Thanks to:
HyperSquishy-for being an awesome repeat reviewer who decided to follow me to my second work. Yes in this story Ginny and Draco are destined for trouble.
louey31-who did the very same. First reviewer so the encouragement I needed to continue. Yeah, I wanted Draco to not lose his character cause I felt that I definitely lost touch with his character in the last fic (been re-watching the movies + reading up on his quotes in the books to make sure I can keep his personality as close as possible to reality. Thank you so much for the nice comments it was really really nice.
blondiluvbanana-Yes, I know what you mean. Everyone thinks I'm nuts cause he's my favorite character but he just is and I can't help it...Thanks for the compliments- it means a lot.
Disclaimer: No claim to any character OK?
They followed Snape who stormed wordlessly down the passages. They descended the spiral staircase and found themselves in a brightly lit corridor that was completely different from the one they'd walked through a mere 10 minutes ago.
Ginny gaped, and Malfoy even seemed bewildered. Snape however, stopped before a door, the only one in the hallway, and rapped sharply. As they waited, Ginny was positive that things were gonna get a lot worse.
Her premonition was proved correct seconds later when none other than a furious-looking Prof McGonagall opened the door.
"Severus, are these the two?"
"I found them attempting to force entry into the room. The brazenness which they displayed was almost unimaginable."
"I must at least question the part which Ms. Weasley played in this," Prof McGonagall said.
"I found Ms. Weasley using the unlocking charm, unsuccessfully of course, on the door, as well as pleading with a witness to rebate his statement." A sneer played on Snape's lips.
While this was occurring, Ginny was distinctly aware of a horrible sinking sensation in her stomach. Snape hated her guts, maybe it had to do with Ron or the twins, but for whatever reason, he'd always derived a vindictive pleasure from seeing her get into trouble.
"What were you doing there Ms. Weasley?" Prof. McGonagall demanded sharply.
"Me and - - Malfoy were trying to find our way to the infirmary."
"The infirmary?" McGonagall repeated scornfully. "Then how in hell did you end up trying to force entry into Snape's office?"
'Snape's office?' Ginny thought, totally confused.
"The stairs," Ginny said weakly.
McGonagall snorted lightly, and rounded on Malfoy.
"Do you have a different story?"
"No, Malfoy said sullenly, "That's the truth."
"So why were you going to the infirmary?" Malfoy refused to answer, and McGonagall looked incredibly frustrated. "So let me get this straight, you both left your detention without a reason, not the consent of our teacher, somehow you got injured, were walking up to the infirmary, but ended up trying to break into Prof. Snape's office. Yet you refuse to explain why you needed to go to the infirmary, nor do you have any proof."
Ginny glared at McGonagall and said coldly, "We left detention because Malfoy got pricked by a valerian thorn, and Shacklebolt didn't even bother curing him, he left him there to die. It was my idea to leave detention and Malfoy has a mark on his arm from the thorn."
McGonagall grabbed Malfoy's arm and was shocked when he wrenched it from her grasp.
"Don't touch me! Weasley is in a state of delirium, there's nothing the matter with my arm."
"Malfoy you got pricked by that damn thorn, show them the mark!" Ginny said.
"Weasel will you shut your incessant chatter?" Malfoy snapped.
"It seems," McGonagall remarked dryly, "That we have two conflicting stories and no way in which to separate the truth from your lies."
"Veritaserum," Ginny declared.
Malfoy's eyes widened and his pallor seemed to turn whiter still.
"I know my rights and I know that I can refuse veritaserum...and being forced a truth potion could have you sacked in an instant."
"No problem, Malfoy," Ginny said, "I'd take one."
"She has agreed, therefore we can administer the truth potion on her."
"No!" Malfoy said, startling them all, "You can't give her veritaserum because I put her under the Imperius curse."
"What?" McGonagall, Snape and Ginny all exclaimed.
"Why, may I ask, did you do that?" McGonagall finally said.
Malfoy shrugged, "I thought it'd be fun," he replied blandly.
"Let me see your wand, Draco," McGonagall said suddenly. Dumb-founded, Malfoy handed her the wand he was clutching.
"Prior Incanto," McGonagall said and suddenly a ghostly image of Expelliarmus hovered above the wand. "This spell was used over 5 hours, if Ms. Weasley was already under the Imperius curse, you would not have needed such a spell."
"I...I used her wand," Draco stuttered.
"Now why, Draco, would you use the girl's own wand on her, it'd be much easier to use your own. Would it not?" Snape asked, brow furrowed in mock confusion.
"I...didn't want it to be traced back to me," Malfoy said by way of explanation.
"I am not sure why you are attempting to protect Ms. Weasley, Draco," Snape said coldly, his gaze piercing.
Malfoy looked as if to speak, but he bit his tongue.
Ginny was glad he'd decided to shut up. What the hell was he trying to pull, saying he'd put her under the Imperius curse? He wasn't being gallant, of that Ginny was sure. He was most likely covering his own ass. She was suddenly filled with disgust for the whole lot of them: Malfoy, for being a bastard Death Eater, Snape for holding maniacal grudges, and McGonagall, whom Ginny had allotted most of the blame. It was incredibly stupid, absurd even, locked up in a room with McGonagall, Snape and Malfoy. Ginny honestly felt she'd rather die than be in their combined company. Suddenly she realized Snape was speaking, she pulled herself back with not a little effort.
"-Thus it is obvious that Ms. Weasley is not in fact under the Imperius curse...so she was an accomplice, not a victim. I must confess that I myself would never have dreamed she'd have had a hand in this business..."
"Well Severus, what do we do," McGonagall asked, "are we to expel them?"
Ginny felt her stomach lurch unpleasantly. Expelled?
"We can't," Snape said bitterly, "we don't have evidence. If we give Veritaserum to Weasley, they'll say she was under Imperius curse, it'll never fly before the committee."
"So they are to stay?" McGonagall said incredulously.
"Yes," Snape said with finality, then his face split into a twisted grin, "I think," he added, fixing his fierce gaze on Ginny, "that soon they may wish they'd been expelled. Children can be so cruel."
"You may go," McGonagall said curtly.
Ginny and Malfoy fled the room.
Ginny couldn't resist the temptation to have the last word, "An innate sense of direction, eh?"