Disclaimer: These are just popping up at random, aren't they? Not mine, no money involved.

The Time Of Your Life

It's something unpredictable

But in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life

Greenday-Time of your life

Dedicated to my beta Dom, as always

The Auveray was possibly the oldest creature Ginny had ever seen in her life. Well, actually, he was definitely the oldest creature she had ever met, but he also looked it. His face was so wrinkled and weather-beaten it looked almost black, which contrasted hugely with his pure white hair.

"⃟" Mapp said to the Auveray, who nodded slowly, his light green eyes half closed.

"" He replied.

"He said come close." Mapp whispered, "Auveray is old and wise. Do not lie, he will know. No afraid."

"No afraid." Ginny repeated, feeling very afraid. She glanced over at Draco, who shrugged.

"He's not too bad." The blond boy told her, "He just doesn't like being lied to."

She nodded, and walked over to the old elf. He indicated to a seat in front of him, which she sat down on cautiously.

"Ginni." He said, pronouncing her name the same way Mapp did. He seemed to be trying it out, seeing how it felt in his mouth, "Ginni. Are you well Ginni?"

"Um, yes, thank you." Ginny replied, "And you?"

"We are well." He told her. She guessed he was using the 'royal we', "You were injured by centaurs, we saved you."

"Yeah, thanks for that." Ginny was starting to feel uncomfortable, "Um, is there anything we can do for you as a thank you?"

"Would you be willing?" The Auveray asked, and Ginny remembered what Draco and Mapp had said about lying to him.

"It would depend." She said truthfully, "We'd do anything we could, within reason. Is there anything you want us to help you with?"

"The centaurs will attack. They want you, we have you, so..." He shrugged, "Help defend?"

"Of course!" Ginny smiled at him, "If you want us to use magic to defend you, we can do that. There are all kinds of defensive spells we can put on your village."

"The people of this land will not protect us." The Auveray sighed, "We are lucky to find you."

"We were lucky you found us." She corrected, "We'd have been trampled to death."

"One thing Ginni." He said, "The beast..."

"Tom Riddle." Ginny nodded, "Me and Malfoy are trying to find a way to get rid of him. We were going to ask the centaurs to help but..."

"To destroy the beast they would destroy you." He finished off.

"Yeah, not exactly what I had in mind." She explained, "There's one more person we thought could help us. His name's Samuel Granting's, he lives in England. We thought we could visit him."

"Then go now, and return to us." The Auveray told her, "If beast is gone, help us then return to your home. If it remains...we will help you as we can."

"Thank you." Ginny said for what felt like the millionth time, standing up.

"Bring Mapp." He requested, and Ginny walked over to the younger elf.

"The Auveray wants to speak to you." She told Mapp, who nodded and walked over to him.

"What did you talk about?" Draco asked.

"Not much, he asked us to help them defend themselves against the Centaurs." She replied.

"Did you agree?"

"Of course I agreed Malfoy!" She exclaimed, "They saved our lives, we have to help them."

"Just wanted to know what you got me into." He said, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender.

"Good." She snapped, "Anyway, I told him that we wanted to go and see Samuel Granting's, and he suggested we go now, and come back afterwards."

"That's pretty trusting of him." Draco pointed out, "How does he know we won't just run off if Granting's cures you?"

"You're the one who told me he can tell when you're lying." Ginny reminded him. He winced and rubbed his arm, and realisation hit her, "You tried to lie to him, didn't you! You're a sneak!"

"He asked me if I'd protect you, and I said yes, which is true." He explained, looking sheepish, "Then I got a bit carried away, talking about how I'd put your life in front of my own, so he hit me with a stick on the arm."

"Well, at least I know that you'd attempt to protect me, can't expect much more than that from a Malfoy." She sighed.

"What does that mean?" He asked indignantly, but she just shook her head, "Weasley, what does that mean? Weasley!"

Neil Cullen was the best golfer in the village of Lexford. But then again, the only other golfer in Lexford was his friend Edwin, whose eyesight wasn't all that good, so it wasn't really saying much. Today was a very important day for Neil. His cousin from Scotland had come over, and he was going to finally see how good he was against someone who could see two feet in front of him.

"Blimey, that was a good shot." He said as the ball landed mere inches away from its intended hole.

"Thanks." Roy Cullen said, "I was a bit worried about the wind speed for a moment there. How we doing?"

"You're a little ahead." Neil told him. Honestly, Roy was a lot ahead, but Neil wasn't going to admit that. No, he'd wait patiently until his go and then he'd get his comeback, oh yes he would.

"Your go." Roy said. Neil set his tee up, placed the ball on it, and prepared to hit the ball, glancing momentarily up into the sky...

...And dropping his clubs.

"My god, did you see that?" he exclaimed.

"See what?" Roy asked, looking up into the empty sky.

"It was a bloody Phoenix! A bloody fire bird!" Neil said, jumping up and down in amazement.

"You sure you're not just trying to distract from the game because you're loosing?" The Scottish man asked.

"I bloody well saw a bloody Phoenix! Big yellow and red thing!" Neil insisted.

"Sure you did." Roy nodded, "Anyway, it's still your go."

You might ask yourself why Fawkes let himself be sighted by Muggles. Then again, you might ask yourself why a village with only two golfers had a golf course.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Blaise sat in the room of requirements; each reading through one of the many newspaper cut outs that Arthur Weasley had sent them. Blaise was leaning idly against Harry, while Hermione was practically on Ron's lap.

"How many things can one man get away with?" Hermione said after a while, "Ok, innocent people do occasionally get accused of things they had nothing to do with, but how many things has Lucius Malfoy been accused of and yet not found guilty?"

"Here's one," Blaise added, "'Malfoy connected with Dragon egg smuggling' I thought that was your friend Hagrid's sort of thing."

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Draco, he was furious that you weren't expelled and that Hagrid wasn't arrested." She explained.

"Hm, that's a thought, maybe Draco Malfoy was hatched from a Dragon's egg, and then transfigured into a human." Ron suggested, "Then he found out and ran away. That'd explain his name."

"Yuck, don't say that." The dark haired girl crinkled her nose, "That'd mean I kissed a lizard."

"You've kissed Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked, sounding quite hurt.

"Just once, nearly all the girls have." Blaise said defensively.

"Ron you can't transfigure animals into humans." Hermione scolded, "And anyway, if it was possible, then Malfoy would have turned back into a dragon when Moody, or Crouch, whoever he was, turned him into an animal."

"Instead of the Incredible Bouncing Ferret!" Ron crowed, bursting into laughter.

"We're not allowed to laugh at that anymore, as it was Crouch who performed the spell instead of Moody." Harry said, and laughed at the look on his best friend's face.

"That's my fondest memory!" He exclaimed, "You can't take that away from me!"

Hermione sighed in exasperation, and Ron took that as a signal to get back to work. There were several moment of silence and then...

"So who's a better kisser out of me and Malfoy?"

Mapp walked Ginny and Draco (who were back in their disguises) to the edge of a small village near the forest. Technically she and her people weren't allowed to leave the forest as they might be seen by Muggles, but very few of the Elves took notice of this.

"If we not want them to see us, they no see us." She explained, "We not have to try hard, they try to not see us. 'Trick of light' they say. 'Tiredness'. It is good."

"Dad always said that Muggles would go to such lengths to avoid magic." Ginny agreed, "He finds it cute."

"I'm not going to say anything." Draco said, "I could say so many things to that, but I'm not going to say anything because you'll hit me."

"I wouldn't hit you!" She exclaimed, "I'm not a violent person."

"You're a youngest child with loads of older brothers." He reminded her "Of course you hit. You pretty good at it too. A really quick whap round the back of the head. It's really effective."

"Do I hit a lot?" Ginny asked self-consciously.

"I think you've been holding back." He told her.

"I must leave you here." Mapp suddenly cut it, "There is a building which the stars shine in, you must go there. The wizards are there."

"What do you mean, 'the stars shine in'? That doesn't make sense!" Ginny exclaimed. But when she looked around, the Elf was gone.

"Well that was interesting." Draco said.

They wandered around the town for a while, trying desperately to understand Mapp's cryptic directions. How could star's shine inside a building?

"It could be a metaphor." Draco said, "Something to do with the name of the building?"

"I'm not sure." Ginny shook her head, "The Elves are subtle enough, but I don't think they have enough of a grasp on the English language to use metaphors."

After about half an hour they came across a building with a stained glass sloped roof. The stained glass roof had pictures of the stars and moon painted on it.

"You think this is it? Ginny asked, "Coz that was slightly more literal that I expected."

"Not very subtle." Draco agreed. They walked over to the huge wooden doors, which were surprisingly easy to push open. They walked in and found themselves in what looked like a floo hub slash letter hub slash market. It seemed like the town's whole Wizarding community was contained in this one building.

"Oh, Malfoy!" Ginny exclaimed, "I need to check in the letter hub! Aiden might have written to me."

"Lynch." Draco muttered, sneering, "He's so...Lynch."

"Not up to your usual standard." She told him, and then turned to talk to the man at the letter hub. After checking her key, he tapped on the tube, and retrieved her letter.

"It's from Aiden." She told him, and he groaned.

"Who else would it be from?" He asked, and she shrugged, reading it.

"He says that he's really glad that we're safe, and would like to see us soon." Ginny said when she was done, "And some other stuff that won't interest you."

"Is it a love letter Weasley?" Draco teased, "Are you getting love letters from your famous boyfriend?"

"That depends." She grinned slyly, "Are you jealous?"

"What if I am?" He asked with a cocky grin.

"That sucks for you then." She chirped happily and bounded over to the floo hub.

"Wha...? That's not how it was supposed to go!" He called after her, but she didn't seem to hear, and he was left with nothing to do but follow, slightly pink cheeked.

It was dark when they arrived at Timber Tump, which turned out to be little more than a housing estate in the middle of the countryside. The Floo extension was a tiled room with one fireplace and a sleepy attendant. They asked him where the home of Samuel Grantings was, and, sleepily, he gave them directions. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily, the street lamps were almost all broken, and within ten minutes they were lost.

"I'm so cold!" Ginny told him over the noise of the heavy rain, moving at snails pace. They were both wearing their travelling cloaks, and the water was making them weigh a ton, "I can't walk any more, I'm going to collapse."

"We can't stay out all night, we'll catch something!" He called back, "Come on Weasley, we have to move."

"I can't!" She almost shouted, "Really Malfoy, I can't! I'm not as fit as you, I'm going to collapse!"

"Let's get under a tree at least." Draco sighed, "Get out of the rain a bit."

They shimmied under a large oak tree, which, despite the fact that it had lost all its leaves, was able to give them some shelter.

"This would be a funny way to die." Ginny said after a while, "After everything we've been though, we drown to death by the rain."

"Don't be stupid, we're not going to die." He told her, glancing over, "Well, I'm not, look at you! Your lips are blue, and you're shivering!"

"Well, I'm not exactly in the best of health." She snapped, "Ten weeks in nothingness, supernatural possession, being trampled by centaurs, it can take a lot out of you."

"Fine, fine. Look, come here." Draco said, holding out his arms.

"What...?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"You need warmth, I'm warm, put two and two together Weasley." He held out his arms higher, "It's not hard."

Still looking suspicious, she shuffled over to him and let his place his arms around her. After he completely failed to live up to any of her mistrustful thoughts, she relaxed and allowed his warmth to flow into her. After a little while she looked up into his face, and found him looking at her.

"Your lips are still blue." He told her, gazing at them. She saw, as if in slow motion, his face begin to lower, and was almost unable to move away. She managed to step back, and saw his expression turn from confused to angry, "Look Weasley," He began, but she cut him off.

"It's not that I don't want to." She said, "Coz I kinda do, but not while I look like this, while I look like someone else..."

He nodded, understanding, and then shrugged, "Well, since my cunning plan to kiss you failed, I guess I can just use a warming charm now."

"What!" She exploded, "You could have just used a warming charm and you didn't?"

"Hey, you're a witch, you have a wand." He laughed slightly, "I had the excuse that I wanted to kiss you, you were just being stupid."

"Well, it looks like you won't have to." Ginny told him coldly, "Rains starting to die down, we could probably find our way now."

They began walking again, and after a little while Ginny broke the silence.

"How long have you wanted to kiss me?" She asked.

"Since I had hormones." He replied, "How long have you wanted to kiss me?"

"Since I realised that you were seconds away from kissing me." She told him, "And 'since I had hormones' isn't an answer. I know that boys, as a general rule, want to kiss every girl they can, but when did you actually think that you wanted to kiss me?"

"Ok then, I've wanted to kiss you since I realised that you liked Lynch." He admitted, looking embarrassed.

"You just can't stand the idea of anyone having something you can't have." She laughed, "You're a control freak."

"And I think I know where we are." He pointed out; "This is the walk the attendant told us to go to. And that," He indicated to a small house, "is Granting's house."

"Thank god." Ginny sighed, "Let's go."

They walked over to the house, and Draco knocked on the front door. A few moments later an elderly man opened the door, glaring at them.

"What time do yeh call this then?" He exclaimed angrily, "Who are yeh? What do yeh want?"

"Ivan Noginski sent us." Draco told him, "He said you could help us."

"Noginski, eh?" Grantings nodded, "Damn him. Always interfering him, always interfering. Well, come in, and we'll see what I can do for yeh."

He opened the door and allowed them in. Inside, the house was very much like a Muggles except the pictures on the newspaper that lay on the table moved, and on one of the chairs lay a sleeping kneazle.

"Ezra, move." Grantings muttered, kicking the chair. The cat like creature glared at its master before elegantly jumping off the chair, "Sit down, sit down. So, who has old Noginski sent my way?"

"My names Draco Malfoy, and this is Ginny Weasley." Draco told the old wizard.

"You're no Malfoy, they're all blond poofs." Granting mumbled, and Ginny burst out laughing.

"We are not...not...we are not!" The young boy exclaimed. Grantings looked him over, and eventually nodded.

"Yeah, yer a Malfoy, yeh got the look." He then turned to Ginny, and gave her a similar look over, "Never met a Weasley, wouldn't know how ter tell."

The way he looked at her made Ginny uncomfortable. He wasn't leering at her or anything, on the contrary. He looked scared, like whatever he saw he didn't like.

"Look, the thing is, we know you have a genie, and we really need to make a wish." Draco told him, "If you don't let us...well the consequences lead to a whole lot of badness."

"I've known Noginski for a fair few years now." Grantings told them, "He'd never send you ter me if it weren't important. I'd like ter help yeh, I would, but I don't have the genie no more."

"Why not?" Ginny asked, dread filling her heart. This was the only plan they had left.

"Gambled it away." He said shortly, standing up and busying himself with some cups.

"You had a magical wishing genie and you gamble!" Draco exclaimed, "And you gambled it away!"

"I don't gamble for the winnings, I do it for the experience." He explained, "For the rush. And I may have been a bit worse for drink but..."

"I can't believe this!" Ginny shouted, "You were my last hope! We don't know what else to do. I'm doomed."

"Don't be so dramatic Weasley." Draco said soothingly, "The Elves will help us." He turned to Grantings, "Well, if there's nothing you can do then we'll go."

"It's nearing past eleven at night, and you want ter go out in a storm?" He laughed, "Not while I live. Dry yer clothes, you can sleep on the sofas. I'll get yeh some blankets."

They changed into their nightclothes, Ginny in the bathroom, and used some warming spells to dry their clothes. Grantings gave them some blankets and pillows, and they made themselves comfortable.

"I'll see yeh in the mornin'." He said, and neither of the two teenagers missed the nervous glance her threw Ginny's way before he turned the light off.

"He's scared of you." Draco whispered into the darkness.

"Because I'm so threatening." Ginny whispered back.

"He must know about Tom." He said.

"But how?" Neither could come up with an answer, so they said nothing. Just before she fell asleep, Ginny heard the whispering of something waking up deep inside her mind.

In the Room of Requirements, the four teenagers were almost asleep. Harry was leant up against the wall, Blaise with her head on his shoulder. Ron was full out snoring, lying on his back on the floor, and Hermione was sat next to him, still searching through the paper clippings.

Lucius Malfoy has just funded Poltrick Academy, the biggest Wizarding School in Russia, to have a new wing built in memorial of it's old Headmaster, Kurt Samir who died last spring. Poltrick's new Headmaster has said that he is very thankful, and is looking forward to working with Mr Malfoy on a new project that they have come up with. Lucius Malfoy and Ivan Noginski will be studying the affects of possession on people after they have been ridded of their intruder.

Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to battle against her tiredness and the natural fogs of memory. This was something important, she knew that.

"Noginski...?"

Hehe, I made such about getting fanart, but when I finally got it I realised that I'm not sure how to link to it on fanfiction.net! As soon as I do work it out I'll put it up. Thanks to the people who sent some and thanks to my reviewers:

Weirdo101: Thanks!

Ohepelss Oramtnci: I'm so bad; I can't remember what happened last chapter! Well, I think alls working out well...

UntitledN'stayinthatway: There is suspense? There is plot!?!?!?! Since when?

Magic Crystal Rose: I'm really proud of Mapp and the Elves. I've got some great fanart of her.

Chapter 16 is almost complete, expect it in a few days, but I have my GCSE's starting in a week, so updates will be few and far between!