Disclaimer: The plot's mine, but everything else is J.K. Rowling's (you all
know the drill by now)
Chapter One: The Proposition
Ginny Weasley entered the Three Broomsticks and quickly scanned the area. She smiled at her luck, seeing that Draco Malfoy was sitting by himself in a dark corner. She got a Butterbeer, taking a large gulp before she made her way to his seat and boldly took the chair across from the blonde Slytherin.
"What do you want Weasley?" he didn't seem to appreciate how hard it was for her to be so...forward?
Ginny took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She wasn't sure how he'd take her proposition.
"You hate Harry, right?" When she had practiced this in front of her mirror it hadn't sounded so stupid.
"Weasley, if you're just going to state the obvious then go waste someone else's time," said Draco Malfoy, inspecting his fingernails. His careless attitude was not making this any easier.
She decided to try another approach.
"I..I've heard that you've delved into the Dark Arts."
"Oh, have you now?" He sounded bored.
"Yes." She couldn't believe how badly this was going, and she hadn't even said what she came to.
"Well you can't believe everything you here, didn't anyone ever tell you that, Weasel?"
"Yes." She wished she could think of something witty to say, it seemed so easy in books.
"Well if that's all you want then..." he started to get up.
"No!" she shouted, motioning for him to sit back down. He raised an eyebrow and sat.
"What do you want Weasley, really?" she now had Draco's attention. The fact that she wanted to talk to him so badly intrigued him.
"I told you, I've heard you've delved--"
"And I said you can't believe everything you hear," he snapped, cutting her off.
"So you haven't?" If the rumors about Draco Malfoy proved to be false Ginny was going to be both utterly embarassed, and in need of a new plan.
"I never said that."
"So you have?" She tried to keep her voice from sounding too eager, but it was no use. Again, he raised one eyebrow.
"I never said that either." this time Draco wore a smirk on his pale face. Ginny realized that in order to get a straight answer from Draco Malfoy she was going to have to trust him, to let him in on her plan.
"I want to kill Harry." Draco suddenly sat up straight, his full attention on the youngest Weasley.
"Did I just hear that right?" he asked, unable to believe her words. Ginny nodded.
"You heard me Malfoy. Now, can you help me?"
"What makes you think I could?"
"Oh come on. Any fool knows your father was --is-- a Death Eater. That sort of thing runs in the family, doesn't it?" She regretted her words the instant they were out of her mouth. What if Mafloy was offended? What if they made him more unwilling to help her?
"Go on." Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. She still had a chance!
"I know that Tom --I mean You-Know-Who-- was going to kill me to bring himself back. I know I should be grateful to Harry for saving me, but you have to understand..." she trailed off and tried to gather what she wanted to say.
"Are you going to give me some sob story about how he was your first love and all that? Please spare me. I'll help you kill Potter. I'd be happy to."
"Really?"
"If you pay me." This time there was no trace of that trademark smirk, instead he laughed.
Ginny was furious. She didn't care how badly she needed his help, she could not sink that low, not after that comment. How could he be so cruel even when she was making an offer that would benefit him as well as herself. She got up and started to walk away when he grabbed her wrist. She tried to twist away but instead he pulled her towards him.
"I'll help you," he whispered, his voice sounded dangerous. "Come with me." He got up, still holding her wrist.
"You can let go now."
"Just follow," he said. The response was non-committal, but his fingers were no longer wrapped around her wrist. His grip had been tight and Ginny's skin was red where she had been held. They walked toward the Shrieking Shack, then he grabbed her hand again, his grip tighter than before.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"Quiet." He turned into a dark narrow alley, pulling Ginny with him. He walked down it, his grasp still tight on her arm.
As they walked down it, the alley seemed to get larger and larger until they were standing in a dimly lit room furnished with a green couch, mahogany writing desk with a chair to match, and a book shelf made of unstained wood.
Ginny noticed that Draco had let go of her.
"Where are we?"
"Its my study." His voice had a hint of pride in it.
"Your study..."
"Yes. Father used it when he was at Hogwarts...its been in the Malfoy family for generations, and only a Malfoy can enter it. For everyone else, its just a continuation of the alley." he explained. From what she knew of Draco Malfoy, such a patient and detailed explanation seemed uncharacteristic.
"And that's why you had to grab my arm," Ginny guessed.
"Wow Weasley, I guess you do have some brains in there after all. Well done!" he actually patted her on the back.
"Don't be so patronizing! What are we doing here?"
"Why don't you figure it out. I'd explain it but then you'd accuse me of being a know-it-all," he said. He had the habit of saying things that made her want to take her words and squash them beneath her feet. In other words, he made whatever she said sound stupid.
Ginny decided she would not dignify him with an answer and instead went to the bookshelf and started reading the titles. They were things like "The Rise of the Dark Arts" and "Mudbloods: Why They are the Enemy".
"I can see why you'd want this place to be private." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Still, Draco heard her.
"Like you said, the Dark Arts run in the family. Now, why do you need my help to kill Potter? Have a seat on the couch, take your time." he told her.
"We need to get back to Hogwarts soon."
"Don't worry about it. Time moves slower here. Sit." Ginny sat.
"I like an obedient girl." he said, his expression something between a smirk and a grin, if that were possible. "I was only kidding," he ammended, seeing her glare. This surprised her...his tone sounded almost...apologetic?
"Alright, now...shall we get down to business?" Being alone with a Malfoy was very trying for Ginny. She wanted it to be over with, even if she would have to be spending a considerable amount of time with him for the next few months.
"No business today, Weasley."
"Then what are we doing here?"
"Don't get so jumpy Weasley. We're going to work out a schedule." He took a roll of parchment and a quill from his desk, dipping the quill in a bottle of green ink. "You need me to get here, and here is the only place where we can talk safely, its also the only place with the supplies we'll need."
"How do you know what supplies we need? And I don't see any place where there could be much of anything."
"I have experience. There's a compartment behind the writing desk with potions and herbs, and even a cauldron. Mind you, its a small cauldron, but that can be fixed with ease."
"Right, so...about that schedule? I can get away after supper most evenings, or I can pretend to be ill and we can meet during meals, but where can we meet?"
"I'm in Seventh Year so I can always get away from meals by saying I want to practice for my N.E.W.T's. So we'll meet after dinner on Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I want for myself. As much as I hate Potter, I don't want all of my time devoted to killing him."
"That's fine with me. And we'll meet for an hour on Hogsmeade weekends. We can join up at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom so I don't end up lost in Hogsmeade."
"We'll meet there, but there's a way to access my study from the Slytherin Common Room, so I will give you the password and my invisibility cloak next time." he wrote down the schedule, then used his wand to make a duplicate of it for Ginny.
"If anyone finds this, I'm helping you with Potions." He'd kill her if anyone found it, but just in case he didn't want to it was good for her to have a lie at the ready.
"Alright. Good. That would be pretty believable."
"Not too good with Potions?" he inquired. Ginny shook her head.
"I never get above a C."
"We'll have to do something about that. Alright, its time to go. Oh, and Weasley?"
"Yes?"
"Don't address me in public again." He was back to his nasty Malfoy self.
When they left the alley it was time for the Hogwarts students to leave. She met up with Luna, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, claiming she'd been throwing up in the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks for most of the trip.
"I think it was that anti-acne potion I made," she told Hermione.
"Well, I don't see any pimples, but maybe next time you should see Madame Pomfrey, Gin."
"Yeah, you're no good in potions."
"Oh thanks Ron." she said sarcastically. Thankfully they didn't suspect anything, Harry seemed like he didn't notice her presence. Ginny didn't see the odd look Luna was directing at her.
Chapter One: The Proposition
Ginny Weasley entered the Three Broomsticks and quickly scanned the area. She smiled at her luck, seeing that Draco Malfoy was sitting by himself in a dark corner. She got a Butterbeer, taking a large gulp before she made her way to his seat and boldly took the chair across from the blonde Slytherin.
"What do you want Weasley?" he didn't seem to appreciate how hard it was for her to be so...forward?
Ginny took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She wasn't sure how he'd take her proposition.
"You hate Harry, right?" When she had practiced this in front of her mirror it hadn't sounded so stupid.
"Weasley, if you're just going to state the obvious then go waste someone else's time," said Draco Malfoy, inspecting his fingernails. His careless attitude was not making this any easier.
She decided to try another approach.
"I..I've heard that you've delved into the Dark Arts."
"Oh, have you now?" He sounded bored.
"Yes." She couldn't believe how badly this was going, and she hadn't even said what she came to.
"Well you can't believe everything you here, didn't anyone ever tell you that, Weasel?"
"Yes." She wished she could think of something witty to say, it seemed so easy in books.
"Well if that's all you want then..." he started to get up.
"No!" she shouted, motioning for him to sit back down. He raised an eyebrow and sat.
"What do you want Weasley, really?" she now had Draco's attention. The fact that she wanted to talk to him so badly intrigued him.
"I told you, I've heard you've delved--"
"And I said you can't believe everything you hear," he snapped, cutting her off.
"So you haven't?" If the rumors about Draco Malfoy proved to be false Ginny was going to be both utterly embarassed, and in need of a new plan.
"I never said that."
"So you have?" She tried to keep her voice from sounding too eager, but it was no use. Again, he raised one eyebrow.
"I never said that either." this time Draco wore a smirk on his pale face. Ginny realized that in order to get a straight answer from Draco Malfoy she was going to have to trust him, to let him in on her plan.
"I want to kill Harry." Draco suddenly sat up straight, his full attention on the youngest Weasley.
"Did I just hear that right?" he asked, unable to believe her words. Ginny nodded.
"You heard me Malfoy. Now, can you help me?"
"What makes you think I could?"
"Oh come on. Any fool knows your father was --is-- a Death Eater. That sort of thing runs in the family, doesn't it?" She regretted her words the instant they were out of her mouth. What if Mafloy was offended? What if they made him more unwilling to help her?
"Go on." Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. She still had a chance!
"I know that Tom --I mean You-Know-Who-- was going to kill me to bring himself back. I know I should be grateful to Harry for saving me, but you have to understand..." she trailed off and tried to gather what she wanted to say.
"Are you going to give me some sob story about how he was your first love and all that? Please spare me. I'll help you kill Potter. I'd be happy to."
"Really?"
"If you pay me." This time there was no trace of that trademark smirk, instead he laughed.
Ginny was furious. She didn't care how badly she needed his help, she could not sink that low, not after that comment. How could he be so cruel even when she was making an offer that would benefit him as well as herself. She got up and started to walk away when he grabbed her wrist. She tried to twist away but instead he pulled her towards him.
"I'll help you," he whispered, his voice sounded dangerous. "Come with me." He got up, still holding her wrist.
"You can let go now."
"Just follow," he said. The response was non-committal, but his fingers were no longer wrapped around her wrist. His grip had been tight and Ginny's skin was red where she had been held. They walked toward the Shrieking Shack, then he grabbed her hand again, his grip tighter than before.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"Quiet." He turned into a dark narrow alley, pulling Ginny with him. He walked down it, his grasp still tight on her arm.
As they walked down it, the alley seemed to get larger and larger until they were standing in a dimly lit room furnished with a green couch, mahogany writing desk with a chair to match, and a book shelf made of unstained wood.
Ginny noticed that Draco had let go of her.
"Where are we?"
"Its my study." His voice had a hint of pride in it.
"Your study..."
"Yes. Father used it when he was at Hogwarts...its been in the Malfoy family for generations, and only a Malfoy can enter it. For everyone else, its just a continuation of the alley." he explained. From what she knew of Draco Malfoy, such a patient and detailed explanation seemed uncharacteristic.
"And that's why you had to grab my arm," Ginny guessed.
"Wow Weasley, I guess you do have some brains in there after all. Well done!" he actually patted her on the back.
"Don't be so patronizing! What are we doing here?"
"Why don't you figure it out. I'd explain it but then you'd accuse me of being a know-it-all," he said. He had the habit of saying things that made her want to take her words and squash them beneath her feet. In other words, he made whatever she said sound stupid.
Ginny decided she would not dignify him with an answer and instead went to the bookshelf and started reading the titles. They were things like "The Rise of the Dark Arts" and "Mudbloods: Why They are the Enemy".
"I can see why you'd want this place to be private." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Still, Draco heard her.
"Like you said, the Dark Arts run in the family. Now, why do you need my help to kill Potter? Have a seat on the couch, take your time." he told her.
"We need to get back to Hogwarts soon."
"Don't worry about it. Time moves slower here. Sit." Ginny sat.
"I like an obedient girl." he said, his expression something between a smirk and a grin, if that were possible. "I was only kidding," he ammended, seeing her glare. This surprised her...his tone sounded almost...apologetic?
"Alright, now...shall we get down to business?" Being alone with a Malfoy was very trying for Ginny. She wanted it to be over with, even if she would have to be spending a considerable amount of time with him for the next few months.
"No business today, Weasley."
"Then what are we doing here?"
"Don't get so jumpy Weasley. We're going to work out a schedule." He took a roll of parchment and a quill from his desk, dipping the quill in a bottle of green ink. "You need me to get here, and here is the only place where we can talk safely, its also the only place with the supplies we'll need."
"How do you know what supplies we need? And I don't see any place where there could be much of anything."
"I have experience. There's a compartment behind the writing desk with potions and herbs, and even a cauldron. Mind you, its a small cauldron, but that can be fixed with ease."
"Right, so...about that schedule? I can get away after supper most evenings, or I can pretend to be ill and we can meet during meals, but where can we meet?"
"I'm in Seventh Year so I can always get away from meals by saying I want to practice for my N.E.W.T's. So we'll meet after dinner on Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I want for myself. As much as I hate Potter, I don't want all of my time devoted to killing him."
"That's fine with me. And we'll meet for an hour on Hogsmeade weekends. We can join up at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom so I don't end up lost in Hogsmeade."
"We'll meet there, but there's a way to access my study from the Slytherin Common Room, so I will give you the password and my invisibility cloak next time." he wrote down the schedule, then used his wand to make a duplicate of it for Ginny.
"If anyone finds this, I'm helping you with Potions." He'd kill her if anyone found it, but just in case he didn't want to it was good for her to have a lie at the ready.
"Alright. Good. That would be pretty believable."
"Not too good with Potions?" he inquired. Ginny shook her head.
"I never get above a C."
"We'll have to do something about that. Alright, its time to go. Oh, and Weasley?"
"Yes?"
"Don't address me in public again." He was back to his nasty Malfoy self.
When they left the alley it was time for the Hogwarts students to leave. She met up with Luna, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, claiming she'd been throwing up in the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks for most of the trip.
"I think it was that anti-acne potion I made," she told Hermione.
"Well, I don't see any pimples, but maybe next time you should see Madame Pomfrey, Gin."
"Yeah, you're no good in potions."
"Oh thanks Ron." she said sarcastically. Thankfully they didn't suspect anything, Harry seemed like he didn't notice her presence. Ginny didn't see the odd look Luna was directing at her.