O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Later in the afternoon...
He knew she would be outside. It was actually a fairly endurable day outside, the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. Being locked away in the castle over the winter months was something he knew she detested.
He'd walked around the grounds for a little while to clear his head. In fact, it had been a long while. It came as a suprise to him that Severus would so willingly instruct Potter in the way of Dark Magic, but it came as an even greater suprise that his Head of House expected Draco to do so as well. And for Severus to be so Slytherin in such a meeting and bring Ginny into the conversation in the manner he had unnerved him somewhat. So, Draco went in search of her, just as he had promised.
She was sitting by the lake, her cloak and robes protecting her from the cold, snowy ground. Her bright red hair blew lightly in the afternoon wind as she sat with her back to the castle, and to him. Without warning, Ginny stood, and Draco wondered for a moment if she'd sensed his presence. But when she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm and continued to stare out at the lake, he knew she was immersed in whatever thoughts she entertained.
"You know, Gin, a mountain troll could have come up behind you and I doubt you would have ever noticed," he said, causing her to spin around and look at him with wide eyes.
"Draco..." Ginny sighed. Then, without hesitation, she embraced him. "Is everything alright?" It took a moment, but Draco finally found his voice. He wouldn't let his worry about the future distract him.
"Everything will be fine," he said. Ginny pulled back enough to look up at him.
"What's going on? Why all the need for the secrecy?" she asked. Draco smirked.
"I'm going to be Potter's magic tutor," he revealed. Ginny lifted a curious brow.
"Magic tutor? You?" she asked. When Draco shot her a look, she just rolled her eyes.
"Actually, it will be me and Severus," Draco answered dryly. Ginny frowned.
"Why would..." she broke off and her eyes met Draco's. "Oh."
"Does it frighten you?" he asked, tightening his arms around her. She leaned her cheek against his chest.
"The Dark Arts? Yes. You knowing the Dark Arts?" she asked, looking back up at him. Her eyes met his once more so he could see her seriousness. "No." His fingers came up to gently run over her jawbone. Then he leaned in to kiss her wind-chilled lips.
"No more talk about the coming war, Dark Arts, or... Potter," he said. Ginny smiled against his kiss.
"I wish I were staying for the holidays," she sighed as they parted and started to walk back to the castle.
"Yes, well, you're the one that went and pissed off her Mum and got herself imprisoned in Shack de Weasley," he said.
"Don't," Ginny warned.
"Don't what?" Draco asked innocently. Ginny gave him a look.
"Don't get me cheesed off at you," she said. When Draco was about to say something, Ginny cut him off. "And yes, I know that you are Draco Malfoy and that getting people cheesed off at you happens to be what you're good at..." Draco rolled his eyes.
"You are right lucky I am a bloke who doesn't take offense at much," he said. Ginny giggled as she hugged his arm closer to her, her cheek resting on the rough wool of his cloak. Draco Malfoy was Draco Malfoy and there was going to be no changing him. She found a strange comfort in that. They walked in silence as they made their way into the main doors and started down the hallway towards the dungeons.
"I can't believe Professor Dumbledore moved the Yule Ball to the night before we leave for the holidays," she said conversationally. Draco let out a small huff in disagreement.
"All of our activities this year have been moved about. Why not keep to tradition and cock up all of our plans?" he asked sarcastically. Ginny smiled.
"But it won't be so bad," she said. "Mum's actually allowing me to get a new dress for the dance. What color do you think I should get?"
"Is that your way of hinting at going to the Yule Ball together?" he asked, looking over at her. Ginny blushed slightly. It had been the subject of her thoughts at the lake. She had wondered how she could go about casually bringing it up. Here he'd gone and done it for her...
"It might," she said. Draco smirked.
"Why, Miss Weasley, this is so sudden," he said. Ginny poked him in the chest.
"Don't you dare be a prat about this," she said. Draco was silent as he looked at her making her nervous as to what he was thinking. Then, he suddenly swept her up in his arms and she let out a suprised shriek.
"I warned you about calling me a prat, Gin," he said with a smirk. Ginny pushed at his chest as he started to walk towards his private room.
"Draco!" she protested. Draco just looked around the deserted hallway, the spun to look behind him. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck as his spin disoriented her.
"Quiet, Weasley... you're lucky no one was about," he said. Ginny's eyebrow rose at his warning.
"Back to 'Weasley' are we?" she asked as they entered his room. "Perhaps I should just get back to Gryffindor..." Draco rolled his eyes.
"I thought we were going to discuss this Ball travesty," he said. Ginny's brow rose.
"Maybe we should discuss you being a prat first," she said, her face serious, but her eyes alight with something different. Draco smirked.
"I adore a woman who can prioritize," he said. Ginny laughed as he set her on her knees onto his bed.
"You wouldn't be saying that if I prioritized the other way..." she said with a smile as he stepped close to her.
"That's entirely possible," he said, pulling her body in contact with his and leaning down to kiss the spot where her shoulder and neck met. Ginny let out a sigh.
"Prat," she said on a breath. She could feel his grin against her skin and she pulled at his hair to bring his lips up to hers.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Dumbledore's Office...
The headmaster sat behind his desk with a worried expression as the Potions professor relayed the days earlier events to him.
"It could have easily been wandless magic," Severus said. "And some of the most powerful, most accurate wandless magic I have ever seen..." Dumbledore steepled his fingers across his chest and tried to think about the implications of such news.
"I knew Draco could be powerful. But wandless magic is a bit beyond even what I would have imagined," he said softly. Severus' gaze was just as concerned.
"I don't believe Draco realized the severity of his actions. I don't even believe he was aware he had done that to me," the dark haired man said. "I can see now, why the Dark Lord is so adamant to have the boy dead. And I can see why Lucius is so set on having Draco among the Death Eaters..." Dumbledore nodded.
"Draco could easily take over Voldmort if he knew he had the power to do so. But alas, I believe Voldemort is untouchable to all but Harry. That is the way of the prophecy. Lucius' plan is but folly. Only he is too arrogant and power-hungry to realize it."
"How are we to go about this with Draco?" Severus asked. Dumbledore stood and paced behind his chair.
"You will be working with both Harry and the young Malfoy..." he said. "It would be best to try to instruct both of them on the art of wandless magic. With his Patronus so strong, Harry may or may not have the ability to do such magic. But it would be wise for him to be aware of the possibility." Severus gave the headmaster a tight nod. If Dumbledore was worried about Draco's abilities, it was enough to give even Severus pause about what the future would bring for his protege.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Later...
When she opened her eyes, Ginny realized right away that she was not in her bedroom, despite the fact that the curtains were drawn and there was no light available to her to properly identify where she was. It was the warm body next to her and the slight scent of his cologne that told her she'd fallen asleep in Draco's bed. With a small yawn, she reached over to the curtain and pulled it open slightly. There was no light shining within his Head Boy room, but that was typical of the dungeons. It was no wonder as to why his skin was beautifully pale. Just as she was about to step off of the bed, a strong, lean arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.
"Where are you going?" his voice, not nearly as sleepy as it should have been, asked. Ginny flopped back onto the impossibly comfortable bedding and looked over at him. His hair was slightly mussed, his torso was completely bare and his eyes were closed.
"I was going to see what time it is," she told him. His arm tightened around her waist and he leaned foward to place a kiss on her bare shoulder.
"It's early Monday morning," he said before settling back down on his pillow. "Go back to sleep..." Ginny's eyes went wide. They'd missed dinner last night! And they'd fallen asleep only to sleep nearly through the night. This time, she scrambled from the bed to find her clothing – or as much of it as she could in the lack of light.
"Gin..." he groaned.
"Draco... it's Monday morning and I have to get back to Gryffindor tower. I have Transfiguration right away with McGonagall and I cannot be late to it," she said, slipping into her undergarments and slipping her shirt over her arms and leaving it unbuttoned. She looked to where he was leaning on his elbow looking at her. Even in the dark, she could see his smirk. When she looked down, she let out a huff as she realized that she'd put on his shirt by mistake. But rather than take it off, she just stood there.
"If you go back to the tower now, any of three things can happen. Filch could catch you, McGonagall could catch you, or your roommates could catch you and report you to McGongall... it's safer if you stay here," he said reaching over to pick up his wand when she started to regather her things.
"Lumos," he said and light infused the room. Ginny separated out the material once she could see properly and began dressing again.
"Levicorpus..." Draco said again, and Ginny found herself floating in the air. Rather than shriek about it, she just crossed her arms with her socks in her hand and glared at the blond.
"Draco..." she said. He just shrugged.
"Mobilcorpus..." he said and she floated towards him. Once she landed gently on the bed, he reached over and gripped the collar of his shirt. With a tug, he pulled her close and placed a kiss on her lips.
"I think I could probably stay a bit longer..." she said as they paused to breath. Draco gave her a knowing look and she hit his arm. "And don't you dare go thinking it's all because of you, you git. For the record, I just don't want to get caught..."
"Of course..." he said, laying back on his pillow. "And as good as my shirt looks on you, I doubt your housemates would find it so... appealing..." Ginny glared at him.
"It so happens that I can't find mine," she said. Draco just smiled innocently. He didn't need to tell her he'd hidden it from her.
"But I wouldn't mind having to explain it to them," she said, standing up once more. He grabbed her wrist and tugged her down so that she fell over him.
"You wouldn't mind explaining why, exactly, you were traipsing back to bed wearing my shirt?" he asked. Ginny frowned.
"No. Why? Would you?" she asked. Draco sighed.
"We've discussed this, I thought."
"Well, I'm sorry if your actions right now are making what we talked about earlier a bit suspect," she said, sitting up and crossing her arms, but not moving away from him.
"What actions?"
"Not letting me go back to my dorm," she said. Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wondered if they would ever get to a point of trust beyond what they felt for each other.
"I just want you to stay, Ginny. No ulterior motives, no underlying shame or guilt or whatever else you may think I am feeling. We already agreed to go to the Yule Ball together," he said. Ginny let out a heavy breath as she fell into the space between his arm and chest and placed her head on his shoulder.
"I know. And I want to stay..." she said.
"So stay," he said back. Ginny looked at him and realized just how Gryffindor he'd been over the past week or so. Going off by himself, planning things that could probably get him killed, not telling anyone anything... those were qualities that Harry possessed in spades, yet it was what Draco had gone off and done. So, if he could be a little bit Gryffindor for her, she could be a little bit Slytherin for him. With a smirk of her own, she sat up and removed the shirt.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Gregory Goyle lay stunned on the cold floor of a place he had never seen before. He may not know where he was, but he certainly knew whose company he kept. The torture methods and the insane cackling told him that Bellatrix Lestrange had only started what she had in store for him.
Closing his eyes against the blurry sight of black robed figures, he only hoped that his body would give in to death before Bellatrix got to the methods of torture she was infamous for...
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Draco sat up straight in bed without really knowing why. His fingers were clenched in a death grip into the sheets. And when those sheets rustled from the bed's other occupant, Draco relaxed his fingers and closed his eyes as the coolness of the dungeons seeped into his damp skin.
Draco...
Draco's eyes snapped open and he looked over at the redhead curled under the blankets. She was fast asleep... yet it was her voice he'd heard. He'd lay his last galleon on it.
"Ginny..." he said softly, testing his theory. The redhead didn't move. Draco leaned down next to her and ran a hand over the tip of her exposed, bare shoulder. Ginny shuddered involuntarily, but did not wake. With a sigh, he lay down fully and wound his arm around her waist. He willed his eyes to close and to fall asleep next to the comfortably warm body next to his, but the dream that had apparently woken him had weaved its way through his mind enough that images seemed to float in front of his eyes.
The dream, this one different than the one he'd had before, very nearly replayed itself in his head. Yet there had been no sound except that one utterance of his name when he'd awoken. What it meant, he had no idea. What he was going to do about it, he had nothing to start from. Ginny sighed in her sleep and pulled his arm tighter around her.
With a sigh, Draco settled his head on the pillow and decided to get a few more hours of sleep before the inevitability of morning classes arrived.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
The dungeons, the very next afternoon...
Harry stared at his Potions book with as much dislike as he was capable of feeling. It was really, actually, just short of hate.
"You are all seventh years. You have all had the pleasure of learning from me the subtle art that is potion-making. With everything you have learned, you all should be more than capable of making a Mind-Twisting Draught. This draught borders on the dark and is frowned upon in polite company. It runs along the line of the Confundious Potion and the Draught of the Living Death, among other things. I know of one student..." Snape said, looking at Malfoy with a slight twitch at his cheek. "... who has been able to brew this successfully." Harry looked over his shoulder to see Malfoy lounging back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest and a smug smirk on his face as he looked back at Harry. The Boy-Who-Lived frowned and turned back to glower at the ingredients listed on the page in front of him. Of course Malfoy had perfected something that had to do with anything Dark, and of course Professor Snape would assign it to the class in order to see them all fail miserably.
"Harry..." Hermione's whispered voice pulled him from his bitter thoughts. "... pay attention to what you are doing!" Harry looked at what his hand was holding and where he'd almost deposited it. Hermione had a reason to be concerned.
"Sorry..." he muttered, knowing that just a drop of the Slug Tonic would have dissolved their entire station in a matter of seconds. Harry looked over to where Ron and Seamus Finnegan were working. The redhead actually looked to be having a good time, which caused Harry's irritation to rise even more. In said irritation, he stuck the stopper further into the tonic bottle than necessary. He took a little bit of satisfaction in that if Snape needed the Slug Tonic from this particular bottle anytime in the future it would take a little longer than usual to get it.
It took Harry and Hermione nearly all the Potions time to complete their assignment. It would have taken longer if they had actually had to brew the Slug Tonic themselves. At the end, though, the liquid in their cauldron took on the silvery, shimmery quality that the text described. By the time Hermione had bottled their product, the rest of the pairs were leaving the classroom after placing their offering on Snape's desk. Harry took a deep breath to prepare himself for whatever verbal stabs Snape had prepared for him and marched the bottle Hermione had handed him to the front. The professor looked down his hooked nose at the bottle in Harry's hand then back to The-Boy-Who-Lived with a glower that seemed to be reserved just for him.
"Passable, Potter. Just barely," Snape said as he looked at the potion in the bottle. Harry set the potion on the professor's desk. When he turned to go back to his station, he saw Malfoy roll his eyes and then sneer at the bottle on the desk. The Slytherins close to him all snickered as he said something under his breath.
Harry couldn't help but smirk. Malfoy was obviously irked at the hostile, grudging compliment offered Harry from his beloved Head of House. Just as Harry was about to sweep by the blond boy with a smug smirk of his own, there was a small sound... a sound of a bottle breaking. Harry spun around to see that the spot where he'd set his potion now only a spattering of glass and a shimmery liquid.
"Harry..." Hermione warned him as he prepared to stomp forward and demand an explanation from Snape as to why it had been his potion that met a grisly end. Ron stepped up next to the pair.
"Ol' Snape seems just as suprised as you," the redhead muttered grudgingly, hefting his school bag higher on his shoulder. Harry took another look at the greasy-hair professor to see him looking at the mess on his desk and then turn a wary, almost concerned gaze to a spot behind the Trio. Harry cast a quick glance behind him to see Malfoy sitting in the same spot, in the same position, his look as stoic as ever. The group of Slytherins that stood next to him flicked a glance to their silent Prince and then resumed talking amongst themselves. Harry was entirely sure that he wasn't comfortable with that. The three quickly left the Potions room before Snape could find his tongue enough to start subtracting points.
"I don't get it... why was Snape all weird about Malfoy? It's not like we didn't know that Snape was the one that broke our potion," Harry said. The trio walked through the hallways quickly in order to get to Arithmancy on time.
"I don't think Snape was the one to break it, Harry," she said, still a little upset that their hard work had been ruined.
"Who, then?" Ron asked. Hermione looked around to make sure no one was around.
"I think it was Malfoy..." she whispered loud enough for the two boys to hear. Ron frowned.
"Malfoy! How could he have done that?" he asked. Hermione gave the boy a pinch on his arm to remind him he was being to loud.
"I think it was wandless magic," she said. Harry's eyes went wide as they turned down the next corridor.
"But Malfoy couldn't do that. Wandless magic is unreliable. For Malfoy to have broken that bottle, he would have to have been standing right next to it and concentrating much harder. Even then, he probably would have only tipped the bottle, not broken it," he said, trying to remember the lessons they'd had on wandless magic. Hermione sighed.
"I'm well aware of that, Harry. But that is in regards to a normal witch or wizard," she said. Ron snorted.
"And we all know how bloody normal Malfoy is," he laughed. Harry still looked thoughtful.
"Are you saying that Malfoy has the power to do stuff like that?" he asked. "Snape was an accomplished Death Eater and he is far more powerful that Malfoy would be at this point..." Hermione lifted an eyebrow.
"You said 'would be'..." she noted. Harry sighed. Ron shook his head.
"I like Harry's Snape theory. The man is a shirty bugger. He'd do it just for spite," he said. Hermione shook his head.
"He was just as suprised as us. It was genuine from what I could tell. And you saw all the looks that the rest of the Slytherins gave Malfoy. They all know something. And it involves Malfoy..." she said. Ron frowned as they stopped in front of the Arithmancy room to finish their conversation.
"So, you're saying that Malfoy could be some sort of secret, all-powerful wizard without Dumbledore knowing about it?" he asked. Hermione just shrugged as if to say it was possible.
"Great. We've got to worry about Voldemort, but we've also got to worry about Malfoy and what he could be capable of..." Harry muttered. Hermione held his arm to keep him from going in to class.
"His father tried to give him the Mark, Harry. And when he refused, they tried to kill him. Chances are Voldemort wants Malfoy just as dead as you. This could be a chance to find out once and for all where Malfoy stands," she said. Her suggestion was met with silence as the two boys looked between themselves. Ron shifted his bag once more.
"Let's get to class. We can worry over Malfoy's machinations when we don't have to worry about what adds to what to make what..." he said. Harry smirked at him.
"Machinations? Been spending a lot of time in the library, then?" he asked. Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked into the classroom, but she was fighting a blush. Ron couldn't fight it even if he tried. His face was tomato red when the three finally walked into the classroom.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Two nights later...
"Are you coming with us?" Hermione said as she applied one more charm to Ginny's hair. Ginny looked in the mirror at herself and mentally applauded the choice of dress that she and Hermione had chosen. Then, she thought over the question her friend had asked her. She didn't want to say why she didn't plan on going down with the trio, but Ginny suspected the other girl knew. Besides, the three of them had been acting strange for the past few days. She knew they were up to something and keeping her out of it, as usual. It was yearly tradition, so Ginny tried not to be all that upset about it.
"I don't think so," she said after another look. She straightened the skirt of the dress and ran a hand over it to smooth it down. There was a smile on Hermione's face when Ginny looked up.
"He actually agreed?" she asked. Ginny smiled in return. After the emotional chaos of the past few weeks, she had finally spilled all the details to Hermione, needing someone to talk to about it all. Hermione had been uncharacteristically attentive whenever the subject of Draco came up. It really wasn't that much of a suprise. Due to the fact that Ginny and Ron hadn't spoken properly in the past few days, she figured that Hermione was playing reporter for her brother.
"Strangely enough, it was him that brought up the going together," she said, playing with a strand of hair that had come loose from the ponytail sort of style Hermione had done for her. The other girl replaced the hair with a quick sticking charm.
"I find it hard to believe that Draco Malfoy has a death wish," she giggled. Ginny looked at her curiously. Hermione just shrugged.
"Your brother is going to be there, of course. But just think of the reaction of everyone in Gryffindor..." she said. Ginny bit her lip apprehensively.
"Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea," she muttered. Hermione shook her head.
"I disagree. I think it will do wonders for everyone to see a Slytherin and a Gryffindor getting along famously," she said with twinkle in her eye.
"Thank you for telling Ron, by the way," Ginny said as she grabbed her cloak. Hermione looked over at her in suprise.
"How did you know I told Ron?" she asked.
"He hasn't talked to me once in the past three days..." she grinned. "It has been the bestfew days of my life..." Hermione chuckled.
"I just wanted to save you the ranting and raving... which was long and arduous, just so you know," she said. Ginny winced.
"Sorry," she said. "Hopefully he's gotten a bit used to it..." Hermione chuckled again.
"Your brother get used to his sister seeing a Malfoy?" she asked. "You'd do better dating Voldemort himself..."
"You think he's been bottling it up for me the past three days then?"Ginny asked, shuddering at the thought of her friend's previous suggestion. Hermione gave her an arched look.
"It's quite possible. In fact, I'd probably expect it..." she said. Ginny groaned as she strightened the hem of her dress.
"He's going to ruin tonight, isn't he? And then I'll have to go home for the holidays and hear about it from the rest of my family," she said. Hermione fixed a curl of her own hair before turning to the redhead.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," she said with a proper lift of her chin. Ginny grinned.
"If anyone can tell my brother differently, it would be you," she said. The bushy-haired girl blushed slightly at her friend's words.
"Yes... well..." she started before looping an arm through Ginny's. "Shall we go to the common room?" Ginny nodded as she let the older girl lead her out of the Head Girl's room and to the common room. Couples within their house had started to gather, and those who were going with dates from other houses fidgeted slighty in wait.
"Hermione!" Ron called from where he sat. His eyes were wide as he jumped to his feet and took in his date's spectacular appearance. Ginny smirked at the way her brother's eyes wouldn't leave Hermione's.
"Ronald..." she answered him.
"You look amazing..." the redhead breathed out. Ginny started slightly at the presence next to her.
"I'm amazed he didn't stutter that," Harry said lightly to her, a grin on his face. Ginny grinned back as they both turned to watch Ron approach Hermione and give her a light kiss. The Gryffindors present in the room all hooted and hollered at the first real display of affection between the pair. Ginny chuckled as both Ron and Hermione turned bright red.
"About bloody time, Weasley!" Seamus Finnegan called. Dean Thomas laughed.
"You lot were about to drive the rest of us loony!" he added. Seamus grinned.
"Yes, what with all the cow-eyes, pathteic faces..." he said before leaning over to hear what Lavender Brown muttered to him. He looked up with a roll of his eyes. "... and those bloody fights!" Ginny grinned.
"I have a strong suspicion that the fights are going to be a part of their charm..." she said. Ron looked over at her with a glare as the common room erupted in laughter again.
"Oh, shut it," Ron growled as he took Hermione's hand in his. "Haven't we all got someplace to go?" The group looked amongst themselves before they all started towards the door. Ginny waited behind as the rush to get to the stairs commenced.
"Aren't you going?" Harry asked. Ginny smiled.
"I'm supposed to wait," she said. Harry sighed, knowing for whom she was waiting.
"Is he embarrassed to be seen with you or is he afraid all of Gryffindor will pound the pure, blue blood out of him?" he asked. Ginny's ears tried to catch an animosity in the question, but all she could hear was resignation.
"Harry..." she started, but Harry shook his head.
"Never mind me, Ginny," he said with a reassuring smile. "Just know I'm here for you if you need me." Ginny took his hand and squeezed it.
"Thank you, Harry. That means more to me than you'll ever know," she said. Harry dropped her hand and started to follow the rest out.
"Harry," she stopped him, her curiosity getting the better of her. He turned. "Who are you going to the Ball with?" The Boy-Who-Lived shrugged.
"No one," he said. "I believe I'll be better off by myself..." With that, he stepped out of the portrait door and was gone. Ginny couldn't help but wonder if his words were more prophetic than he'd intended. With another look in one of the common room mirrors, Ginny decided that her hair and her dress were as good as they were going to get and went to the portrait as well.
"Ginny!" a voice called to her as she exited the common room. Luna Lovegood stood at the foot of the stairs. Ginny hadn't spoken to the blonde girl much during the year and hurried down the stairs to greet her.
"Oh Luna! I'm so sorry I haven't seen you much," Ginny said as she gave the other girl a hug.
"It's alright, Ginny, we've all been a little distracted this year," she answered with a smile. Her blue eyes drifted down to corridor and then back to Ginny. "Was that Harry I saw leaving just a moment ago?" Ginny nodded.
"Yes, it was," she answered. Luna's eyes lit up.
"Did he..." she started, but Ginny's chuckle cut her off.
"No, Luna. We're not going to the ball together," she said. Luna's face fell.
"Oh..."
"I'm not upset about it at all," Ginny reassured her. "So, who are you going to the Ball with?" Luna scuffed her foot slightly on the stone floor.
"I'm not going with anyone, really," she said. Ginny looked confused.
"Not even Neville?" she asked, knowing that they'd spent time together in the past and they had seemed fairly close at the beginning of the school year.
"No," Luna said with a shake of her platinum head. "Susan Bones seemed to have struck up the nerve to ask him to go and he was too much of a gentleman to turn her down..." Ginny couldn't decipher wether her friend was disappointed by this or not.
"Well, Harry doesn't have a date either. I'm sure he'd love to have a few dances with you," the redhead said. Luna smiled.
"That would be lovely," she said. "He and I could discuss the heated topic of hippogriff and thestral cross-breeding..." Ginny looked appalled at the thought.
"Hippogriffs?" Luna nodded. "Thestrals?" Luna nodded again, a smile on her face. Ginny's own face scrunched in confusion.
"How is that even possible?" she asked. Luna looped her arm through Ginny's as they descended the stairs.
"Oh, you'd be suprised at all the possibilities that people are thinking up. My father did a report on a few of them. The Ministry was quite upset at him for a while there since the experiments they were conducting were supposed to be top secret," she rambled. At the bottom of the stairs, Ginny paused.
"Aren't you coming?" Luna asked. Ginny shook her head.
"I'm actually waiting for someone," she said. A pale eyebrow arched up, but the girl didn't say anything about it. Instead she squeezed Ginny's hand and started towards the Great Hall.
"I'll see you there," she said. Ginny let out a breath and made a mental note to search out Luna more in the future. She really was a great friend. But then as she found herself alone in the hallway, she wondered how many of those friends she'd have after she walked into the Ball. With a shake of her head to push the though away, Ginny stood straighter. She loved Draco. She was willing to risk her friendships for him since he'd nearly risked his life for her.
O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
Ginny stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him. She was dressed in ivory and her hair was pulled up and away from her face. She wore no jewelry, and Draco found he preferred her without those little trinkets. There was nothing to detract from her.
"You look stunning," he said, raising her hand in order to kiss her palm. Ginny smiled at the tender touch. She felt like a queen in her dress that had been expensive by Weasley standards. But she knew it wasn't the dress, the hair, or the light glamour spells Hermione had applied.
"Not nearly as stunning as you, I'm sure," she said. He wore black, as he always did. And he wore a dark gray Oxford that chased away the blue that occaisonally teased his eyes. Those very eyes drooped almost lazily as he smirked.
"Naturally, I'm stunning," he said, causing her to smile. Then he took her hand. "But tonight, you outshine even the natural Malfoy greatness." Ginny laughed.
"And if you keep saying things like that my confidence may just out-ego the natural Malfoy confidence..." she said, following him through the corridors that led to the Great Hall. Draco looked over at her.
"You're a mouthy little bint. How does your family put up with you?" he asked. Ginny grinned at him.
"By being mouthier than I am," she said. Draco chuckled as he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and led her down the corridor.
"The holidays at the Weasley house must be a loud, tumultuous affair," he said. Ginny smiled.
"You have no idea..." she said. "I can only imagine what the next few years are going to be like, what with Bill getting married and the twins getting serious with Katie and Angelina... perhaps Percy... well, that's better left for another day." Draco frowned as he tried to keep all of her brothers straight.
"Percy... that's the git with the broomstick up his arse, yes?" he asked. Ginny laughed even though she was impressed by his ability to remember what she said in her angry ramblings.
"That would be an accurate description, I'd think. The broomstick has been up his bum since I can first remember him," she said.
"Perhaps he'll be the brother I'll get along with," Draco commented. Ginny looked at him as if he'd grown another head.
"Why, because you've got a broomstick up your bum as well?" she asked with a chuckle. Draco shook his head.
"Because he may be the only sensible Weasley to think with something besides his temper," he said. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I'd like to see you carry on a conversation with Percy. You'd hex him into one of the cauldron bottoms he goes on about in less than a minute," she said. Then, she smiled. "In fact, I'll bet you that you would like my other brothers infinitely more after meeting Percy." Draco's face twisted at the thought of liking her brothers at all.
"Taking that bet would put too much importance in the thought of your brothers," he said as they stopped in front of the doors to the Great Hall.
"Draco..." her voice suddenly worried. When he turned back to look at her she bit her lip. "Are you absolutely sure?" Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Should I ask you that question?" he asked back. Ginny's face relaxed.
"I am very sure. But I don't want you to get your face pounded in if this is something you really don't want to do," she said, her hand coming up to run over said face. He reached up and took her hand in his.
"You know very well, love, that if this was something I did not wish to do I would have told you to bloody well bugger off," he said. She relaxed even further and gave him a genuine smile.
"You would really tell me to bugger off?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Haven't you learned a thing? I tell everyone to bugger off," he said. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Shall we get this over with, then?" she asked. Draco didn't say anything, but nodded instead. By tacit agreement they dropped the other's hand and decided to make as little a spectacle as they could.
The two walked in the doors together, neither touching the other or saying anything. Silence fell over the Great Hall as students and faculty alike stared at the pair. The not making a spectacle part of the plan hadn't seemed to work so well. The only people that didn't look suprised were Zabini, Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Not to mention Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore. The former looked mildly disgusted, but the latter two just smiled.
"If this is the reaction we get from simply walking in the door together, imagine what it would have been if we'd been snogging," he leaned over to mutter to her. Ginny brought a hand to her lips in order to stifle the giggle. It didn't work. The pair could almost hear the jaws hitting the floor.
"Well, we've suitably made an entrance," he said with his trademark smirk. "What say you to causing a veritable stir?" Ginny laughed again as she took his proffered arm and let him lead her into the room. The trio approached them as they made their way to the dance floor amid shocked stares. Hermione smiled at the two of them.
"You look beautiful, Ginny," she said to the redhead in order to head off an awkward silence. Ginny returned the smile in thanks and was about to return the compliment when Ron stepped forward. His jaw was clenched tight in anger.
"Malfoy..." he started, but Draco beat him to the punch.
"Sod off, Weasel. Haven't you better things to do that to have a bloody tantrum?" he asked. Ginny glared at Ron before subtley pinching Draco's arm in a reminder to be civil. The music started up and couples started to make their way to the dance floor as shock wore off.
"Malfoy..." Ron gritted out again. But rather than rise to the bait, Draco just took Ginny's hand and started towards the dance floor.
"Right nice weather tonight, don't you think?" he asked, with his usual edge of sarcasm, before spinning Ginny around into a dance. Ron was about to launch himself forward, but Hermione caught his hand.
"This is a dance, Ronald. Behave yourself and let's go dance," she said. Ron gentled his grip on her hand and maneuvered them so that he could continue to glare at Malfoy and his sister.
"He's provoking me by being unprovokable," he grumbled. Hermione couldn't help the grin.
"Yes, Ron. He's being a right git by not allowing you to ruin the night," she said. Ron looked down at her with a frown.
"You're alright with this... this..." he stuttered before nodding to where Draco and Ginny were dancing. Hermione looked over as well and studied the pair.
"Comfortable with? Not remotely. Okay with? I quite possibly could be. Encouraging? I would never do such a thing. But it is not my place, Ron, to tell your sister what to do," Hermione said, her grip tightening on his arms when he moved to say something. "And it is not your place either."
"But I'm her brother!"
"You are her brother and I understand that you are looking out for her. She understands it too. But telling her what she can and cannot do is not your job. You can tell her your concerns and talk to her about it, but dictating her life is not what a brother is supposed to do no matter how much he may love his sister," Hermione reminded him. Ron glowered over at the other couple.
"What do you know? You're an only child," he said. Hermione's lips tightened.
"If this is how you're going to be all night, then I think I'll leave you to yourself," she said as she disentangled herself from his embrace.
"Hermione..." Ron started, realizing his mistake. Hermione whirled to look at him.
"Look at Ginny, Ron," she commanded. Ron continued to look at his angry girlfriend. "Look at her!" Finally, Ron did.
"Does she look unhappy to you?" Hermione asked as Ron stayed silent. Ron shook his head. His sister actually looked content to be where she was. He had to repress a shudder at her being happy about being nearly attached to the git.
"Does it look like Malfoy is insulting her or harming her in any way?" Hermione continued. Ron looked at the blond, but not without a glower. The ferret actually looked as close to happy as Ron had ever seen him. It was quite frightening, really.
"No," Ron grumbled. Hermione nodded.
"Good. Then leave them be," she said. When she moved to walk away from him, Ron reached out and grabbed her hand.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said, looking to the ground. "I don't want to ruin our night..."
"You came dangerously close, Ronald," Hermione warned, but her look quickly softened as she wound her fingers with Ron's. "I know you worry about Ginny. I can't help it either, since she's the closest thing to a sister I've got..." This was said with a slight blush. Ron couldn't help but smile.
"I know. I know. Ginny tells me to keep my abnormally large nose out of her business all the time. I'll try to be better about this... business, I really will," he promised. Hermione smiled beautifully up at him.
"I happen to like your abnormally large nose," she said before kissing him lightly on the corner of his mouth. Ron grinned and pulled her closer.
"Thank you," he said. Hermione looked up at him questioningly. He just grinned. "For putting up with an over-protective buffoon like me..."
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"It would seem that along with the current threat, we will have another to neutralize..." a concerned voice said.
"Yes, Severus, I belive you are correct. It may end up working itself out as life plays out, but I believe it is something we will have to watch closely..."
"Albus, what do you think will happen to the boy?"
"He is such a confused young man. And he is experiencing things he never thought he would have. He is also a powerful young wizard without a direction. These things could end up harming him in the end, Minerva, and those he cares about."
Three sets of eyes watched as Draco Malfoy left his redheaded partner to her friends and secluded himself in a dark corner by himself. Severus' eyes narrowed as he saw the dark form of Blaise Zabini approach the other wizard. He'd had suspicions about that one. Just as he'd had suspicions about Vincent Crabbe. And now that Gregory Goyle has disappeared from Hogwarts, Severus could only grow more suspicious of Draco's 'most loyal'. The numbers of Slytherin House had thinned with Parkinson, Nott and a few choice others finding refuge at home with their Death Eater parents. He knew who the so-named traitors were now, but that did not mean there weren't more... Severus' eyes then went to where young Ginny Weasley stood, a smile on her face and trust in her eyes...
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