Draco emerged from Ginnys room with a wolfish smile on his face, only to come face to face with his mother.
"This can't go on any longer." Narcissa said tersely. "Draco you have...other obligations and you can't get too attached to her."
Draco scowled. "I know mother."
"I want you to stop." she replied.
Dracos face contorted with barely concealed fury. "Mother I'm a full grown wizard. I think i can decide for myself when i should stop."
"You're getting too attached." Narcissa hissed angrily. "If it wasn't for your...obligations...i would never ask this of you but you're lucky as it is that she allows you to continue this...this...thing." Narcissa sputtered.
"I don't need her permission for anything." Draco retorted. "I can do whatever i want...and not you, not she, not even father can stop me." With that Draco walked past his mother towards his own chambers.
The next morning when Ginny woke up it was with a serene smile on her face. She could hear Grandmother Malfoys grumblings as she brushed her hair and Ginny smiled at her through her mirror.
"cheer up Grandmother. It's a beautiful morning." Ginny said and walked into her closet where she got out a suitable blue robe.
"No, no!" Grandmother exclaimed hastily. "You mustn't where THAT for breakfast. That's what you should wear for tea." she explained.
Ginny looked at the robe in puzzlement. "What's the difference-" Ginny asked bewildered. "-between wearing this for breakfast or tea."
At that moment Narcissa entered the room with a glass of orange juice for Grandmother Malfoy. "You are hopeless." she sneered. "Wearing that robe for breakfast would be like wearing a ball gown for dinner." She then went to Ginnys closet and got out a light pink, simple robe and thrust it at Ginny. Her lip curled maliciously upwards. "It looks like someone needs lessons in etiquette."
"What a wonderful idea Narcissa!" exclaimed Grandmother Malfoy standing up. Narcissa looked at her bewildered. Grandmother Malfoy went on. "You can give Ginny lessons in etiquette."
"What?" Ginny asked astonished and at the same time Narcissa exclaimed "I most certainly will not!"
"Yes you will."Grandmother Malfoy said jovially, oblivious to the horrified looks on Ginnys and Narcissa faces. "From now on Ginny is under your wing and I expect you to teach her all there is to know on etiquette. I'll see you two down at the breakfast table."
With that she left and Narcissa after giving Ginny a glowering look also left.
Ginny walked down the stairs and saw Malfoy standing at the foot of the steps with his back to her. Smiling inwardly at the fact that Malfoy was waiting for her she walked quickly down the steps only to see Helen appear out of nowhere and put her hand in the crook of Dracos arm.
"I'm so sorry Draco." Helen explained as the two begin to walk towards the breakfast hall. "I know i took a long time but i wanted to look my best." she flashed him a pearly white smile. "How do i look?" she asked throwing her head back so that her black hair fanned out behind her.
Draco said something to her which made her beam. Ginny stamped down the impulse to punch Helens smile of her face. She walked alone into the dining hall for breakfast and suddenly found Narcissa ushering her into a seat beside Pansy.
"Good morning." said Pansy brightly and said in an undertone. "Narcissa wants me to keep an eye on you incase you...don't eat your breakfast properly."
Ginny opened her mouth to argue that she knew how to eat her breakfast just fine thank you very much but she was cut off by Narcissa who appeared on her left side and snapped. "Keep your mouth closed and do as Pansy says. You're to learn the etiquettes of society starting from now." With that she was gone to hover over her guests and seat them in their proper places.
"i hate her." Ginny said viciously looking at the petite blonde hostess.
"not as much as you're going to hate everyone else once they're through with you." Pansy replied.
Ginny found out what she meant when breakfast was served and everyone began to criticize her eating methods. Her pinky stuck out too much when she drank tea, she used the wrong knife to cut bacon...the criticisms went on and on and even with Pansy helping her it was all Ginny could do not to mess up even more.
By the end of the meal Ginny was ready to let out her frustration on someone. Before she could do that however she smartly retired to her bedroom and began to read the book Grandfather Malfoy had given her. Beneath it she spotted the book she'd borrowed oh so long ago from Metis. Ginny reached out to pick it up and then hesitated. Something inside her was feeling her that she better read that book but Ginny quashed the impulse down. She had plenty of time and besides, she wanted to finish Grandfather Malfoys book so she could discuss it with him today in the library.
After finishing it off Ginny went to the library where Grandfather Malfoy was waiting for her. She met Metis who inquired after her health and eagerly asked wether Ginny had gotten around to reading the book she;d borrowed. "But I'll get around to it soon." Ginny replied after seeing the ghosts crestfallen face.
"It's such a good book." Metis said almost urgently. "i recommend you read it right away."
"I will don't worry." Ginny assured though she was suspicious that Metis was thinking Ginny had lost the book or wasn't taking proper care of it. Shrugging these thoughts aside Ginny sat down with Grandfather Malfoy but she was subdued and quiet throughout the discussion. Her thoughts were on how everyone thought her below them for being a Weasley.
"Something on your mind child?" Grandfather Malfoy asked kindly.
"Everyone thinks me inferior just for being a Weasley." Ginny blurted out. "When that's not the case. I-I get the best marks in classes...even better than Helen and she's a Malfoy. Not that i don't think she's smart." Ginny added quickly. "but...she has the capability however she doesn't use it. She uses her power to get out of doing her work whereas i don't..and the end result is that i get better marks." Ginny ended. "And doesn't;t that show that I'm not the inferior little Weasley everyone thinks i am?" Ginny ended angrily.
Grandfather Malfoy chuckled. "I was going to save this for a another day but i think you need some cheering up." he took out papers and a huge gold key with encrusted emeralds. "Sign here." he said pointing to the bottom of the page.
Ginny who already knew to not write one something she when she knew not what it was would be foolish and asked hesitantly."What is it?" she picked up the parchment and as she read her eyes widened. "You want to give me Malfoy castle?" she gasped.
Grandfather Malfoy smiled. "No one will you think you inferior then. No they'll be crowding around you and I'll now have to chase off your suitors with my trusty wand." he winked. "after all i can name many people who would want to be owners of that castle." he then frowned slightly. "But I'd like this castle to stay in the family...so your suitor MUST be a Malfoy." he decided promptly.
"I can't." Ginny said trying to shove the parchment back into his hands. "This isn't my right...it belongs rightfully to your son or grandson."
"It rightfully belongs to whoever i choose to give it to." Grandfather Malfoy said stoutly. "now take it or I'll burn you to a crisp." he grasped his wand threateningly.
Ginny hastily signed the parchment and Grandfather Malfoy folded it into his robe pocket. "Now i best call Blaise so he can give you the ownership papers of the castle." Grandfather Malfoy raised his wand and moved in a circle twice. Blaise came strolling through the door within two minutes.
"You called?" he asked curiously to Grandfather Malfoy.
"Yes." Grandfather Malfoy beamed. "Show the new owner of Malfoy castle the required documents."
Blaise looked at Ginny with surprise and then delight. He bowed low. "Right this way madam." he said motioning towards the library exit. Ginny walked in companionable silence with Blaise for a few minutes and then Blaise spoke up. "Your Drakie-poo has the keys to the cabinet which hold the Castles documents." he explained. "So we'll have to take a detour to his room."
"He's not my Drakie-poo." was all Ginny mumbled as they reached the entrance to his room. A distraught Deatheater emerged. He was pale and his voice shook when he spoke up.
"Good luck. The demon from hell is in there with him." he muttered to Blaise.
In that instant Blaise tensed and he looked at Ginny uneasily.
"Er...maybe it's best if you wait out here." Blaise said to Ginny nervously before entering Dracos room. Suddenly a Deatheater came hurrying down the hall. He barely glanced at Ginny before he entered the room without knocking. The door didn't properly shut behind him leaving a thin crack from where the voices floated towards Ginny.
"...so you see our little Ginevra Weasley is the proud owner of Malfoy Castle." Blaise stated cheerfully and Ginny put her ear closer to the crack.
"WHAT!" Malfoy exploded. "He gave that castle to HER! It was suppose to be MINE!"
"Ahh well it's his choice." Blaise said with indifference.
"And why are you here?" Draco bit out. There was suddenly a rustle of sheets. "Stop it." Draco snapped irritatingly. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
A highly distinctive feminine giggle made Ginny freeze. "Looks like someone's angry over Grandfather Malfoys decision." the deep sensual voice said seductively. "I hope I'm the one who suffers the repercussions." the tone was filled with indecent suggestiveness. Ginny lost all sense of mind then and opened the door. What she saw made her heart stop...and then break into a million pieces. Draco and Helen were lying in bed together-completely naked. A white sheet went just above Dracos stomach and Helen had a sheet wrapped around her till just above her breasts. Judging from the way it lay about her she'd had to scramble for cover when Blaise had entered. Her stomach lurched oddly when she saw Helens hand resting under the sheet close to Dracos abdomen. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Helen had been doing to make Draco irritated at her. Ginny glanced at Draco and for a moment she thought she saw a flash of tenderness directed towards her but when she blinked it was gone making her think she'd imagined it.
"Shut the door behind you." Draco bit out at Ginny. "I don't want the whole damn world to know what's going on in my room."
Ginny shut the door with shaking hands and looked back at Draco and then moved her eyes onto Helen who was smirking at her.
"Sir." the Deatheater suddenly began. "We're in a bit of a hurry...should we plan the invasion tonight or tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow." Helen suggested looking at Draco. "Todays a full moon..we'll be spotted easily."
Draco nodded and then glanced at the Deatheater."Well you heard her." Draco voiced. He either didn't notice or was pointedly ignoring the hungry look the deatheater was giving Helen covered in nothing but a flimsy sheet which barely left anything to the imagination. The Deatheater was broken from his reverie when Draco spoke to him and hurried out.
Draco then opened the drawer in his nightstand and took out a ring of keys. He tossed them to Blaise. "Now leave me alone." he said crisply. Ginny turned on her heel and marched out of the room her heart breaking as she heard the rustle of sheets before the door even shut behind her. She sedately followed Blaise to Dracos office before breaking down and crying while Blaise comforted her.
"It's O.K." Blaise whispered. "He's...he's just...you're the one he really likes."
Ginny pulled back and wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. "No wonder he escorted Helen and not me to breakfast." Ginny let out a choked sob. "I'm nothing to him but a whore." she began to cry. "I'm nothing to him...NOTHING."
Blaise simply held her while she cried. Once she was able to calm herself Blaise wordlessly handed her the required documents and Ginny rushed out of the room before she could break down again. She bumped into someone and looked up with unshed tears into the face of Narcissa Malfoy.
"I take it you just came form a meeting with my son?" Narcissa replied coolly and Ginny broke down into tears again. Obviously not expecting this outburst Narcissa looked at Ginny oddly and then sighed. "I tried to warn you not to get to close to him."
Ginny just went right on sobbing. She didn't know why but she felt as if she was falling apart. He had been her security...and even though he'd never clearly stated that he was serious about her...she'd assumed it. He had been so tender the first time they'd...it hadn't just been about him taking...he had given her more than he'd gotten. The long nights without him were a frusterating ordeal for Ginny and she ached for him every night. She had never imagined that he had been with someone else...it made Ginnys mind whirl just thinking about someones else carrassing his shoulders, raking their nails down his back, feeling the sensations his hands caused...Ginny felt as if she were going to vomit. She just couldn't stomach the fact that what he did with her he was doign with someone else...with HELEN no less. Suddenly she was encased in frail arms and an almost calming sense of security surrounded her. "I don't want to stay here anymore." Ginny choked out as Narcissa held her. "I don't want to stay here. Anything is better than this...he's-he's-I'm NOTHING to him."
Narcissa patted her back oddly and said. "Don't be foolish we can't let you go now."
Ginny suddenly went rigid. Draco had said he'd kept her problem a secret...had he lied?
"You have too much information." Narcissa went on and Ginny suddenly relaxed again. She pulled away from Narcissa.
"Thank you for-for-comforting me." Ginny managed and without looking Narcissa straight in the eye she went towards her room.
A/N: Ok first of all i know this isn;t the long chappie everyones been expecting...but i just HAD top get this out before i rewrote it. This was a very tough chapter to write because this chappie is going to be significant when Ginny and Draco DO finally get together...(SORTA). Anyway im reallys orry i havent updated for a long while...i think it's been a little under a year...and well...it was a very rough year...with school and all...and everybody knows i update the most during the summer hols but during these hols i also had to study...plus well...lets just say it's been a very rocky one year that i never want to experience again. Anyway im really, really, REALLY sorry...and to show how sorry i am im going to post a cookie form the upcoming chppie in my livejournal in the coming week. So keep a lookout for it...and also i will try and speed up the whole d/g getting together process. i've combed thjrough my plan and have decided to OMIT a few sub plots. now on with the thank you's
Charmingvisions: oh if ur still reading this i wanted to say that for now im going to do without a beta...unless ofcourse this chappie has alot of mistakes in it. I've tried to improve my grammar...do u think i still need a beta?
L. M. Lachance: im so sorry for not updating sooner.
naughtygrl: hmmm...dont go spreading it around but ur on to something.
blissfulxsin: erm...i bet u totally lost faith in me during this past year...i hope ive restored it! and im really sorry it's just that this year was really touch for me.
entrancer: lol i dont think this chappie is LONG enough to intrigue you...but i bet it's SHORT enough too...i CRINGED while writing the A/N ...i cant believe i wrote this little midget of a chappie.
Magica: sorry to say 'as soon as life allows me' was NOW...LOL. And yes u r right the old Draco IS peeking through. have a bertie botts bean :P
Neonblue21: what did u think of this chapter?
Nickel: dont worry u'll get to know soon enough. the thing is im writing from Ginnys POV n she doesnt know whats going on...and somethigns gonna come up in the upcoming chappies which is meant to knock the breath out of you pple;...and it has to do with the OUTSIDE world...so thats why im not telling much...the less u know the more surprised you'll be ;)
MiSSx Melon: well dont be shy leave another review and tell me what you though of this chapie wink wink and sorry that this chapter wasnt that long. And im flattered that u cried in chapter 2...i got a bit misty eyed while writing it to tell u the truth and Ginny said yes mainly because she's going through a very confused stage in life...everyone expects so much of her and HArry is the only one that understadns her...so she was sort of grabbing onto the only lifeline she knew of...im sorry if i wasnt clear enough. Another thing cringes ur on to something with the whole auror thing...i was sort of hoping that as Ginny doesnt expect anything from them...the reader would also assume what Ginny has...but there is a resistance going on.
TarynMalfoy88: Sorry to say but there's a long way to go b4 drakie-poo gets his memory back.
rockon2680:Thnx ..not hurry up and tell me what u thought of this chappie! lol
bigreader: yea i loved writing that part...i hope you liked it.
rainbowparty: that would've also been something to cause Ginnys death from mortification if grandmother malfoy woke up :P
ScreaminChild: i hope you're still reading this...sorry for the delay.
xtaintedreflection: thanks...and if u read princess Lily keep a lookout for an update in the upcoming week.
dont fit in: im so sorry i took so long! U cann throw rocks at me if you want...i wont mind...that much...
Madison27: i got this idea mainly cuz i went to this place where there actually WERE girls that poor and they had to do this sort of stuff for a living...and it was ACTUALLY their grandma who was supervising it all..io was SERIOUSLY SICKENED. Anyway i already had this forming in my mind...and when i met those girls i decided to use in my story. It was originally just one girl...and Draco would'nt choose her...but then i decided to use my real life encounter.
dianashirley: awww im so sorry for taking so long!
Raclswt: well now you know what happens...ill hopefully update again in two weeks time! leave a review!
jen: i hope u havent forgotten about this fic!
Magica: ur praise is...just.;..THANK YOU. im flattered that you think so much of my writing...but im nothing compared to those authors...i love reading their stories and the main reason i decided Ginny would stay at Malfoy Manor was due to Serpents bride...i realized there were so little fics with the same element...so i added a touch of it in my story.
Calla-ForEvEa: thank you. Im happy you like it. And im sorry for taking a billion years to update.
Stevie: i updated...all because u said so :P:P:P
BlackBloodSilverWings: winces im so so so so so so SOOO sorry for the delay. Really i am...i know how it feels when an author leaves you hanging...but trust me ill NEVER abandon this story.
LEAVE A REVIEW PEOPLE! And thank you everyone...it';s because of your persistant reviews that i got myself up off my heartbroken butt and began writing again! You all mean the WORLD to me. it's because of your encouragement that i've gotten over my year-from-hell and moved on. hugs and kisses for eeveryone