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Draco looked across the Great Hall to where Ginny stood talking with that Creevey character. There was something he didn't like about watching her speak to the blond boy. It wasn't that he was jealous. Creevey had been Ginny's little Gryffindor friend since her first year here and he knew that there was nothing to worry over.
Since he couldn't see Creevey's face, Draco watched Ginny. He had watched her enough in the past to know that she was uncomfortable, despite the smile on her face. It made him wonder what, exactly, the problem was. He was just about to cross the room when Blaise stopped him.
"What is it?" Draco asked at the other boy's concerned frown. Blaise Zabini, as image conscious as the rest of Slytherin and as easy going as a relaxed hippogriff, rarely frowned.
"Goyle is nowhere on school grounds," he informed him. Draco froze.
"Where is he supposed to be?" he asked. Blaise took Draco's arm and led him further away from the group of students who had convened near them.
"According to Morag MacDougal, Goyle has been feeling under the weather this week and has been holed up in Madame Pomfrey's care," he said. Draco frowned.
"How it that possible? I was in the hospital wing for the better part of two days. He wasn't there," he said, unfamiliar worry creeping into his voice. Greg Goyle was not one to wander off on his own without anyone being aware of it.
"He was not in the forest," Blaise said. Draco looked at the other boy.
"You would know this how?" he asked. The dark-haired boy did not meet Draco's gaze, but his face was emotionless.
"Because I was there," he said. Anger licked at the edges of Draco's calm, but he didn't let it get the better of him.
"You were there..." he said, processing the words. "And you did nothing?" Draco's anger was more for the fact that Ginny had been in blatant danger rather than himself. Blaise finally looked at his friend with eyes so light blue that they were nearly white.
"What did you expect me to do, Draco, really?" he asked. Blaise knew that Draco expected more than most. But he also knew that Draco was more reasonable than he projected. "If I'd revealed myself alongside the Weasleys we would lose whatever advantage we have left. Warrington may not trust me, but the Dark Lord does..." Draco lifted a brow.
"Is there a reason the Dark Lord thinks you are still loyal?" he asked. Blaise let out a breath and looked across the room to where Ginny was taking leave of Colin Creevey.
"I told him of my plan to kill you," he said straight out. Draco didn't look suprised. He should have suspected as much.
"Why didn't you tell me this?" he asked. Blaise smirked.
"Why didn't you tell me of your daft little plan?" he retorted, finally looking Draco in the eye. The blond let out a resigned sigh.
"Fine. How about Goyle? What do you think has happened? Where did he disappear to?" he asked.
"Someplace where we can't find him. Somewhere I don't have access to," Blaise said. "I was called to the Dark Lord yesterday evening and there was no mention of Goyle or who is watching over him." Draco gave a nod.
"Watch yourself, Zabini. We know there was one betrayer in Crabbe. We don't know who the others are. If my father wants me and Voldemort wants me, there is no telling when they will start to show themselves," he said. Blaise smirked.
"Your concern in touching," he said. "But I'd be more careful if I were you. You may not be the only one the Dark Lord wants..." Draco looked at him before his eyes slid to Ginny.
"You know something..." he said. Blaise shook his dark head.
"No. But there are darker magics being played with. I could feel that as I was in his presence," he said. Draco nodded again in understanding. Then he took his leave of Blaise as he saw Potter approach Ginny. She laughed at something Scarhead had said and Draco could feel a little twitch in his cheek. Ginny's back was was to him now, but Harry stiffened at his approach causing Ginny to turn and look.
"Potter..." he greeted as civilly as he could manage, but there was nothing civil in his glare.
"Malfoy..." Harry answered in the same tone, with the same look. Ginny took Draco's hand and he turned his attention to her.
"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked as they turned away from Harry. When Colin Creevey came back to join the Boy-Who-Lived, Draco pulled her away and towards the Great Hall doors.
"Goyle has disappeared," he said, his jaw tight as they made their way to an area where they could talk without being overheard. Ginny sucked in a breath. She had never really spoken to the big, hulking boy, but he'd always made sure she made it back to Gryffindor safe... even when she and Draco had their row.
"What do you think has happened?" she asked. Draco glared at her.
"If I knew, then I wouldn't have said he disappeared," he sneered. Ginny's eyes narrowed and she dropped his hand to put her hands on her hips.
"No need to get shirty..." she said. Draco glowered at her once more and then started to pace. Ginny watched him and realized that he was nervous – frightened, almost.
"You think they're going to come for you next," she said softly, her arms falling off her hips and wrapping around herself. Draco stopped pacing to look at her.
"I know they're coming for me next. Whoever 'they' are," he said, looking past Ginny to where Creevey stood laughing with the Trio.
"Why?" Ginny's voice asked. Draco chuckled as he reached out to take her hand and pull her close to him.
"Because they want me dead. I provide a threat to them. My actions as of late have caused quite a few desertions from the Dark Lord's future ranks," he said. "Look around. Do you see all the Slytherins here..." Ginny turned her head to see quiet a few black and green robes milling about the Ball.
"Yes," she said, turning back to look at Draco. He smiled a humorless smile as he looked around the room.
"The ones that are missing – Parkinson, Nott, Greengrass, Davis, Urquhart, Wilkes and quite a few others – they have gone to join their parents..." he said.
"The Death Eaters," Ginny muttered.
"Correct, Miss Weasley," Draco said in a tone that mimicked Professor Snape. "All the rest... they've found sanctuary from Voldemort here. All except Blaise, that is." Ginny's eyes snapped to the tall, dark-haired boy.
"Isn't he your friend?" she asked. Draco smirked.
"Friends, allies... those words don't really exist when there is war," he said. "But Blaise would be closest to those things than most. He goes home tomorrow, to join his parents in the service of the Dark Lord." Silence fell among them as they both watched Blaise Zabini chat up a few other Slytherins.
"I should go speak to Severus," Draco said. "He should know about Blaise..." When he moved to go see the put-out looking Potions professor, Ginny stopped him.
"What should he know about Blaise?" she asked. Draco shrugged her hand off his arm.
"That he will be with the Dark Lord," he said. Ginny shook her head.
"No. That's not it. There's something you are not telling me," she said. The blond sighed.
"Blaise has told the Dark Lord that he is going to kill me," he said. Ginny took a deep breath.
"So your 'friend' has created a situation where he must kill you or he'll be killed?" she asked, disgusted. Draco stepped up to her and took her chin in his hand to make her see his seriousness.
"What you don't understand Weasley, and you probably never will, is that in Slytherin there is always a situation of the like. It is how we have been brought up. All appearances from our ilk can be deceiving. I've told you this before," he said. Ginny jerked her chin from his grip, her brown eyes defiant.
"Yes, Malfoy, you have told me before," she spat. Then her shoulders sank and her look was more concerned than angry. "I can't help but worry, Draco. You live among people who would do anything to get what or where they want." This time, Draco's hand was gentle as he tilted her chin up to look at him again. His free hand came to rest against her cheek.
"Who is to say that it is only Slytherins who would do such a thing?" he asked. Ginny's eyes closed at the pain those words caused. She knew that there were those in other Houses that could be just as cunning and ruthless as those known to be in Slytherin. Her thoughts were cut off as Draco kissed her lightly. She opened her eyes as he leaned back, the serious expression still on his face.
"Do you trust Dumbledore?" he asked.
"Of course!" she said. Draco smiled.
"Then there is nothing to worry about. I will be safe here," he said. "In fact, I would be more worried about you."
"Worried about me?" she asked, confused at his line of thought. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Does the word 'howler' mean anything to you?" he asked. Ginny sighed. The thought of going back to the Burrow was almost dreadful to her.
"Ah yes. The wonderful, joyous, festive holidays. It would probably be better for me if I got lost in the Floo Network..." she grumbled.
"It won't be that bad," Draco said. Ginny gave him a look.
"You have never met my mum. The woman can be a right harpy when she gets going," she said.
"A woman with a temper worse than yours? That's altogether frightening," he said. Ginny grimaced.
"I should make you come with. She's ten times worse than a howler in person. And then when she's done, she'll try to stuff you fatter than an over-fed holiday turkey," she said, poking at Draco's slim waist. He grabbed her hand before it could make contact.
"I have full confidence that you, the littlest Weasley, can pout your way out of serious punishment," he said with a smirk.
"You don't know what 'serious punishment' equates to in the Weasley household," she replied. Ginny was about to say something else when she noticed that his attention was caught somewhere behind her. She closed her mouth and waited for whatever he was going to say. When his eyes focused on her, he was serious again.
"I'd best go speak to Severus," he repeated his earlier words. Ginny nodded. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Go back to Granger and your brother. I'll see you before you go..." With that, he left her in the dark corner of the Great Hall and crossed the room to where Severus Snape stood glowering at the student body.
As soon as he was gone, Ginny felt a presence behind her. When she turned, she was faced with Michael Corner.
"So... chummy with Draco Malfoy... Never expected that of you, Ginny," he greeted her. Ginny couldn't hide the suprise she felt at seeing him. She hadn't spoken to him since they broke up back in fourth year.
"Well, you talking to me right now is more than I ever expected of you," she said without malice. He smiled, reminding her of why she went out with him in the first place. Michael was such a quiet person, so very serious most of the time. It was no wonder that he and Cho Chang had hit it off back then. Whether or not those two were still dating, Ginny didn't know. She hadn't given Michael much thought after they had parted ways. But when he smiled, he was so handsome and brought another side to that serious persona.
"Aw, don't be that way, Ginny," he answered good-naturedly. Ginny smiled back at him.
"Be what way? Suprised that after nearly two years you decide that you can talk to me again?" she teased. He held out an hand to her.
"After two years, would you honor me with a dance?" he asked. Ginny smiled, but still checked over her shoulder where Draco was talking with his Head of House. When she turned around, Michael had stiffened and the smile was no longer on his face.
"That insecure, is he, about letting you dance with other guys?" he asked. Ginny frowned.
"No, it's just..." she started, but he cut her off.
"Never mind," he said before walking away. With a sigh, Ginny remembered with absolute clarity why she'd broken up with him. He was such a moody git. She made her way back to where Hermione, Ron and Harry were milling about. Her brother handed her a drink and looked at her appraisingly.
"What did that git Corner want?" he asked.
"He wanted to dance," she said. Ron frowned.
"After two years, he wants a dance? That's a bit dodgy, don't you think?" he asked. Hermione elbowed him.
"Not everyone has nefarious plans against your sister's person, Ronald. Perhaps he wanted to mend fences with Ginny. It is his last year here," she said.
"Mend fences... I'll show him mending fences," her boyfriend grumbled. Then he looked to Ginny. "Did your date toss you? Or better even, did you toss him?" Ginny smiled.
"No, Ron. No one was ditched," she said. The group chuckled at the dejected look that crossed Ron's face.
"Tonight is a nightmare," he muttered. Hermione turned to look at him.
"Oh really?" she asked. Ron blushed slightly when he realized what he said.
"Sorry, 'Mione. You know how my mouth runs away without me," he said. Hermione huffed.
"Indeed," she said, crossing her arms.
"I just meant that it's a nightmare concerning Ginny and... her date..." he said. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"You can say his name, you know. It's Draco... not 'her date', or 'that git', or 'Death Eater scum'..." she said. Ron looked horrified.
"I will not call that thing by his name," he said. Ginny's face flushed in the telltale sign of Weasley temper. Hermione gripped her boyfriend's hand to keep him from losing it completely when Ginny deigned to say what she was about to say. The bushy-haired girl gave Harry a significant look.
"Then perhaps..." Ginny started before Harry caught on. He turned to Ginny, effectively cutting off the path to her brother.
"Dance with me?" Harry asked. It took her a moment to register the words, but when she did Ginny smiled and took his hand.
"Alright..." she said without looking over her shoulder this time. But she did fit in a glare towards Ron. Anything to get away from her brother and his blathering.
It wasn't until much later, as she lay awake in her bed staring morosely at the canopy, that she realized out of all the boys in Hogwarts, Draco would never feel secure about Harry Potter. The reason he hadn't searched her out afer the Ball concluded became startingly clear.
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The next morning, the Burrow...
"Gin, Ginny, Gin-Gin!" Fred greeted his sister as she walked in the front door. Ginny closed the door to the Burrow, leaving the cold wind outsidem, and looked to her cheerful brother in suspicion.
"Are you the first round?" she asked, unwinding her red and gold scarf from around her neck. Fred looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was about and then leaned closer to Ginny.
"Everyone's in the kitchen waiting to jump on you. Charlie's been pleading your case, but it's only gotten him in trouble with Mum," he said. Ginny smiled.
"And you're warning me because?" she asked, knowing that the coming subject at hand was one of contention even with the good-natured twins. Fred grimaced.
"I've had Mum's wrath recently... I figure I'd better prepare my favorite sister," he said. Ginny stuck an elbow in his gut as they made their way back to where everyone was waiting.
"I'm your only sister, you ruddy goof," she said. Fred grinned.
"Not if you count Percy..." he said. Ginny couldn't hold back the snicker, but sobered immediately when she stepped into the kitchen and found six pairs of eyes focused on her. Charlie was the only one that didn't have some sort of unpleasant look on his face.
"Um..." Ginny started. "... cheers?" She gave all of the faces a tentative smile. Molly Weasley looked to her husband.
"'Cheers' she says! Cheers!" she exclaimed. Then she turned back to Ginny and pointed to the empty chair at the tavle. With a sigh, Ginny slipped out of her cloak and sat. She'd escaped the Weasley Inquisition for nearly a week. She knew that this was not going to be pleasant.
"Okay, Mum, have at it," Ginny said, sitting back in the chair and waiting for the storm to begin. Molly let out a small whimper before leaning onto the table.
"You think this is just about me yelling?" she asked. Ginny swallowed hard as tears gathered in the corner of her mother's eyes. She could take her mother's anger, but her mother's tears were another story. "You think this is just about you going off and doing something completely daft? You almost got yourself killed! You almost got your brothers killed!" Molly took a breath and leveled her daughter a glare when she moved to speak. The Weasley matriarch paced in front of the stove for a few moments before she turned to speak again.
"Your brothers thought you were in trouble. They all went carting off to find you only to find you marching up to a Death Eater and putting yourself right in the path of danger. And all to save that Malfoy boy..." she said, disappointment and anger tingeing her voice. Arthur shifted in his seat knowing that his wife's scolding had finished for the moment.
"What have you got to say for yourself young lady?" he asked. Ginny looked to Ron, who sat at the other end of the table with his arms crossed over his chest and an unhappy look on his face. She was suprised that he hadn't blown his top about the complete story about Draco, especially to their mother.
"Ginny?" her father asked again. Ginny knew that there was no way around it anymore. Not with her family all sitting around her.
"I was saving that Malfoy boy because I love him..." she answered so quietly that they barely heard her. It really shouldn't have come to a suprise... why else would a Weasley save a Malfoy. But each and every Weasley – with the exception of a knowing Charlie – gaped at her. There was a long moment of silence as Ginny fidgeted with her fingers and the rest of the Weasleys struggled with what to say next. But rather than say anything, Molly let out another whimper – Ginny couldn't tell if it was in anger or in distress – and scurried from the room. Arthur, pale as ever, stood and quickly followed. Ginny was just left with her brothers.
The silence continued on for what felt like hours. Ginny felt she shouldn't have to explain herself, but from the mutinous looks on the twins' faces and the look of confusion on Bill's face, she knew she'd have to say something.
"Who's this Malfoy bloke?" Bill asked finally. Ron sat back in his chair and looked at his sister. Love... His sister loved the stupid Ferret.
"A right git, that's who he is," he said. Bill frowned.
"Well, so are you. Yet Hermione puts up with you..." he said. Ron rolled his eyes, but Ginny couldn't help but grin.
"Strange, that's what I've been telling him all these years," she said. Ron stood, anger apparent in his eyes.
"What I am is nothing compared to what that bloody Ferret is capable of," he gritted out, his face quickly turning red. "If you weren't so bloody daft you'd know that and drop him like the garbage that he is!" Recognition suddenly dawned on Bill and Charlie's face.
"The Ferret! That's the one you are always ranting about, isn't it? The miserable bloke from school?" the elder Weasley sibling asked.
"The junior Death Eater-in-training?" Charlie added, looking in shock to his sister. He'd heard all about Lucius Malfoy from their father, and after hearing Ron rant on and on about the Malfoy offspring he held no hope for any redeeming qualities whatsoever in that particular family tree.
"You have no right to call him that!" Ginny stood in anger. She could understand why Ron didn't like Draco. She could understand why Fred and George didn't like Draco. But for her two older brothers, who had not encountered any Malfoy for longer than a passing glance, they should not judge so quickly. Charlie stood from his seat and went to put his hands on Ginny's shoulders.
"Gin..." he started. She glared at him as she shrugged his hands off.
"I love Draco," she said. Even with her eyes locked on Charlie, she could see Ron gently hit his forehead on the kitchen table in his infinite frustration. "And I don't care what any one of you says." With that, she left the room.
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Hogwarts...
"Draco..." Severus' voice interrupted his 'reading'. Draco looked up. "... a moment..." The blond snapped the book shut and stood from his place in front of the fireplace. There was complete silence as the two walked out of the common room and towards Draco's private room.
"As much as all these pleasantries amuse me, what is it you wished to speak about?" Draco asked, with a hint of sarcasm, as they stepped into his room. Severus turned around to look at him.
"Draco, I've been thinking aobut what you told me about Zabini," he said without preamble. Draco closed the portrait door behind him with a snap.
"And that means what?" he asked, tossing the book in his hand onto his desk. Severus took a seat in one of the Head Boy's opulent high-back chairs and leveled his pupil a self-satisfied look.
"I believe that I may have a way to keep Zabini safe within the inner circle, provide time to train you properly, and quite probably force the Dark Lord into making his next move," he said. Draco stopped pacing in front of the other man. There were so many questions that statement gave rise to, but he asked the most pertinent.
"And how is it you can do all of this?" he asked. The smirk on Severus' face made Draco slightly wary of the man's answer...
"By killing you..."
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The Burrow...
"Draco Malfoy..." Molly mumbled into her husband's shoulder. "Why did it have to be Draco sodding Malfoy?" Arthur tightened his hold on his wife.
"I remember a time when your parents were not entirely thrilled with the prospect of you marrying an oddball like me," he said with laughter in his voice. Molly looked up at him, tears still clinging to her cheeks. He reached up and wiped them away.
"But you... you were you. Not Draco Malfoy," she said. "And I don't want to think about our little Ginny marrying that... that..."
"Boy?" Arthur offered. Molly's brown eyes hardened.
"I was going to say Death Eater spawn..." she said. Arthur sighed. He could see from whom his youngest son got his temperamental nature. For years, Arthur had thought it his own temper that had rubbed off on his son. But lately, he'd seen more of his wife's temper in him. Just as he'd seen that same temper in his only daughter. He knew full well that Ginny was capable of running off and marrying the Malfoy boy out of spite. It was what Molly had done, after all. As much as Arthur Weasley hated Lucius Malfoy, he loved his daughter more. If she could find it in her to love that hateful man's son then Arthur would make an effort to see what, exactly, Ginny loved about him. Now, if only he could convince his wife to do the same.
"Molly, Ginny is a smart girl. She's sixteen and almost of age," he said. His wife nodded.
"I know that, Arthur. I guess I've always held out hope that perhaps Harry..." she started. Arthur chuckled.
"Harry's a fine boy. And we all know that our little Gin had quite the crush in the years past. But perhaps there is better out there for our daughter," he said. Molly looked at him skeptically.
"And you think better is Draco Malfoy? More even, than dear Harry?" Arthur shrugged.
"I don't rightly know, dearest. Who is to say they will even marry? But give Ginny the chance to find that out for herself," he said. Molly turned to look out of their bedroom window in silence. Her husband wrapped his arms around her ample waist that had provided him with seven wonderful children.
"They are all so grown up now," she murmured, tapping into his thoughts. Arthur nodded.
"Yes, they are..." he said. Anything he was going to say next was cut off by a loud crash from downstairs. Molly and Arthur shared a look before George's voice rang through the house.
"MUM! DAD! PERCY'S HOME!"
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"What did you do to me!" Percy Weasley cried from his spot on the floor. Fred and George looked at each other with smiles.
"It's called the Weasley's Wonderful Warm Welcome..." Fred said as he watched his older brother squirm around and swat at the air as if there were fruitflies about.
"... once the smoke clears, the person who got in its way is attacked with invisible kisses and hugs a la our mother..." George finished explaining. There was a clearing of a throat.
"I wouldn't consider my welcomes an attack," Molly's voice interrupted. Fred and George turned to her with identical grins.
"You're never on our end," they said in unison.
"Kids the world over will want them to get at their parents for all those embarrassing moments," Ginny marvelled with wide eyes, every embarrassingly tearful moment her mother subjected her to rolling through her head. She immediately averted her eyes as her mother glared at her.
"It'll be a Valentine's gag," Fred explained. Percy coughed as he stood up, still attempting to ward off the barrage of invisible smooches and embraces.
"Gag or not, it's not proper to ambush someone as a welcome," he said stiffly.
"Who says you're welcome?" George asked, his eyebrow arched. The older boy's face fell in disappointment. Molly huffed and pushed past the twins to take Percy into her arms.
"All of my children are welcome in my home," she said, with a warning look at the rest of her children. Arthur still stood stiffly in the stairway as he looked at the son who had deserted the family in their desperate hour. Throughout Molly's fierce hold, the dishonorable son's eyes stayed locked on his father's. A tense silence overtook the Weasley house. Finally, Arthur's shoulders relaxed and he smiled, more at the rest of his family than at one son in particular.
"Come along, children," he said. "Your mother's had breakfast ready since Gin got home..." He neither acknowledged Percy nor discounted him as he brushed past the rest of the family back into the kitchen. Taking this as a happy sign, Molly took hold of Percy's arm and pulled him towards the kitchen. The rest of the Weasley siblings looked among themselves wondering just how disastrous this particular holiday season could get.
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