Title: Of Memories, Of Quicksilver

Author: Firefly Lantern1

Rating: PG-13 for language, character angst, sexy Draco, sassy Ginny, and violence. All the good stuff.

Author Note and Bare Bones Info: This story takes place 5 years after the defeat of Voldermort. Ginny is 23 years old and living by herself in muggle London. She's taking a break from the world of magic and trying to find herself. And she's the published writer of a deliciously fun romance novel, rawr.

Disclaimer: JKR owns the HP characters. As much as I'd like to keep Draco, I only borrowed him for this story.

Oh, and P.S. Yay for DMGW! This is a Draco Malfoy + Ginny Weasley pairing. This is typed with wordpad so please excuse any weirdness. Woo! Much love and enjoy!

Of Memories, Of Quicksilver

Chapter Two

"Enervate."

The soft words were the cold hands that clenched Ginny by the shoulders and pulled her from the deep chasm of her unconscious. She felt cool fingers touch her cheek and brush a lock of hair from her forehead. Ginny kept her eyes closed. There was nothing wrong with pretending to be asleep and stalling for a few moments when her life was in danger. She was lying flat on her back across something comfortable and cushiony. It felt smooth like leather, maybe a couch. She couldn't move her legs, which meant her kidnapper probably hit her with a leg locker/stupefy combo. Whoever this whack-job was, he meant business.

"Damn it. I never could manage a gentle stunning charm." The stranger said in his aloof, manner-of-fact voice. It sounded like a veiled apology. "You scare the hell out of me when you do this..." He patted her cheek firmly, trying to wake her. Ginny fought the instinct to flinch. She could still move her arms, but they felt heavier than solid lead. Yeah, he was right when he said his stupefy charms were vicious. He might as well have hit her in the head with a brick. Ginny winced.

"That's a funny thing for a kidnapper to say." She hmped sarcastically and opened her eyes. He sat on the edge of the middle couch cushion. His pressed against her hip as he watched over her. Ginny noticed that the large room was dimly lit and expensively decorated. The carpet was an immaculate cream color and all the furniture coordinated in black leather and dark woods. She propped herself up by her elbows and leaned her back against the arm of the sofa. "Accio wand!" Ginny raised her free hand to call for her wand. It didn't come.

"It's tucked away--perfectly safe and unbroken--in a custom-made, enchanted chest." His smile was anything but modest. "One bat-bogey hex from you is enough, thank you." He sniffed arrogantly and adjusted the wide black leather cuff on his wrist. His calm, collected manner confused Ginny. He talked to her as if he knew her. Wasn't that impossible? His beautiful face and strong physical presence made him a dynamic, unforgettable guy. If Ginny had ever met him, she sure as heck would remember it! Or, maybe he was one of those weirdo stalkers who follows a woman around without ever meeting her. Maybe she randomly said 'hello' to him on the street and unknowingly made herself a target for his obsession.

"Listen here, buddy. If you're planning on starting a dark wizard uprising, you kidnapped the wrong girl. Luna Lovegood is Harry Potter's girlfriend. Not me. I dated Harry back... Oh, Merlin... six years ago. You're too late." She crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Put that in your cauldron and brew it, she thought. Her head tilted to the side and she shot him a smug glance.

"I have exactly what I want." He purred, tapping his pointer finger against the back of her hand. His cool eyes softened for a moment before hardening to granite. "Don't mention the name Harry Potter in my presence again, Ginny. He's not worth your breath... Or my psychotic anger." The stranger's laugh was light, but his words had a menacing weight. "You don't know the hell I went through to find you. It was bloody harder than breaking a fidelius charm. Your little protector thought he could steal your memories and hide you away from me. He forgot that a life-debt is the oldest and most binding form of pagan magic." A bitter hiss escaped his lips. "He couldn't stop me. Nothing could, Ginny. I had ancient magic and Malfoy charm on my side."

"Malfoy? That's impossible. Lucius died during the war. He never had a so--"

"I am Draco Abraxas Volante Magnificus Malfoy: the only son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. I am the Lord of Malfoy manor and the sole heir to the insurmountable Malfoy fortune. I am the traitor to Lord Voldermort's cause.You owe your life to me." He ticked trough his titles with quick ease.

"How do I owe you my life? I've never seen you before and I have no clue who you are, Mr. "Magnificus" Ginny snorted. "How do I know you're not making up this whole story?" Her rich hazel eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You want a story? Then, my dear, you shall have one." Draco's mouth curled with the calculated grace of a serpent. He plucked Ginny's novel from it's resting place on the plush carpet. "Ostendo specialis!" The words rang masterfully through the room and echoed sharply in Ginny's ears. A silver bolt fired from Draco's wand and struck the book. A magical fog fanned through the pages. "I've revealed the hidden secrets of your novel. You'll be surprised at how scandalous the truth really is."

"The truth?"

"Your memories, Ginny. Scarboy oblivated them from your pretty head because he couldn't stand how you defended me, even after I ..." His voice became rough. Shadows fell across his face. "Please... just open the book. That's all I ask." He offered it to her. She had no reason to trust him, seeing as how he was a kidnapper and seemed to be more than a little bit crazy. But Ginny believed him. In some elusive, intuitive part of her heart, she knew he was telling the truth. This could very well explain her obsessive drive to write the novel. And why the story seemed to pour from her as if it was already written. Maybe Draco Abraxas Volante Magnificus Malfoy held the key to the mystery. . . Ginny's eyes moved from his face to the book. She pursed her lips and took it from him. Carefully, she thumbed open the first page. A brilliant white burst of light erupted from the book. Dazzling galaxies of stars exploded within her eyes, blinding her and drawing her into a world of quicksilver memories.