Right now, there are 5 days, 1 hour and 5 minutes until the new Harry Potter. Woo hoo!
I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying. I'm trying to finish this as quickly as I can. I'm not sure that I'll have it finished before the release of the new HP, like I had intended, but oh well. Have patience, read, and enjoy.
Chapter Nine: So Not Cute
"Where are we going exactly?" Ginny asked quietly.
"Scotland. Father had a castle built there just in case something bad happened and we needed to get away."
"How is that any safer than staying in England?" Ginny asked.
"Because this castle doesn't really exist, at least not in a manner anyone can reach it, except in a certain way."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand."
Draco sighed. "The castle is not connected to the floo network, it's invisible, there are anti-Apperation charms everywhere, and there is some sort of giant maze around it, keeping everyone out."
"Then how are we getting in?"
"We're flooing."
"You said the castle wasn't connected to the floo network."
"It's not."
"Then how are we getting in?"
"The fireplaces in the castle are all connected to only one other fireplace; one in the basement of the Manor."
"Oh," replied Ginny softly.
After a moment of two of walking through the hallways of the Manor, Draco looked back at Ginny and asked, "What is the matter, Ginny?"
"I just don't know what to do anymore. I thought I was doing this for all the right reasons, but Draco, I just don't know. I feel as though I'm being pulled in so many directions, and I just want it all to stop."
"Well, if a vacation is what you're looking for, you should thank me. The castle is wonderful. The only people there will be my mother, you and I. My mother will most likely remove herself, and you'll be able to just relax. It really is a beautiful area. I think you'll enjoy it."
"I'm not thanking you, Draco. I don't want to be here. I want to be useful, helping the Order."
Silence followed this proclamation, and Draco led Ginny through the mansion. The further they walked, the darker it became, and as Ginny walked down the staircase leading into the lower levels, she shuddered. The once spacious halls became narrower, and the ubiquitous light that shone through the rest of the house was missing here, with only the occasional torch to light the way. At the end of the hallway was a door, and inside what looked to be a study. The walls were all lined with bookshelves full of volumes, many of which, Ginny was forced to notice, looked to be about the Dark Arts. Apprehension mounting, Ginny quickened her step, bringing herself closer to Draco, who currently seemed the lesser of two great evils. When Draco stopped abruptly, Ginny ran into his back. Instead of a scornful remark, Draco just looked at her, than asked, "Do you want to grab something to read while we're here?"
Ginny froze, sure that Draco had seen her trying to see the bookshelves, sure that this was a subtle warning. When she didn't reply, Draco asked, "Surely you know how to read?"
"Yes!" replied Ginny, glaring at Draco.
"Come on," Draco said, turning, and continued, "the novels are right though here." He began to weave his way between the shelves, and Ginny hurried to follow. So he wasn't reprimanding her for her previous curiosity, but had genuinely been offering her some sort of entertainment. "Here," Draco said, stopping, and pointing at several shelves. "Take whatever you want. I'm going to go grab some books too, I'll be back in about 15 minutes." He turned and walked off into the semi-darkness. Ginny wandered, just browsing. The books here were merely novels, as Draco had said. There was nothing menacing, just bland books, as one would find at any bookstore. Ginny breathed a sign of relief- perhaps the books she had passed earlier were just as innocent. After all, what fool would place illegal and felonious books in plain sight of anyone walking through this library? Ginny, thus calmed, began to systematically pull book s off shelves, flip through them quickly, then replace them, or more often, add them to the growing pile of books she was planning to take with her.
"Are you truly taking all of them?" Draco asked. Ginny startled, dropped the book she was holding and swung around. Her heart beating madly, she scolded Draco, "Don't startle me like that!"
"Are you?"
"Yes, I am planning on taking all of them." Ginny sniffed. Draco shrugged, than whispered something, and the books all flew into the bag Draco was holding, shrinking as they flew. Ginny watched curiously; she was unfamiliar with the spell, and hadn't even realized Draco was holding the bag.
"Come on then, we don't have much time."
Draco led Ginny back into the hallway, and down until they reached a huge and archaic fireplace. "We're going to Humbolt Estate," Draco informed Ginny, then grabbed a handful of floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and then jumped in yelling, "Humbolt Estate!"
Ginny began to protest at his sudden disapparence, but he was gone before she formed the words. Ginny then took a deep breath, took a handful of floo powder, and followed Draco, yelling, "Humbolt Estate!"
The floo trip was one unlike any Ginny had ever experienced- the disorientation she normally felt was magnified tenfold, and she seemed to be flying faster than ever before. The trip was seeming to take an interminable amount of time, and Ginny began to count slowly. A typical floo journey -from start to finish- lasted between 5-12 seconds. Ginny had counted to 32 before she was spit out on an unfamiliar hearth. Soot covered her from head to toe, and Ginny began coughing uncontrollably. A hand descended on Ginny's back and began pounding rhythmically. "Thanks," she muttered, looking up at Draco.
"If you want something to eat, you'll have to make it yourself," Draco stated. "Do you want a tour?"
"I suppose," Ginny replied.
"This is the my mother's room -she's almost certainly asleep by now- and this is the water closet, the parlor, the library/study, the kitchen and finally, our room," he announced, opening the door.
"Our room?" Ginny demanded. "What do you mean, our room?"
"The room which you and I will be sharing, in which we will be sleeping," Draco explained patiently, though the smirk on his face belied the easy tone of his words. "The house was built with no extra room for a wife. I'm sorry, but we're sharing the room." Draco paused. "Why don't you unpack, I'll be back in a bit." And with that Draco walked out. Ginny ambled over to where Draco had set down her luggage, and proceeded to unpack, putting her clothes in drawers, and adding a homier touch to the room. Just as Ginny was finishing, Draco returned, munching on a piece of toast.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"No, replied Ginny, "I'm just tired."
"Not surprising- it's almost 11... 1 in the morning local time."
"What is local time?" asked Ginny curiously.
"I just told you," replied Draco, his voice simply dripping with venom. "It's almost one o'clock."
"I know that- I want to know where we are?"
"I'm sure you do," Draco paused. "I'm getting ready for bed." Turning, Draco walked over to the wall and opened a panel, which obviously led to a second water closet attached to their room. Ginny picked up her pajamas and walked down to the other water closet at the end of the hallway. She changed slowly, taking deep breaths- there was nothing she dreaded more than the idea of going to bed with Draco Malfoy, her husband. She returned slowly to her room, putting off the moment when she would confront him over a bed. Opening the door carefully, a wave of relief flooded Ginny to realize that Draco was still in the water closet. She went over to her luggage and removed the final item from her bag. Wrapping her childhood blanket around herself, Ginny stepped into bed and closed her eyes, determined to sleep. She didn't even hear Draco's footsteps as he ambled toward the bed.
What is this?" he asked, pointing to Ginny's blanket.
"It's my blanket," Ginny answered primly, her eyes still closed.
"What's it doing in my bed?" he questioned, picking it up carefully between his thumb and forefinger, as though it was too dirty to touch.
"I'm sleeping with it!" responded Ginny, snatching it from his hands.
"Well, you're not sleeping in here with that damn thing!"
"Fine! Then where can I sleep?" Ginny demanded.
"That's not what I meant. You're sleeping here. It is not."
"The blankie comes with me. You can't have it both ways. Either I'm here with my blankie, or my blankie and I are both elsewhere."
"You're a married woman!" Draco exclaimed, his patience running out. "You don't need a blanket!"
"I may not need it, but not only do I very much want it, but I'm having it. And if you don't like it, then that's your problem," Ginny said as she began to take the blankets and quilts off of Draco's bed.
"What are you doing?" Draco sighed.
"Since you won't tell me where I can sleep, I'm taking these out to the couch. I'm sleeping there."
"No, Ginny, you're not," said Draco, grabbing her from behind and tossing her on the bed. "Dormio!"
Ginny awoke slowly. The time, judging by the light permeating through the curtains, was about midmorning. Though she didn't particularly want to get up, Ginny thought it would be a good idea to provide herself with a jentacular repast to fill her empty stomach. She stood slowly and dressed, then walked to the kitchen. It was there that she encountered Draco, munching on a piece of toast. Not knowing what to say, Ginny said nothing, but began to prepare some eggs for herself. As they were cooking, Ginny walked around a bit, looking into cabinets and peering around, looking at the food supplies.
"Will you stop pacing!" Draco finally shouted, then asked, "Did you sleep well?" Ginny just shrugged, and went back to her eggs. She spooned them out of the pan and onto a plate. Draco's eyes just followed her food, then he turned and walked from the room in disgust. Ginny finished her food and washed her plate. With nothing else to do, Ginny went back to her room and picked up a book. Not liking the lighting in her room, Ginny moved into the parlor.
Mid-afternoon, Draco walked in, squinting at the abundant light and nibbling on a piece of toast. Ginny looked up, then demanded, "Don't you know how to make anything other than toast?"
"No," replied Draco succinctly. Ginny just rolled her eyes, and looked back to her book. Draco stood in the doorway, then began to walk about the room, picking things up and setting them down. Taking a deep breath, Ginny set her book and looked up.
"Is there anything you need?" asked Ginny.
"No," he replied again.
"Do you want me to make you something other than toast?" asked Ginny after a rather uncomfortable pause.
"That would be wonderful."
Thank you so much. Don't forget to review. Have a very nice day!
Much Love, MA