It was the end of November, and Draco had been trying to keep up the pretense that he was interested in talking with Ginny. It wasn't terribly hard he had to admit, considering what an interesting person she was turning out to be. Now that she was taking sixth year classes, a fact that never ceased to amaze him, it was a lot easier to "run" into her. He didn't want to give her the impression he was stalking her, but he did want to seem at least marginally interested. That way when he revealed himself she would find it a lot more believable that he actually liked her. The success of his plan depended on how much he could get her to like him.
It was the depth of her mind that fascinated Draco. He was interested in what she had to say about lessons that had been taught during the day, homework they'd been given, and plans she might have for her free time. They didn't have all the same classes, but they shared their experiences nonetheless and got an interesting perspective from the other side. The two students talked about things they read over the years, places they had been to, and anything that did not reveal too much of his identity. She even talked about him – Draco Malfoy. He was pleasantly surprised. She didn't hate him as much as he thought. But then, now that he knew her, he couldn't imagine Ginny hating anyone.
SA,
Well, it happened again today. That blimey git tried to corner me in the hallway to talk about "potions." I wish I knew what he was up to. I'd like to think his interest is genuine. He's a prat, but he is a good-looking prat. However, I don't believe it is. If there is one thing I've learned about Draco Malfoy over the years is that he always has a hidden agenda. Just like his bastard father. Hopefully he'll get out of the Death Eater tradition, but I have very little hope of that. From what I've seen, he's a miniature copy of the man. Let's just hope he doesn't go slipping any diaries into little girl's cauldrons.
Anyway. Fortunately for me, Harry came charging to my rescue. Again. Sometimes it gets annoying, but I really don't want to have to deal with Malfoy. It's always more entertaining to watch Harry do it anyway. He has such style. Too bad Malfoy's such a git. I bet they'd get along famously. But don't tell my brother I said that. He hates him just because he's a Malfoy. Of course, Malfoy hates us because we're Weasleys, so it's only fair.
Do you ever find that people judge you by your name or your level of wealth? It makes me sick. My parents work hard to provide for all of us. We have a solid roof over our heads, rooms for all of us, enough money to send us to school, and have a number of successful people in the family. Did you know that several of my brothers work for the Ministry of Magic? And there's my father who will probably be the next Minister. But because we're not rolling in Galleons, we're the scum of the Wizarding world. Maybe I need to kick his ass again for good measure.
Well, I have to get to practice. We play Ravenclaw next week and need to beat them to keep up with Slytherin. It promises to be interesting. Wish us luck!
Ginny
Draco smirked as he read the letter. He remembered the encounter vividly. It was after Transfiguration. McGonagall had them transforming their quills into geese, and Longbottom and Weasley had botched it up as usual. Not the youngest Weasley; the Weasel King. Weasley wound up being attacked by the goose head that came to be on the end of his quill. Longbottom's quill exploded in a spray of white feathers, causing the other geese in the room to panic. Feathers were everywhere by the time class was done, and the two Gryffindors had earned the privilege of cleaning it all up. He couldn't help but laugh at the two boys, which probably didn't help his standing with Ginny. She was so protective of that oaf brother of hers.
Ginny stayed behind for a few minutes to talk to McGonagall about something, so he decided to wait nearby and initiate a 'chance' encounter when she came out. He hoped for a better reaction than the one he got.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" He honestly felt he didn't deserve the exasperation in her voice.
"I thought we might talk about the potions assignment. You, at least, seem to understand some small part of it." Flattery will get you everywhere.
"Bugger off, Malfoy." Except with her, apparently. "I have no need or desire to talk with you about anything. Why don't you go chat with Professor Snape if you're so interested in a conversation about potions?"
"I had hoped to find out what your opinion was. I know what the professor thinks." Bloody hell she was difficult!
She laughed derisively. "I'm sure. I have no doubt you know all the answers and am completely ready for tomorrow's surprise test. After all, we mustn't allow Gryffindor to win the Cup fair and square!"
"That's not what I meant!"
"Oh? Then what did you mean? You seem to be under the delusion that I might find talking with you interesting, Malfoy. Let me enlighten you. I have no interest in chatting with you about Potions, Defense Against Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History, Muggle Studies, or anything else you can think of. I would rather be covered in boils than spend a single moment in your presence for any reason. I don't know why you've been stalking me, but I suggest you leave me alone before I do something both of us will regret."
That was enough. He stepped toward her. "Really, Weaselette. I rather think you'd prefer doing something you'd regret. What is it you said? Ah yes. Perhaps you would like to have a go at feeling the texture of my tight, sexy pants? Or maybe run your fingers through this 'yummy' hair. I could certainly accommodate you. Maybe you'd like to see my hard, manly…"
"Malfoy!"
"…chest?" He wasn't sure what had gotten into him, but ever since he heard her conversation with Pavrati, he'd been looking for a way to find out if she really meant it. From the way her face flushed when he stepped closer, she did.
"I…I don't know what you mean!"
"Sure you do. Pavrati? The window alcove? It's not a terribly private place, my dear Ginevra." Where did that come from?
"I can't believe you were spying on me! You prat!"
"Tut tut. No need for name-calling. I honestly just happened to be walking by when I heard my name. Surely you don't expect me to ignore such a thing."
"I expect you would be courteous enough to respect my privacy!"
"You seem to mistake me for someone from another house, Ginevra. I am a Slytherin after all."
"How could I forget?"
His silver eyes caught hers, and he moved closer. He could sense her trembling. "Potions, Ginevra," how he loved that name! "Can be a very interesting topic. You seem to have a rather thorough understanding of them. Maybe we could go someplace private and discuss it?"
For a moment, she looked on the verge of saying yes. Then she snapped back to herself and stepped back. Not too far, however, since he almost had her pinned to the wall. "I have homework to do, Malfoy. A lot of it! I'm sorry but I'm not interested." The last was said with enormous dignity.
He found himself moving his face to within inches of hers. "Very well, my dear Ginevra. Some other time then." He hesitated, oddly reluctant to move away.
"Malfoy!" Bloody hell. Potter.
Taking control of himself, he turned lazily and eyes the approaching Gryffindor. Potter looked furious.
"You rang, Potter?"
"Get the hell away from her, Malfoy!"
"And if I don't?"
"Try me."
Draco was surprised at that response. The Gryffindor actually sounded menacing. He didn't realize Potter cared so deeply for the little Weaselette. He wondered if Granger knew.
"Maybe later, Potter, when I'm free to amuse myself. Fortunately for you, I have…other plans." He hoped Ginny would get the insinuation.
"Good. We'll leave you to them then."
The Slytherin prefect turned abruptly and left her standing there, Potter hovering protectively over her. Before the bloody Hero of Hogwarts arrived, he had been making headway he could tell. Her eyes had sparkled with…something. Attraction, he hoped. It was all he could to do maintain control and not look back. She had been flushed and wide-eyed, but not from fear he suspected. His lips curled into a smirk as he realized he was getting to her. He refused to consider the idea that she was getting to him. It was all under control. He would win this bet.
Draco felt himself smirking at the memory. He was definitely getting to her. Things were going according to plan. Now he just needed to switch gears and be the kind and attentive secret admirer. Wish them luck. Hmmm. It would be odd wishing a Chaser of the Gryffindor team luck, but he supposed he could. Otherwise she might figure out he's in Slytherin House. He'd successfully kept her guessing about his identity for some time now, and he figured he'd let it go on as long as she fell for it.
He secretly admitted that he didn't want the letters to end. She was a stimulating conversationalist, even when she was being insulting, and he observed that it provoked a response from him. Her truthfulness intrigued him and he found himself being more honest in his writing. Perhaps in response to her honesty. It bothered him, but he could not bring himself to lie all out to her. I must be going crazy, he thought.
What she said about being judged for her family hit home. No matter where he went, the Malfoy name dragged at him like an anchor around his neck. It didn't matter how much he changed his look. As long as he had the name, he would always be thought of in a particular way.
Unfortunately for him, his father ruined the image with his Death Eater rubbish. Draco had not been surprised to find out it was his father that put Tom Riddle's diary in Ginny's cauldron. He knew the man was a sick enough bastard to do it. He always wondered what it was like being possessed by the memory of Tom Riddle. Draco knew Ginny had been separated a bit from everyone else because of it. She bore it well, but there would always be a stigma attached to her: Ginny Weasley, the girl who was possessed by Voldemort and opened the Chamber of Secrets. Harry Potter was probably the only person that didn't treat her differently. That no doubt accounted for some of her fondness for him.
Draco involuntarily felt a wave of jealously. What kind of relationship did those two have? He would have sworn Potter had a thing for Granger, but he never saw the boy step in to protect her as he did with Ginny. His plan to isolate her from the Aldread boy was well underway, but he knew Potter would be a lot harder to alienate. He would actually put it in the category of impossible. Besides, it wouldn't do to provide an opportunity for the Dream Team to interfere in his plans. Ginny would stand up to them once they were together, but until them he had to be very careful.
He found himself envying Potter sometimes. He had the freedom to do what he wanted and to be whatever he wished. There was a time when Draco had actually considered becoming an Auror. He was young then and knew nothing about Voldemort or his Death Eaters. Magic was magic to him, and he didn't learn until later that the spells his father wanted him to learn were of the Dark Arts. All it took was one short chat with his father, and he never thought about the idea again.
Now he had no idea what he wanted. For years his family had his life planned out for him. He would go to Hogwarts, marry Pansy after graduation, become a Death Eater, and serve Voldemort loyally until the Wizarding world was his. No one ever really thought beyond that point. It never occurred to them that Voldemort would fail. He honestly thought it would be as miracle if the scaly git succeeded. Like far too many before him, he buggered things up with his ego.
Thanks to his father's fanatical loyalty to the crazy git, the Malfoy name was more despised than ever. Because of his father's alleged actions at the Ministry, far too many people distrusted the Malfoys as a result of the rumours about the incident. It was going to be virtually impossible for him to make a life for himself without the stigma of Voldemort's Death Eaters dogging his every step. He had no idea what direction he would be able to lead his life. Too bad his mother hadn't been caught, he thought savagely. Maybe if she were caught things would settle down. It would serve her right for getting her cousin killed.
Now that was something which made him almost feel sorry for Potter. Ginny had also talked with him about how Sirius' death had affected her friend, and how his life had been one string of tragedies starting with the deaths of his parents and ending with that of his godfather. Both Potters had been killed by Voldemort. His Aunt and her family hated him. And until he died, the only real family he had left was Sirius Black. It was made all the worse by the fact that the man had been on the run for the two years prior to his death. Harry had been unable to spend any real quality time with the man, especially thanks to that old bat Umbridge. Draco had really not liked her, but had gotten on her good side for his own benefit. It worked, so he had been satisfied.
Making the decision to begin giving her more hints as to his identity, Draco pulled out another sheet of embossed linen and began to write.
The next few days were agonizing as he wrote and rewrote his next letter. He was riding a careful balance between giving her enough information to start hinting, and not enough to reveal his identity without actually lying. As a result, the time passed quickly and soon December was upon them like the bitter wind accompanying it. It was with great trepidation that he sent off the letter and settled in to wait for her response.
The Quidditch match against Ravenclaw was scheduled for the first week in December. It was exciting, as usual, but Harry once again saved the day by catching the Snitch. As usual. Ginny and Hermione headed back to Gryffindor afterward, discussing several different plays and alternative strategies. It was surprising how much Hermione actually knew about Quidditch. Ginny was upset that she had been forced to sit the game out thanks to an untimely accident during practice a few days ago. Her leg still hurt from the break and it would be another week before she was fully recovered. At least Gryffindor won, but it was a lot closer than she had hoped.
Upon reaching Gryffindor tower, Ginny and Hermione decided to go occupy themselves for the rest of the day. Ginny wanted nothing more than to curl up on her warm bed and read one of the books Lavender lent her, and it seemed Hermione was caught up in her own thoughts. Probably something about Harry, she thought. Against her wishes, her mind turned to his nemesis and she found herself shivering with an unexplained emotion. Unconsciously her face twisted into a grimace. The king of all bastards, Draco Malfoy, had been getting far more irritating lately and she was still trying to figure out what he was after.
Ginny's eyes quickly darted to Hermione as she schooled her face into a more neutral expression. It wouldn't do to have the older girl ask her why she was frowning. Fortunately she seemed to still be absorbed in her own head as she sat by the fire. Ginny hesitated, wondering if she should take this opportunity to talk things over with her best friend. While part of her wanted to discuss the situation, the other part could not help but remember how her brother reacted to her encounter with Malfoy a few days ago. She'd taken to keeping her encounters with Malfoy secret ever since. At least Harry hadn't told him about the one last week. It wasn't that big of a deal, really.
It was after Quiddich practice, and he'd apparently run out of victims to entertain himself with. He'd been lounging indolently by the broom shed; waiting it seemed, especially for her. He moved to block the door as she approached. She wondered if she'd get in trouble for hexing him.
"Well, isn't it the littlest Weasel? Come out to play, have we?"
"Sod off, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood."
He smirked. "That can change, Weasley."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Get out of my way, Malfoy."
"Make me, Weaselette."
It was too bad he was such a prat. Their encounter last week still made her somewhat weak in the knees, but then she remembered how he treated her most of the time, like now, and the attraction went away. This really was starting to piss her off. Ginny's temper was rapidly rising, which seemed to amuse Draco to no end. It was probably why he failed to notice the fiery glint in her eye and was unaware what it represented.
Ginny thought for a moment, then decided she could live with the detention. She pulled out her wand and prepared to cast her infamous Bat Bogey hex.
"Ginny!"
With a final glare at Malfoy, Ginny turned to face her brother. "What?"
"What the bloody hell are you doing with Malfoy?"
"What does it look like, Ron? I'm getting ready to snog him senseless. Want to watch?"
Ron's eyes looked ready to bulge out of his head. "WHAT?"
"By Merlin, Ron, you really are dense. What did it look like I was doing?"
It took Ginny the better part of an hour to calm her brother down. By that point, she was ready to cast the Bat Bogey hex on him. Malfoy disappeared at some point during their discussion, but she had no real need to go find out what he wanted. Why would she care?
Why indeed, wondered her subconscious. Ginny was in the throes of a rather large quandary. On one hand, she found Draco Malfoy very physically attractive and rather fascinating when he was being snide without the hostility. It was when he was around other people that she hated him. The more public the venue, it seemed; the crueler he tended to be. She still remembered that day where it had seemed she was mere centemetres away from kissing the Slytherin prat. He really is cute, she silently admitted. She quickly thought guiltily of Hermione. How could she even consider that? The ruddy bastard was constantly harassing Hermione and her friends for the most pathetic of excuses, not to mention how he treated her on a daily basis. She wished he could be more like her secret admirer.
They'd been writing each other for some time now and she still had yet to ascertain his identity. Truth be told, she wasn't much closer to solving that mystery than when the letters started. She had an extensive list in her diary about things she gleaned from their correspondence, but was unable to narrow it down to even a few options. She wasn't even sure what house he was in, although she theorized it was Slytherin. He'd been very careful about telling her as little as possible; it was really starting to annoy her.
His latest letter had only added to her frustration, giving her small hints of whom and what he was, but no real information. She decided she needed to think on it before responding. She'd put it away several days ago and had not looked at it since. Perhaps the time had come for her to write back.
Bidding Hermione farewell, she escaped to the dorm upstairs citing the excuse that her leg was bothering her. She wasn't really lying; she just wanted to have some time to think about things before she wrote SA tonight. Things had grown even more confusing for her, thanks to her growing attraction to Malfoy and a persistent inner voice that told her Julian was not what she wanted him to be. She hated thinking that. He really was truly wonderful. He treated her with kindness and respect, and made it quite clear to anyone that he cared for her greatly. Sometimes, however, she couldn't help but compare him to SA and wonder how things might be different.
She sighed. Why didn't she stop writing SA after Julian asked her about it? They were friends, she told him, and she honestly wanted to believe that. But there was always that annoying little voice in the background telling her that she was fooling herself. That SA was far closer to what she wanted in a man than Julian. Bugger. She needed to get this out of her head. But first, she was going to respond to SA. She'd kept him hanging long enough. Pulling out his last letter, she settled under her covers to reread it. Hoping, perhaps, to find something else that would leap out at her and give her an indication as to who he was.
Dearest Ginny,
I'm sorry to hear about Malfoy bothering you. I wish I could enlighten you as to his motivations, but who really can tell. As for your being judged by your family name, yes, Ginny, I can relate all too well. When I enter any place in the Wizarding world, I am immediately recognized because of my family. There are certain assumptions there, not all of them positive, that I will never escape because of the actions of certain members of my family. The influence at times is gratifying, but sometimes I wish anonymity. I can only imagine what it is like for you and your family. It is my understanding that your family is a pure-blood family, but because of your financial situation, is thought to be inferior. I have no doubt that people miss the fact that your family is happy and healthy. Few recognize it as a legitimate measure of success. Many, like my family, judge only by the nobility of lineage and acquisition of wealth.
My father honestly believes that those with wealth are fundamentally superior to those without. I've always wondered about those who come into wealth. Do they suddenly find superiority hidden amongst the riches? He goes so far as to believe those with wealth must act differently from others because they cannot lower themselves to behave like the unwashed masses. Take holidays for example. I have seen the joy you and your family and friends experience around the holidays. I can honestly say I have never had such an experience. My father feels that gathering together to celebrate Christmas is a bohemian tradition and should not be recognized by those of noble ancestry. When I was younger, I once asked him why. His answer to me was to lock me in my room and order me to write out a hundred reasons why being wealthy means I'm superior to other children. Perhaps if I had never done that, I would have more friends today.
But I do not wish to bring your day down with my life experiences. What do you have planned for the upcoming holidays?
SA
She still felt a thrill of excitement as she realized he'd revealed more about himself with this one letter than he had with the past ten. Staring thoughtfully into space, she absently pulled out her diary. Wealthy, she wrote. Unfriendly family. Superiority complex. Sounds like he's from Slytherin, she thought. Suddenly, it hit her. Maybe she'd been right all along. It would make perfect sense as to why he refused to meet her and was so evasive about himself. He must fear she would despise him for his House affiliation. Her first reaction was to be indignant, but then she thought about it. She knew full well how her brother and even Harry would react to the idea of her associating with a Slytherin. They didn't trust a single one of them. He must be one of the few not trying to take after Draco Malfoy, she thought. I wonder who he is? He had to be one incredible actor to be able to exist in Slytherin with his attitude. Sure, she detected certain arrogance in him, but he had made it quite plain that he was no supporter of Voldemort or his Death Eaters. It was almost as if he had something personal against them. Hadenthor?
Despite all the time they'd spent exchanging letters, there was still so little she knew about him. She couldn't help but be disappointed that he left so much of himself out of them. She felt as if she were getting to know an image as opposed to a person. She got the feeling he wanted her to see only certain things, and found herself curious as to why. How could he be so afraid of being honest with her? It was starting to bother her more and more.
Ginny sighed. Every letter they wrote was like an intricate combination of dancing around the truth and sharing as much of themselves as possible without revealing anything to significant. In all honesty, she was starting to tire of it. The mind behind the letters intrigued her, and she wanted to be free to speak of anything with him. She wanted to know what he liked, what he hated. What color his eyes were. How he liked his bleeding steak, for Merlin's sake.
She wanted something real, not the fantasy her brother was happy with. Julian was wonderful, but what if things would be better with SA? Ugh. How could she be thinking this? She cared for Julian and was very happy with him. He was like a dream come true. A fairy tale prince like the one she always thought Harry. It had been a few weeks since they got together and she'd never been happier. Even her brother was okay with Julian. The only real fly in the ointment, besides her correspondence with SA, was Blaise Zabini.
That ruddy bint was doing everything in her power to fling herself at Julian, making it quite clear to anyone with eyes that she was trying actively to steal her boyfriend away. Bitch. Why couldn't she focus on someone else? Like Ron or something. Merlin knew he needed a girlfriend. Ginny knew Blaise was after Julian because he made himself unattainable from the first day he came to Hogwarts. He was a challenge now, and she was never one to back away from a challenge. Bugger. The sad thing was that Julian had no idea what was going on. He genuinely thought Blaise was just being friendly. He was such a nice guy, frustratingly so at times, and never considered that she was trying to destroy his relationship with Ginny. She was going to use him and cast him aside if she succeeded, and Julian would never be the same.
She had this feeling that things were going to become very bad, very soon, and she had no idea what to do about it.
While Ginny agonized over her issues with SA and her boyfriend Julian, and as Harry and Hermione struggled to remain friends without crossing over that invisible line to something more, Ryselle Spellsinger and Severus Snape were fighting a silent battle of their own. Each felt an intense attraction for the other, and each was convinced it was an impossible situation. Severus was very frustrating to Ryselle since he was always so closed to her. Since she'd asked him to be her dueling partner, they had become friends, but there was always a distance between them enforced by his almost compulsive formality. He, on the other hand, had no idea how to react to her. She was outgoing, forward, and completely different from any other woman he'd been with before. It went without saying that she was beautiful, which made her all the more intimidating.
Neither wanted to be the one to rock the boat and risk changing things.
It might have remained that way had it not been for their next dueling practice. Ryselle looked forward to these practices, and she also enjoyed the time they spent together working on Potions. She loved watching his mind work to figure out a complex problem, and it was amazing to watch his skill in the lab. He had a great talent for magical defense, but his true gift was Potions.
The practice was scheduled a few days after the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match. She was happy that Slytherin had not played since it meant he would probably be in a better mood. He was difficult enough to defeat without the added challenge of his irritation. It fascinated her how difficult he was to beat. Thanks to him, Ryselle had learned a great many curses and hexes her grandfather never taught her. She wondered where he learned it all.
Severus Snape was waiting for her when she got down to the dueling hall. He did not seem terribly upset that she was late. One of her students had requested a moment of her time, and she wasn't about to turn him down. She immediately headed to meet Snape after the boy left, hoping he wasn't too annoyed.
"Ah. I see you have finally decided to join me." His sarcasm was biting, but the small smirk he had told her he wasn't too serious.
"Well, you know how it is. My social life is so crowded, I barely have time for anything these days." She smiled facetiously.
Frowning, he moved to assume the standard dueling position. "Ready?"
She joined him, and nodded.
"Stupefy!"
"Speculum!"
Snape flew back as his curse rebounded. He landed hard, and lay still for a moment. Concerned, Ryselle ran over to his prone form to help him. The blood drained from her face as she saw what was on his left arm. The sleeve of his robes had pulled up, revealing a grinning skull intertwined with a snake. She halted, horrified. Severus Snape bore the Dark Mark. Panic overwhelmed her.
The Slytherin professor sat up, quickly pulling down his sleeve and looked up at Ryselle. He saw the look of revulsion, and immediately knew she had seen the Mark. He quickly stood up, wincing as pain shot through his shoulder.
Ryselle's eyes widened, and she abruptly turned and fled the room.
"Ryselle! Wait! I can explain." Severus started after her, but she moved too quickly and he was slightly injured from his impact with the wall. Blast it, he thought. So much for the easy way. He knew from talking with her that she passionately hated the Death Eaters. As a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and their spy in Voldemort's ranks, he was very careful not to let anyone see the Dark Mark. Tonight's fiasco was something he could never have predicted. He had thought about telling her, but his oath to the Order prevented it. Now he wasn't sure what to do. Sighing, he decided to go talk with Dumbledore. This is not going to be pleasant, he thought gloomily.
Ryselle ran through the hallways, instinctively avoiding contact with a single person. When she arrived at her rooms, she slammed the door and collapsed in the center of the room. Severus was a Death Eater! The thought echoed over and over in her head. How can he be a teacher here, she wondered. Ryselle had come to value her burgeoning friendship with the potions master. After he had gotten used to her, he had begun relaxing in her presence. She discovered that he had a very snide and biting sense of humour, but seemed to tone it down once he got to know her. He was incredibly knowledgeable about a great deal of magic. She was very impressed with his knowledge of potions. She freely admitted that while he would do well as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, he was far more suited to his position as the potions master.
She was still in shock that he bore the Dark Mark of Voldemort. She assumed it was from his past. Dumbledore would never let an active Death Eater anywhere near his students, but she wondered what had happened. When had he been one of Voldemort's followers, for example. A voice in the back of her mind wondered if he had done the horrible things Death Eaters were known for. She was horrified at the thought. Memories of the night her parents were killed came flooding back, and she could not escape their grasp. She found herself pulled into a recollection of that night – the fear and horror she experienced, and the sadness upon realizing her parents were dead.
Tears streamed down her face as she remembered. Flashes of the forest, her father's death, her grandfather's revenge, all of it pounded into her head beyond her control. Her familiar, Yradinae, hopped up to her having been called by her mistress' grief. She was a small, golden lizard with wings like a dragon. The dragonet rubbed her golden head against Ryselle's hand, trying to bring her back to herself. A knock at the door startled them both.
Ryselle stood up and muttered an appearance charm on herself. She knew who it was and did not want him to see how she had fallen apart. She reluctantly opened the door, and was not surprised to see Professor Snape standing outside. He appeared more disheveled than she'd ever seen him. The high collar of his tunic was loosened and she could see the white shirt he wore underneath. His hair was a bit more messy than usual, looking as if he'd been running his hands through it. She was most startled, however, by the look of sadness and regret on his face.
"Might I come in for a moment, Ryselle?"
She started at the sound of her name. This was the second time he had called her by her first name. She nodded, silently opening the door to admit him.
Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at the sight of Yradinae. He recognized her for what she was and found himself surprised that Ryselle had won the loyalty of one of the rare creatures. Few people knew of the existence of the miniature dragons. The information was suppressed by the Ministry years ago as a way to protect their dwindling numbers. For Ryselle to possess one of them spoke highly of her connections in the Wizarding world. He wondered how she got it. Shaking himself, he firmly turned his mind back to the task at hand.
He gazed at her, his face unreadable and took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy, he realized. "Ryselle. I think perhaps we need to talk."
She nodded, gesturing for him to take a seat.
Nodding thanks he took off his outer robe and sat down. "Ryselle. I presume you have some questions as to where I received this and why." He pulled up his sleeve revealing the Dark Mark. She flinched. "There is a story behind it, and I ask that you forebear to judge me before you have heard it. Please?"
Ryselle looked at him, reaching out with her senses to see if he was misleading her. She was surprised to find out that not only was he truly concerned, but also he was more open than she had ever seen him. She slowly nodded. "It seems only fair, Severus."
"In all honesty, I have to say I thought Dumbledore had already explained to you my role in the Order. He mentioned a few weeks back you would be joining us and I…"
"Then he knows."
He nodded.
"And he does not have a problem with it, obviously."
"But you do."
She was silent.
"You hate them, the Death Eaters. Far more than a simple stance against the Dark Lord would imply. Why?"
The horror and revulsion in her face made him cringe and feel ashamed of his past. There was no way she would associate with him now. Bloody hell.
"I…" She looked like she was getting ready to flee the room. "I cannot talk about this now, Severus. I am sorry!" She turned away. He reached out to touch her shoulder. It hurt him that she flinched.
"Ryselle. This is not something that is going to go away. Please. Tell me what's wrong."
She laughed, bitterly. "Wrong? What do you think is wrong, Severus? You are a bloody Death Eater for Merlin's sake! Tell me how I am supposed to handle that?"
"By not turning away, that's how. Are we not friends?"
"Y…yes."
"Then let me explain, at least." He watched as she fought back the panic threatening to overwhelm her. He wondered what had happened to make her hate and fear the Death Eaters so much. With a tight nod, she resumed her seat.
He sighed. This was not going to be easy. "It is not a short story, Ryselle, if I want to make sure you understand what happened fully. I hope you are prepared."
Another nod.
"I was born the first and only son of a very wealthy pure-blood family. The Ancient and Most Noble House of Snape." He smiled wryly. "Cumbersome, isn't it?" He was disappointed in her lack of response. Get on with it, Snape, he thought. Bloody hell. Why is it that his inner voice had to sound like Sirius Black? "My father was not the…nicest man in the world. He was a firm believer in the purity of Wizardkind, and a major advocate of a separation between Wizards and Muggles. In other words, he felt Muggleborn should not be allowed into Wizarding society. He was a barrister, and used all the influence he had to make things as difficult as possible for Muggle-borns and half-bloods."
He watched her carefully while he spoke. She still had yet to evidence a reaction. "I grew up in a loveless environment, surrounded by servants, nannies, tutors – anyone but my parents. In actuality, my grandparents were the only family I truly knew for who they were. My parents had a marriage of convenience, which did not involve love, and expected I would grow up to do my part to increase the Snape family legacy. I was five years old when my tutor figured out I had a knack for potions. My father, however, was far more interested in my ability to cast spells. It never occurred to my father that I would not be able to do magic, so I was taught from an early age the methodology of spellcraft. Mostly Dark Arts, unfortunately. The day my Hogwarts letter came was one of the happiest days of my life. My father was proud of me and he and my mother took me out to Hogsmeade to celebrate."
"It was there that I met the Malfoys. Lucius is frighteningly like his father – arrogant, cold, and possessing of an absolute hatred of all things Muggle. The entire dinner was spent listening to Mr. Malfoy's tirade against those who would sully our blood. My father completely agreed. He'd brought me up to believe that Muggles were inferiour. It honestly never occurred to me to question him. Imagine my surprise when I came to this school and met students that were not of pure-blood families. Or were, worse yet, born of Muggle families. Mudbloods they were called and I viewed them as inferior. I had difficulty acknowledging that they were just as talented at magic as I. It was a confusing time. "
"When I was younger, during my time at Hogwarts, I must feely admit my fascination for the Dark Arts continued. As I mentioned, it ran in my family. I was brought up to prize power and the purity of Wizardkind. My first year there, I made the acquaintance of several members of pure-blood families, such as the Malfoys, and was sorted into Slytherin where most of them resided. I was always a bit of an oddball, being very studious and socially inept." He frowned with remembrance, forcing himself to remain as neutral as possible. He had no desire to prove everything she'd heard about Death Eaters correct by losing his temper. He could tell she was listening but he was afraid she might stop if he got too angry.
"It was shortly after I began school that I met a student called James Potter. It was hate at first sight. To this day, I cannot honestly say why we despised each other so much, but our meeting sparked off a conflict that lasted until our final day at Hogwarts. James was arrogant. He was good at everything he did, along with his friend Sirius Black, and they ruled the school. James became insufferable by his fifth year, and the Mauraders as they came to be called went out of their way to make my life a living hell. I wish I could tell you why, but I never knew. For seven long years they tormented me and did everything in their power to make me look like a fool." He glanced over at her. "Because of them; because of their treatment of me, I asked Lucius to teach me to dance. I wanted to go to at least one function with a date and naively thought that would be the answer." His eyes darkened. "Needless to say, it never happened. I graduated the least popular Wizard in the school without ever having a girl pay positive attention to me."
He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. Now it was time for the hard part. "Lucius Malfoy was the only person that would stand up to Potter and his friends. As a result, I developed a close friendship with him and was incredibly loyal to him. After he graduated, he married Sirius' cousin Narcissa. Draco Malfoy was born a few years later. I am his godfather. I was working for the Ministry in their potions lab less than a year later when I was given the opportunity to come to Hogwarts as a teacher." He glanced over to her. Good. She was still attentive. "By that time the war had escalated but I had no real interest in what was happening outside my own little world. Coming to Hogwarts merely intensified my indifference."
"Lucius had been thrilled at my new position but it was some time before I found out why. A few months after the start of my first term, he came to me and informed me that the time of the Wizards was at hand. He had joined a group of people fighting for the purity of the Wizarding world and wanted me to meet them. He informed me that he had been with them for several years now and asked me if I would be interested in becoming a part of their group. He said my position at the school would make me invaluable." Snape was surprised at the bitterness he felt toward his friend. He sighed. "You have to understand, Ryselle, I would have done anything Lucius asked. I agreed, and he took me to meet Lord Voldemort. I had heard stories of him, of course, but had never really taken them seriously. For the first time in my life I was confronted with true evil. It was like talking to a demon. He was very persuasive and I found myself agreeing to do everything he asked. The burning of the Dark Mark was my first sign that things might not be as good as they seemed. I was too afraid to refuse however – I'm sure I would have died had I done so – and was used by the Dark Lord as a spy for the next two years."
The next part would be the most difficult. He feared her response. He had a feeling she would not understand everything that happened. "I…uh…I…" The words stuck in his throat. He felt her small hand slip into his.
"It is okay, Severus. Continue when you can."
She had no idea how much that simple gesture comforted him. He sighed. "The Dark Lord began asking me to do more in his service as time passed. First it was creating potions, which I was happy to do, but then there were poisons for his enemies and Dark elixirs meant to sustain his life or increase his power. At first I was only interested in the challenge. But it was not too long before I was almost completely indifferent to any thoughts of morality. It did not take much to convince me to begin going on raids with my new companions as a result. I began to do the things Death Eaters are so well known for." He looked at her. "I was a fool, Ryselle. An angry, bigoted fool desperate for friendship. I convinced myself they were right. Muggles were little better than animals and needed to be kept out of Wizarding affairs. They became less than nothing to me, and I almost came to savor the feeling of doing something to maintain the integrity of the Wizarding world. The only time I really had any trouble was when we were attacking other Wizards. Lucius told me it was an unpleasant necessity, and for a time I was content to believe him."
Snape reached over and grabbed a pillow, distracting himself for a short time from what he was about to tell her. If anything was going to drive her away, it would be this. For the first time he admitted to himself that he was interested in more than friendship with her. She had to know the truth. He fussed a bit more, trying to get comfortable as he wrestled with his conscience. There were things he'd avoided speaking of for years, but he got the feeling he needed to tell her everything now if he was ever going to get the chance. Looking into her eyes, he realized that there was no way he could hide it from her anyway.
Ryselle took his hand back once he was settled.
"One night took us on a raid to a familiar house. It took me a little while, but I recognized it after seeing a picture of myself and another wizard when we were boys. We were at the house of my childhood friend, Eadric Thorneby." He forced the words past the lump in his throat. Why was it so difficult to tell her of this? "We… they opposed the Dark Lord. Eadric felt segregation was the worst thing we could do to the Wizarding world. He was a progressive thinker. He said Muggleborn were just another step in the evolution of Wizardkind. We killed him for it. Him…" She would hate him now. "And his family."
Ryselle gasped. "No!"
The emotion was gone from his voice now. He was beyond feeling. "Lucius told me I had to be the one to do it. Other Death Eaters doubted my loyalty to the cause because I went on so few raids. This was my way to prove to myself to Voldemort." There were tears in his eyes now. It surprised him. He hadn't cried for them in over a decade. "It was the only time I wanted to say no, but I was too afraid. There was little choice – them or me." He hung his head. "I chose the selfish way."
He felt a gentle touch on his face as she raised his eyes to hers. "There was no other way, Severus. Had you refused, Eadric and his family would still be dead, but so would you. I doubt your friend would have wanted that."
"He saw me, Ryselle. That's the most terrible thing." The thing he never even told Dumbledore. "He knew who I was and what I had become. I saw it in his eyes." His voice faded to a whisper. "As I…killed him." Severus was surprised he still felt such pain at the memory. It had been close to twenty years, but he still remembered the look of betrayal and hatred in Eadric's eyes. Lucius had forced him to watch while his wife and children were killed. When Snape faced him, he could see the recognition. Fear guided him to raise his wand and utter the most terrible words he ever spoke in his life. A green flash and it was over. Lucius was proud of him.
He hated himself.
A soft floral scent surrounded him and he found himself wrapped in Ryselle's arms. She hugged him, her actions speaking louder than any words that she understood. He felt the wetness of tears on his face, and for the first time in more than a decade let them come. Maybe there was hope. Maybe they could still be friends. It was more than enough if this was any indication.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Severus. Some greater than others, but we all suffer for them. You suffer every moment of every day for yours. I see it in your eyes. The past is done. There is nothing you can do…"
"It's not the past, Ryselle." He felt her tense.
"What do you mean?"
Snape pulled away reluctantly, refusing to meet her eyes. "I am still a Death Eater. I do not accompany them out on raids because my position here is too valuable, but I am still responsible for far too much evil."
"Wha…why does Albus let you stay?"
He turned to face her. "Because I'm a spy. There is only so much I can do, but the information I gather for the Order is beyond value. I stay with them to help the Order of the Phoenix." For the first time in his life he wished for a touch of Gryffindor nobility. He didn't want her to think less of him, but the truth had to be said. "I wish I could tell you I decided to become a spy out of a sense of responsibility and honor, but the truth is that Eadric's death affected me far more than I could have imagined. I came to the realization I allied myself with the wrong side. I have no idea how Dumbledore found out, but shortly afterward he called me into his office and asked me if there was anything he could do to help me. Initially I said no, but then I realized what a horrible situation I was in. There was no escape, and he offered me the chance to make something of myself. I told him about the Dark Mark, and the things I had done over the previous two years."
He briefly wondered what she was thinking. "Albus encouraged me to turn the tables on Voldemort and become a spy for him. He taught me Occlumency, which I had a rudimentary knowledge of, but with his help became very skilled. I served as a spy for Dumbledore, eventually being inducted as a member of the Order. Imagine my surprise when I found out the Mauraders were already members and had been fighting Voldemort for years. Later that year I heard that Voldemort intended to kill the Potters, and informed Dumbledore. They were unfortunately too late. But somehow little Harry survived. Black chased after Peter Pettigrew and got himself sent to Azkaban, and Dumbledore took the young baby Potter to live with his Muggle relatives. With the destruction of Voldemort, I was free. But the Dark Mark never disappeared, so I knew his power was not broken. Lucius and many other Death Eaters went into hiding, completely unaware to this day that I betrayed them."
He grew silent, watching for a reaction. Snape was surprised at how much her opinion mattered to him. Ordinarily, he wouldn't care. But there was something about the Gypsy that fascinated him. Despite the fact that he was always distant to her, she had always been friendly. It was difficult not to respond to that. She carried her friendliness with her like an aura. He ruefully admitted to himself that her exotic looks and that beautiful voice of hers added to his interest. She was brilliant and had a talent with Potions as well. While she didn't know as much as he did, she learned quickly and had brought him a few Gypsy recipes he hadn't known. Their duels were always challenging, something that had become rare to him over the years. He found himself actually looking forward to their time together.
He dared not hope she felt the same.
Ryselle gazed at him, her eyes unreadable. Her mind was processing the information he had given her. It would explain why Dumbledore trusted him even though he bore the Dark Mark. It surprised her. For all his behaviour, she would not have expected him to be a defender of the Light. But if he was telling the truth, he was doing more to fight Voldemort than she ever did. Despite all his dissembling, she knew he served the greater good with honor. She had to admire that. Suddenly it hit her.
"Oh goodness Severus. That is so dangerous! What will happen if you get caught? No, do not answer. I know. They will kill you." She looked into his eyes. "You know that, and yet you still go back." She placed her hand against his face. "Such bravery. Never doubt you serve the greater good, Severus Snape. What you do requires an incredible strength of will and allegiance to the Light."
He looked at her, surprised. "So you…don't hate me?"
She smiled. "No, Severus. I could never hate you." He could see the truth in her gaze. "You are the most honorable and brave man I have ever met." She smirked. How wonderful she looked when she gave him that wry smile. "Admittedly, you are a bit snide, sarcastic, and inimical, but you are also cunning, brilliant, and honorable. It is all part of your Slytherin charm."
Was she talking about him?
"Uh…" He was thunderstruck. What could he say?
Her silvery laugh filled the room. "Do not be surprised, Severus. I have no doubt Headmaster Dumbledore has told you similar things on a number of occasions. I imagine you simply were not listening very well."
"He's not a beautiful Gypsy professor." By Merlin, did he just say that out loud?
She blushed. "Why thank you, Severus. That is very kind of you."
He decided to take a chance. "It is not merely kindness, Ryselle." He took her hand. "It is the truth."
Now she appeared dumbstruck. How could she not know how she appeared to him? "You are brilliant, kind, and witty. I love the way you smile and live with such joy and passion. I find myself unable to refuse anything you desire. You…you are the most amazing woman I have ever met."
He hoped he hadn't said too much.
"Thank you, Severus. I…would not have expected you to think that of me."
"Then perhaps you are a bit denser than I thought. Maybe you should have been a Gryffindor."
His smirk told her he was not entirely serious.
"Perhaps. Slytherin most definitely suits you, however. Your silver tongue alone convinces me of that." It was true. If there was one thing that could convince her to accept what he was, it was the story he'd just shared. She knew it took a lot for him to trust her that way. She felt guilty for running out on him, but the sight of the Dark Mark had brought back too many painful memories. And that, more than anything she realized, was the problem.
"Severus." She spoke softly, her eyes catching his. "I…need some time to think this over. I believe you, do not get me wrong. But there are…issues…from the past that I need to deal with before I can sort out everything you have told me."
His lips curved up in a wry smile; the first Ryselle had ever seen. "I understand." He stood up, and turned to leave, regret etched in his features. "I hope one day you will tell me why you hate the Death Eaters so much."
She was surprised to feel pain at his disappointment. It would affect their friendship, she knew, and found herself pained at the thought of losing their closeness. Her heart cried out for her to prevent it. Abruptly, she came to a decision. She would deal with the consequences later. "Potions tomorrow?"
Snape was surprised at her question. "If you wish."
"I will see you then."
He nodded and turned to leave.
"I will tell you, Severus. I promise. I just cannot speak of it tonight."
He understood. Moments later he was gone and Ryselle sat back in her chair, thinking hard about what he had told her.
The next morning, Ginny decided to put extra effort into being nice to her boyfriend. She got the feeling she'd been a bit neglectful lately, and the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was not happy with him. She'd come to the conclusion that having SA as a friend was nice, but she really liked Julian as her boyfriend. They just needed to talk a bit about the doubts she'd been having.
As the day progressed, Draco Malfoy watched this interesting change with little amusement. It seemed the Weasley girl had finally decided to devote herself to her boyfriend, which meant sterner measures would be necessary to break them up. It was too bad the Weasel King seemed to like the ruddy prat. From what Ginny said, Julian Aldread was the only boy her brother ever remotely approved of.
That was not something he wanted to hear.
It was bad enough that she was dating the buggering git. But to have Weasley's approval as well? He needed to put a stop to this.
Things should have been different, he thought. When Blaise informed him two weeks ago that Ginny chose the Aldread boy over him, he was very upset. He hoped the uncertainty between them would have kept them apart. Unfortunately, the Gryffindor nature of the two overrode any sense of suspicion the Slytherins tried to create. SA was not enough of an issue to prevent Ginny and that bloody Gryffindor from bonding further. It wasn't hugely surprising. There was only so much influence he could exert through anonymous letters.
When the two Gryffindors got together, he'd actually secretly expected it. Ginny was not the type of girl to be happy with a relationship based entirely on the exchange of letters. She needed someone to hug, hold hands with, kiss… his eyes glinted angrily at the thoughts of that pathetic prat with his… with the Weasley girl. Not that he cared, but he wanted to win the bet. It was a matter of principle now. It was too bad his plan to keep them apart failed. Bloody Gryffindors.
Now he had to go through all the trouble of breaking the two up and make sure he was in no way implicated in the situation. Hell hath no fury like a Ginny scorned, and despite his arrogance, even he had no desire to dare it. He sighed. According to Blaise, Aldread was unwilling to confront Ginny about her secret admirer. Apparently he asked her about it and she told him that they were just friends. Just friends, he thought derisively. 'Just friends' wasn't going to get him a bloody date for the Spring Ball. Something needed to be done and soon. Unfortunately it appeared that Julian Aldread was the one boy in school immune to Blaise's charms.
Blaise speculated that the only way to get Aldread to break up with Ginny would be to set some sort of betrayal up in such a way that he never wanted to speak with her again. Considering the personality of the ruddy git, that plan was just as likely to succeed as Blaise seducing him. They needed to work from the other angle. Ginny was far more temperamental. Something needed to be set up that would convince her that he was a total bastard and she wanted nothing to do with him.
The only way he could think of doing that would be a lust or love potion, and there were certain risks with that. Like expulsion. Even Snape wouldn't defend him if he gave another student an illegal potion. As a matter of fact, he'd probably encourage it. His father would probably be so delighted that he'd be a Death Eater by sundown. No, that wasn't the answer. He'd have to take some time to think on it. Maybe something would come to him while he waited for Icarus to return.
It surprised him to find himself actually looking forward to seeing the owl in his chambers. Ginny was an intriguing person and he was enjoying their correspondence. He learned a great deal about Ginny that he never would have guessed. Like the fact that she snuck into London once with a friend of hers to go 'clubbing'. Or that she secretly wanted to travel the world after she finished with school. There were so many ways in which she was perfect for him, but unfortunately she was still a Weasley.
The flutter of wings caught his attention and he couldn't help but grin at the sight of Icarus. He was relieved to notice that her letter was still sprayed with her distinctive perfume, and that the paper was still the pink tissue she was so fond of. Perhaps not all was lost.
Dear SA,
I really have to say that the more I hear about your father, the more I want to know who he is so I can find him and hex him. Bohemian tradition? Where the bloody hell did he get that? Christmas is a time to get together with family and celebrate. You would probably love the Burrow during that time of year. My mother spends three days cooking and baking for Christmas and the day before. My father makes the most incredible spiced cider, and we all put special effort into cleaning up the house in preparation for guests. We're usually awakened on Christmas morning with something loud and obnoxious from one of my brothers. Next year, since it's my last year of school, I plan on going out with a bang. Fred and George have these fireworks that form different shapes and run around the house until they are dispelled. You'll probably remember them from last year when they buggered out of here thanks to that bat, Umbridge. They have special occasion versions now and I can't wait to see what they do this year.
I wish you could join us. I bet you'd have a lot more fun with us than with a father who thinks Christmas is only for poor people. Oh, but to answer your question. My brother and I are taking Harry, Julian, and Hermione home with us over the holiday. Hermione's supposed to go with her parents for a short while before she joins us at the Burrow on the day before Christmas. I could talk to my parents if you're interested in coming along, but you do realize we'll have to meet before then.
I really don't care what house you're in, if that's what you're worried about. My theory at this point is that you are in Slytherin. I'm curious to know who you could possibly be since I know most of the sixth and seventh year students.
Hermione is looming over me with 'that look' on her face so I'm going to let you go. Time to slave away for my beloved professors.
Ginny
So she figured out he was in Slytherin. That was good. His hints worked, then. He thought she would be smart enough to catch that. He did actually wish for a tiny moment that he could take her up on her offer. Merlin knew Christmas at home was going to be a truly terrible experience, despite the presence of his godfather. But at least he could talk to the professor about Potions.
But that was a secondary issue. The first thing he had to do was make sure Aldread and Ginny did not get to spend the holiday together. He knew the sorts of things that happened during holidays and any intimacy between them would herald the end of any chance he might have with her. They were at a crucial point. Right now, she was accepting of his being a Slytherin. He had made a great deal of headway with her as SA, and she was talking to him like an actual person now, confiding things he honestly was very surprised about. In response, he found himself talking quite a bit more frankly with her than he had with anyone else.
He was not about to let some Lockhart-like Gryffindor spoil a good thing with his good looks, perfect hair, and sapphire blue eyes that he wanted to stab out with his wand. Bastard. Let him find another girl to turn his perfect smile on. Ginny was his. She just didn't know it yet.
The first step was to make Ginny realize how much she enjoyed her correspondence with SA. It was not going to be easy, but he decided he was going to stop writing her altogether and see how she responded. If he read her right, she would begin to get upset and edgy by the end of the week. They usually wrote three to five times a week. Along with this tactic was the hardest, which would be ignoring her letters. He was going to return them unopened and watch how she reacted to that. He had a feeling that would affect her far worse than his not writing her.
The third step was the most risky. Icarus was going to start bringing letters to Blaise.
If there was one thing he learned about Ginny Weasley over the years, it was that she had quite the temper on her. Blaise had been throwing herself at Aldread since the night they talked, and he obliviously acted like she was just being friendly. He knew Ginny saw something different. Things had gotten quite hostile between the two young women with Blaise trying to beat Ginny and win over Julian on one hand, and Ginny trying to keep her boyfriend out of the Slytherin girl's clutches on the other. It was going to be quite lively once Ginny noticed Blaise was getting letters with his distinctive markings.
Maybe he should write her one last letter to tell her he met someone who really caught his interest. That would get her thoughts going in the right direction.
Perfect.
Draco ruthlessly crushed the surge of guilt he felt about what his plan was going to do to Ginny. She'd been very happy with Julian and he was getting ready to destroy a very promising relationship over a bet. A little voice in his head told him he would be better off just explaining the situation to her than going along with this plan. He told the voice to bugger off.
The next day was quite lively for several people at Hogwarts. Usually Monday was greeted by Ginny Weasley with a grin and a reluctant acceptance of Potions as their first class. Today there was no grin, despite her boyfriend's cheerful greeting, and as the week progressed, it got worse. Things came to a head Saturday when she received an odd letter from SA.
Ginny,
I have great news. I have finally managed to meet a girl who has caught my attention. I know you are happy with Julian and because of that, you will be happy for me. You've been such a great friend, but I now understand why you wanted to be with your boyfriend so badly. I've always had certain difficulties with girls and now it's nice to know there's one out there that I can trust. Thank you for being such a great friend.
SA
Ginny gaped at the missive in disbelief. Was she reading that correctly? Was SA going to stop writing her? She felt a surge of anger. For weeks she'd been writing him, despite her feelings for Julian, thinking that they at least had a good friendship going. Now he had the audacity to essentially tell her he wasn't going to write her anymore because he met a girl? Prat. Men really were bastards.
That day found Ginny in a rage few had ever witnessed. Draco Malfoy was delighted to see how it was getting to her – even to the point of making her snap at her boyfriend. Two days later, when Blaise received the first letter, Ginny snapped. It was all Draco could do not to smirk as she stormed out of the Great Hall.
Hermione was concerned about her friend and decided to go after her. Harry looked at her questioningly and she motioned toward the doors.
"I'm going to talk with her. I'll see you in class," she said softly.
Harry nodded and wished her luck. He had a feeling she was going to need it.
Hermione found Ginny outside, stomping toward the Quidditch field. She ran to catch up with her and almost pulled her wand when the younger girl rounded on her.
"What the fuck are you doing out here, Hermione?"
"I came to see if you're okay."
"Do I look okay? How do you think I am? I'm royally pissed, that's what I am!"
Hermione looked confused. "Why are you so upset, Ginny? Are you and Julian having problems?" She took a step back at the rage in her friend's eyes.
"No, 'Mione, we're not having problems. Everything's perfect. So bloody perfect! Julian's great, I'm great, and now my secret admirer's great. We're all just one great bloody crowd!"
"What? What do you mean, your secret admirer? I thought Julian was SA."
"HA! Like Julian would ever do something like that. He's a great guy, 'Mione, but he has the creative urges of a fucking Ravenclaw. I swear I feel like I'm ready to go insane sometimes! He's sweet, caring, kind, friendly, and so fucking exasperating I think I might strangle him! He's too much! Too noble! Too gallant! It's like being with a fairy tale prince."
"And this is a bad thing?"
"You know, at least my secret admirer has flaws. He's snide, sarcastic, and has a huge issue with loads of people. He had an unhappy homelife and doesn't always do everything he should to be the perfect man. But he's more real than Julian any day."
"Then I hope the two of you will be happy."
Hermione and Ginny whirled to see Julian slowly walking towards them. Both were horrified to realize he probably heard the majority of Ginny's rant. Suddenly Ginny felt like running away. The look in his eyes was enough to make even the bravest Gryffindor cringe.
"Hermione. Ginny."
"Julian. Uh… I'm going to leave now," said Hermione while creeping away. "I'll… uh… be in the… never mind. You guys don't care anyway." She ran.
Ginny and Julian stood there for a few moments, staring at each other in disbelief. Like a dash of cold water it hit Ginny what she said and she had no idea what to do to make things better. His eyes had lost their sparkle and as he looked at her, she realized it was her fault. She hurt him in ways she never imagined.
What the bloody hell came over her?
"Julian…" He cut her off with a gesture.
"Please, Ginny, I'd rather not stand here and listen to you spin a tale for me about your feelings for me and this secret admirer of yours. I thought giving you the chance to explain yourself would be enough, but obviously there was more to it than mere friendship."
"Julian! I…"
"It doesn't matter, Ginevra! You made your feelings for me quite clear at the same time you were waxing poetic about this mysterious man. I apologize for not living up to your expectations. I'm afraid I was under the delusion that things were going well…"
"They were! I just…"
"Save it for someone who wishes to listen, Ginny. I have watched for the past week while you flew into a temperamental fit after your secret admirer stopped writing you. I could probably have disappeared for a week and you wouldn't have noticed as long as those letters continued. Blaise was right, wasn't she? You were keeping SA on the side in case things didn't work out with us. Or was the other way around?" For the first time since she'd met him, Julian glared. "You didn't even give me a bloody chance. I've never had a girlfriend, Ginny. I was taking care of my mother while other boys my age discovered the joys of girls. You never even bothered to try and understand. You didn't need to. You had SA."
"Julian, wait…"
"Well, Ginny, I must say that this is a first for me. Never in my life have I felt the need to hex someone within an inch of their life. Until now. As I said. I hope you are happy with your fantasy man. It is unfortunate that I am not he."
His eyes were cold as he said it, and then he walked away. Ginny knew at that moment how Harry must have felt when Hermione left the Burrow during the summer. The despair hit her like a Bludger. With a strangled cry she ran to the Pitch and collapsed on the ground next to the bleachers.
The tears, when they came, were bitter and cold.
Blaise Zabini was nearby watching everything from underneath Draco Malfoy's Invisibility Cloak. She smirked at the sight of the Gryffindor girl's breakdown. She almost felt sorry for the girl. Malfoy's spell worked exactly the way he said it would and the little Gryffindor princess never even knew there was something wrong. She smirked. Now it would be all too easy to get Julian right where she wanted him. Even he would be unable to resist her charms after a breakup like that. She'd been telling him for weeks that there was something wrong. Now he would probably fall all over himself with gratitude, babbling about love and trust.
It's too bad he was such a sentimentalist. He'd make an appropriate husband with his family's assets, but she could never live with his attitude. Adrian Pucey was not the nicest guy in the world, but he was wealthy, powerful, and great in bed. And now, thanks to Julian, he was jealous as well. Once she seduced the boy it would only be a matter of time before Pucey found out. All she needed to do was arrange for him to 'happen' across her and the Gryffindor heartthrob and all her planning would pay off. Adrian would sweep in and 'rescue' her while Julian learned the true value of trust.
Stupid Gryffindor.
Satisfied that Malfoy's plan worked, Blaise headed back to the school in search of Julian. She had a feeling he would be in need of some serious comfort.
After Hermione left Julian and Ginny, she immediately returned to Gryffindor in hopes of finding Harry and Ron. While Ron might be behaving as a total prat, she got the feeling he would set everything aside to comfort his sister when she returned to the tower. Things were not going to end well for her and her no doubt soon-to-be-former boyfriend.
What the bloody hell came over her? For several weeks she'd been over the moon about Julian and could talk of nothing else except how wonderful he was. If she'd known SA was someone other than Julian, she would have immediately advised Ginny to step back and think about what she was doing. What was that girl thinking? It's like the past week she'd changed from the Ginny Weasley she knew for five years, to some jealous and hostile bint who seemed to be obsessed with someone not her boyfriend.
What the hell?
Something wasn't right about the situation. She didn't know what it was, but the Ginny she knew would never have said those things about anyone. Not even Draco Malfoy. So what happened to change all that? It all started the day SA stopped writing her. She knew about it because Lavender told her that Ginny was in a bad mood because she didn't get her Monday morning owl. As the day progressed, things got worse and even Julian wasn't able to bring her out of it. That was when she got the feeling there was something bad going on between the two of them. She thought Julian was responsible for the owls – he'd never disabused her of the notion – and for some reason decided to stop sending them. However, he was as attentive as ever which made her suspect there was something else going on.
She had no idea what happened to make things worse, but a week after the letters stopped, Ginny flew into a rage that got worse until everything apparently came to a head today. Why Ginny flipped out she also didn't know, but she was determined to find out what was going on. Perhaps their relationship could be salvaged.
If not, perhaps their friendship might recover.
The boys were nowhere to be found, so she decided to go up and do some research in the library. Maybe there was a book on odd behavioural changes that could give her a clue about what happened to her friend.
Meanwhile across the castle, Draco Malfoy was having the time of his life. Blaise had told him what happened between the Gryffindor prat and the Weasley girl. Things were going exactly as he planned. Even he was stunned it worked. Apparently she was as attached to SA as he believed her to be. Perfect. Now he just needed to get her to transfer that attachment to him. He suspected it would not be as difficult as one would think. It was time for the next phase of his plan.
During the next few days while waiting for Ginny to cool down, Draco reflected on his motivations for his behaviour with the Weasley girl. He had gotten to the point where even he admitted he was interested in something more than a short fling. She was a pure-blood, so at least he would not be lowering himself too much, and she really was very different from the rest of her family. He honestly wasn't lying when he told her Arthur Weasley would be perfect for the position of Minister of Magic. The man was honest and simplistic, but the Wizarding world needed someone like that in a time like this. At least Mr. Weasley didn't try and hide the fact that they were at war.
Ginny obviously inherited a great deal from her father, but it seemed like her mother influenced her greatly as well. Everyone had heard stories of Mrs. Weasley's infamous temper, and he joyfully remembered the Howler Weasley got his second year. That was one of his fondest memories.
He was fascinated by her close relationship with her family, and her total commitment to her friends. How someone could open up like that boggled the mind, but she seemed better for it and he almost wished sometimes for her to turn that absolute trust toward him. Not that he deserved it, said the evil little voice in his head. He could swear it was growing louder.
Ginny really was an amazing girl. When he took the time to compare her to people like Blaise and Pansy, it became apparent that she was misplaced because of her family name. Someone like that should never have been born a Weasley.