Chapter 42- When Dreams Do Show Me Thee
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Draco held Ginny tighter, returning the stare of the identical weasels on the other side of the glass. If they came in trying to kick his arse, the jokers would find out they needed more than Potty to get the better of him these days. When the twins entered and stood looking from him to their sister like they couldn't decide what to say or who to say it to, he made the decision for them. "I came to make sure Ginny was all right."
The redheads exchanged glances before the one on the left said, "Seemed like you came to make out. Right, George?"
"Right, Fred. Some nerve the ferret has, coming here after all the trouble he's caused."
Ginny said, "Draco hasn't caused any trouble. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I'm the one who wanted us to hide the fact that we're together. I thought I could bring the family round."
"You're the one going round—round the twist—if you think that's ever going to happen."
"I think she knows that, Fred, so what are we going to do?"
"Hell if I know, George. March them up to the house, wake up Mum and Dad?"
"No!"
The twins crossed their arms in unison after hearing Ginny's protest.
"Give us a reason…."
"Why we shouldn't?"
Draco slipped his arm around his girlfriend's waist. He said, "It's only going to upset your parents more. Is that what you want?"
The pair shook their heads. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Fred asked, "What do you care if they're upset? Last I heard, you thought our dad was a 'useless loser' and our mum…."
"'Fat and ugly' was what you called her, before the sneer was beaten off your face," George finished.
Draco didn't deny meaning the words at the time. He could only say, "That was then. Whoever is happy will make others happy too." He shrugged. "I wasn't."
The twins gaped.
"Did he just…."
"Quote that Muggle girl we learnt about at school?"
Ginny said, "Why shouldn't he quote Anne Frank? Because you expect him to be a pure-blood snob, and you're too prejudiced yourselves to give Draco a chance?"
Fred and George were looking at each other in that weird silent communication thing twins did. One set of red eyebrows lifted. The other contracted in a frown. One Weasley stared meaningfully. The other rolled his eyes before blowing a breath that lifted an overlong fringe. The duo said as one, "Okay, we won't tell."
The frowner, probably still holding a grudge over the sore lip Draco once gave him, said, "In return, Malfoy's going to leave right now, and promise not to come back."
A Slytherin inner voice hissed that promises made under duress could not be enforced in a court of law. Draco was tempted to say anything they wanted to hear and do what he wanted later. Realising that he had to find some way to get along with his girlfriend's family, he chose to be honest, no matter how much it went against everything he had ever been taught. "I'll leave, but I promise nothing...except that I love Ginny."
Faces scrunching like they'd eaten a puking pastille out of one of their Skivving Snackboxes, the brothers groaned.
"Blimey! He said the 'L' word!"
"I heard, George."
Ginny left Draco's side. "You don't have to like me dating a Malfoy. I'm not asking you to go to a Quidditch match together, just respect the fact that I love him, and don't try and break us up."
"Could he get us box seats?" Fred asked.
George elbowed his brother. "I'll try," he told Ginny, "but I promise nothing."
"Fair enough," Draco said, catching the girl who had thrown herself back into his arms. He returned her hug. "I suppose I'd better get back."
"You're not going anywhere until somebody tells me what the hell's going on!"
The four inside the workshop startled. In the subdued light cast by a single illumination orb, the man in the doorway's face was as shadowed and sinister as his tone. Unimpressed by the man's dragon hide clothing and tough guy act, Draco watched impassively while George stepped forward.
Fred jerked his head toward the fireplace. "George'll distract him. Make a run for it!"
Ginny gave Draco a little push. "Hurry, go!"
Draco went, but not fast enough.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Frozen in place, his eyes could only stare helplessly at a shelf holding numerous small copper cylinder-shaped things.
Beside him, Ginny yelled, "You let him go, Bill Weasley, or…or…."
"Or what? You'll hex me? Since I'm the one with a wand, sister, I'm not too worried."
Fred said, "Tell Mum and Dad he came to see her in the morning, if you have to, but don't wake them up. They've dealt with enough for one night."
If Draco could have blinked in surprise, he would have…but he was totally immobilised.
"Listen to them, Bill. This isn't the way to go," said George.
A laugh of disbelief rang out. "A Malfoy, a Slytherin, is in the workshop with his arms around our little sister—in the middle of the night—and you want me to let him go? Bill said harshly. "I finish an assignment, find Dad's owl with the cryptic message to come home soon as possible, and then I step out of the fireplace to see you two sneaking out the back door." He took a deep breath to bellow, "What the bloody hell is going on in this family?"
Ginny's tone was pleading. "We'll tell you everything, I promise, after you release the spell."
"No."
The sound of something crashing to the floor immediately followed the unequivocal answer.
"Oomph…. Get off me, you nutters!"
"Sorry, Bill."
"No can do. Grab his wand, Ginny!"
She immediately broke the spell.
Draco whirled around to view the twins wrestling their older brother.
Ginny pointed the wand in her hand. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Instantly, Bill's struggles ceased. Rising to their feet, the twins shook their heads.
George moaned. "This is a bigger fiasco than that broomstick panty raid we tried to pull fifth year."
"Speak for yourself. Angelina gave me her panties."
"Ballocks! You never turned in—oh gods, you kept her panties? You pervert!"
Fred lifted his hands. "Hey, I tried to give them back, but she…." A blush to rival his hair covered Weasley's face when he caught sight of the two listening. "Uh," he said, "Let's take Billy-boy to the house before we counter the spell."
"Yeah, say goodbye to Malfoy," said George. "I have a feeling we're going to be having a…." He put his fingers up and made quoting motions. "Family talk."
The twins used Locomotor Mortis to transport Bill's prone form out of the workshop.
Once they were alone, Draco gazed down to see his girl's eyes shining with a combination of tears and laughter. He used the pad of his thumb to wipe away the moisture from dark red eyelashes. Tenderly, he placed a tender kiss to her lips.
"You need to go," she said.
He took her hands in his. "That's why I'm going to stay."
"No…I…."
"Yes. I'm going to talk to your family. Tell them how I feel, how we feel. If they still hate me, hate us being together, then fine. At least I'll have tried."
When they walked through the back door, Bill was slumped over his arms at the kitchen table. A platinum brow winged upwards, prompting the twins downing beer by the fridge to start talking.
"He was a bit…tetchy."
"So we thought a good night's sleep might improve Bill's temper."
Fred and George seemed to realise at the same time he was in their home. They demanded of their sister in unison, "What's he doing here?"
"We want to talk to the family, together," said Ginny.
The duo silently conferred. One shook his head. The other nodded. The first one made a face. His brother shrugged, as if to say, 'what else can we do?' They both heaved aggrieved sighs.
The brother who had originally objected said flatly, "Mum and Dad need their sleep, so no waking them up. We can talk in the morning."
Hearing his girl thank 'George', Draco told the other twin, "Fine. Where do I bunk?" Automatically, his eyes slid to Ginny. She smiled.
George scowled. "Don't even think about it, Slytherin. You're lucky to get a sleeping bag on our floor."
Draco walked upstairs behind the twins, holding Ginny's hand. It was strange to be in this house and be memorable. Throwing a wistful and nostalgic glance at her bedroom door, he kept his audience in mind and merely kissed her hand before whispering 'good night.'
A short time later, the twins were snoring softly in their bunks while he stretched out on a sleeping bag on the floor he'd comfort charmed. Staring up at the ceiling, in the midst of wondering what the morning would bring, Draco fell asleep.
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In those same early hours, when the sky over Hogwarts had not yet begun to lighten and Morpheus, god of sleep, reigned over its inhabitants, a girl in the Slytherin dorm began to dream….
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Blaise stood beside her father while the boat tied up at the dock. She looked out at the exotic landscape and felt oddly at home. On the shore, a group of native people waited to bear their equipment to the distant unexplored mountains of the Mutia Escarpment.
A lean blond man joined them at the railing. "Africa. Uncivilised, dangerous, and without a decent pub. Remind me why I returned?"
She smiled. "You wanted to find the fabled 'elephant's graveyard' full of ivory and become filthy rich, Colin."
The incorrigible adventurer replied lightly, "That's my excuse. You Zabinis are already filthy rich. What's yours?"
Her father flashed a white smile around his cheroot. "Adventure, Creevey."
Colin dogged Blaise's steps as they made their way from boat to land. He said, "The only adventure I need is you, a bottle of champagne, and dancing in the moonlight."
"That kind of adventure's dangerous too. You almost fell into the Thames during our Bon Voyage party."
After conferring with the local guide on the route in the man's native language and sending him back to oversee the baggage train after a handshake, Colin said, "I was only trying to steal a kiss. You didn't have to push me so hard!"
Laughing at the man who looked like an angel but was such a charming devil, Blaise fondly kissed his cheek. "Yes, I did. Your lady-friend wouldn't have appreciated the display of affection, and I like you too much to lead you on when I know I need someone else."
Enrique Zabini called impatiently for his daughter and their English 'guide' to join him. The safari was ready to begin. The pair hurried forward.
That night, after camp had been set up, and dinner served and cleared away, Blaise stretched her feet toward the fire. She told the man lounging in a camp chair beside her, "Aren't we thankful for wizard-made gear? The thought of trekking through jungles and up mountains in Muggle clothing that easily rips and stains and boots that blister would make this adventure a lot less enjoyable."
Colin gave her fine white cotton blouse and long khaki skirt an admiring glance before smirking. "Can't have little rich girls roughing it." Taking a sip from a silver flask, he asked, "Earlier today, you started to mention the type of bloke you need. If it isn't handsome, witty, and charming, what is it?"
She stared into the flames. "Intense…. I'm a one-man woman, so I need a one-woman man." A sidelong look caught the grimace her companion made. Blaise giggled. "Don't think you're that type? Well, one day you'll change your mind, but until then, I like you anyway, my friend." Focusing on the fire once more, she said wistfully, "Is it too much to want someone that's not only handsome and charismatic, but loyal, and loves me as passionately as I'm going to love him?"
"No, but are you sure you won't settle for wants you passionately?"
She snagged his flask and tossed it across the fire, into the dense underbrush, "No…and lay off the firewater, bwana, because if you sneak into my tent trying to convince me otherwise, I'm going to hex the parts you value most."
On the way back to her tent, Blaise couldn't help laughing softly when the rouge called, "That was your father's flask!"
The safari progressed uneventfully until the party reached the base of the escarpment and began to climb. The trail was narrow and treacherous in places, but the group pressed onward and upward. Colin shared that a Muggle expedition would have lost several bearers to precarious ledges and crevices due to the weight of gear not lightened by spells. Shaking her head over the sad loss of life, Blaise adjusted her pith helmet to block the sun and kept climbing.
Once they reached the trail their African guide assured them lead to a river, Enrique called for the expedition to halt for a much needed break. After a simple noon meal, the safari continued. At the edge of the riverbank, elephant tracks evoked cries of excitement from Enrique, Colin and the workers. Blaise gazed at the untouched beauty of the river and jungle beyond. That was the real treasure.
Large rafts were constructed to cross the river. Sitting beside her father on a crate, Blaise pointed to approaching shapes in the water, "Are those hippos?"
He frowned. "Yes. A herd can be dangerous. If they overturn us, crocodiles would enjoy the snack." He called to Colin on the other raft, "Get your wand out. We may have to use them."
Aversion charms kept the hippos from swimming close enough to capsize the rafts. Once the party was safely on land, the animals followed them up the riverbank. Before the three had to resort to harsher curses to ensure safety, a cry echoed.
Aaah-eee-aaah….
The hippos retreated to the water.
Relieved and curious, Blaise wondered aloud, "What…or who?"
Colin laughed nervously. "Surely you don't think something human made that call? It was an animal, of course, and only a co-incidence that the herd lost interest in us."
The safari regrouped and entered the jungle, finding a safe place to camp for the night. Warding the perimeter against predatory animals and creepy-crawlies, the young woman heard the sound of rushing water and decided to find its source. Father, Colin, and the African guide were busy planning the next leg of the expedition. She would return before they noticed her absence.
Blaise followed the sound, pushing through flowering vines to see a sight that made her forget to breathe. It wasn't the water cascading down to a clear pool, but the man standing on a rock beneath the waterfall who was breathtaking. Wide-eyed, she stared down at the unique individual. Her gaze followed the path of the water as it trailed down his long, brown hair and over lightly tanned, muscular flesh covered only by a loincloth. When he turned, raising his hands to slick back hair from a handsome face, she exhaled sharply. Immediately, his eyes snapped open and focused on her. Blaise's yelp of alarm turned into a scream when the earth crumbled beneath her feet and she slid down the bank to land in the pool with a splash, striking her head against a rock.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing Blaise noticed was that she was lying on a leopard skin in a large, round tree house. A few metres away, the Jungle Man watched her intently. She sat up and put a hand to her aching head. An egg-sized lump was her penalty for staring at a stranger. Meeting cobalt blue eyes, she couldn't help but think it was a small price to pay. Smiling hesitantly after chanting a healing spell, she said, "Thank you for fishing me out of the pool." With a start, she noticed her only clothing was a sheer white slip. A blush burned across her face. "My shirt and skirt…erm…have you cleaned them?"
He made no answer, merely stared at her with his head cocked slightly, as if trying to understand what she was saying. Blaise gasped. "You don't speak English, do you? Espanol? No? Oh, Merlin, help me." His steady regard was unnerving her. Looking down to view the smooth musculature of his chest made her feel so fluttery—nervous.
In a smooth, fluid motion, he crossed the space and began tracing her features with his fingertips. A small smile curved his mouth when he brushed over her fuller, softer lips. That intense gaze then became riveted by the rapid rise and fall of her chest. When his fingers lowered to feel the differences between them 'first hand' as it were, she scrambled away. The extremely attractive if underdressed man followed gracefully. Smiling, he took her hand and placed it against his chest.
Unthinkingly, she copied his circling motion before snatching back her fingers. "All right, we both have…pectorals…and you have a gorgeous body—smile—as well, but I need to get back to my camp, so be a good wild man and let me go." Her eyes darted around, saw her discarded clothing heaped in a corner and scooted toward it. Holding up the torn fabric, she fished her wand out of the skirt pocket and scolded, "Did you have to rip the buttons? Opposable thumbs are useful for more than circling…ahem…give that back!"
He had grabbed the garment to examine the cleaned, repaired cloth. With an inscrutable look, he tossed it over the edge of the railing to drift down to the jungle floor. Rushing over, she saw a chimpanzee pick up the blouse and scamper into the underbrush.
A ripping sound brought her disbelieving stare back to her rescuer…captor…destroyer of women's clothing. She was not going to traipse around in a slip merely because he seemed to enjoy the view of her body through the sheer fabric!
She snatched up the leopard skin, smirking as she waved her wand and transfigured it. Wriggling like crazy to put the outfit on beneath the slip because the man would not turn away, no matter how she gestured or tried to order sternly, Blaise finally removed the slip and glanced down to see the result of her effort at spell-sewing. The halter top and skirt were shorter than she'd intended, but the important areas were covered.
Her silent watcher grinned, running his hands over the soft material.
She slapped them away. "Stop that!"
He gave a bark of laughter.
She said, "You can talk!" He stared unblinkingly. Blaise dragged her fingers through her hair in agitation. "I mean, you've got vocal chords. You could talk if you knew how, right?" Disregarding the nimble male fingers sifting through her curls to restore order, she said excitedly, "We could communicate, and you could take me back to my father!" She captured the hand that was now tracing her ear, placing it on her chest. "Me Blaise. Ack, I can't believe I said that…I'm Blaise…Blaise."
His eyes were so blue. Mesmerised by them, she placed her hand on his chest and looked at him with a question in her eyes.
Smiling, he said, "Me Terry. I'm Terry, Blaise."
Her eyes grew huge before narrowing. "Do…do you mean that you've understood me this whole time and never said a bloody word?"
She tried to push him away, but strong arms encircled and refused to budge. "I understood, but I am not used to speaking. After my parents died, I had no one to talk to. When I saw you on the river, I used a memory charm to remember the language I had started to forget."
Jaw dropping at his English accent, she stammered, "A…a…m—memory charm? You're a wizard?"
His hands stroked up her back. "How else could I live in a tree house in the jungle, commanding animals, except by magic?"
Oh, of course. How silly of her. A thought struck. She said, "If you knew that I was with a group of explorers, why didn't you bring me to them? Why bring me here?"
His gaze caressed her face. "I have long wished for a mate who would love me as deeply as I would love her. Last moonrise, I performed a summoning spell. You came."
Instinct brought their lips together in a kiss that was everything Blaise had ever dreamt of. Sliding her fingers into his hair and opening her mouth to explore his, she knew that while her father and friends would be shocked, she had found a love that promised to be the adventure of a lifetime.
-
Blaise's eyelids fluttered. The dream made her sigh aloud, "Oh, Terry!"
-
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The sound of laughter woke Luna. She blinked sleepily at the roommates who had opened her bed curtains to grin down at her. "What's so funny?" she asked.
Mindy's lip curled. "You were singing in your sleep, loony."
Luna blinked warily. "Singing?"
"Yeah. 'Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me!'"
"I didn't know. I never woke up."
Bindy chuckled. "We know. We're the ones you woke up instead!"
"Sorry," said Luna. "What time is it?"
Cindy sat on the edge of the mattress. "It's too early for breakfast to be served in the Hall, and I don't feel like conjuring, so let's go to the kitchen."
"Okay." She hopped out of bed and quickly dressed.
The corridors were deserted at such an early hour on the weekend. Turning the pear shaped handle to the kitchen, Luna waited for her roommates to enter before closing the door. House elves were beginning to bustle about, in preparation for the morning meal. The Ravenclaw elf appeared and bowed before saying thoughtfully,
"If you will step this way, I is happy to be conjuring you breakfast."
Sitting around a well-scrubbed work table, the four girls gave their orders. Within moments, an omelet, French toast, crepes, and porridge and bacon were delivered and accepted with enthusiastic thanks.
Bindy mopped up some extra maple syrup with a bite of French toast. "This was a brilliant idea. We should be awakened at the crack of dawn more often!"
Luna smiled serenely. She took a bite of bacon, remembering how good it tasted when eaten from Wesley's fingers. After the first rush of hunger was appeased, she said, "I'm so glad it's Saturday. I don't think I could concentrate on schoolwork."
The other three nodded. Bindy asked, "Does anybody have plans?"
Cindy nodded shyly. "Jason wants me to help him clean out his trunk."
"You're joking," Mindy said. "Cleaning and organising are almost as bad as studying. We need to do something fun…or adventurous…."
"Adventurous?"
The doubtful intonation made Mindy smile. "I'm not talking about bungee jumping off Ravenclaw Tower, Bindy. I'm thinking…solving a mystery."
"Like the gum wrappers in Neville's parents' room at St. Mungo's?"
Luna remembered the story Bindy had told after Easter Holiday. Neville had brought his girlfriend to St. Mungo's to meet his parents. While sharing about his parents, he said that mysterious gum wrappers had been found on their floor. During Neville and Bindy's visit, they had discovered, but not caught, the man who had dropped them. She said, "If you and Neville had more help, people to ask questions and watch the exits, for example, it might be easier to catch the person."
"Would you help, this summer?" Bindy asked eagerly.
Thinking of a long, lonely summer spent re-reading all the Snorkack books in the library of Lovegood House, Luna nodded. "I bet Wesley would too."
"Creevey's brilliant at thinking deviously. He could help you figure out the bloke's next move," said Mindy. She smiled wryly. "I'm always good for hitting things with blunt objects."
Bindy placed her hand on the other girl's arm. "That could come in handy."
Cindy looked alarmed by her roommates' plans. She stood. "I think I'll go wait for Jason to come down to the common room."
After the girl exited the kitchen, Mindy said, "I wonder. If he sleeps in, how long will she wait?"
Luna said calmly, "It's Cindy's choice. We have to let her make it."
"If she starts chewing his food, though, I'm going to throw up."
"Eeuwww!"
Satisfied with her friends' simultaneous expressions of disgust, Mindy snickered.
Luna asked smilingly, "Are you serious about solving a mystery?"
They nodded.
When Thinky returned to clear their dishes, she smiled sweetly at him. "What a lot of work you do, taking care of Ravenclaw Tower, Professor Flitwick's quarters and now Cap—Professor Hook's. How do you do it?"
The tips of the elf's bat-like ears turned red. "I is always happy to serve, and Professor Hook is most easy to please. I only has to clean his rooms on Saturdays, when he is away from Hogwarts."
Luna concealed her inner glee. She said, "Thank you. I think you're quite extraordinary and a role model for other elves."
Bowing and blushing, the elf backed away.
Her friends were watching her with a mixture of awe and horror.
"You sounded like a Slytherin!"
"Thank you, Mindy."
The other girl stuck out her tongue. "As long as you don't start acting like one!"
Since a chat about prejudice and jealousy would not be helpful at this time, Luna said, "I think we should ask our boyfriends if they want to solve a mystery with us. You two could go to Gryffindor while I find someone to wake up Wesley. We'll meet back in the Restricted Section."
Her friends agreed to the plan and the time. Returning to Ravenclaw House, she asked a first year to run up and wake Wesley. Ten minutes later, her boyfriend descended the stairs. His hair was still damp. Her mouth dried. The last time he'd worn that shirt with psychedelic blue swirls, she had slowly removed it and…. Oh dear. He had said something that she hadn't heard.
Mouth curving in a way that showed off adorable dimples, Wesley repeated, "What's up, Bella Luna?"
"Want to go to the Restricted Section?"
Given the breathy quality of her voice, he couldn't be blamed for murmuring, "This shirt brings back fond memories for you too, hmmm? Sure. Who needs breakfast? I'll nibble on you instead."
"I'd like that…I mean, that's not…what I meant to say was, Mindy, Bindy and I were hoping you, Colin and Neville would like to help us do some sleuthing on Hook since we found out that he'll be out of the castle on Saturdays. After you have breakfast, of course."
Her rapid, embarrassed explanation made bright blue eyes twinkle. "Sounds good, but why is Cindy out of the loop?"
At that moment, her sweet-faced roommate walked by on Jason's arm, waving to Luna while she said, "I can't wait to start sorting your jumpers."
"Tell me she's not choosing cleaning over snooping," Wesley said.
"Sorry."
Golden-blond hair shook in mock-despair. "Sad, but we'll manage without her somehow. Do I have time to grab breakfast?"
She nodded. In the Great Hall, she sat beside Wesley, thinking that waiting was enjoyable when the company was so pleasant. Afterwards, they strolled to the library after a stop behind the statue of Fezzick the Faithful. In the Restricted Section, two other couples awaited. From their perch on the window seat, Colin and Neville nodded their greetings while their girlfriends said 'hello.'
"Neville, since you've allowed your hair to grow, I guess you're Shaggy," Wesley said with a wide smile.
Colin said, "Who are you? Freddy?"
"Of course. Luna's Daphne, and Bindy's Velma."
Luna found the conversation fascinating, if baffling.
The blond Gryffindor looked ready to burst into laughter. "So you're saying that Mindy and I are…?"
"Scooby and Scrappy Doo."
Between chuckles, Colin explained to his girlfriend that they were referring to an old Muggle mystery show on Telly, 'Scooby Doo, Where are you?'
Luna asked Wesley, "Who is Daphne?"
He leaned down to whisper, "The hot chick…and I think my characterisations were spot on."
"Thanks."
"You're very welcome."
'The Scooby Gang' as Colin insisted on calling them, unanimously decided to use Hook's time away to try and snoop around his quarters. Disillusionment Charms got them from the library to the Ravenclaw staff corridor.
Neville prevented Colin from touching the door handle. "Don't. Since the professor doesn't have a guardian painting, it's probably warded."
After 'drawing' a series of runes in the air that flashed red and faded away, the brown-eyed boy looked at the others. "Anybody know a counter-charm?"
Before Wesley could do more than nod, the sound of footsteps echoed. Hastily, the group pressed back against walls after re-engaging their Disillusion spells. Luna eyes became more protuberant when she saw Professor Trelawney. The woman wore a long blue dress that was flattering, and without wrinkles. Clearing her throat while tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind an ear, the Divination teacher said clearly, "Sybil Trelawney to see James Hook."
Green coloured runes glimmered briefly. The door opened. Tentatively pushing the panel wider, magnified eyes behind thick glasses peered into the room. She called the man's name. When she received no answer, the woman muttered, "You must not pry. He would find out and think it meant more than idle curiosity, inflating that colossal ego beyond bearing. You will step back, shut the door and return another time."
Several times, Trelawney stepped out, and then back into Hook's lounge. Finally, she pulled the door closed with a snap and practically ran back down the corridor. Becoming visible once the professor had gone, the six stared speculatively at the door.
Wesley cleared his throat. "Sybil Trelawney to see James Hook."
Nothing happened. Luna looked at Mindy. "I've heard you mimic McGonagall. It's uncanny. Why don't you try to do Trelawney's voice?"
"Okay, I'll give it a shot." Taking several deep breaths, Mindy widened her eyes, pushed a reddish-blonde strand behind her ear and twittered, "Sybil Trelawney to see James Hook."
Green runes sparkled before fading away. Mindy accepted everyone's praise with a smile.
Bindy said, "In my parents' restaurant, everyone has to use sealant spells for health reasons. Why don't we use them to keep from leaving anything behind that could be traced back to us?"
"Brilliant idea," said Neville. He smiled when his girlfriend blushed from the praise.
They performed the spells before entering Hook's quarters.
The lounge was sparsely furnished, with only a desk and two chairs beside a fireplace. Neville tested the desk. It was warded. Wesley tried a counter charm he'd learned from a book in the Restricted Section. The roll top slid upwards. Inside, they found nothing but a Quick Notes Quill and some sheets of parchment. Six faces fell.
Colin said, "I'll conjure a pencil and shade in the top piece of parchment. If he wrote something and took the note, maybe the impression will show." He 'pulled' a pencil from behind Mindy's ear. Smirking at her surprise, he bent and deftly shaded the parchment.
"Done this before, have you?" Wesley asked.
"No. My dad's Muggle," said Colin. "I watch mysteries on telly. You?"
"My mum's Muggle. I watch telly with my cousins sometimes."
"Cool."
Colin held up the parchment. Neville said 'lumos' and held his glowing wand tip behind the paper. Pale words stood out against the lead.
Mindy frowned. "The first bit's blurry. I can only make out a few words. The rest is clear." She read aloud, "V…London…Saturday... The name of the file I wish to read is Lorelei. I will bring the usual payment. H."
The group searched, but nothing of a personal nature was found in the quarters Wesley humorously termed, 'shipshape.'
Once they returned to the library, Luna sat on the floor leaning back against Wesley's chest, listening to the other five debating exactly what the message meant. They all agreed that Trelawney and Hook were involved in some way, hard as it was to fathom, and that he must still believe Lorelei had something to do with Smalley's death. The group decided to meet again the following Saturday before heading into Hogsmeade.
Luna rose to her feet to say goodbye to her departing friends. She jumped when Wesley's arms stole around her waist and shivered happily when he kissed the side of her neck.
Pulling her back toward the window seat, he whispered laughingly, "Scooby-Dooby-Doo."
-
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The Melusine Mirror warming beneath her pillow woke Ginny. She tossed aside the pillow to reach for the small, silver backed square. A quick glance at the clock on her side table showed that it was just gone seven.
Draco's face appeared in the reflective surface. His platinum hair was sticking up in rumpled spikes. She wanted to smooth it down and kiss him breathless. Marvelling that he was just down the hall, Ginny smiled. "Good Morning."
His lips twisted. "Is it? Those brothers of yours snore louder than Crabbe and Goyle. I've tried to wake them up, but they keep muttering 'five more minutes, Mum' and rolling over. I'm hungry."
Oh Merlin, that pout was adorable. Her smile widened. "I'll run downstairs and fix you breakfast."
In the kitchen, Bill was still sleeping at the table. With sisterly callousness, she left him there and quickly pulled out Conjuring Cookery Made Easy. Concentrating fiercely, she managed to scramble several dozen brown eggs, produce a pile of slightly over-crispy bacon, a rack of brown—but not burnt—toast, and a pot of porridge that had a consistency nearly resembling the dish served at Hogwarts.
"What's all this?"
Ginny whirled around, wand and spatula held defensively. "Morning, Dad. You startled me. I was just…making breakfast."
"That's very considerate of you."
She gestured to the enchanted coffee pot that had just finished perking. "Why don't you fill a couple of mugs and I'll bring you and Mum a tray?"
"Excellent idea, sweetheart. Perhaps I can coax her into eating something."
He filled two mugs and went upstairs again. Scurrying around to make two trays up, Ginny carried one and locomotored the other. She placed the one she hand carried by Fred and George's door before grasping the other out of the air. After her father had thanked her and shut the door, she heard Molly say, "I'm not hungry." Words too low to make out were followed by, "Fine. I'll eat a few bites for you, dear."
Ginny retraced her steps to the twins' room, said the password, 'Mischief Managed,' and unlocked the door.
Draco was standing at the window, staring out at the back garden and the countryside beyond. He looked like the brooding hero of a gothic romance until his gaze flickered to where she stood inside the doorway. His smile made her heart turn over. She placed the tray on the desk in order to kiss him. The embrace grew more passionate than she felt comfortable with in a room with her brothers.
She drew back, smiling. "I did some reading last night. Shakespeare's sonnets. Since you quoted one to me, I thought it was only fair that I quote one for you." His pleased smile made her sigh. "It's from sonnet forty three. All days are nights to see till I see thee, and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee."
His hand cupped her cheek. His lips lowered.
George groaned. "Merlin, Fred. Haven't we done enough for those two? Do we have…."
"To listen to sonnets? We bloody well shouldn't. Above and beyond the call of brotherly duty, that is!"
The good-natured complaining made her giggle. "Be quiet you two, or no breakfast in bed."
The silence was immediate. Placing a warmer-covered plate in each of her sibling's identically eager hands, Ginny sat in a chair Draco had placed flush with his and waited for him to comment on the food. Silvery eyes noted each item's imperfection and then softened as they met hers. "Thank you."
Her boyfriend knew that she was no natural 'mamacita' like Blaise, and appreciated her efforts all the more for it. Ginny's eyes started to get misty. He kissed her hand. She lifted his and returned the kiss before rubbing her cheek against his palm.
"Merlin, George. I'd lose my appetite if I hadn't finished my food already."
"Indeed. Worse than ruddy sonnets that mushy-business is."
Ginny gave the equally grumpy looking brothers a mock glare. "Pull the covers over your head if you don't want to see it, boys." Her glower became real as the two immediately did exactly that.
Draco drawled, "The porridge looks good. You remembered the honey. How sweet."
She giggled when Fred and George said as one, "Corny!"
When she and Draco had finished their amazingly good—for her—meal, Ginny loaded the plates back on the tray and fished a couple of brushing/flossing mints out of her pocket. She handed one to her boyfriend, loftily informing the two mutterers that she didn't really care if they had sweet breath or not.
A knock on the door had Draco reaching for the Invisibility Cloak her brothers had forgotten to return. Once he was concealed, she opened the door.
Her father stood in the corridor with a sad, disappointed expression on his face.
Bill was staggering down the corridor behind him. "Let me by, Dad. I'm going to choke those bloody weasels!"
A rare, steely look from their father halted the enraged man. "You'll do no such thing. Go on and take a shower. That restorative spell will have taken effect by the time you're done. Afterwards, we will have a family talk, and you will have your say." Arthur's steady gaze travelled from his daughter to the sons sitting up in their bunks. "You heard what I said. Get dressed and come downstairs."
George flopped back against his pillow. "Family talk. Sure. Family interrogation, more like, with me and Fred taking the heat, because no good deed goes unpunished."
Draco removed the cloak. "I'll go downstairs right now and tell them the truth."
"No!" There was panic in all three voices.
"What am I supposed to do, then? Wait up here going mental, wondering what's going on until I'm allowed out of hiding?"
Ginny smiled despite her worry. "Of course not. Come downstairs, but wear the Invisibility Cloak, and don't intervene, no matter what anyone says. Let me handle my family. Please."
Draco pulled her into a hug. She nestled against his chest and held on to him until her brothers insisted that she leave so they could get out of bed and go take care of…pressing needs. Smiling a bit at the euphemism, Ginny took the dishes downstairs and then returned to her room to get dressed for the day. Defiantly, she picked out an embroidered white peasant top she'd found at a market in Spain to wear with her denims.
When she entered the lounge, Dad, Mum and Bill were seated on one sofa, Fred and George on the other. She took a seat in a chair across from the twins, shifting to face the three whose faces were more solemn than the Wizengamot. Unseen fingers squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. It gave Ginny the confidence to say to her parents, "I suppose Bill told you that Draco came to see me."
Arthur nodded solemnly.
Molly's lips tilted in a mirthless smile. "That wasn't the first time you met him in the workshop, was it?"
Ginny's face grew hot. "No. He visited Christmas morning…and on my birthday too."
Her father leaned forward. "You never once considered that you were betraying our trust?"
She stared into pained blue eyes. One of the reasons she had lied for so long was to avoid having to see that expression.
Bill said, "Ginny knew. She just chose to do it anyway—chose Malfoy over her family."
"It's not that simple," Ginny snapped. "I'll thank you to keep your intolerant opinions to yourself!"
"Or what? You'll hex me again?"
"Gladly!"
"That's enough!" Everyone stared in shock at the normally mild-mannered wizard who had yelled. Arthur pointed his finger warningly at them both. "Not one more bickering word! This situation is distressing enough without adding strife to it." He sat, making a visible effort to remain calm. "Ginny, if I understand things correctly, because you thought we would not approve of your relationship with young Malfoy, you have repeatedly lied, conspired to thwart our wishes, and involved your brothers in doing the same."
With a sinking heart, she said, "I never wanted to hurt or disappoint you, any of you. I just thought if I gave it enough time, if I tried hard enough, you would…." Her voice was becoming thick with repressed tears. "You'd see that it isn't some stupid crush…that Draco's not a bad person…but nothing I did, or said, ever worked and now I don't know what to do!"
Bill said, "Stay away from Malfoy, that's what you can do."
"Keep out of it," said George.
"Like you did?"
Fred pulled out his wand. "Need another nap, brother?"
"Try it!"
"Silence!"
When their mother commanded, the boys obeyed. After exchanging a long look with her husband, Molly took a deep breath and slowly released it. She told Ginny, "Perhaps your father and I haven't always been…approachable. However, now that this…situation…is out in the open, we have to find a way for this family to cope with it." She rubbed her temples, sounding emotionally drained as she said, "I don't have the first clue how that's going to happen."
The twins gave Ginny a speaking look.
Her pulse pounded while she tried to suggest calmly, "Would it help if you talked to Draco?"
Mum laughed shortly. "Would he agree to take Verisimilitude Potion? I picked some up at the apothecary's, intending it for you."
"Yes, I would."
Draco pulling off the Invisibility Cloak set off a chain reaction that would've been funny if it had happened to someone else's family. Bill went for his wand and was promptly tackled to the floor by the twins. Molly fell back against the sofa cushions, hand pressed to her heart.
Dad jumped to his feet, sternly ordering, "Behave yourselves or leave the room!" He turned to the boy who had appeared behind Ginny. "Not content with seeing my daughter last night, you returned this morning?"
"I never left."
The twins, catching sight of their mother's expression, cried in unison, "He slept on our floor!"
Arthur said levelly, "Why are you here?"
Ginny walked to stand by her boyfriend. She slipped her hand into his. He tightened his fingers around hers. She watched anxiously as Draco took a deep breath and told her father the words he'd first said to her on a hammock in Spain.
"I wanted to look you in the eye and tell you that I love Ginny, and that I've never taken advantage of her love for me." He looked at Molly. "I can't deny who my father is, or say that I haven't acted like him in the past. I don't expect you to be happy to see me with your daughter." His gaze flickered over Bill, Fred, and George, "Or your sister." He said, "I'm not going to go away, though, so I hope, for Ginny's sake, you can accept it."
In the silence that followed, she squeezed his hand and mouthed 'I love you' as a tear rolled down her cheek. The corner of Draco's mouth turned up. Ginny hugged him as tightly as she could. He brushed a kiss across her hair. "Don't cry, Red. It'll be okay."
She smiled when the twins stared incredulously.
"You call her 'Red' without getting hexed?"
"Merlin, George. It must be love."
Ginny looked at her mother.
Molly was blinking furiously. She turned to her husband. "Oh, Arthur. What if it is?"
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A/N: I know, I know, another evil cliffie! Pinky promise next chap won't leave you hanging, even if it does leave you wondering what happens next! Mea Culpa, Lo siento, etc…etc…etc…
Blaise's dream was inspired by the old Tarzan, the Ape Man film with Maureen O'Hara. (I looked up info on Tarzan films and preferred the classic plot to the remake.) In the original film, Jane, her father and Harry—the guide with the hots for Jane—safari to find the elephant graveyard, lose several members of their party to cliffs and crocodiles in the river, poor Muggles. Tarzan uses his call to save them from hungry, hungry Hippos and then swings Jane off her feet. :D . I personally liked the second film in the series 'Tarzan and His Mate' better (more lovey dovey) but the summary of the first film made for a simpler dream. Thanks for taking the adventure through this chapter. If you review, I'll go ape!