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The next night...
Nothing really exploded, per say. Not just yet, anyway. Those chosen from the Order for this mission apparated to a point just beyond the cabin that Snape had informed them of. Remus Lupin and Arthur Weasley stood at the head of the small, but formidable, group of Order members.
"Remember what Professor Dumbledore said… no prisoners. We cannot afford to take any of them alive. If you are uncomfortable with the Killing Curse, turn back now," Arthur advised. No one moved. Bill and Charlie stepped next to their father and raised their wands at the ready. Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus and the rest followed suit. Arthur nodded.
"Right then," he said, clearing his throat and causing Remus to smile. "Moody, Tonks, Remus and I will each take a few of you and we'll have to find our ways in. Moody has been working on an advanced anti-ward spell. If it works…"
"If it works?" Mad-Eye grumbled. "It will work, my good man. There's no if about it…" Arthur smiled.
"Yes… well… we'd like to have the element of surprise, but should something alert them to our presence, be prepared to fight for your lives and don't forget your training," he said. "Bill… Charlie… you're with me…" The two Weasley children looked between themselves.
"Dad…" Bill started, but Arthur held up his hand.
"No. It's final. It is the only promise I made to your mother, and I'll not have her on my hide when we get back," he said trying to hide the worry he felt. Then he turned to look at the rest of the group. "Let's be off then… Good luck to whoever gets in first."
Bill and Charlie both smiled as they followed after their father. Arthur Weasley, a general he was not. But in the thick of things, with Dumbledore and Snape going back to watch over Hogwarts, he was the man with the most experience and someone everyone trusted with their well-being.
Arthur led his chosen brigade towards the right side of the mansion. Mad-Eye, Tonks and Remus decided their approach would be best from the other side.
"Best make sure your heads are covered, boy. The tops of our heads tend to be beacons wherever we go," Arthur said good-naturedly as he pulled the hood of his cloak over the telltale Weasley hair. Bill and Charlie mirrored their father's actions as they inched along the side of the wall quietly. Suddenly, Arthur held up his hand to stop their progress.
"This looks as good a place as any," he said, pointing to the window.
"Do you think Moody's anti-ward spell worked?" Charlie asked Bill. The older man shrugged.
"I hope so, otherwise all this sneaking around is only taking us quietly to our death," he said. Arthur leveled his oldest son a look before pointing his wand at the window.
"Alohomora," he whispered with a wave of his wand. The window unlocked and started to slide up. Arthur peeked his cloak-covered head into the opening and looked around the empty room. It took but moments for the small group to climb through their chosen entrance.
"Well, we're in. What next?" Ulias Harplock, an older member of the Order, asked. Arthur looked around the dusty room.
"We find Death Eaters… and kill them," he said. Part of him wished that they would come across either Lucius Malfoy or Lord Voldemort himself. Killing Malfoy would make this monster they were facing have one less head. Killing Voldemort would take off all the heads entirely. Either one would be a win for the Order. Both would be an assured victory.
"What if we run into You-Know-Who?" another Order member asked. Charlie snorted.
"Pray that you can run fast enough in the other direction," he said. Arthur just shook his head. The other part of him wished they didn't, knowing full well that if they did, there would be more Order casualties than they expected.
"Quiet," he commanded. "Let's start taking a look around. The others should be in the building by now, and we need to do this quickly. If we linger too long our element of surprise will be gone." The group nodded in agreement and followed after Arthur as he made his way to the massive door that led into the main hallway of the manor. Ulias opened the door as quietly as he could and Arthur stepped, wand first, out into the hallway. There was nothing there and he motioned for the others follow him.
They continued out into the hallway and started to find their way through the spacious place, Bill and Charlie taking up the rear as their father led the small group. Charlie heard a small sound coming from one of the smaller corridors and nudged his brother. Bill looked back and saw Charlie duck into the hallway. With a curse and a final look at the group that continued on without them, Bill followed his sibling.
"Charlie! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he asked harshly. "The group's gone on without us."
"I heard something down this way…" Charlie answered. Bill frowned.
"It was probably a sodding mouse," he said. Charlie looked at him over his shoulder.
"Or a Death Eater," he said before continuing on. Bill cursed again, but raised his wand slightly higher in readiness. He lengthened his stride and pushed his way by Charlie.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Taking the lead," Bill answered. Charlie frowned.
"Why? Because you're older? Haven't we grown past that little row?" he asked. Bill rolled his eyes.
"Not because I'm older, because I'm better at deflection spells," he said. Charlie opened his mouth to reply but found he couldn't argue with his brother's point. Instead, he raised his wand a little higher as well and followed after Bill. They came to another room that had a rickety stairway leading to the next level. The room itself was empty and the two brothers looked at each other.
"Told you it was a mouse," Bill told Charlie.
"The noise was definitely louder than a mouse," Charlie replied. He then looked to the stairs. "Shall we?" Bill looked questioningly at the dilapidated wood. He didn't really trust anything in this place, but the stairs did look sturdy enough for him and Charlie to ascend. He stepped forward to be the first on the stairs and there was an eerie creak as he stepped. He took another step and there was an even eerier noise. Then, with the third step closer to the stairs there was a loud crash and Bill Weasley was no longer in front of his brother.
"Bill!" Charlie cried as he saw the gaping hole in the floor. In mansions like these, a fall to the next floor could easily be fatal and the younger Weasley scrambled to the edge of the hole and tried to see through the dust and dirt that now hung in the air.
"Bill?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"I'm alright, Charlie," Bill's voice came back. Relief flooded through Charlie as his brother's voice wafted up through the mess.
"Avada Kedavra," a familiar voice from behind Charlie said. Every nerve ending froze as the two words were spoken. But instead of the spell hitting Charlie, there was a loud thud of a body hitting the ground. When he turned, he saw his father holding his wand in front of him and staring at the fallen Death Eater.
"Charlie!" Bill's panicked voice called back. He'd heard the Killing Curse and a body hit the floor. Charlie let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine. Dad just took out a baddie," he said. Arthur Weasley looked up at his son, his face whiter than it usually was.
"I haven't said that spell since I was a young man," he said, still slightly shaken at having used the Unforgivable for the first time in years. Charlie stood and went to his father.
"You saved my life. I'd think that counts for something," he said. Arthur smiled, but it quickly turned to a scolding frown.
"You need to watch your back, Charles. If I hadn't happened by, you would be dead," he said gruffly. Charlie turned to point to the hole.
"Well, Bill decided he wanted to go take a look see in the basement. I had to make sure the over-eager prat was okay," he said. Arthur looked pained for a moment as he looked at the hole and then looked at Charlie.
"You know you have to watch out for yourself first. This is not a game. If you are in a situation, you find your own way out. Is that clear?" he asked. Charlie swallowed. He hadn't been subject to Arthur's lectures since he was a teenager. Regardless how he felt about the raid policy, Charlie nodded. Arthur's shoulders dropped.
"Good. Bill?" he addressed the hole in the floor. There was a snap of air and the other Weasley appeared next to his brother.
"Already found my way out, thanks," he said. Arthur gave him a stern look. Bill sighed.
"Yeah, Dad. I got it," he said. The two brothers shared a look as they followed their father out of the room. They wouldn't mention that Arthur himself had subjected himself to danger by saving Charlie. They were sure their father wouldn't appreciate his own words being used against him.
"Ulias and the others have already come across three Death Eaters. Be prepared for more," Arthur warned. Bill and Charlie tightened their grips on their wands and mentally prepared themselves for battle.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Elsewhere in the mansion…
Remus Lupin had never feared the Unforgivable curses. It was why Dumbledore had hired him on Defense Against the Dark Arts professor years ago. In fact, the one in their group that had been the most resistant to using those particular curses had, surprisingly, been Sirius Black. The rebel of the group had been unable to rebel that far. In had been James who had been the first to breach that subconscious hesitance to use the Killing Curse. But then, he'd had a wife – and then a son – to protect. Remus, the straight-laced one, had known the technical aspects of such curses for years but had held himself back. But that had been more out of respect for them than fear of them. Now, he threw the curse without a moment's thought.
"Avada Kedavra," he said. The green light had caught two Death Eaters. One fell to ground, dead. The other, who had not had the full effect of the spell, fell to the ground in complete agony. Remus repeated his words to relieve himself of the Death Eater's screaming. He felt no remorse at the pain the dark robed figure had endured. These people were ultimately responsible for James and Lily's murder – even if it was years too late to be an adequate payback. These people killed muggles, squibs and wizards alike for reasons that Remus himself could never understand.
He heard other struggles taking place elsewhere in the mansion and could only hope that the others were as successful as he had been. Never would he have thought he'd hear as many curses on a given day, but then, war had yet to truly break out. Today would pale in comparison, he was sure. A sudden clamoring snapped Remus back to attention and he pointed his wand at the door in preparation.
"Professor Lupin," an out of breath Angelina Johnson called to him as she ran into the room. He lowered his wand.
"What happened?" he asked as he took in the blood covering her cheek. He assumed there was more, but the black of her robes camouflaged it.
"We were caught by six or seven Death Eaters. They're taken care of, but one of the spells caused the ceiling to collapse. Fred Weasley is caught under the rusted chandelier. He's… he's bleeding pretty bad," she said. Remus' eyes went wide before he swept by the girl.
"Ruddy little bastard. He's not supposed to be here," he growled. Angelina hurried after him as they ran towards one of the large rooms that, once upon a time, used to be opulent and full of grandeur. Two members of the Order knelt next to the fallen form of Fred Weasley as the other four kept careful watch. Remus parted the two and knelt down next to the redhead. He took stock of the situation and could see that the heavy metal of the chandelier had been in as good of shape as the rest of the manor. A broken end of the fixture had pierced Fred in the lower abdomen.
"'Lo, Remus… come to join the party?" Fred's voice said, as strong and full of humor as ever. Remus laid a hand on the other man's shoulder.
"We'll get you out of here, Fred. Worry not," he said, nodding for two other Order members to join them..
"Oh, I'm not worried. Ginny and Mum are quite good at healing charms," he said. Remus gave the redhead a wry smile.
"Yes, but they're not here at the moment, are they?" he asked. Fred grimaced.
"And they'd more'n'likely skin my hide rather than heal me," he said. Remus' smile became genuine.
"And you'd more'n'likely deserve every hex they throw at you," he said before sobering. "Now, Fred, we're going to have to lift this off of you. It's probably going to hurt a bugger." Fred nodded.
"Get it done," he said. Remus nodded to the four people who took a hold of the chandelier. With a quick count of three, they lifted and freed Fred from the metal. Remus and Angelina, with a bit of help from Fred himself, pulled the redhead from under the metal and immediately put pressure on the bleeding wound. Remus looked to the two other members standing guard.
"Go find Arthur," he commanded. Fred groaned.
"Tell him I'm sorry… and tell Mum and George they can't hate me forever for putting a sleeping draught in their tea…" With that, his head rolled to the side and his eyes closed. Angelina sucked in a breath. Remus took a hold of the young man's wrist and let out a sigh of relief.
"He's just passed out. But we've got to get him out of here," Remus said. There was a thundering sound of what he assumed to be running feet. Angelina stayed on the floor with Fred as the rest of their group stood, wands drawn. They were lowered when Arthur Weasley, along with Bill and Charlie, were the first to round the corner into the room.
"Frederick Weasley!" Arthur bellowed. Remus shook his head.
"He's beyond hearing, Arthur. Best save the recriminations for later," he said. Bill shook his head at his younger brother.
"Bloody idiot. Mum's going to have his head on a platter," he said. Charlie nodded.
"If not in pieces. How's he doing?" he asked Angelina.
"He's still bleeding. I'm not sure what's injured," she said. Arthur knelt down and muttered a quick spell before looking up at his two sons.
"I've dealt enough with you ruffians to know how to stop bleeding. But it's not going to hold very long. We need to get him to a healer," he said. Tonks stood just behind Charlie.
"Well, we've cleared out the grounds," she said.
"And we've cleared out the manor," Mad-Eye added gruffly. "If we're going to move him, now's the time, before reinforcements decide to show up…"
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Malfoy Manor…
"Master Malfoy, sir, there's been a raid…" one of his fellow Death Eaters announced. Lucius stood quickly, panic flaring slightly in his silver eyes. He hadn't expected the attack to come this quickly. He hadn't had time to inform the Dark Lord just yet, his time with Warrington preventing him from doing so. Voldemort would be less than pleased to find out that he had known about a planned attack beforehand and hadn't said anything. Hopefully, the Dark Lord would take into account that Lucius had only found out the day before…
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Elsewhere…
Voldemort knew. He may not have been at the mansion at the time of the raid, but he knew. He could feel all the death and he could feel his power wane slightly as those under his command were suddenly no more. And he was angry. He was very angry.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Hogwarts...
"Ahhh," Harry cried, a hand going to his scar. Ron and Hermione looked up in concern, along with the rest of the students sitting in their common room.
"Harry," Hermione whispered furiously. "What's wrong?" The searing pain caused him to see white spots as he tried to look at the girl.
"My... scar..." he said weakly. Ron frowned as he came to his friend's side.
"I thought you had gotten better at blocking all that out," he said. Harry nodded.
"I have... but..." he started, but Hermione put a hand over his mouth.
"Not here... remember what McGonagall said," she noted. Harry nodded and she removed her hand. Ron and Hermione both helped him to stand.
"So sorry mate, to have hit you like that..." Ron said, his voice carrying slightly. Hermione beamed at him at his moment of ingenius.
"Yes, let's get you to Madame Pomfrey for a quick pain potion and you should be put back to rights," she said. Harry smirked at the subterfuge, a hand still held to his forehead. The Trio exited the common room and rather than heading down the stairs towards the medical wing, they took a detour to where Hermione's private room was located. Once the door closed behind them, she turned her concerned gaze back to Harry, who had slumped into a chair.
"Why do you think your scar is hurting?" she asked. Harry shook his head as he massaged the welt.
"I don't know... but Voldemort is angry. Furious," he said. Ron frowned.
"What would he have to be in a twist about? It's not as if we're doing anything. And if one of his Death Eaters has displeased him, you shouldn't be feeling that. You haven't in the past," he noted. Harry nodded in agreement.
"I know," he said. There was silence between the three as they thought. Then Harry sat up straight as a logical conclusion worked its way out. "Maybe he has found Professor Snape out..." Hermione frowned.
"But Professor Snape is here. I saw him going to the dungeons earlier," she said. Harry shook his head.
"It would explain a lot of things, actually. My meetings with Dumbledore have been tense and Snape has actually missed a few lessons. Whenever I ask where he's been, they both tell me to mind my lessons. Voldemort has been quiet as of late. No attacks on muggle-borns or the like. And if Dumbledore and McGonagall think there is a traitor... well, maybe they found out Snape is a member of the Order," he speculated.
"That would make sense," Hermione said. "Do you think we should let Dumbledore know about this?" Ron sat back on Hermione's bed and watched as the busy-haired girl paced.
"Ol' Snapey is a big boy. He can take care of himself. And who's to say Dumbledore doesn't already know. That man and his lemon drops know more than we'd ever hope to," he said, flexing his fingers behind his head. Hermione looked between the two boys.
"Do you think the Order is up to something?" she asked.
"Without telling us?" Ron asked. "Not bloody likely. Harry is their ace in the pocket. Besides, he already knows about the planned offensive. They wouldn't do anything without letting him know." Harry looked miserably to his lap.
"They've kept things from me in the past," he reminded them. Then he looked up, meeting his friends' gaze. "I think it may be time to re-gather the DA..."
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
It was almost dinnertime and Draco exited his private rooms to start his way down to the Great Hall. After Ginny had made it back to Gryffindor the night before, Draco had gone in search of Professor Snape to discuss Warrington's actions. The potions professor had been in his office when Draco had arrived, but he had been about to leave. The discussion hadn't been lengthy, but Severus had certainly been angered enough to ruin three vials of Confundious Potion that Draco's own potions class had worked hard on. He then told Draco that he would discuss it with Professor Dumbledore the very next day. It had been enough to satisfy Draco at the moment.
Then, he'd gone back to his room and fell asleep on pillows that still held the scent of apples. He'd had a peculiar dream that night… He'd dreamt of a tall, messy-haired man with spectacles and a beautiful, green-eyed woman with dark-red hair. They seemed familiar, but Draco couldn't quite place them. Then he watched as the strange woman huddled protectively around a small, dark-haired child. He could have sworn there had been a horrible scream, but he didn't dwell it long as that same woman had suddenly dissolved into an image of Ginny. She, too, was huddling protectively around a small child. He had cried out a warning, for no reason that he could think of, and had felt a strong urge to protect them from an unseen danger. Just as Ginny had echoed the other woman's scream, Draco had sat straight up in bed, wide awake and sweating.
Now, it was the next day and he hadn't heard a thing from either his Head of House or the Headmaster about what had been done with Warrington, nor had he any clue as to what the dream had meant. Frustration boiled just below his exhausted surface as he turned from the dungeon hallways and met up with Goyle and Blaise.
"Oy, Draco. Off to dinner?" Blaise asked. Draco nodded, too tired to come up with anything more pleasant for a greeting.
"Has Warrington been back to the common room at all since last night?" he asked. Blaise shook his head.
"No. I've kept watch for him. And he hasn't been seen since early yesterday afternoon," he said.
"Do you suppose he's been expelled?" Goyle asked. Draco shook his head.
"If he hasn't been back, he can't have been booted out," he said. The three boys quieted their conversation as they joined the throng of student from other houses as they made their way to dinner. Just as Draco noticed a telltale red head, there was a screech from the ceiling. All students looked up at the sound to see a great eagle owl circling above their heads. With a might swoop and an elegant flutter of wings, the owl settled itself on Draco's shoulder and dropped the missive in his hands. There was only one person the letter could have been from. All eyes were on him as he looked at the heavy, expensive parchment. With a brutal glare at them, he turned on his heel and headed back towards the dungeons. It would be best if he opened this letter on his own. Who knew what his father had in store for him?
Rather than wait until he reached his room, he tore open the seal and began to read it on his way.
I know who it is you've been spending your time with, boy.
It would be in their best interest if you chose to meet me of your own free will.
Draco stopped walking and stared at the well-known writing. His father certainly didn't fear anything, as evidenced by the blatant arrival of this letter. With a sigh, Draco slipped the family signet ring out of the envelope. His father had quite obviously arranged a portkey to his location. Draco read over the words again and knew that Lucius was not bluffing. He knew about Ginny. Draco's heartbeat quickened significantly at the threat his father posed to her. His choice was quite clear.
With a deep breath, Draco put the ring on his finger. There was that first sickening tug at his navel that signified the beginning of a portkey trip. Before he knew it, he was standing in the study at Malfoy Manor.
"Ah, Draco," his father's voice greeted. "How good of you to come…" Draco turned to see Lucius sitting behind the massive oak desk. It was a position that the elder Malfoy liked to take in order to intimidate adult and child alike. Draco knew that well enough.
"I don't believe I had a choice in the matter," he said. Lucius smiled.
"I suppose it centered around whether you thought there was a choice to begin with," he said, amused at his son's words. Draco's gaze slipped to the person standing behind his father. He was surprised to see Warrington, yet he wasn't. He was more surprised at the fact that his father had taken the chance to return to Malfoy Manor once more. But Draco supposed he'd received his own arrogance and conceit from someone…
"I see you've found a replacement son," he commented, coming to a stop in front of the impressive desk. Lucius looked back to the other boy with a smirk.
"He is fulfilling the Malfoy expectations more so than you are," he said, looking back at his son. Draco shrugged.
"It's probably for the best that he be your son. His career at Hogwarts is about to end prematurely and he'll need someone to answer to… he's not really good for anything else," he said. Warrington's eyes narrowed in hatred and anger at the implication. But Lucius only smiled.
"Ah yes… the Weasley girl…" he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "That incident has gone a long way in proving quite a few theories correct." Draco's face remained emotionless, even though he wanted to Avada Kedavra his father so badly his fingers twitched.
"What do theories matter when things are going to blow up in your face before you know it?" Draco asked. Warrington's eyebrows rose in surprise at Draco's acerbic response to his father. Only the Malfoy heir would dare speak in such a way to his father. Anyone else would have been dead. Even then, death was a close thing, as evidenced by the clenching of Lucius Malfoy's jaw. But the older man surprised both younger wizards by laughing. In all of Draco's seventeen years, he had never heard his father laugh in a way that was not dark of purpose.
"Your confidence is amusing," Lucius said.
"Apparently," Draco commented. Lucius came out from behind his desk and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Yes, it is amusing, but very much misplaced. My boy, things are turning our way. You are just unaware of the change. We know that Snape is a traitor, we know it was he who planned the raid against us, we know that Dumbledore has had Potter secluded away in his office practicing the Dark Arts, we know that you have plans of your own in the works… there isn't all that much that we do not know at this juncture," Lucius said. "You have always prided yourself on your self-preservation, Draco. And this newly acquired concern for others… Well… I have a proposition for you that will satisfy both ideals." Draco straightened his shoulders in wait of his father's idea of a solution.
"You will join the Death Eaters of your own free will. Naturally, you will not be looked upon with such high hopes as you once would have been… but that is neither here nor there. Once you have the Dark Mark, your own life will be preserved… and that of Miss Weasley. Snape, unfortunately, will be forfeit. He willingly gave his life to the Death Eaters. He has betrayed us and he must die…" Lucius said. Warrington almost looked gleeful. It was ironic that it was the expression that he would have worn had he simply let the life given to him direct his future. Draco swallowed. He knew that his father had him exactly where he wanted him. Warrington stepped forward as the blond contemplated his decision. "Do you know who all of my supporters are?" Draco sneered at the other Slytherin.
"If I knew, don't you think this wouldn't be happening right now?" he asked. Warrington smirked.
"Then I'd seriously think about it, if I were you. Right now, your little Gryffindor Princess is at Hogwarts, walking the hallways thinking she is safe among her friends," he said. Then he smiled an ugly smile. "And the best part is, she never would have been in any danger if you'd just stayed away from her." Draco arched a brow. He didn't believe that for more than a few moments.
"And let you do what you want? I don't think so," he said.
"Always have to be contrary to me, don't you, Malfoy?"
"I believe that would be the other way around, Warrington," Draco said. Lucius clucked his tongue in disappointment, stopping the retort before Warrington could utter it.
"Still squabbling, even here. Draco, I'd think you'd grown beyond that. And you, Cole. If you wish to be my sponsor in the Dark Lord's favor, I suggest you mind your mouth," he said, turning back to the desk. Draco did not miss the malicious look the other boy threw to his father. He didn't know whether to be concerned or amused at the state of affairs in front of him. Lucius had betrayed his master's orders in leaving his son alive and was now trying to absolve that by blackmailing Draco into the ranks. The information his father was using for such purposes had been given to him by a Slytherin sixth year who would rather see the Malfoy line die a fiery death and take the coveted spot as Voldemort's most favored. Amusement won as he let out a small chuckle. Lucius turned and looked at him.
"Do you find something funny, Draco?" he asked. Draco stood straight out of habit at his father's tone, but the smirk remained.
"I do, actually, yes. I find it funny that I never noticed before how entirely fucked up all of this was. Here you two are, allies under the Dark Lord, yet you plot against each other even as you work together," he noted. He had the satisfaction of seeing both Lucius and Warrington check the other out of the corner of their eyes. Before they could say anything, Draco took out his wand and looked at his father. He'd known the portkey had been one-way.
"You'll have my decision tonight," he said before he apparated away. His father's face had been smug and the last look he'd seen on Warrington's face had been one of uncertainty. Draco didn't care, though. Let them kill each other…
The wind bit at him as he arrived at the lake. For a moment, he just stood, not looking at anything.
"Draco?" a voice called to him. He took a deep breath and turned to the person who had been waiting for him.
"Are you alright?" Goyle asked. Draco nodded once. Images from the previous night's dream ran through his head once more.
"Yes. Everything will be fine. We should get back to the castle," he said. The two started to walk back, but the blond stopped. Draco looked at Goyle. "I'll be doing something worthy of Potter…" The larger boy frowned. Something wasn't right…
"What's that?" he asked. Draco looked out over the lake. He needed to see Ginny.
"Protecting her from myself."
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
The walk back to Gryffindor Tower the night before had been hard. She wasn't sure, exactly, what had happened between falling asleep and waking up to cause Draco to become so… Draco. If she were honest with herself, though, she knew that Draco wasn't going to be sweetness and light – even after everything they had shared. Anyone who thought he would be such a thing needed to be locked away in St. Mungos.
Ginny was sure that the calm, determined exterior had had something to do with the large boy who had followed her back to Gryffindor. She knew he had been there because he had made sure she knew he was there. And after the events of earlier that evening, she'd been relieved that Draco had thought of it. The fact that he'd done that and that he hadn't merely shrugged her off kept the panic at bay. But there was something dark looming around them and Ginny hesitated in trying to name it. She'd rather just bask in the unknowing excitement that a new relationship brought.
With that, she flopped onto her back and looked up at the clouds. The sun was just beginning to send evening colors into the late autumn sky and she let her mind wander from the homework she had come outside to do. Thinking about Draco seemed to be a new favorite pastime. And today had been no exception.
She would have loved to have woken up in his arms. But she knew she couldn't expect too much. He was Draco Malfoy, for Merlin's sake. And Ginny was sure that he had much more going on inside that head of his than just her. And it made her feel guilty. She should be thinking about so much more as well. There were important things that needed attending to like the impending war, and Harry's well-being, her family's safety, and the Order of the Phoenix. Instead, she just wanted to curl up in the dungeons with Draco and pretend that the world didn't exist outside of the two of them.
Ginny supposed that this is what it felt like to be in love. It was unsettling to know that she hadn't felt even remotely like this before… not even with Harry. She let out a deep sigh as she looked down at the blank paper and the quill that had hovered over it for nearly an hour. It was going to get dark soon and dinner was going to be called. She figured she would skive off the noisy meal and work in an empty library. It would give her the concentration she so badly needed. With the task in mind, Ginny collected her things and stood.
"Hey, Ginny!" Colin Creevey's voice called to her. "Did you hear?" Ginny looked to her friend with a smile as he ran up to join her.
"Hear what, Colin?" she asked. He grinned at her.
"Dumbledore's allowed us go to Hogsmeade this weekend!" he exclaimed. Ginny chuckled at his enthusiasm… and the fact that it was only Monday.
"That's great," she said. Suddenly, Colin looked uncomfortable.
"Umm, you want to go with me?" he asked. Ginny smiled and looped her arm through his, heading back towards the castle.
"I'd love to Colin, but I might be stuck doing a Transfiguration paper," she said. Actually, she was hoping that a blond Slytherin would want to see her. The boy in front of her shrugged.
"That's okay. I was just wondering," he said, but she could tell he was more disappointed than he let on. Feeling guilty, she looped her arm through his.
"If that changes, you will be the first to know, okay?" she asked. Colin's disappointed look was replaced with a smile.
"And if all else fails… it's Professor McGonagall…" he said. "We're in her House, she won't be too hard on you." Ginny rolled her eyes and pushed him away from her.
"Thanks so much, Col. For that, I take leave of your presence," she said.
"Aw, Gin," Colin complained. The redhead shook her head.
"I've got work to do in the library. And if you want a chance of me being able step foot outside this castle this weekend, you'd let me without complaint," she said. Colin grinned as he held up his hands.
"Work away, my Princess," he said. Ginny just chuckled and rolled her eyes at the common nickname everyone in Hogwarts seemed to bestow upon her.
"I'll see you later, Creevey," she said with a wave. She ran up the front hall stairs and was surprised to see the hallways mostly empty. It was just before dinner and the weather was beginning to cool significantly now that they were well on their way to winter. With a sigh, she turned down the hallway that led to the library. She hadn't lied to Colin earlier about the Transfiguration paper. It was one of the subjects she did well in, but that didn't mean it made the assigned papers any easier. It would be better if she got a start on it earlier in the week rather than try to write it all over the weekend like some students – mainly her brother and Harry.
She shifted her book bag on her shoulder and increased her pace. The sooner she got to the library, the sooner she could get back to Gryffindor Tower and maybe get in a game of chess with her brother. He'd been begging her for a re-match since the last time she actually managed to beat him.
Her smile at the thought slipped and her shoulders tensed. There was a presence behind her as she approached the library doors, but she wasn't afraid. He was close enough that she could catch a slight scent of his pricey cologne and it made her smile. With a quick, half-glance over her shoulder, Ginny walked right by the library and turned the next corner. When Draco rounded the corner, she grabbed his tie with a healthy smirk and pulled him to her. His smirk rivaled hers.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say there was a snake following me," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"You should know better," he said before lowering his mouth to hers. They both relaxed in each other's arm as if they had been waiting for this embrace all day. Ginny pulled him closer and let her back rest against the hard, stone wall. Despite the boy who was holding her and kissing her, it was that coolness against her back that reminded her… Her eyes went wide and she pulled away from the kiss.
"Gin… what…" he started, but recognized the fear in her eyes. With a curse, Draco tightened his arms around her as he twisted them around. He held her tightly against his chest as he leaned back against the stone. He could feel her trembling as he ran soft hands over her back, but when she looked up at him, her eyes were still dry.
"I… I'm sorry… I just… forgot," she said. Draco's hand came up to run over her cheek.
"It's good to know that I can be such a distraction," he said. Ginny chuckled as she rested her cheek against his chest and let him hold her.
"I'd agree with you, but your ego is already large enough to be considered a separate country," she said.
"Yes, well, I'll call it Draconia," he said haughtily. Her laughter was muffled by his robes.
"By all the gods, I don't know what I'd be without you here," she said. "Probably a watery mess…" Draco's eyes were locked on the opposite wall. You'd be safer… But he shook himself from the thought as he reached down with a long finger and tilted her chin up so he could look at her.
"Have you talked to anyone about it?" he asked, concern for her in his eyes. "Granger, maybe?" Ginny shook her head.
"I can't talk about that with her. She'd tell Harry and Ron under the guise of it being for my safety… and well… you know how Ron gets. I'd prefer to keep my brother out of Azkaban for murder, thank you," she said, leaning into him once more.
"How about Madame Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall… surely it would help if you talked to someone about it," he commented. Ginny shook her head again.
"No… I'd prefer not to, I think. I'll be okay. By the end of the day, Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore will know about it and take care of it. That will be enough. I don't want all of Hogwarts to know how weak I am…" she said. This time Draco firmly gripped her chin and made her look directly at him, her brown eyes locked on his.
"You… are not… weak," he said, his voice harsh. "There are those of us who are far weaker than you are and would give anything for just the slightest bit of your strength. And the fact that Warrington has reduced you to thinking the opposite makes me wish I had killed him." When he released her chin, she brought her hand up to touch his pale cheek.
"Maybe you and Ron can share a cell in Azkaban, then," she said on a sigh. "It would cut my visiting time in half…"
"Right… and after, you may as well plan to attend a funeral because one of us will be dead," he told her with a grimace. Ginny smirked.
"I don't know… maybe you'd become mates," she said. The grimace on his face turned more pronounced.
"Mind your tongue, Gryffindor…" he growled. Ginny giggled slightly before she stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his lips. When she pulled back, his eyes were smoky. It made her feel all tingly that she was able to affect the Slytherin Prince that way.
"So…" she said. "I'm curious. I know you said you hated Harry. But who, exactly, do you hate more? Harry or Ron or Hermione?" Draco was surprised at the question. He'd figured her for more the type to avoid such a question, especially with all the hexing, hard words, and family history.
"I hate them all equally…" he said. Ginny smiled up at him.
"I doubt that," she said. Draco rolled his eyes.
"I hate them more when they're all together, really… The Golden Trio… The Saviors of Hogwarts…" he admitted but not without his trademark sneer. "Why do you want to know, anyway?" Ginny shrugged.
"Just curious, really. Besides, Hermione knows about us and you haven't…well… you know…" she said. Draco smiled then.
"Threatened her with dismemberment?" he asked. Ginny gave him a look.
"Not precisely that, but still… it made me wonder as to whom you actually disliked more," she said. Draco shrugged, but decided to change the subject rather than answer her question. He really didn't know the answer and he wasn't sure he wanted to dwell on that fact.
"Since you've trusted Granger with that particularly volatile secret and she hasn't blabbed to Pothead or Weasel King, don't you think you can trust her if you wanted to talk about Warrington?" he asked.
"Touché," she noted, turning away from him. He frowned as she stepped away and he immediately reached out to take her hand. His frown deepened when he realized that he seemed to have abandoned his long-standing policy on the physical affection that he would allow since he'd first kissed her. But as she curled her fingers around his, Draco realized that he wanted to touch her and for her to touch him. Rather than continue on talking though, he wanted to kiss her again. And so, he pulled her close. She raised an eyebrow at him, as amused by his mood as he was annoyed by it. But it did please him that she seemed to have adopted a few of his mannerisms since they started… this… But rather than say anything about it, he caught her lips with his. Her arms wound their way around his neck as she fused her body to his. Things were starting to get heated when a sound alerted them to another presence. The only part of them that separated was their lips. Their arms still clung to the other.
"Someone's coming," she said, her forehead leaning against his a they both caught their breath. Draco wanted to say bugger them, let whoever it is find out, but he knew he couldn't. Instead, he ran his hands down from her shoulders to her hips, taking note of each curve and dip. He wanted more time with her; he wanted to be able to tell her how much he cared for her and he wanted to be able to hold her more than these small moments had allowed. Instead, he stood up straight and held her shoulders in his hands.
"You'd better go," he said. Ginny smiled up at him, unaware of the double meaning behind his words.
"I am supposed to be doing homework," she said. Then she stepped close to him and gave him one more quick, heated kiss before picking up her discarded book bag and starting back down the hall. Draco watched her go for only a moment before he, too, made his way down the opposite hall. He had an owl to send.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
St. Mungos…
"… ever again! Do you hear me? You are very lucky that I don't take a switch to you right here and now!" Molly Weasley roared. All Weasley males present – patient included – cowered under the thunderous anger.
"But Mum…" Fred started. Molly's brown eyes were almost molten as she turned to glare at her son.
"Don't you 'but Mum' me, Frederick Weasley. If there was ever a time I'd harm a child of mine, now would be it," she said. Fred pulled the sheets up to his chin. Molly sighed as she turned to Arthur, Bill, Charlie and George.
"You'd best send for Ron and Ginny. They'll want to know of this," she said. Fred sat up straight and winced as it pulled at his healing wound.
"Now, hang on," he said. "Ron and Ginny don't need to be disturbed. I'll be fine in just a couple of days. They'll be able to see me then." Molly snorted.
"I want them to come see that their bloody idiot of a brother is all in one piece so they don't worry," she said. Fred knew that there was more to Molly Weasley than that. She would use this as an excuse to launch into lecture mode at all the available Weasley offspring. He would spare his two youngest siblings that if he could. He gave a beseeching look to his father.
"Now, Molly. It's the middle of the night. If we go drag Ginny and Ron from their beds, they'll think something serious has happened," Arthur said. Molly whirled around to look at her husband.
"And this isn't serious?" she screeched. Arthur swallowed hard, but he held his ground.
"I'm not saying this isn't serious. I'm just saying that all is mostly right now, dearest. It is late, and let Ron and Ginny sleep. Plus, Fred needs his sleep as well," he said. Molly stood rigid for a moment, but then her mothering instincts kicked in. In a flurry, she was at Fred's side and tucking him into the blankets as well as fluffing his pillows.
"Now, get your sleep. I want to see a rested Weasley when morning comes," she said sweetly. The rest of the family let out a sigh of relief. The storm that was the Weasley matriarch was over for the moment.
"Aw, Mum. Stop your fussing," Fred grumbled. Molly pinched his arm and gave him a look.
"I'll fuss if I want to, Fred. After what you've put me through tonight, I'd think your complaining would be at a minimum," she said. Fred stopped his thrashing and let her continue her ministrations.
"Yes, Mum. Sorry," he said. Molly nodded once in agreement.
"Yes, well, you'll be sorrier later," she said. Fred let out a sigh, his creative imagination coming up with all sorts of punishments that his mother could resort to.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O