Ginny Weasley (POV)
Okay, I hate to say this, and Dean would probably kill me, but spying on the Inner Circle is kind of fun. I'm the only girl there; aside from Bellatrix Lestrange, and let's face it, she's not exactly exciting to be around. But I get all of this attention from the Death Eaters and for once I feel ... important. I'm not ignored; hell, I only have to walk into a room for everyone to look at me. That never happens at the Order. I mean, Harry's totally occupied with the Order and Blaise, and I'm happy for him, but before that he used to take time to talk to me. Now he doesn't. Ron and Hermione? Well, what can I say about them? Oh I know: inseparable. Nearly every time I see them, they're making out; you'd think they didn't have a job to do. And Luna's too preoccupied by The Quibbler to spend time with me. Before I went to spy on the Inner Circle, she was completely obsessed by it and I'm glad she's finally found her passion, but I've been kicked to the curb because of it.
Don't get me wrong, I love working for Harry and the Order and everything, and I could never be an essentially evil person, but being good, well ... it sucks sometimes.
Right now, I'm sitting next to Jake Brewer, a new recruit, kind of like me. Except I know for a fact that Jake is really evil. It's actually kind of a turn on to know he's killed a guy. Whoa, never thought I'd say that.
I'm flirting away like crazy with Jake, and he's flirting back, so eventually I know where we'll end up. In bed. Together. But it's strictly platonic. I need info; he just needs a good screwing. Urgh, listen to me! I sound like such a hussy! But it's funny, you know, because I'm not ashamed; I just feel like somebody wants me. Or that somebody chose me out of a hundred other captives to sleep with, instead of always telling me later, later I'll be with you.
Oh what am I saying? I want someone to fall in love with me. That's what this is all about. If I knew I had somebody waiting back home for me, then I'd pack up right now and leave – oh yeah. I've just remembered. Dean. He loves me. Or at least he says he does. But once that might've been enough; right now, I just don't feel like he does. Love me that is.
"Ginny?" Jake says to me now, snapping me out of my daze, "Are you ok?"
I give him my most dazzling, seductive smile and say, "Yes Jake, I'm fine"
And then I kiss him hard before I change my mind.
You have no idea how hard it is to sleep with somebody and not feel a thing. Even kissing someone creates a passion in you. That's why, now, when I kiss Jake, I can almost feel as though we're in love with each other. Yeah, like that could ever happen.
So now, his hands are going all over me; even in the most provocative places. And what am I doing to stop him? Not a damn thing. Eventually, by unspoken agreement, we get up off the couch, stagger towards the stairs, lips still glued together, and manage to make it up to the bedroom upstairs. It's cold in here but I'm sure Jake and I can heat it up a little.
Later, when Jake was lying asleep beside me, and I was just beginning to doze off, there was a knock on the door.
"Brewer? You in here?" A brusque voice stirred Jake from his sleep.
"Yeah, why?" he replied, while leaning down to kiss me.
"The Dark Lord has called a meeting" the voice told him, "in the Hall in five minutes"
"Oh right" Jake said quickly, "yeah ok"
Footsteps could be heard, retreating from the corridor outside the bedroom.
I looked at Jake, who had jumped swiftly out of bed and was pulling on his robes. Deciding that Voldemort would want me there at the meeting too, I rolled out of bed. But instead of putting on my own robes, I went over to Jake, wrapped my arms around him from behind and kissed his neck. He turned and kissed me back and I could tell he wanted to get back into bed again, but then he pulled away quickly before anything happened.
"Do we have to go down?" I asked, pouting.
"The Dark Lord wants us there" Jake said, by way of explanation.
I gave a sigh of irritation and got dressed. By the time I was ready he had already gone down to the meeting hall without me.
So I made my way there alone, thinking, not about the Order or my mission, but curiously, about Jake. He was actually quite nice. Instead of just falling asleep after we'd had sex, we talked for a while, which was sweet of him, since I'm there purely for entertainment for Voldemort's Death Eaters. He even told me, in complete confidence, that he'd never really wanted to be a Death Eater, it was just that his dad had pushed him into it and now he couldn't back out. So then I told him about being ignored when I was back home with my family, about how lonely it feels to be the youngest, only girl in a family of nine. When I looked back at him after my little speech, he didn't look bored, or tell me not to be so stupid; he said he didn't know why anybody would want to ignore me. I was quite flattered.
When I eventually went into the meeting hall, most of the Death Eaters were already there; only the few that were out on Voldemort's orders weren't.
I noticed Voldemort was at the head of the long table with two of his highly praised Death Eaters standing beside him. Malfoy was there too, only there was a distinct look of panic on his features; he had to be in trouble.
"This" Voldemort said after the talk had subsided and I had taken my seat – next to Jake, in case you were wondering – "is what happens when one of you decides to carry out a liaison with someone known to be a traitor"
So Blaise had done a good job then.
He pulled out his wand, turned to Malfoy and yelled "Crucio!"
Malfoy screamed in pain and several Death Eaters gasped out loud at the desperate note in his cry. I had to turn away; watching someone being tortured isn't my idea of fun.
Someone grabbed my hand and held it tightly, comfortingly. I looked up and there was Jake, giving me a tiny little smile as if to reassure me. And it did. Very much.
As Malfoy's trembling body fell to the ground, I could only hope that I wouldn't get the same treatment if Voldemort found out why I was really here. I gave him the excuse that my family treated me like I was invisible and that I had finally found my 'dark side'.
I think somewhere in my mind I really believed what I was saying. Or at least the bit about everyone ignoring me. I know Voldemort could read my mind otherwise I'd just be another body in the gutter and life would go on as cruelly as before. So he must have believed me at least a little bit because he left me alive and he hasn't tortured me or anything while I've been here.
I haven't told anybody the truth, but I feel compelled to tell Jake because he confessed to me. But that is just stupid; I cannot go around telling everybody me secrets. I don't want the same fate as Malfoy.
And speaking of Malfoy, he stood up, if a little unsteadily, and then bowed to Voldemort as though the Dark Lord had granted him an immense gift. But Voldemort still doesn't look pleased with his once-favourite Death Eater.
"This could ruin all of my plans!" he said dangerously, and there was real rage in his merciless eyes. "Already Potter's organisation could be tracking us! You fool; all for the sake of a woman!"
All around the room, you could feel the Death Eaters' fear that Voldemort would kill Malfoy. In all his years, apparently, old Draco has never been at fault with his master, so it comes as a surprise that Voldemort is actually contemplating whether to kill him.
Then a strange, unknown smirk appeared where the scowl of rage had been.
"No matter" he said calmly, lowering his wand from a relieved looking Malfoy, "we can correct this. You will correct this" he shot at Malfoy, who flinched and then nodded eagerly.
"I want you to kill Blaise Zabini" the Dark Lord announced.
Oh no, this wasn't meant to happen! I can tell from the look on Malfoy's face that he wants to protest but is too afraid of what might happen to him. So he merely nods and murmurs his agreements.
I, however, am horrified, but I hope it doesn't show because then I'd be in trouble. But I need to warn Blaise and the Order before it's too late.