Chapter Fifteenth: Draco's Frankness

'If not today, then never,' thought Ginny practically running to the lab. She tossed and turned two nights long thinking over all the possible situations that could make Draco Malfoy, oh sorry, Marko go grey. Grey at eighteen, what a horror!

All situations ran through her head: from receiving a letter from a blackmailer saying that he has a picture of Marko revealing that he is gay, to the reaction after killing a person. But everything was in vain, she couldn't find the answer. In her opinion, the simplest way to find an answer to a question is to ask it, she'll certainly do it. Right now. She slammed open the door to the lab and already opened her mouth to ask the question that had been haunting her for two days, but,

"What's the rush, Anne?" came a voice from the side, where was the worktable.

"Huh-huh, nothing, Marko." She silently walked to her research table. Snape told her to find a poison harmless for humans. What a sick assignment? It couldn't be found! But what could she say? Now she was standing in front of the poison's section of their small library, well not that small actually, because it contained all the existing information about the potions. It was three times bigger than the potion's section of the Hogwarts Library.

"Looking for the harmless poison, I presume?" asked Draco, standing with his back to her.

"Well, something like that…" she answered also not looking at him.

"I think you don't need to bother. Poisons is the best subject of Snape himself, so if he hasn't found it, you certainly wouldn't."

"He wouldn't have asked me then," Ginny said, slowly touching the covers of the books.

"Then you better start, because he said he needed it as soon as possible."

"Oh, ok," she took the first book and began to scan its content.

She had been sitting behind the table for about three minutes when she heard the rustle of robes and felt a little push of the table.

"You're not in the mood to work today, are you, Anne?" There was neither sarcasm nor concern in his voice, but there was something like understanding. Ginny looked up surprised by his question. Draco was standing right in front of her, leaning on the table with outstretched hands.

"Yeah. You know, school, homework and stuff," she answered still looking into the book.

"Oh, no. Something's bothering you and it isn't connected with anything you've just named," he paused for a moment, "I can feel it."

"I want to ask you something," she said shyly.

"Then ask or cat got your tongue?" It was a lame joke, but he still tried to cheer her up a little, because if she stayed in this mood all session, it will be another boring day of his new life. He spent all his time here, in the laboratory, and you can understand how lonely and depressed you could feel when don't even see sun and breathe fresh air.

Now I am sure you are confused by why Ginny was so anxious to find out about Draco's haircut and now was all shy about it… Well, because she was a Weasley. When she stepped through the doorframe, she thought, 'Why should I pry into his personal life? Why should I bother him with my childish curiosity?'

It was quite clear for her that the reason of his going grey was far from pleasant, then why should she awake these bad memories? But still she thought that he needed to share with somebody, to have a shoulder to cry on, metaphorically of course, because the Malfoys don't cry.

"This question needs a very long answer," she said at last.

"I have time, because if you don't work, why should I?" Draco said smirking.

Ginny glanced straight into his eyes and asked, "What happened that made you go grey?"

Draco's body had tensed even before she finished. Then he turned away from her and headed back to the table.

"I have some work to finish, I don't have time for your silly questions," he snapped, trying to sound mean, but Ginny new better.

"Why can't you answer me!" she shouted from across the room.

"I don't want to talk about it and it's none of your business," he answered in the same tone.

"But we are…" she began with pleading in her voice.

"Don't start this 'we are partners and must know all about each other' crap!" He was really angry now.

"And why not, may I ask!" She stood up and started walking towards him. "We are not some of Snape's automatic slaves who just complete assignments. We are humans with our own special feelings and we must share them with each other." She paused to take a deep breath and continued, "Look at you! What have you become! You are not even a Malfoy. You've become nothing! Do you hear me! Absolutely nothing. You're hiding in these dungeons like a cowardly rat! But the worst part is that you don't want to talk about it! Maybe I can help you overcome this period, to become yourself again, not some Marko wreck. You can't hide here forever, once you have to come out from your hole and face the world!" Ginny stopped, taking short breaths because she needed air after such an outburst.

Draco looked at her with a lot of emotions in his eyes: surprise, unbelieving shame (of himself, of course) and respect (for her). For a few minutes he was interested in the table, weighing all pros and cons, then again looked at her and she saw resolve in his glance.

'There is no use in hiding this from her, I should tell her sooner or later, why not now?' "I'll tell you, but on one condition."

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'How Malfoyish of him.' But nodded.

"I'll ask you my question with a big answer." Another nod.

Together they moved to the mini living room, both considering it like a place for a talk, small or serious. Draco sat on the couch and put his elbows on his knees, placing his head into his hands and looking straightforward. Ginny on the other hand sat in the corner of the other couch and took her legs under her like a mermaid. (A/N: I think you understand the position.)

"Well, what should I start with?" Draco began in a calm voice, like telling a story about how he went for a walk yesterday. "Hmm, let's start from the end. I am an orphan now."

"You mean, your parents are dead!" Ginny shouted in shock.

"I mean, that I have no parents now. And that's not the same thing. The whole story starts at Christmas Eve, when all the students returned to their homes for the holidays. I was among them. As you know, the night of the Christmas Eve was to be the night of my initiation. It was the event I have been prepared for during all my life. And having a teacher as Lucius, I was perfectly prepared for my destiny. Dark spells and curses, mercifulness, pureblood fanaticism and all dark stuff have been put under my skull since I was able to hold a wand. I was ready to become a Death Eater; with me, Voldemort would've got a perfect soldier, but the point was, that he didn't want a perfect soldier. He wanted a perfect slave to follow his and only his orders. I didn't fight my destiny because I knew that I couldn't do anything against it. My problem was that I wasn't all that eager to become Voldemort's follower.

First seeds of doubt about the rightness and all-mightiness about all Death Eater thing got into my mind in the end of the forth year, when Diggory returned dead. The only thought that crossed my mind was, 'Why he? He didn't do anything to Voldemort or for Voldemort.' But that had been just a thought and I soon forgot about it and returned to my usual self.

Then the Department of Mysteries; when Lucius was captured and put into Azkaban, but he isn't a Malfoy for nothing. He escaped and returned to his Lord.

When he was still there, I thought about his reasons of coming to that Department. The Prophecy. Merlin, little bottle with the prophecy about Potter and Voldemort, but what fuss about it! Voldemort has been possessing Potter for over a year, Lucius was kissing Fudge's ass to have access to the Department and other things that even I don't know about. And why? Because the Dark Lord wants to know what way he will die," his voice was filled with indignation. "That year I also didn't think much about the occasion, I accused Potter of everything because I thought that Lucius had been right, because I had been taught that he was always right. But still doubt started to penetrate into my mind, when he had been sent to Azkaban, because if he was doing the right thing why send him there? Childish, I know, but that was what I thought nevertheless.

When Lucius returned from Azkaban, my training became the most important matter for him. The Dark Lord decided to stay in burrow for that year to gain strength and new followers. The only topic of Lucius' speeches was the importance and honor of the service to Voldemort.

Exactly at that time I began to think about quitting all this Death Eater stuff, because I didn't want to be a slave. The funniest thing is that this is the only thing that I am thankful to Lucius for. He taught me to be self-confident, strong, without any weaknesses, almighty, to make my own decisions and answer to the consequences all by myself. It was his greatest mistake because with such an upbringing I couldn't become a slave to an ugly creature, fighting for Slytherin knows what. But still I was sure I would become a Death Eater, because it had been my destiny, and that was a matter you couldn't easily go against. Also one question kept popping in my head: if I don't become a Death Eater, who will I be then? Because I didn't want anybody and certainly nobody wanted me," he smirked. "You know it from your own experience. Sorry that I began from that far, but I want you to understand everything."

He moved his head so now his forehead lay on his left hand, his face hidden from view. "As I've already said, I had returned home and Lucius had met me in the hall. He was so proud that his boy would have the honor to become one of them. Just before the departure he told me to follow him, he wanted me to have my first 'real' lesson. We went to my mother's bedroom," Draco slammed the couch with his fist of the hand that wasn't holding his head. "He killed her."

Ginny gasped.

"Tortured and then killed her. She was sound asleep, but he roughly took her out of bed and threw her on the floor, then began to tear off her clothes. He used her like some Mudblood, I mean like a woman he had killed the day before, like some slut," another slam of the fist. "He put a curse on her, making her beg him to make love to her, but of course he refused. He slapped and hit her, but she continued to beg, this torture is even worse then Cruciatus." Slam.

Ginny went to sit next to him and put a hand on his back stroking a bit. "You all know, I idealized him. Worshipped the land he was walking on, believed every word he said, respected him, he was my father, I even loved him in my own way." Ginny heard sobbing notes in his voice. "And there I saw a fanatic who doesn't care for his family or Voldemort or power, only for his passion to kill, to hear other people's cries of pain and horror. He has lost all his dignity. Dignity; the most precious thing for a man, he taught me.

I stood there and watched stunned. It all took not more then fifteen minutes, but it was like an eternity for me. I don't want to describe exactly what I felt back there, because I don't want you to have nightmares, but still I clearly remember the feeling of emptiness and darkness all around me and then that darkness crashed upon me. I felt myself buried under nothingness," Draco was now shivering. Ginny couldn't place the reason: from cold or from fear, but she still held him closer to her, practically hugging him by his shoulders.

"When he finally killed her, he came to me and said that it was time to go, but I couldn't even move. All my world and believes were crashed into pieces. Only then I totally understood that I didn't want to be like him anymore, to become a maniac, a puppet in Voldemort's hands, I didn't want to fight for Dark Lord. I just ran out of there deciding that I don't have a father anymore. You are right, I am nothing, absolutely nothing. I have nobody and nowhere to go now."

Ginny was utterly shocked and couldn't say anything for a few minutes, then suddenly yelled, "That slimy bastard! Killed his own wife! That damn Death Eater…Uuuu," she groaned grabbing her right wrist. "What the Hell!" She jumped off the couch, still holding her wrist. Draco fell with a hmpf on the couch because Ginny's support was gone. "Auuu, that hurts."

Suddenly she heard a laugh. Ginny turned towards the couch and saw Draco laughing his head off. There were still traces of tears on his cheeks, but he laughed like mad.

"What are you laughing at?"

"How ironical," laughing fits, "it's your vow," laughter again, "You are insulting my family and I am more then ready to follow your example."

"Then how about this insulting? You are an unthankful git! How can you say that you don't have anyone? What about Snape? And me? We will always be here for you."

Laughter stopped as suddenly as it began.

"You will always be here for me, Anne?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"Of course I will." She came and sat near him. He took her right hand, she started to pull automatically but the pain stopped with his touch.

"What have you done?"

"I'm the master of your vow. If I think that you've suffered enough, I can stop the pain by simple touch," he answered matter-of-factly.

"And I can do the same to you?"

"Yes."

"Uuum, what a perfect opportunity to make you suffer," Ginny said playfully.

"I'm keeping my vow."

"Back to your unthankfulness."

"Back to your willingness to be always here for me," Draco interrupted.

"Well, I meant what I said."

"But why?"

"Because I am your partner, remember?"

"Only because of that?" There was a hint of hope on his voice.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I consider you a friend after all this time working together." Draco looked thoughtful. "What are you thinking about so seriously?" she asked smiling.

"I don't know what to say. I mean, I haven't had a real friend before," Draco said a bit shyly.

"Oh, that," there was pity in her eyes. "Well, repeat after me." She outstretched her hand, he repeated. "Friends," she said, shaking his hand.

"Friends," he also shook her hand.

"If your world is ruined, we will build another one," Ginny said smiling at him. Draco only nodded, but smiled too, looking happier then he was in five years.

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