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Take A Deeper Look
~~*~~
Chapter One: Deeper
~~*~~
Life never deals out what you expect it to. You can be anywhere when life decides to kick you in arse, telling you: "Here I am! About to have fun with your life now!" she knew this fact, as it had happened to her. Unfortunately or fortunately, she didn't know. All she knew was that she definitely was not ready for it.
Her name? Ginny Weasley is the correct answer. Though she did tend to give another name now that she was later in her life. Ginny is what they still call her though (they being the people she has enjoyed, and hated, being with, and around, for six years of her life). There are a select few, however, that actually call Ginny Virginia. Mostly because of the glare they received if they didn't. Her brother, Ronald, seemed immune to her glare.
He is one of the many that choose to think of her as the small, easily influenced first year. The first year that didn't know to get rid of a diary right away when it wrote back to her, when she knew something was up with it. The first year that he thinks still has a crush on Harry Potter.
Honestly, Ginny would think, the kid is like another brother to me. And she really didn't have a need for another one. She had enough of them already. She couldn't tell them that though. They would just laugh and pat her on the head, again saying "oh, Ginny. What are you going on about now?" as they usually did.
Can't a girl get any respect? I am no longer a first year. In actuality I do believe myself to be a sixth year! Many others would also agree with her previous statement.
So, then why did she get the continued treatment of a first year? An ignorant first year for that matter! Because I am who I am: Virginia Weasley. The youngest and supposedly fairest of all the Weasleys. Can't let anything happen to me. Nope. Not a thing!
People, please. I'm being sardonic.
But the wonder of it all . . . is that I may be living just to fall.
Don't get what I mean? Well, think about it. I am put on this earth, a beautiful one at that, but for what purpose? I hadn't found it yet, if I have one. But she did know one thing – she had yet to find something that really makes her live life.
You know . . . That feeling where you are truly aware of your existence on the planet. Ginny believed this to be the reason she loved Hagrids' Care of Magical Creatures class so much. The first time she had set out helping him recapture animals he, for some unknown reason to this day, set free for them to catch, she recalled mentioning the feeling of being alive to the large man.
"That's 'ow ya know you're livin' – when 'ou do somethin' ya don' usually do," Hagrid told her with a smile.
It is a feeling that she had yet to replace, or wear out. Virginia doubted she would ever be able to replace it with anything; it's too dear to her heart now.
~~*~~
With a hidden sigh, she took up her camera, compliments of Colin from last Christmas. She believed he finally got so perturbed that she kept taking his, that he gave her one for the holiday. It was a lovely camera, at that.
Ginny put on a cloak and clasped it with the bronze dragon clasp gotten from her best friend for her sixteenth birthday, and headed up to her perch. Otherwise known at the observation tower of the Astronomy classroom.
She found out that she was not to be alone as soon as she arrived there. Her perch was not her own that night. When she did see who it was, it made her wish she had never come up. Draco Malfoy, resident hellion for her family, and House, was standing over the bench, the only bench, atop the tower.
Whatever it was that made her stop and watch him for a moment, she silently cursed. It was amazing how light his hair really was, especially in the moons' glow. But his pale cheeks, though it was no surprise to her, were turning a hue of light pink; the night air was cold without a cloak. His face, normally cold and set in a scowl was unusually serene as he looked over the lake.
Ginny stared a moment longer before determining that she wanted what she came for: a perfect picture of the Astronomy towers view. She readied her camera in little time and held it up; backing up very quietly to get the whole picture she dubbed to be "perfect."
The flash of the camera was bright in comparison to the darkness the tower emitted; and instantly roused its patron from his thoughts. Ginny noted as she quickly put the camera behind her back, that Draco Malfoy no longer looked serene.
He looked downright livid.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" he asked her with an odd sound of control in his voice. That couldn't be a good thing.
Ginny backed away one more step. "I – uh – Well you see, I –"
"Invaded my privacy. Give me that camera." He put out a pale, toned hand. Probably from many hours of Quidditch, she deduced. "The camera, Weasley. Now!"
She dared to defy him. "No. I will do nothing of the sort."
"Accio camera."
The camera stayed hidden behind her back in her small hands. "Anti-Spell. It's a wondrous little charm." The freckled face gave him a smug look.
Draco lunged for her, and her Anti-Spelled camera. A simple duck to the right left her to wince as he hit the stone floor.
"Malfoy, if you want something from me, you're going to have to try a lot harder. I did grow up with six brothers, after all," she teased as he stood up again. He lunged once more, this time grasping her cloak.
She went down with him, but did not meet darkness as he did. "Malfoy?" she shook herself free of his hold. "Malfoy!" she tapped his ribs with the toe of her shoes. "Unconscious . . . Stupid prat." With a roll of her blue-green eyes, she stood and started towards the stairs.
One last look back changed her mind on letting him freeze to his death. "This wouldn't have happened if you weren't such an idiot, Malfoy," she murmured to his unconscious form while placing her cloak over him.
~~*~~
Draco Malfoy. The name itself was enough to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who knew him, or his father.
But was that what he wanted? To have everyone he knew fear him?
Yes. Yes of course he did. That was how people saw your power – by seeing who feared you.
Yet the young Malfoy knew that what had started as mere grains on a beach were now seeds of doubt. Doubt that pertained to the ability of Lord Voldemort to succeed in his endeavors. Would the most feared wizard of his time be able to defeat Albus Dumbledore and the Boy-Who-Lived, again?
Christmas break. That was when Draco would leave school bare-armed, and come back Marked. Whether he wanted it or not.
He had to get out of his room. His prison for the moment. Cloakless, he made his way from level upon level of the school to the Astronomy tower. The tower that was vacated by couples for a warmer spot during the fall and winter months.
Draco leaned on the stone wall with his callused hands. Looking out over the expanse called Hogwarts Lake, the moon reflected and refracted back. Thoughts on how peaceful it was up top the tower; thoughts on how much he wished it was always like this, were interrupted by a bright flash cutting through the darkness. In slight blindness, he turned to see who had dared to bother him.
A Weasley. Ginny, he believed her name to be. She had been so bold as to disturb his with a petty picture?
"Just what do you think you are doing?" he demanded in a calm voice, taking some steps towards her. She backed away. Good. Though her stuttering was getting to his nerves. "Invaded my privacy," He cut into her stutters. "Give me the camera." His hand, outstretched and assessed by the Weasley, remained empty.
"No." She was refusing him?
"Accio camera."
She looked so smug. He wanted to curse that look off her face as she told him it was Anti-Spelled. He decided upon the next best thing. Draco lunged, only to kiss the stone. Damn Weasley had moved. Numbly, he listened to her banter about six brothers and having to try harder. Was she teasing him?
Finally a Weasley and he agreed on something. And try harder he did. He felt her go down with him, but met unconsciousness quickly thereafter.
Warmth he had not remembered possessing surrounded him when he came to the conscious world again. He grabbed that which kept him warm and stared at it in confusion. How could something so thin keep him so warm?
It was Weasleys' cloak. She had placed it on him? Why? If he were her, he would have just left himself to freeze.
But he wasn't her.
And now he would have to return the cloak.
~~*~~
Ginny groaned when she woke. Why did it have to be a school day? The weekends should be longer, she thought. Throwing the duvet away from her torso, cold air hit her quickly. With a small yelp, she picked up the discarded, thin night robe, a gift from her father, and threw it around her shoulders. Tiptoeing to the bathroom, she was first to get a shower that chilly Monday morning.
She gathered up her bag once she was dried and dressed, and walked down to the Great Hall alone. Her roommates were just waking up. Bobbing her head to a song only she could hear, she sat down and snatched up a peanut butter and chocolate chip granola bar.
"Mornin' Ginny," Hermione sat down next to the sixth year.
" 'Lo, Hermione," she swallowed the last bit of granola as she spoke. "Where are Ron and Harry?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I tried to get them up, but they wouldn't budge. They'll be down soon, I suppose."
The girls sat in silence as Ginny picked at a Poppyseed muffin. She never did eat much in the mornings, but knew she should for the sake of others.
And true to her word, Harry and Ron showed face just as Draco Malfoy did the same. The sight of him reminded Ginny of the pervious nights' events. And of the fact that she was now without her favorite cloak and clasp until he decided to return them to her. Her blue-greens locked onto his gray eyes for the moment that he remained in her view; his eyes were first to look away.
"Where you off to, Ginny?" Ron asked when he saw her stand up.
"I – uh – forgot my Potions book up in my room. I have to get it before I head to class." It wasn't a complete lie. She was going to head to class with the book at some point. With a sigh, she slumped against the wall near the stairs for the dungeons.
Why was this happening? The mere sight of the man-boy was getting to her. Annoyance soon flared up with the anger that she had left that particular cloak with Malfoy. How would she go about getting it back was the question.
"Miss Weasley! May I ask as to the reason behind your loitering?" Snapes voice cut through her thoughts sharply.
She stood straight. "Just waiting for classes to start, Sir." Ginny may not be in his favorite persons group, but she liked the Potions class.
"Well, then I suppose you should get on your way. The class bell should be ringing in mere seconds." He was halfway down the stairs when the bell rang.
"How does he do that?" Ginny whispered to herself as she followed him down the stairs. She sat down in her desk, second row from the front, and pulled out the book she said she had to get.
The slam of his office door received everyone's attention and quickly quieted the class. "Today I will have you brew up an advanced truth potion –" all eyes turned to the door. "Can I help you, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco stepped inside and placed a note in front of the Potions Master. Ginny quickly dropped her head down, not wanting to grasp the attention of the boy until she saw fit.
"I have no need for an aide, Mr. Malfoy," Snapes nicest dismissal that Ginny had been around for.
"I know that, Sir. But Professor Dumbledore asks that you allow me to aid. He says it will benefit the both of us."
Snape wasn't so daft as to miss an obvious hint like that. "Fine," he turned to address the class. "Everyone will partner up with whomever they are seated with." His back was turned as people protested. The note was balled up and tossed into a wastebasket.
Ginny watched as the professor overlooked her. What could benefit both Snape and Malfoy if the latter stayed? Her ears perked when she heard her name.
"Sir . . . the Weasley." What a handy little aide, sarcastically thought.
"Miss Weasley!" Snape turned to face her at Draco's comment. "Have you a partner?" she shook her head. Everyone had paired up already. "Well Mr. Malfoy. It seems like your first duty as my aide will be to partner with Miss Weasley."
She dropped her jaw. "But Sir, with all due respect –"
"You two shall work together, no questions asked. And since you have made this potion previously, Mr. Malfoy, I expect no mistakes." His voice held an air of no objections. "Now, if I might continue. Your advanced truth potions will allow for a longer truth-telling period, and voids the need to ask questions to get answers. Ingredients are on the board; directions are in your books."
"I'll get the ingredients," she told Draco quietly, leaving him to start the cauldron. Five minuets later, she still had yet to get the ingredients.
"Move, Weasley," he grabbed her shoulders and displaced her to the side. It took him seconds to get through the horde of students she, herself, could not break through. He came back with a scowl on his face and the necessary elements in his arms. "Let's get to work, shall we?"
He didn't leave the comment open to interpretation. Ginny sat down beside the cauldron and set out cutting the slugs heads off. "I hate slugs. Yes, I really do. I hate slugs. Wish I had some salt. To make them shrivel up. Wish I had some salt . . ." she muttered under her breath to the tune of a Muggle song she had heard once.
"Weasley. What are you doing?" Draco did not seem to enjoy her song as much as she did.
She gave him a cheeky grin. "Singing as I decapitate these little buggers." Scooping the necessary parts into her hand, she dropped them into the cauldron with a plop. Skimming her book with her finger, she grabbed the untouched ingredients left behind by the seventh year and started on them.
"This has to sit for twenty minuets before it's working," he told her as he added his own diced elements.
"But the book says ten to fifteen . . ." she was never one to not tell people what she thought. Who says she had to start now, with a Malfoy?
"And yet I did this project last year. I do believe I would know better than you would, Weasley."
Ginny rolled her eyes again. "Whatever you say." He was so annoyingly difficult sometimes. Like a small child he was! Why on earth did she have to be the one that Snape decided to stick Malfoy with? She could have done the potion all on her own, just as well as she was with a partner. Granted, she wouldn't have known about the twenty minuets of brew time, but that could go unnoted. The potions worked just the same with the books' time limit. As long as it was blue, that was what she thought. Yes, as long as it's blue, it's good. Who needs the extra five minuets? Bloody git.
She chanced a look at his head, wondering if he had a headache from his fall. No! She didn't care. Though she did leave him with her favorite cloak, she didn't care if he had a migraine right now. Serves him right, she thought. If he hadn't tried attacking her, he would have never gotten the headache she sorely wished he had.
"Snape must like you," she heard from her right. Brows furrowed together, she turned to her unofficial partner.
"Pardon?" Why was he bothering her now?
She almost grinned when he sighed in exasperation. Seems he hates having to repeat himself. "I commented on how Snape must like you."
"And why is that, Malfoy? Because he thought me special enough to have you as my partner?" she asked sarcastically. "Somehow, I doubt that is the case as he knows how much you loathe my family. And –"
"Do you ever shut up, Weasley?"
She shrugged. "Not usually this talkative; no one to talk with. Anyway . . . Why would you think Snape likes me?"
"How does he usually address his students?" he acted as if he were talking to a child! She wanted to deck him right then.
"Last names," she chose to answer instead.
"And how does he address you?"
"Usually 'Miss Weasley.' What's your point, Malfoy?" she was starting to get annoyed now. First he takes her away from her thoughts, and now he was riddling with her?
"How many people does he use prefixes for?" Draco obviously wanted to ignore her comment.
"Not many people," she replied with a monotonous voice. Then it hit her. "Only with students he likes . . ." she was not answered, only smirked at. "You can't be sure, though," she said to herself.
~~*~~
"Mr. Malfoy, please come here," Dumbledore waved a withered hand in a 'come' gesture just before the bell rang.
Draco downed the last of his breakfast as he approached the head table. "Sir?"
"I have been informed that you have a study period first block, everyone other day. Is that correct?" The blonde nodded his head. What was the old man going to have him do? "I would most appreciate it if you would be an aide for Professor Snape on those days. It would benefit you both," he gave the boy a knowing smile and handed his a note.
"Er . . . Yes, Sir," Draco took the note and walked out of the almost empty Great Hall. He knew he would be interrupting a class, but what year was what he didn't know.
"Can I help you Mr. Malfoy?" Draco heard as he entered the class.
"He said it would benefit the both of us," Draco replied to what had to be the nicest dismissal Snape had ever given. And whatever it was that Dumbledore knew, Snape knew it was well, and agreed to the request.
Draco watched as table partners busily set out on retrieving their books. The red mass he had seen upon entering didn't move. "Sir," he caused the man to turn around. "The Weasley."
A few deliberations went on before it was settled that Draco would be her partner. To both of their chagrins.
"I'll get the ingredients," she spoke so quietly. And she had spoken first, a surprise to him. When he looked up, after lighting the cauldron, five minutes later, she had not made any progress.
"If you want something done right . . ." he muttered while walking towards her. "Move, Weasley." Placing her to his side, he went right through the crowd. When he sent a glare to all around, he was undisturbed to go about gathering the necessary items. "Let's get to work, shall we?" it wasn't a question she could inveigh upon. He ignored her as he set out dicing the alfalfa grass. At the sound of her voice, he turned her head; he presumed she was talking to him.
"I hate slugs. Yes, I really do. I hate slugs. Wish I had some salt. To make them shrivel up. Wish I had some salt . . ." what on earth was she singing? And why? Though . . . it was a rather strange tune.
He stared at her. What she all there in that small head of hers? "Weasley. What are you doing?" it may be funny, but it was annoying.
"Singing as I decapitate these little buggers." Her innocent stare and cheeky grin slightly rattled the boy. How could she remain so innocent looking with all the chaos going on in the world? He knew she couldn't possibly be that naïve. She was one of the few students that received the Daily Prophet in the post.
Yet she remained innocent.
"This has to sit for twenty minuets before it's working," he told her as he added his own elements.
"But the book says ten to fifteen . . ." God. Did she ever just let what people say lie?
"And yet I did this project last year. I do believe I would know better than you would, Weasley."
Ginny rolled her eyes again. What was with her and rolling her eyes? "Whatever you say."
As if he didn't have a bad enough headache already, she was making it worse. Annoying girl. He resisted the urge to rube his temples as silence reigned between them.
"Snape must like you," he said for lack of any better thing to say.
"Pardon?" she looked annoyed. He must have interrupted her thoughts. At least she knew what it was like now. Reiterating his pervious statement, he watched her stare up at him with her now confused eyes.
"And why is that, Malfoy? Because he thought me special enough to have you as my partner?" he hadn't expected such a sarcastic answer from her. "Somehow, I doubt that is the case as he knows how much you loathe my family. And –"
"Do you ever shut up, Weasley?" he finally cut in to her rambles.
She shrugged as eh. "Not usually this talkative; no one to talk with. Anyway . . . Why would you think Snape likes me?" Didn't she have friends to chat with? Surely the Wonder Trip could make time for her.
The look of realization that crossed her face, one she did understand his comment, made his almost smile. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with new knowledge. She seemed annoyed, at first, with the riddles, that he kept handing her.
"So that means he likes you?" she asked him quietly.
"Sometimes I wonder if he likes me because –" what was he saying?
"Because of your father?" she questioned, but they both knew that she knew the answer already. "Oh look. It's blue now . . . Sort of."
Her ability to change subjects smoothing did not go unnoticed by him. He glanced into the cauldron, stirring it a bit. "A few more minutes now."
~~*~~
Ginny looked at her fellow students, most of who had taken their potions by then. When her eyes landed on Colin and the girl she knew to be his secret crush sharing a kiss, she laughed aloud. "If I had just known . . ."
Draco turned his head towards her. The tone of her laugh sounded strange; though it was probably because the only laughs he had heard were high and false. Ginny's sounded different. It sounded carefree, melodic almost.
What was he thinking?
Ginny watched Colin a moment longer before turning the other direction. Her eyes went wide as she burst into a large bout of laughter. Almost falling from her seat, she tugged on Draco's sleeve and managed to get out a "Look!" before laughing again.
Caught off his guard, he glanced to where she pointed. It seemed as if the normally docile Hufflepuffs were bringing back the should-be-forgotten YMCA dance.
She couldn't breathe from her laughter, and a stitch was growing in her side. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself and turned to Draco. Apparently, he was not following her calming example.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed it. But she was seeing it with her own eyes . . . Draco Malfoy was laughing! Though it was at something a Gryffindor girl has done.
She had never seen him look as . . . lighthearted as he did. Ginny found herself liking that look on his face better than his normal sneer. The girl also found herself staring. But when he turned and caught her staring, all she could think of to say was: "I think out potion is ready." How brilliant of her.
He looked at the blue potion and nodded. With the ladle, he put the right amount of the potion into the goblets Ginny had placed on the desk.
"Bottoms up!" she said with a grin as they drank their potion.
After the tingling sensation that came with the potion was over, Draco decided to start with a simple question. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen at the moment," Ginny felt herself answer. "Why does your name mean dragon?"
"My mums favorite animal," Draco replied. He remembered now how much he hated truth potions. "Who –"
"Y'know, I don't get why I'm still called Ginny," she blurted out, yet turning red for doing so.
"It's your name."
"Nickname. My name is Virginia." Truth potions were annoying, Ginny figured out then. What did Malfoy care about her name?
"I like Virginia better." Ginnys' eyes went wide as he spoke. "It makes you seem your age. It's a beautiful name."
Ginny blinked a few times after stuttering an almost programmed thank you. "Well, your name definitely suits you, just so you know."
"How so?"
"Dragons are mean animals, obviously, but if you are nice to them, they become tamer. More kind to you, in a sense, though still dangerous animals. Charlie has to do that a lot with the dragons he handles. He has to get to know them, see how they act in their environments and with other around them before he can even think of approaching them," she explained to him with much gesturing with her hands.
"You're very pretty when you speak like that, Virginia."
"I – uh – you just told me –" Ginny stopped talking full stop. Did Draco Malfoy, the boy who hates her family with a passion, just tell her she was pretty? And use her first name? "I . . . How should I respond to that?" truth potions had just moved up a notch.
"As you usually do upon receiving a compliment on yourself." Damn potion! He felt like he was an automated person. An automated person who had not wanted to tell her that – yet because of the potion, had.
"I've never actually be complimented on anything but my school work . . ."
"Never?"
Ginny shrugged. "I'm not noticed a lot. Not unless Voldemort is brought up." Great. Just great. Now he had something to tease her about. Truth potions have just moved back down that notch.
"Sounds like my house," he covered his mouth as soon as he spoke.
"Draco . . ." Ginny knew she shouldn't be taking advantage of the truth potion as she was about to. "Do you really want to become a Death Eater?"
"I don't have a choice in the matter." Vague, but truthful. Damn Weasley!
Snape raised his head at the young girls' question and raised his eyebrows at Dracos' answer.
"If you had the choice?"
"I . . . Would become a spy against Voldemort."
"So that's a yes." Joy and laughter were replaced by the knowledge of reality. "To be a spy, you would have to get the Dark Mark. Much like –"
"All right class, you are dismissed," Snape cut her off before she could say anything else. Ginny Weasley, it seemed, was dangerous on truth potions. He knew she was a smart girl, but not that clever. Not to mention her almost slip up.
Ginny placed her book back where it belonged and tidied up the desk before leaving the class.
"Hey Ginny!" she turned to see Harry coming down the stairs once she was up a level from the Potions room. "Have you seen Ron or Hermione?"
"Off snogging, most likely." Ginny's eyes widened. "Sorry. Truth potion. Just say whatever comes out."
~~*~~
Delirious - Deeper
~~*~~
So? How do you guys like the first chapter? Wee. Anywho, it was really cool writing this, I had fun (which I haven't had while writing in a while now. Poopy, eh?).
PLEASE let me know if you think Draco and / or Ginny are far too out of character! I want to make sure I don't mess with them a whole lot while still developing a friend and romance relationship. Y'know?
It was so strange. I don't even really know how I got the inspiration to write this story. Though part of it goes to the movie Never Been Kissed and to the song Deeper. But mostly because I was trying to think of a good Virginia / Draco story. And this popped out!
I hope it's as good as I think it is. And sorry about the formatting, the documents aren't loading onto the web site like I want them to. Stupid asses.
