Chapter 9- Esmerelda the Evil
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Finally! A chapter I actually don't mind :) So it's a bit weird, but the whole thing is really. However, I managed to add some drama and fluffiness, I've been waiting for ages to do that!
Disclaimer: JK doesn't strive for fluffiness, I do!
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***
Draco watched in horror as Ginny disappeared in front of his very eyes. This was worse then he had even imagined! But he swang into action and just managed to brace himself against a tree that loomed over the hole where she had disappeared when the force of Ginny's weight hauled on his wrist.
"Draco!" Ginny screamed in terror as she twisted and turned in the blackness. Common sense told her that she couldn't have fallen further than the two metres of the thread binding them but she had a terrible feeling that she was totally alone. "Are you there? Get me out of here!"
"It's alright, I've got you." He ground out between gritted teeth as he struggled to keep himself from falling in after her. His wrist began to ache with the force of her weight on the other end and it felt like there was a noose continually tightening around it, pinching his skin. To keep Ginny from panicking further and struggling thereby adding more weight to his already sore wrist he kept talking, "If only we weren't attached this would be the perfect way to get rid of you." He joked desperately clinging to the tree to prevent himself following her into the blackness. Ginny let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob and her thin, frightened voice floated up to him.
"Don't even think about it. Hagrid and the creepy Gyrffindors, remember?"
Draco smiled, "Oh yeah. I forgot. Well better get you out then, hey?" By wedging himself against the tree he had braced himself against Draco was able to get his hands free. He grasped his left wrist and felt a small sliver of a thread there. He followed it with his fingers and took a firm grasp and began to pull. It was a hopeless plan, he knew it but there was nothing else he could think of to do. However, to his great surprise, the dead weight that was Ginny seemed to lessen as he desperately sought to bring her up and he was able to begin lifting her out quite easily. Ginny screamed again as she felt herself begin to move but then she caught a glimpse of Draco's face contorted in concentration above her and she closed her mouth with a snap. He was there, he was getting her out, and everything was going to be okay. Slowly, painstakingly slowly, Ginny emerged above the lip of the mini chasm she seemed to have created. Eventually she managed to crawl onto the edge and she lay there in the rotting leaves and sobbed quietly. The hole beside her noiselessly closed up again, leaving no sign of the trap it hid. Draco scrambled over to Ginny's side and then rocked backwards as she flung her small frame onto him and embraced him tightly. Draco looked down in astonishment at her head which was pressed against his chest.
"You're not expecting me to comfort you, are you?" He said awkwardly and she weakly hit him.
"Yes I bloody well am." She choked out.
Draco sighed and shook his head in resignation "Fine, but if this gets out I'll know who to come after." he said wrapping his arms tightly around her shivering frame effectively cocooning her against his body. She snuggled against him and took comfort in the warmth and strength of his body against hers. It seemed, however, that Ginny had just needed a moment of respite as she soon lifted her head and pulled away from him.
"Sorry." She muttered, wiping her tear stained face on her cloak.
"It doesn't matter." He said gruffly clambering to his feet then reaching down and hauling her up beside him also. They were very close and Ginny, disconcerted by his body pressed up against her, made to move away. However, his arm snaked out and curled around her waist pulling her firmly back against him.
"Oh no you don't." he growled, "The moral to that nice little adventure we had a moment ago," he said, gesturing towards where she had disappeared below the surface, "was listen when I say stay close to me."
Ginny rolled her eyes at his dramatics but nodded in agreement. Draco still didn't seem satisfied though, "I'm serious Virginia," and indeed his face did seem very solemn, "there are a lot of dangers in here as you so skilfully just discovered and I need to know that when I tell you something, you'll listen."
Ginny scowled up at him, "Yes, alright?" she snapped, "I'm not two Draco."
"Then stop acting like it." he spat back. They faced each other crossly still mere inches apart. Eventually Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair distractedly, "We'd better press on." He said and his arm slid from around her waist, down her arm until he reached her hand which he grasped firmly. Ginny considered arguing again but in the end simply nodded. Walking so closely together that they brushed against each other with every step they took, they continued even deeper into the forest.
***
They stumbled onwards for over an hour. Just as Ginny was beginning to grumble that Draco had been lying to her and in fact had no idea where they were going they basically fell into a clearing. Everything about this glade was different from the dark and dank forest surrounding them on all sides.
"Wow." Ginny breathed, awestruck and Draco nodded, agreeing with her.
In the centre of the serene clearing there was a small emerald caravan complete with shimmering gold accoutrements. The side facing them had two windows but the shutters were closed tightly preventing them from seeing inside. A dappled grey horse was grazing to one side of the glade and a small campfire crackled happily in front of the caravan.
"Do you think Esmerelda's inside?" Ginny asked hesitantly, gesturing towards the caravan. Draco shook his head.
"No." he said seriously, "I think she's behind us."
Ginny spun around, let out a little shriek and stumbled backwards. A tall, dark woman in a flowing scarlet dress was regarding her calmly scant inches in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Ginny apologised, swallowing her fear and trying to appear composed.
"That was the desired effect." The woman's voice was deep and sultry, completely out of place in the cool English surroundings.
Draco regarded her for a moment and decided he didn't like this strong, strange woman. Acting on instinct he surreptitiously slid in front of Ginny, making sure she was masked from the woman's penetrating gaze. The aura around the woman was powerful, it reminded Draco of the one around his father and Dumbledore but neither of these examples comforted him much. He was sure she was not to be trusted and certainly not around Ginny who was still so innocent and naïve in the ways of powerful magic. The woman chuckled as if she could read his thoughts and spread her arms wide.
"Welcome children to my humble abode." Alarm bells began ringing in Draco's head. There was a tingle of magic in her words and Draco, watching her closely, suddenly swore loudly. Without a moments hesitation he grabbed Ginny and flung both her and himself to one side. He was just in time. As he and Ginny tumbled onto the grass a single bolt of lightning struck the ground where they had been standing. The grass burst into flames and in no time at all there was a small singed crater in the spot they had recently vacated. Ginny stared at the space in complete awe but Draco's eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the sorceress in front of them.
"That." He said icily, "is going to cost you."
The woman laughed airily and swept past him towards the caravan.
"You dare threaten me?" she asked, her voice sounding truly interested, "I think that's the first time that's ever happened."
"Now you've met me it won't be the last." Draco promised, helping Ginny to her feet. The Gryffindor was trembling slightly and Draco sighed and admitted to himself that dragging her out into the forest had not been a good idea. The woman smiled, her teeth a brilliant white against the olive of her skin.
"Are you coming in then?" she asked indicating her caravan then slipping inside.
Draco stood stock still. His first instinct was to get Ginny back to the castle as quickly and as safely as possible but intuition was telling him that the lightning strike had been something of a test and now they had passed he didn't expect any more danger from the strange woman.
"Draco?" Ginny asked timidly after a few moments, "Are we going in?"
He shook his head in bewilderment. One minute she had been cowering on the ground and the next she wanted to go in with her attacker.
"I think that would be a stupid idea but you are a Gryffindor and you need to satisfy the 'brave' criteria, am I right?"
Ginny shrugged, "Alright Mr knowledgeable on everything Gryffindor you tell me. Your track record in protecting me today is pretty good so I'll leave it up to you."
Draco snorted at her idea of being protected but he was glad all the same of her faith in him. "By the way, how did you know she was behind us?" Ginny asked looking up at him inquisitively.
"That was what I would have done." Draco explained, "Slytherins on the whole don't vary their techniques. We're taught them in our first year and you of all people know how bad an idea it is to forget anything Snape teaches you."
"She's a Slytherin?" Ginny said confusedly but Draco was now smiling. He hadn't realised it before but of course she was a Slytherin, or an ex one at any rate. Suddenly he knew that they had to go in after her. Slytherins he could handle. Better the devil you know and all that. But first he had to check with Ginny. She'd been through a lot in the last couple of hours and he wasn't willing to put her through any more if she couldn't handle it.
"Virginia…" he began hesitantly but she cut him off.
"We're going after her, aren't we?" she asked but it seemed more of a statement then a question.
Draco nodded. "Well come on then." Ginny marched off towards the caravan and Draco hurried after her. He cut across in front of her just outside the door.
"Follow my lead and do as I say, alright?" he instructed
"I'm getting a certain sense of déjà vu." Ginny grinned at him, "But I'm not making any promises Malfoy, you should know me well enough by now to know that."
Draco growled in frustration but had to admit that he had known it had been a million to one chance she would agree.
***
Draco insisted on going first into the caravan. It was bright and clean, completely different from how he had pictured it. The shutters had been thrown open to let in plenty of sunlight and it was warm and cosy, totally at odds with the woman who stood in the middle of the room.
"Sit." She motioned to two stools on one side of the large wooden table which took up most of the room in the cramped space. She herself slid fluidly into another stool on the opposite side of the table. "My name is Esmerelda." She said and Ginny nodded, signifying that she already knew that.
"Yes, Hagrid told us." She said quietly. To her surprise Esmerelda smiled.
"Ah yes Hagrid. I like him, he's so delightfully simple."
Before she could stop herself Ginny blurted out hotly, "He is not simple!"
Draco shot her a warning look but the woman didn't seem to mind.
"Not simple in mind, child," She said gently, "simple in life. Hagrid doesn't expect much and doesn't take much. That is how we should all be."
Draco rolled his eyes to signify that he thought her comments were ridiculous.
"You don't agree?!" her voice and eyes were sharp as they fixed on him but Draco didn't blanch.
"Of course I don't, you and I both know that's bollocks. We're not Hufflepuffs, we're not impressed by your theatrics." He replied shortly whilst Ginny tried to appear as if she wasn't impressed as Draco had said.
Esmerelda narrowed her eyes slightly, "Perhaps you're right." She conceded after a while then she tossed her head making her gold earrings chime softly. "I find it fascinating to see a snake and a little lion cub associating so closely." She said conversationally seamlessly sliding from one topic to another with disconcerting ease.
They looked at her strangely then Ginny said something which sent Draco's mind reeling with all sorts of possibilities.
"We're not defined by our school houses." She spoke clearly and confidently, looking the woman in the eye for the first time.
Esmerelda nodded, "Well spoken, little one." she said gravely,
"Quit with the little would you?" Ginny murmured and Draco smirked.
Esmerelda continued as if Ginny hadn't spoken although it was unlikely she hadn't heard her "The day will come when you will have to attest to that." She looked then at Draco, "Will you be strong enough to be at her side then, I wonder?"
He looked back defiantly into her deep black eyes, "I'm not going anywhere." He stated ignoring the surprised look Ginny sent him.
"But things change," the sorceress countered, "do you have the courage to stand up for what is rightfully yours?"
Ginny had no idea what Esmerelda was talking about but Draco seemed to know as he replied coldly:
"You know as well as I do that what you deserve is rarely what you receive."
"Draco what…?" Ginny tried to ask but it was as if she wasn't there anymore, Esmerelda didn't even glance her way as she responded to Draco.
"Well then you'll have to fight for it."
"Fighting is what I do best."
"OI!" Ginny shouted and they both seemed to snap out of the mind game they were playing with each other and regarded her blankly. "We were wondering," Ginny said meekly, changing tack, "if you could help us."
"No one can help you but yourselves." Esmerelda said coolly.
"We haven't even told you what our problem is." Draco pointed out and she flicked her hand as if that wasn't important.
"Details mean nothing." She said, "I can read the problem in your eyes and it's not what you think it is."
Ginny felt a crashing sense of gloom steal over her and she shivered slightly, "Do you mean," she asked in a very small voice, "that we did all this, came all this way, for nothing?"
Esmerelda cocked her head to one side. "Not nothing, I have given you more help than you even know."
"Oh yes handy that." Draco said sarcastically, "I love receiving help I know nothing about, come on Virginia we're leaving."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the caravan door.
"I will give you one more piece of advice." She called after them, "The journey is often more important than the destination, remember that."
"Thanks for nothing. We could have read that out of any cheap divination book." Draco shouted back and then they were back outside in the glade and trudging back to the castle. The forest seemed less scary on the way back as they were both too wrapped up in their own thoughts to notice any of the ominous rumblings and creepy noises. As they neared the edge of the forest Ginny suddenly spoke:
"Well I guess we're back to plan A then."
"Plan A?" Draco asked with a sinking feeling that he already knew what she was talking about.
"Getting Harry to ask me out. Less scary, children obsessed beasts and eerie women with a fascination with the word little all round." Ginny said with a smile.
"Give me a whole continents worth of scary, children obsessed beasts and eerie women with a fascination with the word little any day over Potter." He rejoined quickly and Ginny giggled and shook her head at him.
As they stumbled out into the sunlight near Hagrid's hut they smiled with relief at each other then looked away as they realised the implications of their genuine happiness in each other's company. Suddenly Ginny remembered something and she looked down at her right wrist.
"It must be past seven." She said quietly.
Draco looked down at her in shock then tried to move away from her only to find that he could only go the usual two metres.
"It must have happened when we were in the forest and we didn't even notice." He said, astounded.
"How could we not have noticed?" Ginny asked, flabbergasted, "It's usually such a big deal."
"I guess we had other things on our minds." Draco said significantly.
"Yeah that's a point," Ginny said, "what happened in there?! What was all that stuff about what you deserve?"
Draco smirked, "Sorry little lion cub," he said patronisingly, "it's a Slytherin thing."
Ginny had just opened her mouth to retort when a voice suddenly shattered through their comfortable bickering.
"Ginny, where have you been?!"
***
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Argh something always interrupts them…frustrating, no? Oh, oh, oh pick the Princess Bride and Robin Hood: Men in Tights quotes, they're terribly obscure but most definitely there! I can't resist having at least one quote from my favourite films!
Bunny/ Sailor Moon: I guess I'm an oddity because even if I am a reader I really like cliffies. It keeps me interested and makes me look forward to the next chapter, I remember what's going on as well if the person takes a while to update…not me of course, ha! I have been to your site. I can't believe I didn't mention it last time but I always check out the bios of my reviewers and I clicked on the link there. I especially liked the Serena/Endymion shrine, aw they're so cute! I love that picture of Serena and Darian on the train! No need to whine any longer as a new chapter is up! Thanks so much for your nice long review :)
Bigreader: Back, back, get down, there will be no killing on my watch! Attached not by the lips this time but nice idea. I like to write cliffies but I also like to read them so I guess I'm a freak. Here is an update for you, thank you for reviewing so…lets face it scarily, lol!
Toriisen: Yay, I made you write in capitals, whoohooo! Yes of course I like to see you beg and plead for another chapter and thank you for satisfying me in this regard. I am indeed well pleased with your grovelling and it obviously had an effect on me as here is another chapter! After all that whining you still enjoyed the chapter? Well good, thank you so much for continuing to inspire me to write.
Nalleen: Really good? Thank you very much and due to your nice manners here is another chapter for you.
Julia: Wow, thank you so much for saying you love it. And the word absolutely really is a good word! I have gone on and thank you again for praising my story so highly.
Nitestar: Ack but I am a very wicked girl indeed! Wow you can almost see the characters? Yippee! Not out of character and aw worthy, my Draco? Have I mentioned recently that I love your reviews? Well I do! Thank you for reviewing and keeping me going.
Dracosfavourite: Yes ma'am! I'll get right onto it…no wait a minute I already have. Thanks :)
Bean: Thank you from restraining yourself from strangling me, very considerate of you! You know you love a good cliffie as much as the next person. If the story is not enough surely the fact that I have left things at an annoying point will keep people reading! I hope this chapter satisfies your acute symptoms of curiousititous. I would hate to make such a fantastic reviewer ill! Thank you for diagnosing my infirmity too by the way because I didn't know what the feeling was which came upon me when I was waiting for someone else's chapter to come out. I prescribe to you a healthy dose of The Ultimatum- chapter 9. Thank you over and over again for making me smile with your LOVELY review.
SarkLover: I'm so glad someone commented on the fact that he called her a beauty. It was a little nod to the romance fic it is supposed to be! Ah well I have to disagree and say that the Sydney Mardi Gras is the best so I guess we are all protective over our own parades! Go the impatient people, I am one myself and so as a nod to those of us who suffer greatly from this illness I offer this chapter to you as a cure! Thanks for always reviewing so fantastically.
Dracoslover: Ah finally someone who appreciates the fact that if it is a Draco/Ginny fic things must be taken slowly! Of course he wouldn't change his feelings so suddenly, yay for you! Thank you for reviewing and settling my fears over the drawn out nature of my story.
MelissaAdams: See, moving (or at least putting things in boxes) is a universal activity. I so know what you mean by random people wandering into your house. Why do they do that? I mean I know why but why do they get so excited about things that everyone else is like "So?" I considered the birthday cake thing but then I thought that it was too cliché. I couldn't imagine Draco appreciating it really, could you? Ah yes stupid, stubborn Ginny but she is more fun to write like this! More wittiness ahoy, in fact Esmerelda brings out much hilarity…or at least I thought so but I am biased! Thank you so much for taking the trouble to reviewing each chapter separately.
LiTtLe-bLaCk-sTaR: Eek, I could never cause injury to one of my most fantastic readers! I would hate to make you bald. Anyway I really don't mind how many times you say you love my story, honestly say it again and again if you want. Thank you so much for always reviewing and here is this chapter so your lovely head of hair stays intact!
Meena2: Hey, there wasn't an awesome! Thank you for reviewing and encouraging me to hurry with the next one, here it is :)
Bambooanime: Ah beg away! Thank you for reviewing and your begging paid off!
Rutupatel: I'm so mean to my characters! Here is an update for you, thank you for reviewing so nicely.
Noire1: I love cliffies, how could you not? Oi! You can't thank me for thanking you or this could become a vicious cycle as I thank you for thanking me for thanking you! I certainly don't want you to die so here is the next chapter. Thank you. P.S. the kiss isn't too far away, I promise.
Dracomio: Good, I'm glad you thought so. Thank you for reviewing.
Charmed-Goddess-07: Ah I knew you couldn't resist your cheering and I'm glad. This chapter is really very long so I hope there will be no debate over the cheer! Thank you for reviewing and cheering as always.
Francis Flute: Blimey you hate me and I'm going to make you go mad?! Oh well yay me I guess! Thank you for taking the whole thing so passionately.
Riot-girl: I like that you like my Ginny, I like her too. (oh too many likes in there!) Yep Love, etc, etc was my first, isn't it obvious? Hey don't mock my horror of horrors, it is a horror of horrors! You and me both know that silly people have much more fun than those boring others. I think it is appropriate he call her Virginia, don't you think so? Thank you for reviewing and making me smile :)
Sazzy7: Sorry to disappoint but I didn't think of the shallow hole thing…damn wish I had! I should employ you as my muse :) Hold you horses and the kiss will come…look for the chapter title, that is my only hint. I have updated very soon and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you for reviewing.
That's it, no more! Thank you to everyone, you've made this story so fun for me. Fluffiness is on its way, never fear.
Jess/star123
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