Chapter Nine: Plans

Draco and Ginevra barely saw each other over the next week. In fact, there was more than one day in which they managed to avoid each other entirely, somehow coordinating perfectly who would eat meals in the Hall and who would head to the kitchen later. It wasn't that they were purposefully avoiding each other, not really. They simply had a lot on their minds, not the least of which was the three hours they had sat holding each other.

Ginevra was having a hard time getting used to the idea of betraying her family. She knew it was necessary. She knew she was doing the right thing. She knew they would understand when the war was over. Wouldn't they?

Draco was having a hard time understanding why he had agreed to risk his life for a cause he wasn't sure he believed in, wait, scratch that, didn't believe in when the only reason he had turned to their side was for protection. That was the only reason, wasn't it?

And neither one could figure out nothing seemed to matter when they sat next to each other in silence. It wasn't like it was the first time either. There had been the day he had found her in the Room of Requirement. At least they had the comfort of knowing that as soon as the other spoke and comfort vanished and they were back to annoying each other.

They returned to the headmaster's office at the appointed time, which just so happened to be Christmas Eve'.

The only four people who would know the truth sat looking at each other for a full five minutes before Dumbledore spoke.

"It seems young Malfoy's orders must be fulfilled in order for this to work."

Ginevra and Draco looked at each other. He couldn't be saying what they thought he was saying. Could he? Draco spoke for both of them. "Sir? My orders were to kill you."

"That is correct. I am weak. My reflexes are considerably slower than they once were. I am not vital to the effort and what you will be doing is. Even if I do not die in the context of this plan I will die. My time is very short and I have all ready been preparing for my absence. Those I will leave behind are more than adequate to carry on without me. There is no room for discussion on this point."

Ginevra looked like she was about to be ill and Draco had been completely drained of color.

Dumbledore continued. "Ginevra, you will help Draco repair the cabinet. If it proves too much for you, Professor Snape is available. Together you have the rest of the year to convince the school that Ms. Weasley's honor is less than impeccable. The Slytherin house must believe that you would belong in their ranks." He looked over his half moon spectacles at the girl. "However, your brother and friends must not become sufficiently worried enough to convince your parents to pull you out of school or transfer you." He addressed both them again. "Do you think this is something you can manage?"

Ginevra looked as though the energy required to nod her head was almost more than she had to command. Draco nodded curtly and Snape was certain the boy had begun blushing at the headmasters comment on Ms. Weasley's honor.

"As for your role once you are established as death eaters," Dumbledore went on to explain, "your primary responsibility will be gaining as much freedom and authority as possible. If you feel able to manipulate their plans in such a way that the Oder will benefit, by all means, do so, but it is imperitive that you do nothing to jeopordize your standing. You primary objective is to create an opening through which Mr. Potter will be able to reach Voldemort. Whether that means making sure the majority of death eaters are occupied elsewhere, luring Voldemort to a certain location, or any other scenario imaginable will be up to your judgement. You will know when the time is come. I am afraid I can give you no more guidance than this, but I have confidence in your abilities. Do you understand?"

Ginevra had recovered a great deal and appeared to be possessed of a great strength and determination Snape once again mentally bowed in respect to. Draco's color had rebalanced and by the look on his face Snape believed the boy had at last truly accepted the responsibility of his objective. They nodded as one.

"Good. We will be leaving the particulars up to you but keep Professor Snape abreast of your plans. As for my death, we believe it would be most appropriate for Severus to be the one who carries that out." It was Snape's turn to lose all color. This was not lost on the students. "So keep that at mind. You may go unless you have any questions?"

Ginevra and Draco looked at each other again. They had no questions. Everything seemed to be cut and dry; no matter how horrid it was, it was cut and dry. They looked back at their headmaster and shook their heads.

"Very well. I suggest you go and enjoy the rest of your holiday."

"I don't see how he can expect us to enjoy our holiday after watching him sign his own death warrant." Draco sounded rather miserable.

"He is right, though. As much as I hate to admit it, he is right." Draco looked at her, expecting her to appear as she had last week, trembling and about to cry, but something in her had changed. It was as though she had finally crossed over the last barrier of reluctance and fully accepted her fate. There were no tears in her eyes and Draco seriously wondered if there ever would be again. His stomached tightened unexplicably at that thought. He shook his head, what did it matter if she ever cried again? He certainly wasn't going to hold her every time her tears ran. He should be relieved. He needed to break the silence.

"Your new personality should have a new name."

"Nevra." She didn't even hesitate. She had already been thinking about that and Dare's words about innocence fit her supposed dark side as well as a maturity no one would see. Would Dare understand? Would he assume the truth? She sighed. She could only hope. "My change will have to be slow. I suggest detention as the major indication of my attitude shift. The question is, do we want to make them believe we are lovers or are you going to be the brother I never had?" Her tone of voice was dripping with sarcasm as voiced the decision facing them.

Draco couldn't help but marvel at how easy it was to slip into a "bad girl" attitude. If he weren't in on it he swore he'd fall for her act. Come to think of it, it probably wasn't an act. This probably was in the back of her mind all the time, consciously suppressed by her choice to adhere to those blasted ideals, and this objective merely gave her a way to vent all that frustration and bitterness. He made a mental note to keep an eye her and make sure it remained a facade. "I think lovers will be the easiest to pull off. Hate is passionate and passion of any kind can lead to lust. Detention can also serve as the perfect catalyst to our modified relationship. Oh, I'd say, a nice little battle in the middle of potions should be enough to earn us a month of detention together?" He donned a conspiritory smirk.

She produced a smirk of her own that once again had Draco wonderfing if she had been placed in the wrong house. "Pefect. But you do realize, don't you," there was a twinkle in her eye that he wasn't entirely sure he liked, "what this means? In order to actually pull off the lovers angle, we will have to be seen? And not just snogging. There has to be no doubt in the mind of our witness where we will stop." Draco wondered if she had lost it. She obviously wasn't looking forward to it anymore than he was, but she seemed, for some reason, to find the thought entertaining.

"Well, now I finally understand why you signed up for this." He couldn't help it, she had set her self up for that.

Ginevra looked at him for a moment and started laughing. Okay, now he was sure, she had gone mad. "Sorry," she finally managed, "I just can't help but find this whole thing amusing in the most dark and twisted way imaginable. Think about it. The infamous Draco Malfoy has come to the side of light and the only evidence of his decision is that the perfect Ginevra Weasley has turned to the side of darkness. My world is about to fall apart as I myself destroy the foundation and break the hearts of everyone I love by making them believe I've fallen for, or least want the only man I've ever hated," the word want was spoken with a very lusty tone of voice Draco was surprised she knew how to use, though why he was surprised by anything this girl did he was unaware. "The irony is just too much for me. In order to live up to my ideals and stand up for what I believe I must abandon all morals and convince the world I am heartless. I can't cry anymore and if I don't laugh I'm afraid I'll fall apart." Her last statement was spoken in all seriousness without a trace of her earlier mirth.

Draco had to admit, he did see the irony. He unwittingly grinned as he thought over what she had said.

"Do you mind if I take to calling you Dray? Draco seems unnatural when I take the attitude necessary to pull this off."

"Then why ask?" They had reached the entrance hall. "I'll inform Snape of our plans to disrupt class. I suppose we can take tomorrow off, but we should meet in the Room of Requirement to work on the cabinet Wensday."

Ginevra nodded and Draco turned to walk away. "Happy Christmas," she said to his back before heading to her room.