CHAPTER NINE

DETERMINATION

Her tall, slender almost regal frame lolled in the rickety wooden chair. Her long blonde hair covered her face like a sheet as her head rolled forwards. Sirius sat in a chair opposite her in a small grey room in the auror headquarters. He studied her through narrowed eyes. It couldn't be. It was too easy.

He nodded too the auror sitting to his left as he enervated Narcissa Malfoy. He eyes opened slowly sliding back into focus. She lifted her head heavily, letting her blonde hair fall away from her face. Comprehension dawned on her as she realised exactly where she was, she didn't even struggle, just sat up straight and stared Sirius straight in the eyes.

"Narcissa.'' Sirius said, leaning forward across the small table that separated them, he looked into her eyes trying to see some of what she was feeling. She gave nothing away.

"Black.'' She responded coolly, as if the word was poison in her mouth. "To what do I owe this pleasure?'' Her lips sneered unpleasantly as she looked down her nose at him. Sirius was amazed that even though he obviously had the upper hand she still looked down upon him.

"No no Narcissa the pleasure is all mine, believe me.'' Sirius said smoothly.

"Drop the shit Black.'' She spat nastily. "What am I doing here? You have no right. You have nothing."

"Actually I think you'll find that I do. See last night we took it upon ourselves to have a little nose around your Manor and believe me we've got things on you. Enough to put you away for life.'' Sirius said grimly.

"Bullshit.'' She shouted, clearly bluffing.

"No Narcissa believe me, we overheard some pretty interesting things last night." Sirius said pulling out his wand and muttering a few choice words so that words spoken in the meeting last night echoed in the small grey room.

"You've got nothing on me though. I said nothing. How do you know I was even present for the meeting?'' Narcissa said coldly, she had a point.

"I know."

"So what. That proves nothing. So you have a few sentences recorded. You'll need more than that to send me down." Her eyes were cold and grey and betrayed none of her emotion.

"Oh you haven't seen the best part yet.'' Sirius said a furious glint in his eyes. He couldn't believe it had been her. They were all certain that it was Draco. But the proof had been right in front of them. They had her wand now. "So why ebony?" Sirius asked curiously, pulling her wand out from his jacket pocket and twirling it around in his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She answered defiantly, although her face paled as she saw her wand in his outstretched hands.

"I think you do." Sirius said cajolingly, "Think hard." He said obviously enjoying this immensely.

"I don't know what you're talking about Black." She repeated venomously.

"Well I'm going to have to show you then." Sirius said, pulling his own wand out and pointing the tip of it against hers. "Priori Totalus Incantatem"

A reel of images flashed before her like a film, a whisper of an apparition, the ghost of a levitation spell, a shadow of a disarming spell. She watched mesmerised, seeing all her spells spill out of her wand, starting with the more recent and steadily moving backwards until... The shadowy black mass that she knew would come eventually came pouring out of the end of her wand like glue.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" Sirius said as he watched the shining swirling miniature before him. "I wonder what spell this is?''

"I wonder?'' Narcissa replied back scathingly, she knew she had been caught.

"Well since it came from your wand I was hoping you could let me know.''

"You know what it is Black.'' She spat angrily.

"Yes Narcissa I believe I do.'' Sirius said calmly, not affected by her anger. "What I really want to know is why?"

"You wouldn't understand. No one would. No one else has been in my position." Narcissa spat venomously.

"Try me.'' Sirius said raising his eyebrow slightly, somehow he knew that he was about to hear something that would neither shock nor surprise him.

"I did it because I could. I did it to show everyone that I could. For years I've had to stand in HIS shadow, for years I've played the good housewife, do you know how many times I've had to hang of his arm and look pretty? Do you know how humiliating that is? HE was nothing without me. He was worthless, I was always the brain behind his schemes, and I was the one who deserved the credit, I was the one who deserved to be in the Great Dark Lords' inner circle not that worthless piece of shit. He shunned me, pushed me to one side, out of the limelight, away from the Dark Lord while he basked in my success. I grew to hate him; the man I loved disappeared long ago. He used to be a scheming arrogant man but that was what I liked about him, his self-assurance, his confidence, but over the years that man disappeared and in his place was a conniving man who held no regard for me. HE was a bastard and I hated him. That's why I came up with the ebony idea; no one would expect a new female threat. But I knew I could do it, I knew I'd rise up and become greater and more powerful than Lucius ever was.''

"But you didn't did you?'' Sirius said.

"What?'' Narcissa said confused, she seemed to have lost herself in her thoughts that had been building up inside her over the years.

"You won't be greater or more powerful than him, you got caught. The games over. You're going to Azkaban.'' Sirius said standing up from his seat and watching as realisation dawned across her attractive face. "It's over.''

Sirius stepped out into the bright sunlight of Diagon Alley and stood for a moment on the huge set of steps leading up to the Ministry building, he looked around for a moment blinking against the light, compared to the darkness of the interrogation room. He pulled his wand and gave it a sharp flick and disappeared from the stone steps, reappearing only seconds later in a messy kitchen.

"Harry you slob.'' Sirius called out as he looked around the kitchen of his godson's apartment. "I thought I was a pig." He continued as he walked through to the front room looking for Harry.

"Hiya Sirius.'' Harry said lazily from were he lay sprawled out over the sofa, two pumpkin pasties balanced on his chest. He reached his hand up and took a huge bite out of one before placing it back down on his chest again.

"Are you eating off yourself?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"There aren't any clean plates, what was I supposed to do?''

"Wash one.'' Sirius suggested shaking his head, but smiling at the same time. "Your so much like your father it's uncanny."

"I'll take that as a compliment.'' Harry said smiling, there was a time when he would blush and feel uncomfortable when anyone compared him to his father but with Sirius it was different, he knew James like a brother.

"It was meant as one.'' Sirius said, dropping down into a chair opposite Harry watching as he finished both pasties before sitting up. He shook his head as he saw the grease stains on Harry's white T-shirt. "How do expect to impress the ladies looking like that?''

"Look around do you see any ladies?'' Harry asked nonchalantly, taking of his white T-shirt and sending it whizzing into the wash basket.

"No but that's not the point.''

"That's exactly the point, so what brings you here anyway?'' Harry asked pulling on another darker T-shirt that was draped over the back of the sofa.

"I just came from the interrogation room, Narcissa Malfoy is as guilty as hell.''

"Really? She confessed?'' Harry said sitting up in his seat, listening intently.

"Yeah after we did the revealing spell on her wand, the spell for making the ebony appeared and she just confessed everything. It was quite unnerving.''

"How?''

"Do you know why she did it?'' Sirius asked Harry. "Why do you think?''

"I don't know. To avenge her husbands death, start where he left off?'' Harry said hazarding a guess.

"No, that's what I thought. She did it to show that she was better than Lucius ever was. She said she was the brain behind him and the only reason he got to where he was was because of her. She hated Lucius.''

"Well that's news.'' Harry said laughing. "Well she's been caught now that's all that counts, no one really cares why she did it do they, only that she's been caught and put away."

"True.'' Sirius said, thankful that peace had been restored again, he knew that it would only be a short time before a new threat would arise but for now he took comfort in knowing that it was over.

"Are you staying long?'' Harry asked curiously.

"I don't know I should really be getting home, but then again Destiny won't be home for a while now, so I guess I could stay for a while.'' Sirius said taking his jacket off.

"Oh glad to see I'm your first choice.'' Harry retorted sarcastically, watching curiously as something fell out of Sirius's jacket pocket. "Is that a, it can't be, is it?'' Harry asked as he scooped the small black velvet box from the floor, dodging his godfathers' hands as he tried to snatch it back. "It is isn't it?''

"Yes.'' Sirius said resignedly

"You're going to propose?'' Harry shouted. "That's great Sirius.''

"You think so?" Sirius said he looked doubtful.

"Yeah of course. You don't seem so sure though.''

"I just don't want her to say no.'' Sirius said quietly, Harry looked at his godfather in a new light, he seemed insecure.

"Of course she'll say yes.'' Harry said amazed that Sirius would ever doubt that. "She's crazy about you you fool.''

"She is isn't she?'' He replied raising an eyebrow cockily, "who could resist these charms?'' Harry rolled his eye's this was the Sirius he knew so very well. "Just do me a favour yeah Harry keep this to yourself, I don't want anyone to know until we announce it. I want it to be a surprise."

"Sure.'' Harry said smiling, he had never thought during the war that he would live to see his family happy again, never thought that he would survive for weddings, engagements births everything. But he had and he was extremely glad. "You better put that away then." Harry said handing the mall box back to Sirius who was grateful that Harry had had the manners not to look inside. "Ron usually gets here about this time everyday.''

A loud crack filled the air and true to Harry's words Ron appeared in the front room of their small apartment.

"Hey Harry.'' Ron said automatically. "Oh hey Sirius, nice to see you.''

"You too."

"Sorry but I can't stop just have to grab a few things, then I'm off round Hermione's house.'' Ron said quickly as he rushed to his room, grabbed a clean set of clothes and then after waving goodbye apparated out again.

Sirius sat staring at the spot where Ron had disappeared. "Right.''

Harry laughed. "It's the same everyday, I don't know why he doesn't just move in there the amount of time he spends there.'' Harry said he tried to stop himself feeling jealous, he knew that if he had a girlfriend he would spend as much time as possible with her. But he couldn't have the girl that he really wanted.

"Don't complain.'' Sirius said winking. "You effectively have your own place, think how many girls you could bring back.''

"I don't want to bring girls back.'' Harry said forlornly. "There's no one that would compare to her anywhere.''

"Harry, you have to stop being like this, its not healthy. You're obsessing over her.''

"I love her.'' Harry shouted back, his anger rising. "What do you want me to do, push her out of my head. I can't I've tried I pushed her out for years and now she's back in I won't try to forget her again, it's too painful."

"And this isn't painful, sitting here alone, eating food of yourself, living like a pig?''

"Not as painful as losing her.'' Harry said.

"I'm not asking you to forget her Harry, all I'm saying is that if you love her so much and if she really means the world to you then why aren't you trying anything to get her back?''

"She hates me.''

"She doesn't hate you, not really." Sirius said quietly. "You wouldn't believe how many times Destiny said that to me, how many times Lily said it to James even. Hell I even heard Tonks say it to Remus yesterday, they don't mean it Harry.''

"But I deserve it, I was horrible to her, I acted like a twat. I never learn, I thought it was the right thing to do.''

"Make it up to her Harry. I saw the way she looked at you; I saw the love in her eyes that was real Harry. You have to do something, try and win her back. I hate to see you like this.''

"What do you suggest then, how am I ever going to make this up to her?''

"I don't know, I really can't help you there. You're going to have to figure it out for yourself Harry. You can't keep living like this. If you don't try you'll never forgive yourself."

"But I....''

"Look Harry I have to leave now but listen to what I said Harry, you'll never forgive yourself if you let her slip away.'' Sirius said as he pulled his jacket on again, and slipped the box back into his pocket before apparating to the house that he shared with Destiny.

Harry sat in silence for a minute after Sirius had left, contemplating everything that had been said, he knew that he was right, he knew that he couldn't let Ginny slip away from him. But what was he supposed to do, he had never been good at things like this, he never had been. It wasn't as if he'd had much experience. The only girl he had ever thought of was Ginny. He closed his eyes and thought of her long fiery hair, her freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose, the way she danced with him in the party. He opened his eyes and in them was a new determination, a new resolve, he'd get her back. He stood up and walked to the kitchen sink and started to wash the piles of plates and dishes. He was going to get her back.

"Was Harry alright?'' It was the same question that Ron had grown accustomed to hearing everyday. After he apparated into Hermione's and got greeted with a hug and kiss, he always got asked the same question.

"Yeah he seemed fine, Sirius was there too.'' Ron answered swooping down and kissing her again. They seemed like they were having fun.''

"Oh good, I hate to think of him alone in that apartment all the time.''

"Don't worry about him Mione he's fine.'' Ron said silencing her with another kiss.

"You're sure.'' She said breathily.

"I'm positive.'' Ron said breaking away from the kiss and looking down at her. She had changed so much since they had left school, but she hadn't really changed at all, not in the ways that mattered. "So what have you been doing today beautiful?''

"I've done nothing, well nothing important anyway. Nothing that satisfies me.'' Hermione said wistfully, not knowing about her job application to the department of mysteries was killing her. She hated sitting at home and not having a challenge to work out of something to occupy her mind.

"I'll satisfy you.'' Ron whispered in her ear seductively, his voice sending shivers through her whole body.

"Oh will you now." She asked refusing to succumb to his ways, this early in the evening; it was more fun to let him wait.

"I will.''

"And how are you going to do that Mr Weasley.'' He whispered a response into her ear that made her gasp.

"Really?''

"Yeah Miss Granger. Is that all right with you?''

"That's fine by me.'' Hermione said, leading Ron through top the kitchen where she proceeded to conjure two steaming bowls of soup and a plate of bread rolls. "Well dig in, by the sounds of things you're going to need your energy for tonight.'' She said in a low voice as she sat opposite him and started delicately eating her soup watching as he practically threw the soup down his throat. She smiled to herself slightly. She would always love him, and everything about him. All the things that she had pretended to hate, when all along she knew deep down that she wanted to be with him in more than friendship. He was loyal and true to her, she knew that she meant the world to him and the thought made her warm inside.

Ginny unbuttoned the green coat that she had to wear for work, she was exhausted she had just worked a ten-hour shift and she needed to sleep. She looked in the mirror that was hung on the wall in the staff room and winced she looked awful. She ran a hand over her hair, it had been in a neat bun when she had left her apartment that morning but now most of it hung loosely around her face, shadows had started to appear beneath her eyes, emphasised by her pale complexion. Ginny made a face in the mirror before going to her locker and gathering her things ready to apparate home for a well deserved rest.

She heard the door of the staff room open and close again, but didn't pay much attention as she threw the last of her things into her small bag and picked up her heavy file, full of notes from her training sessions.

"Ginny is that you?'' A male voice called out.

"Andrew?'' Ginny replied, sure that she recognised his voice, she stepped out from the locker room into the staff room once again. "Oh hi.'' She said smiling at him.

"Hi.'' He replied his warm eyes fixed on her. "Are you off home now?''

"Yeah I'm exhausted, but it's worth it.''

"It is.''

"Are you going home now?'' Ginny asked.

"I wish I've got another two hours before I can leave." Andrew said smiling; drinking some of the water that he had just poured himself.

"Oh no, that's awful.'' Ginny said sympathetically.

"I'll live.''

"I'm sure you will, but I don't envy you.''

"Oh well, best get back down there, a man just got rushed in with tentacles growing out of his head, we can't get near him. They bite.''

Ginny laughed. "Lucky you, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure thing, see you in the morning, bye Gin.'' He called as he left the staff room. Leaving Ginny standing there carrying her file in both arms. A frown creased her brow. Did he just call her Gin; he'd never done that before.

(A.N Sorry this chapter took so long, I apologise, and I've been so busy. Hope it's all right and I can guarantee more fluff from now on. Please review thank you.)