Priz: Thank you very much!
Crimson Gold: So you want vampires… hmm…
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, Ginny was unsurprised to receive a note from Lucius with the morning post. She was astonished, however, when it was delivered by a white pygmy owl that crashed into a bowl of oatmeal in lieu of returning to the Owlery after it delivered its burden. While Ginny read the letter, the tiny owl hopped on to the top of Neville's head and promptly fell asleep, fashioning a nest out of his hair. Ginny laughed with the rest of the table, then turned back to her letter.
Ginny:
We should meet tonight. In case you were wondering, I chose this owl because I didn't think he'd attract suspicion, but he's quite fast. We'll both use him for now, but consider him yours. I call him Hades, but you can call him whatever you like.
Ginny looked at the sleeping owl.
"Hades?" She said, incredulously. The little feather ball jumped up, causing Neville to yelp, and hopped up and down, hooting. Ginny shook her head and took her Revealer out of her bag. I uncovered the rest of the letter:
Follow the map I gave you into the Forest. I'll be there at 11 pm. LM
Ginny folded the note and slipped it into the pocket of her robes. She quickly finished her oatmeal and hurried to History of Magic.
--
Professor Binns droned on about giant revolts. Ginny stared out the window at the Forbidden Forest. She wondered how the meeting with Lucius would go this evening. The now-familiar butterflies returned to her stomach at the thought. They hadn't met since he had said he loved her several nights ago. She wondered if anything would be different. Would she possibly be able to resist the temptation to fall into his arms the moment she saw him?
--
Miles away, Lucius Malfoy was pacing the parlor of his manor in Chelsea, entertaining similar thoughts. The day before, he had felt as though he was walking on a cloud. Now, after another meeting with Voldemort and the night's imminent meeting with Ginny looming, his feet were firmly back on the ground.
He wasn't Draco. She seemed to know that. If he had just kept his mouth shut, this wouldn't be such a problem. He glanced over to his favorite chair, and caught a glimpse of Ginny sitting in it, her legs curled up, sipping a cup of tea, smiling fondly at him. He shook his head and closed his eyes, willing the image away. He was kidding himself. Why dream of something that could never happen? But still, she would look so perfect in that chair…
--
Ginny's potion was mustard yellow. She stared into it blankly. Finally, Colin Creevey nudged her.
"That's supposed to be fuschia, isn't it?" He asked. Ginny nodded.
"Did I miss a step?" she asked. Snape quickly answered her question.
"Miss Weasley, this potion in supposed to be bright fuschia. I supposed you forgot to add the veela hair?" Recognition dawned on Ginny's flushing face as she nodded. Snape sighed and emptied her cauldron. He took the opportunity to drop a parchment into it. As the bell rang, Ginny opened the note. Another slip fell out of it as she read the first.
Miss Weasley:
Please pass this on to Mr. Malfoy. Best of luck to you when you begin your role in the fight.
S. Snape
Ginny pocketed the second slip of paper.
--
That evening, Ginny and Hermione were in the library with their robes gathered around them against the December chill that was creeping into the castle.
"What do you suppose he wants this time?" Hermione asked.
"I haven't the faintest idea." Ginny looked quickly around her. "Listen, Hermione, I need to tell you something." In hushed tones, she told Hermione about the kiss and Lucius' confession that he loved her. When she finished, Hermione's eyes were wide.
"But-Ginny-I don't think this is a good idea."
"Why not? You didn't have a problem with it before now."
"I didn't realize you were in love with him until now!"
Ginny struggled to get her tongue around her words. "No-I'm not, I couldn't possibly be in love with him-he's Draco's father, he's twice my age, you're-you're wrong."
Hermione's eyes danced. "Am I? I'm not passing judgement, Ginny. Just be careful."
--
Ginny pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak as she entered the clearing. Lucius was sitting on a log across form her. He stood when he saw her and held out his arms. Ginny walked toward him hesitantly, than found herself wrapped in his embrace. He pressed a kiss into her hair, than covered her mouth with his. Ginny returned his kiss in earnest. Their tongues touched, and Ginny felt a rush of fire sweeping down to her stomach. Lucius pulled her still closer against him and deepened their kiss.
When they pulled back, their breathing was heavy. Ginny found her voice first.
"Why here?" she asked.
Lucius motioned for her to sit on the log. He sat beside her. "Dumbledore lifted the Anti-Apparation charm in this area. It will make everything much easier for you when I take you to Voldemort."
Ginny began to ask one of her thousands of questions, but Lucius' fingers brushed across her lips. He spoke softly.
"Not now. I'm not ready to take you to him yet. For now, there's something we need to talk about. I was completely serious when we spoke the other night. I love you, Ginny."
Ginny smiled. "And I love you. I never thought you weren't serious. I just didn't know how to respond."
Lucius' eyes smiled for a split second before his mouth bore down on hers again. She wound her hands into his silky hair as he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. He broke their kiss and spoke, his voice low and husky.
"Should we continue this somewhere else?"
Ginny dropped a kiss on his collarbone, which was peeking subtly out from his cashmere sweater. "Perhaps we should." She whispered.
TBC
