Soutenir pour la Vengeance
Chapter Three A Visitor
"Malfoy?" Ginny squeaked, looking up at him. Her mind was shrieking with horror, but all she could muster were a few whimpers. This can't be happening. Those wonderful years of knowing he was locked up and that she was safe shattered into a million pieces.
She looked frightfully up at the man who was very unlike the Malfoy she remembered several years ago. His silver hair fell over his face and was a bit long, much reminding her of his father. His face was thin and you could see his high cheekbones easily. The Hogwarts Malfoy she knew would have never let his hair fall over his face, and she was sure he'd hardly ever allow himself to sink to such health. She had to admit, Azkaban looked as if it had sincerely changed him. But, she noticed, his eyes were the same. They still held that hollowness they long since before Azkaban had. Those eyes that were so bright, yet so cold, they could pull you in and trap you there for eternity.
She finally regained her consciousness, and spoke in a would-be-strong voice.
"What are you doing here?"
"I believe we both know why I'm here, Weasley," he drawled coldly. He took a step toward her, but she took one step back.
A small movement at her waist made his head snapped in the direction of her hand, which was inching towards her wand.
"Don't even think about it," he said, and before she knew it, he had grabbed her wand and pinned her against the white wall. Obviously, the lack of meat on him didn't lessen his strength, which she found was the stronger than she could remember. Their position resembled the scene those years ago, and she began to struggle. He ignored her useless slaps and tiny punches of protest, and kept their eyes locked.
"Why, Weasley?" he demanded harshly, their faces only inches apart. "Why did you have to interfere?"
"Malfoy, you're hurting me," she gasped. She squirmed and panted for breath, but Draco gave no reaction.
"You don't know what pain is!" he snarled, and threw her to the ground. She shrieked, quickly scrambled to feet, and ran hurriedly toward the door. No, this was not how she was going to die. No…
But he grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her into the corner. She closed her eyes and waited for him to throw a blow, but it never came. She opened her eyes, afraid of what she might see, and gave a start.
Draco was standing in front of her, and both arms against the wall on the sides of her. His face was set in a grim expression and he looked as if he were trying to hold back all his rage. She was somewhat thankful, because a few seconds ago, she thought she would be dead by the end of the night.
He stared at her considering his actions. Something just felt so wrong about this. Should he really take his anger out on her? He bickered with his mind over what he should do.
She doesn't really deserve this, one part of his mind was saying.
But, she interfered! If it weren't for her, Potter would be dead by now, the other half was saying in protest.
Yeah, but she didn't know what was going on! She didn't know the truth, the other half bellowed back.
Who cares? She's a Weasley, anyway. Just think of all those years in that moldy cell in Azkaban! Sitting there, day after day, with only walls for company! She put you there!
Ginny stared. His face looked so strained, as if he were talking to someone. She would have giggled, if it hadn't been for their situation.
In the end, both sides won. He wouldn't hurt the Weasley girl, but he wasn't going to be nice to her, either. He would use her. At that, wheels began turning in his head and a plan began to form.
Ginny gave a sigh of relief when she saw his arms slowly dropping from the wall. He smirked lazily and made his way out of the room. Ginny's draw dropped. What had just happened? Where was he going? Wasn't he going to punch the lights out of her? Her head hurt.
She slowly crept toward the door and peered in the direction he had went, and scowled at what she saw. There was Draco Malfoy, sitting comfortably on her couch, with his arms behind his head and legs crossed, his ankle on top of his knee. How dare he? He comes into her house uninvited, practically abuses her, and then has the nerve to even touch her furniture. Ginny Weasley was fuming.
She stomped into the living room and looked him hard in the eye. He matched her stare, unaffectedly. She spoke, but when she did, her voice quavered a bit. Though she was mad, she was still scared.
"Get out of my house, Malfoy!"
A sneer appeared on his blank face.
"I don't think I quite feel like it, thanks," he drawled softly. "Besides, you can't really call this a house, can you?"
She saw his eyes sweep over her white upholstered living room, and felt bits of scarlet creep up the sides of her face. Was he calling her flat a dump? She pouted a bit. She had worked really hard to get this place, with many hours spent at the shop trying to pay for it, and she had tried to fix it up the best that she could. But she wasn't going to let herself be talked to like that by Malfoy. Oh, yeah, her mind said, bearing in mind a few minutes ago.
" I'm sure it's a lot bigger and better considering where you've been for the past several years," she retorted coolly.
His face darkened as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"No thanks to you," he said
Ginny rose to her full height with a hint of smugness in her voice.
"If I were you, I'd leave now, Malfoy. Harry should be here any minute and-" But she was caught short when Draco started to laugh softly.
He put his foot on the floor, but kept his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner.
"Oooo, I'm shaking in my boots," he said with a slight smirk, but then it faded and the oh-so-familiar sneer appeared. "I'm counting on it."
Ginny gave a short gasp as Draco stood up, and started walking toward her. But that wasn't what she was concerned about at the moment. It was about Harry. He was going to wait here until Harry showed up, which he had promised to do in his letter, then he was going to.. to.. She couldn't think about it.
"Wh- why do you want to kill Harry so bad?" she asked, trying to make innocent conversation, but Draco wasn't to be fooled.
"That's," he said, turning away from her and walking back towards the couch, "none of your business, Weasley."
Ginny scoffed, not scared as much as before.
"Then why, may I ask, did you show up here?"
"No, you may not ask," Draco said coldly. "But if you must know, it was to pay you back for those horrid years spent in Azkaban! You have no idea what it's like, Weasley! Being in a place so cold, all the great memories you possessed are swept from your mind into a great pile of ashes!"
Ginny blanched as she felt the heat waves rise in her.
"You deserved what you got!" she spat, staring up at him. "You're a murderer! You killed your parents, and you were trying to kill Harry! You deserved every year spent in Azkaban and you deserve more!"
"I did not kill my parents!" Draco yelled and stood up with such force, he made Ginny stumble.
"You know nothing! Why would I kill my parents? They were the only ones who ever loved me; who ever understood me! Yes, I was trying to kill Potter, but you being the stupid girl you are, saved him!"
Ginny gasped and her bright, almond shaped eyes widened with surprise. He must be lying; who else could have killed his parents?
"Oh, but there's more, Weasley," he said, his eyes gleaming. "Oh, and you're gonna love this! Guess who did murder my parents?"
He smiled, but it did not match his eyes. Ginny was almost scared to find out what he'd say, but it finally came.
"Your very own Boy-Who-Lived," he said, so close to her face, his hair fell over her eyes.
Ginny gave a sharp intake of breath and glared at the man in front of her. How could he say that about Harry? Harry would never murder anyone in his life! And besides, what reason would Harry have for murdering Malfoy's parents?
"You're lying," Ginny said through clenched teeth. "You did it! You killed your own parents!"
Draco's eyes narrowed into even slits. "You're a stupid girl."
Ginny gave an unfazed chuckle. "I think I understand perfectly," she said, staring him in the eye. "You became one of Voldemort's followers. Obviously, Lucius and Narcissa did something that was totally inappropriate in your Lord's eyes, so he ordered that you kill them. After that, you somehow found out about me escorting Harry to Diagon Alley, and decided to finish him off so you can work side-by-side with the Dark Lord!"
She stopped talking when she heard Draco start to laugh in an unfriendly way.
"Only cowards join the Dark Lord," Draco said, backing away from her. "They have no hope for themselves, and join the him so they can have someone to look after them. Someone to protect them, someone to teach them things that many wizards and witches have barely the brain capacity to learn. My father was a coward, but I still found that I loved him. Even after I witnessed countless torturing that he had produced."
He paused for a second, and glanced over his shoulder as if expecting to see someone barge in through the door.
"I, unlike my father, felt that I didn't need to spend the rest of my life serving someone who thought that torturing people was a grand sport. My father was on the verge of disowning me, but my mother convinced him to let me stay in the manor. Days were spent when he didn't even look at me, but I grew use to it."
Ginny huffed in frustration. "A sad story, Malfoy, but I am fortunately unmoved. Now, can you please cut to why Harry would kill your parents?"
Draco scowled, but continued. "A short time after my seventh year at Hogwarts, I got word from Father saying that Harry Potter had joined Voldemort. I remember how astounded I was at the time, but it was true."
Ginny scoffed. "And why should I believe you? You're one of Voldemort's most famous supporters' son! Not to mention how much you terrorized and tried to get my brothers and Harry expelled."
Draco smirked. "Well, Weasley, I'm upset you've forgotten the occasional fistfight," he said sarcastically.
Ginny rolled her eyes and made her way into the kitchen in search of cold glass of water. Draco followed her muttering to himself.
Ginny sipped her glass and sat it down slowly. "Besides, why would Harry join You-Know-Who?"
Draco shrugged. "I really don't know. I guess maybe he just snapped one day. I suppose being hunted by one of the greatest dark wizards had a bit of a stress pull on him."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Don't get smart, Malfoy."
Draco continued, ignoring her remark. "Well, I suppose that one day he obtained an interest in torturing and cruelty. You know, that's really what the Death Eaters were all about," he paused for second, then spoke again, but it was more to himself. "Or maybe he found out about his destiny."
Ginny's head snapped up at the word of 'destiny.' Oh, there had been so many times she had heard the word 'destiny' used in the same sentence as Harry. But what Draco had to say stroke an immediate interest within herself. What did Draco know about Harry's 'destiny' that she didn't?
"What do you mean?" she demanded.
"Nothing," Draco snapped. "Back to the story. Father decided he would leave Voldemorts' pack; the Ministry was on his tail. As long as he had fought to clear his false name back in my sixth year had worked up a great deal of weight on his chest, and he figured he would leave Voldemort. But Voldemort didn't like that one bit. He condemned him to death, but Father fled. He moved manors with my mother and left me at the old one."
He paused to examine his nails, picking some dirt out of one. "Voldemort soon got word of my father's whereabouts and sent his best supporter to do the nasty deed."
Ginny stared in awe and horror at how simply he talked about death. It was like something that happened everyday to him, but she remained quiet.
"Potter had a very good disguise, you know. Letting everyone believe he was a great hero while saving innocent witches and wizards from Death Eaters, when it was himself who usually did the crime. I bet you never did notice the villain always got away."
Ginnys' eyes thinned to slits as she glared daggers at him. How could he say such a thing about Harry? Harry had risked his life trying to Madam Saltgrass from Macnair! Of course, he hadn't made it in time to save her from heart convulsion after having the Cruciatus Curse performed on her fifty or more times. But it was the thought that counted, right?
"Those were on just pure coincidences," Ginny protested.
Draco chuckled harshly then said, "There is no such thing as a coincidence."
"Right," she said sarcastically. "So how did Harry manage to get into the manor? Did he bonk a house elf on the head with his wand?"
"I wouldn't joke if I were you," Draco said narrowing his eyes at her. "Potter knew a lot more than what you think. Why, I had witnessed him do countless Unforgivable curses on witches and wizards alike. And, as much as he use to stand up for them, muggles."
Ginny shook her head and stood up looking braver than what she felt.
"Get out of here, Malfoy! I've had enough of your lies!" her words dripped with venom.
Draco pushed her back down without acknowledging her nobility. "Not until you've heard the whole story."
"I've heard enough!" she reached for her glass, and before he could stop her, splashed the ice cold water against his pale face.
Draco's hand went to hid face and wiped the cold liquid with the sleeve of his shirt.
"What was that for, Weasley!" he barked.
Ginny noticed that when both of his sleeves fell down from his arms that they were bright and almost transparent; she could see the blue and red veins gliding underneath his skin looking almost vampiric. But another thing that caught her attention was that they were both bare and clean from the Dark Mark.
She started to shake her head again and began to beat Malfoy on the chest. "No! It's not true!"
"Weasley!" he tried to grab her thin wrists, but she was too fast. "Weasley, you have to believe it! Potter used the Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as me. He stole a lock of my hair from the place I get my haircut. He killed my parents that morning with the Avada Kedavra curse!"
He tried desperately to control her punches, but finally threw her against the wall in frustration.
She crumpled into a heap, and sobbed pitifully into her arms. He sauntered over and crouched down to her level.
"No, it can't be," she wept. "It's just not true."
"Of course it is, Weasley," he said dangerously soft; he had no empathy towards her. "I bet you never took into consideration why Potter always wears long-sleeved shirts. Or when he talks about death, there appears to be malevolent twinkle in his eyes." He had never witnessed Potter in person since the dark alleyway, but he described all the trait's the Death Eaters he had.
Ginny slowly picked her head up and stared at Draco with mixed frustration and realization.
"Let's just say I do believe you," she sniffed leisurely. "What would you do if Harry were to show up now?"
Draco smiled grimly. "I'd give him the same fate that he gave my parents."
"No!" Ginny cried and leapt to her feet. "At least let me give myself proof, to make sure you're not lying. I can't believe you unless I see for myself."
"What more do you need? Haven't I told you what you asked?" he scowled. "Or does little Weasley still have feelings for the Wonder Boy?"
Ginny blushed. "Of course! He's been my friend since my first year! Did you expect me to just hand him over you"
He smirked. "You know what I mean."
She glowered at him, protesting against his comment.
"Fine!" he growled in a frustrated manner. "I'll let you talk to Lover Boy, but you only have one day. One day to gather up information for yourself. But if you so much as utter a word that I showed up, I'll come out and kill him right then and there."
Ginny's eyes widened. What did he mean he'd come out?
Draco chortled, amused. "What? You didn't expect me to leave you hear to talk to Potter by yourself. You might give me away. No, I'll be here the whole time."
"And I hope you expect to be staying here, do you?" she snapped.
"Of course," he replied lazily. "And if the sleeping arrangements are a problem, well, I'm sure we can figure something out." He started to walk towards her. Draco examined her in a new light. She had certainly filled out since the last time he saw her. Her gangly figure had transformed into a curvaceous masterpiece. Not to mention her dainty figure that made her look so delicate.
She started to back away slowly towards her bedroom, her eyes expanding to show their full color.
"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked meekly.
"Oh, I'm sure you understand," he said softly, leaning in towards her face. Ginny inhaled his scent, and her heart trembled. He smelled of fresh mint; crisp and cool. His hand caressed her cheek, like butterflies fluttering against silk. Her trembling hand reached out and cupped the doorknob in her hand.
"So," he said nuzzling her neck with his nose; the feeling sent a tingle up her spin, "where will I be sleeping tonight, Ginny?"
"Outside," she whispered coldly, and slammed her bedroom door in his face.