Ok, enough of the mindless babble. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: Pretty much everything belongs to J.K Rowling, except Persephone who's mine :)
Chapter 3 – Parody of a Dream
Ginny woke to bright light. Blindingly bright. And a headache to end all headaches.
A pulse was beating against her brain, and she had a strange awareness of something she'd never had before.
Or rather, it felt like something that had always been there; she'd just never noticed it. But it (whatever 'it' was) had been drawn into sharp relief and could actually feel another being beside herself functioning and living. Or maybe it was just her imagination…
Ginny stretched languorously, becoming aware that she was in the hospital wing, and the brightness was the light from the ceiling-high windows reflecting off the hanging drapes. Hang on… hospital wing? How did I get here?
Gradually, the events of the recent past drifted back, albeit in a rather bewildering order. Ginny remembered seeing red after Ron's 'orders' and ending up in the same compartment as Draco Malfoy – the dragon's den itself! (She seemed to be running into him a lot lately…). Then her memories seemed to break down into lots of screaming, (screaming?) and coldness. Then Draco DID something, and she just remembered warmth and comforting darkness. What did he do to me? Why do I feel so… complicated? Ginny scoffed like I wasn't complicated enough by myself!
Any further perusal of recent happenings was abruptly cut off though, as the hospital wing door flew open bouncing loudly off the wall. Ginny winced, sound; not a good occurrence for her headache.
Suddenly, Ron was next to her bedside speaking a hundred miles an hour (and very loudly too), his manner coloured with repentance and nervousness.
"I'mreallysorryGinny," he took a deep breath "Ididn'tmeantoannoyyousomuch. Please will you forgive me?"
Ginny imagined she had a slightly perplexed expression on her face, but Ron didn't offer any extra explanation, so she just nodded. Ron sighed, his body visibly relaxing.
"Why with all the apologies and remorse though?" Ginny inquired, watching his features carefully.
Ron studied his hands before answering, "I was so worried Gin, when they brought you in you were barely breathing! You were so pale." he paused, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "Nobody knows why you were unconscious, Madam Pomfrey couldn't find anything wrong with you…" he watched her, and waited for a reply.
What do I tell him? I heard voices… yeah that will go down well after what happened with the chamber of secrets! That Malfoy DID something to me and I don't know what? Oh yes that would be the equivalent of earning Draco a broken nose… okay, eurgh, should using my brain be this painful?
"I remember… tripping, I think, when the train stopped," Ginny invented, thinking quickly on her feet (or, well, backside) "and I must have banged my head on…" Oh no! I don't know where they found me! "the… floor…" she finished, sounding rather lame even to herself. But Ron seemed to buy it. Wonders would never cease.
"So you didn't hear the screaming?" he commented, seeming relieved.
Screaming, how could I forget?! She thought, but instead said, "No, there was screaming? Who was screaming?" she observed his facial expression carefully, if he thought she was pumping him for information, he would become suspicious.
"Hermione said it was banshees," he scoffed "but after the screaming stopped, which didn't take very long, the train just started moving again." Ron saw the colour draining from her face, and interpreted it as terror (but for the wrong reason) "But don't worry, it was obviously just someone's idea of a practical joke" he added hurriedly.
At that particular moment Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office, and over to Ginny. "Lets have a look at you my dear," she said, peering into each eye "open your mouth, say 'ahhh'" she ordered, Ginny complied. Apparently finding everything is working order, she asked Ginny if she felt well, or whether anything was hurting.
"My head," replied Ginny "do you have any painkiller potions please?"
Madam Pomfrey nodded, and then gave her one last look-over before proceeding back to her office to retrieve the potion.
Ginny looked up at Ron who was glaring at his watch that had evidently stopped. He shook his head, muttering, before turning to her.
"Well Gin-gin, I best be getting back to the main hall, I only came to check that you were ok. Harry and Hermione would have come too, but they got called away by professor McGonagall." He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead, before turning to leave.
"Oh! I almost forgot," he rustled around in his pocket before bringing out a rather tattered bit of paper "here's your timetable. Sorry about the state it's in." he threw her a cheesy grin over his shoulder as he left – not looking sorry at all.
Ginny rolled her eyes, and turned her attention to her timetable. Great, double divination in just less than half an hour, and double potions to round up the day. This term was getting better and better.
# # #
Hermione watched Ron come through the doors to the great hall, his red hair, lanky figure and lengthy gait immediately distinguishing him from the students surrounding him. He plopped himself down opposite her and next to Dean Thomas.
"How was Ginny?" asked Harry, beating Hermione to the metaphorical punch.
"She was ok, has quite a bad headache but otherwise completely fine" replied Ron entirely unaware quite how wrong he really was. "What did McGonagall have to say?" he asked them both, simultaneously piling his plate high with toast and baked beans.
Hermione watched the tilting pile dubiously before replying, "Well she wanted to update me on my head girl duties," at this Hermione unconsciously fingered the badge on her chest, "and told Harry that after a lot of thought he AND you were going to be quidditch captain of Gryffindor." She shared a look with Harry, which Ron didn't notice. He gave a grunt of agreement, before reaching for the chocolate sauce.
Ron suddenly jerked his head up to look at them. Slight delayed reaction Hermione thought fondly.
"Hang on, I think I misheard… say it again?"
Harry smiled, "We're joint team captains, mate."
"Really? Are you serious? But… why? How? Since when?" Ron spluttered, whilst trying to chew and swallow at the same time.
Not such a good look she observed. She turned to Harry; this after all, was his doing. As long as Ron doesn't suspect anything amiss. Yet.
Harry explained that as this was their NEWTs year, Professor McGonagall thought that Gryffindor would benefit from having two team captains, and Ron and Harry would be able to do their NEWTs at the same time. Hermione could tell from Harry's occasionally gritted teeth that he hated lying to Ron, he can't know for his own good.
Ron on the other hand seemed not only oblivious but completely over the moon and had launched into a very loud rendition of team tactics, practises and tryouts. Most of which Hermione tuned out, her mind still on the grave news the professor had imparted to her and Harry. It was going to be the most eventful year on record yet. And lucky me, I get to head the school.
# # #
Draco scowled at the room at large. The sixth years were so useless. He was rather surprised that Snape hadn't just caved and given them all detention. He seems to be in quite a good mood observed Draco as the potions master snapped out another 15 points lost for Gryffindor.
Ah, the Weasley has put too much Formorian liver in. That won't go down well. Sure enough, Snape barked out another 10-point loss to Gryffindor. They'll be on minus numbers soon mocked Draco like to see golden boy bounce back from that.
Draco was acting as the Potions Apprentice for the rest of the year to gain extra credit for his NEWTs. Potions apprentice… more like unpaid babysitter.
Snape had laid into Weasley again, and Draco found he could actually feel her embarrassment and indignance. He had been expecting this since the train ride yesterday. But he hadn't expected her to feel quite so much at any one time. It was like tapping into a power source and being immersed in emotion. Fairly disorientating after a while, especially when he hadn't been able to sleep the night before and had felt the richness and intensity of her dreams.
In the harsh light of day he knew that what he'd done the day before had been foolish and unwise, and he would now have to face the consequences. One of which was have her watch him consistently with a questioning look on her face. Of course she would want to know what had happened, and eventually she would. But right now he had to work out what kind of danger she (and therefore him as well) was in.
# # #
Ginny smiled shyly at the girl before her.
"I'll leave you two to get to know each other," said Hermione brusquely "call me if you need anything." With that she exited the sixth year girl's dorm with a flourish.
Ginny watched her go, before focusing on the girl in front of her. Once again Ginny cursed that she had missed the sorting – this would have been so much easier! The new Gryffindor sixth year watched Ginny just as curiously as Ginny did her.
The girl facing Ginny was small of stature, with short, glossy black hair and frightened liquid blue eyes. She twirled her hands anxiously in her lap, and wouldn't meet Ginny's gaze straight on.
"Hi," started Ginny, holding out her hand formally "I'm Ginevra Weasley. But most people call me Ginny" she added.
The girl took her hand and gave it a brief but strangely confident squeeze "My name's Persephone Nixen" her voice had a rich quality to it, almost musical.
Ginny smiled, awkwardly. What do I say now?
"So, er, where do you come from?" Ginny asked politely.
"I lived in Wales with my mother and father," she replied timidly "but they were both killed in a deatheater raid." Persephone looked sharply away, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
Ginny's heart went out to her, "I'm so sorry," she exclaimed sincerely "you're safe here though." The girl smiled thankfully back at her.
"What lessons do you have tomorrow?" Ginny inquired, more at ease now that she at least knew the first thing about this girl. She didn't notice dark shadows flitting back and forth on the castle grounds.
# # #
The evening rolled in, and Draco sat on the balcony of his private room revelling in the feeling of being so high and free. He watched the stars twinkle and disappear as darkened clouds scudded swiftly across them. Elsewhere in the castle he felt Ginny's happiness, but he blocked it out – happiness was a foreign concept to him. Also rather irritating.
The wind blew chill against the castle walls, slinking through cracks and freezing stone. Draco felt the change in the temperature in his bones; winter would soon enclose Hogwarts in its icy grip.
Uncaring though he was (except for himself) Draco now imagined how Harry felt, to have a life depend on him. And for me to have to depend on someone else… if someone had told him that a month ago he would have laughed in his or her face. But now, his fate was irrevocably tied to another's and he wasn't sure what to do about it. There was no counter charm for the ancient magic he'd evoked, all for a stupid moment of benevolence, where I found I couldn't let someone die in front of me.
He wished he knew why the creatures of the dark hunted the youngest Weasley, but he feared that the answer was one that would be revealed soon enough. Except I'm in as much danger as she now. I'm in deep shit with a Weasley. A Weasley of all people! He spat off the edge of the tower.
Draco continued to watch the stars spin in their endless pursuit, and lay witness when the first scream echoed out of the forbidden forest, and was answered by a second. And a third. And so the days of darkness and glory were heralded.