A/N: Hehehe… here's the second chappie. And I've been doing some thinking, and I've realized that I actually do own quite a bit of the plot. "Speed" was just a starting point. Now it's really a lot different – a fact for which I'm quite grateful.
This chapter's really, really good…
Pairing: Draco/Ginny, Hermione/Severus, and possibly others, depending on if the mood strikes me.
Rating: Erm… PG-13, unless I get to be a bad little girl.
Disclaimer: *sigh* You all know that anything you recognize is not mine, right? Good. Oh, guess what?! I own something. Tim Rovenwood. *grins* Yay! He's mine, all mine! Oh, and I introduce some more characters here! So I own Andrew Salinse and Emile Kandov as well, 'kay?
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Draco finally found his voice, and choked out, "Who's the adult?"
Rovenwood looked down at the sheet of parchment he was holding. "Let's see… it's a professor. Looks like the new Charms instructor. Miss Virginia Weasley."
Draco felt his heart catch in his throat. Ginny. Ginny was at the mercy of Death Eaters. He knew that one of them had to be his father. Lucius was going to do the one thing he knew would destroy Draco forever. Draco looked up at his superior. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
***
A very pissed off Virginia Weasley watched the Hogwarts Express fade into the distance. She'd gotten off to help a student with their baggage. The girl had hopped on the train and Ginny had been ready to follow when she saw her purse on the platform. It had all her money in it, and though it wasn't a lot…well, it was all she had. So she'd gone to get it, and the train had left without her.
She sighed. Oh, well. At least she had her wand, and she could Apparate. Concentrating, she Disapparated, reappearing in Hogsmeade only a second later. She began the long walk to the castle, cursing her bad luck. She'd wanted to ride the train in an attempt to get to know her students better. Well, and in an attempt to remember the good old days. She sighed. It didn't matter why she'd planned on it; the fact of the matter was that she had missed the train.
Too bad she couldn't Apparate onto the train. But she knew very well that she couldn't Apparate onto a moving object. It was like you were just asking to get stuck in a wall. Ginny laughed to herself. It was ridiculous what some people had gotten themselves into—literally.
Ginny glanced up and was surprised to see she was almost to the castle. She smiled, walking through the large doors. It felt like coming home, really. She had always felt that way about Hogwarts, no matter what happened. She walked into the Great Hall, and was not surprised to find most of the teachers enjoying lunch.
Professor McGonagall glanced up and smiled at her. "Ah, Ginny. I thought you were coming on the train with the students."
Ginny sighed, sitting in the chair the Headmistress indicated to her left. "I was. But I missed it." At the older witch's incredulous look, she elaborated. "Well, professor, I was there, but then I got up to help a student with her luggage, was about to get back on, but noticed my puse on the ground. I turned around to get it, and the train pulled away," she finished dryly.
McGonagall's lips were twitching with amusement. Ginny raised a brow, prompting the older woman to grin. "Just remember to call me Minerva, Ginny. We're equals now." Ginny blushed. She doubted she'd ever think herself Prof—Minerva's equal.
A man ran into the Great Hall. He leaned his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. The Headmistress had risen upon his entrance and now waited for him to speak.
He looked up. "Death Eaters," he gasped. "They've taken the Hogwarts Express … the students … hostage."
The Headmistress' eyes grew cold, and she said quietly, "Meeting in my office immediately. Someone inform Hermione and Severus."
Ginny glanced around, noticing for the first time that her best friend wasn't in the Great Hall. She smiled to herself, knowing full well where the two lovebirds were. Although she and Ginny didn't talk much about their sex lives, Hermione had divulged that Severus was a very active man…
Ginny shook her head, trying to get rid of the image those words prompted. Despite how much she had grown to like the man, the thought of him with a sex-life still gave her the heebie-jeebies—especially since that sex-life was with her best friend. She stood, following Minerva as she swept out of the Hall towards her office. She saw Professor Sinistra slip off to find Hermion and Severus, and she smiled, hoping Sinistra would still have his sanity when he returned.
Her face turned grim as she entered Minerva's office. Only two of the instructors had arrived yet—Hagrid and Madame Hooch. The man who had given them the message had collapsed in a chair in front of the Headmistress' desk. A flood of people entered. Ginny only recognized Severus, Hermione, Sinistra, and Vector. The rest were either new, or had never taught Ginny. She gave a small smile to Hermione, which the young woman returned quickly.
The Headmistress called attention to the front of the office. "Auror Emile Kandov of the seventh guard has come to inform us of a hostage situation on the Hogwarts Express." Murmurs filled the room, though they were quickly silenced by Minerva's glare. She motioned for Kandov to stand.
He faced the room, his breath now slow and even. "At 11:05 this morning, five Death Eaters boarded the Hogwarts Express. They want access to their vaults at Gringotts as well as their records cleared. Now, as I understand it, not only are there some 500 students onboard, but one of the professors as well, Virginia Weasley."
Ginny's body jerked when she heard her name, and she quickly spoke up. "Actually, I'm right here." The Auror turned to her in shock, so she explained. "I was on it, but I got off to help someone and it pulled away without me. All my bags and everything are still there."
A low chuckle filled the room as Severus said quietly, "For once your giving nature has helped instead of hindered. Will wonders never cease?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at her husband and quickly stepped up to Ginny, pulling the red-haired young woman into a hug. "I'm just glad you're okay," she whispered into the girl's ear.
Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder to find Kandov looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. She raised a brow, questioning. He gave her a small smile before speaking. "This could actually work to our advantage. McGonagall," he turned to the Headmistress, "I came here originally just to inform you of the situation, as well as bring Professor Snape back with me." Severus did not look surprised, although Hermione was frowning. "However, I would like to request that Miss Weasley come as well. She could be of great use, if she is supposed to be on the train."
Hermione looked murderous now. She crossed her arms decidedly. "Well if you're taking my husband as well as my best friend, then I'm coming as well." Kandov looked like he was about to protest, but quickly shut his mouth after another glare from Hermione.
The Headmistress nodded. "All of you may go, excluding, of course, Professors Snape and Weasley, and Ms. Granger." Everyone filed out of the room, a few (including Hagrid) throwing looks of encouragement to the five remaining parties.
Kandov smiled. "Shall we go down to Hogsmeade, then?"
***
Draco paced his office, waiting for his partner to return. He couldn't do anything without Emile. Not because he was helpless without him or anything, just company policy. You couldn't go out into the field without a partner. They'd lost too many Aurors that way.
He could have sworn he was going insane. There was something about Ginny that made him want to protect her. He knew she could protect herself—she'd proved it countless times—but he couldn't stop that want. He supposed it was primal instinct or something.
There was a knock on the door, and Draco opened it to see his secretary, Marie. "Emile's here. He's in the briefing room with Rovenwood and a few others."
Draco nodded, giving her a small smile and heading to the briefing room. Marie was a nice woman, married with two kids. Her husband worked at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Sports and Games. They were saving up to buy a house in the country.
As soon as Draco entered the briefing room, he could have sworn his heart stopped beating. There she was. Ginny. She wasn't on the train. He collapsed into a chair, weak with relief. She was talking with Granger, a small smile on her face. The Muggleborn glanced up, catching Draco's eye, and saying something to Ginny. The redhead turned, her smile faltering when she saw him.
Am I really that horrible to her? he thought miserably. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Rovenwood stepped to the front of the room.
"I know we don't all know each other, so I'm going to have everyone take a turn introducing him or herself. Any titles you may have, your name, and your place of work. I am Auror Timothy Rovenwood, English Auror Office, first guard." He motioned to the person to his right to continue.
"Auror Emile Kandov, English Auror Office, seventh guard."
"Professor Severus Snape, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Ms. Hermione Granger, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Professor Virginia Weasley, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Auror Andrew Salinse, English Auror Office, second guard."
"Auror Draco Malfoy, English Auror Office, seventh guard."
"Auror Pansy Parkinson, English Auror Office, second guard."
Introductions complete, Rovenwood continued. "I am the Gold Section leader, and therefore most everyone's—the Aurors' anyway—superior. What we need to do is devise a way to take back the train while making sure no one gets hurt." Most of the Aurors rolled their eyes. Rovenwood was always like this, stating the obvious. "Do I have any suggestions?" Kandov raised his hand. "Auror Kandov?"
"Sir, I discovered while at Hogwarts that Professor Weasley is still assumed to be on the train. We could use that to our advantage."
Rovenwood nodded slowly. Another person raised his hand. "Auror Salinse?"
"I don't see why we can't just Apparate in there and—" Everyone rolled their eyes at this.
"You cannot Apparate onto a moving object!" Hermione interrupted him, glaring. Pansy, Draco, Ginny, and Severus all had to control their laughter. Some things never changed, and in times like this, they were all extremely grateful for that.
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A/N: And there you go. The second chapter. I thought I would end it on a light note, considering everything. I'm sorry if you got bored during the introductions, but I thought it was the best way for you to know everyone there. I'm pretty sure most of them will have pretty prominent roles in the story. Just in case you were wondering, the Gold Section is the best section around, with the highest-ranking Aurors and everything.
LadyRhiyana: Well, the requited/unrequited part I'll have to get back to you on, although I will tell you this (and knowing me, it will probably reveal it anyway): He doesn't think that she has/had feelings for him. Whether she does or not… Well, that's what you'll get to find out later.
FTCWriter: Don't worry, I'll only write more of this story if I feel like it. And luckily for the people who are reading, I'm having fun writing it, so I will most likely continue till the end. Sorry if this wasn't so fast of an update, although it was a longer one.
g: *grin* I will definitely update, don't worry.
SAngel: Well, I don't know about the D/G action… For one, I don't write anything more than kissing, because anything more is honestly beyond my writing skills. As for when, or how soon? I have no idea. I don't want to say that I'll have it by a certain chapter, because then you'll want to hold me to it, and I change my mind a lot. It could be the next chapter, but it could be as far away as the tenth.