smart as you."
Ginny smiled meekly. "You do understand that I haven't done magic in nearly seven years or so."
Harry shrugged and looked at the grinning Hermione and Fred who winked at his sister, "Well, we're going to teach you everything you learned in 18 years in less then 2 weeks. You know, get you in touch with your inner witch."
"You know, you are all crazy." She paused, "But count me in."
The group smiled at each other. "Glad to have you on the team." Harry said, "Now, Hermione and I have agreed that we should have a sixth to take Ron's place for the time being. Do you guys have any suggestions?"
Hermione added, "The thing is, we've lost a lot of connections due to the war and we wondered if you guys had any ideas."
Ginny pondered, "Well, I've been in the muggle world this whole time…so I wouldn't know anyone…"
Fred shrugged, "Maybe Lee Jordan or Dean Thomas could give us some help…but that's just a suggestion." Ginny smiled a the thought of seeing more familiar faces.
"Him" Said a quiet voice.
All heads turned to Damien, who seemed like he wasn't even there.
"What was that?" Asked Fred.
Damien's head turned to the man he was referring to, "Him, Draco Malfoy" He repeated.
Harry nearly spit out his drink and the suggestion, "Are you crazy!?" Hermione and Ginny seemed lost. Fred had the same look Harry had.
"He's strong, he's tough, and he's perfect. Plus, once Ron is up, we can get rid of him." Damien pointed out.
"Yeah, but he'd probably kill us for even asking him." Fred joked.
"It's worth a shot." Damien said.
Harry laughed a bit, "Not even for a case like this…"
Hermione looked at Harry, "I think we should…"
"What!? Hermione, what are you saying?" Harry said shocked.
She sighed, "I just…I have this feeling. I can't explain it to you…"
Harry looked to Fred and Ginny both shrugged and gave him clueless looks. Harry sighed and gave in, "Fine, but there no bloody way I'm going to ask him." There was a long silence that followed.
Finally, Ginny got up, "I'll do it." She left the table to the surprise of everyone else.
Damien got up less then five minutes later. "I think I'll go too…just in case, you know?" He left as well and followed the female Weasley.
***
Ginny stopped right in front of Draco. He raised an eyebrow, "Can I help you?"
She gave him an annoying look, "Hello you stupid prat."
He smirked, "Come to start a fight, now have you? Just to warn you before hand, you're the one who came up to me…"
"I need your help…" She paused for a second before rewording her phrase, "I mean we need your help."
He laughed, "Right…well I'm sorry Weasley, but I don't give help."
"Can I just ask, what the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Oh, did you not know?" He said sarcastically, "Cold-heartless bastard sitting in front of you!"
Ginny shook her head and turned away to see Damien walk right up to her. He looked at her quizzically. She shook her head and he pulled her away.
"He's not going to give in if you don't have any provisions. He's not going to do this for free." He said. She nodded and walked back to him, Damien following.
"Look Malfoy, you don't do this and I'll send your ass right to Azkaban." She threatened.
Damien laid a hand on her shoulder, "That's not what I meant…" He whispered in her ear. Ginny shrugged him off.
"You have nothing on me! Even if you did, I wouldn't give a shit. You know, hell, send me to Azkaban right now because I would go willingly. It would be better then the hell I'm in now!" He nearly yelled at her.
"You know," She said in a dangerous voice as she leaned onto the table, "You really are a pathetic person."
"I know." He said simply.
Damien put his had on her shoulder once again and tried to pull her away. "Let's go, it was a stupid idea."
Ginny didn't stop. "You are just scared!" She began with her voice rising, "You are just scared that maybe someone might need your help and maybe your life might actually have some use to it!"
He grabbed her wrist, "Don't bloody talk like you know what I'm feeling because you don'."
"Let go of me." She said. He released her wrist and she relaxed, "It's true though, and you know it."
He stared at her, "Get out of my face Weaslette…"
Ginny paused for a second before turning to leave. She wouldn't be able to persuade him.
***
Hermione had invited everyone to her home, provided by the ministry, to have dinner together. Harry and Hermione were in the kitchen and Fred and Damien sat on the couch. Ginny walked around the living room looking at the photos around her house. They were of pretty much everyone, even herself. She noticed the many pictures of her and Ron and she thought about asking Hermione about her and her brother. She needed to know so much. She needed to know what happened in all those years she was away.
Ginny sat down on the couch after she was done. Fred had left for the bathroom and she took the chance to get to know the quiet Damien a little more.
"So," She began, "How are you?"
He was a bit slow in answering, "Everything is fine…and you?"
She sighed, "Just dandy."
"I admire you." He said.
"Hm?"
Damien explained, "You came back into a world you had little memory of with a smile on your face, expecting the best. Even when things were rough, you always stuck with those who cared about you. That takes courage."
"And so I've heard…" Ginny said sarcastically before changing the subject, "So, did you go to Hogwarts?"
He hesitated again, "No."
"Oh, well…where did you attend school?" She asked as Fred walked in.
He didn't answer and Ginny wondered if she said something to offend him, but Fred explained.
He gave a little smile, "Damien here is a recovering amnesic…"
Ginny understood now why Damien admired her. She had new found respect for him, "How?" She asked.
Fred looked to Damien and he gave a shrug, "The healers told me an anonymous person brought me to St.Mungo's. Of course, I wouldn't know…"
Ginny gave a slight smile and Harry walked in to announce that dinner was ready. They all left to eat and talk. Ginny noticed how stressed Harry and Hermione were especially when they talked about work with the ministry. Fred talked about how he was trying to start the joke shop with the help of Damien. Soon they all finished eating.
Fred stood up and stretched, "That was great, 'Mione…"
"Thanks." She smiled, "How about all of you go to the living room while I finish the dishes."
"That's a great idea, but you should go and I'll do the dishes." Insisted Harry.
Hermione's face turned a pink tint as she turned toward the sink, "No, Harry…it's really fine…you guys go ahead."
Harry shrugged, "If you really like washing dishes that much…"
Harry, Fred and Damien left the room and Ginny stayed behind to talk to the muggle born.
"Hermione, can I ask you something? I guess you could say it's kind of personal." Ginny asked.
"Yeah sure, ask me anything." Hermione told her as she piled the dishes into the sink.
Ginny hesitated for a moment, "You love Harry, don't you?"
Hermione stopped and turned her face to Ginny, "What?"
"Harry…you love him." She repeated.
"I-I don't know what you mean…"
Ginny smiled slightly, "C'mon Hermione, I know all the signs of 'liking' someone. I mean, you've been all over him since I've seen you guys."
Hermione sighed, "I suppose I am…but it's confusing."
Ginny sat down, "And it's confusing because you're in love with Ron as well."
Hermione stared, "What are you, a psychic?"
She laughed, "No, I overheard you talking to him in the hospital…I didn't mean too."
"It's just…there were days I wouldn't see Harry at all. Those days turned into weeks and then into months and then into years. I would see him a few minutes once and a while, if I was lucky. Ron was always there with me and I guess, without Harry, I found all comfort within Ron." She explained, "And then…Ron was left unconscious and the war ended. I found myself partnered up with Harry and, this time without Ron, I found all comfort within Harry. I just…"
"I understand…but you know what might happen if Ron suddenly wakes up?"
She nodded, "I've been neglecting to see him, thinking that he might wake up if I see him. Then you came and I just had too see him again."
"Well," Ginny stood, "I'm sure everything will work out fine. Now, let's go join the boys."
Hermione nodded and put a quick charm on the dishes before following Ginny out to the living room.
***
Pushing open the door to the Leaky Cauldron, Draco ran a hand through is messy hair. As he walked there the usual crowd of wizards and witches, he found himself thinking about the night before. He wanted it so bad; the freedom from the hate. Yet, he didn't know where to start or what to do. As he walked up to his usual table, something told him it was coming. More like someone.
A young woman, about his age, sat at his table and smirked at him. Her hair was short and a dirty blonde color.
"Last time I checked, this was my table." He said, sitting in an empty seat across from her.
"This isn't your property; I can sit wherever I choose." She said.
"But I have a feeling you picked this table for a special reason." He stated.
She stood and walked over to him. He noticed the simple outfit she wore. The black skirt fell inches above her knee and a tight red shirt showed off her obviously worked on body. Her feet were covered by high heeled shoes. His eyes wandered.
"Up here honey." She said, noticing the way he looked at her. Draco's eyes met hers and they pierced his soul. They had a familiarity in them, but he couldn't pick it up. Her lids were heavily lined in black.
"What do you want from me?"
"Draco Malfoy, what else would I want?" She asked.
He replied, "You tell me."
She reached into the pocket of her jacket that hung on the chair and took out a black case. She opened it and placed it in front of Draco. In the case held two pills about the size of an apple seed.
***
"So, what's going on with the ministry?" Asked Ginny.
"We're being asked to track down an illegal drug system that has been working underground for nearly half a year." Hermione explained, "The drugs are pills known as raves. If you are familiar with muggle drugs, it's some what like ecstasy, with a few differences. You see, unlike the muggle drug, rave pills give the user a magical high as well as the same effects of ecstasy."
Harry continued, "The problem is, the magical high gives the person the ability to have a boost in there magic use and there's no telling what they might do under the drug effects. It's a very confusing situation, especially when there are rumors of muggles getting a hold of these drugs. Giving muggles a magical high when they aren't supposed to have magic at all, isn't a good thing."
The three listened intently as they two explained. Hermione took out a folder from her bag and spread the contents on the table. "These are the suspects," Hermione said as she separated the different profiles, "We only have two unfortunately, but it's a tricky situation. One female, not a lot is known about this one. She was last seen in this London area, but that was way back before the war started. Rumors have it, she was working with death eaters during the war."
Harry sighed, "And the other is male, even a much more complicated situation. He's a metamorphmagus. So, we have no idea where to start with him."
"Wow." Was all Ginny said as she looked at the profile of the man which contained a series of pictures. They were all pictures of him, except they were all different.
"You said it sister." Fred said as he looked over her shoulder.
Damien was looking at the woman's profile. A wave of uneasiness came over him. He knew this woman. But from where? Was it from before? From his life that he's forgotten? He tried so hard to remember her, but he couldn't remember.
"So, where do we start?" Ginny asked.
"Well, we need to train you and then we're going back to the start." Stated Harry. Ginny raised an eyebrow, "From the ministry's sources, they tell us we could find these two by the Leaky Cauldron."
****
A/N: DUN DUN DUNNN!!! Hehe. And the plot thickens…ay, I rewrote everything and replaced it with the old chapter. I checked my mail and I hadn't gotten any reviews, so I thought that people didn't like me story. ^^;; But then I realized that when you replace chapters, the story isn't actually updated. =P I'm so smart, ain't I?
Anyways, Please review!!!
- Gin
// #12 ~ full-fledged Yankee fan. ^_^