Chapter II

Nectarines suck: Allow me to start by saying: yes Nectarines does suck. I mean, he beat up one of your friends! Evil! Also, yes I will finish this one… Aw, your poor shins.

RiOt-GaL: Aw, thanks. Such a sweet review! Definitely, too much fluff too soon is not good!

Pussin Boots: Well…. Well… you can't have everything! I'm sorry…. I'll try. Thanks.

leafsgurl999: Another really nice review! Thanks. I hope you find this chapter as good as the last.

random gal: Thanks! I hope it goes okay….

Neeltje- Thanks dude. It's not cliché! It's not!

Bambiky- Thanks!

Harrison J. Pecans- They're not together… yet!

Summary: This chapter offers slightly more insight into Ginny and Draco's lives and thoughts.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and any new characters. As much as I'd like to say I own Draco… I can't. sigh

Authors Note: Thanks everyone for your reviews. Also, thank you Ezekiel for your help in the naming of the new character and for everything else. You really are a legend. This is a fairly long chapter for me. I'm happy! Ok guys… please read and review!

As she sat in the Great Hall Ginny Weasley was sure she could feel someone watching her. Though, it could've just been her imagination. But she was sure she could feel eyes on her. She looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She shook her head and scolded herself for being so silly.

Everyone in the great hall was talking loudly about their holidays and stuff, but the most common topic of conversation was The War. Hardly surprising though, a few of the students had already lost parents. But the worst was still to come. The full force of the war would not hit until Harry, Ron and Hermione had succeeded in their quest to find the Horcruxes. That was IF they succeeded. Ginny was told very little about the quest but living with the twins certainly helped her to gather information. From what she'd heard the Dream Team had already found and destroyed two Horcruxes. It was a dangerous journey and without Dumbledore's protection the Trio was under constant threat. Voldemort had gathered a large and powerful army.

Ginny dragged her thoughts away from the painful topic of the war and looked around the Great Hall.

Many students were missing because their parents didn't think the school would be safe enough without Dumbledore. Ginny noticed that the Patil twins were missing, as was Seamus Finnegan, Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones and Cho Chang. There was probably more but these were the only one whose absence Ginny noticed. Cho was missing because her mother had been taken by the Death Eaters. Ginny had read about it as had everyone else apparently because this was a topic that kept popping up.

Over at the Slytherin table Draco Malfoy was sitting between Pansy Parkinson and Vincent Crabbe. Pansy had attached herself to his arm the minute she first saw him that evening and was yet to let go. He'd tried shaking her off, but like a determined leech, she wouldn't release her firm grip. He was vaguely aware of Crabbe mumbling some nonsense beside him, but really couldn't be bothered listening. He looked up at the roof/sky and began to inspect some of the stars. In his head he was pointing out different constellations when he realized everyone around him was staring at him.

Draco looked at them all looking at him.

"What?" He asked blankly.

Pansy giggled sickeningly.

"About your initiation silly…"

"What about it?" Draco asked.

"When is it!" Blaise Zabini asked impatiently.

"Oh…" Draco said, finally understanding. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Goyle asked.

"I mean… dammit Goyle. I mean I DON'T KNOW!"

Everyone looked surprised at Draco's little tantrum.

Well, dammit. He was frustrated and God help anyone who gets in his way when he's frustrated. He sat sulking for a moment. Over the holidays he had preformed the 'initiation task'. He was haunted by it at night.

MEMORY

Draco stood silently, hidden beneath an invisibility cloak. He was careful not to make any noise, for he knew that if he did he would ultimately lose his life. A tall witch with dark hair, eyes and complexion walked past him, unaware of his presence. He crept slowly behind her. She glanced nervously around and Draco froze. He couldn't put it off any longer.

"AVADA KEDARVA!" He yelled mustering up all of his energy and courage.

The woman gasped and in a flash of green light fell to the floor. Draco closed his eyes, momentarily repulsed by what he had done. He shook his head and walked silently away, leaving the body of Cho Chang's mother.

Draco was brought back to reality by Pansy tapping him on the arm. He looked up to see Professor McGonagall getting to her feet.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts," She began with a forced smile. "I understand that you are all suffering greatly because of the War, but this does not mean that Hogwarts and your schooling will suffer. Albus Dumbledore was a great man, one who will never be forgotten. I ask you all to raise your glasses in a toast to him." Every person in the room raised their glass, Slytherins included.

"To Albus Dumbledore," Professor McGonagall said smiling as tears shone in her eyes.

"To Albus Dumbledore," The students echoed. Many of them too looked teary.

After the toast McGonagall gestured for a man who was sitting at the end of the table to stand. He did and the students could see that he was quite a tall man with dark hair and eyes.

"This," She said gesturing towards him. "Is Professor William Walker,"

He nodded at the students and sat back down.

"He will be replacing Professor Snape as the Defence against the Dark Arts professor."

As soon as this was said there were murmurs of why Snape had left. Some of the students KNEW why he was gone, but others were not sure.

McGonagall finished her speech much more formally than Dumbledore would have.

"Thank you and welcome back. Enjoy the feast!"

After the feast Ginny followed Lavender Brown up to Gryffindor Tower. As they reached the portrait the Fat Lady looked at all the first years and giggled.

"Oh my, they are pretty ones aren't they?" She said drunkenly.

Ginny snorted.

Honestly, I don't know why they let Violet and the Fat Lady see each other while we're at the welcoming feast. It frightens the first years! She thought.

"Hippogriff," Lavender said, shaking her head at the drunken portrait.

The Fat Lady giggled and swung forward allowing the students to enter the common room.

Everyone stood around in groups and chattered happily.

Ginny was amazed that they could all be so cheerful. Didn't they understand what was going on? The wizarding world was at war. Where they all honestly so stupid that they didn't realize this?

"Ginny!"

Ginny spun around to see Lavender beckoning to her from the other side of the room. She shook her head and waved to Lavender. Ginny had never really liked Lavender and she didn't have the patience for her right now.

Instead she headed up the stairs to her dormitory.

Draco wandered down towards the Dungeons with Pansy STILL attatched to his arm. She was going on about something, but Draco simply ignored her and got lost in his own thoughts.

As they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room Pansy spotted some of her friends. She squealed and dropped Draco's arm. She jumped up, pecked him on the cheek and ran to join her friends.

"Ugh. I hope I don't catch something," He muttered wiping his cheek. He was all for female attention but Pansy Parkinson? Does she even count as being female?

"Basalisk Blood" He said as he approached the portrait. It swung forward, allowing him to enter. In the Common Room people crowded around him asking about his initiation and enrolment. He brushed off most of the questions and headed up to his dormitory. He really couldn't be bothered with them at the moment.

With all her classes finished for the day Ginny was relaxing in a chair in the Gryffindor Common Room. Sitting with nothing to do caused her mind to wander to topics she'd rather not think about. She realized that without Ron, Harry and Hermione she'd basically be alone this year. It's not as though they allowed her to tag along because they enjoyed her company. More that they valued their lives. Molly Weasley could be quite threatening at times. Ginny realized this, but said nothing, for she was quite grateful for the company. But this year her "protectors" wouldn't be there and she would be alone. True, she could hang out with the Creevey boys or Lavender, but she didn't feel wanted by them. Well… she didn't really feel wanted by anyone after the whole Riddle thing. It seems they all feared being petrified. Thinking about the Trio made her mind wander to their quest. Thinking about this scared her because she knew of the dangers they would face.

Ginny felt the sting of tears in her eyes. The war, the Trio and the thought of being alone all year; it was all too much for Ginny to cope with. She wiped her eyes with a shaking hand and pulled herself to her feet. She needed to let out some frustration, and for Ginny there was only one way to do this.

Draco launched himself onto his bed. It'd been a long day. It was his first day of classes and he'd had double potions with Slughorn. With Snape he'd been favoured, all the Slytherins had, but Slughorn despised him. It wasn't that he was bad at potions. No, he was quite good at potions (Of course, being a Malfoy he was perfect in every way…) but for some reason Slughorn hated him.

Probably, Draco thought. Because I'm a Malfoy.

He pondered this for a moment before lying back on his bed and allowing himself to drift off to sleep. But, as usual, he slept for only an hour or so before being haunted by horrible dreams.

He could see her. She reached out towards him. She was speaking.

"Draco… it's not too late!" She cried with her arms outstretched towards her son. "You don't have to do this! Draco, stay with me!"

Then Lucius stepped forward and began to yell.

"Yes he does! Stupid woman! He does!" Lucius yelled, outraged.

Narcissa broke down into sobs and Lucius swung around with his arm outstretched and connected with her face. All of a sudden this picture faded to a vision of another woman.

This woman was lying on the floor screaming. Her daughter sat beside her crying. She turned to Draco.

"You did this! You did this to my mother! How dare you!" She screamed. The girl was Cho Chang. She got to her feet and ran screaming at Draco. As she got closer she faded to Lord Voldemort who grabbed Draco's arm.

Draco sat upright in his bed breathing heavily. His arm burned. He pulled up the sleeve of his robe and looked at the Dark Mark which was now on his arm. It looked the same as it always did. He was not being summoned. He sighed with relief and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

Yes. He, Draco Malfoy, was a Death Eater. His enrolment had already taken place. He lived in terror of having to kill again. He was weak. He shouldn't fear killing, he should gain pleasure from it. As the ruthless Death Eater he was he should be prepared to kill. Instead he was terrified. Terrified and ashamed. He knew his mother disagreed with what he was doing and he hated that. But Lucius had been full of threats.

"If you don't agree to join your mother could find herself in much harm Draco…"

Yes Lucius, the bastard he is, had even threatened to kill his own wife. And Draco did not doubt for one minute that Lucius would follow through with his threat. So he played along. A part of Draco also wanted to be a Death Eater. It'd make him seem like a big man, and as a Malfoy he had a reputation to uphold.

But still he was disgusted with himself.

He opened his trunk which was at the end of the bed. He needed to relax and release. There was only one way for him to do that.

Ginny stretched and pulled her long red curls into a bun. She glanced into the mirror that covered one of the walls of The Room of Requirement. She was dressed in an emerald green leotard and tights which made her red hair look even more brilliant. She brought her arms high above her head and bent her knees, lifting her heels of the ground, in a grand plie. She couldn't believe how wonderful it felt to be dancing.

In the corner of the room sat a CD player. Well… the magical equivalent of a CD player. Ginny tapped it with her wand and a fast dance track began to play.

She began to dance. It was a routine she'd been working on over the summer and she'd perfected it. It was fast and used a combination of all different sorts of dance. This for Ginny was her release.

She'd taught herself to dance. Tuition was expensive and her parents couldn't afford it. But, with the help of many books, she'd become quite talented.

She'd always had a natural talent for dancing but now she was brilliant. She'd studied all different forms of dance. Latin, Classical Ballet, Modern Ballet… everything.

The song finished and Ginny ended in a low split. She got back up, already feeling totally refreshed and relaxed. She got into position and waited for the next song.

Draco looked down at the sketchpad he held. The eyes needed more work. He worked quickly and confidently and had soon finished an incredibly realistic sketch of his mother. Looking at the sketch brought the woman to Draco's mind. He loved his mother, he really did. He could never love Lucius. But Narcissa offered a much more parental role to him.

She really cared about him. Whereas Lucius… Well, Lucius cared for Lucius and that was it.

The man couldn't even say the word love for fear it would make Voldemort want him dead.

Thus being one of the reasons Draco Malfoy envied Harry Potter. Yes that's right. Envy. Not because he's pathetically good. No, not that, but because his parents cared for him. Draco's mother cares for him, yes. But Lucius has forced his son to take the path in life that will almost surely result in his death.

Draco flipped through the pages of his sketchpad. Most of the drawings were of his mother. Occasionally there were sketches of completely random things. Sunsets, flowers, animals. But of course Lucius could never know that his son drew pictures of flowers in his spare time. Draco would be hanged. So this, his release, took place privately and only when he had full concentration and would not be disturbed. He had talent that was for sure. But it was unrecognized talent because he felt no one could ever see these drawings for fear of him seeming less of a man.

Authors Note: Well, thanks for reading. Review and tell me what you think! I apologise in advance if I screw up any terms or anything with Ginny's dancing. Because I'm not a dancer, I'm completely hopeless when it comes to dancing! So I'm just doing the best I can. Same with the drawing really. Anyways, just tell me what you thought!