Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you may read about or watch in the books or movies. I am but a simple fanfiction writer and nothing more. No profit in it for me.
Author's Note: No way in this story is Mr. Malfoy going to be the hero. I don't see him that way. This is going to be a Ginny/Draco fic, though, just for clarification. Another nice long chapter with slight writer's block, but I believe it flows nicely. Make sure you REVIEW! They keep me chugging along.
The next morning Ginny woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains. Sitting up precariously, she yawned and stretched her arms above her head. She blinked several times as her eyes began to adjust to the light. All of the memories of last night came flooding back to her as she remembered where she was. "Bloody hell! What a way to start off your day," she muttered to herself as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and strutted over to the bathroom.
She took a quick shower and did all her morning rituals as she got ready to go to work. Even after everything that had happened, she felt it would just be better to go instead of sitting around sulking. God only knew what that would do to her sanity.
She quickly brushed her hair and hobbled down the stairs as fast as she could. She was already running late as it was. Ginny ran through the lines of tables and up to the fireplace ready to floo out when Tom called her.
"Miss Weasley, I have a note for you," he said, holding up a folded scrap of parchment.
Ginny sighed and made her way to the barkeep. Her mind was racing as the thought of a letter from Harry crept into her head. What would he say? If it was anything like last night, she didn't know if she could bear it. "Thanks, Tom," she smiled as she took the note from him. She stuffed in her pocket and went back to the fireplace. Grabbing a handful of floo powder, she was off.
Ginny came out of the one of the gilded fireplaces along the left wall in the Atrium as several other wizards and witches slid out less than gracefully. She ran down the dark wood floored hall in the direction of the golden gates to be checked in. Sure enough, Eric Munch was waiting for her. He smiled faintly and she noticed his eyes flick over her disheveled appearance in a quick appraisal.
"Good morning, Ginevra," he said flatly. He scratched his stubby and badly-shaven chin as he took her you please be quick? I'm...er...already late as it is," she stated quickly.
He was weighing her wand already and merely grunted to acknowledge that he had heard her. A couple seconds later, he came back with her wand and ushered her off.
Ginny skidded down the polished floors and down to the lifts. For some odd reason, she felt the urge to make her way down to the second floor and see Harry, but she knew she couldn't. She had broken up with him and she was already late for work as it was. What would he say when he saw her? 'Found another bloke yet?' she thought bitterly back to his words. He was such a mean person. How could she have ever stayed with him that long? She was a stupid love-stricken girl was how. She had been completely oblivious to even her own feelings.
Ginny got to the lifts and entered one. When she got to level four, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, she exited briskly and made her way to her desk. She worked in the Spirit Division. Literally a ghostly and depressing place it was. Ginny found a file on her desk labeled with a big red 'Complaints.' Sighing, she started to sort through them. That is, until her supervisor found her.
"Why are you late this time, Weasley?" Amos Diggory spat unkindly. Saliva from that statement stuck in his scruffy brown beard in a way that made Ginny wince. He grinned in an evil fashion, however, thinking that he had intimidated her in one way or another. He hated Ginny because of her relationship with Harry. Amos still blamed him for his son's death.
Ginny pondered quickly how she should answer as she stared at his beard. Honesty might do her well in this situation, but she'd rather not have her personal details floating around. She could make up a really lame excuse, which he usually dismissed because of her dramatic nature, but he knew her parents and might check if her grandmother did really die. What to do? The latter, but make it a Jarvey. Tears leapt into her eyes and she stared up at him and sniffed sadly. "My...my...my Jarvey died t-t-this morning!" she wailed.
Amos stared at her hard, but she sat unflinching. "Is that why Potter came in here so worried about you?" the older man asked in a grudging voice.
Ginny looked up at him startled. Harry never came by unless it was really important. He was always uncomfortable with Amos. He must have felt bad...which he should. Ginny came back to reality and continued with her act. She nodded grimly and went into another fit of tears. "He-he was such a good pet! He talked my ear off, but I loved the little guy! He u-used to chase the little gnomes around the yard in front of my flat and-"
"Okay! I don't want its life story! Just don't be late again," he declared in a snarl. He turned around and began to walk away until Ginny stopped him.
"My Jarvey was a he, not an it!" she said loudly. Amos just muttered under his breath as he continued to walk away.
Ginny chuckled to herself and turned back to her work. Opening the complaints folder, she saw that Sir Patrick Delany-Podmore had once again entered someone's private property for his headless hunt. 'What a nuisance,' she thought and turned to the next complaint. Boring, that's what they all were. Her job was almost pointless.
The "has-beens" as ghosts liked to call themselves rarely did too much damage. She would have rather worked anywhere else in her department, but unfortunately she didn't have as many connections as some of the other people did. Luckily, her father was at least able to secure her this position because of Amos. Who knew that her one link would be so irritating?
Just as she was sifting through a complaint about ghostly nuns, a thought struck her. Harry had come to her department. What if he came back? She couldn't face him. The very thought made her hair stand on end. She considered taking her work back to the Leaky Cauldron, but she didn't want to be stuck there alone all day either. She would just have to stay and face him.
She got to work and quickly lost track of time as she was engrossed in it. Before she knew it, it was lunchtime. Standing up, she stretched languidly.
"Ginny!" someone called. She turned around to see her friend, Luna Lovegood smiling at her with her wand stuck behind her ear. The two of them worked right across from each other, but Ginny had been so busy that morning that she hadn't noticed her.
"Hi, Luna!" Ginny smiled genuinely at her. The two locked arms and headed off to the Atrium to floo out to lunch like they normally did.
"You were really quiet this morning, Ginny. Has the news about the winged flesh-eating doormats gotten you down?" Luna asked as they entered one of the lifts.
"Ummm...No. Did the Quibbler do a piece on that?" Ginny asked, trying desperately to turn the flow of conversation.
"Oh, yes. The article says that if we don't band together and rid the world of them now, it's only a matter of time before they devour us all!" Luna unexpectedly through her arms in the air and sighed loudly in exasperation.
The lift got to the eighth level and the two of them scurried off towards the fireplaces on their left, but not before Ginny heard her name. Turning around slowly, she saw none other than Harry standing there. 'Almost escaped,' she thought grudgingly.
"Ginny, we need to talk," Harry said. He had walked right up to her and was less than a foot from her.
"I don't know why," Ginny stated resolutely. She stared him straight in the eye and crossed her arms. She would not forgive him. Not easily anyway.
"Ginny, don't be like this," Harry pleaded quietly. He didn't want Luna to hear, but not that it mattered considering she was watching the ceiling.
"I'm not being any way, Harry. I found myself another bloke who will listen to my blubbering, though," Ginny shot back.
"I didn't mean that," he said slowly, looking at his feet.
"Well, I meant what I said," she said and turned quickly. She grabbed Luna by the arm and pulled her along. Both were gone in a matter of seconds.
"I just should have apologized," Harry murmured to himself and walked back to the lifts with his shoulders sagging in defeat.
Ginny and Luna walked into the Three Broomsticks to see the place bustling with activity. They found a small table in a corner of the room and both ordered a butterbeer and different sandwiches. Ginny really was craving another firewhiskey, but she knew that would really raise some red flags for Luna.
The two talked about work and Dumbledore's Army until Ginny had to make a trip to the bathroom. She excused herself and stumbled to the back of the room.
When she got in there, she suddenly remembered something. She shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out the note Tom had given her before she had left that morning. She opened up the note and scanned it quickly.
Weaslette,
That was not a smart move on your part. Malfoys always get theirs in the end. I wouldn't go back to the Leaky Cauldron if I were you.
Malfoy xxx
"What an arrogant prat," she muttered to herself and entered a stall. 'But what if he's serious?' she thought suddenly. 'Or does he want me to go back there? Reverse psychology? He is a Death Eater...'
Ginny left the bathroom in a flurry and rushed back to her table. The food had just come. "I have to go check on some things, Luna. I'm sorry, but I have to go. Can you cover for me at work?" she asked in a worried voice.
"Of course," Luna said calmly. She could tell that something was wrong with Ginny just by her twitchiness. She wondered silently if it had anything to do with her encounter with Harry. Over time, she had noticed their closeness fading. She could tell that Ginny hadn't come to terms with it, though. Luna perceived a lot more than the people around her gave her credit for.
"Thanks so much," Ginny said quickly before heading out the door. A second later, she ran back and threw some money on the table for her meal and bolted back outside.
Minutes later found her in the Leaky Cauldron, heading straight for the bar. "Has anyone been here for me, Tom?" Ginny asked in a shaky voice that was not her own.
"No. Why?" the kind man answered.
"Just wondering," she murmured sheepishly. She still wasn't convinced that Malfoy hadn't pulled something.
Ginny headed up the stairs to her left and walked up to room eleven. She stood timidly in front of the door and put her ear to it. She heard no noise, but was sure that something was waiting for her. Putting her hand to the knob, she began to turn it when a thought struck her. She locked the door when she'd left that morning. Something or someone had been inside. Never one to let her fears get the best of her, Ginny opened the door with her head held high and marched inside.
The room was no different than she had left it. The bed sheets were balled up and her towel from her shower was lying out on the floor. Clothes were scattered about and her trunk lay open just as she had left it. However, there was one thing out of place. A note was sitting on the top of her sheets. She walked over and picked it up, noticing the same neat print from the last note.
Weaslette,
You don't surprise me one bit if you're reading this. You and your whole family are really stubborn when it comes to respecting the warnings of others. Scarhead didn't look too happy when I passed him in the Ministry this morning. Hope that you didn't let him down too hard. I could sense a falling out would be coming shortly. Have a nice day.
Malfoy xxx
"I could sense a falling out would be coming shortly," Ginny reread aloud.
'Has he been spying on us? If so, how long? Gods, how could we not have noticed? I'd better find that stupid Ferret before he tells too much,' Ginny thought quickly. She scribbled a quick note that she knew he would have to answer and got ready to send it to the post office.
"I'll figure him out if it's the last thing I do," she declared proudly while heading back to the fireplace downstairs.
