Draco held his breath and watched as several Ministry officials moved past him. It was stifling hot under the invisibility cloak, but it was the only way inside without being noticed. Once he got inside, he knew that the cloak would be useless – the Ministry had too many charms and wards that prevented the use of such things inside their building. He slipped through the door unnoticed and headed into the men's loo. He was careful not to remove the cloak until he was inside a stall.
He folded it up and shoved it into the bag he was carrying, then brushed the sweat away from his forehead as he contemplated his next move. He'd broken into the Ministry once before, two years ago. No one had ever found out who had done it, but he knew that they had increased their security measures after that. He left the stall and was just about to exit the loo when he heard the door opening. If anyone saw him there, it would mean at the very least that he'd be interrogated. He slipped back into the stall and pulled the cloak out of his bag.
"I just don't know what to do," a man's voice said. Draco stiffened instinctively. He'd know Harry's voice anywhere.
"There's not much you can do," another voice answered. "She left of her own accord."
"All the same, I think that when we get into the meeting, we need to let everyone know that both she and Ron have gone missing."
"Ron?" the voice asked, shocked. "Her brother has deserted, too?"
"I don't know that for sure, but I have a strong suspicion that he might. He was really angry when he confronted me and Hermione. I've seen him mad before, but this time…" Harry's voice trailed off. "Well, this time I think it'd be best if we stepped up the security."
"You don't really think that he'd tell anyone anything, do you?" One of them turned on the tap, making it hard for Draco to hear them.
"Don't know," Harry was saying. "…knows how to…Moody taught her to…dangerous to us." Draco sighed silently in frustration; he hated catching snippets of the conversation like that. "…in Greece somewhere…knows the location…" Draco gasped. Was Potter saying that one of the Weasleys knew the location of the necklace and robe that the Dark Lord wanted? He waited impatiently for Harry and the other man to leave the loo. When they finally left, he slipped out of the door and outside to freedom.
Once he was safely among the crowded streets of Hogsmeade, he removed the cloak and stuffed it back inside his bag. He headed to Knockturn Alley to purchase some items for his father, and Harry's voice echoed inside his head.
Back at the Manor, Pansy was thoroughly enjoying the chess match that was going on in the library. Ron was sweating; he'd never seen Ginny play so well. She looked calm and composed, and totally in control, and it unnerved him. He sighed and waited for her to move.
"Do you want to quit now and save some face, big brother?" she teased. He arched an eyebrow at her, and a giggle escaped her lips.
"Quit? Me? Never," he said, shaking his head. "How did you learn to play like this? I don't ever remember you winning a single game against me." She smiled.
"Selective memory," she said.
"Seriously. Did you practice on someone else?"
"I learned to play by watching you and Harry," she explained. He blinked.
"I don't remember you ever watching us," he said.
"Selective memory," she repeated, her voice softer this time. "There were a lot of things that you and Harry never noticed."
He turned pink with embarrassment. "Look, Gin. I'm really sorry-" she held up her hand to stop him.
"It's all right," she said. "You're here now, and that's what matters." Pansy cleared her throat.
"So, Ron," she began. "How's the planning for your wedding coming along?" Ron stiffened, and Ginny shook her head slightly at Pansy, whose mouth fell open.
"It's not," he said simply, meeting her gaze steadily. "I've called it off."
"Called it off?" she echoed, dumbfounded. "But why? You've been head over heels for Granger since our second year." Ron shrugged.
"I guess I wasn't in love, after all," he said softly. "Apparently I value family more than she could ever understand." He gave Ginny a soft smile, and she returned it.
"You mean that you wanted kids, and she didn't?" Pansy asked, frowning. Ron chuckled.
"I believe he was referring to Ginny," Draco said, smirking at Pansy as he entered the room. "Weren't you?" Ron nodded. Pansy rolled her eyes at Draco.
"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" she asked, pouting. Draco stood beside Ginny's chair and eyed the game in progress.
"The fact that he looked directly at his sister when he said it should have been your first clue," he said, grinning. Pansy flushed. "This is one hell of a game you two have going. How long have you been at it?"
"Just under two hours," Ginny said, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall. "It would have been shorter, but Ron's prolonging the inevitable by taking fifteen minutes for each one of his turns." She and Pansy giggled, and Ron's ears turned scarlet for the hundredth time that afternoon.
"Prolonging the-" he muttered good-naturedly. "You may beat me at this game, but there are plenty of others I can beat you at, you know. Just you wait until I get you up on a broom again." Draco raised his eyebrows at Ron.
"That sounds like a challenge that I'd be interested in seeing," he said. Ron looked up at him in surprise, not knowing how to respond to the friendliness in Draco's voice.
"Or interested in being a part of," Pansy interjected, smiling. Draco nodded.
"Or being a part of."
"What do you say then, a two-on-two game of Quidditch sometime?" Pansy suggested. "Girls against boys?"
"Oh, you're going to saddle Draco with Ron?" Ginny sighed melodramatically. "Poor, poor Draco." Draco chuckled.
"I wouldn't start feeling too superior just yet if I were you, sweet," he said, chucking Ginny gently under the chin with his forefinger. "Pansy isn't exactly the most graceful thing ever to sit on a broom." Ginny's cheeks began to burn; whether from his touch or his calling her 'sweet,' she didn't know. Pansy huffed indignantly.
"Well, I never," she said. "Fine, then. Why don't we switch the teams around? Ron and Ginny against me and you, Draco?"
"Hey, you've already called the teams. It isn't fair to change them around like that now."
"Or we could go me and Pansy against you and Gin," Ron suggested, looking at Draco. Draco smirked.
"Now you're just asking for the big hurt," he said, shaking his head. "I've seen your sister fly, and I know how good she is. Are you sure the two of you wouldn't prefer something more painless?" Pansy turned to Ron.
"You'd really be willing to fly with me?" she asked. He nodded.
"Sure. Why not? You can't be anywhere near as bad as Hermione was." Ginny burst into giggles at this, and Draco even laughed.
"I remember seeing her during our flying lessons," Pansy said. "Remember, Draco? We used to get the biggest kick out of seeing her try to control her broom." He nodded.
"We did, didn't we? So, when are we planning on this little match?"
"Not any time soon," Pansy said, shuddering. "It's freezing outside." Ron snorted.
"Well, are you a witch, or not?" She blinked, and Draco bit back a smile.
"What?"
"You can charm clothing to keep you warm, you know." She nodded.
"I forgot about that. Well, how about Saturday?" Draco frowned.
"Saturday is the wedding, Pans."
"Oh," she sighed. Ginny cleared her throat.
"So, do you have a date?" she asked innocently. Pansy shook her head.
"Not anymore." Draco raised his eyebrows at her.
"What happened to Zabini?"
"He decided that his work took precedence over me, so I said goodbye."
"Ouch," Ron said, shaking his head. She nodded.
"Why don't you go with him?" Draco suggested, gesturing towards Ron. Pansy's eyes widened in surprise, and Ginny nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, do! It'd be so much fun."
"Well, I suppose- what do you think, Ron? Would you like to be my date and accompany me to a wedding?"
"Isn't that some kind of bad luck, to have your first date be at a wedding?" Ron asked uncertainly. She laughed.
"If you don't want to go, just say so."
"I didn't mean that," he said defensively. "I'd love to go." A smile spread across Ginny's face.
"Oh, won't it be lovely," she said, clapping her hands excitedly. "Now, you know I'm going to make you dance with me." Ron grinned, even though he turned pink.
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of not dancing with my baby sister."
"You do realize that you'll have to dance with me, too, right?" Pansy asked hesitantly, as if saying this would make Ron change his mind about going. He nodded.
"I know."
"And of course, you're going to be hard pressed to tear Ginny away from Draco," Pansy teased, shooting her friend a knowing glance. Ginny blushed.
"I don't know that I'll be dancing that much," she protested weakly. "I'm not a very good dancer."
"You mean you'll dance with your brother in a romantic setting, but not your boyfriend?" Draco asked, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. Ron gaped at the use of the word boyfriend, but said nothing. Ginny looked up at Draco and smiled.
"Well, when you put it that way…" he nodded.
"Good, because I hadn't planned on dancing with anyone else."
"Not even Pansy?" Ginny asked.
"Well, yes, her. But now your brother will be there, so I don't have to worry so much about looking out for her."
"Why would you have looked out for me before?" she asked suspiciously.
"Zabini. Can't trust him at all. He's got a sort of… reputation, shall we say?" Pansy paled.
"Then why did you let me date him, you great bloody pillock?"
"I wouldn't have let anything happen to you," he said. "You always went to public places on dates, and he would sooner die than mar his image publicly."
Ron snorted. "I always thought he was a pretty boy."
"He does sort of look like a ponce, now that I think about it," Pansy admitted grudgingly. Draco pulled a chair up next to where Ginny was sitting and sat down gently. "So, pick up anything interesting while you were out running errands?" Draco's eyebrows shot up as he looked at his friend.
"What an interesting question," he murmured. "One wonders why you'd be asking something like that."
"Does one?" Pansy asked teasingly. Ginny and Ron exchanged confused glances. "Then perhaps one should take into consideration that some people have sensitive hearing, and can pick up bits of conversation from the hallway." Draco chuckled.
"No, I didn't pick up anything interesting," he admitted, his eyes sparkling. Pansy looked disappointed. "But that's because I found something interesting at home." Her face lit up again and she bounced slightly in her chair.
"Oh," she breathed. "Can I see?"
"Perhaps after dinner," he said. He turned to look at the siblings, who were both staring at the chess board. Ron finally moved, and Ginny frowned at him.
"Ron, quit trying to cheat!"
"What?" he looked affronted. "I didn't cheat!"
"You just moved your pawn backwards! I'd say that's pretty blatant cheating!" She poked her tongue out at him, and he shrugged as he moved his pawn back to its previous position.
"Fine, you caught me. I'm just getting bored with this game."
"Why don't we do something else?" Pansy suggested.
"Like what?" Ron asked, sitting back in his chair. Draco eyed Ginny thoughtfully, and then turned back to Pansy and Ron.
"How about a trip out somewhere? We've still got a bit before dinner, so we'd have plenty of time to go out and back."
"A trip where?" Pansy asked.
"I don't know," he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "What sounds like fun?"
"Why don't we just go into Hogsmeade and get some butterbeer?" Ron suggested. Ginny laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Like you don't get enough butterbeer as it is," she laughed. "You live off of that stuff!"
"Well, Pansy does too, so I think it's a match made in heaven," Draco teased, noting how red Pansy's face went.
"Or in the Three Broomsticks, if you put it that way," Ginny said, winking at Ron.
"I'm fine with Hogsmeade," Draco said, standing. "Shall we? The sooner we leave, the more time we'll have there."
"I'll just run and get my cloak," Ginny said, rising from her chair.
"Ron, why don't you go with her?" Pansy suggested. "You can see the room she's staying in." Ron looked hesitant, but when Draco said nothing, he nodded and followed Ginny out of the room. Pansy turned to Draco and slapped his arm.
"Ow!" he screeched, chuckling. "Is that all the thanks I get?"
"What in the bloody hell are you doing?"
"Come off of it, Pans. I see the puppy dog eyes you're giving him constantly. You like him."
"I don't even know him," she sniffed, her cheeks still pink.
"Well, be that as it may, you do like him. I can tell. What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, I suppose," she said, relaxing a bit. "Especially since you like his sister."
"I don't like her," he protested.
"I know," she said, the teasing glimmer back in her eyes. "Now, are you gonna show me the ring, or do I have to search you for it?" He peeked out into the hallway to make sure that Ginny wasn't approaching, then ducked back inside the library and shut the door. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag, and then dumped the contents into Pansy's open hand.
"Oh, my," she breathed, picking up the engagement ring. There were three large diamonds set in gold, sparkling madly as she turned the ring this way and that to look at it. Another ring had fallen out of the bag as well, and she held it up next to the engagement ring. It was a very thick gold band with intricate swirls engraved on the outside. She stared at Draco. "These must be worth a small fortune by themselves, Draco. Are you sure you want to give these to her?" He took the rings back and dropped them in the velvet bag, and then stuffed the bag into his pocket before answering.
"Yes. They're family heirlooms, and I think she'll appreciate that much more than me going out and buying something for her. Besides, I think the gold band is perfect for her. I'm going to have the inside engraved."
"Are you going to do any of the old binding spells?" Pansy whispered, opening the door and checking the hallway again.
"If she'll agree to them," he nodded. "Even my mother and father cast a few binding spells at their marriage. I'd be willing to bet that her parents did, too, since they're pureblooded."
"Has she questioned you about any of the meetings?"
"Not at all. She seems very accepting of them, and hasn't shown any curiosity about them." Pansy stared at him.
"She's everything you've always said you want, Draco," she said seriously. "Don't screw it up."
"Believe me, I won't. I think I hear footsteps." Pansy nodded.
"So," she said in a normal voice. "You think you can outfly me, do you?" Draco arched an eyebrow.
"Who can't?" Pansy's mouth fell open in mock surprise as Ron and Ginny walked through the door. Draco noticed immediately that Ron looked impoverished next to his sister; Ginny had on fine clothes and her hair was perfectly in place, while Ron had on a threadbare cloak, and his hair was mussed up a great deal.
"Are we ready?" Pansy asked. "Then off we go."