Chapter 5
Healing
Ginny glances into the spare bedroom one more time to check on Draco and sees him sleeping peacefully. She grins and after a moment walks back downstairs, where her family is still fawning over Charlie. Once in the kitchen, she rushes over to where Charlie is sitting at the table and kisses him on the cheek, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
''How are you feeling big brother? '' She asks with a slightly muffled voice from his shoulder.
''Not to bad... Thanks to that Malfoy boy up there... I was sorta surprised really, once Mum explained it all... Although I still have a bloody bad migraine from it.'' He replies, shrugging gently and grinning. Ginny stands up strait again and smiles at her big brother.
''He's really not so bad once you get to know him...'' She says, eliciting a snort from several of the boys in the kitchen.
''Well you must know him loads better than we do, 'cause he's a complete ponce most of the time...'' Says one of the twins. Ginny just rolls her eyes and starts getting food together for her and Draco. She had been eating with Draco every once in a while since he arrived... Tonight she would definitely eat with him.
''Draco...'' Ginny purrs softly, stroking the soft blond hair away from his eyes. I had been nearly 4 hours now and she had decided it was time for supper for her and her patient. ''Time to wake up...'' She sings in his ear, laughing as he sleepily tries to swat her hand away. ''Hey now! Thats now way to treat someone who brought you food now is it?'' She asks, giggling at his sleepy reactions to her. Draco grunts his protest sleepily and rolls away from her. Ginny huffs with mock indignation and proceeds to strip the covers away from Draco's sleeping body, making him immediately curl up against the cold.
''Oy! s'cold in here.'' Draco exclaims sleepily, turning his torso back to face her. She just grins and gestures to the food she had set up for them
''I'm eating with you tonight Dragon and I would like to eat before it gets cold.'' She says, planting a hand on her hip and grinning at him as he weakly sits up.
''Alright, alright... I'm awake already... can I at least have my blankets back ?'' he asks, rubbing his bare shoulders to indicate the cold. Ginny rolls her eyes playfully and tosses the blankets back over him watching him snuggle down thankfully. At last, Ginny pulls her usual chair over and pulls the charmed warming cover off the plates, revealing two sets of three course meals jumbled on the little table. Draco grins and raises an eyebrow at her.
''Since when am I getting spoiled here?'' he asks, looking back down at the table. Ginny smiles proudly.
''Since I decided that I was going to cook dinner for us tonight.'' She says, raising an eyebrow at him. ''You deserve a hero's dinner after what you did and you are actually getting well enough to eat it now that you have that nasty poison out of your system.'' She replies smartly, reaching for her own soup and taking a large spoon full. Draco eyes her amusedly. He had noticed in the few times that he had eaten with her that she has impeccable table manners, better almost than himself at times. He smirks.
''So... since I get all this special treatment tonight do I get to be fed too?'' He asks cheekily, fluttering his eyelashes at her mockingly. Ginny snorts and rolls her eyes at him before setting her bowl down and dipping her own spoon in the soup bowl, leaning forward and bringing it to his waiting mouth, noticing that he doesn't look away from her eyes once during the whole process. Ginny watches as he takes the swallow of soup and cleans it with his delicious, pink lips as she pulls it free of his mouth. He swallows and his eyes shine mischievously at the fact that the littlest Weasley cant tear her eyes away from his mouth. He smirks and she finally raises her gaze to meet his own, suddenly snapping out of her enchantment and leaning back again in her own chair, smirking back at him in much the same fashion.
''There. You've been fed. If you want more you'll just have to do it yourself, your royal laziness.'' She says, smirking as he raises his eyebrows in surprise. She sets his bowl down and goes back to her own meal... a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. Draco Malfoy smiles brightly and he continues his meal in relative quiet for a few moments.
''So, miss medi-witch... When will I be healthy enough to get out of this bed and run around with all the other little redheads around here?'' Draco asks playfully, suddenly breaking the silence. Ginny looks up and grins before answering.
''Well, we'll just have to see how long it takes for you to get your strength back.'' She replies, taking another spoonful of soup. Draco takes a bit of his own and nods...
''Thank you.'' He says suddenly. Ginny looks up from her bowl with surprise.
''What for Dragon?''
''For... for putting up with me... for not leaving me to die out there...'' He says, astonishing Ginny as a faint blush creeps over his cheeks. Ginny brushes a thread of hair away from his eye and grins.
''Well, we couldn't just leave you there... the wind tends to come from the east at this time of year and your dead-smell would stink up the whole house...'' she says with a giggle. Draco looks up at her with an almost blank face. Ginny faintly senses a pained look about him and she sobers quickly. ''I'm sorry Dragon, it was a joke...'' She says softly, ''Your welcome...'' She replies solemnly, dropping her eyes back to her bowl and taking another sip from her spoon. Draco smiles faintly and follows her example.
Draco leans lightly on Ginny's shoulder as they make their way down the stairs. It had been three days since the incident at Diagon alley and Ginny had finally agreed to let Draco get out of bed. Today he would spend some time with the rest of the family downstairs.
''Ginny? Is that you dear?'' Mrs Weasley calls. ''...oh. Hello Draco... I see you've decided to join us for breakfast this morning.'' She notices Draco. Ginny holds her breath as her mother warily invites Draco to sit at the table. Nearly everyone was already sitting down and they all stop and stare as Ginny helps the wincing Draco sit in the chair that Mrs Weasley conjured for him. Ginny loosens her grip on his waist and supports his elbow as he sits, finally turning her attention to the rest of the table.
''What? Never seen an injured person sit down at a table before!'' She exclaims, throwing her hands up at the rest of the family. Mrs Weasley snaps into action and starts carrying food to the table.
''Ginny has a point boys, Draco is always welcome at our table. Now straiten up and eat before it gets cold.'' She says as Ginny sits down next to Draco. Everyone but Harry and Ron look away, starting random conversations to avoid the wrath of Mrs Weasley. Harry and Ron however, continue staring with contempt as Draco starts slowly eating the eggs and beacon placed in front of him. After a few very slow bites, he sets his fork down and fidgets nervously for a second before leaning over and whispering in Ginny's ear. She glances at him sympathetically and nods, standing and taking his plate away before walking over to the cabinet and pulling out a bottle of some sort. She pours a bit of something from the bottle into a shot glass and walks around the table to hand it to Draco, watching him swig it down and shiver making a comically disgusted face before handing it back to her and taking a swig of his drink. Ginny grins at his reaction and walks back around to the sink to clean his plate and the shot glass.
''Look at that Harry...'' Ron whispers, glaring at Malfoy, who is now turning his glass in his hands as he stares at it. ''He's got her waiting on him hand and foot... the little ferret. What are we gonna do about it?'' He asks, looking at Harry expectantly. Harry is watching Draco with jealous eyes as Ginny sits back down and pushes a bowl of something in front of Draco again.
''We're gonna wait...'' He says simply, making Ron raise an eyebrow at him.
''Wait for what mate?'' Ron asks.
''For opportunities to find out what he's really up to.'' Harry replies, angrily watching Draco lean over and say something in Ginny's ear, causing her to burst into giggles and whisper something back.
After breakfast, Ginny helps Draco out to the garden and sits him on the garden swing, getting him comfortable with his bag and a blanket as Ginny joins her brothers in de-gnomeing the yard. Draco watches them covertly, pretending to be reading on of his school books but glancing up every so often as a screech of laughter rings out. After a while, Bill walks out into the garden and over to where Draco is stationed on the swing.
''May I sit down?'' He asks politely. Draco looks up from his book and stares for a moment before nodding.
''Sure, but I thought all you lot hated me and all that?'' He says, shifting his legs out of the way for Bill to sit. Bill chuckles.
''Well, when you act like you and your father have acted for so long it does tend to make people wary of you.'' Bill replies, leaning back and moving the swing into a gentle rock with his feet. Draco's face shutters down into coldness again.
''Yes well my father is certainly one to be wary of.'' Draco replies, glaring down at his book. Bill looks over at him in something akin to sympathy and most definite curiosity.
''but I don't think you're like him.'' Bil says, noting as Draco tenses and stares blankly down at the page. ''What happened to you Draco? Who did this to you?'' He ask, earning a glare from the boy. Draco tries his hardest to read the older boy's face but finds only innocent curiosity. Draco sneers softly at him and lets out a tiny chuckle.
''You really want to know?'' He asks, receiving a decisive nod from Bill. ''Then make a wizard's oath to me that you wont tell another soul what I tell you.'' He says, his eyes growing flinty. Bill raises an eyebrow and nods quickly saying the incantation and oath. When he is finished, Draco nods and looks down at his book blankly, drawing up the horrific images of his battle with Lucius. The eldest Weasley child listens silently as the boy releases the entire story, letting the words fall off his tongue in disgust and pain and hate. Bill only listens and nods, absorbing it all.
''And once I ended up here... well, honestly, at first I was disgusted at the thought... for the obvious reason of my upbringing, and rebelled against you all...'' He states, looking wistfully over at where George has Ginny flung over his shoulder. She lets out a piercingly fearful laugh as George jumps around with her and Draco smiles as she beats on his back, laughing all the while as they play. ''Then... Ginny saw me instead of the mask and... I guess I just gave up on being what my father wanted.'' He says, continuing to watch the Weasley siblings horse around with each other. Bill nods.
''You were sick of being someone that everyone despises... Quite understandable.'' Bill says evenly. Draco nods absently.
''You know, I always wanted an older brother... someone who I could look up to without having to turn to my father... but I doubt it would have made much difference, he would have been just like my father also...'' Draco concludes bitterly. Bill stays silent.
''Well if its any consolation, you've got me if you'd like.'' Bill says, earning a sharp look of surprise from Draco. The blond studies Bill for a long moment before inclining his head solemnly.
''That is most generous to someone you hardly know.'' Draco says solemnly, a flawless mask covering his emotions. Bill smiles wistfully and looks off towards the apple orchard for a moment.
''So is trusting me with the real you instead of the mask.'' He says, looking back towards Draco. ''Would you like to lay down again? You look tired.'' Bill suggests, earning a small nod from Draco. Bill nods and helps him up, tossing the quilt over his shoulder and tucking the pillow and book under his arm before locking his grip on Draco's elbow to help him inside.
Life at the Burrow as a general rule had never been quiet, so it comes as no surprise that Draco often found himself watching the family interaction quite frequently with mild fascination and sometimes even sadness as the Weasleys went through their daily rituals. The older Weasleys were never around as often as the younger four and Harry, but Bill and Mrs Weasley tended to drop by as often as possible to make sure the boys hadn't all killed Draco yet and to make sure he was healing. Ginny and Draco would spend hours together... talking sometimes but more often than not just sitting in silence as Draco sketched and Ginny read or daydreamed or wrote in her (non-possessed) diary. Of course... Draco was not all lolly-pops and sugar... he never had been and probably never would be. There had been days when he had reverted back to his usual disgustingly annoying self and absolutely no one in the household could stand to be around him... even Ginny, but she had never given up on him throughout all of that. They were not best friends or confidants but they had developed an certain understanding between them and nothing could change that.
One morning, after Ginny had spent the evening reading with Draco and had fallen asleep in his arms, curled up against his chest like a little kitten, Draco awakes to Harry bellowing in the hallway.
''Damn it Malfoy! What the hell is this! I wanna know what happened to you!'' He hears, just before the door is pushed open by an obviously upset Harry Potter. Draco immediately tries to shush him and Harry can only stare in shock at the sight of the sleeping Ginny before he comes to his senses and tosses a folded Daily Prophet down on the sheets. Draco eyes the paper briefly before scooping it up and glancing over the front page.
Prominent Wizarding Figure Arrested for Murder!
Prominent Wizarding figure, Lucius Malfoy was arrested yesterday afternoon under the charges of being a consenting follower of You-Know-Who. After being found by Aurors at the attack in Diagon Alley yesterday around 3 o'clock pm, Mr Malfoy was taken to Azkaban to await his trial. Officials state that Mr Malfoy's manor has been searched but nothing was found except the body of the late Narcissa Malfoy and a few disturbingly decked dungeons. Professionals say that Mrs Malfoy was murdered some time earlier by one of the unforgivable curses. Lucius's son, Draco Laurent Malfoy, however, was nowhere to be found. Mr Malfoy is suspected in his wife's murder and the disappearance of his son and will be held in trial on...
As Draco reads, he feels his blood freeze in horror and then catch fire with hate. He glances down at Ginny and slips himself from beneath her delicate body, striding as dignified as he can over to Harry and shoving him toward the door. He quickly shuts the door in the boy-wonder's face and turns back to the bed, clutching his ribs painfully as his body shakes in repressed anger. His cool mask never falters. He walks back over to the bed just as Ginny awakes from her sweet slumber and she looks up at him with sleepy eyes.
''Hey, you're not supposed to be out of bed yet, your ribs still aren't healed.'' She says, sitting up and brushing her hair away from her face. Draco smirks at her calmly.
''I'm afraid I have no choice, Kitten. I have to leave.'' He says softly. Ginny's eyes grow wide and Draco can see the confusion and... hurt? showing in them.
''What! Why?'' She exclaims, now fully awake. Draco tosses the paper at her and points at the article about his father. Ginny reads over it as Draco begins dressing in his own clothes, stripping off the Pajama bottoms that the Weasley's had let him borrow and reaching for his black slacks. Draco reaches for his shirt and belt, slipping the black strip of Dragon-hide through his belt loops and tugging his shirt on, wincing as he pulls his ribs again. He clasps his slacks and belt and turns back to Ginny. She had finished reading and her jaw is now hanging open with a sorrowful look on her face. ''Oh Draco... I'm so sorry...'' She says, looking up at him with sympathy. Draco 'humphs' noncommittally and carefully places his bag over his shoulder, avoiding his sore ribs. He throws his cloak on and strides to the door, still a bit shaky on his feet but much better now that he had rid his body of the poison. Ginny jumps up from the bed and dashes after him down the stairs.
''I have to leave little Kitten.'' He says, continuing without looking back.
''No Draco! Wait a second. Please!'' She says chasing him down the stairs and into the living room.
''I have to...'' He replies coolly.
''You can't leave yet! You still aren't fully healed! What if he comes after you again?'' She demands, oblivious as everyone watches Draco turn on her at the bottom
''I have been dealing with him for nearly 17 years. I think I of all people would know how to take care of myself around him. I've been here long enough. My negligence has already caused the death of my mother and I will not let the bloody ministry take my home as well, as I am sure my father will not be returning to claim it.
''And if he does?'' She says challengingly.
''Then he wont be alive long enough to speak two words to me.'' Draco utters icily. He can see the shock glinting in Ginny's eyes as he finishes his last statement. Draco looks up at the occupants of the kitchen and bows deeply to them. ''Thank you all for your patience and hospitality but I am afraid I must be leaving.'' He says, sweeping into an elegant bow. Mrs Weasley nods.
''We understand dear. If you need us all you need to do is owl.'' She says in reply. Draco bows his head and pauses only for a moment to gently tilt Ginny's chin up, hoping that she wouldn't read to much into the small gesture but unable to stop himself. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a bit of floo powder, glancing once more at Ginny before disappearing into the fireplace...
When Draco reappears in his own fireplace he is assaulted by the sight of a dozen Aurors or so lazing about the sitting room. Some of them seemingly searching for something while others are sitting around having tea. At his arrival they all automatically reach for their wands and Draco soon finds himself with about 10 wands in his face.
''What the hell are you lot doing in my house?'' He demands, completely unruffled by their quick response. He had been expecting it... One of the Aurors pipes up through the silence.
''Oy! That's the boy! That's Lucius's son. Lay off him a bit till we figure out where he's been.'' The voice cries. One of the Aurors pushes forward to the front and smiles at Draco.
''Well boy? Where have you been?'' He asks, earning a glacial glare from Draco.
''First off you will address me as Mr Malfoy, NOT boy. Secondly, I was at the Weasleys' home being tended for my wounds.'' He says superiorly. One of the female Aurors perks up her ears a bit.
''Wounds? Which wounds would those be Mr Malfoy'' She asks. Draco turns to her and sneers sinisterly.
''You remember those well furnished dungeons your people found? Remember the blood on the floor? That was mine. Not that its any of your business.'' He says gripping his bag-handle angrily.
''You mean those were your dungeons down there? Is this some twisted fantasy of yours then?'' One of the Aurors says accusingly. Draco glares frighteningly at the gutsy young Auror.
''No you twit. It is NOT my fantasy. Those are not my dungeons... Tho I've seen enough of them.'' He chuckles darkly. ''No. Those dungeons were my father's fantasy, I'm sure... He absolutely loves watching people suffer. Quite a temper he has...'' A few of the Aurors chuckle and Draco feels his blood begin to boil. ''Think its funny do you? Have you ever experienced every pain incantation know man? All within seconds of each other? Have you ever been in such pain that you know nothing of the past or future? Only the searing hot pain running through your blood? Until you felt it was your blood?'' He rants, ''Have you ever been whipped until your entire body is only held in by ribbons of skin? Have you ever been chained using spikes so long that they leave gouges on your very bones? Tell me! Have you? Because I have, and it isn't a pleasant happening. Especially when it is your own father doing those things to you and especially when the next thing you hear is that the only person who ever truly loved you your whole life is now dead!'' He pauses for a moment to reel in his anger and immediately regrets loosing his temper in front of these people and letting so much about his personal life be known.
Draco runs his hand gracefully through his hair, allowing the soft locks to brush his temples with their lack of staying charms. His cool demeanor returns and he pushes through the Aurors. ''Now, If you please. I would like to know what you have discovered about my mother's death...''
Draco desperately wanted to know everything about what had happened. Every mark his father made on her beautiful porcelain skin, every word he left, everything they found out... Just everything. He wanted to scream or hit something or cry. But his father had instilled in him long ago that no matter who you are on the inside, no matter what you feel, you should never let it show on the outside. And so Draco hadn't, he had twisted his emotions into a tight knot and stuffed them in his little black box, the one that held his soul and had never let it out, only allowing people to see what they expected to see of him... Except when he was drawing, and when he was with the Weasley girl he had drawn more and more. He had struggled to find a release for all the screwed up emotions tumbling from his chest with his every breath. Draco sets his face in a hard scowl bringing himself to the present and one of the Aurors follows him out of the sitting room.
After listening to the Auror's reports all evening, Draco had laid out in his bed with his hands tucked behind his head and taken a deep breath. Outside his bedroom door stand two aurors that had been left ''For your protection sir,'' as the leading investigator had said... Like he actually believed that. He knew that they just wanted to keep an eye on him... He could tell they thought he was in on his father's schemes and he really doesn't care.
''Lucius is a pig.'' He mutters violently to himself. The investigators had given him the medical investigator's report to read over and the pictures that had been taken of his mother's body. Lucius had definitely had his fun before killing Draco's mother. Draco couldn't think about it without getting violently sick to his stomach and wanting to hunt Lucius down for what he did. Because of that sick bastard... now Draco is completely alone. Well except for the two aurors outside his door... but they don't really count...
Draco rolls over. What he wouldn't give to see the littlest Weasley sitting in a chair next to his bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and a smile hidden behind them. He would reach out and tickle her and she would laugh, that trilling precious laugh... Damn it! Why couldn't he stop thinking about her!
Draco stands and strides over to his trunk, pulling out a small vile of potion and swinging a sip before crawling back into bed. Dreamless sleep. That is exactly what he needed. Draco's head hits the pillow and he knew no more until the next morning.
