Disclaimer: As always Harry Potter and all its wonderful cast of characters is the product of JK Rowlings' vivid imagination. I'm just borrowing characters from her wonderful work and use them to play a part in my own little plot bunny idea.
Summary: There's always that one person who will always have your heart; You'll never see them coming 'coz you're blinded from the start...
PhoenixRae's Notes: I am not sure if Cedric Diggory had any brothers, but for the sole purpose of this fic I made up one for him. And if he does, well, then I guess I was right in my speculations. grins
IV. She Has Your Eyes...
Draco watched from afar, keeping his distance from the cozy group of redheads clustered around a tree closest to the lake. He concealed his presence by hiding behind one of the large trees populating the grounds near the lake. Other students were basking under the last of the late summer sunlight, with a few of the elder students throwing hexes at one another to pass time.
Hogwarts had a different feel to it now that the threat of the Dark Lord attacking any minute was gone. It sure was different for him when he was in his last year in this school. He was torn between doing what was right and continuing on with what he was supposed to be destined to do.
Duality. Never in his life did he expect to end up playing that part.
"You're gambling with your life, Mr. Malfoy," Albus Dumbledore warned him when Draco came to the Headmaster the night before he switched sides.
"I know that, Professor, but it's a gamble worth playing. If my father and Lord Voldemort finds out I've switched sides on them, I'm dead. Son or not my father will kill me on the spot. I won't be shown mercy."
Draco remembered the former Headmaster studying him for the longest time. He sat opposite him in his office, his mind a jumbled-mess, while the elder wizard sat opposite him and was the epitome of calm. He didn't know how long they sat in silence, but when the former Headmaster spoke he only had one thing to say: "You must master the art of Occlumency."
And Draco learned the art of concealing his thoughts from Voldemort's prying mind. Since he didn't want anyone else from the Order to know of his new position in the war, he mastered Occlumency with the help of Dumbledore. Their lessons were few and far in-between, but Draco did his best for his own safety. His final Occlumency lesson was before Christmas in his seventh year. The war between good and bad was spreading. Every Hogwarts students whose parents sided with Voldemort were recalled, him included. But before he was taken away he had a final meeting with the Headmaster in his office.
"Spying for the Dark Lord is no picnic, Mr. Malfoy. You must always be on your guard. He's cunning, that man. Since your father is Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's right-hand man, you'll hear first-hand reports on future attacks and plans. I don't want to use a student to do this job, but since you offered--no, make that insisted that you can do this, I want you to pass on any information you find out to Professor Snape," he advised.
"Professor Snape?" Draco was aghast. He didn't know his former Potions Master was in league with the Order as well.
"Yes," Professor Dumbledore nodded, "But to protect yourself and your professor's safety, you must pass vital information to him without sounding like you are reporting it. Be careful. Severus still doesn't know you turned double agent as well as per your request, so it is for your utmost safety that you must find a way to relay messages to your professor without being detected."
Draco understood. His and Snape's safety rested on them not being found out. It was a tricky bit to do, but he managed. Severus Snape didn't suspect a single thing about him feeding him all those information he heard passed on to his father. Somehow being a teacher's pet had its advantages for the side of good.
Snape took all the glory from Draco's hard work, but instead of finding himself jealous, Draco applauded his former Potions Master and kept quiet. His eyes locked briefly with Dumbledore shortly after the defeat of the Dark Lord and a silent congratulations was passed on to him as well. Draco nodded curtly then let the Ministry people take him away to be locked up. But he wasn't really thrown into prison like the other Slytherin students who sided with the Dark Lord. Albus Dumbledore appealed for his release and was granted a release with a proviso: Draco Malfoy from then on would be aide to the Hogwarts Headmaster.
It wasn't such a bad trade considering...his gray eyes then wandered to the group of redheads near the lake. One particular redhead caught his attention and held it. Ginny Weasley. Merlin, he didn't think after all these years he'd still feel something for the feisty carrot top. He didn't think his charade, no matter how well-planned it was, would turn him around. His obsession to seek revenge for what Harry Potter did to his father during his fifth year got the best of him. He made himself busy over the summer by thinking of ways to get back at the blasted Boy Who Lived and his merry band of followers.
He couldn't seek revenge on Weasley and Granger; those two were inseparable regardless of their constant bickering. And he wouldn't have been able to drag either one away from Potter long enough to carry on his revenge, so he looked elsewhere and found...Potter's number one fan; the girl who had a serious crush on the straw-haired boy.
Ginny was an easy target.
Or so he thought.
He still remembered that damn Bat Bogey Hex she cast on him back in his fifth year. For that alone he wanted to get even with her. Once he picked out his target, Draco turned into a maniac. He carefully plotted his move; he'd start by seducing the sassy Weaslette. The train ride from Kings Cross to Hogsmeade should give him ample time to woo the youngest Weasley offspring; by the time they reached Hogwarts he'd have her eating at the palm of his hands.
But he was wrong. His cockiness got the better of him. Ginny Weasley wasn't easily lured, however he noticed certain body languages from her that told him it wouldn't be long before he had her. There had been a time or two at the beginning of the school year when she'd shot down every advance he made.
He wasn't a romantic nor did he know how to act like one, but for revenge's sake he learned how to woo a girl properly. She seemed immune to his saucy grins and palpable charm; he knew those were out. He had to dig in deeper in order to get close to her, close enough to strike while the iron was still hot. Flowers. Letters. Poems. Chocolates. He did the whole nine yards with no such luck. He was getting impatient with her and would've ruined her by hook or by crook if it hadn't been for an unexpected owl from her at breakfast the morning before their first Hogsmeade weekend trip.
I don't know what you're up to, Ferret, but I'll agree to meet with you by the Shrieking Shack at noon. No monkey business. Once I sense that you're up to something fishy, remember, I am good at casting hexes. You'll be hexed before you could blink!
She didn't sign her note, but he heard her message loud and clear.
A knowing smirk crossed his face as he folded the piece of parchment and slipped it in his robe. He looked across the room and caught her eyes amidst the throng of hungry students clamoring to finish their breakfast before dashing off to class. He couldn't wait until the next day and for Ginny Weasley's inevitable ruin.
His plan was fool proof. He already gave Crabbe and Goyle a pep talk on what he wanted done while he was apparently on a 'date' with the muggle-loving weasel. He'd make sure Ginny Weasley ended up in a compromising position with him near the shack, whether he'd do it by force or no he wasn't sure, but it will be done. Crabbe and Goyle would wait a couple of seconds before making their grand entrance, bullying a disheveled Colin Creevey with his trusty camera in his hands. The picture-crazy Gryffindor wouldn't be able to resist not taking a snapshot of something as juicy as fellow Gryffindor Ginny Weasley having a little romp with Draco Malfoy.
A chorus of loud girlish squeal coming from the group of redheads snapped Draco out of his private reverie and caught his attention. He glanced back at the group he had been watching earlier and saw four identical redheaded boys, two sporting Gryffindor colours and two sporting Ravenclaw colours, being chased by three girls who, from what Draco could see where he stood, were drenched from the head down to the back of their shirts. Draco didn't have to wonder why or how the three girls got drenched. The culprits were being chased and probably hexed by their victims.
"Those Weasleys. A prankster in each offspring," remarked the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and Head of Slytherin House, Severus Snape, when he came up to where Draco was at.
Draco looked over his shoulder at his colleague and former professor. "I didn't expect to see you out and about this fine, sunny Saturday afternoon, Professor," he commented.
"Neither did I," agreed the snarly professor, his beady dark eyes watching the students populating the large school ground by the lake.
"Then why are you here?"
Snape looked at him then, an eyebrow raised questioningly. "Is it a crime to enjoy some sunshine, Mr. Malfoy?" His tone carried the authority he used to his students. Sometimes Draco wondered if his former professor still thinks he was one of his students even though he had been teaching at Hogwarts for the past two years now.
Draco lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Those are Ron Weasley's boys those girls are chasing," he nodded at the four redheads running around like crazy. "I expected the main pranksters in the new generation to be the offspring of Fred and George," he clucked his tongue and gave a firm shake of his head. "I know Ron had a knack for getting into trouble back in our school day years, but a prankster? It was the twins' forte."
"I know," the ominous professor agreed. "Apparently no matter how much of Hermione Granger's genes mixed with Weasley's, boys will be boys. This is the first time in all my years at Hogwarts to have to teach a Weasley or two that wasn't residing in Gryffindor."
Draco arched an eyebrow and gave a slight shrug. Without taking his eyes off the small group he commented, "I'm surprised all the Weasleys' offspring were divided between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Well, not that surprised when it came to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger's kids. Granger was a know-it-all who was actually smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, but for the rest of the Weasley offspring?"
Severus Snape cleared his throat and allowed himself to watch the cluster of redheads pulling pranks on one another under the supervision of their Transfiguration teacher and aunt. Ginny was doing her best to stop the boys from pulling tricks on the girls, but to no avail.
"Ginny Weasley had a lot of catching up to do with her nieces and nephews," he commented.
"A lot?" echoed Draco, averting his gaze from the group and looked over his shoulder at his colleague. "Why a lot?"
Severus clamped his mouth shut as soon as he let that bit of information slip. He shouldn't have opened his mouth around their newest teacher. Clearing his throat Severus tore his gaze from the cozy Weasley clan and met his colleague's steel gray gaze, "It's time I head back inside the castle. I have other things to attend to, if you'd excuse me Professor." Severus didn't wait for Draco's reply, he inclined his head curtly then turned his back to the young Potions professor.
Draco was left to wonder about his colleague's puzzling revelation. He remembered Ginny mentioning her missing out on someone's life for the past twelve years, but he didn't expect her to miss out on everyone's life for that long period of time!
Red and Gold. Black and Gold. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff colours were strewn all around the Quidditch pitch. Each broomstick zooming back and forth bore the same colour combinations littering the stands.
It was a tight match. Hufflepuff was in the lead by 10 points, leading the game 100 to 90.
Denise, the newly recruit Gryffindor Seeker, kept her eyes peeled for the elusive hazelnut-sized Golden Snitch. She had to stay a step ahead of the other team's seeker. He was as cunning and equally skilled as she was, and far more aggressive too. But that didn't deter her. She was trained by none other than Harry Potter himself, her godfather. Just as long as she kept her attention focused and her eyes peeled and on alert she'd be fine. She wouldn't let somebody as cocky as fourth year Adrian Diggory intimidate her.
Ginny watched from the teacher's box the ongoing game. It had been two hours since the start of the game and both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were showing no mercy for each other, especially for the two houses' seekers. Denise, flying high and proud wearing the Gryffindor colours, maneuvered her broomstick through bludgers and other obstacles, diving every so often to distract the other team's seeker.
At one point Ginny held her breath as Denise decided to make a fancy move; a dive she'd seen done numerous times by only one other student of Hogwarts. Harry Potter. Ginny had every faith in Harry for doing all those fancy, dangerous moves, but for her to watch Denise copy her godfather's moves was beyond her. She didn't doubt Denise's skill; she was a good broom rider and she was taught by the best: her brothers and of course, Harry. Nevertheless, she never expected the fiery redhead with icy gray eyes tilt her broomstick downwards, zooming in at breakneck speed, after a non-existent Snitch. Denise did it a couple of times, duping Hufflepuff's seeker always. By the third time Denise pulled that trick Ginny's heart rate was back to normal; her niece obviously knew what she was doing.
"I think the last twelve years improved Hufflepuff's players," came a snide remark to her left.
Ginny glanced at the person occupying the seat beside her and arched an eyebrow. She must've been far too preoccupied with the game to not notice Draco Malfoy making himself comfortable beside her.
"At least they play fair, unlike Slytherin," she remarked icily and returned her gaze back on the players zooming back and forth before them.
"Slytherin played fair and square, Professor Weasley," Draco replied smugly.
"Fair and square?" Ginny echoed and forced herself to look back at him, "If you call all the intentional kicking, shoving and bludgering fair and square, then I say you're whacked, Professor Malfoy."
"Whacked?" Draco sounded more incredulous than offended. He bit back a chuckle that threatened to escape his lips and cleared his throat instead. "Quidditch is a bloody game, Weasley," he reminded her, his eyes now focused on the two seekers who were once again diving down after a non-existent Snitch. "And I can see that your niece is as bloodthirsty for the game as that Diggory boy is," he nodded towards the two relentless seekers.
Ginny whipped her head and gasped when she saw how close Denise was to hitting the ground. Normally she'd pull up the last few times she saw her execute that move, but this time the most stubborn of all her nieces wouldn't pull up. She'd be hitting the ground soon if she doesn't pull up. Adrian was already pulling up knowing it was suicide what Denise was doing.
"Pull up, Denise, pull up honey," Ginny prayed under her breath, her brown eyes panic-stricken as she watched with her heart in her throat as Denise reached out her left hand to grab the Golden Snitch.
Draco heard Ginny's silent prayer and focused on the young Weasley who was feet away from crash-landing on the ground. He had to admire the girl for her guts. From where he sat he could spot the Snitch, but Denise Weasley would've hit the ground first before she could get her hands on the elusive hazelnut sized ball.
"Your niece is crazy, Weasley," Draco commented trying to keep his voice calm even though inside he felt his throat constrict and his heart palpitate. He couldn't understand this feeling that washed over him as he watched the redheaded girl go after the Snitch with such vigor. He was worried for the young Weasley's safety. He knew this stunt was an impossible stunt to pull; only the professionals were able to pull it off, but even they miscalculate and often end up bludgeoned to the ground.
"For once, Malfoy, I agree with you," Ginny answered, her eyes glued on the young Gryffindor girl. Her hand shot out and grabbed Draco's hand, gripping it with all her strength as she watched Denise's descent. She didn't notice that Draco turned his hand palm up and closed around her shaky hands, squeezing it as he too anticipated the inevitable.
Draco and Ginny watched as the seconds ticked up with baited breath as Denise tried to reach the Snitch before she hit the ground. Ginny was sitting on the edge of her seat; she wasn't concentrating on the commentator or the noise surrounding her. All her attention was focused on Denise and Denise alone.
"She won't make it," Draco whispered close to her ear.
"You're wrong," Ginny denied keeping her gaze locked on Denise. "She will make it. Harry trained her."
"If Potter trained her, then she should know when to pull up," he hissed.
Ginny tore her gaze from Denise and the Snitch to say something smart at her annoying colleague, but she was stopped from saying something back as a collective gasp from around the pitch caught her attention and made her whip her head back to look at Denise.
"Oh no!" Ginny was up and out of her seat in an instant, peering over the ledge to have a closer look at her niece.
Draco was out of his seat in a flash and stood beside Ginny. He looked down and saw the stubborn Weasley seeker laying sprawled eagle-like on the ground, her broomstick lay a few meters from her. From his vantage point of view he could tell Denise Weasley broke her leg from the fall and probably sustained a cracked rib and a blow to the head from the fall. He waited alongside an obviously distraught Ginny for any sign of movements from the small body lying lifeless on the ground.
"C'mon Denise, get up! Get up!" Ginny coached, her hand still clasped with Draco's, gripping it tight for support. "Please honey, get up," she pleaded now, willing in her mind to make her niece move.
Seconds ticked by, Ginny stood and watched as Denise lifted her left arm, opening her fisted hand to reveal the Golden Snitch. The whole pitch roared in cheer, the most deafening of all came from the Gryffindor side.
"DENISE WEASLEY'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH!" Cheered the obviously surprised announcer amidst the thunderous cheer of everyone present.
Ginny's grip on Draco's hand loosened, released a breath she didn't know she was holding until then. She sagged against the ledge a bit, but Draco was right there to aid her.
"Thank you," she whispered a silent prayer.
Draco mistook her thanks and whispered, "You're welcome."
Ginny's head snapped up and was about to correct him, but again she was prevented from saying something back at him when she heard Madam Hooch holler for a medic to rush out to the field.
Denise came around long enough to unclench her fist before passing out completely.
Ginny rushed out of the teacher's box in a flash, Draco running after her uncertain why he was adamant to see through that the stubborn redhead seeker was alright. He doesn't give a whit about Ginny's brothers' children, but this one in particular...he doesn't know. Right from the first moment he had her in his class, seated a few rows to the back, Denise Weasley commanded attention and respect. She reminded Draco so much of the authority his father once had and that jarred him. Since then he often found himself watching Bill Weasley's eldest daughter very closely. He noticed after seeing Bill Weasley and his wife, Fleur, that Denise didn't look like him or his wife; their eldest daughter reminded him of someone else, some other member of the Weasley clan but he just couldn't put his finger to it. And her eyes...Draco couldn't help but be drawn to the young girl's eyes. She certainly reminded him of someone from his past. Someone that meant so much to him. And yet for all her Gryffindor glory, Denise Weasley stood out like a sore thumb amongst her cousins and sibling.
How could a Weasley offspring possess so much Malfoy traits? Or were his eyes just playing tricks on him?
Wandering the quiet hallways of the castle late at night, it was Ginny's turn to patrol these halls to make sure no wandering student--or students--were about.
She just came from the Hospital Wing to visit Denise. Madam Pomfrey put her up to speed on her niece's vitals, informing her that Denise broke her leg from the fall, which Ginny already knew, and sprained her left arm when she used it to brace her fall from her broom. A cracked rib and a slight concussion in the head rounded up the extent of Denise's injuries.
Ginny thanked the mediwitch profusely and after checking up on her niece one last time, she left the Hospital Wing and started her two hours patrol of the hallways. She was just heading back to her own sleeping quarters when she rounded the corner and came crashing once again into the same wall of steel chest she crashed in to on the train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year.
"Ompf!" Ginny's voice was muffled against the hard wall she found her face pressed against. Instead of being thrown back as she expected, she was held tightly against her assailant's body; cradled her every so gently against him and hung on to her until Ginny's pulse slowed down to its normal rate.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked, leaning back and peering down at the petite redhead he had locked in his arms. He was caught by surprise when he rounded the corner and came crashing in to her, but at the time he didn't know what or who it was he just railroaded until her fiery red hair was caught by the moonlight and instinct made him reach out and pulled her close to him, preventing her from falling back.
Still reeling from shock, Ginny managed a weak nod. With her arms still wrapped around his waist, she lifted her head and met her savior's gaze. A weak smile appeared on her face.
"Thanks for saving my behind," she replied.
Draco was thrown off-guard by that smile. For well over a month now he had been trying to damnedest to be the recipient of her rare smiles, and each time he tried to win a smile from her it often backfired. Now, without him actually trying, he received it. And Merlin his libido came alive with just one simple smile and the warm, soft feel of her lush body pressed intimately against him.
"A-anytime," he stammered. He ought to move. He ought to let her go, but Ginny didn't show any signs of moving and he'd be damned if he moved away first.
Ginny knew she ought to move. But his body's support was too damn comfortable to move away from. And it had been a long time since she'd been this intimately close to someone else. She'd almost forgotten how it was like to be held like this, cradled in his arms like she was the most fragile thing he's ever held. Locking gazes with him, Ginny noted how the last twelve years had changed the man.
His facial contours hardened over the course of the last twelve years and more chiseled. His cheeks nearly sunken and his eyes...oh Merlin those eyes. She'd been looking at those same shade of gray eyes since she arrived at Hogwarts, and with each passing day she felt her defenses weakening. Her longing to reach out and hold that person in her arms was soon becoming too unbearable. Reaching up, she traced her former lover's face with her index finger, briefly grazing it over his lips that spent countless hours pleasuring her, devouring her mouth and made her feel like the only woman on this planet that he'd love and worship.
Draco sucked in a deep breath at the first touch of her finger on his face. He watched her carefully, those soulful brown eyes hiding something he couldn't quite comprehend. A certain longing he couldn't fathom what.
"Ginny," her name came out like a command passing his thin lips.
Ginny's hand froze from further exploring his face and slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. She sucked in a quick intake of breath when she saw passion glazing those solid gray eyes.
Could it be...? No, it couldn't be. She was nothing but a mere plaything to him all those years ago. Someone he used to get what he wanted. And after he had what he came for, he abandoned her and went back to join forces with his father and the defeated Dark Lord.
"I...I have to go," she announced but made no movement to leave.
"I know," he nodded, his eyes studying every inch of her face. "It's my turn to patrol the hallways," he told her.
"Yeah," she nodded.
"Yeah," he sighed. Lifting his hand, he ran the back of his fingers against her cheek. Instinctively Ginny leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and nuzzling his fingers' soft caresses.
Merlin help her but she didn't want to leave. Her mind screamed at her to move, get the hell away from him before it was too late, but the rest of her body insisted she remained where she was and savor the moment. She might not have one like this again.
"Ginny," her name passed his lips like a please. A soft, husky sound that made her open her eyes and look at him, locking gazes with him once more and silently, for that brief moment, agreed to a truce. A truce blanketed by the starlit sky outside and the full moon casting its ghostly shadow through the high windows. But that truce was soon broken when they broke the silence.
"She has your eyes," they said in unison, referring to the young Weasley girl lying in bed in the Hospital Wing.
As soon as the words passed their lips they both stiffened. Shock mirrored Draco's gray eyes. Fear loomed over Ginny's.
"She what?" Draco demanded, disbelief at what he just heard evident in his shocked stance.
"I have to go," was Ginny's hasty reply and pushed herself away from him.
"No," Draco caught her wrists, preventing her from leaving. "You can't leave just yet, Weasley. Not until you explain to me what you meant."
"I have nothing to explain, Malfoy," she insisted and wriggled her wrists free. "It's really late and I'm tired. It was an eventful day today. I have to send an owl to Bill and Fleur letting them know Denise is slowly recuperating." She avoided looking at him.
"You said I have her eyes. Whose eyes?" He insisted, but in the pit of his stomach Draco already had a nasty feeling he knew who she was referring to.
"N-no one," she denied. "It was just the trick of the light, or lack of it I should say," she excused, her gaze still avoiding to meet his again. "Malfoy let me go," she demanded more fiercely now, clenching her teeth so tight it hurt her jaw.
But Draco didn't let her go. His hand remained wrapped around her wrists, urging her to look at him again. "You meant your niece, didn't you? Didn't you?" He too was clenching his jaw, his grip on her wrists tightening as he tried to rein in his anger.
Ginny winced when he squeezed her wrists tight. He caught her when she had her defenses down. She should've left him when she had the chance. She shouldn't have let him seduce her--again!
"It...it was a mistake, Malfoy. It was a mistake," she sobbed. She gave her wrists another jig until it broke free from his suddenly limp grip. Ginny seized her chance and took a couple of steps back. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look him in the eyes and bid him good night. She turned her back and walked briskly down the corridor to the stairs leading to her own private chambers.
Draco was horror-stricken when she told him it was a mistake. He didn't know what else to do as soon as those words slipped past her lips. When she neither confirmed nor denied his accusation, he already knew what he had been denying for the past year and half. But a mistake? She called giving him a daughter a mistake? Was Denise a mistake?
Draco stood motionless where she left him, watching the corridor long after Ginny had gone.
He had a daughter. Ginny Weasley bore him a daughter twelve years ago. He didn't have to know the truth for the truth had been staring him boldly in the face for the past year and a half, since that fateful morning Ginevra Denise Weasley walked in to his Potions class carrying the usual Malfoy authority and sporting the Weasley trademark.
But why was she raised by Bill and Fleur Weasley? Why didn't Ginny claim Denise? Why did Snape tell him Ginny missed out on a lot of things in her nieces and nephews' lives? What happened to Ginny Weasley after he went back to serve the Dark Lord as a double agent for the Order?
A/N: Tun-dun-dun-duuuuuunnnnn! Phew! Finally I finished this chapter. I think this is the longest chapter for this fic so far. :::smiles::: Sorry it took me a while to update. Been a tad bit busy at work shortly after the new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I know I usually take the time to individually thank all my reviewers and answer some of their most pressing questions, but since I am not at all feeling that well at the moment, I'll just give a one big THANK YOU shout-out to each and everyone who has read, reviewed & enjoyed this fic. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out sooner.