Ginny Weasley and The Hidden Gift Chapter 11: Games, a harry potter fanfic

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I can't read JKR mind so I own nothing except for Sarah and Fainne.

Authors note: So far…Ginny's father has been killed by Voldemort. A strange meeting with a forest fairy has led Ginny to discover she has gifts. Voldemort has expressed his desire to regain his redheaded pet and through a strange magical object, the sighting stone, Ginny's possible destiny had been seen.

Draco has been blackmailed into spying on Ginny in exchange for information on the missing Lucius. Sarah, a woman from Snape's past also has a connection with Ginny and her strange, dark future.

Sorry if this is getting confusing but I'm trying to tie up a few loose ends and bring the story together. As a die-hard Ginny/Draco shipper this might turn out that way but then again Harry might try and keep Ginny on the light side which could lead to some H/G…stuff. (Isn't by grammar great…) What do you guys think? The bad boy or the white knight?

I apologise that the chapter titles are royally naff; I was trying for a one-word kind of thing, but it doesn't really work too well. Anyway I not sure how many people are reading this but if you are please review. If not then I might just give up and resort to doing actually homework (oh…the horror!)

GAMES

Severus Snape sat studying the picture, his hooked nose just inches away from its surface. For over sixteen years, the tiny, smiling image of Sarah had remained hidden in the bottom of a chest. Packed firmly away with other nasty little reminders of the past. Out of sight out of mind. Or at least that was how it was supposed to work. A person leaves and you forget. There should be no pain, no doubt only…an empty space which can be filled.

But however hard he tried, no matter how many memories he attempted to kill, she was still there. Her shadow forever followed his. Her words still arrived in his mind – whenever he was lonely or angry she would be there, telling him what he knew was a lie. "It'll be ok" the memory of her said, so softly that he almost let himself believe it.

"You were right" he said to the picture in a low, bitter voice. "You said there would be another and there is. She's a Weasley, can you believe it? Just looking at her you'd never guess what she really is. She's such a scrawny thing, all pale and freckled. Plus she's insolent, rude and far too headstrong" Snape looked at the twinkling eyes of Sarah and added in a weary tone "You'd have liked her"

You are going to help her, aren't you Severus he imagined the voice of Sarah saying in a strict, this-is-a-statement-not-a-question kind of voice.

He thought back to the horrible, violated feeling he had experienced earlier that day when Ginny Weasley had invaded his mind. Shivers trailed through his bones as he remembered her cold touch. Something about the girl had seemed wrong, regardless of her powers, there was another feeling of alarm which rippled through him whenever he thought of her.

"She may be too far gone to save" he replied to words Sarah had never spoken.

So you're just going to let him take her? You're going to give up? His guilt said in Sarah's voice Can you remember what he made me do? All those people he made me kill? In the end I was just his puppet, unable to distinguish my own thoughts from the ones he forced in my brain. Remember how I used to come to you and say such horrible things? Inside, it tore me apart but I still said them. He made me. His voice was always there. I used to think I was going mad, I had all these powers running through me but I could never control them. At the end I was no match for him. It's going to be worse for her; she's so much younger than I was…

"What the hell can I do?" Snape snarled at the picture. Suddenly so angry at the smiling Sarah, enraged that she was still with him. He hated that she would always be there, hated to look at her face in the picture and know that when he looked away she would be gone. He hated himself for still loving her.

"I let you go. I let myself believe we could beat him. You told me that the things you saw in his mind were terrible but how could they be any worse than now? Why did you think that a life without you could be anything but torture? Why did you give yourself up to him? You should have been stronger!" he felt his hands reaching to rip the photograph. For over sixteen years the futile, desperate questions had been locked deep inside, but now they were tearing free, bursting forth and shattering his long-standing façade of control.

"I told you not to go. I begged you to run away, go somewhere he could never find. But you wouldn't listen! You had to be noble, you stupid bitch! Why couldn't you have been a coward like me!" he finished in a voice consumed with self-loathing.

Because there was a chance he imagined her saying I thought I could escape the evil inside me, I thought I could use powers the Darkness had cursed me with against him… but I was wrong. He knew exactly what words to say to bring me to his side. At the end even the love I had for you wasn't enough. The true me was slowly destroyed. As soon as I began using my powers I could never be the same again.

Snape watched as the image of Sarah blushed slightly and tucked a curl of her honey hair behind her ear. He reluctantly remembered the day he had taken the photograph. It had been a Sunday morning in the middle of spring. For the first time in his life he had enjoyed the light, relished the feeling of the sun warming his skin. He hadn't minded stepping out from the darkness where he felt safest because she had been at his side, placing her own hand in his and leading him into a feeling he had never known – happiness.

All that's gone now he thought with terrible, unyielding bitterness. And now there's another. Will she follow your path? Will Ginny Weasley become the same creature he twisted you into? Is that her fate? Will her destiny be as dark as yours? Snape asked, knowing the only answer would be the one he conjured from his memories.

Perhaps not. I have seen her in my dreams; there are two fates ahead of her. Her choice will shape the future of all.

She will need you before the end, Severus.

Snape winced, knowing instinctively that this was true and fearing the day when he might once again fail.

There he was minding his own business, doing a bit of harmless loitering when a cannonball of red hair and stomping feet had charged into him, sending him into a dizzy, sickening daze. What had he done to merit such an assault? Was it his fault she was in such bad mood…well…

"You spelled that brat in the air! It was you! You stupid shit! Do you know what you disturbed?" Ginny shouted heatedly, as she detangled herself from the stunned Slytherin.

Draco Malfoy looked up at her from his undignified position on the floor. The sensation of her delving into his mind had begun to fade away, but the shock of hearing a Weasley shout at him, literally look down at him was taking longer to acknowledge.

"Of course you don't!" Ginny continued, angry red blotches colouring her cheeks "You have no clue about anyone other than yourself. In case you're wondering I'm fine and I accept your immediate apology for the grievous bodily harm you could have caused me"

Draco felt his mouth opening and as the words came charging out, he forgot that he was in fact a cool, calm and infinitely superior being who would never debase himself by swapping insults with a sewer rat.

"My apology? Well excuse me little miss rant-a-lot if I don't fall down on my knees and beg your forgiveness" he scoffed in a raised voice.

"Actually you're already on you're knees so if you feel like grovelling I'll listen…" Ginny smiled, feeling most of her anger ebbing away into a more manageable bout of frustration and annoyance.

Standing quickly up, Draco moved closer to Ginny and drew himself to his full, rather impressive height. He stared down his nose at her, with sharp eyes and retorted in a smooth, cold voice "I believe that an invasion into a person's private memories is much more serious than playing with a first year simpleton. Don't you?"

He watched with amusement as her eyes widened slightly in shock and she took a step backwards.

"Whatever do you mean Malfoy?" She bluffed once recovered. "Are you sure you didn't hit you're head when you assaulted me. I'll be a Good Samaritan and take you to the hospital ward, shall I?"

"I don't think that will be necessary somehow. We both know what you are and what you can do" Draco drawled boldly, forgetting that his objective was to watch her secretly. For some reason the only thing that mattered was re-establishing his reputation as a heartless bastard. He didn't want to lose face in front of her, not Ginny Weasley.

"Oh really? Please, enlighten me" Ginny said in a too-casual tone "Should I take a seat or will this be a short trip into your over-active imagination?"

Draco felt a smile tug on his face but quickly schooled his expression into a look of bored condescension.

"Well it all starts over sixteen years ago when a baby was born to a muggle-loving wench who already had far too many brats squealing around the sty…"

"Ha bloody ha" Ginny interrupted indifferently "And they all had horrid red hair, freckles and wore rags….your material is becoming stale Malfoy. Get on with it"

"Your wish is my command" he countered sarcastically "The girl led a pitiful existence as Harry Potter's number one fan girl…"

"Bored now!"

"…until one day she discovered she had powers. Incredible powers which really should have gone to somebody more deserving…but for some reason she was the one who received them or was born with them, I'm not really sure about that." Draco stopped and smirked "How am I doing?"

Ginny looked him up and down in mock consideration and said in a voice heavy with derision "I'll give you five points for presentation, zero for actual accuracy and you get full marks in the jackass category. Congratulations"

"How else do you explain knowing I was the one levitating first-years 50ft in the air? Female intuition?" he mocked while closely watching her pale, pretty face screw up in annoyance.

"Perhaps I'm just very knowledgeable and guessed that only a complete bully with a major inferiority complex would pick on someone half his size." Ginny said smugly, attempting to cover her rising worry. Does he know? No, it's not possible…is it?

"Is this the point where I act all insulted and reply by calling you a nasty name and offend your delicate girly sensibilities?" Draco said in a bored voice accompanied with an exasperated sigh for extra effect.

"No this is the point where you admit you're stark raving mad and I walk you to the hospital ward and help you into a straightjacket."

Letting out a low little laugh, Draco moved one step closer to Ginny and said quietly "Let's cut the crap. I felt you in my head. You can pretend all you want but it doesn't take away the fact that I know"

Ginny felt his breath in the air. She felt the warmth of his body, the body everybody believed was frozen from the inside out. She kept her eyes staring straight, so that they were level with his rising chest.

Somehow he knew, for some reason unknown to her, Draco Malfoy knew her secret. A secret she herself had only recently discovered.

There was one way to answer the question she wanted to know 'how?' but to reach up and touch his white pale skin would only confirm what he already knew.

What exactly does he know? Ginny wondered and why am I not angry? I should be livid. He screwed up my chances with Dumbledore. Just a few minutes ago I was desperate to find out about my dad, I wanted to choke Miss McGonagall for Chris's sake! But now it's gone…the anger has gone…not disappeared, I can still feel it bubbling away…but it has retreated. Why am I so changeable all of a sudden? For most of my life I have been Ginny Weasley 'loser extraordinaire' but now it's like somebody else has arrived in my head. I supposed to have all these great powers but I don't know how to use them. At times it's like they are part of me, like they've always been there but sometimes, just rare instances, they feel horribly wrong and they make me want to scratch my skin off to get them out. Whenever I look at Harry or Ron, I feel like I want to tell them. They probably wouldn't believe me, well not Ron anyway. But Harry would listen; he'd understand having something that you can't control.

"How do you know?" Ginny asked quietly, no longer able to sustain a convincing bluff.

Draco looked down at her, surprised that their little game was over so quickly. He had started to enjoy it.

"I have my sources" he said mysteriously.

"Like who? Your father?" Ginny said unknowingly.

Before she knew it, Draco had taken a vice-like grip on her arms and was pushing her violently against the wall. She felt the air leave the lungs as she banged against the wall in a way that ensured they would be flourishing purple bruises in the morning.

"Never-talk-about-my-father" Draco whispered in a dangerously soft voice.

Ginny nodded mutely, too surprised to get angry. The look in his silver eyes was too fierce, too wild, to be challenged.

"I'm sorry. I forgot that he was…" Ginny managed eventually. Her breath hitched as she attempted to struggle from his grip.

Draco stared intensely at her for several long seconds before coming back to himself. Regaining his control he let go and stepped back. Running a hand through his sleek blonde hair, he said shortly "Sorry"

"I didn't mean to…" Ginny said caught between sympathy and belated anger.

"Listen Weasley just because I know all about you doesn't mean you have to know everything about me, got it? I don't want any pity or condolences or shoulders to cry on. I'm not some sissy who goes all red-eyed over a case of missing person. Are we clear?"

Liar… Ginny thought to herself who do you think you're fooling? I've see you all 'red-eyed' over your father, bastard that he was. On the train, you came in my carriage. Never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy became human.

"Crystal" Ginny replied darkly "But just for the record, my shoulder wasn't on offer and next time you hurt me you'll understand just how my powers can be used"

"So you admit it then?" Draco said smirking, a triumphant look on his pointed face.

Ginny smiled despite herself. "I guess you've caught me out. So what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you think?" Draco asked, raising one blond eyebrow and leaning casually on the wall.

Thinking through her options, Ginny could see only one solution which could solve several of her problems. It would be unpleasant for both of them. It might even be dangerous. Awful things could happen. Terrible, depraved things.

"I'll practise on you" Ginny declared simply, a glint in her deep brown eyes.

"What!" Draco spluttered in a most un-Malfoy like way.

"I may as well tell you that I've only just discovered these…my…whatever you want to call them, so I need a person to…rehearse with. Somebody told me that I should start with the memory reading." Ginny looked at Draco's dazed face and added slyly "It should be fun"

"No Goddamn way!" Draco finally said, coming to his senses "I'm not going to be your lab rat. Find another victim; try Potter or your freak of a brother."

"The way I see it" Ginny began, ignoring his slight against Ron "you don't have much of a choice. Either you play along like a good boy or I'll tell Dumbledore that you were the one mistreating children. And if that doesn't bother you then I might start thinking you have something to hide, something which might just get me angry, and when I get angry…"

"You turn green?" Draco interrupted wryly

"No" Ginny retorted crossly "I get pissed and tactile, very touchy feely. So either way I'm going to find out what's under your surface."

"What are you going to do? Stalk me? Jump out at me from the shadows?" Draco said cockily.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do." Ginny replied smugly, watching Draco's face pale as the realisation that he had no choice, hit him.

"Fine. I'll be your rat" Draco sighed heavily "Do I get a wheel?"

"No such luck. But you do get to avoid the wait. Lift up your sleeve, I need to get a better grip than before" Ginny ordered firmly.

Draco moved away from the wall and stepped back from Ginny "Not now. I have a lesson"

"It's the end of the day"

"Not now" Draco repeated in an unchangeable tone "I have things to do"

"Fine. Tomorrow. Where?" Ginny asked, slightly annoyed that her experimentation would have to wait.

"By the lake under the trees. It's Saturday so everyone will be at Hogsmead. No interference"

Ginny frowned at his choice of words but nodded in agreement.

"Until tomorrow" Draco stated before walking down the corridor without a second glance.

Ginny curled up under the covers, feeling strangely content. The last few months had been hell or rather a kind of empty standstill where every day seemed like the one before. But now, even though things had changed in radical and unbelievable ways, it was all becoming a little more bearable.

I said I wanted a distraction and now I've got one Ginny thought dryly who'd have thought that I would be here thinking about powers, Voldemort, forest fairies and…Draco Malfoy. Out of all of this, I think he's the strangest thing.

Pulling the covers up higher, Ginny stretched out on the bed before returning to her curled, cat like position.

And to think this only started a few days ago with a dream and a ball of light. I forgot all about that dream, I meant to ask Fainne that first night but when I've with her…my mind goes all fuzzy.

I guess my 'powers' will only grow…Ginny felt a smile curve her lips and she lifted her hand to her face. The every coloured ring still glinted on her finger like a talisman of the new her. The new Ginny, the powerful Ginny.

Yes my sweet you will be beautiful…a voice murmured softly as she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"So she fell for it?" Voldemort asked from the flames. It was three in the morning and the Slytherin common room was empty and dark. The cold, satisfied voice of The Dark Lord and Draco's shallow breathing was the only sound heard.

"Easily" Draco replied with a slight sneer on his lips "I fed her the usual bastard banter and came over all reluctant. It was actually rather embarrassing how quickly she gave up her secret. We've arranged to meet tomorrow"

"Good, Good. I'm glad the distraction worked so well. The last thing we want is her connecting with Dumbledore. The restriction charm I placed on her should have shielded her from looking into any valuable memories but still, one can not take chances" Voldemort finished with gleaming eyes.

Draco sat up straighter and leaned slightly closer to the fire. "Are you sure she won't see any of my more…private thoughts? The last thing I want is her knowing all about me"

"Rest assured master Malfoy. She will only see the insignificant moments of your little life. Our involvement will not be known to her. Your assignment is to get close to her, gain her trust and become her only ally. We need to ensure that she remains isolated, which means no involvement with her brothers, the filthy mudblood and especially not Potter… I don't want him anywhere near my girl."

"How does the charm work? How could you of placed it on her?" Draco asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The red eyes of The Dark Lord narrowed and he spoke mockingly "Do you honestly expect me to divulge my secrets to you? No, all you need to know is that it's all been taken care of. Now I must leave. Enjoy your little games Draco"

And with a pop the head of Draco's blackmailer disappeared.