A/n: Hello my lovely loyal readers! Thank you so much for all you reviews i was practically skipping with happiness!
Big thanks to ginny2442, Spiritsha Master, ToConfused247, coolwhip2005, Ally, Emma Burrows and Dark Promise! This chapters slightly longer than previous ones so i hope you like it :)
Chapter 5 – Problems in ParadiseJust because I don't say anything, don't think I have nothing to say.
The thought caught Ginny by surprise; she wasn't entirely sure where it had come from. One minute she was appraising just how few colours actually went with her hair, the next she was thrown in the deep end of 'profound thoughts'.
She supposed it was true, there were many things that she wished she had said and never had the courage to, and many people (i.e. her brother) seemed to be under the impression that she didn't actually possess a personality. Which of course was entirely untrue, she just didn't flaunt it as others did.
Ginny looked at her divination homework in annoyance, who really wanted to know whether the sun held aspect to Pluto and whether this had any bearing on the Grindelwald years (otherwise know as the Dark Years) anyway? Much more interesting things to think about!
Persephone abruptly thudded down next to Ginny, a teetering pile of books plonked unsteadily on the table. Ginny looked askance at her, and Perse gestured for her to read the titles. Looking closer, she read 'Banshees and their Origins: an all you need to survive guide', 'Life saving acts and what to do about them' and the memorable '100 Favourite Recipes for your favourite Faery'.
Unfortunately Ginny's breath swayed the tower dangerously and Ginny and Persephone only just succeeded in catching the books before they cascaded over the floor. This caused a slight raucous that drew curious stares from the rest of the common room. Ginny smiled embarrassedly and quickly buried her glowing face in the nearest book (which coincidentally turned out to be 'How to spot Banshees and other Little Folk: the comprehensive guide.')
"More fun than divination homework eh Gin?" asked Perse an amused grin on her face, Ginny smiled back and relaxed into herself, its not like anyone paid any attention anyway.
After a couple of hours of intent reading and scribbling, the common room had emptied entirely except for them. Persephone and Ginny now had a good understanding of banshees and the lore surrounding them. They had learnt that a banshee, also known as a Sidhe, was a variety of faerie and generally followed the old families, wailing before a death. When more than one banshee was present they would wail and scream in chorus, but it usually signified the death of a holy, or great one.
"So what happened that night on the train?" Ginny asked, voicing her thoughts out loud, "Why did they come after me?"
Perse shook her head thoughtfully, "I wish I'd been there! I could have helped or something, or at least shielded you."
Ginny smiled at her friend's protectiveness, it felt nice to be properly cared for by someone other than her family. But how would she have helped? Ginny asked herself internally; with Persephone it could be any number of unpredictable feats.
In answer to her friends statement though she shook her head, "Don't worry about it. Besides, Malfoy was there to save me. Although I wish I KNEW what he did…" she trailed off in frustration.
"It has to have been something pretty spectacular to stop the banshees from claiming you as theirs, it looks like they are pretty unstoppable." Perse replied, appearing to mentally be turning it over.
"Why were there so many of them though? I heard them all… in my head," Ginny looked away remembering the train journey vividly, "they were freezing me from the inside out." She shook her head, shivering unconsciously.
Persephone smiled grimly, an expression of resolution passing firmly across her features, "No fear Gin, we'll work this out. First though I think its definitely time for bed," she passed a look at the grandfather clock that seemed to have broken at a little time past the twelve, "and tomorrow I think it's time for you to talk to Malfoy."
Ginny nodded in agreement, collecting the confused mass of books haphazardly, hoping that her divination homework was still all in one piece. Arm in arm they left the empty common room, climbing the winding stair.
Behind them they heard the clock chime, but were so caught up in their separate thoughts that they didn't catch the thirteenth toll.
# # #
Draco paced restlessly. The balance was tipping, he could feel it. Not Voldemort, he's away north, with my father, wreaking havoc on innocent people Draco spat on the courtyard ground So what is it? The feeling of eyes on my back… the feeling that I'm not alone. Something foreign is at Hogwarts. And I don't think it's friendly.
He spun nervously, thinking that he heard a noise but his only answer was the wind whistling through the branches of the ancient, knarled oak tree. In the daytime it was a jovial place, the aged tree casting shade for the students from the humid sun in the summer, and providing a place to climb and play for the younger years. At night though it was sinister, unhappy whisperings flew along the corridors of Hogwarts, and echoed in the courtyard; the foliage rustled with concealed life that added oppressive uncertainty.
"Jumpy much, Draco?" inquired a voice from behind him.
Draco schooled his features and stature to disinterest, recognising the voice instantly. He didn't turn to greet the newcomer, instead opting to watch the trees limbs twist and bob in the wind.
Pansy moved to being directly in front on Draco, "Something on your mind love?" she queried, coldly.
"Nothing of your concern." Replied Draco shortly, "Haven't you got lives to make a misery of a trouble to stir?" he inquired, his tone matching hers, frost for frost.
"Probably," she all but purred "but things are changing my love, the balance is shifting, can't you feel it?" she smiled twirling around in a tight circle in front of him; with her black robes sweeping the floor and the moonlight glinting off her blonde hair she looked every part the seductress, and the malevolent woman that she really is.
Draco walked past her, "I have no time for your speculation Pansy, Dumbledore has Hogwarts beneath his thumb," thankfully he mentally added "and Voldemort is miles up north gathering support and terror. Nothing can or will touch us here." Thank Merlin I had learnt to lie flawlessly by the time I could speak.
"Draco," she called commandingly from behind him. He stopped walking. "the lines between good and evil are easily blurred, don't forget that power has no perimeter."
He turned to look at her; she stood defiantly, facing his gaze. To the outside she acted like a silly, foolish girl. But the truth was more malicious, she was a woman prepared to give up everything for as much power as she could gain, hence she was a deadly combination. But still foolish he ruminated one day she will aim too high and will fall where no one can save her. He turned and walked away, his strides long and sure as always.
"You underestimate me Draco," she whispered inaudibly at his departing figure, "you have no idea what I am capable of."
# # #
Harry faced the new D.A.D.A nervously. Why do I always volunteer for things like this? Probably some kind of gene deficiency or something.
"Ok Harry," said the young professor placatingly, flipping a plait of brown hair over her shoulder, "I'm going to throw a curse at you, and you will have to use the shield charm we just practised. It won't be a very dangerous hex in case you don't manage the shield correctly." She laughed nervously, but her anxiety was given away by the continuous shifting of weight from one foot to the other.
"Ready Harry?" she asked.
He nodded, steeling himself, just remember the charm he reminded himself repeatedly.
"Petrificus Totalus!" cried Professor Morgian, aiming her wand at Harry's head.
"Defenamore!" bellowed Harry, thinking fixedly of flying with the Weasleys, and the bond and respect they shared with him. Immediately a red liquid-like substance oozed rapidly from his wand, forming a bubble-shaped protective layer around him. The purple hex bounced of it like a quaffle would, ricocheting off to make a nasty black-brown burn on the classroom wall.
"Very good Harry!" exclaimed the professor, "and a Gryffindor coloured bubble no less!" the rest of the Gryffindors in the class gave Harry a little cheer, at which Harry blushed slightly. "Right, everyone else, get into pairs and start practising, please don't throw any harmful spells!"
"How do I get rid of it?" Harry asked the professor.
"I'm sorry Harry I can't hear you," prompted Morgian "speak up!"
"HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?" Harry yelled, he was feeling rather claustrophobic.
"Finite Incantatem" said Hermione with a brisk wave of her wand, the bubble instantly vanished and Harry felt free to breathe again.
"Thanks Hermione" Harry smiled, not noticing the sudden look of anger and malice that crossed professor Morgians face.
By the end of the Dark Arts lesson, everyone had mastered the charm easily, and the majority had given up throwing hexes at each other, instead content to sit in their different coloured bubbles quite peaceably.
Harry watched Ron and Hermione converse, Hermione from her blue bubble and Ron from his yellow one. They were both so different he noted, that they clashed head to head to almost every topic they discussed. How does their relationship survive? he pondered And yet it survives to flourish and shines through them in everything they do. At that moment he was sucked into their mindless bantering as one of them had called him a rather rude name.
To the outside world it was obvious how their relationship survived, they were a flawless triangle, each as devoted to the other as the last.
# # #
Ginny sat despondently in her potions class; her and Persephone's potion had gone a rather bizarre purple colour and occasionally emitted tiny glistening bubbles. She watched Persephone gaily drop in a handful of Korred's fig at random, which turned the potion a rather gross browny-green colour and made it fizz and gurgle more than before. At least it isn't emanating teeny-weeny bubbles any more reflected Ginny, inattentively.
Persephone's idea of a potions lesson was to get all the ingredients, add them in a random amount and order and see what pretty colours she could make. Ginny rolled her eyes long-sufferingly.
A voice in her ear startled her, and she turned sharply to find Draco's face very close to hers. Widening her eyes in surprise she jerked her eyes back to Persephone who had noticed nothing amiss.
"Weasley, I think a little chat is long overdue," he smirked nastily, "and do tell your friend that if she puts any more Lob stones in, the potion will explode."
Ginny nodded, desperately trying to ignore his breath on her neck.
"Lets see, how about the Arithmancy classroom at about eight? Don't be late." With that he was gone. Ginny shivered, although she wasn't sure what from. Maybe it's just cold in here.
# # #
Draco arrived arrogantly at the Arithmancy classroom at just over ten past eight. Ginny had been early so had sat on a nearby desk and swung her legs absent-mindedly.
Draco watched her before she noticed him, watched the way her features showed every conceivable emotion sometimes by nothing more than a flicker of an eyebrow. It was strange how until a couple of weeks ago he barely knew of her existence, and now they were woven together in the same web. To stay alive he would have to get to know her.
He could feel the pull between them but it was only the link. That's all, just the link. Which I imagine I should actually explain that to her.
He cleared his thought drawing her attention immediately. She hopped off the desk and crossed her arms defensively across her chest meeting his eyes, finally, with a steady gaze of her own.
"Do you want to go first?" he inquired coldly.
She studied his features first before acknowledging what he said with a tip of her head.
"What did you do to me?" she asked, looking down at her feet, "Why did you save me? And how did you? Why do I always know where you are?" once she had unlocked the dam of questions it seemed difficult for her to stem the flow.
He held up a hand, silencing her, "One thing at a time," he admonished, "firstly I didn't DO anything to you, as you put it, I simply shielded you."
"People have shielded me before," she spat, "but I can't stand with a blindfold on and spin round ten times and point directly to where they are."
She's actually TRIED that? Draco's mouth quirked in amusement.
"No," he replied, "that's because no one shielded you the way I had to. And lets just take the time here to point out that I was saving my own life at the same time. I suppose you know that Banshees hunt by aura awareness?" he asked, quickly changing tact.
"Yes," she agreed, "they have sightless eyes. But what has that got to do with anything?" she brows knitting in confusion.
"The only way it was possible to stop the Banshees from getting to you was to alter your aura. I had to merge our auras together."
Ginny's eyes darkened, "But what does that mean?" she kneaded her forehead gingerly, this is too much to take in.
"Weasley, I thought you were smarter that this," he chided, "I took a bit of me, and I merged it with you, that way the banshees were confused and thought they had lost their prey. But don't worry I'm sure they will have worked it out by now."
"But…" Ginny started, "doesn't that mean that you're in trouble too?"
"Which brings me to my first question," Draco concurred, "tell me Weasley, what can you possibly have that feared creatures of the night would want?"
He paced towards her ominously, his tall frame towering over her slight one. She smiled nervously back.
"No idea," she replied quickly, "maybe they got the wrong person?"
Trying to maintain a seemingly airy attitude, she backed slowly away from Draco towards the door. Draco watched her, a foreign amused light dancing in his eyes.
"Got to go," she said hurriedly, "thanks for the answers!"
And with that she was gone, vanishing along the Hogwarts corridors silently with barely anything to show she had been with Draco at all except a faint whiff of strawberries.
He smiled to himself, you won't get away that easily next time Weasley, besides I'm not done with my questions yet…