Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.
Author's Note: This is AquariusNight just to clear things up ) I didn't like my nameeee. Hahaha. Anyway, I revised and redid some of the chapters, so hopefully you enjoy them. Have fun reading.
-Chapter 1-
"I guess it's over then," said Ginny, whispering softly to herself. She stared at the letter a moment more before placing the letter above a burning candle that was on top of her bedside table. The fire immediately engulfed the letter in small flames. She then placed the burning letter in an antique metal ashtray next to the candle.
Ginny waited a moment for the flames to die down, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake. Satisfied with the black mixture, Ginny lazily rose from her bed as she stretched her arms out luxuriously. She scampered downstairs, careful to avoid the creaky bottom step, not wishing to alarm anyone who may be up at this hour.
Ginny casually walked into the kitchen, plopping ungracefully into the nearest available chair. She grabbed a piece of toast from the wooden plate in the middle of the table and munched on it thoughtfully. Glancing towards the end of the table, she noticed Hermione completely engrossed in a book.
'She's reading a lot more than usual, if that's even possible,' Ginny thought to herself idly.
She quickly finished the toast with five unimaginably massive bites.Ginny then stood up abruptly, shoving the chair back with her legs as it teetered for an instant before settling. Hermione, who was otherwise oblivious to Ginny's presence, was rudely knocked out of her reading stupor.
Hermione looked up sharply, eyes wide. Blinking twice, she let out a sigh of relief as she realized it was only Ginny, who was turning to leave the kitchen.
"Ginny," she said, staring at Ginny's retreating form. Ginny stopped and turned her head to look at Hermione.
"Yes Hermione?" Ginny asked indifferently.
Hermione stared at Ginny questionably, and Ginny, noticing her expectant stare, looked back into Hermione's eyes with an unwavering intensity. Not wanting to cause an unwanted scene for Ginny's sake, Hermione looked away. Ginny then contorted her features into one showing no emotion.
Raising an eyebrow Ginny asked, "Well? Did you need something Hermione?" and Hermione paused.Ginny turned towards her fully, looking somewhat bored and yet somewhat challenging.
Hermione finally gave up her attempt at a possible conversation as she shook her head. "No Ginny, nothing at all really. I was..I was just wondering if you were going to Diagon Alley with us tomorrow." She glanced up at Ginny, waiting for her response.
It was all Ginny could do not to roll her eyes. After contemplating her answer, she finally settled with a shrug and turned, walking out of the kitchen without another word. Hermione sighed in defeat.
"Ginny," she whispered sadly under her breath, before immersing herself in her book once again.
Ginny walked a ways bit from the house. She finally reached her destination, a lone tree. She approached it slowly as if discovering its presence for the first time.
When she reached it, she extended her arm out, lightly brushing her fingertips along a name, her name. The letters G-I-N-N-Y were inscribed in the trunk of the tree.
Ginny sat down, crossing her legs. She leaned back against the tree, feeling content for the time being. Thoughts began to swirl through her head, dancing in and out of vortexes filled with past memories. Ginny shook her head, trying to calm her bitter thoughts. It was ill attempt as Ginny thought back to the scene in the kitchen.
Hermione knew exactly why Ginny was acting the way she is. She wouldn't be Hermione Granger if she didn't. The so-called brains of the inseparable trio she makes with Harry and her brother Ron. It was deemed nearly impossible to break into their little circle and that's what aggravated Ginny the most.
It just wasn't fair to be shunned like this. Sure there is Dumbledore's Army and the like, but it just wasn't the same. Ginny, in all honesty, thought they would be over the whole exclusion bit. Apparently not.
Ginny was still kept in the dark about certain events that transpired between them at Hogwarts over the years. She was even barred from receiving a full explanation about the happenings in her first and the chamber of secrets.
They all believed she might break down and lapse into an episode over it. She deserved to know what happened.
What she found the most suspicious was that they refused to tell her, much to her extreme annoyance, why Hermione was in the infirmary, and as a bloody cat no less!
Ginny decidedly gave up after a while, as most tend to do when faced with such insufferable and stubborn people. It happened sometime around the end of July and the beginning of August. She cast it off, with much difficulty, as a lost cause and something that she would not be bothered with anymore.
Although, she's not against them having a change of heart, which could very much happen.
'I am once again kidding myself,' Ginny thought irritably. The once and always optimistic side of Ginny never did fail to interrupt her constant pessimism, forever discretely spiting her brother and his two friends.
Ginny slouched against the tree, tilting her head back. A small grin graced her lips as she came to a most intriguing conclusion.
"This is definitely going to be the most eventful year at Hogwarts yet", she whispered with unabashed glee.
Ginny slowly closed her eyes as she almost immediately drifted into a much needed and welcome sleep.
"Mm," Ginny mumbled at the feel of someone nudging her shoulder. She leaned away from the annoying nudging bugger, not wanting to be disturbed.
The 'bugger' sighed loudly and reached over. He shoved Ginny so forcefully that she ended up completely on the ground and not half-leaning against the tree anymore.Ginny groaned in frustration and lifted herself up hastily. She whipped her head around to glare at her offender.
'Surprise, surprise,' Ginny thought, not amused. It was Ron. Ron rolled his eyes before leaning down and offering Ginny his hand.
"Well don't just sit there Ginny, Mum wants us all in the kitchen," Ron said, looking semi-bored. Ginny scowled at him and shoved his hand away.
She made a failed attempt at trying to stand up gracefully when her legs wobbled sluggishly. Ron grinned, "Clumsy are we?", and waggled his eyebrows at her in obvious amusement.
"I hate you," Ginny muttered under her breath. Ron had caught what she said and it shown on his face as his grin broadened.
Ginny ignored him and began to walk back to the house. Ron stared at her back for a moment and then proceeded to jog up to her side. Ginny and Ron walked in an uncomfortable silence that was really getting to Ginny.
She opted to break it. "So, what does Mum want exactly? Breakfast should be way over by now," Ginny asked curiously.
Ron stared down at the grass, "I don't know, I think she said something about discussing our behavior when Harry comes over tomorrow," he said, his voice laced with Ginny couldn't quite put her finger on. The corner of her lip went down in an awkward frown, "Oh."
She had completely forgotten about Harry's arrival tomorrow as she was so wrapped up in her own things that she didn't even think of how it would be like when Harry came.
He was obviously still upset over Sirius' death and whether he means it or not, his grieved attitude affected everyone around him. Especially Ron and Hermione who were his closest friends. They were in for a rough two weeks until school started.
Ginny shook her head, she should not be thinking so negatively. She mentally snickered at that.
'Me? Anything but pessimistic as of late? Now that is something. Maybe having Harry over will help me become a bit more optimistic about everything that has been happening lately. I sure hope so anyway,' Ginny thought hopefully. Oh well, time would tell.
Draco Malfoy lay awake in bed that morning, his black silk covers coming up to his neck. He stared blankly at the ceiling, not daring to blink. If not for the slow rise and fall of his chest, one would think he was dead.
Someone knocked once on the door a moment later. Irritation spread across Draco's calm features.
"Damn that woman who is my mother!" Draco growled out angrily. He rolled over on his stomach, sending the once neatly laid out sheets into total chaos.
Draco moaned into his pillow in protest when he heard yet another knock on his door. His mother oh-so-thoughtfully arranged it so that her servant would not only wake her up at 6:00, but him as well! If it were his servant, Moira, he'd have been able to do something about it.
But alas, it wasn't.
Draco was doomed.
Regardless of the frequent knocks to his mahogany door, once Draco woke up, it was nearly impossible for him to go back to sleep.
Draco sighed and continued to lie there in bed stubbornly. He decidedly thought of numerous ways to hex and/or poison Agatha, his mother's servant. In three minutes time, yet another knock came on his door. Draco quickly turned his head towards the door, fed up with Agatha's endless knocking.
"I'm up you insufferable woman! Go bother mother why don't you. You are her bloody servant, not mine! It would save a lot of time and effort if you just ceased your actions permanently," Draco shouted in annoyance.
An impatient yet calm voice responded from behind the door.
"Although many of you friends would find your less than charming rant to be amusing, especially since Agatha is nothing more than a servant, I myself, Draco, find it rude and disrespectful as you have no right to speak to Agatha like that. She is my servant, not yours, and you should do well to remember that."
Draco eyes promptly widened to the size of galleons at the sound of his mothers voice and unexpected presence.
Draco shut his eyes tightly, silently praying for his mother not to enter his bedroom, as it most likely, in his experience, meant a long and tiresome lecture. A lecture he so very much did not need, especially this early in the morning.
Draco inwardly groaned as he heard the doorknob slowly turn. Narcissa opened the door and entered the room. She gracefully walked over to the foot of his bed and stared down at him. He was still lying on his stomach, his head turned to the side.
Draco, using his peripheral vision, watched silently as his mother raised a delicately arched eyebrow at him expectantly. His eye twitched, and decided to slowly oblige to Narcissa's silent demanding of his undivided attention.
He lazily turned his body to face her completely, all the while lifting himself up at what could only be described as feigned sloth speed.
Draco could feel his mother grow more impatient and irritated by the second. He greatly resisted the urge to send an amused smirk in her direction.
Regardless of his suicidal behavior at the moment, Draco enjoyed the land of the living. He also resisted purring like a cat.
Finally pulling himself up, he moved to lean his back against the headboard. He adorned a look of innocence as he waited for his mother to react. Draco visibly grinned when he caught sight of a nerve twitching in his mother's neck.
Draco yawned into his hand, acting as innocent as ever. He set his still groggy eyes on his mother.
"Why mother, to what do I owe this.. Pleasure?" He asked sweetly, quickly sending her a dazzling smile, which faltered into another grin as yet another nerve twitched in his dear mother's neck.
Narcissa reached out and grabbed one of the wooden bed posts, wrapping her fingers around it somewhat tightly. Draco frowned at seeing her knuckles turn white, taking this as a bad sign. Something was wrong. He knew far to well that his mother only acted to grab something to sturdy herself with, when something unexpected and bad has happened.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen mother?" Draco asked, trying not to let worry invade his voice. At this Narcissa abruptly removed her hand from the best post. She opted for clasping her hands in front of her, keeping her composure as calm as possible.
She shook her head, "Not at all Draco, why ever would you think something like that?" She asked calmly.
'A little too calmly in fact,' Draco thought curiously. Now he was certain something was wrong. He perked his ears up and sat up straight. He would have to be extra observant now. If it was just like the other times his mother acted shady, it would not take long to crack her.
Narcissa took a sound step back, startling Draco out of his reverie. Draco leaned forward, his eyes questioning his mother's odd behavior. Narcissa let out a long breath she was unaware she was holding.
"Well Draco, I expect you down in the dinning room for breakfast, Francis made your favorite," Narcissa said, her voice sounding strained.
'She's hiding something from me for sure, something against her will I would think. What is it mother? What are you trying to tell me?,' Draco thought strongly.
The question burned through his steely gray eyes. His mother's eyes softened ever so slightly and she shook her head in response. Draco clenched his teeth and look down at his hands, feeling defeated.
Without a word, Narcissa turned and walked away, her back stiletto shoes clicking defiantly on the black marble floor. Draco deliberately let his head fall back, clunking it against the headboard. He repeated the gesture several more times, highly aware of the red bump he would develop in doing so.
He sighed in defeat and sagged back down completely on the bed. He was sprawled out haphazardly in an uncomfortable position, but paid no mind to the developing ache in his shoulders and back.
'Great,' he thought sadly to himself, 'Now what do I do?'
School was starting soon and he knew there would not be any time to investigate this matter further.
He grimaced.
'Bloody hell, I sound like Saint Potter. He and his sodding sidekicks, Weasley and Granger, never fail to butt into matters that concern Hogwarts. Insufferable clods.' He shuddered at the thought of being even a little bit as nosey as them in that regard.
'Well this doesn't concern Hogwarts. This concerns my mother and ….,' Draco paused. What did this really concern? Was it really his mother he was concerned about? Or was he just worried about what might happen to him if, or rather, when he found out what was going on.
He growled in frustration.
'Argh, it doesn't matter. What matters is figuring out exactly what the hell is going on in the first place!' Draco snapped mentally.
There came a resounding knock on his door frame, knocking him out of his reverie. Draco barely lifted his head an inch and took a peek in the direction of the knock. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, the side of his lip turned down in slight annoyance.
"Master Draco," said Agatha, her voice floating across the room, "Your mother wishes you to know that you will be accompanying her to Diagon Alley tomorrow. She also says that she expects you to not have made any plans, or to cancel any that you may have made. That is all from Mistress Malfoy."
Draco openly glared at Agatha, 'Now why couldn't mother tell Moira to relay her message to me instead? Blast,' Draco thought in aggravation.
"Very well Agatha, tell my mother that I shall be ready to depart to Diagon Alley when she feels fit tomorrow," Draco clenched his teeth, "You are dismissed."
Agatha nodded, leaving his room. An uncharacteristic smirk settled itself on her lips, 'Pity, pity for little Draco Malfoy, having to go on a delightful trip with his mother like a ten year old,' Agatha thought cheerfully. 'I think I'll do well to pity him all tomorrow, the poor lad.' Agatha continued back to Narcissa's room to relay Draco's message to her, her mouth now tight-lipped, to keep from smiling.
Draco groaned loudly to his low cathedral ceiling in protest. "Ugh, of all things to do, she wishes to go to Diagon Alley," Draco thought bitterly.
"I have been there at least fourteen times this summer, but I guess this shall be my lucky fifteen. Although one dares not to hope." He sighed, "And yet another lovely trip to Diagon Alley. Plus a worrisome and questionably sane mother," said Draco, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Author's Note: Well that's the first chapter (also my first fic! Ack!), I hope you enjoy it. Draco will be in the next chapter so please don't bite my head off X, eeeeee. Hopefully I'll have time to reread the HP books so that the characters will be as in character as possible. If there are any mistakes and so forth, feel free to let me know (constructive criticism -shakes fist-). Hehe, ANYHOO, HAPPY READING.