Disclaimer: Still the plot.
Ginny awoke to a squealing Pansy.
"I danced with Sir Harry!" she kept repeating, eyes bright and smile big. "Oh my goodness, what a wonderful night it was," she noticed Ginny had woken up and said, "Thank you, Ginny! You work wonders!"
Ginny just grinned and both girls got up and proceeded to the small kitchen in Pansy's house where some odd looking bread was waiting to be eaten.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, smelling the flat, round, and bluish bread.
"It's herb and egg bread, silly," Pansy replied, grabbing a piece and chewing vigorously.
Once the girls had finished eating breakfast and washing up, Pansy informed Ginny that she would be spending the day working with her parents. That meant Ginny was left by herself. She decided to walk to her house and greet the boys before exploring the town some more and then figuring out how she would go back to the future and Hogwarts.
Ginny walked in to find all her brothers but Ron still asleep and probably hung-over.
"You know, those boys are going to regret not studying. We return to our studies in no more than a few weeks! Personally, vacation has been long enough for me," Ron said, book in hand when he saw Ginny walking in.
Ginny just shrugged, still getting used to everyone's opposite behaviors and asked, "Where's Mum and Dad?"
"At the market, working, of course. I should fancy myself a visit sometime this afternoon…" Ron answered before dipping his head into his book once more.
Ginny left, saying she would walk around town, maybe visit her parents. But along the way, she bumped into Draco Malfoy.
"Oh, why hello, Lady Ginny," Draco greeted brightly. "How are you this morning?"
"Hello, Sir Draco, I'm good, thanks," Ginny answered. Then a thought popped into her head and she blurted out, "How would you like to show me around town today, Draco? I can't seem to remember much after that fall yesterday," before realizing how desperate it sounded.
He became brighter, if that was possible, and said, "I'd love to."
So they set out for the town together, conversing all the way through, about anything and everything, having the occasional laughs, and serious talks too. Ginny liked how she could converse with him so freely, without worrying about family feuds, Voldemort and Death Eaters, or whether or not he was going to insult her and she would have to punch him in the face.
They sat down for lunch at a café on a safe cliff by the ocean. The wind was blowing a small breeze towards them as they ate their food (that Draco enjoyed and Ginny… well downed just for the sake of being polite.)
"What do you think about magic, Draco?" Ginny asked curiously. She needed help finding a way back and perhaps she could confide in Draco to help her, but first she needed an opinion from him.
"Magic…" he started thoughtfully, "I don't know what kind of magic you mean. If it's the kind of magic that creates miracles, then I have no problem with it. But, I know some magic can cause dark things to happen. That's why I don't trust magic outside of this city."
"What about Hekate? Do you trust her?" Ginny questioned.
Draco thought for a moment and then said, "Yes. She knows what she is doing and would never jeopardize the city. And she is the only one with powers here; she keeps this city safe from intruders."
Ginny was suspicious of Hekate, but at the same time, the city was safe and nothing bad had ever happened, according to Draco in a previous conversation.
"I guess I trust your word, Draco. You've been charming and honest after all." She smiled at him, but knew she could not confide in anybody to help her just yet. The moment wasn't right to tell anyone about who she really was and where she really came from. It could cause danger and she didn't want that.
Draco smiled back at her, and she felt an unexpected warmth fill her. "You know, Hekate also told me something else about you, as she also can see some of the future. It's turning out to be pretty true so far."
Ah, yes, Ginny remembered that Hekate was a little bit of a Seer as well. She wondered what Hekate had told Draco. "What did she tell you?"
Draco smirked, and for a moment Ginny remembered the Malfoy at Hogwarts and half-expected a smart remark from him. But his smirk was innocent and he said, "I'll tell you when the time is right, but for now I want to enjoy a nice after noon with you."
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Hekate was in her home next to the castle. Someone else with magical powers was in the town. She could feel it. And she knew she could not have this. Other magical people might come and cause havoc. She had known all too well what many magical people together could create. It was part of her past, where she witnessed the wrath of a powerful wizard in another city – a city she had long ago left and tried to keep out of her head. She did not trust that most magical people had good in them. Darkness would overcome them, just like the other magical people she knew. They were innocent at first, but the power of the darkness was overwhelming and tempting.
She had to find the other person and ask him or her to leave. She had done it once and he obliged. But what had happened to him she did not know, nor did she care. She knew if she let another magical person in, it could ruin the city. The idea that someone else could destroy Atlantis was driving her mad. But she had seen vaguely in a clouded vision what would happen shortly, and she knew fate could not be stopped. The time was coming soon.
She took out a parchment and quill and began writing an incantation – one in which she hoped would save Atlantis someday.
"I am going to die, soon," she said to herself quietly and sadly, "And with me the city will come."
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Ginny had spent nearly the whole day with Draco. She learned the most interesting things about the city through him, and he never asked her why she didn't know what was going on, he just explained and answered all her questions. He informed her that the castle was guarded by eager and willing house elves (everyone called them 'little creatures') and strangely enough, they had no powers. The city library was huge and was run by a bubbly and kindly lady Ginny knew as Madam Pince. She almost flinched when she saw Madam Pince, but realized that everything in the city was pretty much opposite from what she knew them to be. Draco showed her different lakes where Ginny learned the waters were shallow for safety reasons. And, she learned that even Draco showed some admiration for the two who were to be Prince and Princess.
"But they are so… I don't know, unkind?" Ginny remarked as the two walked in the fading afternoon sunlight. "And Harry doesn't seem to be so nice to you, either."
"They were chosen by King Zeus and Queen Hera, so I'm sure they will prove worthy of leading the city," Draco replied. "They do have a sour side, but that's the way they were raised and I guess I have to respect that."
Wow, thought Ginny, the real Malfoy would never say such a thing. "You're right," she finally said, admiring him more instead of Harry and Hermione.
And then Ginny saw a man who looked as thought he was a beggar. The man was old and dirty-looking, with white long hair and blue eyes. Ginny knew those eyes, but usually when she saw them there was a twinkle.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Ginny said, walking up to him. Draco gave her a confused look, while gently pulling her away.
"He does not like to be bothered," Draco whispered quickly.
Suddenly Dumbledore turned to her and said, in a bland but serious voice, "You will cause destruction. Get out now, before it's too late," and then walked away as if lost, looking helpless and bitter at the same time. Ginny felt pity for the man she knew was wise beyond anyone she had ever met. But more than anything, Ginny wondered why he had just said that to her.
"Excuse me?" she called, but Dumbledore did not reply, only kept walking. Ginny stared at him until she could see nothing of him but a small dot.
"If it's a city of happiness," she said turning to Draco, "why are there beggars?"
"Well, Ginny, that man Dumbledore is no ordinary man. He was a wizard, but Hekate gave him an ultimatum: either leave, or give up magic. He could not bear to leave his life in Atlantis, so he chose to give up his magic. But giving up his magic made him a miserable person. And he chose to lead the life he does now, wandering, not knowing what to do," Draco told Ginny.
"But why would Hekate banish any other wizard or witch? Does she want to be the only one in power?"
"No, quite the opposite actually," Draco replied, as the two walked towards the village in which their homes were, "from what I've heard, she fears any other magical person. She says it will bring the city to ruins." He paused and then said, "Don't mind him, by the way. He can startle people sometimes with the things he says."
Some strange things were now happening, and Ginny needed to think about what had just happened and what she had been told in the day. Before she could get her thoughts running, she realized it was already sunset, and she had not even attempted to figure out her way back to Hogwarts.
"I don't want you to be out too late," Draco said when they both stopped in front of her house. "So, I'll leave you now."
Ginny looked at him. His light, blond hair was carelessly dropping over his head and his eyes were bright and gray, not the usual cold-hearted gray she was so used to. Everything about him was so innocent and delicate. For some reason, it made her swoon inside. It seemed so odd to think she was swooning for Malfoy, but this Draco Malfoy was different, and something inside her was extremely attracted to him.
"Good night, Draco," she said.
"Good night, Ginny," he replied, stepping closer and kissing her cheek, "Perhaps I will see you tomorrow?"
Ginny just smiled, nodding her head. Once they parted, Ginny thought about what was happening between them. Did he like her? She certainly had an attraction to him. How did relationships work in Atlantis? But, sadly this was the least of her worries as she settled in her bed for a short rest. She had some major thinking to do.
A/N: Well hopefully this is getting better?...