Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter, they were all really sweet. I smiled for at least five hours. Anyway! Let's chug on to the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I only own the plot and Packard.
Miss Cellophane
Draco's body was taut and strained as he paused, and then gave a curt bow. Ginny only continued to stare at the figure sitting calmly in the dark. She could feel all of the blood rushing to her face as horror and surprise crept in. Draco cleared his throat and seemed hesitant to say a word. At last he gave a frozen glare at the figure and opened his mouth to speak.
"Good evening, Professor Packard."
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The classroom was dark and sinister without even a trace of moonlight. If there had been, Draco and Ginny might have been able to look at anything other than the tight-lipped and remotely eerie smile that Professor Packard gave them.
"Thank you. Was that so difficult, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco did not answer right away.
"No," he said, not taking his eyes off Packard for a moment.
Packard moved the plaque further up on her desk.
"No what, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, without a hint of joviality this time. There was no smile on her face.
Ginny thought she could hear Draco's teeth grinding from where she was standing next to him.
"No ma'am," Draco scoffed.
The professor looked at Draco for a long moment. Then she turned her eyes onto Ginny.
"What is difficult to understand is why the Head Boy is out of bed when he does not have patrol duty tonight. What's more is that a girl who is not even a prefect is with him. Anyone care to enlighten me?"
"It was my belief, Professor," said Draco, "that you would be guiding the younger prefects around tonight."
"While I hardly find it necessary to explain myself to you, Mr. Malfoy, it was evident that the prefects knew their own way around the castle without my help."
"I remember suggesting that to you during the meeting today," Draco pressed.
Ginny wondered with annoyance why Draco tried to interrogate Professor Packard. It was certainly not the time.
"And I remember informing you that I am the Prefect Advisor – not you. Whatever I see fit to do remains none of your concern, whether you are Head Boy or not. If I choose to leave the prefects to their own devices and grade papers in my own classroom, I will."
If looks could kill, Ginny wondered if Packard could survive Draco's death glare – ex-auror or not.
"Now I asked a question and I will have it answered. What are the two of you doing out of bed and in my office at this hour?" Professor Packard looked at her clock, but neither Draco nor Ginny uttered a word. "I don't have time trivialities! One of you will answer me or face suspension!"
Against her will Ginny began to quail under the Defense teacher's ire.
'What the hell am I going to do if mum or dad find out about this?' she thought anxiously. Ron was another story. Looking at Draco for some kind of answer Ginny saw with frustration that he was not looking back at her, but at their hands, which were still joined. Ginny looked quickly up at Packard and tried to yank her hand away from Draco's, but found that he wouldn't let go.
"What –"
"Fine," Draco snapped, glaring at Packard. He looked down at Ginny. "It's okay, you don't have to embarrass yourself; this is both of our faults." He looked back up. "Ginny and I were looking for someplace to be alone – together."
The silence that ensued could have drowned merpeople.
"Pardon me?" Packard said incredulously. Luckily, her question drowned out the sound of Ginny choking. Wasn't he able to think of anything better than that?
Draco held Ginny's hand in a vice-grip but loosened the pressure a little when the professor's eyes went down to look at their intertwined fingers. Giving Ginny the slightest warning squeeze, Draco began to stroke the outside of Ginny's hand very gently.
Ginny froze up.
"Relax," Draco ordered Ginny in a very quiet whisper.
Ginny reddened with something akin to embarrassment or anger; but with her frazzled emotions she could hardly sort one from the other. Trying to force the sensation of Draco's feather light caresses from her mind, Ginny tried as hard as she could to relax.
"Good," he whispered once more. His fingers moved to Ginny's palm and her eyes widened momentarily.
"What did you just say?" Packard demanded. Ginny was jolted out of her stupor and flushed.
Draco grinned. Ginny fought against a scowl at that. His smile was supposed to be charming, but his malice toward Packard only made it appear feral.
"I'm only telling Ginny to relax. She's a bit nervous – you see we haven't told anyone –"
"Do you expect me to believe that Ginny Weasley is…is…"
"Cavorting, escapading, fraternizing, cozy, chummy, involved with…" Draco said mindlessly.
"That's enough, Mr. Malfoy," said Packard sharply, returning to her original train of thought. She looked at Ginny. "Speak up, Ms. Weasley. Is this true?"
Ginny paused, and then cleared her throat.
"Yes…yes…it's true…We didn't mean to be out of our rooms…I mean we did…we were looking for privacy…We went to the library, but when we got there, someone was there, so we couldn't stay –"
"So you decided to use my room as a haven for your…activities?" the teacher demanded.
The silver-haired boy smirked. "We swear that we were going to keep it strictly to light pets and subtle fondles…"
Ginny went white as a sheet.
"If I were in your position right now, Mr. Malfoy, I highly doubt that I would be so smug. You are a disgrace to the position of Head Boy, and if I thought that before, I am sure of it now. I have no…" she shook her head, seemingly filled with awe. "…I cannot think of what you may have said, or done, to lead Ms. Weasley to…become mixed up with you, but I must impress upon her that nothing good may come of it. And obviously with your smart mouth you think nothing of it. Continue on this road, Mr. Malfoy, and you may well find yourself stripped of your Head Boyship. Do you understand me?"
Draco gave Packard such a look of sheer disdain that Ginny thought that alone would land him in detention. "Yes, ma'am."
"Ms. Weasley…I understand that one's emotions…or rather one's hormones may lead one into temptation –" Draco barely suppressed a snort. "However there are plenty of other suitable persons to examine…"
Draco cleared his throat obnoxiously. "No, I don't think you've quite gotten the picture, Professor; Ginny Weasley and I are going out. She's my girlfriend." He looked at Ginny indulgently. "We're rather attached to each other." The blond said it with such a minimal amount of distaste that Ginny almost believed him herself.
Another eerie silence.
Professor Packard was rapidly blanching with horror, but reddening with Draco's audacity. It didn't do much for her complexion.
With pursed lips she eyed the pair beadily. "I'm sorry but I find that highly unbelievable. Ms. Weasley has far better options than the likes of you, Mr. Malfoy," she said bluntly.
"Ginny doesn't seem to think so."
The girl that was being spoken about squeezed Draco's hand painfully. 'How could he put those words in her mouth? She'd never be able to be comfortable in Defense class again!'
"It is hardly fitting," said the professor angrily.
Draco shrugged. "I think we fit just fine."
Ginny had to interrupt at that. "This subject is rather…touchy for the both of us professor. We're sorry that we disrespected you by coming to this room, but I think that whatever road I choose for myself is exactly that – my choice."
At this point in time Professor Packard appeared to be literally boiling.
"And would your father agree?" asked the older woman slyly. "Arthur Weasley makes it a point to fight against men such as Lucius Malfoy –"
"I am not my father," Draco spat.
"– and all of his brethren," she continued. "The…union of the two of you will be seen as a disgrace; an abomination – and believe me, it will not be tolerated."
Ginny was aghast. It was understandable that any person would be utterly shocked upon seeing Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy together, and hearing that they had supposedly been involved for some time might well be coronary inducing. But Packard seemed to actually be taking personal offense to the relationship. She was giving Ginny tips on who to choose as a suitable boyfriend. What girl in their right mind wanted that?
It was mortifying.
Packard allowed for a short silence. "Now, I shall arrange your detentions. Both of you will have detentions three nights this week. I cannot watch you, and neither can any of other professors, as this week is a rather hectic. However, you will be due at Snape's office at precisely eight o'clock and one of the prefects shall govern over you." She scanned down a list in her drawer. "Gavin Wotright will do, I think."
Ginny's eyes went big and she spoke before thinking, "Gavin Wotright?"
"Yes," said Packard slowly. "You must know him; I do believe that he is in your year. Do you have a problem? Because from the way that you have acted tonight it might be beneficial to have someone such as Mr. Wotright supervise your actions."
Ginny colored and then said nothing. Her hand was still gently encased in Draco's, and for a second she imagined that he might have given it a reassuring press.
"It is now almost one o'clock. Go to your respective dormitories – straight to them – and retire for the night. This was a disgrace; I honestly expected more of you, Ms. Weasley." Packard looked at Draco and then continued. "Don't let this happen again. You are dismissed."
Draco inclined his head sardonically and then, still taking Ginny by the hand led her out. Ginny could feel Packard's eyes on them even as they shut the door.
Once out of the room, Ginny practically dragged Draco down the hall to a shadowed nook and then rested her back against it.
"That was a nightmare," she whispered.
"That woman is a nightmare," Draco amended. It hadn't passed his notice that Packard did not state that she did not think he was better than skulking around at night. "What an utter cow she is." Draco released Ginny's hand and then leaned against the stone walls beside her. "How dare she try and dictate what actions I take. She's an old, prejudiced, nosy wench who can't stand the fact that we're involved."
Firelight from the torch a few feet away glowed languidly onto his pale features, putting half his face in shadow. He looked menacing and sensual at the same time, but Ginny was forced to put those thoughts on the back burner of her mind. As she was already furious with him, it was hardly difficult.
She snorted. "We're not involved; and it doesn't sound very different to me than someone I know. Professor Packard is not prejudiced – we just about gave her the shock of her life."
Draco looked at Ginny with something resembling disgust. "Do you defend her for all that she said to you? She practically called you a disgrace to your family and your friends, and all you did was stand in that room and lap it up. I understand that the truth would hardly surprise you, Weasley, but for Merlin's sake, at least have some self-respect."
"You know what, Malfoy? The truth isn't surprising; so I find myself standing here wondering why you took so much offense when she insinuated that your father was a Death Eater when you've known that all your life."
Draco gave Ginny a chilling stare. "Then why help, Weasley? My father's a Death Eater, you say? You think you know so much about what's going on and you're feeling generous by lending me a helping hand? Keep in mind that I just saved our skins back there while you stood in all of your virtuous silence and let me take the slack."
Ginny laughed bitingly. "Don't try and blame me for the fact that she tore you down in that room. You've been itching to pick a fight with her since this afternoon and saw an opportune time. Because I've got the sense Merlin gave chickens to know that shutting up has its benefits sometime, and just because you can't stand to let someone get the better of your pride does not make you a sickle better than me."
Draco sneered.
"Go on and laugh Malfoy," Ginny said, getting angrier by the minute. "That's what you do best. When you're defeated, just give a delusional little laugh and maybe no one will see that you're a sodding failure who convinced a Weasley to help him. Never forget that you came to me, Malfoy. You seem to have the memory of a bloody sieve and are all too willing to forget that. But let's make a deal, alright? Push all of your failure onto me one more time and you'll find that it's a lot harder to dig your father out of Azkaban when only one person is shoveling, because I won't be there to help."
The hall was bitingly silent and Ginny knew that at any moment Packard or anyone else could come in their direction and hear them arguing. But the adrenaline from her anger and running from the library, and from just plain exhaustion with everything distracted her from that. She watched as the pale-haired boy before her scrutinized her every movement. She knew that she might have been able to help more with Packard, but the fact that Packard disrespected the Malfoy name was due to Draco's goading, and Ginny would be damned if he blamed her for it.
"Just tell me one thing, Weasley."
Ginny sighed agitatedly. "Ask away."
"Why are you doing this? You obviously can't stand to be near me for any long period of time; and neither can I. I find myself wanting to strangle the first person that I see after dealing with you. So why risk being around the big-bad Malfoy."
Ginny wondered if she should tell Draco about her thirst to prove herself to her brother. That she was worthy of being close to Ron once again because she could keep up with him. But she admitted to herself that it was hardly something Draco would be able to understand. And so she said simply, "For me. I've got my own interests invested in this, and that's all you need to know."
He scoffed; from his point of view Ginny's answer was shoddy. "Sure; all you're doing is having fun at my expense."
"Fun?!" she exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "When she takes points away from us tomorrow, the rest of Gryffindor is going to wonder who lost them for the house. It'll get out that I did – that we did. Merlin, and then if it gets out that you and I are 'together'…"
"Ashamed of me, Weasley?"
Ginny glared at him. "See if you think this is funny when my brother comes after you."
"He won't know that I'm your mystery boyfriend," Draco said, the last word rolling off his tongue like a curse. "Packard takes so much personal offense that you're 'dating' a Slytherin – Draco Malfoy no less – that I highly doubt she'll say it's me. And anyway, maybe it's a good thing that I'm your boyfriend, Weasley. You've got a nice little alibi for any of your absences now – and there will be plenty of those," Draco rushed on when he saw Ginny open her mouth to speak.
"He'll find out," she said, full of certainty.
"I can handle him," Draco retorted. He thought for a moment. "What we really need to work on now is getting that book – and getting you some backbone." He looked at Ginny condescendingly.
"Don't entertain the thought that I'm intimidated by you for a second, Malfoy," insisted Ginny.
"Not with me," Draco said. "With authority figures. It was disgusting the way you kowtowed to her. Not only is she wholly undeserving of such treatment –"
"Oh! I had forgotten I bow down to you, Master Malfoy."
"Correct. And the…simpering you displayed in that room was frankly disgusting, Weasley." He looked at her seriously. "If we're to get through all of this, I won't be surprised if we have another run-in with a professor or two. But you must maintain your composure – there is no other option. So if you can stand to tarnish your precious good-girl image and take a bit less crap from other people we might come to the end of this all the more unscathed. It all starts with the image, the attitude. Everything is a façade, Weasley. Really, it's just a competition to see who's got the best one – and then to try and tear it down. And Malfoys never lose – never; and we make it a rule never to associate anyone who does."
Draco's eyes were as steely as always, and Ginny registered that all of the handholding was just for show. He cared nothing for her or her well being. Draco was out for himself and his family, first and foremost, and Ginny remembered that she was pretty much a means to his end. The thought she had to console herself with was that she had her own game to play.
Ginny inclined her hand a little way. "I'll keep that in mind." He nodded. "Although there is something that you don't realize, Malfoy: the innocents are the last to be suspected; and the more people think that I'm totally oblivious and unsuspecting, the more I'll find out. For now I'll deal with Packard my way. I think it's rather effective, actually."
"Fine," said Draco simply, always one to have the last word. He stared down at Ginny for a moment, an indiscernible look in his eyes. Then he pulled out his wand and gave it a smooth wave. A white rose popped out of it. "Our first mission might not have been completed, or even partially successful (Ginny was a bit put out about that; they had discovered the location of the book and she thought that was saying something) but we came through it. That is cause enough for this, Weasley." Looking her deeply in the eye he placed it in her hand and folded it closed.
Ginny couldn't help the snort that came out. "You think you're so smooth, don't you, Malfoy. 'A rose for the lady'," she said laughingly.
"I know I'm smooth, Weasley. And you're hardly a lady," he said, looking suddenly thoughtful. "You're something much different – a simperer maybe –"
"That's not even a word," Ginny shot back.
"But somehow I manage to make it sound good, right?" Draco smirked when he saw Ginny roll her eyes.
Ginny glanced at Draco and then looked away. They stood that way for a few minutes trying to make sense of everything that had just been said. They still had a long way to go – and they had only just begun.
After a good five minutes Draco stood up from the wall.
"It's time for little weasels to go to bed. We all know how much they need their beauty sleep. How very much," he repeated.
"Shut…shut up," Ginny said yawning. She stopped leaning against the wall. "I'll see you tomorrow in detention?" she asked.
"Unfortunately," he said, starting to walk off.
Ginny nodded and in the awkwardness of the moment waved goodbye. Draco's face was now completely in shadow, but the smirk on his face was all too evident.
"Goodnight, Weasel."
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The next day Ginny woke up feeling extremely groggy. Heaving herself to her feet after lolling in bed for at least ten extra minutes, she took a shower and got dressed.
Putting on her shoes, she finally allowed herself to think of what had transpired the night before. It was almost unreal to think that so much could have happened in such a short amount of time. She and Draco were really into the thick of things and now she had to keep on her guard around Packard wherever she went.
Going down the main staircase to meet Colin in the Great Hall for breakfast, Ginny understood that Packard probably still liked her more than Draco – there was no question of that; but the woman was immensely depressed in her. Thinking about it even more, Ginny didn't want to defend Draco, but it was rather audacious of the older woman to tell Ginny whom to date. It was none of her business. If she wanted to give a bit of advice that was fine; but to be so blatantly disparaging of Ginny and then bring Arthur Weasley's opinion into the matter was highly unnecessary. Ginny had a dark feeling that it was not the last she would hear of Professor Packard either.
With a start, Ginny also remembered that she had asked the former auror for the book that she and Draco tried to nick the day before. Packard had pretty much promised to give it to Ginny, but would she live up to that?
The redhead almost pleaded sick through breakfast, there were so many things going through her mind. Ron, Harry, and shockingly Hermione had seemingly overslept, and had not come into the Great Hall for breakfast even by the time Ginny and Colin were leaving for class. They must have had a late night studying…
"Ginny!" Colin exclaimed dropping a few of his books.
"Oh, sorry," said the redhead absently, helping her friend to pick up the texts. Hadn't Ron told her just the night before that Harry and Hermione were in the library picking up books? Ginny hadn't gone to there until much later in the night, but she had not heard the older girl come up to bed by the time she left. Were Harry and Hermione in the library at the same time as Draco? After all, Draco had waited there until much later.
Working on autopilot during her class, unmindful of the odd looks Colin sent her way, Ginny realized how lucky she and Draco were that neither the raven-haired boy nor the Head Girl had come upon them the night before. It was beyond lucky…it was…almost unnatural. Ginny never had such good luck, and rather than making her exited it made her feel…watchful. Whenever her luck had seemed go right it always eventually veered left…
"Ginny? Where are you going?!"
She snapped out of her thoughts to see Colin's worried face in front of her.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked. "You didn't pay a whit of attention to what Binns said all class, did you?"
Ginny grinned guilelessly. "Do I ever?"
Colin only gave her a stern look. "Don't try to change the subject. You're not as good at it as you think."
"No, you're just all together too suspicious of everything, Colin," Ginny insisted. She had to keep her mind off of the case for the time being or someone would discover that something was up. "Oh, I've got to go up to get books for our next class…what've we got now?"
The blond rolled his eyes. "We've got break now, Ginny." He walked along to the Entrance Hall. "I swear, if your head was further in the clouds I'd ask you for tomorrow's weather." He turned to see how Ginny was taking it – she would have usually insulted him by then, but her mind was, yet again, elsewhere.
"Sorry, Col, I've got to go do something really quickly." It was the optimal time to go and get the book from Packard – if she was still willing to get it. Packard probably had a class right then, and she couldn't outright refuse Ginny the book and cause a scene, because at this point, Ginny wanted the book as badly as Draco and would do anything to get it.
"And what's that?" asked Colin exasperatedly. "You never miss this break – what's so important?"
Ginny adopted what she hoped was a humble, despairing look on her face. "I need to ask her a quick question about the homework – I'm really not getting it, and I wanted to ask for an extension."
Colin still looked unconvinced; with an internal grumble Ginny told herself silently that he was altogether too suspicious for his own good.
"It won't take me long at all. So if she says yes I'll come outside and you can help me with it. Deal?" she asked sticking her hand out.
Colin sighed.
"Deal."
With an inward squeal, Ginny turned and headed for the Defense room. However, by the time Ginny was only a few paces from the room she began to feel apprehensive. It seemed a bit precocious to ask something of the woman when she had been reamed out by her only the night before.
Ginny took a quick peek in the small window of the door to the class and almost fainted; it was the seventh-year N.E.W.T. class. She would see her brother, but she would also see Draco.
Ginny trudged forward, dreading having to open the door and face that woman again. But she had to. Knocking politely, there was a "come in" and Ginny turned the knob and pushed. She saw quick surprise flash over Ron's face and stiffly made her way to the front of the room.
"Erm, Professor," she said quietly, 'This is awful,' she thought, "I'm very sorry for…intruding like this…"
"Get on with it, Ms. Weasley."
"Of course, sorry. I can't come at any other time to get the permission slip from you for the library…I haven't got a class right now, so I thought that I could…"
Packard eyed Ginny for a second.
"I understand. Please stand back while I write a note to Madam Pince." Ginny nodded and followed orders.
Packard took out a piece of fresh parchment and began writing: I, Professor A. Packard give Ginny Weasley permission to check out…
"Ginny!"
The redhead growled and tried to ignore the sound.
"Pssst! Ginny!" whispered Ron's voice urgently.
Ginny half-turned to glare at Ron and gestured at Professor Packard whose head was facing down as she scribbled.
Who did he think he was fooling? Everyone in the room could hear him. Ron waved his hand impatiently.
"Ginny!"
"What?!" she mouthed silently. If Packard decided to go back on her word and throw the slip away because Ginny was disrupting her class, Ginny would maim her brother.
Ron grinned mischievously.
"How was that hot date you told me about last night?" he whispered loudly.
Ginny stood deathly still.
'Oh no.'
From the corner of her eye she could see Professor Packard's quill halt for a second as she processed what Ron said, and then begin again. Ginny saw Draco's surprised but grinning face in the crowd and turned away quickly.
Packard sat up slowly and held the parchment in her hand. She stared at Ginny shrewdly.
"Take care with this, Ms. Weasley. Don't let it get into irresponsible hands."
With a burning face – not from embarrassment, but fury directed at Ron – Ginny took the slip, said a polite thank you and started for the door.
Passing by Ron, she wondered if she should knock him over the head, but decided not to try her luck. Avoiding Draco's laughing eyes at all cost, Ginny left the room and headed outside where Colin was waiting. She made sure to put the bag in her rucksack though, so as to avoid any questions about the book she was carrying. No one would know about it save Packard, Ginny, and Draco.
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A few hours later found Ginny nose deep in reading.
Satisfied with her victory of finally getting Disguises, Lies, and Curses, she had decided to use part of her lunch to go to the library and find the other books that Draco had listed. Impressive and Imperial Knowledge Worthy of a King by Martin Boot was a rather slim book, even though its heading dictated that it had 'All One Needed to Know about the Imperious'. Ginny found more accounts of what had happened to people under the Imperius than ways to detect it, but she was hoping that Draco would be able to answer whatever she didn't know.
Prophets of the Past by Ingrid Bridle was a disgustingly large tome that Ginny knew she would never be able to sift through without Draco's help, so she put that aside immediately. The Boggling Book of Mind Control by Dizzy Shepherd was last on her list and difficult to find, because whenever Ginny had come close to it a voice seemed to whisper to her that it wasn't the book she wanted – obvious effects of the book.
Although she didn't want to sound like Hermione, Ginny had to admit that The...Book of Mind Control was rather fascinating. It delved into the Imperius Curse and was helpful with giving more factual text than Boot's book. It also talked about other things to do with the mind like psychology, and gave formulas for potions and incantations for hexes that would allow the caster to pretty much make someone else do what they wanted.
Ginny saw a few that would have liked to use on Ron and stored them away for further notice.
She also wrote down a few notes from the book that might interest Draco. Draco believed that Mr. Tinelle had been under the Imperius, which is why so many of the books he "assigned" Ginny were on that particular curse. If they could find some information – any information that not many people knew of – it might help suspicion fall away from Lucius Malfoy's. Ginny still had minor issues with that, as she wasn't completely sure that Draco's father hadn't put the Unforgivable on Mr. Tinelle. But those woes were for another time.
What Ginny really needed, she thought, was a book she could use to keep her notes in. But the first Hogsmeade visit wasn't for a while yet and she was stuck with what she had.
After twenty more minutes of reading an especially depressing case about a witch who killed her husband after her secret lover put her under the Imperius, Ginny decided to take a crack at the dismayingly large book, Prophets of the Past. Ingrid Bridle was some kind of secretary for the Daily Prophet and over the years she had managed to compile a massive index of every Daily Prophet that had ever come out.
'And if this is only one volume of Ingrid Bridle's series, I don't know what I'm going to do…' Ginny thought to herself.
She hadn't known that the book was so massive, or she wouldn't have tried to pull it off the bookcase like she did. She ended up dropping it on the floor and causing a whirl of dust to float up. Madam Pince shot her a nasty look for it; and if Ginny had to repeat the process she would probably be thrown out.
Ginny turned over the heavy cover and coughed a bit as another cloud settled in the air momentarily. Looking on the inside flap and then the first few pages the redhead was aghast to see that there was no index. There was no way that Draco's efforts combined with her own would allow them to read the whole thing before the end of the year; as soon as Ginny turned to the back, another section popped up.
Forgetting that she would probably get smudges on her face from doing so, Ginny threw her forehead upon the open page.
"All I'm asking for is information on Mr. Tinelle. What more do I have to do?"
Suddenly a whirring sensation tickled Ginny's head and she lifted it, only to see the pages rapidly turning. When it stopped she saw the headline: WIZARD TORTURES AND KILLS FAMILY OF MUGGLES. That was the last article that had come out about Mr. Tinelle. Feeling a twinge of excitement growing inside, Ginny glanced at Madam Pince and then back at the book.
"The earliest article on Mr. Tinelle," she whispered, not really understanding why she was being so quiet. Within a moment, the pages flipped to an article many years before. Ginny could see the name 'Alfred Tinelle' spotted in random places all over it. "This is amazing…" she said to herself. With a grin she added, "I am amazing…and Malfoy said that I wasn't good for anything!"
Leaving the other three books on the table Ginny walked into an empty section of the library, holding Disguises, Lies, and Curses under her robes. She wanted to shrink it and put it into her pocket so that if anything might happen to her bag no one would notice. It was paranoid, she admitted to herself, but a little paranoia never did anyone harm.
With more exuberance than she had possessed a few minutes earlier, Ginny walked up to the front desk and requested to take out the three books.
"And what do you plan to do with them?" asked Madam Pince shrewdly.
"Read them," Ginny said blankly.
The librarian nodded sternly. "Do not bring them back with any pages missing, torn, or sullied. I expect them to return to me on time. Here is your slip."
Ginny nodded and picked up the two books. Wait, two…
"Excuse me," Ginny said to Madam Pince, "but I had three books –"
"Yes, that's right; but the last one, Prophets of the Past is a Reference Book, therefore you may not check it out. If you want to read it, you must do so here."
Ginny frowned. "But I thought that –"
"Those are the rules, they are unchangeable. Please return Prophets of the Past to its proper shelf. Thank you!" said Madam Pince, and that was the end of the conversation.
Scowling and muttering under her breath Ginny heaved the books into her arms and turned around. 'Why do they have to be so bloody heavy?' she asked, her arms sagging under the weight. If she didn't reach a table soon she just might…
"Ah!"
…drop them.
"Oh! Sorry, I'm really sorry; they were really heavy," Ginny tried to explain as she bent down to pick them up. But the heaviest of them, the one she had to return was not on the floor.
"Is this what you're looking for?"
Ginny looked up; she swallowed. "Yes, yes it is, Professor Packard. Thanks for getting it…I…" she was holding out her hand to receive it but the woman would not give it back.
"This is a very interesting book, Ms. Weasley. I didn't know that you were interested in journalism."
Ginny blinked. "Well it's as I told you before; my friend Luna's father is editor for The Quibbler. They're having a bit of trouble finding anything interesting for next month's issue, so I thought I'd…you know…"
"Read up on the competition? Some might call that reprehensible, maybe even cheating." The mousy-haired auror's voice was toneless so it was difficult for Ginny to discern whether Packard was joking or not. Instead she fixed a sheepish look on her face.
"I'm just trying to help out."
That seemed to do the trick as Packard's face released a small smile. "Just like your father; he's always been one to lend out a helping hand, even when he didn't have the means. And he's never failed in that respect – no not in my eyes." Packard's eyes were shining. "There was one time where I thought that maybe he was going down the wrong path…but people do that sometimes, of course, Ms. Weasley. But before I knew it he righted himself again. Your father is a good man."
Ginny nodded, feeling a bit taken aback. Was Packard trying to use her father as a metaphor not to spend time with Draco?
"Yes," she said instead. "I know he is." She glanced at her watch. "But I've really got to be going, I need to return this book – it's a Reference Book, you see, so I can't take it out."
"Of course," said Packard, finally handing Prophets of the Past over to Ginny. The redhead summoned up a small smile and turned to put it on a shelf – any shelf, just so that she could get away from her teacher. "See you in class, Ms. Weasley."
Ginny put her bag on her back and nodded. "Right."
Leaving from the Library Ginny ran back to her room quickly to stash the books until further notice. She thought that maybe she and Draco would be able to pore through them that night, but they had detention. Either they could meet in the Room of Requirement during the day or they would have to schedule some late night meetings. They would also have to find a better room as it took forever and a day to get to the secret Ravenclaw staffroom. Ginny wondered as she headed to her next class if Draco would ever find the Slytherin and Gryffindor staffrooms; it would be wonderful if they could because few – if any at all – knew about it and they would be able to have some privacy.
Ginny's mind was whirring with all kinds of thoughts; not to mention that first and foremost she was on the hunt for Ron. If Packard thought that Ginny was having too much fun with Draco, then she might start to take a disliking to Ginny.
The redhead hoped that as an auror Packard would be more objective to student relationships, but she seemed to truly despise Draco so much that Ginny might become guilty through association.
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The rest of the day was uneventful, in Defense Packard had made sure to remind Ginny about her detention that night. Although she had completely forgotten to do so in the morning, Ginny went to check the House Points. With immeasurable relief she saw that nothing was taken from Gryffindor, but there were ten points missing from Slytherin. Ginny hoped that it had been taken at some point during the day and not by Packard. If the woman had taken from Slytherin and not Gryffindor it would only serve to fuel Draco's hate for the woman.
Sitting down in her usual seat at the table Ginny listened as Colin told Neville about "how weird Ginny had been the whole day".
"I was not!" Ginny protested. "I've been really busy, you know; it's madness."
"It's madness that your favorite hangout is the library now. For Merlin's sake, you'd rather visit a professor than take a break."
"Speaking of when I went to visit a professor…Ronald Weasley, what on earth were you thinking today?"
"I didn't really mean anything by it," he said sheepishly shoveling food in his mouth. "And if it counts for anything, you don't have to yell at me because Hermione already told me off for it."
Ginny gave the older girl a long-suffering look. "You do realize that you've taken one of my few sources of joy away from me, Hermione. I've been looking forward to getting on his back about his stupidity all day."
"I was not being stupid," argued Ron. "You wouldn't tell me where you went last night, and you came back long after we went to bed."
"Just so you know, Ron, it was still early when I even left the common room; you were snoring and drooling all over your little chart and neither Hermione nor Harry came back yet."
"How would you know when we came back?" Harry asked.
Ginny shrugged. "I don't know the exact time, but as Ron said, I did come back rather late but I didn't hear you come in. Honestly though, how much time can one spend in the library?" she asked, hating how hypocritical that sounded all of a sudden.
Ginny saw Harry and Hermione slip a surreptitious glance at Ron.
"You would be surprised," Harry said dryly.
Ginny was becoming very suspicious. Did that glance mean that they hadn't been in the library at all? She thought that it could have been Hermione following them the night before, but now that she thought of it, it didn't make sense. Hermione was not exactly the kind of person who would beat around the bush when telling someone off for breaking the rules; so if she had heard Draco and her snooping around the library she would have called out to them.
Deciding to test them Ginny asked a few more questions.
"So, did you run into any trouble there?"
Hermione hesitated only for a second. "Actually no; nothing at all. I guess it's still too early on in the year for that."
Ginny frowned as she caught Hermione in a blatant lie; and Harry and Ron were covering up for her. 'Well, maybe not Ron…' Ginny mused. He had been in the common room sleeping all night – she was sure of that.
"If you say so," said the redhead. She cast glances at the three seventh-years and leaned in a little closer. "Have any of you been getting any…you know, news about Mr. Tinelle's case? Or Lucius Malfoy?"
Ginny saw as the three of them shared a look before Ron answered her.
"We know that the raid on Malfoy Mansion is going to happen soon; not this week or the next, but most likely the one after."
Ginny was surprised. "Three weeks! I thought they wanted to get the search done right away before he has a chance to possibly hide something."
Ron nodded. "That's what they wanted to do at first. Then they thought it would be cleverer to let him think he had time to get rid of all the stuff while Ministry officials tail him and see if he tries to sell it to someone."
"Who's following him?"
"We dunno."
The sixth-year was confused. "You have all of this information but you don't know who in the Order is working on the case?"
For some reason Ginny saw that Hermione looked worried at her question.
"That's the thing, Ginny," said the older girl. "The Order isn't working on the case; they deal exclusively with Voldemort – this is being handled by a few departments in the Ministry."
"What?!" she asked, she looked at Harry. "I thought you knew not to trust them by now. Who's giving you all of this information?"
"Dad, of course."
"Of course? What do you mean of course?" Ginny demanded. "That doesn't make any sense. You know as well as I do that Dad wouldn't want to have anything to do with Ministry issues."
"This is an issue with Lucius Malfoy, not the Ministry." That came from Harry.
"Same thing," Ginny argued. "Malfoy has them in his pockets."
Hermione looked frustrated. "Thank you! That's what I've been telling them," she said.
Ginny saw that Ron's face turned sour. "Well your opinion changed when I showed you that letter from Dad."
"What letter?" interrupted Ginny. Ron rolled his eyes.
"Hermione insisted that we ask Dad why he was getting involved because she was just so desperate to know. He replied back telling us that he wanted no part of it, really. Only some of the aurors believed that he had enough fairness in him to be a part of the investigation of Malfoy Scum Sr. to not be too prejudiced."
Ginny was stunned. "What do you mean a part of the investigation?" she asked not having a very good feeling about the whole thing.
Ron rolled his eyes. "You know, snooping out for clues, trying to find out some information, being a part of the raid…"
Ginny felt like a ton of bricks hit her. She was helping Draco Malfoy to keep Lucius Malfoy out of jail. Her father was helping to put him in.
Draco would love that; as would Ron.
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bibo juice Thanks, I'm glad that you liked (but didn't like) the cliffy. I've got a few more in store… kittybro Thanks for reviewing! yuiyui Hopefully this story will soon. Thanks for noting the paragraph spacing. I'm having issues with it, but I've gone backed and fixed it on the last chapter. eedoe I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for picking that up for me, I appreciate it. Rosa di Corte I did get the title from "Chicago". I remembered the song from the musical and thought it was perfect. I'm glad you like it. Numbly Breaking Thank you so much. I hope you liked this chapter.
All for now. This chap. was difficult to grind out so I hope nothing's too confusing. It's not beta-read so there were probably mistakes. I'll fish them out another time. The next chapter is well on its way to being finished. Expect much more D/G action in it. Woohoo!
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