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Dumbledore's office…
"Lucius Malfoy knows…" Severus said. Dumbledore sat behind his desk, hands clasped on the ends of the rests.
"This is… unfortunate…" was all he said. Severus shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
"If Lucius knows about me, there is no saying what else he knows. Or what Voldemort knows. There is a traitor here, and this person is not in my House. I have suspected young Warrington, but it is not merely him," the potions professor said. Dumbledore nodded and looked to Professor McGonagall.
"Minerva, inform Harry… Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, as well, to mind what they say. Even to students within their own House," he said. McGonagall nodded sadly.
"I cannot believe it has come to this," she commented. Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
"Vincent Crabbe was one of the few I'd feared would show themselves. Our eyes have been watchful of those in Slytherin House, with good reason. But Salazar's students are not the only ones who have betrayed…" he reminded his two trusted professors. Severus nodded once.
"Pettigrew," he said. Dumbledore nodded again.
"Yes. No one is immune," he said. McGonagall shook her head.
"How are we supposed to get House Unity when the Houses themselves are all suspect?" she asked. Dumbledore only smiled his half smile.
"My dear Minerva, it is that very House Unity that will end up betraying the betrayers."
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Warrington slammed into the Slytherin common room without a care of whom or what he ran over in the process. His nose had since stopped bleeding, but he certainly hadn't stopped fuming. Ginny Weasley had been the catalyst in which all his anger exploded out. A beautiful, frightened catalyst. If only Malfoy had been a few minutes later in arriving. It would have been interesting to see his reaction then. The icy calm Malfoy usually presented had cracked… and for a bloody Gryffindor. Warrington had spewed his threats hoping that the other boy would do something stupid.
But Draco Malfoy was smart. He had everyone trained from day one. All Hogwarts feared him. Therefore, they didn't question him. Warrington had been the only one that hadn't bought into it when he'd arrived. Oh, he'd been intimidated like the rest of his class at the glowering, mouthy second year. But unlike the others, he'd found a chink in the Slytherin Prince's expensive and well-made armor. And like those in his House would do, he planned to exploit that failing. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked as well as he'd thought tonight.
"Bloody bastard," he muttered as he ran a hand over his tender nose. He'd have gone to Madame Pomfrey, but she would have asked questions. Morag MacDougal would gladly practice her healing skills on him if he asked. Morag was to him as Pansy had been to Draco – means for a higher purpose. She was one of the few that Malfoy hadn't been able to crush under his thumb.
Slowly - during third, fourth and fifth years - a few more students filtered to their small group as the Malfoy reign of terror ran amuck. And it wasn't just Slytherins. But he really didn't care about those in the other Houses. They would serve their purpose. All he wanted was information. And information was what he was bloody well going to get… It would provide him status that above Draco in the eyes of the Dark Lord. Vincent Crabbe had started the ball rolling. Lucius Malfoy wouldn't tolerate his son doing anything that wasn't expected of him. And that included taking the Dark Mark.
Warrington grinned at that thought. He'd been elated that he had received the Dark Mark before the Slytherin Prince… the Dark Lord's chosen heir. His father had worked it out for him with the other Death Eaters to receive the Mark. Of course, the elder Warrington had paid with his life after Lord Voldemort had found out about the breach of procedure and blatant disregard of his orders. It hadn't bothered him in the least. His father had been a means to an end. An orphan now, the younger Warrington was a ward of Lord Voldemort himself. Nothing could have pleased him more. The Dark Lord would look to him as his most loyal once his competition was taken care of.
"Cole!" a female voice cried, interrupting his thoughts. "What the bleeding hell did you do to yourself?" Warrington turned to give Morag a glare.
"What does it look like I've been doing? I've been bleeding," he said, finally sitting down on the couch in front of the fireplace. There was a flurry of robes and the flowing scent of expensive perfume as the girl sat herself next to him and fussed over he stains and the growing bruise.
"You've been fighting," she commented with a cluck of her tongue.
"It's good of you to say so. I never would have known," he drawled. Morag huffed.
"Sometimes you can be as bad as Malfoy," she said. Warrington gripped her wrist and pulled it away from his face roughly.
"I am nothing like that weak, Gryffindor-loving traitor," he growled. Morag's eyes went wide.
"You got into a fight with Malfoy?" she asked, incredulous. "Are you completely daft?" He stood and paced in front of her.
"He chose a Gryffindor over a Slytherin. That should be enough to turn the House against him," he said. She watched him with doubtful eyes.
"If you think so," she said. Morag MacDougal wasn't stupid. She was fully aware of Cole Warrington's ambitions. She supported those ambitions and wanted to be there when he succeeded. But she was also fully aware of Draco Malfoy's presence in Slytherin House. He'd ruled, unchallenged, for seven years and had full support of their 'Death Eater' Head of House.
"I know so," Warrington said with conceit. Morag shook her dark head as she continued to tend to his face.
"You'd best be careful then. Our House is very much divided," she said. Warrington looked sharply at her.
"What are you on about?" he asked. Morag rolled her eyes. The arrogance of men. They thought they had it all figured out.
"There are some who would die supporting Draco… not the Dark Lord. You've been blind in your ambition and your hatred. After fifth year, Draco became more than just a mouthy little git with money and power. He became quieter mouthy git with a more subtle agenda," she informed him. He narrowed his eyes.
"How do you know all of this?" he asked.
"I've eyes, don't I? Plus, I happen to be friends with Pansy. She first noticed the change in him… and after she said something, I began to watch him," she said. "I also know something that you probably don't know…"
"What's that?"
"Snape is a traitor…" she said. Warrington couldn't cover the surprise he felt, which caused the girl in front of him to smirk. "He is a member of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix…" He stood up and pulled Morag to her feet.
"You're sure of this?" he asked. She thought back to the intense conversation she'd had moments before returning to the common room.
"Oh yes. Very sure," she said. Warrington kissed her hard before he let her go and picked up his cloak.
"Where are you off to?" she asked. He smirked at her over his shoulder.
"I've some things to take care of," he said as he left her alone in the room. Over the years, it had been Malfoy's circle that had ruled the school. Warrington's smirk grew wider. Now, he had his circle. Malfoy – either Malfoy - was no longer the threat he once was. He would make sure of that.
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They walked into Draco's private room without saying anything. He wasn't exactly sure what he should say, and she didn't know how to thank him without sounding inadequate. Instead, they both ran the entire hallway scene through their heads again. Ginny inwardly cursed herself for her stupidity at putting herself in such a situation. Draco cursed himself over and over again for not killing the bastard.
"How did you find us?" Ginny asked suddenly. It was curious that he had been the one to rescue her. Draco led her to a comfortable looking chair and sat her down. He crouched in front of her.
"Are you sure you are all right?" he asked, not sure what he could do if she wasn't. Ginny's eyes narrowed.
"You didn't answer my question, Draco," she said. When he opened his mouth to respond, she stopped him. "I'm fine, before you demand. I'll have a cry over it later and then it'll be done. But you… you are hiding something." Her comment was met with silence. Then, he sighed and stood. A hand went through his pale hair.
"I'm not hiding anything. I just…" he said. Ginny took his hand at his hesitation.
"Tell me," she ordered just as well as he could. His eyes met her and his resistance dissolved. Draco pulled on her hand and brought her to her feet. He took her place in the chair and immediately pulled her into his lap. They were both tense, each unaccustomed to the closeness and tenderness of the position. But when Draco wrapped his arms around her waist, Ginny melted into him. Her head fell back to rest in the hollow of his shoulder. They sat like that for a while, relishing the newness of the situation. Then, he started to talk.
"I was afraid when I heard my father had threatened you. I thought he knew about us… seeing… each other," he said, leaning his cheek against her hair. "He wasn't aware that it was more than just words or saving you in the forest. At least, he hadn't at that point…" His voice trailed off and when she turned slightly to look back at him, he had a far away look on his face. She laid her hand over one of his to draw him back.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, unsure of how this was going to answer her original question. Then, she decided she didn't care. Draco was telling her something… and that was more than she had any right to expect. He let out a breath, preparing to continue.
"All my life I haven't been trying to please a father. I have been trying to please a lord and master. When I got to Hogwarts, I finally found a person I could look up to. A person who actually cared about me and what I would become," he said.
"Snape," Ginny murmured.
"He's been more a father to me than my own. He is my family…" then he squeezed her hand. "I hated your family, first, because Lucius did. It was expected of me. Then, I hated your family because you were a family. Whether you loved Muggles or not made no difference. But it was a nice cover," he said.
"What changed?" she asked softly. Draco smiled.
"My life," he answered. "The summer between fifth and sixth year was one I spent contemplating. I thought about my father, I thought about Voldemort, I thought about that blasted Dark Mark. I even thought about… Potter…" Ginny chuckled at the predictable acidity in that one word. Rather than say anything, though, she let Draco continue.
"I'd spent those five years stewing in a hatred bred by my father. I did things and said things that I thought he would say. But as much as I may look like my father, I have no wish to become him. He could have been a star quidditch player. He could have been a top Auror. He could have been the Minister of bloody Magic. But instead, he sold himself to serve the Dark Lord," Draco sneered. "He keeps going on about Malfoy pride and Malfoy dignity… but he bows before a half-blood and his only power lies behind a mask and dark robe. That is not pride or dignity. And now… he plans to rule his only son by threats…" Ginny sucked in a breath and shifted so that she could look at him.
"What happened tonight, Draco?" she asked. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cool leather of the chair.
"My father lured me to him by using Severus and threatened to kill him," he said. His eyes opened and looked directly into hers. "He threatened to destroy everything I care about…" Ginny swallowed.
"How did you both get away? You both did get away, right?" she asked. Draco nodded.
"Lucius disarmed me. His conversation with me distracted him from Severus, who'd picked up my wand and stunned him. We apparated back to the Hogwarts gates and had to sneak in the back way. Severus went to speak with Dumbledore. I was going to wait for him in his office when I came across you and…" This time, he swallowed hard. Ginny rested her head again on his shoulder. She didn't want to think about that.
"I'm sorry about your father," she said. Draco chuckled, breaking the mood that had enveloped them.
"You need to stop being such a bloody Gryffindor," he said. "You either have to go fix things or want to go fix things. You'll have to face the inevitable one day… not everything can be fixed." Ginny sat up with a bemused smile and swung her legs around to drape over the arm of the chair.
"Oh really? And am I supposed to take the Slytherin approach to everything, then? Fix only what I want fixed and blast everything else?" she asked. Draco smirked.
"It is the better of the two approaches," he said. Ginny looked thoughtful for a second.
"You said you 'hated' my family. Was that past tense?" she asked. Draco squirmed under her look for a second.
"I bloody well hate your brother and will continue to do so until my next life," he informed her. Ginny smiled.
"Which?" she asked. Draco cursed. He forgot she had a quidditch team of brothers.
"The red-faced one…" he said. "Ron…"
"You know, I think that is the first time I've ever heard you call him by his name," she said with a laugh. Draco shrugged.
"He will always be Weasel to me," he said. With a shameless grin, he launched into humming a chorus of 'Weasley is Our King'. Ginny shook her head.
"Admit it, it was right pratish of you to do that to him," she said.
"Of course I'll admit it. Mainly because I am a prat…" he said. "I do believe it was you who continuously called me such."
"Oh? And the names you called me were flattering?" she prompted. Draco shrugged.
"They could have been a lot worse," he commented. Ginny arched him a look.
"And you wonder why you got yourself a bloody Bat Bogey Hex…" she said. Draco grimaced at the memory.
"For that, you're going to get tossed," he said. Ginny let out a shriek as he stood, with her in his arms. He then tossed her carelessly back into the chair.
"You prat," she laughed as she made herself comfortable. "Speaking of that horrid creation of yours…"
"My song?" he asked innocently. Ginny gave him a look.
"Of course your song… Anyways… as a representative of Gryffindor House, I feel obligated to say thank you for the wonderful song that we could provide an adaptation for," she said, with a grin. Draco's face twisted in disgust.
"Who knew my own words could be used against me like that. But I do have to admit that your brother has improved," he said. Ginny's eyes went wide.
"A compliment for the red-faced Weasel? I'm impressed," she said. Draco shrugged.
"Actually, it is I who is impressed. Who knew that my simple jeering could be catalyst to such progress?" he asked, sitting back against his desk nonchalantly.
"You think too highly of yourself," she commented.
"Perhaps, but it's your brother who took my paltry suggestion to heart," Draco said. Ginny scoffed.
"Paltry suggestion, my arse. It's only because he wants to beat your House into the ground… perhaps you as well," she said. Draco stood up and approached her with his usual confident gait.
"I think Slytherin may actually win the Cup this year. Perhaps Potter's shoulder could go out again…" Draco said, scratching his cheek in thought as he stood in front of her. Ginny reached out and smacked his arm.
"Draco…" she chided. "Harry's completely healed now. We'll win the rest of our games. It'll be a Slytherin/Gryffindor final. You wait and see," she said. Draco leaned over the chair and smirked.
"Looking forward to it," he said before kissing her lightly. Then he stood straight. "Sorry we had to beat you while you were seeker." Ginny smirked back at him.
"You are not," she said, watching as he rid himself of his cloak and robes. Draco grinned back as he draped them over the back of the chair.
"You're right, I'm not. Still, I can't help but wish I'd beaten Potter," he said, loosening his tie.
"Don't you think you're taking this feud a little too seriously?" she asked. Draco scoffed as he reached out and pulled her to her feet.
"Never. I hate Scarhead. More, even, than your brother. He and I will be feuding as they bury us," he said. Ginny's face twisted.
"That's morbid…" she commented.
"We of the dungeons tend to be as such," he said. Ginny giggled.
"You really are too much at times," she said before she kissed him. His arms tightened around her.
"Too much what?" he prodded as they parted to breathe. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Everything. You're too much everything. Too conceited, too Slytherin, too Malfoy, too witty, too rich, too sneaky, too smart…" she listed off. It became apparent that there was a whole list she wanted to go through.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, cutting her off before she could start in again.
"You would," she said on a laugh. It was good to see this side of Draco. For years she never knew this lighter side of him had even existed. She instinctively knew there had been more to that summer than simple contemplation. Probably more to do with his father and with the Death Eaters. But she didn't dwell on that. Instead she just thanked all the deities that it led to this moment.
"Yes, I would," he said, bringing her back to the moment.
"Harry wouldn't," she teased. Draco's eyes darkened at the name, but refrained from saying anything too caustic. Potter would always be a sensitive nerve, especially where she was concerned. But it wouldn't do to air that particular grievance at the moment.
"Yes, Saint Potter would do everything to be the complete opposite. It's why we hate each other…" he said, allowing himself one dig.
"That and you're a prat," Ginny replied kindly. Draco's dark brow rose as he looked down at her.
"I'll bet you'd never call Potter a prat," he grumbled. Ginny shook her head.
"No… but Harry wouldn't make a good prat. You, on the other hand, do it so well," she said. Draco smirked before kissing her in order to prove her words correct.
"Why are we talking about Potter?" he asked as his lips descended to her neck.
"Draco!" she giggled breathlessly as one of his hands found its way beneath her shirt.
"My quota for holding back insults on the Terrible Trio has been exceeded. As has my good deed quota. I'm duty bound to do something pratish," he said. She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When he leaned back up to kiss her senseless once more, a single thought went through her head.
Crap. She was in love with Draco Malfoy…
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Grimmauld Place…
"Are you sure?" Arthur Weasley asked. Dumbledore looked grave from where he was standing, hands supporting himself on the kitchen table.
"I'm afraid, Arthur, it is time. Lord Voldemort knows Severus is a traitor. He knows that both he and Draco have been to their lair. They will search out new headquarters. We must strike now before our advantage is lost," he said. Arthur looked to four or his six sons standing next to him.
"Fred, George…" he said, a worried look on his tired face. "Go home to your mother. Tell her the raid is tonight." The twins looked at each other, then to Bill and Charlie, and then, finally, to their father.
"But Dad…" they said in unison. The Weasley patriarch held up his hand.
"No argument boys. Someone has to be home with your mother. With Ron and Ginny off at Hogwarts and Percy… and Percy off on his own, it falls to you two. I will not have her worrying over the lot of us," he said. Fred grumbled.
"No, just us…" he said. George elbowed him.
"Dad…" George piped up.
"… what about Harry?" the twins ended together. Arthur sighed and put his hands in his pockets.
"Harry is to stay at Hogwarts. He is not to know about the raid tonight," he said. Dumbledore nodded as he looked to the Weasley twins.
"It is not Harry's fight yet. He is skilled, that much is true. But he is not ready to face Voldemort. That fight will come soon enough," the Headmaster said. Charlie frowned from his seat.
"What about Ron and Ginny, then?" he asked.
"… and Hermione…" the twins reminded. Charlie glared at his brothers for their interruption.
"Are they ready to fight as well?" he asked. Arthur turned to look into the fire. He hated that his children would be integral parts in a war that had begun before they were born.
"They will be safe at Hogwarts…" he muttered.
"But Dad…" George said.
"… surely you know that where one goes…" Fred cut in.
"… the others will be sure to follow…" George finished. Arthur sighed. He knew that his two youngest would follow Harry and Hermione to the end of the world and back if there were danger. It was what he would have done, back in his Gryffindor days. When he'd found out that his little Ginny had accompanied the others into the Ministry of Magic their fifth year he'd about had a heart attack then and there.
"I'm aware of that, boys. They will be prepared as best they can. Harry knows what he's doing. If he asks for their help, it will be because they are ready to help him. If the stupid bloody Ministry hadn't sicced Umbridge on them, they would be more ready…" Arthur grumbled. Fred and George shared a look as they remembered giving leave of Hogwarts and its warden, Delores Umbridge. It had been a crowning moment in their many moments. There was a clearing of the throat.
"I have the utmost confidence that the children at Hogwarts will be fully prepared to defend themselves and their school if needs be," Severus said, shocking all with the lack of derision in his voice. In fact, he sounded confident in the Hogwarts populace's abilities.
"You sound as if attack on them is imminent," Bill commented from the corner he was standing in. Severus turned to look at him.
"We are about to launch a major offensive against the Dark Lord," he said, causing the eldest Weasley sibling to squirm under his glare. "He will retaliate. And he will retaliate against what he sees as the weakest point. Now where, exactly, do you think that might be?"
"What about the traitor?" Bill asked after the professor's point was absorbed. Severus looked to Dumbledore.
"The traitors will stay where they are. They are safer within the walls of Hogwarts," the old wizard said.
"How's that?" Charlie asked. The Headmaster turned to the young man.
"There they can be observed. There they can be used to our advantage if needs be," he said.
"Besides," Bill scoffed. "He said traitors… as in more than one. If we take them all out of Hogwarts, it will alert Voldemort to our knowledge."
"Hang on… More than one traitor? Who are they?" Charlie asked, hearing this information for the first time.
"The whole of Slytherin House, for one… And Malfoy leading the charge," George grumbled. This time Fred elbowed him as Severus leveled them a healthy glare.
"I would not judge those you know nothing about, Weasleys. There are those in Slytherin House who will do as expected by people such as you. But then there are those who have come across changing… circumstances… that cannot be ignored," he said. The twins opened their mouths to argue back, but Arthur held up his hand.
"Enough. To your mother, boys. We must be off. The rest of the Order is waiting for us," he said. Fred and George frowned.
"Two of the most brilliant minds in wizarding Britain…" George grumbled.
"… relegated to mother-sitting duty…" Fred continued.
"… a slight upon our person, I'll tell you…" George finished as they flooed out of the Order Headquarters. When the small room was free of the twins, Arthur looked back to Bill and Charlie.
"You are aware of what this will entail?" he asked. The two men nodded.
"This is not a simple Auror raid to get the drop on Death Eaters," Severus said. "We must use the Killing Curse. Azkaban will do us… and them… no good." Dumbledore nodded.
"I'm afraid he is correct. Dementors and bars will not keep Voldemort from freeing his followers. Not with war on the horizon," he said, looking older than he had in the past. "There will be much death in the very near future…"
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There was a quick knock on the door that caused Draco's eyes to snap open. Then he heard it open. The only people that knew his password were Severus, Blaise and Goyle. With a sigh, he reached over and drew the sheets higher over Ginny and slipped out of the bed and into his robe. He crossed the room just as the forms of Blaise Zabini and Greg Goyle entered. The two boys took in Draco's appearance and immediately averted their eyes from the bed. It was the one thing that Draco appreciated most about his two friends – they weren't the curious sort.
"What's going on?" he asked. Blaise and Goyle both lifted the wrist cuffs of their robes. Two Dark Marks glowed eerily. Draco sighed as he ran a hand over his face. His two friends had received their Marks upon their eighteenth birthdays earlier in the school year. Draco himself wasn't supposed to receive his until June. Never, if he could help it.
"We can't locate Professor Snape," Goyle said. Draco stood up straight.
"Do you think he answered the call?" he asked. Blaise shook his head.
"No. The call was about an hour ago. We've been trying to find Snape all night. He and Dumbledore are not here at Hogwarts," he said.
"Potter?" Draco asked.
"Safe in Gryffindor Tower," the dark-haired boy said. Draco nodded. Whatever took both Snape and Dumbledore out of the castle couldn't be world-ending. Otherwise their ace wizard would be with them.
"Warrington?"
"That's the other part of the reason we're here. He's gone too," Blaise said.
"We think he was called," Goyle said. Draco frowned.
"He's a bloody sixth year…" he said. Blaise and Goyle shared a look.
"We know. But remember when Calder Warrington was found dead? Rumor had it that he broke tradition…" Blaise said. Draco nodded.
"And gave his son the Mark…" he concluded. "It would explain a lot of Warrington's actions as of late. Did you tell Pansy any of this?" The two other boys shook their heads.
"She's practically given herself the Dark Mark. And she's been hanging around Morag MacDougal a lot lately since you've been… distracted from her," Goyle said. Draco nodded, letting the last comment slide.
"Good," he said. "Let me get dressed. Meet me back here in a half an hour." The two boys nodded, but their eyes couldn't help but stray to the unmistakably red hair that lay on Draco's pillow. Draco followed their line of vision and tensed.
"I'll wake her and send her back to Gryffindor. Goyle… I would appreciate it if you would make sure she makes it back without incident," he said. Goyle nodded.
"I'll wait outside the door," he said. With that, the two boys took their leave.
Draco crossed the room again and stood at the edge of the bed. He looked down at Ginny and let traitorous thoughts run through his head for a moment. But only a moment. He shook them away quickly when he realized that they were of an alternate reality… not the future. What had happened tonight could not happen again. Not until all of this was over. And one or both of them could be dead by that point. He let out a suffering, yet resigned sigh as he leaned over her and gently shook her shoulder.
"Gin?" he prodded. She didn't move, so he shook her one more time. After a moment, her hand slapped his away.
"It isn't in your best interest to wake a sleeping Weasley," she mumbled sleepily. "You think our tempers are legendary while we're awake... try it half-asleep..." Draco rolled his eyes as he poked at her arm one more time.
"Wake up, Gin..." he said before leaning over and kissing her gently. Unaccustomed to being awoken in such a fashion, her eyes snapped open. The shock wore off and she stretched to return the kiss. Finally, Draco sat back and looked at her.
"My brothers don't wake me that way," she commented, rising to rest on her elbows. Draco's face twisted in horror.
"I would sincerely hope not," he said. She laughed softly. Draco's face was serious as he stood from the bed and went to gather his discarded clothing.
"You need to get back to Gryffindor. If anyone else finds you here, I'm not sure what will happen," he said. Ginny's good mood died an immediate death.
"Anyone else?" she asked. "Who's seen me here?" Her temper was starting to take hold. Draco sighed as he picked up her shirt and threw it to her.
"Zabini and Goyle stopped by unannounced," he told her. She sat up and looked at the white material for a moment before picking it up and slipped it on. Her eyes watched him closely. He seemed far away, and not just in thought. It was as if he'd distanced himself from her as she'd slept. Ginny's skin chilled and she could feel the goose bumps run across her skin. The closeness she'd felt to him only hours before suddenly felt lost. There was a question in her mind that kept leaping to her lips, but never any further. She was afraid of the answer… and she was afraid of no answer. But finally, Ginny's mind could not be denied.
"What's going on, Draco?" she asked as she watched him button his wrinkled Oxford.
"I have some things to take care of yet tonight," he said. Ginny's eyes went fearful as this was not the answer she wanted or needed.
"What things?" she asked. Draco looked up at her. She kneeled in the middle of his bed, her own wrinkled Oxford covering her body and her red hair glaringly out of place. They had escaped to their own little world for a little while, but reality had seeped in while they'd slept.
He wanted to answer her. He wanted to say his father, the Death Eaters, traitors, Warrington, Harry Potter… those things… But he couldn't.
"Just… things," he said, turning away from her. She didn't say anything, but he heard her get off the bed. There was silence as she continued to dress. Finally, when he knew she was ready to leave, she approached him. Draco could sense that she wanted more answers. But he could also sense her hesitation. He mentally applauded the restraint he knew Weasleys were hard to come by.
"Draco," she said. He turned to look at her and she surprised him when she took his face in her hands and kissed him softly. "Be careful…" It was as simple as that. He'd wanted her gone and she left. No tears, no complaining, no further prodding. And now that he was alone in the cold and dark room, he wanted nothing more than to call her back. Closing his eyes, he gripped the wood of his desk chair and practiced a restraint of his own. When the chair was dangerously close to snapping in his grip, he pushed it to the desk with a resounding 'thump'.
Bugger it... He was knee-deep in love with Ginny Weasley. This would not do... not now, when all was about to explode…
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Oh, the things I have planned…